Michael O’Brien’s Super 25 high school basketball rankings for March 14, 2021

Super 25 new additions

St. Ignatius: It was an up and down and in and out of the rankings season for the Wolfpack, but they finished strong with wins against Curie and Bolingbrook.

Westinghouse: The Warriors are under the radar no longer. This team has size and experience. They’ve knocked off Orr, Lincoln Park, Marshall and Lane so far and only lost to Young. Coach Rafie Fields’ team has a huge week ahead with games against Farragut and Clark.

Downers Grove North: It looked a near certainty that Glenbard West would roll through the season undefeated. The Mustangs didn’t let that happen and it gives them the signature win necessary to pop back into the rankings.

Wheaton-Warrenville South: The DuKane conference champions put together a solid season.

Dropping out

Clark (5-2): A very young Farragut team knocked off the Eagles this week and Terry Head’s group just didn’t have the resume to stick around after that.

Homewood-Flossmoor (8-4): There’s certainly no shame to losing to Bolingbrook and Simeon in one week, especially without one of your lead guards. But the Vikings spent most of the season in the spotlight and several teams made a strong case to join the rankings this week.

Lake Forest (12-4): The Scouts drop out after losing to Stevenson.

Waubonsie Valley (12-4): The loss to Neuqua Valley knocks the Warriors out, but coach Jason Mead finished his stint at Waubonsie with a win against a very good Yorkville Christian team on Saturday.

With record and last week’s ranking

1. DePaul Prep (14-2) 19

Chipotle champs

2. Young (13-1) 1

Lost to DePaul Prep

3. Evanston (17-3) 11

Beat Simeon

4. Simeon (6-1) 2

Faces Corliss Saturday

5. Notre Dame (15-3) 12

Lost to Evanston in OT

6. Fenwick (13-3) 13

Bryce Hopkins finished strong

7. Mundelein (13-2) 3

Unbeaten at full strength

8. Hillcrest (13-0) 6

Class of 2021 was special

9. Rolling Meadows (15-0) 8

Mid-Suburban League champs

10. Brother Rice (13-1) 9

Unexpectedly great season

11. Glenbrook South (16-2) 5

Surpassed expectations

12. New Trier (13-2) 20

A ton to build on

13. Glenbard West (16-1) 7

Champaign bound in 2022?

14. Kenwood (9-2) 14

Young team living up to hype

15. Kankakee (12-1) 14

Consistent winning program

16. DeKalb (18-1) 10

Stumbled vs. Sycamore

17. Hersey (13-3) 16

Just couldn’t beat Meadows

18. Corliss (11-1) 18

Small school power

19. St. Ignatius (13-5) NR

Finished season strong

20. Curie (4-2) 4

Lost at St. Ignatius

21. St. Patrick (8-3) 21

Couldn’t handle Simeon

22. Lemont (12-1) 23

Future is bright

23. Westinghouse (6-1) NR

Only loss is to Young

24. Downers Grove North (13-2) NR

Beat Glenbard West

25. Wheaton-Warrenville South (16-2) NR

DuKane conference champs