Another big weekend of high school basketball results in another top-ranked team. Yates of Houston, Texas, is the third team this season to own the nation’s No. 1 spot in the Xcellent 25 Boys Basketball Rankings presented by the Army National Guard.
St. Patrick (Elizabeth, N.J.) held the position since Dec. 24, but was edged by then-No. 7 Findlay Prep (Henderson, Nev.) on Monday at the Hoophall Classic in Springfield, Mass., to make way for Yates.
The Lions are the highest-scoring team in the country at 113.1 points per game. Senior guards Joseph Young (27.6 points per game) and Brandon Peters (25.0) spark a rotation that goes 14 deep.
A case could be made for Northland of Columbus, Ohio, to hold top billing. The Vikings have an impressive set of wins over No. 4 Findlay Prep (Henderson, Nev.) and No. 16 Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.).
Brandon Peters, Yates
File photo by Jim Redman
The difference between the two teams at this point in the season is simply 10 games. Yates’ resume is impressive, as well, with two tournament titles and wins over teams from six different states. Head coach Greg Wise’s squad has played at a higher level for longer with an 18-0 record. Northland hasn’t even reached the mid-way point of its regular season schedule.
A couple of other nuggets from the weekend before moving on to this week’s Xcellent 25;
- A huge tip of the cap to the Spalding Hoophall Classic in Springfield, Mass., for putting together the best collection of teams and talent during the 2009-2010 season thus far. Nine of this week’s top 25 teams participated in the event held at Blake Arena on the campus of Springfield College.
With all due respect to the Bass Pro Tournament of Champions and Flyin’ to the Hoop, which are both great events, the Hoophall Classic stole the show with extensive national television coverage and a hugely-attractive headliner in St. Patrick-Findlay Prep.
- Repeating a theme touched on last week – how good is Memphis high school basketball this season? Four Memphis City Schools District programs – Melrose, Memphis Central, Ridgeway and White Station – have a legitimate argument for a top 25 national ranking.
We picked Ridgeway (No. 21) and Melrose (No. 23), but Memphis Central just beat the latter and White Station picked up the title at the Bass Pro Tournament of Champions in Missouri with a win over then-No. 12 Milton (Alpharetta, Ga.).
Class AAA playoff basketball is going to be fun to watch in the southwest corner of Tennessee this year.
- Pine Crest (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) isn’t ranked, but just in case anybody has been taking Brandon Knight for granted this year, he averaged 37.5 points, 9.0 rebounds and 4.5 assists over the weekend in a pair of tough wins at Flyin’ to the Hoop in Dayton, Ohio.
Xcellent 25 National High School Boys Basketball Rankings
1. (2) Yates (Houston, Texas), 18-0
The Lions have topped 100 points in five-straight games, including wins over Houston Reagan (100-83) and Houston Waltrip (103-68) last week.
2. (3) Northland (Columbus, Ohio), 8-0
As stated above, there is a great case to be made for the Vikings at No. 1. Wins over Findlay Prep and Oak Hill Academy on Saturday at the Hoophall Classic give Northland a major bonus when it comes to quality wins.
3. (4) Bloomington South (Bloomington, Ind.), 12-0
The Panthers recorded two of their most lopsided wins of the season last week against Columbus East (89-43) and Ellettsville Edgewood (72-48). Butler-bound senior Erik Fromm posted 21 points and 10 rebounds against Edgewood.
Cory Joseph, Findlay Prep
File photo by Jim Redman
The Pilots got back in the national championship picture Monday at the Hoophall Classic with a 71-70 win over then-No. 1 St. Patrick. Senior guard Cory Joseph was the difference, posting 23 points and 10 rebounds. Findlay Prep has won 10 straight games since losing to No. 2 Northland in December.
5. (1) St. Patrick (Elizabeth, N.J.), 11-1
Despite 49 points from the duo of Kyrie Irving and Michael Gilchrist, the Celtics fell to preseason No. 1 and defending national champion Findlay Prep at the Hoophall Classic. Plenty of big tests remain for St. Patrick, including St. Benedict’s Prep, Oak Hill Academy and Taft of Woodland Hills, Calif.
6. (6) Paterson Catholic (Paterson, N.J.), 11-0
The Cougars stayed perfect last week with three wins, including a 91-83 win over Newark Nia Prep on Monday. Myles Mack and Fuquan Edwin combined for 53 points to lead Paterson Catholic past Nia Prep.
7. (10) Detroit Country Day (Beverly Hills, Mich.), 10-0
Even without 6-11 junior Amir Williams, the Yellowjackets were able to erase a 20-point deficit and top Detroit Pershing in Michigan’s regular season game of the year Saturday in Lansing. Senior guard Ray McCallum Jr. starred once again for DCD, out-dueling Michigan State-bound Pershing guard Keith Appling with 24 points, eight rebounds and three assists.
8. (9) Ames (Iowa), 9-0
Harrison Barnes poured in 36 points as Ames topped the 100-point mark for the first time this season on Saturday in a 102-72 win over Mason City.
9. (11) St. Benedict's Prep (Newark, N.J.), 12-1
The Gray Bees dismantled North Carolina-bound guard Kendall Marshall and Bishop O’Connell of Arlington, Va., Monday at the Hoophall Classic, 72-52. Junior point guard Myck Kabongo led the way in Springfield with 20 points. St. Benedict’s was also impressive Saturday at the Dan Finn Classic in Jersey City, blowing past Pennsylvania’s Academy of the New Church, 75-42.
10. (13) Christ School (Arden, N.C.), 21-1
The Greenies swept a pair of games in Ohio over the weekend, highlighted by a 57-52 win Saturday over Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary – LeBron’s alma mater. Christ School is 57-3 over the past two seasons, including 15 in a row since a loss to Findlay Prep in early December.
11. (17) Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.), 15-1
The Monarchs handled then-No. 5 DeMatha impressively Monday at the Hoophall Classic, 79-71. UCLA-bound wing Tyler Lamb led the way with 23 points and 11 rebounds as head coach Gary McKnight became the winningest coach in California high school boys basketball history with victory No. 844.
12. (14) Westchester (Los Angeles, Calif.), 15-2
Since losing to Milton of Alpharetta, Ga., on Dec. 23 at the City of Palms Classic, the Comets have posted wins against Oregon power Jesuit, Oak Hill Academy and Bob Hurley’s St. Anthony (Jersey City, N.J.) program on Monday at the Hoophall Classic.
13. (16) Neumann-Goretti (Philadelphia, Pa.), 12-1
Another Hoophall Classic participant, the Saints got 18 points from Wake Forest-bound guard Tony Chennault on Sunday to beat Simeon (Chicago, Ill.), 54-50. Chennault and backcourt partner Tyreek Duren combined for 44 points earlier in the week in a 96-73 win over Radnor Archbishop Carroll.
14. (5) DeMatha (Hyattsville, Md.), 16-1
Back to Washington Catholic Athletic Conference play for the Stags after suffering their first loss of the season Monday at the Hoophall Classic. Despite 23 points from junior guard Quinn Cook, then-No. 17 Mater Dei knocked off DeMatha in Springfield, 79-71.
15. (19) Montrose Christian (Rockville, Md.), 10-1
Stu Vetter’s bunch played just once last week, beating T.C. Williams (Alexandria, Va.) 67-46 behind 14 points from Duke-bound forward Josh Hairston.
16. (15) Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.), 19-2
With Saturday’s loss to Northland coming on the heels of a setback against Westchester in the finals of the Les Schwab Invitational, Oak Hill lost back-to-back games for the first time since December, 2007. The Warriors bounced back with a win Monday, pummeling Dudley (Greensboro, N.C.), 87-65, behind 21 points from recent Connecticut commitment Roscoe Smith.
17. (20) Providence (Jacksonville, Fla.), 17-1
Repeating theme alert: Providence plays great defense, as evidenced by allowing just 68 combined points in wins over Hilliard and St. Augustine last week. The Stallions have held eight opponents this season under 40 points.
18. (22) Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas, Nev.), 15-1
In a Monday game delayed and ultimately relocated due to leaky roof, sophomore Shabazz Muhammad scored 29 points to lead the Gaels past Colony (Ontario, Calif.), 82-79. Bishop Gorman played without leading scorer Anson Winder in that contest. Nevada's defending 4A state champions also notched a 93-64 win over Las Vegas Clark.
Sheldon McClellan, Bellaire
File photo by Michael Henderson
The Cardinals rolled big last week, beating Houston Lamar 75-38 and Houston Sam Houston 103-25. Junior Sheldon McClellan, a Texas verbal commitment, led the way against Sam Houston with 24 points and is averaging 18.7 on the season.
20. (23) Plymouth Whitemarsh (Plymouth Meeting, Pa.), 12-0
The Colonials capped a three-win week by beating St. Raymond (Bronx, N.Y.), 68-54, at the Big Apple Classic in New York City behind 17 points from 6-7 junior Jaylen Bond and 14 from 6-10 senior C.J. Aiken.
21. (24) Ridgeway (Memphis, Tenn.), 14-0
The Roadrunners play Germantown tonight, which should provide some insight as to how they might stack up against fellow Memphis power Melrose. Ridgeway beat Memphis Southwind, Memphis Wooddale and Collierville comfortably last week.
22. (NR) Dunbar (Dayton, Ohio), 11-0
Entering the Xcellent 25 after being totally off the radar a week ago, Dunbar grabbed the nation’s attention with a 98-76 win over then-No. 25 Whitney Young (Chicago, Ill.) at the Flyin’ to the Hoop event in Ohio on Sunday. The Wolverines have won nine games in a row by 13 points or more and feature a balanced scoring attack led by 6-4 senior guard Geron Johnson (14.2 points per game), 5-9 senior guard Ryan Bass (13.7), 6-2 senior wing Deon Stewart (11.4) and 6-6 sophomore forward Deontae Hawkins (11.0).
23. (8) Melrose (Memphis, Tenn.), 19-1
The Golden Wildcats may have been caught looking ahead last Thursday against Memphis Central prior to a pair of big showcase games. Memphis Central handed Melrose its first loss, 61-58, but head coach Jermaine Johnson’s squad bounced back in impressive fashion, going to Missouri to beat Florissant Hazelwood Central (65-53) and pounding early-season buzzsaw Germantown (85-61) at the FedEx Forum in Memphis.
24. (NR) Jesuit (Portland, Ore.), 11-1
Even with Portland Jefferson beating then-No. 18 Federal Way (Wash.) last night, the Crusaders have the best resume of any Northwest team. Jesuit added another bullet point Friday night by beating Metro League rival Westview, 61-56, behind 21 points from senior guard and Saint Mary’s signee Stephen Holt. Westview entered the contest 10-1 with USC signee and reigning Portland-area player of the year Garrett Jackson averaging nearly 20 points per game.
25. (13) Milton (Alpharetta, Ga.), 13-2
The Eagles hold on to a spot in the Xcellent 25 by a thread after losing to White Station in the finals of the Bass Pro Tournament of Champions in Springfield, Mo. Milton was impressive in the event’s first two rounds, beating Chaminade (St. Louis, Mo.) and Christ the King (Middle Village, N.Y.) convincingly, but Joe Jackson went for 29 points in the final to give the Memphis school the tournament title. White Station was smacked around twice by No. 21 Ridgeway earlier in the season and also lost to No. 19 Bellaire.
Dropped out: No. 18 Federal Way (Wash.), No. 25 Whitney Young (Chicago, Ill.)
