Michael O’Brien’s Super 25 high school basketball rankings for Dec. 24, 2023

Niles North, Romeoville and Hyde Park all join for the first time this season.

By Michael O’Brien

Thornton’s Morez Johnson (12) slams home a basket against Kankakee.

It was a slow week overall, with five ranked teams not playing a game. There wasn’t any movement in the top 12 teams.

All of the action this week took place down at the bottom of the rankings. De La Salle lost two games in Kentucky and has dropped out. Lake Park is out after a heavy loss to Hinsdale Central and West Aurora is gone after just one week since it wasn’t competitive at Brother Rice.

Three teams have joined: Niles North, Hyde Park and Romeoville.

I’ve been trying to add the Vikings for a while. They’ve won seven consecutive games since losing to DePaul Prep the ffirst week of the season. Niles North has quality wins against Lane, Niles West, Lake Forest and Taft.

Hyde Park has Jurrell Baldwin, one of the state’s best seniors, and wins against Lindblom and Peoria Richwoods.

Romeoville has also ripped off seven consecutive wins since losing to Joliet Central Thanksgiving week. Since then they’ve beaten the Steelmen, Joliet West and Fenwick

Super 25 for Dec. 24, 2023
With record and last week’s ranking

1. Thornton (8-1) 1
Survived vs. Kankakee

2. Curie (10-1) 2
Beat Crane

3. Homewood-Flossmoor (9-1) 3
Had the week off

4. Mount Carmel (12-2) 4
Favorites to win Pekin

5. Brother Rice (13-0) 5
Zavier Fitch dominated West Aurora

6. Downers Grove North (8-1) 6
Local favorites at York

7. DePaul Prep (11-0) 7
Faces Lincoln-Way Central Wednesday

8. Warren (11-1) 8
Surging into Proviso West

9. Benet (11-0) 9
Took down Naperville North

10. Bloom (6-3) 10
A lot to prove at Pontiac

11. Kenwood (7-2) 11
Devin Cleveland is back