The first edition of the National Prep Basketball Poll is out and, as usual, Brooklyn Lincoln and the trinity of Jersey Catholic powerhouses are near the top.
Lance Stephenson and Lincoln are No. 4 in the national poll, followed by Danny Hurley’s St. Benedict’s team at No. 5 and Kevin Boyle’s St. Patrick team at No. 6. For the record, we’re picking the Celtics to win the New Jersey Tournament of Champions in 2009. Led by North Carolina-bound G Dexter Strickland, George Mason commit Paris Bennett and junior guard Kyrie Irving, the Celtics are the best team in Jersey.
Bob Hurley’s defending national champion St. Anthony chimed in at No. 13.
Duncanville of Texas, winner of 74 of its last 76 games, is No. 1.
Here are some key dates for the local teams:
Dec. 11 – Lincoln vs. Putnam (Okla.) and Xavier Henry, at Oklahoma City (ESPN networks)
Dec. 18-23 – City of Palms Classic featuring St. Patrick and Lincoln among others, Fort Myers, Fla.
Dec. 26-31 – Beach Ball Classic featuring Paterson Catholic and St. Patrick, Myrtle Beach, S.C.
Jan. 16-19 – Spalding Hoophall Classic, Springfield, Mass.
Jan. 19 – Lincoln vs. LeFlore (Ala.) and DeMarcus Cousins, at the Hall of Fame in Springfield, Mass. (ESPN)
Jan. 23 — PrimeTime Shootout at Rutgers University, New Brunswick, N.J.
5:00 PM – Immaculata (NJ) vs. St. Joseph’s (NJ)6:30 PM – Duncanville (TX) vs. LeFlore (Mobile, ALA)
8:00 PM – Paterson Catholic (NJ) vs. Lincoln (Brooklyn,NY)
9:30 PM – Plainfield (NJ) vs. Piscataway (NJ) Feb. 14 — Primetime Shootout at Sovereign Bank Arena –Trenton, N.J. 10:30 AM – Our Savior New American (NY) vs. Life Center Academy (NJ)
12:00 PM – Timber Creek (NJ) vs. St. Raymond’s (NY)
1:30 PM – Bishop Loughlin (NJ) vs. Union (NJ)
3:00 PM – Rice vs. Rancocas Valley (NJ)
4:30 PM – Mountain State Academy (VW) vs. St. Benedict’s (NJ)
6:00 PM – St. Anthony’s (NJ) vs. Hotchkiss School (CT)
7:30 PM – Lincoln (Brooklyn, NY) vs. Westchester (CA)
9:00 PM – St. Patrick’s (NJ) vs. Oak Hill Academy (VA) Feb. 15 — Primetime Shootout at Sovereign Bank Arena-Trenton, N.J. 10:30 AM – Pennington Prep (NJ) vs. Montgomery (NJ)
12:00 PM – Elizabeth (NJ) vs. Christ The King (NY)
1:30 PM – Trenton Catholic (NJ) vs. Carmen Sol (PR)
3:00 PM – Oak Hill Academy (VA) vs. Paterson Catholic (NJ)
4:30 PM – Montrose Christian (MD) vs. Shabazz (NJ)
6:00 PM – Trenton Catholic (Girls – NJ) vs. John F. Kennedy (Girls – NY)
7:30 PM – Trenton Central vs. Nichols School (NY)
9:00 PM – St. John Vianney (NJ) vs. North Hunterdon (NJ)
