Michael O'Brien's Super 25 high school basketball rankings for March 9, 2025

Kaneland's long winning streak didn't capture the attention of most high school basketball fans this season, especially in Chicago.

That changed on Friday afternoon when the Illinois High School Association announced that the Knights had used an ineligible player for seven games, including in the Class 3A sectional semifinal win against Rockford Boylan.

Craig Anderson, the IHSA Executive Director, ruled that Kaneland had to forfeit the seven games and could not play in the sectional championship against Crystal Lake South on Friday.

Kaneland appealed to the IHSA board, which then overturned Anderson's decision and allowed the Knights to play the sectional final without the ineligible player. Kaneland beat Crystal Lake South 49-37 and will face DePaul Prep in the supersectionals on Monday.

Nearly the same thing happened last season. Anderson kicked Kenwood out of the state playoffs before they started due to the Broncos having five ineligible players throughout the season. Kenwood appealed to the IHSA board, which allowed the Broncos to play in the tournament without the ineligible players.

This is a terrible situation. A team can load up on wins, get a great playoff seed and even advance in the tournament using ineligible players. When the team is caught, the players who shouldn't have been playing all along can no longer play, but the team still enjoys all the rewards.

Why is the IHSA board making these decisions? Most likely because it knows that when the school challenges the decision in court it will be allowed to play. We've seen that happen numerous times.

The solution to the problem is unclear. If the courts don't back up IHSA decisions then the IHSA has no power. Public opinion always surges against the IHSA when it boots a team out of the state tournament. Hurting kids is never a popular move.

So here we are, living in a world with no significant consequences for using ineligible players. At this point, all we can do is hope that schools have standards and dignity and keep high school sports from becoming a total farce.

Super 25 updates

There was some mild shuffling around of the top teams based on the sectional results. This is certainly the most pointless week of the Super 25. Everything that matters will happen on the court in the next few days.

Kaneland, St. Patrick, Hope Academy and Christ the King joined this week. All four teams are still alive in the state playoffs.

Super 25 high school basketball rankings for Mar. 9, 2025
With record and last week’s ranking

1. Kenwood (31-1) 1
Hoping to match the girls

2. Benet (30-5) 5
Quincy up next

3. Rich (24-8) 13
Jayden Williams is steady

4. DePaul Prep (30-4) 6
Rolling through 3A

5. Mount Carmel (29-5) 8
St. Patrick in the super

6. Evanston (29-5) 12
Dominated sectional

7. Brother Rice (29-6) 9
Faces Peoria Monday

8. Bolingbrook (29-5) 2
Season complete

9. Homewood-Flossmoor (30-4) 4
Season complete

10. Curie (24-10) 10
Season complete

11. Marist (31-3) 3
Season complete

12. St. Laurence (29-6) 7
Season complete

13. Waubonsie Valley (31-3) 11
Season complete

14. Simeon (21-8) 14
Season complete

15. Young (20-14) 15
Season complete

16. Hinsdale Central (29-4) 16
Season complete

17. Warren (25-10) 22
Survived at Waukegan

18. Glenbard West (28-5) 18
Evanston up next

19. Rolling Meadows (30-4) 23
Ian Miletic stepping up

20. Kankakee (25-6) 17
Season complete

21. Waukegan (24-8) 19
Season complete

22. Kaneland (32-1) NR
31 consecutive wins

23. St. Patrick (27-7) NR
EJ Breland leads into super

24. Christ the King (25-9) NR
One game from state

25. Hope Academy (25-7) NR
Champaign return is possible