The CSN Preps Power Rankings saw some more out-of-state losses this week as Kenwood, Bogan and Morgan Park all lost to team from Michigan in Detroit.
But the Mustangs rallied with an impressive win at No. 2 Simeon on Friday and the Red-South rivals continue to look like the two strongest teams in the area despite early losses.
The top 12 of this week's @CSNPreps Power Rankings are unique. If a team isn't unbeaten, they've only been defeated by another top-12 team, or an out-of-state opponent. It isn't a definitive hierarchy for the rest of the season, but those 12 teams are certainly off to a particularly strong start.
It's a slow week before holiday tournaments get rolling but we should know a lot more before the end of December.
1. Morgan Park (3-1, 1-0) (1) - Although the Mustangs lost in Michigan, they led the entire game on the road at No. 2 Simeon as Charlie Moore proved he's the city's best player right now.
2. Simeon (2-1, 1-1) (2) - The Wolverines also lost -- to No. 1 Morgan Park -- but their talent continues to make them the biggest threat at this current moment. Simeon still has the talent to be the area's best team if their depth kicks in.
3. Fenwick (7-0, 2-0) (3) - Fenwick remains unbeaten as they knocked off St. Ignatius by 10 points. The key for Fenwick these next few weeks is finding depth that can contribute.
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4. Curie (4-0, 2-0) (6) - Curie is 2-0 in the Red-Central and looks like a potential favorite as their deep lineup helped beat DuSable and King.
5. St. Joseph (7-0) (7) - Senior center Nick Rakocevic looks like a Player of the Year player and the Chargers' young guards have played good and steady basketball.
6. Kenwood (3-1, 2-0) (3) - Kenwood also lost in Detroit but they rebounded nicely with a Red-Central road win over neighborhood rival No. 25 Hyde Park. Senior Zion Morgan was fantastic in that one with 31 points.
7. Bogan (3-1, 2-0) (5) - The third ranked team to lose in Michigan, the Bengals won in the Red-South against a talented No. 24 Vocational team. Senior point guard Bryce Barnes continues to generate more Division I buzz while senior James Jones has been very good.
8. Riverside-Brookfield (6-1, 2-0) (8) - Also unbeaten in the state of Illinois, Riverside-Brookfield easily dispatched IC Catholic in the Metro Suburban West.
9. Evanston (6-1, 2-0) (9) - Very nice week for Evanston as they rolled past some talented teams like Waukegan and Maine South.
10. Whitney Young (2-1, 2-0) (10) - Whitney Young had a very nice win at Farragut in the Red-West as sophomore point guard Xavier Castenada looks to have the makings of a potential star.
11. Benet (7-0, 1-0) (12) - Benet is still unbeaten as they took down York and Joliet Catholic. The ESCC is tough and there will be a lot of competition at the top.
12. Notre Dame (7-1, 1-0) (13) - A very positive week for the Dons as they topped Nazareth and DePaul Prep.
13. Glenbard West (7-0, 1-0) (14) - The Hilltoppers are getting huge production from senior William & Mary commit Justin Pierce as they beat a good York team.
14. Hinsdale South (6-1, 2-0) (15) - Two big wins for Hinsdale South this week as senior center and Northwestern commit Barret Benson is playing very good basketball. Important West Suburban Gold game against No. 21 Downers South this week.
15. Marian Catholic (6-2, 1-0) - The Spartans used a 1-3-1 zone to slow down Marian Central and then beat St. Rita on a neutral court. T.J. Smith getting involved is a positive sign going forward.
16. De La Salle (5-1, 1-0) (19) - De La Salle escaped past Providence-St. Mel and have a big week against Lincoln Park and No. 3 Fenwick, both at home.
17. Joliet West (6-1, 1-1) (10) - Joliet West will face Lincoln-Way East before heading to the Pontiac Holiday Tournament.
18. Oswego (6-1, 2-0) (21) - Big rivalry game against Oswego East this week before the Jack Tosh Holiday Tournament.
19. Stagg (6-1, 2-0) (NR) - Stagg knocked off No. 17 Joliet West and have moved to 6-1 despite only one senior starter. Junior John Contant is putting up big scoring numbers.
20. Fremd (8-1, 2-0) (NR) - Since losing to Uplift during Thanksgiving week, Fremd has won six straight games -- all by double digits -- including an impressive win over No. 21 Downers South.
21. Downers South (5-2, 2-0) (16) - Downers South fell to No. 20 Fremd during the week but still has a lot of talent. The game against No. 14 Hinsdale South this Friday will be important in the West Suburban Gold.
22. Stevenson (5-1, 2-0) (NR) - Since losing to Hinsdale South, the Patriots have continued to win. The Patriots play Lake Zurich and at Prospect this week before playing in the Hinsdale Central Holiday Tournament.
23. Thornton (4-1, 2-0) (NR) - Entering the CSN Preps Power Rankings is Thornton, as they earned a nice home win over Bradley-Bourbonnais.
24. Vocational (6-1, 0-1) (22) - Vocational lost for the first time this season when they fell to No. 7 Bogan, but they're still one of the toughest teams in the city.
25. Hyde Park (6-2, 1-1) (25) - The Thunderbirds had a strong showing in a loss to No. 6 Kenwood as senior Tajuan Agee is the real deal.