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After a pair of impressive wins over the Martin Luther King Jr. weekend, Naismith Hall of Fame coach Bob Hurley and the St. Anthony’s Friars are now ranked in the top five in two national polls.
The Friars (11-0) from Jersey City, N.J., are now No. 4 in the USA Today Super 25 and No. 5 in the MaxPreps XCellent 25.
St. Anthony’s knocked off arch-rival St. Patrick’s, 60-56, on Saturday in the Dan Finn Classic in Jersey City behind 23 points from Eastern Kentucky-bound guard Asante Gist.
They turned around two days later and hammered Kentucky-bound McDonald’s All-American Malik Monk and Bentonville (AR), 72-50, in the Hoophall Classic in Springfield, Mass, thanks to five 3-pointers and 23 points from junior guard R.J. Cole.
“I think that’s the best defensive team I’ve ever played against in high school,” Monk said after going for 22 points, mostly during garbage time. “They’re well-coached and real sound.”
The top four teams in the MaxPreps poll include No. 1 Chino Hills (CA), No. 2 Oak Hill Academy (VA), No. 3 Montverde Academy (FL) and No. 4 Atascocita (TX).
St. Benedict’s Prep (16-1), which lost its first game of the on Sunday at the Hoophall to No. 6 Findlay Prep, 91-67, fell to No. 13.
Seton Hall Prep (12-1), led by Notre Dame-bound guard T.J. Gibbs, is ranked No. 22, while St. Pat’s (8-3), led by Harvard-bound guard Bryce Aiken, fell to No. 24.
In the USA Today Super 25, the top five are Chino Hils, Montverde, Oak Hill, St. Anthony’s and Atascocita (TX).
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