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| Wednesday, July 16 |
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| National Boy's Basketball Top 25 SchoolSports.com | ||||||
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1. Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.) -- (4-0) *1
2. Willowridge HS (Sugar Land, Texas) -- (8-0) *2 Last week: Won the Aldine Tournament, beating Nimitz High, Longview High, North Shore High and then Bryan High, 91-65, in the championship game. Upcoming: Dec. 5 at Houston Jones High Outlook: Last year's Class 5A state champion has looked impressive early this season, blowing away the competition at the Aldine Tournament. T.J. Ford (signed with Texas), Daniel Ewing (Duke) and Kenny Taylor (Baylor) were named to the All-Tournament team. 3. Montrose Christian School (Rockville, Md.) -- (0-0) *3 Last week: Idle. Upcoming: Dec. 5 vs. Gwynn Lake Prep, Dec. 7 vs. Capital Christian High and Dec. 9 vs. Coastal Christian High Outlook: The Mustangs are geared up for a big season. In Montrose's last scrimmage before the season opener -- an 86-54 laugher against some of coach Stu Vetter's former players -- Levi Watkins finished with 21 points, nine rebounds and four assists. 4. Mater Dei HS (Santa Ana, Calif.) -- (1-0) *4 Last week: Beat La Habra High, 107-42. Upcoming: Dec. 4-9 in Tournament of Champions at Ocean View High Outlook: The Monarchs put the Big Hurt on overwhelmed La Habra. Cedric Bozeman scored 28 points in a game where the reserves were looking to pad stats. 5. St. Raymond's HS (Bronx, N.Y.) -- (0-0) *5 Last week: Idle. Upcoming: Dec. 10 vs. Bishop Loughlin High in the Diane Brennan Classic at Fordham University Outlook: After blowing up on the summer camp circuit and committing to N.C. State, Julius Hodge -- a SchoolSports.com second team All-American -- is hoping to lead the Ravens to the state title. As a junior, Hodge averaged 21 points and seven rebounds per contest, but he was overshadowed by Peter Mulligan's breakout senior season. It should be Hodge's show this year, but he'll receive a lot of support from Chris McRae, who has committed to Hofstra. Davonne Folks (6-4) and Julian Thomas (6-7) can do some things as well. 6. Dillard HS (Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.) -- (4-0) *7 Last week: The Panthers' opening week featured wins over highly regarded Miami Christian High, 80-59, on Nov. 27 and a Nov. 28 win in their district opener over Plantation High, 82-35. Outlook: Kelvin Brown is averaging more than 25 points per game early in the season, as the Panthers have lived up to preseason expectations so far. Ricky Phillips added eight points and 11 assists against Plantation. 7. St. Patrick's HS (Elizabeth, N.J.) -- (0-0) *8 Last week: Idle. Upcoming: Dec. 16 vs. Neptune High at Seton Hall University Outlook: The frontcourt at St. Patrick's goes 6-foot-9 (Marcus Austin), 6-foot-10 (Grant Billmeier) and 6-foot-6 (Jamie Sowers), while the backcourt is a couple of 5-foot-11 guys in Sam Lake and Terrell Prince. The first guard off the bench, sophomore Michael Narde, is also 5-foot-11. Austin has committed to Seton Hall. 8. Vashon HS (St. Louis, Mo.) -- (4-0) * 9 Last Week: Beat Pine Bluff High (Ark.) and Portersville High (Mo.) in the River Bend Classic in Missouri; defeated Akron Buchtel High, 87-53, in the first game of the USA Challenge of Champions at the University of Akron. Upcoming: Dec. 10 at Akron High (Ohio) Outlook: Jimmy McKinney pumped in 21 points and hauled down eight rebounds in the win over Akron Buchtel and added 19 points against Pine Bluff. Senior center Lorenzo Gordon added 12 points against Akron Buchtel and scored 21 vs. Portersville. 9. Reynolds HS (Winston Salem, N.C.) -- (2-1) *6 Last week: Beat Carver High, 86-30, and Parkland High, 102-71; lost to No. 1 Oak Hill Academy (Va.), 97-71. Upcoming: Dec. 8 vs. Carver High Outlook: Brandon Senter led the team with 18 points in the rout over Carver, and Mitchell Baldwin (formerly Bittle) added 15. Baldwin was the team's lone bright spot in the loss to Oak Hill, with 26 points, and is averaging 19.3 ppg over the first three games. 10. St. Vincent-St. Mary HS (Akron, Ohio) -- (1-0) *11 Last week: Beat Cape Henry High (Va.), 74-38. Upcoming: Dec. 6 vs. Garfield High, Dec. 9 vs. Orange High and Dec. 15 vs. Racine Case High Outlook: The Fighting Irish started the year with a 74-38 blowout of Cape Henry on Sunday. In what will surely be the first of many standout performances, LeBron James led the way with 23 points in the winning effort. 11. DeMatha Catholic HS (Hyattsville, Md.) -- (2-0) *12 Last week: Beat Archbishop Carroll High (Pa.), 70-60, and Maria Goretti High (Md.), 74-41, for the Maria Goretti Tournament title. Upcoming: Dec. 5 vs. Friendly High, Dec. 7 vs. Parkdale High and Dec. 9 at Bishop Neumann High Outlook: The Stags claimed the Maria Goretti tourney title in style, pounding the host school in the final, 74-41. The tournament served as the D.C. debut for point guard Marshall Strickland, who transferred from the Winchendon School (Mass.). Junior Warren Williams was named tournament MVP. 12. Dominguez HS (Compton, Calif.) -- (4-1) *10 Last week: Beat Inglewood High, 80-65; lost to Upland High, 94-64, at the Clovis West Tournament. Upcoming: Dec. 7 at Coca Cola Classic Outlook: A humiliating 94-64 loss to Upland slapped the Dons a little bit at the Clovis West Tournament. Sleepwalking doesn't work in basketball, even if you are the defending state champions. Tyson Chandler scored 12 against Upland, but turned it up five hours later against Inglewood in the tournament's third-place game, scoring 21 points and grabbing 13 rebounds. 13. De La Salle HS (Concord, Calif.) -- (0-0) *13 Last week: Idle Upcoming: Dec. 7 vs. Serra High in the Vontoure Classic Outlook: It's tournament month for the defending Division I state champions. De La Salle kicks off its season in the Vontoure Classic, the Spartans' own three-day tournament, on Dec. 7. From Dec. 19-22, the Spartans travel to the Iolani Classic in Hawaii. They then play in the National Prep Classic in San Diego from Dec. 28-30. 14. Male HS (Louisville, Ky.) -- (2-0) *14 Last week: Beat Iroquois High, 61-41, and then-No. 20 Whitney Young High (Ill.), 67-52. Upcoming: Dec. 8 vs. Randallstown High in the Function at the Junction in Baltimore, Md. Outlook: Junior guard Adam Burks, who didn't start a game last season, led the team with 21 points (5-for-7 on 3-pointers) against nationally ranked Whitney Young. Junior 6-foot-6 forward/center Greg Ballard is averaging 10.5 ppg and 8.5 rpg, while star forward Larry O'Bannon has struggled and gotten in early foul trouble. Sophomore forward Michael Bush just rejoined the team after missing the first two games because of football. 15. Berkshire School (Homestead, Fla.) -- (1-0) *15 Last week: Beat Coastal Christian High (Va.), 59-30. Upcoming: Travel to Virginia later this month Outlook: Berkshire is ineligible for the state playoffs and can't play other Florida High School Activities Association schools after being expelled, so the team has a national schedule that is loaded with road games. DePaul-bound 6-foot-7 Quemont Greer scored 14 points in the win over Coastal Christian. 16. Southern HS (Baltimore, Md.) -- (0-0) *16 Last week: Idle Upcoming: Dec. 8 vs. Randallstown High in the Function at the Junction in Baltimore. Outlook: Perhaps the best jump shooter in the country, Melvin Scott will be trying to win the Class 4A state title that eluded he and his teammates last season. Scott has committed to North Carolina. Fellow seniors Darshan Luckey and Keyon Johnson give the Bulldogs a formidable three-guard backcourt. 17. Jefferson HS (Portland, Ore.) -- (0-0) *17 Last week: Idle Upcoming: Dec. 9 vs. Rainier Beach High (Wash.) and Dec. 12 vs. Franklin High Outlook: Portland is home to perhaps the best pure point guard in the country in 6-foot-1 Aaron Miles. Miles, a third team SchoolSports.com All-American, is joined in the backcourt by Michael Lee. The duo will be hooking up against next year, as both have committed to Kansas. Miles and Lee both averaged 15 points per game last season, but expect more from them this year. A couple of forwards, 6-foot-4 Bill Holt and 6-foot-6 Jelanti Martini, will go to work inside. 18. Camden HS (Camden, N.J.) -- (0-0) *18 Last week: Idle Upcoming: Dec. 15 at Eastern High Outlook: Dajuan Wagner will try to top a sick junior season in which he led Camden to the state title and scored 80 points in a game. That's heady stuff, but not anything tougher than choosing Memphis over the NBA. Wagner is a first team SchoolSports.com All-American. It's not a one-man show, however. James Pulliam will man the post for Camden. 19. Midwest City HS (Midwest City, Okla.) -- (1-0) *19 Last week: Beat Westmoore High, 89-70. Upcoming: Tuesday vs. Moore High Outlook: Forward Sheldon Williams, considered one of the top juniors in the country, torched Westmoore for 30 points and 10 boards, while swingman DeAngelo Alexander added 20 points and seven rebounds. 20. Berkmar HS (Lilburn, Ga.) -- (3-0) *21 Last week: Beat McEachern High, 89-59. Upcoming: Dec. 9 vs. Riverdale High (at Mt. Zion) Outlook: Last year's AAAA state champions got 28 points, six steals and seven assists from Adien Borders and 21 points from Shawn Ipka in the win over McEachern. 21. Pike HS (Indianapolis, Ind.) -- (4-0) *22 Last week: Defeated Muncie Central High, 76-61, North Central High, 94-72, Ben Davis High, 85-68, and Franklin Central High, 86-74. Upcoming: Dec. 9 vs. Providence St. Mel High at the Hoop in Loop Tournament at Northwestern University (Ill.) Outlook: Senior guard Chris Thomas, who will attend Notre Dame next season, averaged 28.5 points per contest in the first four games. David Teague, a 6-foot-4, 175-pound forward, is next at 17.3 ppg, while Keith Borgan is averaging 10.5 ppg. Sophomore Justin Cage leads the team in rebounding with seven per game and finished with 12 points, 10 boards and five steals against Ben Davis. 22. Germantown Academy (Fort Washington, Pa.) -- (2-1) * 23 Last week: Beat Christ the King High (N.Y.), 72-54; lost to Paul VI Catholic High (Washington, D.C.), 52-45; beat Harrisburg High, 76-64. Upcoming: Dec. 8 vs. The Hun School at the Peddie Tournament in New Jersey Outlook: The Patriots grabbed third-place honors in the Keystone Roundball Tournament, losing to D.C. power Paul VI Catholic, 52-45, in the semifinals. Junior shooting guard Matt Walsh is averaging 22.7 points a game so far this season. 23. Whitney Young HS (Chicago, Ill.) -- (0-1) *20 Last week: Lost to No. 14 Male High (Ky.), 65-50. Upcoming: Dec. 7 vs. No. 1 Oak Hill Academy (Va.) in St. Louis, Mo. Outlook: The Dolphins started the year on a down note with a 15-point loss to nationally ranked Male. It doesn't get any easier, as they face top-ranked Oak Hill Academy on Thursday. 24. Thornwood HS (South Holland, Ill.) -- (4-0) *24 Last week: Beat Rich East High, 87-68. This week: Dec. 7 vs. Dominguez High (KMOX Shootout in St. Louis, Mo.), Dec. 9 vs. Thornton High and Dec. 15 vs. Shepard High. Outlook: Eddy Curry celebrated his 18th birthday by leading the Thunderbirds to an 87-68 win over Rich East. 25. Archbishop Molloy HS (Briarwood, N.Y.) -- (2-1) *25 Last week: Beat Amityville High, 68-55. Upcoming: Dec. 7 vs. Holy Trinity High and Dec. 10 vs. St. Dominic's High in Diane Brennan Shootout Outlook: The Stanners seemed to fix some things that were missing from the weekend before, when Molloy finished third in its own Stanner Classic. Molloy handled Amityville, 68-55, as swingman John Sikiric finished with 22 points. Dropped out: None *: last week's ranking
Material from SchoolSports.com.Visit their web site at www.schoolsports.com | |
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