Saint John Vianney peaking at right time in latest basketball rankings

The Saint John Vianney (N.J.) Lancers have had a brilliant season, most recently defeating Rutgers Prep in an 87-48 rout. The team is a level above the rest in New Jersey, but it also has bigger goals.

Saint John Vianney, slotted No. 5 in this week’s JWS high school rankings, will have a legitimate claim for the nation’s top-ranked team if it can defeat No. 1 Sidwell Friends on Sunday in a neutral site game in Delaware.

It won’t come easy, however. The Quakers are a juggernaut and have rarely been tested this season. Whatever happens, the national basketball landscape won’t look the same a week from now. Even this week, there was plenty of reshuffling from last week’s rankings.

1. Sidwell Friends (D.C.), 18-0

The Quakers blew out Georgetown Visitation on Tuesday with Susan Rice, director of the U.S. Domestic Policy Council, in attendance. Two days later, they bested Bullis by 43 points on the road.

2. Hopkins (Minn.), 18-1

The Royals avoided a potential upset Friday, edging league foe Wayzata by 10 points on the road.

3. DeSoto (Tex.), 26-2

The Eagles wrapped up the regular season with a 70-24 blowout of Waxahachie and now turn their attention toward the 6A playoffs.

4. Etiwanda (Calif.), 24-0

The Eagles used a 21-point fourth quarter to break a 39-39 tie and roll to a 71-58 win over Windward in the first round of the Open league playoffs.

5. St. John Vianney (N.J.), 20-0

Entering Sunday’s showdown with Sidwell Friends, the Lancers asserted their dominance over the New Jersey basketball scene once more with an 87-48 win over Rutgers Prep this weekend.

6. La Jolla Country Day (Calif.), 21-2

The Torreys swept a home-and-home series with Bishop’s, wrapping up their regular season with a 78-40 win on the road.

7. Classen SAS (Okla.), 17-1

The Comets begin the postseason on a seven-game win streak.

8. Sierra Canyon (Calif.), 24-1

The Trailblazers challenge Orangewood on Wednesday in the Southern Section championship.

9. New Hope (Md.), 22-2

After Saturday’s contest against Scotland Campus (Pa.) was canceled, New Hope concludes its regular season Tuesday against TPLS Christian.

10. Conway (Ark.). 23-1

Fresh off a pair of comfortable victories over Arkansas stalwarts Cabot and Northside, the Wampus Cats slide into the top ten for the first time this season.

11. Montverde (Fla.), 18-3

The Eagles hold steady as they await a potential bid to GEICO nationals.

12. Cedar Park (Tex.), 30-0

Senior forward Shelby Hayes, a Rice commit, recorded 17 points and 15 rebounds to help the Timberwolves to a 50-24 win over Georgetown in the District 25-5A championship game.

13. Incarnate Word (Mo.), 22-0

The Red Knights’ winning streak reached an astounding 61 games with wins over Lift for Life, Visitation and Notre Dame de Sion.

14. Lake Highland Prep (Fla.), 20-4

Forward Kayla Blackshear, an Alabama commit, and the Highlanders continued their romp through the postseason with a 91-35 smashing of The Villages.

15. Fremont (Utah), 19-2

The Silverwolves won their previous two games by an average of 46 points.

16. Hazel Green (Ala.), 29-0

After finishing the regular season undefeated, the Trojans kick off the state playoffs Monday against a formidable opponent in Fort Wayne (20-11).

17. Johnston (Iowa), 21-0

The Dragons closed out the regular season with a 60-28 win over Dowling Catholic, but not before recognizing senior center Jada Gyamfi for reaching the 1,000-point threshold for her career.

18. Woodward Academy (Ga.), 22-2

The defending state champion War Eagles rolled past lowly Creekside in a 53-point win on Tuesday.

19. Bishop McNamara (Md.), 13-4

The Mustangs claimed sole possession of first place in the Washington Catholic Athletic Conference by knocking off then-No. 18 Good Counsel, 62-41.

20. Blackman (Tenn.), 20-0

The Blaze wrapped up the regular season with a commanding 63-25 win over Riverdale, pushing their winning streak to 40 games.

21. IMG (Fla.), 11-4

The Ascenders return to the court after a nearly three-week hiatus Wednesday, against Schoolhouse Prep.

22. DME (Fla.), 21-3

Coach Wesley Arocho’s team rebounded from an eight-point defeat to Central Pointe Christian by beating up on Schoolhouse Prep, 76-34.

23. Franklin Community (Ind.), 27-1

The Grizzlies kicked off the postseason with a doubleheader victory Saturday, over East Central and then Bedford North.

24. Rock Bridge (18-1)

The Bruins continued pushing the Webster Groves defeat into the rearview mirror by picking up two close wins over the weekend.

25. Homestead (23-2)

The Spartans’ season came to a crushing end with a 61-40 postseason defeat to Noblesville, which had dealt Homestead its only previous loss of the season.

Josh Needelman is the High School Sports Editor at Just Women’s Sports. Follow him on Twitter @JoshNeedelman.