Kenwood’s Jaden Smith (1) and Thornton’s Morez Johnson (12) catch their breath during a game at the Chicago Elite Classic.
Allen Cunningham/For the Sun-Times
Anyone who watched Curie take down Downers Grove North at Mount Carmel on Sunday was probably impressed with the Condors. They were unselfish, physical and able to beat the Trojans in a slow, grind-it-out game.
I also saw Curie beat Phillips on the road this past week. That was a full-court, up-and-down game and the Condors looked even better.
So there was a decision to be made on the top spot again this week. Curie hasn’t lost to a local team and played nationally-ranked Sidwell Friends from D.C. to the wire at the Chicago Elite Classic last weekend.
But Thornton stays at No. 1 again this week. The Wildcats needed overtime to defeat Rich. But the Raptors knocked off Simeon on Sunday night so that one doesn’t look so wild anymore.
Glenbrook South, which lost to Oak Park this week, is the only team that drops out. The Huskies are an interesting team. I’m looking forward to seeing them at Pontiac. They’ve beaten Lake Park, Bartlett, Wheaton Academy and Glenbrook South. All good teams. They’ve lost to De Kalb, Fenwick and Lyons. All good teams.
Rich joins this week after beating Simeon and taking Thornton to overtime. That was an easy call.
With record and last week’s ranking
1. Thornton (6-1) 1
Survived vs. Rich
2. Curie (7-1) 6
Physical and unselfish
3. Homewood-Flossmoor (7-1) 3
Starting to jell
4. Mount Carmel (9-1) 5
Huge win at De La Salle
5. Brother Rice (9-0) 9
Zavier Fitch boards
6. Bloom (5-2) 4
Rough one vs. Crusaders
7. Downers Grove North (5-1) 2
Jack Stanton is a force
8. Warren (8-1) 14
Took down Stevenson
9. DePaul Prep (8-0) 10
Hosts Loyola Friday
10. Benet (8-0) 13
Major week ahead
11. Glenbrook North (8-0) 15
Won at Evanston
12. Young (5-3) 11
Antonio Munoz earning raves
13. De La Salle (6-1) 12
Young team with potential
14. Lindblom (4-2) 21
Beat Kenwood, lost to Hyde Park
15. Kenwood (4-2) 7
Hosts Phillips Tuesday
16. New Trier (7-1) 16
Heading to Arizona
17. Bolingbrook (6-1) 18
Pettigrew and Thompson rolling
18. Waubonsie Valley (8-0) 22
Impressing with defense
19. Riverside-Brookfield (7-1) 19
Hosts Crete-Monee Tuesday
20. Lincoln Park (5-2) 20
Hosts Young Friday
21. Marist (7-1) 8
Lost to Marian Catholic
22. Rich (6-1) NR
Beat Simeon
23. Lake Park (7-1) 23
Cam Cerese hits 1,000
24. Kankakee (7-0) 24
Won in Missouri
25. Loyola (7-2) 25
Dominating the Jesuit Cup
