Top 25 Illinois high school boys basketball rankings (1/3/2024)

Check out this week's Illinois boys basketball Power 25

Curie is the third different No. 1 in three sets of rankings, rising to the top on the strength of winning the Pontiac Holiday Tournament.

Elsewhere, Metamora, Collinsville, Centralia, Marian Catholic and Neuqua Valley all enter the top 25.

Here is our breakdown of this week's SBLive Power 25 Illinois high school boys basketball rankings (records through Jan. 1):

PREVIOUS RANKINGS: DEC. 8 | DEC. 14 | DEC. 22 

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Illinois high school boys basketball rankings

January 3, 2024

1. Curie (14-1)

Previous rank: 3

AC Williamson Award winner and UIC recruit Carlos Harris led the Condors to the Pontiac Holiday Tournament title, scoring 22 points in a 69-66 double-overtime win against Benet in the final. Curie advanced with wins over St. Rita (73-44), West Aurora (57-48) and New Trier (52-47).

2. Homewood-Flossmoor (13-1)

Previous rank: 2

The Vikings remained perfect against in-state competition by edging Thornton 53-52 in the Big Dipper final on Giani Cobb's game-winner. Tourney MVP Bryce Heard led the way with a double-double of 19 points and 11 rebounds. H-F beat Rich 51-36 in the semis, Thornwood 71-63 in the quarterfinals and Blue Island Eisenhower 88-56 in the first round.

3. Thornton (11-2)

Previous rank: 1

The Wildcats lost 53-52 to Homewood-Flossmoor in the Big Dipper final despite a double-double of 23 points and 12 rebounds from Illinois recruit Morez Johnson. Earlier, they rolled past Hyde Park 61-38 in the semis, beat Bishop Noll (Ind.) 60-39 in the quarterfinals and cruised past Crane 85-41 in the first round.

4. Benet Academy (14-1)

Previous rank: 10

At the end of a grueling final day of the Pontiac Holiday Tournament, the Redwings settled for second place. First, Benet beat Bloom 59-58 in double overtime in the semis behind 18 points from sophomore Gabe Sularski. The title game also went two overtimes, with the Redwings falling 69-66 to Curie despite Sularski's 25 points. Earlier, Benet rolled by Lockport 59-34 and downed Oak Park-River Forest 60-48.

5. Warren Township (15-1)

Previous rank: 13

Jaxson Davis scored 36 points and became the first freshman to be named MVP in the 62-year history of the Proviso West Holiday Tournament as the Blue Devils beat Lincoln Park 78-52 for the title. Earlier, Warren beat Perspectives-Leadership 78-52, St. John's Jesuit (Ohio) 60-58 and Kenwood 73-63.

6. DePaul Prep (15-0)

Previous rank: 8

PJ Chambers scored a game-high 22 points and tourney MVP Jaylan McElroy had 14 points and eight rebounds as the Rams rolled by Marian Catholic 57-35 in the Hinsdale Central Holiday Classic title game. DePaul advanced by beating Lincoln-Way Central 53-25, Hinsdale Central 51-33 and Oswego East 54-39.

7. Mount Carmel (16-2)

Previous rank: 5

Tourney MVP Angelo Ciaravino, a Northwestern signee, led the Caravan to their third straight Pekin Holiday Tournament championship. They beat Limestone 64-30, East St. Louis 81-46, Normal West 64-33 and Lake Park 60-41 in the title game.

8. Metamora (12-3)

Previous rank: NR

MVP Tyler Mason (19.0 ppg, 6.2 rpg) and fellow all-tourney picks Cooper Koch (15.8 ppg, 6.0 rpg) and Luke Hopp (11.2 ppg, 6.0 rpg) led the Redbirds to the Jack Tosh Holiday Tournament championship. Metamora edged Bolingbrook 72-71 in overtime for the title. Earlier, the Redbirds beat Hansberry 84-53, Fenwick 54-48, Glenbrook South 53-48 and Downers Grove North 44-38.

9. Normal (12-1)

Previous rank: 4

Jaheem Webber, the Ironmen's 6-foot-10 center, scored 23 points in a 72-58 win – coach Dave Wiztig's 500th – over Metea Valley in the State Farm Holiday Classic big-school title game. Normal advanced with wins over North Chicago (70-34), North Lawndale (64-33) and Romeoville (66-65) in the semis.

10. Collinsville (16-0)

Previous rank: NR

Zach Chambers, a 6-9 center, had 14 points and 15 rebounds as the Kahoks got past previously unbeaten Quincy 44-39 to win their own holiday tournament. Earlier, Collinsville defeated Decatur Eisenhower 64-47, Triad 67-29 and Lincoln 67-41.

11. Downers Grove North (12-2)

Previous rank: 6

The Trojans finished third in the 32-team Jack Tosh Holiday Tournament, beating Palatine 43-34. Downers North lost 44-38 to eventual champ Metamora in the semis after beating Highland Park 71-30, Stagg 55-54 and St. Laurence 55-44.

12. Quincy (14-1)

Previous rank: 9

The Blue Devils dropped a matchup of unbeatens 44-39 to the hosts in the Collinsville Holiday Tournament final. Quincy advanced by beating Oakville (Mo.) 76-38, Althoff 61-48 and O'Fallon 61-46.

13. New Trier (15-2)

Previous rank: 14

The Trevians finished third in the Pontiac Holiday Tournament, beating Bloom 66-38 behind Danny Houlihan's 17 points after falling 52-47 to eventual champ Curie in the semifinals. New Trier rolled by Bloomington 89-49 in the first round and cruised past Joliet West 66-34 in the quarterfinals.

14. Bolingbrook (12-2)

Previous rank: 15

Freshman Davion Thompson averaged 22.8 points and 5.0 rebounds in earning all-tourney honors as the Raiders finished runner-up at the Jack Tosh Holiday Tournament, losing 72-71 in overtime to Metamora. Bolingbrook advanced by beating Nazareth 72-53, St. Francis 66-39, York 55-42 and Palatine 57-49.

15. Kankakee (13-1)

Previous rank: 23

After falling 50-49 to Thornton in their last game before the holidays, the Kays won the Maroon Division of their own holiday tourney, beating Lindblom 78-66 in the final as tourney MVP Larenz Walters scored 20. Kankakee advanced with wins against Schurz (88-25) and Ag. Science (71-43). 

16. Lincoln Park (12-4)

Previous rank: 17

The Lions had 12 points each from Chayse Turner and Semaje Howard in a 78-52 loss to Warren in the Proviso West Holiday Tournament final. Lincoln Park advanced with wins over Longwood (82-55), Proviso East (69-68) and Rockford Guilford (68-57).

17. Brother Rice (15-2)

Previous rank: 7

The Crusaders suffered their first two losses of the season at the Hinsdale Central Holiday Classic, falling 75-74 in double overtime to Marian Catholic in the semis and 79-68 to Oswego East in the third-place game. Before that, they beat Plainfield East 60-49 and edged Rockford Auburn 83-80 in overtime.

18. Bloom (8-5)

Previous rank: 11

The Blazing Trojans went 0-2 on the last day of the Pontiac Holiday Tournament. falling 66-38 to New Trier in the third-place game after losing 59-58 in double overtime to Benet in the semis. Amare Pryor (15) and Elijah Lovemore (14) combined for 29 points in the latter game. Bloom opened the tourney with wins over Danville (90-58) and Simeon (45-39).

19. Lindblom (11-5)

Previous rank: 16

Cleveland State recruit Je'Shawn Stevenson scored a game-high 40 points, but the Eagles lost 78-66 to the hosts in the Maroon Division final of the Kankakee Holiday Tournament. Lindblom beat Carver 73-51 in the quarterfinals and downed Dunbar 62-53 in the semis.

20. Kenwood (10-3)

Previous rank: 21

The Broncos finished third at the Proviso West Holiday Tournament, beating Rockford Guilford 89-44 after falling 73-63 to eventual champ Warren in the semifinals. Kenwood beat Zion-Benton 102-52 in the first round and downed TF North 78-52 in the quarterfinals.

21. Waubonsie Valley (13-0)

Previous rank: 24

All-tourney picks Tre Blissett, Tyreeek Coleman and Moses Wilson led the way as the Warriors stayed perfect by beating Lake Zurich 49-37 to win Jacobs' Hinkle Holiday Classic. They advanced with wins over Marian Central (73-35), Grant (77-31) and Grayslake Central (61-21).

22. Centralia (16-0)

Previous rank: NR

The Orphans won their own holiday tournament, beating Marist 50-40 in the final. Earlier, they beat Bogan 54-22, Champaign Central 69-48 and Evanston 61-36.

23. Marian Catholic (10-5)

Previous rank: NR

The Spartans dropped the Hinsdale Central Holiday Classic final, 57-35 to unbeaten DePaul Prep, after handing Brother Rice its first loss of the season, 75-74 in double overtime in the semifinals. Marian also beat St. Charles East 71-53 and Niles North 69-61.

24. Marist (13-3)

Previous rank: 12

The RedHawks lost 50-40 to the hosts in the title game of the Centralia Holiday Tournament. They advanced with wins over Cahokia (76-31), Glenwood (42-38) and Mt. Vernon (54-43).

25. Neuqua Valley (13-3)

Previous rank: NR

Tourney MVP Luke Kinkade led the Wildcats to the Wheeling Hardwood Classic title, scoring 25 points in a 59-57 overtime win against Glenbrook North in the final. Neuqua advanced with wins over Antioch (65-38), Oak Forest (58-51) and Hampshire (57-37). 

Vote: Who should be SBLive's Illinois High School Athlete of the Week (1/2/2024)?

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- Mike Clark | latsch@scorebooklive.com | @SBLiveIL