CLEVELAND, Ohio — The road to the postseason reaches a critical point this weekend when boys basketball coaches vote to seed teams for the OHSAA district tournaments.
Expect St. Edward and Richmond Heights to be No. 1 seeds in their respective divisions. They remain atop the cleveland.com Top 25, but there is heavy traffic behind them — especially in Division I — as reflected in this week’s area rankings.
Read how the top teams stack up since last week, as the Top 25 teams remain intact, but with plenty of movement in between. The rankings include recent results, this week’s schedules and a breakdown for each team:
1. St. Edward (15-0)
Last week: Ranked No. 1; Jan. 26 beat Benedictine 80-38, Jan. 27 won at St. Vincent-St. Mary 65-59
This week: Feb. 3 at No. 10 St. Ignatius
Someone different has stepped up each time St. Edward needed it to remain undefeated, whether it was senior guards Lucas Perusek and Brevyn Coleman a week ago in the Eagles’ 56-48 overtime win against Garfield Heights or forward Cameron Grant and the bench on Friday at St. Vincent-St. Mary. A rivalry rematch awaits Friday at St. Ignatius, which St. Edward beat the first time, 86-64, just as coaches are set to vote this weekend for district tournament seeding.
2. Richmond Heights (18-0)
Last week: Ranked No. 2; Jan. 24 won at Beachwood 95-41, Jan. 27 won at Ashtabula Edgewood 124-39
This week: Jan. 31 at Hawken, Feb. 3 at West Geauga
Dorian Jones’ career-high 43 points Friday in Ashtabula continued the Spartans’ romp through the Chagrin Valley Conference. Their standing at No. 2 in the area has more to do with their play outside of the CVC, including wins against Lutheran East and Brush.
3. Garfield Heights (14-3)
Last week: Ranked No. 4; Jan. 24 won at Cleveland Heights 66-56, Jan. 27 beat Shaker Heights 66-54
This week: Jan. 31 at Warrensville Heights, Feb. 3 vs. Shaw
Sonny Johnson’s Bulldogs showed their resilience, bouncing back from a two-game losing streak to retake the Lake Erie League lead at Cleveland Heights and following that up with a second-half comeback against another LEL rival in Shaker.
4. St. Vincent-St. Mary (12-5)
Last week: Ranked No. 3; Jan. 27 lost to St. Edward 65-59
This week: Jan. 31 vs. No. 7 Archbishop Hoban
A big rivalry game this week could make STVM forget about those recent setbacks vs. No. 1 St. Edward and Stow, which is one of Northeast Ohio’s hotter teams. The Fighting Irish will be off for 10 days after the Hoban game before a stretch run that includes Brush, Lutheran East and Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy. Four of their five losses have come against Top 25 teams in the area, but wins against Centerville and Sierra Canyon cannot be ignored.
5. Lutheran West (15-1)
Last week: Ranked No. 6; Jan. 24 beat Brooklyn 75-42, Jan. 27 won at Orwell Grand Valley 82-41, Jan. 28 won at Mentor 81-63
This week: Jan. 31 at Independence, Feb. 3 vs. Cuyahoga Heights, Feb. 4 vs. Kirtland
Junior guard Jayson Levis’ 35 points and 11 rebounds led the Longhorns Saturday at Mentor. They have won eight straight since their only loss and should be in line for a top seed in Division II.
6. Stow-Munroe Falls (14-2)
Last week: Ranked No. 7; Jan. 24 won at Brecksville 69-56, Jan. 27 beat North Royalton 77-73 (OT)
This week: Jan. 31 vs. Solon, Feb. 3 at Wadsworth
North Royalton nearly spoiled Stow’s six-game winning streak, which included the return of senior point guard Titus Baskerville IV from a brief injury that kept him out of the Green win on Jan. 20. The Bulldogs remain a game behind Brecksville and Nordonia for first place in the Suburban League’s National Conference. They visit Nordonia on Feb. 7.
7. Archbishop Hoban (14-2)
Last week: Ranked No. 8; Jan. 24 beat Walsh Jesuit 58-55, Jan. 27 beat Cleveland Central Catholic 55-48
This week: Jan. 31 at No. 4 St. Vincent-St. Mary, Feb. 4 vs. Warren JFK
Hoban has won 11 of its last 12. The Knights edged Central Catholic on Friday without junior point guard Jonas Nichols, as Will Scott Jr. stepped up with a game-high 22 points. They seek a replacement game for a Feb. 10 opening with matchups looming against Green and Lutheran West after this week’s STVM rivalry.
8. Brecksville-Broadview Heights (14-2)
Last week: Ranked No. 5; Jan. 24 lost to Stow 69-56, Jan. 27 won at Hudson 60-31
This week: Jan. 31 vs. Berea-Midpark, Feb. 3 vs. Rhodes
The Bees bounced back from their loss to Stow and maintain a share of the Suburban League lead with Nordonia, which they beat the first time 74-56 and meet again at home on Feb. 10.
9. Lutheran East (12-4)
Last week: Ranked No. 11; Jan. 24 beat Mayfield 83-75
This week: Feb. 1 vs. Villa Angela-St. Joseph, Feb. 3 at No. 21 Brush
Jesse McCulloch’s 30-point night against Mayfield powered the Falcons to their fourth straight win. Their last three games of the regular season are against Top 25 teams before the OHSAA Division III tournament.
10. St. Ignatius (11-6)
Last week: Ranked No. 12; Jan. 28 beat Buchtel 68-56
This week: Feb. 3 vs. No. 1 St. Edward, Feb. 4 vs. Glenville
The gap between No. 3 and 10 isn’t far, and that could be reflected in this weekend’s district tournament seeding and next week’s Top 25, as St. Ignatius gets another shot Friday at St. Edward. The Wildcats have shown growth in the last month. On Saturday, in their 68-56 win vs. Buchtel, they adjusted defensively after a hot shooting start in which the Griffins knocked down seven 3-pointers in the first half. They previously lost such games to Lutheran West on their home floor and at Walsh Jesuit.
11. Buchtel (14-6)
Last week: Ranked No. 9; Jan. 24 won at Akron East 79-55, Jan. 27 beat Akron North 72-20, Jan. 28 lost at St. Ignatius 68-56
This week: Feb. 3 vs. No. 25 Akron East in Akron City Series championship at Firestone
St. Ignatius coach Cam Joyce characterized the Griffins as a team that hunts for 3s. They didn’t find one in the second half of Saturday’s loss to the Wildcats and assisted on six of those seven shots. Next up is the rubber match with East for Akron’s city championship.
12. Mentor (12-4)
Last week: Ranked No. 13; Jan. 27 won at Solon 66-55, Jan. 28 lost to Lutheran West 81-63
This week: Feb. 4 vs. Youngstown Chaney
Despite its second-half struggles against Lutheran West, Mentor remains in first place of the Greater Cleveland Conference standings. The Cardinals won’t have another GCC game until Feb. 7 at Brunswick, followed by a visit a few days later from Medina. Those games should determine their conference title.
13. Maple Heights (13-4)
Last week: Ranked No. 14; Jan. 24 won at Shaker Heights 66-56, Jan. 27 won at Cleveland Heights 72-69
This week: Jan. 31 vs. Lorain, Feb. 3 at Bedford
The Mustangs’ surge continues with their winning streak now at 12 games. They remain two games behind Garfield Heights for the LEL lead because of three league losses to start the season. They have avenged two of them and get a chance to do it again with Tuesday’s visit from Lorain, which stopped them, 49-47, in mid-December. That is Maple’s last loss.
14. Cleveland Heights (11-7)
Last week: Ranked No. 10; Jan. 24 lost to Garfield Heights 66-56, Jan. 27 lost to Maple Heights 72-69
This week: Jan. 31 vs. Bedford, Feb. 3 at Lorain
The Tigers look to end a three-game skid that includes a last-second setback at Brush at the Chet Mason Invitational, leading to last week’s close LEL losses. They split the regular season with Maple Heights and own a 16-point signature win against Lutheran East that keeps them in the top 15.
15. Avon Lake (14-2)
Last week: Ranked No. 19; Jan. 24 beat Berea-Midpark 60-57, Jan. 27 won at Midview 67-64 (2OT)
This week: Jan. 31 at Buckeye, Feb. 3 vs. Amherst
Avon Lake’s last three wins have come by three points or fewer, including one in double overtime. The Shoremen still find a way, and they remain a game up on North Ridgeville in the Southwestern Conference standings. Those two will meet again Feb. 17 in Avon Lake, but the Shoremen also play Elyria and Olmsted Falls next week.
16. Brunswick (12-4)
Last week: Ranked No. 20; Jan. 23 beat International Sports Academy of Andrews Osborne 86-69, Jan. 24 beat Cleveland Central Catholic 48-43, Jan. 27 won at Medina 77-74 (OT)
This week: Jan. 31 at No. 23 Nordonia, Feb. 4 at Avon
Brunswick swept its regular-season series with Medina, vaulting to within a game of Mentor for the Greater Cleveland Conference lead. The Blue Devils have two nonconference games this week before playing host to the Cardinals.
17. Medina (13-5)
Last week: Ranked No. 16; Jan. 24 beat Brookside 101-66, Jan. 27 lost to Brunswick 77-74 (OT)
This week: Feb. 3 at Strongsville
Medina’s two losses in 2023 have come in overtime, including a neutral-court defeat in mid-January to Gahanna Lincoln. They also are a game back in the GCC of Mentor, which they beat the first time, and are slated to visit on Feb. 10.
18. Walsh Jesuit (10-5)
Last week: Ranked No. 17; Jan. 24 lost at Archbishop Hoban 58-55, Jan. 27 beat Padua 75-42
This week: Jan. 31 vs. Euclid, Feb. 3 at Lake Catholic
Walsh remains in the driver’s seat to defend its Crown Conference title. Kevin Byrne’s Warriors will be tough to overlook for this week’s Division I tournament seeding because of those early season wins against St. Ignatius and St. Vincent-St. Mary.
19. Green (12-4)
Last week: Ranked No. 18; Jan. 24 won at North Canton Hoover 49-45, Jan. 27 beat Uniontown Lake 50-33
This week: Jan. 31 vs. Massillon Perry, Feb. 3 vs. Canton McKinley
Green continues its push in the Federal League after two big wins, including avenging a loss to Hoover and a strong performance against Lake. The Bulldogs are a game behind Massillon Jackson.
20. North Ridgeville (13-3)
Last week: Ranked No. 21; Jan. 24 won at Olmsted Falls 89-63, Jan. 27 beat Avon 72-63
This week: Jan. 31 at Valley Forge, Feb. 3 vs. Elyria
The Rangers avenged their first loss to Avon by winning the rematch. Plenty of trap games remain the SWC on their road to that Feb. 17 rematch with Avon Lake, as Elyria, Midview and Berea-Midpark loom with players who can spoil their title hopes.
21. Brush (8-7)
Last week: Ranked No. 22; Jan. 25 won at Padua 58-44, Jan. 28 beat East Tech 52-41
This week: Feb. 3 vs. No. 9 Lutheran East
Chet Mason’s Arcs are over .500 for the first time this season, surviving the toughest schedule for anyone outside of the top 14. It won’t get any easier with Lutheran East coming to Lyndhurst on Friday, plus St. Ignatius and STVM looming soon after that.
22. Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy (12-4)
Last week: Ranked No. 23; Jan. 27 won at Massillon Tuslaw 86-33
This week: Feb. 3 vs. Manchester
CVCA has won seven of its last eight with the area’s leading scorer, Darryn Peterson, in form. The Royals have two big games outside of the Principals Athletic Conference in February, including a trip across the road to Walsh Jesuit on Feb. 11 before a regular-season finale vs. STVM in Canton.
23. Nordonia (13-2)
Last week: Ranked No. 24; Jan. 24 won at Twinsburg 67-50, Jan. 27 beat Wadsworth 69-58
This week: Jan. 31 vs. No. 16 Brunswick, Feb. 3 at Hudson, Feb. 4 vs. Aurora
Landon Naylor’s career-high 31 points led the Knights’ big win vs. Wadsworth, keeping them tied with Brecksville atop the Suburban League. They will decide the National Conference title with games Feb. 7 vs. Stow and Feb. 10 at Brecksville, but must get past Hudson to ensure their place in that title conversation.
24. Holy Name (15-1)
Last week: Ranked No. 15; Jan. 24 lost to Strongsville 60-43, Jan. 27 beat Buckeye 75-43
This week: Feb. 1 at Cleveland Central Catholic, Feb. 3 at Normandy
The Green Wave tumbles nine spots after the 17-point loss to Strongsville. They bounced back with Josh Pinero’s 33-point performance against Buckeye. The Great Lakes Conference tournament begins Feb. 7 with four rounds, culminating in a Feb. 17 title game.
25. Akron East (15-3)
Last week: Ranked No. 25; Jan. 24 lost to Buchtel 79-55, Jan. 27 beat Akron Garfield 62-52
This week: Feb. 3 vs. No. 11 Buchtel in Akron City Series championship at Firestone
The Dragons hang on to the final spot in the Top 25 after their split with Buchtel that guarantees a spot in this week’s city championship for Akron. They have an argument to be ahead of Holy Name, based on a recent win against Strongsville, but a loss in early January to Akron Garfield also hurts their case.
Dropped out
None
On the cusp
Cuyahoga Heights (16-0), Elyria (12-5), Strongsville (9-8)
Contact sports reporter Matt Goul on Twitter (@mgoul) or email (mgoul@cleveland.com).
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