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For the second straight year, Montverde Academy (Fla.) was involved in a epic NHSI title game that featured a double-digit lead and crazy late-game heroics. The Eagles were on the losing end in 2011. But Kasey Hill made sure they wouldn't walk away empty-handed this time around.

Hill spurred a furious late-game comeback, culminating with a drive-and-kick dish to Jalyn Patterson for the game-winning shot with less than a second to play.

Montverde, which was ranked No. 2 in our preseason poll, never dipped below its initial ranking and held the top spot for five weeks before being upset at the buzzer in consecutive games in mid-January.

St. Benedict's, the NHSI runner-up, takes over No. 2 in the poll thanks in large part to the play of Syracuse-bound PG Tyler Ennis and a win over then No. 1 Findlay Prep. Findlay put its perfect season on the line at NHSI, but came up short in the semifinals. The Pilots overall body of work was impressive, though, and they were one of two teams to beat Montverde, earning them the third spot. Lone Peak was in the mix for the top overall spot but winds up at No. 4 -- tops among public school squads.

Four-time Illinois state champ Simeon rounds out the top 5, while fellow Chicago club Whitney Young went 8-3 against ranked teams to grab a top-10 spot despite not winning a state title. Back in the final poll after an extended hiatus is four-time Nebraska champ Omaha Central.

Did we get the final rankings right? Tweet us using #ESPN25hoops and let us know which teams we missed on.

Note: This poll is compiled weekly by the RecruitingNation staff. Every high school team is eligible to be ranked as long as its roster does not include any fifth-year seniors.

Check out the rankings here.

CHICAGO -- Jabari Parker threw down a baseline dunk. He dished out a few assists. He grabbed a few rebounds. He made a few steals and blocked a few shots.

On the court Wednesday, Parker was being Parker as he displayed his all-around game and showed why he’s been considered one of the premier high school players in the country for much of his career.

But when Parker and most people think back of his McDonald’s All American Game experience, what they’ll remember isn’t Parker’s West team winning 110-99 or anything he did during the actual game. It’ll be the memory of his introduction before the game at the United Center.

With the lights out and the spotlight on and after every other player already on the floor, Parker was announced as being from Simeon Career Academy and Chicago. The welcoming decibels were well beyond those of anyone before him.

It was the perfect reception for the hometown Duke commit Parker, a four-time state champion and two-time Mr. Basketball who is No. 2 in the ESPN 100 ranking index.

“It was like homecoming,” Parker explained after the game. “It’s just a homecoming day for me, see everybody out there. You know we can celebrate. I know I represent all the high school players, so that’s all I wanted to do. Be there and represent the city of Chicago on the way.”

Whitney Young High School junior center and fellow Chicagoan Jahlil Okafor, the nation’s No. 1 junior, was just as moved by the fans’ love for Parker.

“Seeing the crowd embrace him as they did, he deserves it more than anybody,” Okafor said. “Seeing everybody cheer that loud, I was really happy and just put like chills down my body. It’s something I can work hard for and maybe I can experience that next year.”

It was nearly the same feeling for Ronnie Fields, a former McDonald’s All American from Chicago, who was attending his first McDonald’s game in nearly 20 years.

“I was so happy,” said Fields, who was a McDonald’s All American in 1996. “I was waiting for him to come out.”

“To see the city continue to breed these guys out, it just made me proud,” he said. “You go down the list. We got Jabari. We got Derrick Rose. We got Okafor coming. That goes back to Isiah Thomas. The list goes on and on.”

Parker was thought to be playing his final game in Chicago for the foreseeable future, but he hinted at another game, possibly meaning a Duke game in Chicago next season. Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski did bring Jon Scheyer back to play before his hometown Chicago crowd, and that also could be the case for Parker, who is expected to spend just one season in college before bolting for the NBA.

Whether or not Parker will be back in Chicago next year, he left a bit of everything on the floor Wednesday. He had 10 points, eight rebounds, three assists, two steals, two blocks; didn’t allow anything easy to No. 1-ranked Andrew Wiggins (uncommitted; from Canada by way Huntington Prep in West Virginia); and came out on the victorious side, just as he did throughout his career.
All in all, Parker realized his hometown experience was unique at this game.

“I know I’ve been spoiled a little bit more being in Chicago and playing at the United Center,” Parker said. “This was a great experience.”

Watch Simeon take on Morgan Park in a Public League semifinal at 5 p.m. CT Wednesday at Chicago State followed by Orr vs. Whitney Young at 7 p.m. Click here to watch the games live.

Simeon's Jabari Parker and Jaylon Tate talk about the game they had in beating no. 4 ranked Whitney Young 44-41 on Saturday night.

Paul Biancardi and Joe Davis recap Saturday night's matchup between no. 4 Whitney Young and no. 13 Simeon.

Hours before committing to Kentucky, Dakari Johnson recorded 18 points with 12 boards to lead Montverde (Fla.) past Simeon (Chicago) and No. 2 senior Jabari Parker, 82-53.

Two diehard BYU basketball fans have printed 6,300 T-shirts to be handed out before the Cougars' game Saturday with a message for highly ranked Chicago Simeon Career Academy senior forward Jabari Parker, who is expected to be in attendance.

Greg Welch and Tony Brown created shirts that read, "Chicago to Provo" with images of Chicago's skyline and Provo's Mount Timpanogos. The T-shirts were purchased with more than 200 donations to the website CougarBoard.com.

Read the entire story.

CHICAGO -- Boston Celtics coach Doc Rivers may be 20-plus years removed from his playing days at Proviso East High School in Chicago’s western suburbs, but he’s still loyal to the program.

Prior to Monday’s game against the Chicago Bulls, Rivers was asked how he felt about Proviso East being back on the rise after reaching the IHSA Class 4A state championship last season. It was the first return trip to the finals since 1992.

“What do you mean on the rise?” Rivers said in a harsh tone. “They’re always on the rise.”

Rivers was only joking, but he does really still keep close tabs on Proviso East. And the Pirates, for the most part, have been one of Illinois’ most consistently successful programs. They’ve reached 14 state tournaments, won four titles and have produced past and present NBA players like Rivers, Jim Brewer, Donnie Boyce, Sherell Ford, Michael Finley, Shannon Brown, Dee Brown, Reggie Jordan and Steven Hunter.

Plus, like in Rivers’ day, Proviso East still wears jerseys with sleeves.

“Proviso East is what it is,” Rivers said. “You know what it is. It’s a heck of a school. For basketball, I don’t know if there’s any place better in the country, not only in the state, as far as the history of it."

Rivers does still keep close tabs on Proviso East, too. He often talks with his brother Grady Rivers, who still attends games, and Boyce, the current Proviso East coach, about the team.

Boyce said their conversations are important to him and his players.

“It means a lot,” Boyce said. “He’s not only a friend, but a mentor to me. I’m always taking things from him and watching him coach. He helps pass my message to the players and show what the program is all about when he talks to them.

Boyce even one day hopes to follow Rivers’ footsteps into the NBA as a coach.

“I want to coach at the highest level,” Boyce said. “I want to attack it just as when I was a player.”

Proviso East enters this season as one of the state favorites again. The Pirates’ roster includes SMU recruit Sterling Brown, Shannon’s younger brother, and Illinois State recruit Paris Lee.

Dave Telep and Paul Biancardi compare No. 1 SF Andrew Wiggins and No. 2 SF Jabari Parker based on athleticism, established skills, intangibles, scoring, and potential.

Simeon senior forward Kendall Pollard committed to Dayton on Friday.

Pollard, a 6-foot-7 small forward, chose the Flyers over Rhode Island. He’s ranked the 35th small forward in the country and the state’s eighth best prospect by ESPN.

“They’re getting a skilled wing,” Simeon coach Robert Smith said. “I think they’re getting a steal. Dayton fits his style.”

Pollard is the third Simeon senior to commit to a Division I program this year. Point guard Jaylon Tate and shooting guard Kendrick Nunn committed to Illinois. Smith expects possibly four more seniors, including No. 1-ranked Jabari Parker, to accept D-I scholarships this season.

“I tell people all the time, we take guys who understand basketball,” Smith said. “We help them get to the next level. They’re comfortable playing for us because of our past success.”

Pollard is Dayton’s third Class of 2013 commitment. He joins point guard Putnam Science Academy (N.Y.) point guard Dayton Smith and Morgan Park (Chicago) point guard Kyle Davis.

Bolingbrook senior forward Ben Moore committed to Southern Methodist on Tuesday.

Moore, a 6-foot-7 forward, chose the Mustangs over Colorado State and Illinois. Moore was the second Chicago-area recruit to commit to SMU in the past week. Proviso East (Maywood, Ill.) senior guard Sterling Brown committed to the Mustangs on Monday.

Southern Methodist coach Larry Brown was the first high-major coach to recruit Moore.

“Coach Brown from the very first time pegged Moore,” Bolingbrook coach Ben Brost said. “The first night I talked to him, (Brown) described what I had been seeing for the last six months. Just the way (Moore) has a feel for the game, the way he can get to where he needs to on the dribble, and he has a nose for the basketball. I’ve seen what he can do, especially in the last six months. It’s been rewarding for him and for me also to see the attention he deserves, and his recruitment to go up as it has.”

Moore’s recruitment has increased since his junior season.

“He’s such a strong ball handler for his size,” Brost said. “He can get to anywhere he wants to go on the floor. And obviously he can score in bunches as well. He’s perceived like an elite player.

“Last year our first game he had a triple-double with 11 blocks, so he played really, really well last year. But people perceived him as a post player, and he’s a wing with the way he can handle the ball. He’s a 3-4 combo type player at this level. Now, people are seeing he can play at this level.”

Moore has improved in some areas, but Brost does expect him to grow in even more areas.

“The things that are going to translate (to college) are he has a nose for the ball, he can finish around the basket, the ball handling really translates, getting where he wants to be on the floor,” Brost said. “Obviously he needs to get stronger, and his jump shot needs to improve, but those are two things that can improve as you get older and you work on them and get more reps.”

SMU assistant coach Jerrance Howard’s connections into the Chicago area helped pay off again for the Mustangs. Howard was hired by SMU after leaving the Illini after last season. Howard has helped with Chicago recruits Brown, Moore and Illinois transfer and former Proviso East High School guard Crandall Head.

Moore is SMU’s second Class of 2013 recruit. He joins Sterling Brown in the recruiting class.

De La Salle senior guard Alvin Ellis committed to Minnesota on Sunday.

Ellis, a 6-foot-4 shooting guard, chose the Gophers over Butler, Kansas State and Northwestern. He is ranked the No. 94th shooting guard in the country by ESPN. He averaged 16 points last season.

“It was a good fit for me,” Ellis said. “Coaching staff told me I have an opportunity to play. I’ll try to take advantage of that opportunity.”

Ellis is Minnesota’ first Class of 2013 commitment.

Simeon senior guard Kendrick Nunn may not be the savior of the Illinois basketball program, but he may just attract that player.

Nunn, who committed to the Illini on Saturday, certainly has basketball gifts. He can shoot. He can defend. He’ll play hard. He’ll do what is asked of him.

Whether he’s a future all-American or has the NBA in his future, that’s difficult to say now. He’s a 6-foot-2 shooting guard who is ranked No. 56 in the country and is the 17th best shooting guard by ESPN and is ranked as high as 36th and low as 60th by other national recruiting sites. Within Illinois, City/Suburban Hoops Report recruiting analyst Joe Henricksen ranks Nunn behind Simeon teammate Jabari Parker, the nation’s No. 1 player, and Belleville East’s Malcolm Hill, another Illinois recruit.

Nunn’s value to Illinois goes well beyond that, though.

For one, he’s the first Chicago recruit for Illinois first-year coach John Groce. It doesn’t hurt that Nunn is also from the state’s premier program. Secondly, Nunn is the type of player who seems to fit into any system and tends to be on winning teams. Simeon and the U17 USA national team can attest to that. Finally, others players appear to like him as a person and teammate.

All of those reasons add up to Nunn possibly being the most important Illini recruit in the past decade.

(Read full post)

Former Kansas guard Milton Doyle committed to Loyola on Wednesday.

Doyle originally committed to Florida International while at Marshall High School in Chicago. He was allowed out of his letter of intent when Isiah Thomas was fired. He later committed to Kansas and was enrolled there until recently. He played with the Jayhawks during their recent trip to Europe.

Doyle, a freshman guard, chose the Ramblers over Green Bay. Doyle will enroll into Loyola in the fall semester and will likely have to sit out this season per NCAA transfer rules.

“I’m just happy to move forward,” Doyle’s mother Lisa Green said. “Just happy he still had the opportunities he had. We were just trying to make sure it was really, really something that was right for him.

“The No. 1 thing is it’s close to home. The name Loyola is of course a prestigious school in Chicago. He’s able to be at a good school, be close to home and do what he likes to do.”

Doyle, a 6-4 guard, averaged 19 points, seven rebounds and five assists while playing in the Chicago Public League his senior season. He was selected to the ESPNChicago.com all-area team.

Loyola assistant coach Armon Gates was the lead recruiter on Doyle.

The Ramblers were 7-23 overall and 1-17 in the Horizon last season.