Michael O’Brien’s Super 25 high school basketball…

Michael O’Brien’s Super 25 high school basketball rankings for Dec. 17, 2023

Curie’s Carlos Harris (2) drives toward the basket against Downers Grove North. (Allen Cunningham/For the Sun-Times)

Nearly all of the fans, coaches and players I’ve talked with have acknowledged that it is a season of parity around the area. That’s a good thing, because other than a few notable exceptions, no one is getting too worked up about the rankings right now.

This was a tough week. There are several teams still skating by on preseason hype that haven’t really proven anything. Meanwhile there are some unranked teams with four or so losses that may be better than several in the Super 25.

Thankfully, the holiday tournaments are just around the corner to provide some clarity.

West Aurora, which has won seven games in a row and impressed me last week, is the only new addition. The Blackhawks replace Glenbrook North, which lost to Prospect and drops out.

Lincoln Park beat Young and Oak Park this week and leaps up to No. 13. The Lions’ only local defeat was a 61-60 loss at Kenwood. Bolingbrook also makes a nice jump. It’s last three wins are against high-quality teams: Neuqua Valley, Lincoln-Way East and Hinsdale Central.

Super 25 for Dec. 17, 2023
With record and last week’s ranking

1. Thornton (7-1) 1
Beat Normal

2. Curie (9-1) 2
Top seed at Pontiac

3. Homewood-Flossmoor (9-1) 3
Could face Thornton at Big Dipper

4. Mount Carmel (11-2) 4
Lost to Webster Groves, Mo.

5. Brother Rice (12-0) 5
Crushed De La Salle

6. Downers Grove North (8-1) 7
Three-win week

7. DePaul (11-0) 9
Beat Loyola, Bloom

8. Warren (10-1) 8
The new favorite at Proviso West

9. Benet (10-0) 10
Beat Marist and St. Patrick

10. Bloom (6-3) 6
Major threat at Pontiac

11. Kenwood (6-2) 15
Solid wins vs. Phillips, Dyett