MaxPreps Top 25 high school boys basketball rankings

Xcellent 25 National Basketball Rankings presented by the Army National Guard

1. (No. 8 last week) Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.), 10-0
The Monarchs are coming off a tournament win at the Tarkanian Classic in Las Vegas and haven't been truly tested heading into the post-Christmas Orange Holiday Classic. Elijah Brown and Stanley Johnson are both averaging more than 20 points per game in Gary McKnight's user-friendly offense. It's simply embarrassing we excluded the Monarchs from preseason rankings.

2. (1) Lone Peak (Highland, Utah), 10-1
If it were possible, the Knights would slot in at 1B. The first team from Utah to ever participate in the prestigious City of Palms Classic, Lone Peak knocked off then-No. 3 Chester (Pa.) and then-No. 5 Southwind (Memphis, Tenn.) en route to the championship game.

3. (2) Long Beach Poly (Calif.), 8-1
Like Lone Peak, Poly's only loss at the City of Palms Classic came against Montverde Academy (Fla.). The Jackrabbits beat ranked teams in Tift County (Tifton, Ga.), Omaha Central (Neb.) and Southwind to collect third place in Fort Myers. Head coach Sharrief Metoyer's squad will need to remain dialed in after Christmas as it gets back on the road for the Whataburger Tournament in Texas.



4. (4) Whitney Young (Chicago), 6-1
Yet another City of Palms participant that went down to Montverde Academy, the Dolphins bounced back with wins over Omaha Central and Chester.

5. (6) Neumann-Goretti (Philadelphia), 4-0
The Saints head to Oregon for the Les Schwab Invitational after Christmas.{PAGEBREAK} 6. (7) St. Anthony (Jersey City, N.J.), 3-0
After three comfortable wins to start the season, the Friars will face Winter Park (Fla.) and Central Catholic (Lawrence, Mass.) at the Shooting Touch Shootout in Boston, Dec. 27-28.

7. (9) DeSoto (Texas), 16-1
The Eagles notched another impressive victory Friday with a 61-52 win over South Grand Prairie, which entered the contest 16-1. DeSoto will head to the HighSchoolOT.com Holiday Tournament in Raleigh, N.C., after Christmas.

8. (11) Simeon (Chicago), 4-1
The road is going to get rough for the Wolverines in January, so taking care of business next week at the Pontiac Holiday Tournament is a must.

9. (5) Southwind (Memphis, Tenn.), 11-3
The Jaguars' three losses have come to No. 1 Lone Peak, No. 2 Long Beach Poly and storied Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.). Southwind will have an opportunity to make up ground Jan. 12 at Penny Hardaway's Hoopfest against No. 8 Simeon.

10. (3) Chester (Pa.), 5-2
A testament to the strength of the City of Palms Classic, the Clippers headed to Fort Myers riding a 61-game win streak and returned home with a pair of losses. Chester will get a chance to avenge one of those losses Jan. 12 at the Brandon Jennings Invitational when it faces No. 2 Lone Peak.{PAGEBREAK} 11. (14) White Station (Memphis, Tenn.), 11-1
The Spartans have been a little tough to peg in the early going, but that should change when they face No. 4 Whitney Young on Jan. 12 at Penny Hardaway's Hoopfest.



12. (18) West Charlotte (N.C.), 7-0
Kennedy Meeks and crew will join teams from Florida, Maryland and Ohio at the Junior Orange Bowl Classic in Miami beginning Thursday.

13. (NR) St. John Bosco (Bellflower, Calif.), 8-1
Ranked in the preseason, we clearly gave up on the Braves too early following an upset loss to Inglewood. Bosco bounced back by winning the Chick-fil-A Classic in South Carolina with quality victories over Wesleyan Christian Academy (High Point, N.C.), Wheeler (Marietta, Ga.) and No. 22 Blanche Ely (Pompano Beach, Fla.).

14. (17) Olympic (Charlotte, N.C.), 8-0
After the collapse of an event in Florida, the Trojans were a late add for the WNC Holiday Classic in Asheville. Olympic is averaging 86 points per game.

15. (19) Iowa City West (Iowa), 7-0
The balanced Trojans have an interesting test ahead on Jan. 12 against undefeated Sun Prairie (Wis.), led by Nebraska signee Nick Fuller.{PAGEBREAK} 16. (20) St. Frances Academy (Baltimore), 12-0
The Panthers will have their hands full Dec. 27 at the Kobe Bryant Classic as they face host Lower Merion (Ardmore, Pa.).

17. (21) Germantown (Wis.), 9-0
It's tough not to be swayed by the lopsided scores the Warhawks are leaving in their wake. Germantown has dispatched its last six opponents by 25 points or more.

18. (22) Fort Bend Travis (Richmond, Texas), 12-2
Expect to hear a lot about the Tigers next week at the MaxPreps Holiday Classic in Palm Springs, Calif. Led by twin stars Aaron and Andrew Harrison, Travis enters the event as a slight favorite.



19. (24) Loyola (Los Angeles), 8-0
Head coach Jamal Adams and the Cubs will join No. 18 Travis at the MaxPreps Holiday Classic. Madison Ridgeland Academy of Mississippi will be the opponent Wednesday.

20. (NR) Christ Presbyterian Academy (Nashville, Tenn.), 11-0
Top 100 junior Jalen Lindsey pretty much owns the King of the Bluegrass Holiday Classic in Kentucky, where he piled up 44 points and 13 rebounds to lead CPA past Ballard (Louisville) for the title Sunday night. Lindsey and the Lions also won the tournament last December.{PAGEBREAK} 21. (NR) Bullard (Fresno, Calif.), 7-0
The Knights have already won a pair of tournaments, knocking off No. 23 Salesian at the Gridley Invitational. Bullard has won 19 of its last 20 games going back to last year. That loss came to No. 1 Mater Dei last March.

22. (16) Blanche Ely (Pompano Beach, Fla.), 10-1
No shame in a loss to No. 13 St. John Bosco in South Carolina. The Tigers have five players averaging 9.8 points per game or more, led by junior sharpshooter Richard Lee at 15.4.

23. (NR) Salesian (Richmond, Calif.), 7-1
The Pride crushed then-No. 15 Archbishop Mitty (San Jose) by 21 points Saturday, getting 19 points and nine rebounds from future California Golden Bear Jabari Bird. Salesian opens against Taft (Woodland Hills, Calif.) this week at the Torrey Pines Holiday Classic.

24. (NR) Pike (Indianapolis), 8-0
Led by a high-scoring trio in the backcourt consisting of Jordan Pickett (20.1 points per game), TaiShaun Johnson (19.8) and Zavier Turner (15.4), the Red Devils have survived a grueling early schedule dotted with top Indianapolis-area teams.

25. (10) Paul VI (Fairfax, Va.), 7-2
After an upset loss to a good Lake Wales (Fla.) team in the first round at the City of Palms Classic, the Panthers scrapped together three wins in a row to win the consolation title. Paul VI – which ended Oak Hill Academy's 56-game win streak earlier this month – has another tough tournament test in January at the Bass Pro Shops Tournament of Champions.



Dropped out: No. 15 last week Archbishop Mitty (San Jose, Calif.), No. 16 Omaha Central (Neb.), No. 17, Tift County (Tifton, Ga.), No. 23 Yates (Houston), No. 25 Pershing (Detroit)