Another week of inactivity in the polls for Chester High.

Despite a pair of district-tournament victories, the Clippers (25-0) stayed put in both the PIAA Class AAAA poll (ranked No. 1 by the Harrisburg Patriot-News) and in the USA Today Super 25 (ranked No. 4 nationally).

The Clippers continue their district run Tuesday night with a District One Class AAAA semifinal against Wissahickon, at Temple University's Liacouras Center. Look for a preview of the game in Tuesday's Daily Times. The story will focus on junior forward Rondae Jefferson.

Chester didn't rise or fall in any of the major weekly polls that were released Monday.

The Clippers (22-0), who finished their fourth unbeaten regular season in program history, stayed put at No. 4 nationally in both the ESPN.com and USA Today rankings. They also remained at No. 1 in the state in the Harrisburg Patriot-News' poll.

Chester, the top seed, opens the District One Class AAAA bracket Friday night when No. 32 Downingtown West comes to the Clip Joint.

Prepare for a lopsided game.

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One other note: It's worth mentioning that, barring the Archdiocese of Philadelphia's reversal of the Blue Ribbon Commission's recommendation, Monsignor Bonner's appeal to remain open will not be accepted. A decision is due by Friday.

So with that said, the final bucket in the storied history of Bonner's gym belongs to Mike Proska, who scored on a left-handed scoop layup with less than 10 seconds to go in the Friars' Feb. 10 loss to La Salle.

The final point scored in that Upper Darby Township gym belongs to Nkingi Jones, a senior in his first season with the varsity team. Jones, who saw action in only nine games this season, went 1-for-2 from the free throw line late in Bonner's loss to La Salle.

Here's hoping Bonner survives. If it doesn't, the Friars went out with their boots on, with a great game to close out their gym.

One glance at the ESPN.com and USA Today national rankings, and you'll see that Chester is ranked No. 4 in both polls. But rank is nothing but a number.

If you eliminate the 'elite' admissions policies of 'prep' schools like Oak Hill Academy and Findlay Prep, and the private school from Jersey City, N.J., which can recruit - sorry, admit - players from all over the state, that would make Chester the top-ranked legitimate high school team in the land.

And by legitimate, I mean a four-year public high school that can accept student-athletes only from within its city's geographic boundaries.

Don't believe me? Take a look for yourself. These national polls are littered with schools that use open enrollment, unlike Chester:

ESPN.com/POWERADE FAB 50
1 Oak Hill Academy (35-0)
2 Findlay Prep (22-1)
3 St. Anthony (16-0)
4 Chester (19-0)

USA TODAY SUPER 25
1 Oak Hill Academy (35-0)
2 Findlay Prep (22-1)
3 St. Anthony (16-0)
4 Chester (19-0)

Not trying to hate on the private or prep schools. But ... I'm just saying you should consider the logic I'm using here.

Not even the absence of Rondae Jefferson can slow down Chester.

Without their leading scorer for four of the last six games, the Clippers ascended to No. 4 in the latest USA Today Super 25 national boys basketball poll, which was released Monday night.

Chester (17-0), which is riding a 43-game winning streak, hasn't been ranked this high in any national poll since the Clippers closed the 2007-08 season at No. 3 in the USA Today poll.

Without Jefferson, their leading scorer who has been sidelined by dehydration, the Clippers have found ways to win. Kareem Robinson, Shanier Cottman and Erikk Wright have taken over scoring duties in the interim

Tuesday, Chester visits Interboro for a 7:30 p.m. tipoff. Thursday, the Clippers host Penn Wood at 7 p.m. in a rivalry game.

Chester's ascent in the national rankings continues.

The Clippers (9-0), fresh off a win in Virginia over the weekend, took a two-spot bump to No. 8 in the latest ESPN/POWERADE Fab 50 poll, which was released Tuesday. Coach Larry Yarbray's crew topped Landstown (Va.) Saturday in Newport News, Va., to extend their two-season winning streak to 36 games.

Last week, Chester came in at No. 10 in the same poll.

As I pointed out last week, this appears to be Chester's highest national ranking since the conclusion of the 2007-08 season, when the Clippers polished off the year with a PIAA Class AAAA crown and the No. 3 slot in USA Today's Super 25 poll.

The Clippers play four games this week. Here's a look at Chester's next few opponents:
***Tuesday: at Academy Park (Del Val League opener)
***Thursday: vs. Interboro (Chester's first game at the Clip Joint in three weeks)
***Saturday: vs. Aquinas Institute (N.Y.), at Erie, Pa. (first of two games at the MLK Showcase at Erie East H.S.)
***Sunday: vs. Erie Central Tech, at Erie, Pa.

Though their numbers are a smidge off, ESPN has moved Chester into the top 10 of its national boys basketball poll.

The Clippers (8-0, not 9-0) extended their two-season winning streak to 34 games (not 35) with a win over Christ the King (N.Y.) New Year's Day. That elevated Chester coach Larry Yarbray's team into the No. 10 slot, up from No. 14 in the previous week's rankings.

It's believed that this is Chester's first top-10 poll position of any kind since March 2008, when the Clippers finished No. 3 in the USA Today Super 25 after winning the PIAA Class AAAA title.

Kudos to my colleague Matt Chandik (@MattChandik, for those of you on Twitter), who saw the updated rankings before I did. (Hey, the kid's digital first. What can I say?)

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In other Chester news: The Clippers' opponent Saturday in the 7-Cities Roundball Classic, in Newport News, Va., has changed. Chester will play Landstown (Va.), instead of Kellam (Va.)

In case anyone thought Chester was flying under the national radar, umm...think again. Here's a look at a few national basketball polls, and where coach Larry Yarbray's team falls:

PrepNation.com: No. 9
HighSchoolSports.net: No. 12
MaxPreps Xcellent 25: No. 13
USA Today Super 25: No. 15
ESPN Fab 50: No. 17