The ball has dropped in Times Square and New Year’s resolutions have been made and, in some cases, broken already. We resolve to make more changes to our top 10, but there’s minimal movement in the first CHSAA boys basketball rankings of 2011.
While our top five held serve, the bottom half of our rankings have some changes. Is your school in the top 10 this week? Find out below.
1. Christ the King (4-2) (Last week: 1)
Corey Edwards finally returned to the court after a one-month hiatus and the Royals shook off some Christmas cobwebs to defeat Neumann-Goretti (Pa.), 69-65, in overtime Sunday at the Palestra. Omar Calhoun made up for some late missed free throws to score a game-high 31 points and Edwards, the George Mason-bound point guard, made big plays down the stretch.
Next: @ No. 7 Archbishop Molloy (Jan. 4, 4 p.m.)
2. Rice (7-2) (2)
After finishing sixth at the Beach Ball Classic, the Raiders picked up their biggest win of the season Sunday, defeating Penn Wood (Pa.) at the fourth annual Villa Holiday Classic at the Palestra. While Jermaine Sanders had 17 points, it was Melvin Johnson who broke out for 15 second-half points as Rice’s swarming defensive intensity proved to be too much for Penn Wood to handle.
Next: @ St. Peter’s (Jan. 5, 4:30 p.m.)
3. St. Raymond (7-5) (3)
The Ravens went 2-2 at the prestigious Les Schwab Invitational, finishing seventh after defeating Lake Oswego (Ore.), 94-88, in Portland, Ore. Larry Graves led the way with 22 points and seven rebounds, while Daniel Dingle had 21 points and seven boards, Franklyn Garcia chipped in 20 and Kerwin Okoro added 17 points and nine rebounds.
Next: @ New Rochelle (Jan. 10, 6:30 p.m.)
4. Xaverian (6-1) (4)
The Clippers never made it out to sunny Phoenix, Ariz. for the Cactus Jam because of last week’s snowstorm, but Brian Bernardi heated up Sunday against South Shore, scoring a game-high 25 points on five 3-pointers, while Marist-bound Manny Thomas had a triple double in a 60-56 win in the New Heights New Years Classic.
Next: Bishop Loughlin (Jan. 7, 7:30 p.m.)
5. Holy Cross (8-3) (5)
The Knights ended 2010 on a high note, defeating Mesa (Ariz.), 70-51, in the fifth place game of the STOP-DWI Holiday Classic in Binghamton Thursday. Juniors Will Davis and Mairega Clarke, who missed the first six games of the season, combined for 22 points, while unsigned senior Evan Conti had 28 points and 12 rebounds to earn all-tournament honors.
Next: St. Francis Prep (Jan. 7, 7:30 p.m.)
6. Mount St. Michael (10-0) (7)
Led by the backcourt of Malik Gill, Peter Aguilar and Clarence White, the Mountaineers ended 2010 in grand fashion, taking a perfect 10-0 record into the New Year. Mount will face its greatest challenge Tuesday when No. 10 Archbishop Stepinac, the defending Class A intersectional champions, comes to Murdock Avenue.
Next: No. 10 Archbishop Stepinac (Jan. 4, 4 p.m.)
7. Archbishop Molloy (8-2) (6)
The Stanners won their first eight games of the year and had a 20-point lead against Midwood in the semifinals of the Aviator Holiday Hoops Tournament. But Molloy dropped a double-overtime game to the Hornets and then fell to Curtis, 59-57, in the third-place game. That’s two losses by a combined five points as the Stanners open up league play Tuesday against top-ranked Christ the King at home.
Next: No. 1 Christ the King (Jan. 4, 4 p.m.)
8. Cardinal Hayes (7-3) (8)
The Cardinals were 1-3 against Class AA teams, including a 58-54 loss to Xaverian and an overtime defeat against Molloy. Hayes bounced back with an impressive 57-43 victory against All Hallows at Manhattan College Wednesday and has a huge week ahead of it with home games against St. John’s Prep, Archbishop Stepinac and Iona Prep on deck.
Next: St. John’s Prep (Jan. 4, 4 p.m.)
9. Bishop Loughlin (4-5) (10)
The start of their day wasn’t very good – the Lions bus broke down en route to Philadelphia – but the ride home was much more pleasant after Bishop Loughlin rallied to defeat Dobbins Tech (Pa.) in the fourth annual Villa Holiday Classic at the Palestra. The Lions had four players in double-figure scoring, an impressive feat. Equally impressive was that the win came without senior leader Davonte Dunham, who remained in Brooklyn sick.
Next: @ St. Francis Prep (Jan. 4, 4 p.m.)
10. Archbishop Stepinac (6-4) (9)
The defending Class A intersectional champions shook off a three-game losing streak to defeat White Plains and Horace Greeley at the Slam Dunk Tournament in White Plains, but then suffered a 64-59 loss to Wadleigh at the New Heights New Years Classic Sunday in Harlem. Consistency will be key this week with back-to-back road games against No. 6 Mount and No. 8 Cardinal Hayes.
Next: @ No. 6 Mount St. Michael (Jan. 4, 4 p.m.)
New: None
Dropped out: None
On the bubble: St. Francis Prep (7-3), St. Edmund Prep (8-3) and St. Peter’s (9-2)
