Simeon’s loss Saturday 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 on NFHS after getting home from Metea Valley against 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.
But 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 a home game against Kenwood. That just isn’t enough regular, high-level tests for me to justify ranking 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 in the next few days. Can the Wolverines send coach Robert Smith out with another city title?
Movement
Loyola dropped out of the Super 25 this week after losing to De La Salle in three overtimes. 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.
Championship Week
Chicago Public Schools merits kudos for its upcoming City Basketball Championship Week.
After years of scheduling incompetence, CPS has turned a corner. The Public League will host 11 conference-tournament championship games this week at UIC’s Credit Union 1 Arena and DePaul’s McGrath-Phillips Arena. The schedule was released on a dedicated website last week. Tickets are available, and media requests have been accepted.
It’s an amazing turnaround. There were years in the past in which the location of the Public League semifinals was unknown 24 hours before game time.
‘‘We have expanded our city basketball championships to include all of our girls and boys divisions (Blue, White, Green and Red) playing their title games at two legendary Chicago arenas,’’ CPS sports director David Rosengard said. ‘‘Our goal is to give CPL student-athletes and coaches the opportunity to play meaningful games at college venues, creating lasting memories.’’
The girls and boys Red Division title games will be played Saturday at Credit Union 1 Arena. Both will be televised live on WCIU-TV (Ch. 26). Mayor Lori Lightfoot is expected to provide analysis on the girls game again this season.
For more information about Championship Week, go to www.cpsathletics.com/2023-basketball-championship-week-headquarters.
Super 25 for Feb. 5, 2023
With record and last week’s ranking
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) 23
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
