Sports

CHSAA boys basketball rankings

The entire CHSAA was in action this week, with the exception of Christ the King, which will finally take the court Friday in the first of three games in three days in The Bronx. Rice and Bishop Loughlin both flexed their muscles in impressive victories, showing why they are favorites to play for the Class AA intersectional title.

Young St. Raymond’s has won two straight games and St. Francis Prep has a championship to celebrate – the 28th annual Bro. Arnold Memorial Tournament.

1. Rice (1-0) (Last week: 1)

Rice coach Mo Hicks said before the team’s season opener Friday night that the Raiders aren’t that good, yet. It’s scary to think how good Rice can be. Despite offensive woes and what seemed to be opening night jitters, the Raiders defeated All Hallows in a rematch of last year’s Class AA semifinal. Shane Southwell running the point is just scary, Jermaine Sanders is jacked and speaking of Jack, Kadeem Jack is a shot-blocking machine, while Scott Arias and Kevin Nascimento are ball-hawking defenders. Yeah, Rice isn’t good — they’re damn good.

Next: No. 10 St. Francis Prep (Dec. 16, 4 p.m.)

2. Christ the King (0-0) (2)

Better late than never, the Royals finally step on the court Friday night where sophomore Omar Calhoun will make his highly anticipated debut at All Hallows. Joe Arbitello might as well keep his team in The Bronx, because that’s where they’ll be the rest of the weekend, playing Cardozo Saturday in a battle for borough bragging rights and then meeting a young, but maturing St. Raymond’s team Sunday afternoon.

Next: @ No. 4 All Hallows (Dec. 19, 7:30 p.m.)

3. Bishop Loughlin (3-1) (3)

Three games in three days, a turbulent and scary flight home from Miami? Please, these things are nothing to Jayvaughn Pinkston, who put on his superhero cape and showed why we’ve named him The Post preseason Player of the Year. The 6-foot-6 Villanova-bound senior forward had 26 points, nine rebounds and four blocks in a 77-74 overtime win against Thomas Jefferson Sunday night.

Next: Abraham Lincoln @ Fordham University (Dec. 20, 8:30 p.m.)

4. All Hallows (1-2) (4)

Longtime All Hallows coach John Carey said he was going to use his team’s opening week as a barometer for his squad. Surely he’s optimistic, despite back-to-back losses to Rice and Lincoln, but Manhattan-bound Michael Alvarado isn’t happy. He expects to win every game and that desire is one of the reasons he’s one of the best guards in the CHSAA.

Next: St. Mary’s (L.I.) (Dec. 15, 4:30 p.m.)

5. St. Raymond’s (2-2) (6)

Consistency is key, especially for a young and relatively inexperienced team like St. Raymond, but these Ravens have won back-to-back games and showed a maturity that surely has coach Oliver Antigua excited about the rest of the season. St. Ray’s closed out an impressive win against Wings in fine fashion, handling the press with aplomb.

Next: No. 2 Christ the King (Dec. 21, 3:15 p.m.)

6. Holy Cross (3-0) (7)

Evan Conti wasn’t happy with his team’s ranking last week, saying he didn’t think the Knights were the seventh best team in the CHSAA. We agree, especially after a solid 67-53 win against Maurice Harkless and Forest Hills Sunday at Baruch College. Conti, especially, was dominant, scoring 21 points and holding Harkless, a UConn-bound junior, to just 14 points. Somehow we don’t think Conti is happy being No. 6, either.

Next: Holy Trinity (Dec. 15, 7:30 p.m.)

7. Xaverian (1-1) (5)

The Clippers returned to the court after opening the season with a 74-43 win against Bedford Academy on Thanksgiving Eve, but Jack Alesi’s squad laid an egg in a 59-33 loss to Boys & Girls Saturday afternoon. Xaverian lost every battle, especially on the boards and for loose balls. We don’t expect that to be the case Friday night when the Clippers host St. Mary’s (L.I.).

Next: St. Mary’s (L.I.) (Dec. 19, 7:30 p.m.)

8. Cardinal Hayes (2-1) (NR)

Angel who? No doubt Angel Nunez, who is being recruited by seemingly every Division I school in the country, would have helped. But despite the 6-foot-7 forward transferring to Winchendon Prep in Massachusetts, the Cardinals have thrived in the early season. Led by senior guard Nay-Quan Bloomer and an athletic frontcourt featuring Fordham-bound sophomore Amadou Sidibe, Hayes bounced back from a one-point loss to Holy Cross to defeat St. Francis Prep and Nazareth.

Next: St. John’s Prep (Dec. 15, 4 p.m.)

9. Mount St. Michael (3-1) (9)

The Mountaineers rebounded from a 51-40 loss to All Hallows, in which they were held scoreless in the final five minutes, and blasted Scanlan, 85-60, and crushed a very good Chaminade squad, 65-49, on back-to-back days. Tom Fraher’s teams are always known for their defense and that doesn’t change this year. But, led by sophomore guard Malik Gil and junior swingman Pete Aguilar, the Mountaineers can also score the basketball.

Next: St. John’s Prep (Dec. 16, 4 p.m.)

10. St. Francis Prep (5-1) (10)

The Terriers have already done something they failed to do last year: win the Bro. Arnold Memorial Tournament, beating St. John’s Prep, 57-42, in the final Sunday night. Junior guard George Hatzioannides was named tournament MVP after averaging 13.7 points per game in three wins. The Prep, though, takes a major step up in competition Wednesday with a trip to Gauchos Gym to take on the defending city and state champion Rice Raiders.

Next: @ No. 1 Rice (Dec. 16, 4 p.m.)

New: Cardinal Hayes (3-1)

Dropped out: Bishop Ford (2-2)

On the bubble: Bishop Ford (2-2), Regis (4-1), St. John’s Prep (3-2), Xavier (2-1) and Archbishop Molloy (2-2)

dbutler@nypost.com