With eight of last week's nationally-ranked teams in action, the Spalding Hoophall Classic delivered the expected impact on the Xcellent 25 High School Basketball Rankings presented by the Army National Guard.
The biggest story emanating from Springfield, Mass., was then-No. 11 Milton (Ga.) knocking off top-ranked Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.). Despite two losses, a run at No. 1 isn't out of the question for Georgia's defending AAAAA state champions.
Michael Gilchrist leads new No. 1 St. Patrick (Elizabeth, N.J.)
Photo by Lonnie Webb
Ranked No. 2 last week, head coach Kevin Boyle's
St. Patrick (Elizabeth, N.J.) program cleared the way to become the new No. 1 with a pair of impressive wins. The Celtics blew
Winter Park (Fla.) off its home court in the first half of an ESPN-televised game Friday night and coasted to a 10-point win. St. Patrick dispatched
Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas, Nev.) on Monday in another ESPN game at the Hoophall Classic.
Bob Hurley's
St. Anthony (Jersey City, N.J.) program lacked a signature victory early on this season, but took care of that in the most impressive fashion possible Saturday in an ESPN-televised game, crushing then-No. 20
DeMatha (Hyattsville, Md.) by 50 points.
Read on for a complete look at this week's Xcellent 25.
Xcellent 25 High School Basketball Rankings presented by the Army National Guard
1. (No. 2 last week) St. Patrick (Elizabeth, N.J.) (10-0)
2. (3) Miller Grove (Lithonia, Ga.) (13-0)
3. (4) St. Anthony (Jersey City, N.J.) (8-0)
4. (5) Simeon (Chicago, Ill.) (13-0)
5. (6) Long Beach Poly (Long Beach, Calif.) (16-0)
6. (7) Norcom (Portsmouth, Va.) (14-0)
7. (11) Milton (Ga.) (14-2)
8. (9) Hopkins (Minnetonka, Minn.) (11-0)
9. (10) Lincoln (San Diego, Calif.) (16-1)
10. (12) Arlington Country Day (Jacksonville, Fla.) (16-0)
11. (13) Montrose Christian (Rockville, Md.) (12-0)
12. (14) Marcus (Flower Mound, Texas) (23-1)
13. (22) Findlay Prep (Henderson, Nev.) (19-2)
14. (15) Wichita Heights (Wichita, Kan.) (8-0)
15. (1) Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.) (16-2)
16. (16) Quality Education Academy (Winston-Salem, N.C.) (16-2)
17. (19) Chaminade (St. Louis, Mo.) (16-0)
18. (23) Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.) (16-2)
19. (NR) Benet Academy (Lisle, Ill.) (18-0)
20. (NR) McCluer North (Florissant, Mo.) (17-0)
21. (8) North Central (Indianapolis, Ind.) (9-1)
22. (NR) Etiwanda (Calif.) (18-0)
23. (NR) Oak Ridge Military Academy (Oak Ridge, N.C.) (23-2)
24. (NR) Lakeview Centennial (Garland, Texas) (22-1)
25. (NR) Dwyer (Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.) (14-2)
Dropped out: No. 17 Academy of the New Church (Bryn Athyn, Pa.), No. 18 Lincoln (Dallas, Texas), No. 20 DeMatha (Hyattsville, Md.), No. 21 Jeffersontown (Louisville, Ky.), No. 24 Winter Park (Fla.), No. 25 Lincoln (Brooklyn, N.Y.)
