Michael O'Brien's Chicago-area Super 25 basketball rankings

Michael O’Brien’s Chicago-area Super 25 basketball rankings

Leo’s Kendale Anderson (35) attempts a dunk. Worsom Robinson/For the Sun-Times.

The toughest rankings of the season so far. A lot of good teams picked up losses and not many teams stepped up and proved they deserved a spot.

The new additions

St. Laurence: Junior Jeremiah Williams showed flashes of promise last season but is quickly developing into a consistent force. The Vikings won their way into the rankings with wins against Notre Dame, Providence-St. Mel and St. Rita this past week.

Lane: The Indians returned to the Red Division this season and it didn’t take long to make a rankings debut. Senior Jimmy Mulvaney helped lead them to wins against Uplift and North Lawndale.

Romeoville: The last six games between the Spartans and Joliet Central have gone to overtime. Romeoville has already beaten the Steelmen twice in overtime this season. Mike Salter, Destin Whitaker and big man Noah Ferrell have the team off to an undefeated start. They visit Bolingbrook on Wednesday in what will be a major test.

Dropping out

Brother Rice: Loyola recruit Marquise Kennedy was fantastic at the Team Rose Shootout on Saturday. He scored 36 points and impacted the game on both ends of the floor in a loss to Uplift. The Crusaders also lost to St. Rita and Providence-St. Mel this week.

Farragut: A mixed bag this week for the Admirals, who lost to Young and Orr but beat Riverside-Brookfield. Several freshmen and sophomores are playing well for coach William Nelson, so they could be back in the rankings soon.

Riverside-Brookfield: The Bulldogs were ice cold from three-point range in the loss to Farragut, their first of the season.

The week ahead

-Simeon picked up two losses at a high-profile shootout in Arizona this weekend. The Wolverines return to town and travel to Bogan on Tuesday.

-Curie invades Morgan Park’s tiny gym on Tuesday. The Mustangs had a passion-filled week with a tight win against Bogan and a close loss to Bloom. The winner of this game will make a strong claim to the No. 3 ranking.

-Waukegan seems to be living up to the hype this season. The Bulldogs have a chance to prove it on Saturday in Chicago Heights against Marian Catholic and Ahron Ulis.

With record and last week’s ranking

1. Young (6-1) 1

Grant Newell is coming

2. Bloom (9-0) 3

Beat Morgan Park

3. Curie (8-0) 6

Second seed at Pontiac

4. Morgan Park (4-2) 5

A work in progress

5. Bogan (6-1) 2

Lost to Morgan Park

6. Leo (7-1) 11