High school basketball: Michael O’Brien’s Super 25 rankings for Feb. 19, 2023
Palatine’s Connor May (21) shoots for three against Rolling Meadows’s Cam Christie (24) and Mark Nikolich-Wilson (30).
Kirsten Stickney/For the Sun-Times
It was a slow week around the area, with very few big games other than the Central Suburban and Mid-Suburban League title games and a couple of interesting Catholic school matchups.
That led to just one big decision. I needed to get Palatine into the rankings after its win at Rolling Meadows. Cameron Christie and his Mustangs have been one of the area’s best teams the entire season and Palatine took them down on the road in a consequential game.
So a team had to go. It came down to Glenbrook North and Lincoln-Way East. The Griffins took a heavy loss at home to Yorkville this week and have lost all of their tough games since beating a shorthanded Bloom team in early January.
The Spartans haven’t lost a game, but Josh Fridman is out for the rest of the season, which realistically doesn’t make them the same team. So Glenbrook North is out for now and can head into the postseason with a chip on its shoulder.
The deadline for All-City nominations is Tuesday. I’ll start asking for All-Area nominations tomorrow, but feel free to email them now.
Super 25 for Feb. 19, 2023
With record and last week’s rankings
1. Simeon (26-3) 1
Favorites in Class 3A
2. Benet (29-1) 2
Survived 2 close games
3. Kenwood (24-6) 3
Major goals for March
4. Joliet West (25-5) 4
Drew King picking up offers
5. Curie (19-10) 5
Mike Oliver keeps winning
6. Young (21-6) 6
Another state run?
7. Hillcrest (25-3) 7
Ready for the spotlight
8. Hinsdale Central (28-3) 8
Will have sectional home advantage
9. Brother Rice (27-4) 9
Beat Bogan
10. Downers Grove North (27-3) 10
Handled Oak Park
11. Oswego East (25-5) 11
Beat Plainfield North
12. New Trier (27-4) 12
Won CSL championship
13. Bolingbrook (23-7) 14
Hosts 4A sectional
14. Mount Carmel (24-6) 15
Ceiling is still high
15. St. Rita (21-10) 16
Peaking at right time
16. Proviso East (22-6) 17
Took down Leyden
17. Marian Catholic (24-7) 22
Beat Marist, DLS
18. Yorkville (25-5) 23
Beat LWE on the road
19. Palatine (24-6) NR
Won MSL championship
20. Rolling Meadows (25-6) 13
Lost at home to Palatine
21. Marist (23-7) 19
Lost to Marian in OT
22. Lyons (24-5) 20
Survived Lake Park
23. Hyde Park (22-6) 21
Contender in Class 3A
24. Lincoln-Way East (23-5) 18
Dark horse at Bolingbrook
25. Lemont (25-6) 24
Factor at Hillcrest