High school basketball: Michael O’Brien’s Super 25 rankings for Feb. 5, 2023

Simeon’s loss to St. Louis Vashon doesn’t look all that bad on paper. Vashon doesn’t have a great record, but it has played a rugged schedule and beaten some excellent teams.

I was able to catch the fourth quarter of the game after getting home from Metea Valley vs. Conant. The Wolverines didn’t look great, sort of folding at the end. I had a much more difficult time keeping them in the top spot this week than I did last week.

Benet just hasn’t been tested as thoroughly as Simeon. The Redwings don’t have one of the tougher schedules in the area, partly because the East Suburban Catholic is a bit down and likely because no one expected them to be this good. Benet faced Joliet West and Simeon at Pontiac and had the home game against Kenwood. That just isn’t enough regular, high-level tests for me to justify the Redwings over Simeon at this point, especially with the head-to-head loss. Benet hasn’t played a true road game against a top-10 caliber team.

But boy, was I close to elevating Benet to No. 1 this week anyway. We will find out an awful lot about Simeon over the next few days. Can the Wolverines send Robert Smith out with another city title?

Loyola dropped out this week after losing to De La Salle in triple overtime. Yorkville joins for the first time this season. The Foxes are very solid and the Southwest Prairie has proved to be even better than expected this season.

Super 25 for Feb. 5, 2023

1. Simeon (23-3) 1
Lost to St. Louis Vashon

2. Benet (25-1) 2
At Marist on Friday

3. Kenwood (21-5) 3
Huge week ahead

4. Joliet West (22-5) 4
Beat Indianapolis Cathedral

5. Young (21-5) 5
Hosts Curie Tuesday

6. Hillcrest (25-2) 6
At TF North Thursday

7. Curie (18-9) 7
Toughest road to city title

8. Brother Rice (24-3) 8
Beat Mount Carmel

9. Rolling Meadows (24-4) 10
At Glenbrook North Tuesday

10. Hinsdale Central (24-3) 11
Big test at Lyons Saturday

11. Bolingbrook (21-6) 12
Handled Lincoln-Way East

12. Hyde Park (22-5) 13
Role players excelling

13. Oswego East (22-5) 14
Probably underrated

14. New Trier (25-4) 16
Big four-win week

15. Mount Carmel (21-5) 9
Upset by Marmion

16. Downers Grove North (23-3) 19
Beat Lyons, Glenbrook South

17. Proviso East (19-6) 18
Took down Bloom

18. Lincoln-Way East (21-4) 17
Lost to Bolingbrook

19. Marist (22-5) 20
Still overachieving

20. St. Rita (16-10) 21
Hosts Loyola Friday

21. Glenbrook North (23-3) 21
Beat Glenbrook South this time

22. Lyons (21-4) 15
West Suburban is tough

23. Marian Catholic (21-7) 25
Hung with Benet

24. Glenbrook South (20-8) 22
Late season rough patch

25. Yorkville (22-5) NR
Southwest Prairie is solid