Xcellent 25 high school boys basketball rankings

The most pivotal seven-hour stretch of the entire high school basketball season is just a week away.

Monday's lineup at the Spalding Hoophall Classic in Springfield, Mass., will offer stiff challenges to the top three teams in this week's Xcellent 25 National Boys Basketball Rankings presented by the Army National Guard.

Fresh off a three-point win over Miller Grove (Lithonia, Ga.) at the Cancer Research Classic in West Virginia, No. 1 Simeon (Chicago) battles Findlay Prep (Henderson, Nev.) in what may the toughest test of the season for the two-time defending Illinois Class 4A champs.

No. 2 St. Anthony (Jersey City, N.J.) takes on aforementioned Miller Grove, while No. 3 DeMatha (Hyattsville, Md.) squares off with No. 24 Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas). DeMatha also plays Northwest Catholic (West Hartford, Conn.) at the event Saturday.

Here's a look at the entire five-day lineup at the Spalding Hoophall Classic.



Read on for a complete rundown of this week's rankings.

Xcellent 25 High School Basketball Rankings presented by the Army National Guard

1. (No. 1 last week) Simeon (Chicago) (13-0)
There should be a healthy buzz in the building when the Wolverines take the floor against Findlay Prep in the biggest game of the Spalding Hoophall Classic. It may take a special effort from junior phenom Jabari Parker to help Simeon get past head coach Michael Peck's Nevada juggernaut.

2. (2) St. Anthony (Jersey City, N.J.) (10-0)
The Friars are beating teams by an average of 37.6 points per game this season. St. Anthony meets St. Peter's Prep (Jersey City) at the Dan Finn Classic prior to making its second trip to Massachusetts this season.

3. (3) DeMatha (Hyattsville, Md.) (12-0)
It's tough not to reward the Stags in the rankings considering how well they are playing. DeMatha faces a tough Thursday through Monday stretch that includes games with Bishop O'Connell (Arlington, Va.), Northwest Catholic (West Hartford, Conn.) and Bishop Gorman.

4. (4) Grace Prep (Arlington, Texas) (12-2)
The Lions have played six teams that have been featured in the Xcellent 25 or Academy Top 10 this season and are 4-2 in those contests.



5. (6) Marcus (Flower Mound, Texas) (21-2)
The Marauders have won four in a row – all by 13 points or more – since losing to Richland (North Richland Hills, Texas) on Dec. 29.

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6. (9) Gonzaga (Washington, D.C.) (12-0)
How good are the Eagles? They beat Chicago's Whitney Young by 10 Saturday at the Cancer Research Classic despite getting just three points from North Carolina-bound junior point guard Nate Britt. Big games against Riverside Academy (Reserve, La.) and Patterson (Baltimore) are ahead.

7. (8) Chester (Pa.) (9-0)
The Clippers have wins over teams from Delaware, New York and Virginia over the past 10 days.

8. (12) Southwind (Memphis, Tenn.) (16-1)
The Jaguars are averaging more than 80 points per game and have won nine contests by 20 points or more. Southwind will get a crack at No. 1 Simeon on Jan. 21 at Penny Hardaway's Hoopfest in Memphis.

9. (13) Prestonwood Christian (Plano, Texas) (14-3)
PCA bounced back from a pair of losses at the Beach Ball Classic in South Carolina by beating then-No. 11 Westbury Christian (Houston) 62-60 on a last-second 3-pointer by senior Claude Person. Like Grace Prep, the Lions have played six games against teams ranked in the Xcellent 25 or Academy Top 10 this season.

10. (15) Ridgeway (Memphis, Tenn.) (13-0)
The Roadrunners remained perfect with a 50-44 win over defending Class AAA state champ Craigmont (Memphis) on Saturday night. Ridgeway faces its biggest test of the season Jan. 21 at Penny Hardaway's Hoopfest against Montverde Academy (Fla.).



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11. (16) Sexton (Lansing, Mich.) (6-0)
The Big Reds overcame Butler-bound guard Chris Harrison-Docks and Okemos for a 68-51 win Friday night. Michigan State signee Denzel Valentine – the son of Sexton head coach Carlton Valentine – recorded a triple-double in that contest with 16 points, 13 rebounds and 11 assists. Sexton takes on fellow unbeaten Pershing (Detroit) this weekend.

12. (5) Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.) (13-2)
Mater Dei's loss to Gill St. Bernard's (Gladstone, N.J.) at the Cancer Research Classic over the weekend was a stunner and probably removed the storied California program from national championship contention. The Monarchs take on Orange Lutheran (Orange) and Servite (Anaheim) this week in Trinity League play before heading to the Spalding Hoophall Classic.

13. (13) Wichita Heights (Kan.) (6-0)
A crowd of around 6,000 fans watched the Falcons win their 50th game in a row Saturday night, beating previously undefeated Northwest (Wichita) 56-52.

14. (18) Milton (Ga.) (11-4)
Keep in mind that three of Milton's losses were forfeited victories. The Eagles have been on an absolute tear since losing to Tift County (Tifton), going 7-0 and winning by an average margin of 29.6 points per game.

15. (19) Parkview (Little Rock, Ark.) (13-0)
The combination of junior Imara Ready (20 points) and sophomore Anton Beard (16 points) was too tough for Mountain Home in a 66-34 win Friday night. Parkview is giving up just 40 points per game against in-state opponents this season.

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16. (10) Neumann & Goretti (Philadelphia) (8-2)
The Saints were one of the hottest teams in the country before being humbled by No. 3 DeMatha at the Cancer Research Classic. Neumann-Goretti's only other loss came against No. 6 Gonzaga.

17. (17) Archbishop Mitty (San Jose, Calif.) (10-1)
A mononucleosis-stricken Aaron Gordon came off the bench to score 18 points and help the Monarchs get a 52-45 win over rival Bellarmine Prep (San Jose) in overtime last week. Mitty faces its biggest remaining test Monday at the Martin Luther King Classic against De La Salle (Concord).

18. (11) Westbury Christian (Houston) (13-2)
The Wildcats are headed to the Bass Pro Tournament of Champions in Springfield, Mo., this weekend. Other teams of note in the field include Christ the King (Middle Village, N.Y.), Lincoln (San Diego), Miller Grove, St. Rita (Chicago) and Sylvan Hills (Sherwood, Ark.).



19. (22) Rainier Beach (Seattle) (11-0)
The Vikings averaged 83 points per game in three comfortable wins last week. Beach has a date with rival Franklin (Seattle) on Friday night before headlining the King Holiday Hoopfest next Monday against Long Beach Poly (Calif.).

20. (23) Olympic (Charlotte, N.C.) (15-0)
After a 90-45 win over West Mecklenburg (Charlotte), the Trojans got all they could handle in a 63-62 win over Harding (Charlotte) Friday night.

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21. (24) Columbia (Decatur, Ga.) (14-1)
The Eagles feasted on a pair of region foes last week, beating Towers (Decatur) by 17 and Woodward Academy (College Park) by 35.

22. (NR) Proviso East (Maywood, Ill.) (12-0)
The Pirates weren't on the radar nationally heading into the season, but here they are after winning the prestigious Proviso West Holiday Classic and dominating their first dozen games. Led by Saint Louis-bound senior point guard Keith Carter and junior wing Sterling Brown (brother of Phoenix Suns guard Shannon Brown), Proviso East is averaging 79.1 points per game and has blasted six opponents by 20 points or more.

23. (NR) Lone Peak (Highland, Utah) (8-2)
The Knights scored what has to be considered one of the biggest out-of-state victories ever for a Utah team Saturday at the Brandon Jennings Invitational. Junior star Nick Emery drilled eight 3-pointers and poured in 31 points as Lone Peak hammered then-No. 20 Lincoln (Brooklyn, N.Y.), 90-63.

24. (25) Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas) (9-3)
The Gaels returned home after trips to Florida and South Carolina and rolled by local foes Western (65-43) and Spring Valley (106-68). It will be interesting to see how Shabazz Muhammad and Gorman respond as an underdog vs. No. 3 DeMatha.



25. (NR) Dunbar (Dayton, Ohio) (10-0)
The Wolverines don't have a signature win yet – at least nationally – but have routed their last nine opponents by an average of 35.1 points per game. Division I-bound seniors Deontae Hawkins (Wichita State) and Gary Akbar (Cleveland State) are both averaging more than 17 points per game.

Dropped out: No. 7 last week Loyola (Los Angeles); No. 20 Lincoln (Brooklyn, N.Y.); No. 21 Scotlandville (Baton Rouge, La.)