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

Well this was a chore. There are tons of changes this week, including a new number one team and five new additions.

SUPER 25 ADDITIONS

Lincoln Park: The Lions knocked off Young on the road this week and took down New Trier over Thanksgiving.

New Trier: Sam Silverstein and Noah Osher stepped up nicely to hand Glenbrook South its first loss of the season.

York: The Dukes beat Benet last week and dominated Willowbrook on Saturday.

Providence-St. Mel: Back in the mix again. All of a sudden those losses to St. Laurence and DePaul Prep don’t look bad at all. The Knights beat Fenwick and North Lawndale this week.

Riverside-Brookfield: The Bulldogs are back as well. That loss to Farragut was quickly forgiven with so many ranked teams falling in the last seven days.

DROPPING OUT

Simeon: This was a tough decision. The Wolverines are clearly one of the 25 best teams in the area but they are 1-6 and their best/only local win is against Harlan

Hillcrest: No shame in the loss to Bloomington on Saturday but the 7-4 Hawks haven’t beaten any of the quality teams they’ve played this season.

Downers Grove North: The Trojans lost To Downers Grove South and Glenbard West

Lane: Gone after one week. The Indians fell to Marshall and Farragut.

Romeoville: Made it close, but lost to Bolingbrook.

THE WEEK AHEAD

-It is a huge rivalry week. Waukegan is at North Chicago on Tuesday. Thursday has Joliet Central at Joliet West and Oswego East at Oswego. Friday is loaded: Geneva at Batavia, St. Charles East at St. Charles North, Wheaton-Warrenville South at Wheaton North, Elgin at Larkin and West Aurora at East Aurora.

-Simeon may not be out of the rankings for long. The Wolverines host Homewood-Flossmoor on Friday. The Vikings are just the second suburban team to play at Simeon. Fenwick was the first two years ago.

-The best game of the week is on Friday. DePaul Prep hosts Leo in a matchup of two of the state’s top teams.

Michael O’Brien’s Super 25 basketball rankings

With record and last week’s ranking

1. Curie (10-0) 3

Beat Morgan Park, Simeon

2. Bloom (11-0) 2

So many weapons

3. Bogan (8-1) 5

Rashaun Agee is dominating

4. Leo (8-1) 6

No in state losses

5. Young (7-2) 1

Lost to Lincoln Park

6. Evanston (8-1) 7

At Zion-Benton Tuesday

7. Morgan Park (5-3) 4

Beat Kenwood, crushed by Curie

8. St. Viator (10-1) 8

Favorites at Wheeling

9. Benet (10-1) 20

Took down DePaul Prep

10. Marian Catholic (7-1) 12

Beat Waukegan

11. DePaul Prep (8-1) 11

Tyler Johnson can play

12. Homewood-Flossmoor (5-2) 9

Lost to Bloom again

13. Oswego East (7-1) 13

At Oswego Thursday

14. Bolingbrook (6-2) 16

Knocked off Romeoville

15. Uplift (7-2) 23

Beat Marshall, Crane

16. St. Laurence (9-1) 21

Hosts Marist Tuesday

17. Lincoln Park (6-4) NR

Beat Young

18. New Trier (7-1) NR

Sam Silverstein adds a lot

19. York (8-1) NR

Dominated Willowbrook

20. Providence-St. Mel (6-3) NR

Beat North Lawndale

21. Waukegan (7-2) 14

Jaylin Cunningham stepping up

22. Glenbrook South (8-1) 15

Lost to New Trier

23. Geneva (8-0) 24

Teacher strike is over

24. Riverside-Brookfield (9-1) NR

Andrew Veon throws it down

25. Kenwood (8-3) 17

Lost to Morgan Park