Eight nationally-ranked teams look to close out seasons with state titles this week, including No. 1 St. Anthony.
Hallice Cook and Tarin Smith of top-ranked St. Anthony pressure an opposing ballhandler during a game in February. The Friars are allowing just 33 points per game in postseason play.
File photo by Denis Gostev
The scenario for top-ranked
St. Anthony (Jersey City, N.J.) is simple. A win over
Plainfield on Tuesday in the NJSIAA Tournament of Champions final means the Friars will celebrate back-to-back national titles.
But the recent play of Plainfield suggests Tuesday's matchup will be far from a coronation for head coach Bob Hurley's squad. The Cardinals have won every postseason contest by double digits, including 22-point wins over previously-unbeaten
Teaneck and one-loss
St. Joseph (Metuchen).
St. Anthony isn't exactly showing signs of vulnerability, however. The Friars are surrendering just 33 points per game in postseason play and have won all five outings by 23 points or more.
The teams have already met once this season, a 43-31 St. Anthony victory back on Feb. 7. Plainfield has won 15 in a row since.
The season's final Xcellent 25 presented by the Army National Guard is two weeks away. In addition to St. Anthony, No. 5
Chester (Pa.), No. 6
Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.), No. 12
Dunbar (Dayton, Ohio), No. 19
Sexton (Lansing, Mich.), No. 20
Neumann-Goretti (Philadelphia), No. 23
Hopkins (Minnetonka, Minn.) and No. 24
Salesian (Richmond, Calif.) will look to close out their 2011-12 campaigns with state titles this weekend.
No. 8
Paul VI (Fairfax, Va.) wraps things up Tuesday in the Abe Pollin City Title Game against
Coolidge (Washington, D.C.).
No. 14
Blanche Ely (Pompano Beach, Fla.) is the only Xcellent 25-ranked team that will play beyond this week with a trip to the National High School Invitational in Maryland on March 29-31.
Read on for a complete look at this week's rankings.
Xcellent 25 High School Basketball Rankings presented by the Army National Guard1. (No. 1 last week) St. Anthony (Jersey City, N.J.) (31-0)The Friars are seeking their 12th Tournament of Champions title and fifth national title under Bob Hurley.
2. (2) Marcus (Flower Mound, Texas) (39-2)Season complete. Class 5A state champions.
3. (3) Milton (Ga.) (28-4)Season complete. Class AAAAA state champions.
4. (4) Simeon (Chicago) (33-1)Season complete. Class 4A state champions.
5. (5) Chester (Pa.) (31-0)The Clippers dispatched a proud Coatesville program Saturday in the Class AAAA quarterfinals, 87-46. Chester will meet Wake Forest signee Devin Thomas and Central Dauphin (Harrisburg) on Wednesday for the right to advance to the state championship game.
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Colorado-bound Xavier Johnson uses both hands in No. 6 Mater Dei's regional final win over Bullard of Fresno on Saturday night.
Photo by David Hood
The Monarchs are looking to complete back-to-back seasons as Division I state champs Saturday at Power Balance Pavilion in Sacramento against homestanding Sheldon. It would be a state-record ninth CIF state title under head coach Gary McKnight.
7. (8) Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas) (28-4)Season complete. Class 4A state champions.
8. (7) Paul VI (Fairfax, Va.) (34-3)Paul VI beat No. 13 DeMatha three times this season, but lost to the Stags on Saturday in the finals of the Alhambra Catholic Invitational. Tough to punish the Panthers rankings-wise, but it's not a great time of year to be losing games. Paul VI will have an opportunity to close out on a strong note against Coolidge (Washington, D.C.) on Tuesday in the Abe Pollin City Title Game.
9. (9) Prestonwood Christian (Plano, Texas) (29-4)Season complete. Texas Association of Private and Parochial Schools Class 5A state champions.
10. (10) Columbia (Decatur, Ga.) (31-1)Season complete. Class AAA state champions.
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11. (11) Grace Prep (Arlington, Texas) (27-4)Season complete. Texas Association of Private and Parochial Schools Class 4A state champions.
12. (13) Dunbar (Dayton, Ohio) (26-0)The Wolverines turned in one of their more impressive efforts of the season Saturday in the Division II regional finals, blasting defending Division III state champ Taft (Cincinnati) 81-59. Dunbar faces Lake Catholic (Mentor) on Friday in semifinal play with a chance to advance to Saturday's title game.
13. (15) DeMatha (Hyattsville, Md.) (30-5)Season complete. Alhambra Catholic Invitational champions.
14. (14) Blanche Ely (Pompano Beach, Fla.) (30-2)After winning Florida's Class 7A state title, the Tigers have accepted a bid to the National High School Invitational next week in Maryland.
15. (16) Scotlandville (Baton Rouge, La.) (36-2)Season complete. Class 5A state champions.
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16. (12) Proviso East (Maywood, Ill.) (32-1)Season complete. Class 4A runner-up.
17. (17) Fort Bend Travis (Richmond, Texas) (36-4)Season complete. Class 5A state runner-up.
18. (24) Germantown (Wis.) (28-0)Season complete. Division 1 state champions.
19. (18) Sexton (Lansing, Mich.) (24-1)The Big Reds need three wins this week to capture the Class B state title. Robichaud (Dearborn Heights) is up first Tuesday in the quarters.
20. (19) Neumann-Goretti (Philadelphia) (26-3)The Saints will face Boys' Latin Charter (Philadelphia) for the second time this month Tuesday with a trip to the Class AAA state title game on the line.
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No. 21 New Hanover celebrates its win over West Charlotte in North Carolina's Class 4A state championship game.
Photo by Steven Worthy
Season complete. NCHSAA Class 4A state champions.
22. (22) Lone Peak (Highland, Utah) (22-3)Season complete. Class 5A state champions.
23. (23) Hopkins (Minnetonka, Minn.) (28-1)The Royals open Class AAAA state tournament play Wednesday at the Target Center against Woodbury.
24. (25) Salesian (Richmond, Calif.) (32-2)The Pride enter Friday's Division IV state championship against Price (Los Angeles) riding a 25-game win streak. Salesian has won eight postseason contests by an average margin of 34.7 points per game.
25. (NR) Union (Tulsa, Okla.) (29-0)Season complete. Class 6A state champions.
Dropped out: No. 20 last week
Long Beach Poly (Long Beach, Calif.)
