Michael O'Brien's Super 25 high school basketball rankings for March 1, 2026

The basketball season has a rhythm and flow. Teams play well for a week or two and then may struggle for a few games before finding their feet again.

There is no time for that in the one-and-done playoffs. A team can find itself buried with the season basically over after several bad minutes.

Lockport's players all referenced intensity after the Porters demolished Joliet West in what was supposed to be a very competitive Class 4A regional final on Friday.

"If we come out with intensity nobody can stop us," Lockport senior point guard Nathan Munson said. "[Against Joliet West] we came out with that. You saw the results."

Lockport joins the rankings at No. 21 after the victory. The Porters were ranked a few weeks ago but fell out after losing at Sandburg. Junior twins Nedas and Nojus Venckus lead the team, which is expected to be a Super 25 regular next season.

Lockport coach Dave Wilson had heavy praise for the twins on Friday.

"When your best players work their tails off every day it is contagious," Wilson said. "The twins work so hard in everything that the other teammates have no choice. When your leaders buy into intensity and they don’t take plays off, they don’t take practices off, they don’t take drills off, then the other 14 sure as heck don’t have an excuse."

The Porters move on to the Joliet West Sectional, where they will be underdogs against No. 11 Marist.

Simeon's big week

Simeon was actually No. 10 in the preseason Super 25 back in November. That was partly due to some confusion over the roster. Coach Tim Flowers didn't have a star, but returned a very experienced core.

The Wolverines' season hit a skid at the Pekin Holiday Tournament in late December with consecutive losses to Springfield, Morton and Crane. Simeon lost by 10 points to Lincoln Park in the city tournament and didn't advance to the final four.

But the Wolverines earned their way back into the Super 25 this week with impressive wins against Riverside-Brookfield and Young.

Simeon will face No. 14 St. Ignatius in the Class 4A Mount Carmel Sectional semifinals on Wednesday.

Super 25 updates

There were several close, competitive regional finals but very few upsets. The top half of the Super 25 remained largely unchanged, with only New Trier's win against St. Patrick shaking things up a bit.

Hersey and St. Laurence rejoined the rankings along with Lockport and Simeon.

Brother Rice makes its season debut. The Crusaders have been solid since November and played several good teams tight in losses, picking up single-digit defeats against Mount Carmel, Marist, Loyola and Neuqua Valley.

They will face No. 7 Homewood-Flossmoor in the Joliet West Sectional on Tuesday.

Super 25 high school basketball rankings for March 1, 2026
With record and last week's ranking

1. Benet (32-1) 1
Yorkville is next

2. DePaul Prep (29-3) 2
Handled Maine East

3. Curie (28-1) 3
Demolished Lyons

4. Kankakee (28-1) 4
Moved on to Ottawa

5. Neuqua Valley (32-1) 5
Bolingbrook is a challenge

6. Warren (30-3) 6
Survived Libertyville

7. Homewood-Flossmoor (28-3) 7
John Brown IV stepping up

8. Bolingbrook (24-7) 8
May be underrated

9. Loyola (27-6) 9
Beat Lincoln Park

10. New Trier (26-7) 12
Nice win vs. St. Pat's

11. Marist (28-5) 11
Beat Rich this year

12. Evanston (26-6) 13
Cruised through regional

13. Fremd (27-2) 14
Hosts Stevenson Tuesday

14. St. Ignatius (29-4) 15
Took care of Kenwood

15. St. Patrick (26-5) 10
Season complete

16. Palatine (29-4) 16
Survived Barrington

17. Kaneland (32-0) 17
Rockford East up next

18. Glenbard East (29-3) 18
Big test vs. WWS next

19. Waukegan (24-7) 19
Beat McHenry

20. York (29-4) 22
Cinderella season continues

21. Lockport (27-5) NR
Demolished Joliet West

22. Simeon (29-9) NR
Beat Young, R-B

23. Brother Rice (23-10) NR
Solid regional wins

24. St. Laurence (27-6) NR
Took down Mount Carmel

25. Hersey (20-7) NR
Ranked once again