MaxPreps Midwest Top 25 high school boys basketball rankings

By Dave Krider Mar 24, 2014, 12:15pm

Muskegon wins a state title to cement itself atop the rankings.

Tyris Lockhart and Christian Brothers have stormed their way into the Midwest Top 25.
Tyris Lockhart and Christian Brothers have stormed their way into the Midwest Top 25.
Photo by Randy Kemp
Five new teams may have entered this week's Top 25, but No. 1 Muskegon ran the table to finish 28-0 and looks to be a lock for the title in the Midwest Top 25 Basketball Rankings.

MaxPreps Midwest Top 25 Boys Basketball Rankings

1. (Last week, 1) Muskegon (Mich.), 28-0
The Big Reds crushed very talented Bloomfield Hills 91-67 to capture their first Class A state championship. They shot 67.4 percent from the field and forged a 32-20 rebound advantage, led by 6-foot-9 junior Deyonta Davis with 26 points (12-for-14 from the field) and 13 rebounds. Mr. Basketball Deshaun Thrower scored 21 points, William Roberson had 17 and Joeviar Kennedy added 14. They eliminated Mount Pleasant 63-47 in the semifinals with another balanced attack.

2. (2) Indianapolis Arsenal Technical, 26-2
The Titans nearly blew a 28-point lead before edging Bloomington North 75-71 to win the Class 4A semi-state. All-American Trey Lyles had 27 points and 10 rebounds to help the Titans withstand North's 39-point fourth-quarter explosion. They play Saturday vs. No. 12 Lake Central (St. John) for the Class 4A state title at Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.

3. (4) St. Edward (Lakewood, Ohio), 26-2
Jahlil Okafor, Whitney Young
Jahlil Okafor, Whitney Young
Photo by Mike Braca
The Eagles nipped then-No. 15 Upper Arlington (Columbus) 62-58 in overtime to win the Division I state title before a crowd of 14,234 at Ohio State University. They shot 61.5 percent from the field and received 26 points from junior Kipper Nichols, who drilled 11 of his 15 shots. Nichols shot 9-for-12 during a 25-point effort as the Eagles routed East Tech (Cleveland) 89-64 in the semifinals.



4. (7) Whitney Young (Chicago), 29-5
The star-studded Dolphins nipped underdog Benet Academy (Lisle) 46-44 for their third Class 4A state championship. Senior guard Miles Reynolds saved the day with 19 points, while 6-10 Duke recruit Jahlil Okafor and 6-9 Georgetown recruit Paul White were each limited to eight points. They edged then-No. 3 Stevenson (Lincolnshire) 75-68 in an outstanding semifinal shootout which saw the losers' brilliant junior guard, Jalen Brunson, score 56 points. Okafor dominated with 33 points (13 of 15 from the field) and 14 rebounds.

5. (6) La Lumiere (LaPorte, Ind.), 23-2
Idle last week. The Lakers will play St. Joseph Prep (Huntington, W.Va.) in the first round of the Dick's Sporting Goods High School National Tournament on April 3 at Christ the King in Queens, N.Y.

6. (3) Stevenson (Lincolnshire, Ill.), 32-2
The Patriots defeated then-No. 24 Edwardsville 70-63 to place third in the Class 4A state tourney. Junior Jalen Brunson scored 18 points, followed by junior Connor Cashaw with 17 and Matt Morrissey with 16. In the semifinals Brunson exploded for a state tournament-record 56 points during an electrifying performance, but his teammates accounted for just 12 more points and they were handed a 75-68 loss by eventual champion Whitney Young (Chicago). Brunson scored his team's last 21 points in a valiant effort that erased the tournament record of 55 set in 1984.

7. (8) Greensburg (Ind.), 27-1
The Pirates defeated Guerin Catholic (Noblesville) 74-67 to win the Class 3A semi-state and their 14th-consecutive game. Sean Sellers led the way with 20 points and 11 rebounds. Ryan Welage added 17 points, Macy Holdsworth 16 and Bryant McIntosh 15. They play Saturday vs. Bowman Academy (Gary) for the Class 3A state title at Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.

8. (9) Germantown (Wis.), 26-2
Season complete with third-consecutive Division I state title.

9. (15) Upper Arlington (Columbus, Ohio), 27-2
The Golden Bears lost a heartbreaker as they bowed to then-No. 4 St. Edward (Lakewood) 62-58 in overtime - despite shooting 58.8 percent from the field - during the Division I state championship game. Kevin Vannatta and Danny Hummer each scored 15 points. They ousted then-No. 12 Trotwood-Madison 74-49 in the semifinals as Vannatta scored 25 points.



10. (14) DeLaSalle (Minneapolis), 26-3
Season complete as Class 3A state champion.

11. (22) Consortium College Prep (Detroit), 25-2
The Cougars notched their first Class C state title with a 61-44 victory over Pewamo-Westphalia as 6-8 sophomore star Joshua Jackson scored 22 points (9 of 13 from the field) and pulled down 13 rebounds. Jackson's biggest game, however, came in the quarterfinals when he dominated with 31 points (including a pair of two-handed dunks off the backboard) and was compared to a young Kevin Durant/Magic Johnson during a 67-60 victory over then-No. 13 Mt. Clemens.

12. (16) Lake Central (St. John, Ind.), 22-3
The Indians overcame a pair of 6-8 underclass towers to defeat Homestead (Fort Wayne) 79-57 and win the Class 4A semi-state. Joe Bannister led the way with 21 points (15 in the fourth quarter), followed by Tye Wilburn with 15, Tyler Wideman with 14 and Tyler Ross with 14 plus 12 rebounds. They play Saturday vs. No. 2-ranked Arsenal Tech (Indianapolis) for the Class 4A state title at Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.

13. (17) Archbishop Moeller (Cincinnati), 24-2
Season complete as Division I regional runner-up.

14. (5) Marian Catholic (Chicago Heights, Ill.), 28-3
The Spartans lost a tough 65-60 overtime decision to then-No. 24 Edwardsville in the super-sectional despite 30 points by T.J. Parham and 23 by University of Kentucky recruit Tyler Ulis. They were outscored 29-12 from the free throw line.

15. (NR) Norwalk (Ohio), 29-1
Josh Cunningham, Morgan Park
Josh Cunningham, Morgan Park
Photo by Jann Hendry
The Truckers defeated defending champion Bishop Watterson (Columbus) 65-58 to capture their first Division II state title and finished the season with a 15-game winning streak. Ben Harawa scored 29 points, while Jeff Thomas had 18 points and 10 rebounds.



16. (NR) Morgan Park (Chicago), 24-6
The Mustangs earned their second-consecutive Division 3A state title with a 59-49 victory over then-No. 10 Lincoln. They overcame a 13-point deficit in the third quarter with a devastating press. Despite foul trouble, Josh Cunningham led with 13 points and nine rebounds. Lamont Walker and sophomore point guard Charlie Moore each scored 12 points. They defeated Orr (Chicago) 52-46 in the semifinals as Cunningham had 15 points and seven rebounds and Moore had 12 points.

17. (NR) Benet Academy (Lisle, Ill.), 25-8
The unheralded Redwings battled then-No. 7 Whitney Young (Chicago) to the final buzzer before falling 46-44 in the Class 4A state championship game. Sean O'Mara, a bruising 6-9 senior headed for Xavier University, held 6-10 All-American Jahlil Okafor to a standstill as both scored eight points and O'Mara finished with an 8-6 rebound advantage. Junior Colin Bonnett had 12 points and six rebounds, while Collin Pellettieri had 11 points. They eliminated then-No. 24 Edwardsville 38-33 in the semifinals as Bonnett and Josh Yesufu each scored 10 points.

18. (18) Lakeville North (Minn.), 27-5
Season complete as Class 4A state champion.

19. (19) Apple Valley (Minn.), 27-2
Season complete as Class 4A section runner-up.

20. (20) Blue Valley Northwest (Overland Park, Kan.), 23-2
Season complete as back-to-back Class 6A state champion.

21. (21) Iowa City West (Iowa), 23-3
Season complete as Class 4A state champion for the third year in a row.



22. (23) Hamilton Southeastern (Fishers, Ind.), 23-4
Season complete as Class 4A regional runner-up.

23. (NR) Christian Brothers (St. Louis), 25-7
The Cadets nipped then-No. 11 Hickman (Columbia) 86-77 in overtime to notch the Class 5 state title - the sixth in their history. Jordan Barnett, a 6-8 senior headed for the University of Texas, was a one-man wrecking crew with career highs of 43 points and 20 rebounds and he played all 36 minutes.

24. (25) Fargo Davies (N.D.), 22-3
Season complete as a first-time Class A state champion.

25. (NR) Roosevelt (Sioux Falls, S.D.), 22-3
The Rough Riders defeated Lincoln (Sioux Falls) 63-48 to win the Class AA state title and finish their season with an 11-game winning streak. They drilled 11 of 19 3-point attempts and had a balanced scoring attack.

Dropped out:
No. 10 Lincoln (Ill.) lost to Morgan Park (Chicago) 59-49.
No. 11 Hickman (Columbia, Mo.) lost to Christian Brothers (St. Louis) 86-77 in overtime.
No. 12 Trotwood-Madison (Trotwood, Ohio) lost to Upper Arlington (Columbus) 74-49.
No. 13 Mt. Clemens (Mich.) lost to Consortium (Detroit) 67-60.
No. 24 Edwardsville (Ill.) lost to Benet Academy (Lisle, Ill.) 38-33 and to Stevenson (Lincolnshire, Ill.) 70-63.

The Midwestern region includes all teams from Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota and Wisconsin.