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We recently had a prominent event operator state to us that the gap between independent, academy--type programs and those belonging to state associations is "getting real noticeable". He's right, and there doesn't appear to be any end in sight by these programs recruiting players off homegrown clubs.

There are two misnomers about programs such as those belonging to the EYBL Scholastic League and similar being much stronger than parochial schools and public schools. One, the best public school teams have been able to compete with parochial and independent clubs since the advent of mainstream team rankings in the 1980s. In fact, 12 special public schools teams have finished No. 1 in the FAB 50 and the lowest the best public season at the end of the season has ever been ranked is No. 10. Second, not everyone who plays for a full-time state association member school or a public school plays for their hometown team. Talented players are recruited and pushed to play at schools all over their region once it's obvious their talents can help a program win or they are good enough to play at the next level. That recruitment is not like what we're seeing in recent years when it comes to independent clubs playing for a FAB 50 title, but it has and does exist.

With that in mind, we take a look at the highest ranked public school team for each season in the FAB 50 era (1987-88 through the present). We are just taking a look at public schools, since in many states private and public schools are separated when it comes to competing for state titles. You might be surprised how close the best public school teams are to competing for a FAB 50 national title.

FAB 50 ERA

2024 -- Plano East (Plano, Texas)
Record: 40-0
Final FAB 50 Rank: No. 4
Lowdown: The Panthers started out No. 14 in Southwest Regional Rankings, but exceeded expectations by capturing a University Interscholastic League (UIL) state title in the highest classification (Class 6A). Coach Matt Wester’s team steadily climbed in the rankings and turned heads with a 55-50 win over Stony Point (Round Rock, Texas) in the championship game of the long-running Whataburger Tournament. That was Stony Point’s only loss of the season until the two teams once again locked horns in the state title game at the The Alamodome in front of 8,812. Plano East was in control and posted a historic 53-41 victory over the then No. 6 ranked team in the FAB 50. D.J. Hall led the way for Plano East with 18 points, while Rachard Angton, a 5-foot-10 senior, came on the bench to score 13 crucial points.

2023 -- Duncanville (Texas)
Record: 28-1
Final FAB 50 Rank: No. 3
Lowdown: It was another remarkable season for a program that finished as the University Interscholastic League’s (UIL) best for the fifth consecutive season after starting out at No. 8 in the FAB 50. Based on its on-court results, Duncanville captured the FAB 50 title in 2021-22, but the UIL later stripped the Panthers of their Class 6A state title after ruling forfeits of all games in which an ineligible player (eventual NBA draftee Anthony Black) participated in. Last November after the preseason rankings dropped, Duncanville opted out of participating in the 2022-23 UIL playoffs, but did go on to defeat eventual Class 6A champ and No. 8 Lake Highlands (Dallas, Texas), 53-52, in November. The only loss for a Panthers club that played tough out-of-state competition was a 62-50 setback to No. 30 West Linn (West Linn, Ore.) in the championship of the Les Schwab Invitational in what was essentially a road game. That loss likely cost the Panthers back-to-back FAB 50 crowns, even if this club was a shade below the 2021-22 juggernaut. McDonald’s All-American Ronald Holland, a two-time District 11-6A Player of the Year, Holland was a key cog in Duncanville’s rise to national prominence and the team went 123-6 in his four years on the varsity.

2022 -- Duncanville (Texas)
Record: 35-1
Final FAB 50 Rank: No. 1
Lowdown: The Panthers began the season No. 7 and had aspirations to compete for the FAB 50 title after finishing as Texas' top-ranked team three years running. The team got its big chance when it faced No. 1 and defending FAB 50 champ Montverde Academy (Fla.) at Hoophall West in Phoenix after it moved up to No. 5. Duncanville battled back from a 21-8 deficit after one period to win the game at the buzzer, 67-66, on a 3-pointer by junior guard Aric Demings. At that point in the season, Duncanville had beaten six FAB 50 ranked foes in 10 games. The Panthers did lose in overtime by two points (60-58) to Richardson (Texas) and that team got as high as No. 7 in the FAB 50, but the Panthers never fell behind Montverde Academy in the rankings. Duncanville was behind No. 1 Sunrise Christian Academy (Bel Aire, Kan.) for the second half of the season, but when the Buffaloes were upset in the first round at GEICO Nationals and Montverde Academy went on to win the prestigious end-of-season tournament over five teams that were in the Top 10, it opened the door for the Panthers to re-gain the top position after the Richardson loss. In addition to Demings (9 ppg, 42 percent 3-point), junior forward Ashton Hardaway (9 ppg, 66 3-pointers), junior power forward Cam Barnes (6 ppg, 5 rpg, 53 percent FG) and senior forward Davion Sykes (9 ppg, 5 rpg) made first team all-district. McDonald's All-American Anthony Black (13 ppg, 58 percent FG, 5 rpg, 3.5 apg) was named District 11-6A Offensive Player of the Year and junior Ron Holland (15 ppg, 60 percent FG, 8 rpg, 2 spg) its overall player of the year.

2021 -- Camden (Camden, N.J.)
Record: 13-0
Final FAB 50 Rank: No. 5
Lowdown: The High was highly-regarded in the preseason (No. 15) and ended up playing just enough games to move up from its preseason perch to finish in the top five. Perhaps Camden gets the benefit of the doubt as an unbeaten team, but finishing undefeated in a power state that has produced a plethora of FAB 50 ranked teams in recent years definitely helps in the final analysis. Led by National Sophomore Player of the Year D.J. Wagner, the Panthers have gone 42-1 the past two seasons, but Wagner will enter his junior campaign still seeking a coveted NJ Tournament of Champions crown after the 2019-20 season was cut short due to COVID-19 and there was no post-season in 2020-21.

2020 -- Dorman (Roebuck, S.C.)
Record: 30-1
Final FAB 50 Rank: No. 10
Lowdown: The Cavaliers got plenty of ink in the preseason, starting out at No. 39, but they ended up being better than expected on their way to a fourth consecutive SCHSL Class 5A state crown. Dorman was creeping its way into contention for that coveted No. 2 FAB 50 spot after winning the Beach Ball Classic with a win over No. 33 St. John’s of Washington, D.C., but when the Cadets began dropping WCAC games after the New Year’s and dropping in the rankings, it made sense Dorman be behind the Oak Hill Academy of Virginia team it lost to, 63-52, earlier in the season. Dorman was selected to participate in GEICO Nationals, and even was going to host it after the COVID-19 Pandemic broke out in New York City, but eventually the event had to be cancelled altogether. Led by Butler-bound point guard Myles Tate and Clemson-bound forward P.J. Hall, Dorman not only became the first South Carolina team to capture the Beach Ball Classic since 1986, it tied the SCHSL modern era record of four straight state titles first set by Calhoun County in 2006-09.

2019 -- McEachern (Powder Springs, Ga.)
Record: 32-0
Final FAB 50 Rank: No. 2
Lowdown: The Indians completed a magical season with a GHSA Class 7A state crown, which eluded them the previous two seasons and prevented a high final ranking. McEachern, No. 16 in the preseason, defeated No. 41 Meadowcreek in the state final, 62-54, as point guard Sharife Cooper battled foul trouble to finish with 20 points, while Auburn-bound Isaac Okoro finished with 16 points, four rebounds and four assists. McEachern’s season included titles at the City of Palms Classic and the Bass Pro Tournament of Champions, not to mention eight victories over FAB 50 ranked teams. The highest ranked team it ended up beating (No. 5 Mountain Brook by a 50-29 margin) was the one team that No. 1 IMG Academy lost to. That was a significant positive in McEachern’s resume, and at least one long-time poll did move the Indians up to No. 1 after GEICO Nationals even though it didn’t play, but it wasn’t enough for them to be elevated in the FAB 50. While IMG Academy defeated No. 3 La Lumiere and No. 4 Montverde Academy and No. 8 DeMatha Catholic, the next highest ranked team the Indians beat was No. 11 Sunrise Christian Academy. McEachern beat them in overtime, while IMG beat them 65-50

2018 -- Memphis East (Memphis, Tenn.)
Record: 31-3
Final FAB 50 Rank: No. 4
Lowdown: This was a team seriously considered for preseason No. 1, but started out No. 2 because our hunch that all the on-court breaks not going its way as it did in 2016-17, and potential off-court distractions with regards to eligibility rulings, having some affect proved to be correct. Despite James Wiseman and Ryan Boyce missing six games because of the TSSAA’s transfer eligibility ruling and Shelby County Schools filing a lawsuit on behalf of Memphis East against the TSSAA which allowed the duo to play after an appeal was denied, the Mustangs did win their third consecutive AAA state title and only lost to other FAB 50 ranked teams. The Mustangs recorded a key win over No. 6 Findlay Prep and advanced to the City of Palms Classic title game with wins over No. 8 Oak Ridge and No. 33 Simeon before losing to No. 2 University, 77-72.

2017 -- Nathan Hale (Seattle, Wash.)
Record: 29-0
Final FAB 50 Rank: No. 1
Lowdown: The Raiders played above pre-season expectations and captured the WIAA Class 3A state title with an unbeaten mark. The mythical national crown came into focus after the Raiders defeated preseason No. 9 Sierra Canyon, 67-65, to win the Les Schwab Invitational when that team was battling for a legitimate shot at No. 1. By that point in the season, Hale had already defeated Metro League rivals Rainier Beach and Garfield (both of whom started out the season FAB 50-ranked) and went on to defeat Garfield four times, including 68-51 in the state title game.

grabbed 27 points and 17 rebounds and the Mcdonald's All-American Game MVP finished his senior season with averages of 37.6 ppg, 14.5 rpg, and 5.2 apg. The Raiders edged out La Lumiere (La Porte, Ind.) for top rankings billing in a decision that was heightened when Hale was invited but decided not to participate in Dick's Nationals, an end-of-season tournament the Lakers won over a field that included six other FAB 50-ranked teams.

Lonzo Ball

6'6"   -   PG   -   2016

2016 -- Chino Hills (Calif.)
Record: 35-0
Final FAB 50 Rank: No. 1
Lowdown: The Huskies started out as California's No. 1 ranked team and No. 9 in the FAB 50, but a national title became in reach after the Huskies defeated preseason FAB 50 No. 1 and three-time defending champion Montverde Academy (Montverde, Fla.) by a point in the quarterfinals of the City of Palms Tournament in Florida and went on to win that tourney title. After that, the Huskies won the Maxpreps Holiday Classic and defeated seven preseason ranked FAB 50 teams after New Year's, including No. 36 Bishop Montgomery (Torrance, Calif.) 71-67 in one of California's most anticipated regular-season games ever. In the playoffs, the Huskies were even more dominant against the toughest playoff competition in California, defeating eight opponents by an average of 29 points in the CIF Southern Section and SoCal Open Division playoffs, including Bishop Montgomery 84-62. By finishing unbeaten with 35 wins, the Huskies tied the state record for most wins by an unbeaten team first set in 2013-14 by Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.), according to Cal-Hi Sports. Led by UCLA-point

, Chino Hills averaged 98.5 points per game and tied a state record with 18 100-point games.

2015 -- Ely (Pompano Beach, Fla.)
Record: 28-1
Final FAB 50 Rank: No. 8
Lowdown: Unranked in the preseason, coach Melvin Randall's club made history as the first Broward County public school to win a FHSAA title with an unbeaten mark. Ely was then invited to Dick's Nationals and lost in the quarterfinals to No. 5 Findlay Prep, 63-50. The Class 7A champions defeated Osceola of Kissimmee in the state final, 72-60, with its big regular season win a 69-63 triumph over No. 15 Cardinal Gibbons of Ft. Lauderdale. Ely has won four state titles overall under Randall since 2007 and five overall.

2014 -- Arsenal Tech (Indianapolis, Ind.)
Record: 27-2
Final FAB 50 Rank: No. 4
Lowdown: On the bubble in the preseason, the toughest decision for the final FAB 50 was which team to place in the No. 4 position. We didn’t want to move up previous No. 5 Whitney Young since that team still needed to be behind dropping previous No. 2 Rainier Beach. Previous No. 14 Findlay Prep also had too many losses but had to be in front of Rainier Beach. Tech was the logical choice. There were two in-state losses to Bowman Academy and Hamilton Southeastern, but those were overcome by winning the Class 4A state title. Tech also had three wins against teams that were in the Dick’s National tourney – two over Huntington Prep and one over La Lumiere. For Tech, Kentucky-bound McDonald’s All-American Trey Lyles led the way and already has been named Mr. Basketball for Indiana.

2013 -- Lone Peak (Highland, Utah)
Record: 26-1
Final FAB 50 Rank: No. 4
Lowdown: It was evident coming into the season Lone Peak had a special team, but it turned into a one-in-a-lifetime type season for a small state program that began at No. 5 in the FAB 50. Lone Peak played a national schedule and breezed to its third consecutive Class 5A crown. The only team coach Quincy Lewis' club couldn't handle was No. 1 Montverde Academy (66-45) in the final of the City of Palms Tournament. Guard Nick Emery and center Eric Mika drew All-America acclaim and junior guard T.J. Haws will be in line for similar honors next season. Before this team came around, the highest ever ranking for an Utah team was No. 12 by Provo for the 1997-98 season.

2012 -- Chester (Pa.)
Record: 32-0
Final FAB 50 Rank: No. 4
Lowdown: The Clippers repeated as Class AAAA state champion with a record eighth overall crown and took a win streak of 58 games into 2012-13. With three junior starters, including 6-foot-7 all-stater Rondae Jefferson, things look bright next season for the Eastern Pennsylvania power.

2011 -- Norcom (Portsmouth, Va.)
Record: 30-1
Final FAB 50 Rank: No. 4
Lowdown: State Player of the Year and Virginia Tech recruit Dorian Finney-Smith sparked the Greyhounds to a second straight Group AAA state championship. They also avenged their lone loss to rival Booker T. Washington (Norfolk, Va.). Victims included FAB 50 No. 14 Findlay Prep (Henderson, Nev.).

2010 -- Yates (Houston, Texas)
Record: 34-0
Final FAB 50 Rank: No. 1
Lowdown: En route to winning its own Class 4A state crown, coach Greg Wise's unit set a national record with 15 straight 100-point games and also established a new state record with 170 points in a single outing. Despite the high-scoring antics, Yates didn’t come close to having the best record of an unbeaten team from Houston that finished No. 1 in the nation. That total is 46-0 for Kashmere High, which the National Sports News Service (FAB 50 precursor) named the No. 1 team for 1974-75 in the end of the season poll. In this year’s Class 4A state final, the Lions swamped Lancaster, 92-73, and won their second straight title. They also extended their two-year winning streak to 58 games. A 97-96 victory over No. 2 Neumann-Goretti in the final game at the Iolani Classic in Hawaii wound up being the mythical national title decider. Key players for head coach Greg Wise’s team were senior Joseph Young (Providence), senior Brandon Peters (Western Kentucky) and senior Darius Gardner (Stephen F. Austin).

2009 -- Westchester (Los Angeles)
Record: 35-2
Final FAB 50 Rank: No. 3
Lowdown: The Comets won their fifth CIF Division I championship since 1998 with a 49-31 victory over McClymonds (Oakland, Calif.). They have also finished ranked No. 1 in the state of California five times in that same time period. In 2004, they were the top-ranked team but unable to participate in the L.A. City Section playoffs. In 2003, Westchester won the Div. I state title, but finished No. 2 in the state behind Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.). This team, which began No. 27 in the preseason, will be dynamite in 2009-10 as it returns four starters, although dynamic point guard Dominique O'Connor must be replaced.

2008 -- North Crowley (Fort Worth, Texas)
Record: 38-1
Final FAB 50 Rank: No. 3
Lowdown: The Panthers simply dominated Lone Star State foes after starting out the season unranked and losing to Hightower of Sugar Land, 56-50, in their fourth game of the season. The year culminated with 35 consecutive wins and a Class 5A state title courtesy of a seven-point win over No. 26 Dulles. Willie Warren, the Dallas Morning News Player of the Year, led the charge all season long and he came through in the clutch, scoring 15 fourth-quarter points and finishing with a game-high 27 in the state title game. The big win along the way was the 61-57 regional semifinal victory over No. 10 Duncanville, as Warren paced the victors with 17 points. The McDonald's All-American and EA SPORTS National Player of the Year candidate ended his season averaging 24.7 points per game.

2007 -- Huntington (W. Va.)
Record: 25-2
Final FAB 50 Rank: No. 3
Lowdown: The Highlanders became the first West Virginia Class AAA team to win three straight state titles by winning three state tournament games by an average 48-point margin. With two McDonald's All-Americans in the lineup, 6-5 National Player of Year candidate O.J. Mayo, a USC recruit, and 6-8 Patrick Patterson, Huntington rolled over in-state competition by 42-point margins and defeated FAB 50 No. 10 Artesia, No. 34 DeMatha, and split with No. 17 Scott County with Mayo not playing in the win. The other loss was in overtime to No. 2 St. Patrick. Mayo, who scored 4,113 career points in six varsity seasons in three states, averaged 28.2 points and 7.2 assists a game. Patterson averaged 17.2 points, 11.9 rebounds and 4.2 blocked shots per game. This team started out at No. 8, but should have been higher as their talent level was once in a lifetime type for a public school program from West Virginia.

Greg Oden

7'0"   -   C   -   2006

2006 -- Lawrence North (Indianapolis, Ind.)
Record: 29-0
Final FAB 50 Rank: No. 1
Lowdown: The Wildcats went wire-to-wire as the No. 1 ranked FAB 50 team and stamped itself among the legendary squads in the basketball-rich Hoosier State. Lawrence North became only the third state team to win three consecutive state crowns by capturing the Class 4A title with an 80-56 finals' romp over eight-time champion Muncie Central. The other two teams were Marion from 1985-87 and Franklin from 1920-22. The win streak of 45 games ties the state mark set by the Oscar Robertson-led Indianapolis teams of 1955-56 at Crispus Attucks. The average winning margin was 20.3 points and victims included Ohio Division II champion Dayton Dunbar, No. 19 in the FAB 50, and defending Illinois Class AA champion Glenbrook North, No. 30 in the FAB 50. Leading North were two four-year regulars, and Ohio State recruits, who helped teams compile a 103-7 record --

, the 7-foot consensus National Player of Year honoree, and guard

. Oden averaged 22 points, 10.5 rebounds and shot 74% from the floor. Conley averaged 16.5 points.

2005 -- Niagara Falls (Niagara Falls, N.Y.)
Record: 28-1
Final FAB 50 Rank: No. 1
Lowdown: Our FAB 50 national championship nod to Niagara Falls is as much a nod to how strong New York teams were this year than any other factor. The Wolverines, coached by Dan Bazzani, won their first mythical national championship on the strength of titles at the City of Palms tourney in Florida and the New York Federation state playoff tourney. In Florida, Niagara Falls defeated FAB 50-ranked Arlington Country Day of Jacksonville, Fla., the Florida 2A state champion, and Raines of Jacksonville, a 4A power. On their way to the New York Federation championship, the Wolverines defeated FAB 50-ranked New Rochelle and regionally ranked John F. Kennedy and Xaverian. The only loss for the Wolverines was to FAB 50-ranked Vashon of St. Louis, 69-66, in OT. Leading the way for Niagara Falls was junior wing Paul Harris, arguably the nation’s best on-ball defender who scored 19 points, grabbed eight rebounds and dished out four assists with a broken thumb on his shooting hand in the state title game. He averaged 19.7 points and 12.6 rebounds while sophomore point guard Johnny Flynn contributed 15.2 points, 5.6 assists and 3.4 rebounds.

2004 -- Milby (Houston)
Record: 39-0
Final FAB 50 Rank: No. 2
Lowdown: The Buffaloes captured the state Class 5A title with a finals' victory over FAB 50 No. 10 Cedar Hill. They also defeated No. 11 Fairfax and No. 12 Montrose during the regular season after opening the season at No. 17. University of Arizona recruit and All-America honoree Jawaan McClellan led the way.

2003 -- Pike (Indianapolis)
Record: 29-0
Final FAB 50 Rank: No. 2
Lowdown: The Red Devils sealed up the first unbeaten season in 18 years in the state's largest, or one-class, tournament with a 65-52 Class 4A title game win over 26-2 record Waterloo DeKalb. Junior Robert Vaden scored 21 points. It was Pike's third straight state final and fourth in six years. Pike is 79-7 the last three years and started out the season at No. 17. Like other good teams this season, Pike's accomplishments were dwarfed by was No. 1 St. Vincent-St. Mary (Akron, Ohio) was able to accomplish nationally.

2002 -- Lincoln (Dallas, Texas)
Record: 40-0
Final FAB 50 Rank: No. 1
Lowdown: The Tigers won the Class 4A title by routing nationally-ranked and defending champion Beaumont Ozen, 71-51, in the final. Lincoln, led by center Chris Bosh (Georgia Tech recruit) and Bryan Hopkins (Southern Methodist), went unscathed against a schedule that included three other FAB 50 teams besides Ozen. An early-season win over FAB 50 ranked Midwest City (Okla.) vaulted the Tigers into the rankings and they also recorded wins over No. 23 Fort Worth Dunbar and No. 24 Cedar Hill. Coach Leonard Bishop's club took over the No. 1 spot when defending national champion Oak Hill Academy suffered its only loss versus No. 28 Mater Dei in the Golden State.

2001 -- Willowridge (Sugar Land, Texas)
Record: 39-0
Final FAB 50 Rank: No. 2
Lowdown: T.J. Ford (who signed with Texas) and Daniel Ewing (Duke) are just two of many Willowridge players who will go on to star at the college level. That talent also led to a UIL Class 5A state crown after expectations were high in the preseason with this team starting out No. 3. Willowridge capped an unbeaten season by beating Converse Judson, 67-64, in double overtime, and Bryan, 65-58, in the state final to capture the Texas Class 5A state title. Ford, a 6-foot point guard, averaged 12.0 ppg, 9.4 apg, and 7.8 spg. Ewing also earned All-American acclaim while 6-3 Kenny Taylor is headed to Baylor. The Eagles, who finished the season riding a 61-game winning streak, got it done inside with Andre Watson (6-7) and Curtis Walker (6-9).

Tyson Chandler

7'0"   -   PF   -   2001

2000 -- Dominguez (Compton, Calif.)
Record: 35-2
Final FAB 50 Rank: No. 1
Lowdown: The Dons took over the No. 1 spot in the FAB 50 after a 60-47 victory in February over defending national champion Oak Hill Academy of Virginia. That 13-point victory avenged an earlier 54-50 loss to the Warriors at the Iolani Classic in Hawaii. The Dons' other loss was in their fourth game in overtime to No. 17 Clovis West of Fresno, which played in the California Div. I state final. They did not avenge that defeat, but beat No. 23 Artesia of Lakewood 72-63 in the finals of the Best of the West Tournament one day after the Pioneers defeated Clovis West in the semifinals, 72-47. The Dons capped their season by winning a fourth Division II state title in five years and finished with a 28-game win streak. The ringleader for Dominguez was 7-foot center Tyson Chandler, who dominated state and numerous national opponents as well with athletic play and shot-blocking ability. Chandler had 17 points and defended well in the return win over Oak Hill, which finished No. 2 in the FAB 50, and finished with game norms of 20.1 points, 11.3 rebounds, 4.7 blocks and 3.2 assists while earning National Junior Player of the Year honors. Steve Moore and point guard Micah McKinney were other key players although McKinney missed the state tournament final with a broken hand.

National Prep Poll Era

1999 -- Dominguez (Compton, Calif.)
Record: 33-3
Final FAB 50 Rank: No. 3
Lowdown: The Dons came to national prominence in 1993-94 by defeating Oak Hill Academy and this was the deepest and best defensive squad among school’s many fine teams of 1990s. Coach Russell Otis' club captured its third state Division II title in the last four years with a 72-59 victory over Grant of Sacramento. The Dons lost by only 64-60 to No. 1 Oak Hill Academy in a game that was tied late in fourth quarter after opening up the season No, 12 in the preseason. The team was led by Division II State Player of the Year Keith Kincade, senior guard Marcus Moore and super soph center Tyson Chandler.

1998 -- Miami Senior (Miami)
Record: 36-1
Final FAB 50 Rank: No. 2
Lowdown: Seniors Udonis Haslem and Antonio Latimer, along with junior guard Steve Blake and sophomore Jernel Davila, led a club that opened at No. 9 in the FAB 50 and routed Edgewater of Orlando, 89-56, in the Class 6A state title game. The Stingarees have now won state Class 6A championship eight times in the last 12 years and 18 overall. The program also enters 1998-99 having won 65 of last 66 games and compiled 13 straight seasons with 30 or more victories. Coach Frank Martin's club only lost on-court to Provo, Utah at the Iolani Classic in Hawaii, but the team was later stripped of its Class 6A state crown for recruiting violations which basically brought an end to the Stingarees' dynasty.

1997 -- Manual (Peoria, Ill.)
Record: 31-1
Final FAB 50 Rank: No. 1
Lowdown: The Illinois High School Association coined the phrase “March Madness” years ago, but this year the moniker really hit home as the Manual Rams has to survive – and win – three games within a 24-hour period to claim the mythical national title. Manual dropped an overtime game to Carver of Chicago in December and needed some divine intervention to set up a historic Class 2A semifinal showdown with Thornton on Harvey. Defending national champion St. Anthony’s of New Jersey was knocked off in overtime, 82-80, by Rice of New York after sophomore Kenny Satterfield drained a 17-footer to send the game into overtime. St. John’s Prospect Hall of Maryland was then moved up to No. 1, but the next weekend they were stunned by St. Francis of Baltimore, 75-74, at the Charm City Classic as All-American pivot Mark Karcher swished a 25-footer with 2.9 seconds left. Manual was in position to claim the mythical national title after that as it beat Chicago Public League champ Whitney Young in the quarterfinals, although a shoulder injury to emotional leader Sergio McClain put a scare in Rams’ fans. In the titanic meeting with No. 14 Thornton before 11,522 fans, the Rams fell behind 18-4, but junior Frank Williams got them back in the game and Manual led 29-26 at halftime. Thornton then took a 37-29 lead but an injured McClain led a 20-0 charge and his team took a 49-37 lead. Amazingly, Thornton made one last push before falling, 65-62. The Rams then beat West Aurora 47-41 in the final, their 24 consecutive victory and 32nd consecutive playoff win that secured an unprecedented fourth straight Class AA state title. In addition to McClain and Williams, McDonald’s All-American center Marcus Griffin contributed to the team’s historic run.

1996 -- Dominguez (Compton, Calif.)
Record: 34-2
Final FAB 50 Rank: No. 2
Lowdown: This team eventually captured the state Division II crown with a 65-49 victory over Walnut Creek of Northgate after being shocked in the 1995 final by St. Francis of Mountain View. which will undoubtedly go down as one of the biggest upsets in state playoff history. The Dons, which opened up at No. 5 in the FAB 50, got off to a slow start because of its standouts who played on a talented football team, but they ended the season with 31 straight wins. Led by junior point guard Kenny Brunner, and Grid-Hoop stud Jason Thomas, a sophomore named D2 state Player of the Year, the Dons could be even better in 1996-97 and are a shoo-in to start out preseason No. 1.

1995 -- East Central (San Antonio)
Record: 35-0
Final FAB 50 Rank: No. 5
Lowdown: The Hornets were expected to be terrific and they were, starting out No. 18 in the National Prep Poll (FAB 50 precursor) and ending the season with a UIL Class 5A state title courtesy of a 108-86 victory over Dallas (Carter). For a program located east of San Antonio in China Grove, it was a historic run as East Central routinely hit triple digits, including a 107-94 semifinal victory over El Paso Riverside, and suffocated teams defensively. Guards Stanley Bonewitz Jr. and Chaz Jackson led the way from the backcourt and Bonewitz, the coach's son, went bonkers in the state title game, hitting 4-of-6 3-pointers and finishing with 36 points. The Hornets' tallest player was 6-foot-3.

1994 -- Crenshaw (Los Angeles)?
Record: 29-2
Final FAB 50 Rank: No. 2
Lowdown: This team is considered the best of the eight Shaw clubs that captured CIF D1 state crowns. Keep in mind the 1987-88 club that spent most of the season ranked No. 1 in the country didn't win the state crown after the 1971-72 club came during in a time when there was no CIF State playoffs and was not allowed to play in the post-season that year. This Wille West-coached club had talent at each of the five traditional positions after “Tank” Davis came over from L.A. Fremont to take over the point guard duties. This club won its second straight D1 state crown even after center Leon Watson missed some games after injuring his shoulder while breaking a glass backboard at the Thousand Oaks Tournament. The team didn’t miss a beat with the junior Ronnie “Pooh” Arch inserted into the lineup. The Shaw opened up No. 1 in the nation after Kevin Garnett didn’t enroll at Oak Hill Academy and a decision by West to bench 1993 L.A. City Player of the Year Kris Johnson at the Beach Ball Classic in South Carolina likely cost the Cougars the national title after the team won the City of Palms Tournament in Florida. Johnson was suspended for drinking an extra soda without permission and without him Crenshaw lost in the Beach Ball semifinals with the second loss coming the next night in a third place consolation contest. Behind Johnson and Tremaine Fowlkes, the 1994 L.A. City City Player of the Year, Crenshaw defeated Mater Dei when it was in position to climb to No. 1 in the national rankings, 71-67, in the SoCal D1 final.

1993 -- Simon Gratz (Philadelphia)
Record: 31-0
Final FAB 50 Rank: No. 2
Lowdown: The Philly Public League champions started out No. 2 and finished No. 2 behind wire-to-wire No. 1 Oak Hill Academy of Virginia, which went 36-0 and arguably fielded its best team ever and one of the best independent clubs in U.S. high school history. Oak Hill finished No. 3 in USA Today’s Super 25 with coach Bill Ellerbee's club at No. 1. The third dominant club this season was Chicago King, which also finished unbeaten (32-0), as none of the three clubs were able to face each other. Gratz was led by Mr. Basketball USA Rasheed Wallace and was named the third best team all-time in city history by the Daily News. Simon Gratz captured the Beach Ball Classic with a 50-47 win over Shawnee (N.J.) and defeated teams from seven states, including national power DeMatha Catholic of Maryland. This team strength was its size and depth, but the backcourt contributions of junior Shawn "Reds" Smith and sophomore Terrell Stokes cannot be overstated.

1992 -- Dunbar (Baltimore, Md.)
Record: 29-0
Final FAB 50 Rank: No. 1
Lowdown: The Poets went wire-to-wire as the No. 1 team and finished the season riding a 52-game winning steak against some of the finest competition in the nation. Considering No. 2 Oak Hill Academy finished with two losses, including one to the Poets, there’s no question this Dunbar team is one of the best public school teams we ever evaluated. Coach Pete Pompey's unit will always be judged against the Poets’ legendary 1983 unit, the club most veteran observers feel is the best high school team of the modern era. "With the '92 team, it was almost like 'now it's my turn to take over the game' with each of the players," explained Sam Davis of the Baltimore Sun, who followed both teams on the prep beat and traveled to see them play in showcase games. This year’s Poets faced tougher competition overall than the 1983 unit as they won a tournament in Erie, Pennsylvania, played at the KMOX Shootout in St. Louis and also played at the Beach Ball Classic in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Dunbar defeated No. 12 Simon Gratz of Philadelphia in the Beach Ball finals after Gratz had defeated No. 7 St. Joseph’s of Alameda, California in the semifinals, 60-53. Jason Kidd and company from St. Joseph’s were edged in the finals of the Great Florida Shootout by St. Raymond’s of the Bronx, but that New York club was no match for Dunbar as they beat the New Yorkers, 93-82, in the semifinals of the Charm City Classic. In finals, Pompey’s club beat No. 14 St. Anthony’s of New Jersey and also embarrassed highly regarded Vashon, 75-49, in front of that school's hometown fans at the KMOX Shootout. Leading the way for Dunbar was a pair of McDonald All-Americans in 6-foot-6 Donta Bright, the National Sophomore of the Year in 1990, and 6-foot-2 Michael Lloyd. Six-foot-6 junior Keith Booth will likely play in the McDonald’s game next year and the play of unsung hero Cyrus Jones was a main reason Dunbar was able to survive its moments of individualism.

1991 -- Simon Gratz (Philadelphia, Pa.)
Record: 27-1
Final FAB 50 Rank: No. 1
Lowdown: The Bulldogs of coach Bill Ellerbee repeated as the Public League champion with a 47-43 victory over Franklin Learning Center at the Civic Center. A year earlier, Gratz had rolled past Franklin LC, 80-60, as then 6-foot-8 freshman Rasheed Wallace scored 23 points in the easy win. Gratz didn’t seal the win this year, however, until second team all-city guard Levan Alston (11.4 ppg.) sealed the game with two free throws after no-nonsense post presence Wilfred Kirkaldy drew an offensive foul on FLC's Faron "Meatball" Hand with eight seconds left. Alston and National Sophomore of the Year Wallace (13.8 ppg.) were the double-digit scorers in a balanced starting lineup that included forward Andre Griffin, center Calvin Wingfield and junior guard Contrell Scott. No. 4 Oak Hill Academy handed Gratz its only loss, 67-59, in the semifinals of the Great Florida Shootout. The Bulldogs, however, won the Beach Ball Classic in South Carolina with a 44-40 victory over St. Joseph’s of Cleveland and were able to move back in front of the Warriors in the polls after Oak Hill suffered an uncharacteristic 28-point loss to a Robert Hughes-coached club at Dunbar of Fort Worth, Texas. Another public school club, Detroit Southwestern was No. 1 by USA Today at 26-1.

1990 -- King (Chicago, Ill.)
Record: 32-0
Final FAB 50 Rank: No. 1
Lowdown: This Chicago Public League power coached by Sonny Cox opened up the season as the National Prep Poll's and USA Today's No. 1 ranked team. King then went wire-to-wire as the nation's top team and won the Illinois Class AA state title with a 65-55 victory over cross-town Gordon Tech. In the first all-city final in state tournament history, 6-foot-4 McDonald’s All-American Jamie Brandon netted 25 points and grabbed 12 rebounds while bruising 6-foot-6 forward Johnny Selvie added 17 points and 11 rebounds. Selvie was a four-year starter as was Brandon, who ended his career with 3,174 points, second on the state's all-time career scoring list and was called the, “Money player every truly great team has,'' by veteran talent scout Bob Gibbons. Although the Jaguars played down to the competition at times, they indeed faced tough teams in the public league and during the Windy City Classic while remaining undefeated despite the distractions of Selvie’s arrest on drug charges. The IHSA also made King forfeit 13 games for using an ineligible player, a ruling that was overturned after an appeal by King. Cox had a senior-oriented team, as five of the top six players were seniors, including Brandon, Selvie, 6-foot-3 guard Ahmad Shareef, 5-foot-10 Fred Sculfield and top sub Damian Porter, a 6-foot-10 center. Sculfield backed up 6-foot-11 Rashard Griffith, the National Freshman of the Year who is expected to help keep King in the national rankings picture over the next three years.

1989 -- Miami Senior (Miami)
Record: 35-1
Final FAB 50 Rank: No. 2
Lowdown: The FHSAA Class 4A champion lost only to FAB 50 No. 1 St. Anthony (Jersey City, N.J.), 68-55, in the title game of the 8th annual Great Florida shootout at Osceola High School. Coach Marcos "Shakey" Rodriguez's deep club was led by forwards Douglas Edwards and Gimel Martinez. While this team was considered the nation's second best, Edwards was widely considered the No. 2 recruit in the country behind point guard Kenny Anderson of New York City.

1988 -- Patrick Henry (Roanoke, Va.)
Record: 30-1
Final FAB 50 Rank: No. 3
Lowdown: This team started off unranked, but finished third in the first ever weekly National Prep Poll behind No. 2 St. Anthony's of New Jersey and national champ Tolentine (Bronx, N.Y.). The Patriots won a competitive Arby's Classic in Bristol, Tenn., and went on to capture the Group AAA state championship. Led by junior forward George Lynch, Patrick Henry dispatched Lee, 54-47, as Lynch, Curtis Blair and Melvin Davis each scored 12 points for a club that won its final 21 games of the season. Henry's ranking was solidified when all four Arby Classis semifinalists went on to capture state titles.

Note: The FAB?50 National Team Rankings?powered by www.ebooksnet.com?is a continuation of the?National Sports News Service?ratings that began in 1952. These were the first national high school rankings and they were compiled by the late?Art Johlfs?of Minnesota. They were compiled for many years by the late?Barry Sollenberger?of Phoenix, who merged them into the FAB 50 for the 1999-2000 season. The FAB 50 is the longest-running weekly national rankings.

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RELATED: Southwest Camp Top 30 Player Rankings

It was only fitting the Top 20 All-Star Game reserved for the camp’s best performers came down to overtime to decide, because the talent level at the 2024 Southwest Basketball Camp was arguably the most balanced in the camp’s seven-year history. According to camp director Gregg Rosenberg, the Top 20 All-Star game was the best played game ever in the camp’s history in terms of talent level and intensity. The Top 20 game quickly displayed who the camp’s elite talent was, and a group of roughly 15 players out of the approximately 115 showed themselves as true D1 prospects in a time when it’s clearly not easy for a high school player to earn a D1 college scholarship.

According to Rosenberg, the camp was created to showcase players from Arizona who normally don't get an opportunity to be invited to elite summer camps; it was designed for the region’s players to be seen in front of lower level coaches who are looking for quality players for their programs. Players that are serious enough and good enough to play after high school. "Many players will be going to a junior college or to NAIA schools, and it’s important to get them seen in front of college coaches that are able to attend,” Rosenberg said.

After each camper participated in five, running-clock games, 60 were chosen to one of the camp’s three all-star games. A couple of campers who were not necessarily D1 prospects were rewarded for their outstanding play with a Top 20 selection, but once the ball was tipped, it was evident the camp’s elite prospects had separated themselves from the pack. It resulted in a well played game with defense on both sides. The on-ball defense in the closing minutes was good and the game went into overtime. That's when Deshawn Gory, a post-graduate 6-foot-7 wing from Phhoenix Prep in Phoenix, hit a deep 3-pointer in the closing seconds to seal the win for his team, 76-73. Gory finished as one of three players on the winning team to score in double-digits, scoring 15 points.

He was joined in the double-digit scoring column by Adam Hubbard, a 6-foot-4 2025 from AZ Compass Prep (Chandler, Ariz.) with 17 points and by leading scorer Mason Magee, a 6-foot 2026 guard from Basha (Chandler, Ariz.) with 23 points. Hubbard set the tone for the game by nailing five 3-pointers in the early going, and from that point on, both teams ratcheted up the intensity. Magee is one of the nation’s best point guard prospects in the 2026 class and is sorting offers from Arizona State, Washington State and UNLV with other high majors taking serious looks.

The leading scorer from the losing team with 27 points was Jaylon Dean-Vines, a 6-foot-3 2025 shooting guard who plays for a talented Phhoenix Prep team, including a group of players who will play on the Overtime Elite (OTE) circuit. Dean-Vines is one of the most athletic players in the 2025 national class and at this camp his outside shot was on point. He was excellent in both the half court and in transition. He currently holds offers from Oklahoma, Tulsa, UT-Arlington and Vanderbilt. Elijah Hayeems, a 6-foot-6 2025 forward, and Dean-Vines’ Phhoenix Prep teammate, also netted double figures for the losing club with 13 points.

Magee and Dean-Vines were not only the Top 20 game’s leading scorers, they were deservingly named co-MVPs of the entire camp.

Gerron Graham Jr., a 6-foot-2 2026 guard from Premier Prep (Gilbert, Ariz.) was named the MVP of the Top 40 all-star game.

RELATED: Southwest Camp Top 30 Player Rankings

Ronnie Flores is the national Grassroots editor of www.ebooksnet.com. He can be reached at?[email protected]. Don't forget to follow him on Twitter:?@RonMFlores

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Walking around the Inspire Courts in Gilbert, Ariz., one gets the sense Dalen Terry, entering his third season with the Chicago Bulls, feels a comfort level and sense of youthful bliss you normally don't see from current NBA players at a grassroots basketball event.

Terry, 22, felt that sense of comfort while he and family members and close friends with ties to the game conducted the inaugural Dalen Terry Basketball Camp over the weekend at the Inspire Courts in Gilbert. That facility, after all, is a stone's throw from South Phoenix and Ahwatukee, the neighborhoods where the 6-foot-8 Terry grew up and cultivated a career than made him the No. 18 pick in the 2022 NBA Draft. While growing up in The Valley, Terry always wanted to be play the game, learn more about the game, and most importantly, feel connected to the players who made it to the higher levels who grew up where he did.

"I wanted to do this camp because when I was a kid, I could never find out where pros from here had a camp at; I didn't know where to go," Terry said. "And if there was some camp here it was never free. I want these kids to know I'm exactly like them, same city, same places and play at the same courts. I want them to know they can do it, too."

Approximately 85 youth of both genders were in attendance learning the game, and most importantly, having fun with Terry, his coaching staff and the other campers. They worked on the basic elements of the game and also enjoyed more fun games such as knockout for prizes that were awarded at the end of each of the two days. Terry has an authentic connection to the city of Phoenix and other talented peers from the Valley of the Sun can genuinely feel it, so that influences them to follow suit. It's no wonder players from the region such as TyTy Washington, Koa Peat (the high school All-American from Perry of Gilbert) and Marcus Bagley volunteered their time towards the camp. Bagley was Terry's classmate at Aprende Middle School in Chandler.

After Aprende, Terry went on to Corona Del Sol (Tempe, Ariz.) for ninth and tenth grade and finished up his high school years at Hillcrest Prep (Phoenix, Ariz.). On the grassroots circuit, he played for Team Phoenix and AZ Power locally and the Compton Magic on the Adidas grassroots circuit. Terry had a near fanatical obsession for playing and his mother Fenise Yancy knew that clearly in his formative years, especially when he wanted to have a basketball tournament for his 10th birthday. One with teams entered, refs and standings. A dozen years later, Terry understands every kid may not have that approach to the game, but he wants Phoenix youth to feel inspired to pursue whatever dreams they may have.

"I knew I needed to do something (for the kids)," Terry said. "When I played at camps like this, I knew I had to make my mark; I knew the importance even then. Some kids are good, others may not be, but it's important they know they can try to do it."

Terry aims to make it an annual event and no matter where he takes his Dalen Terry Basketball Camp, working with Phoenix youth will always be special to him. After his high school days, Terry played two years at the University of Arizona. The weekend of August 24-25, he will conduct his camp in Tucson.

To sign up for the Tucson version of the Dalen Terry Basketball Camp, CLICK HERE.

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The Formula Zero Elite Camp is an event level event hosted by Milwaukee Bucks' All-Star and former Oakland (Calif.) and Weber State standout Damian Lillard. The three-day event was held at the The PHHacility in Phoenix with "Dame Dollar" and NBA player development coach Phil Beckner leading the on-court skills training for 30 elite players (actually 15 high school participants and 17 college level athletes) that wanted to get some insight on the training methods of one of the NBA's hardest-working players who developed into an eight-time NBA all-star from humble beginnings.

Lillard played for the Oakland Rebels travel club in Northern California in the late 2000's and was somewhat of an overlooked high school prospect in California's famed 2008 class. He was a Cal-Hi Sports all-state selection as a senior, averaging 22.4 points, 5.2 rebounds and 2.3 assists for a 23-9 club after committing to Weber State before his senior season began. From there is where Lillard's game took off after developing a unique training method to excel while many of his peers in high school plateaued.

The slogan for Formula One is "Character, Hard Work and Accountability" and is designed for players with a relentless passion to do things differently in order to take their game to the next level. The training model around Formula One has molded one of the best players in the NBA and this elite camp is a way for him to share that passion and training method with young players who aspire to get to the level Lillard has with the Bucks and Portland Trailblazers over the years.

We take a look at six of the standouts from the three-day event in front of NBA decision-makers:

High School Standouts

Mikel Brown Jr., DME Academy (Daytona Beach, Fla.) 6-2 2025
A terrific spot up shooter who should be in store for a fine senior season of high school after a transfer to a Sunshine Independent Athletic Association (SIAA) program. His ability to play make and score and his craftiness with the ball takes his spot up shooting to the next level.

Acaden Lewis, Sidwell Friends (Washington, D.C.) 6-2 2025
Followed up on his terrific play at the 2024 NPBA Top 100 camp with another standout grassroots performance. Lewis is crafty with the ball and knows when and where to attack or act as a setup man. Lewis gets it done with his live dribble passing and shot making ability from all over the court.

Darryn Peterson, Prolific Prep (Napa, Calif.) 6-5 2025
The top overall high school prospect at the event, Peterson is like a NFL running back whose pads don't make noise during practice because he is so fluid and his moves are smooth. Peterson can stop and explode into his move or shot as well as any high school or college player and is pushing the top players in the national class of 2025. Peterson recently announced his will spend his senior season in California at Prolific Prep and in that atmosphere should be a bonafide Mr. Basketball USA candidate for 2024-25.

College Standouts

V.J. Edgecombe, Baylor (2024), 6-5 SG
Explosive finisher in the open court was as good an athlete as any player in attendance. Edgecombe stand outs with his competitive fire and skill level as an attacking shooting guard. As he continues to develop a more reliable jumper will ultimately determine where he lands as a bonafide lottery pick for 2025. With continued improvement he could push towards the top five.

A?a Newell, Georgia (2024), 6-9 PG
Was an integral part of Montverde Academy's 2024 FAB 50 title team and could be a breakout performer in the SEC. Newell knows spacing and angles to get the ball in the interior and uses a variety of hooks and spins to be a formidable offensive threat. Newell's motor is a differnce-maker and his jump shot range will dictate his numbers as a college freshman.

Trent Perry, UCLA (2024), 6-4 PG
Will be competing for playing time in Westwood and his competitive nature and IQ will push his teammates in practice. Perry sees the game a few plays ahead, especially in transition, and was making some terrific open-court passes at Formula One. In the half court, Perry was knocking down his jumper and attacking defenders in an efficient manner.

Ronnie Flores is the national Grassroots editor of www.ebooksnet.com. He can be reached at?[email protected]. Don't forget to follow him on Twitter:?@RonMFlores

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Josh talked to Ballislife about decision to pledge to Akron over Miami Ohio and Ohio University.

“I went on an unofficial visit and I loved it there (Akron)," Henderson said. "It felt like family with my talks and interaction from the staff and I felt I can really thrive there. Coach Groce has been to every game during the live period. He has came to see me play any chance he’s had and told me I’m his number one target. That’s why a week later after my visit I committed.”

Henderson talked more in depth about the visit. He was heavily impressed with the player development aspect.

“We talked a lot about the player development process. What that looks like year to year. They had my shot charts from AAU, percentages from where I shot, what I do best and it was just a full breakdown of my game and where and how I can improve.”

The 6-foot-5 rising senior shooting guard has a full high school year left until he reports to Akron and shared the parts of his game he will be working on prior to coming.

“Definitely my body. Getting stronger," Henderson said. "That’ll be important for me. Also finding more efficient ways to score. Drawing more fouls and being able to more effectively read and attack the second line of defense. I watch a lot of film and work out a lot. I need to be better at those areas.”

Game Breakdown

Josh Henderson holds fine positional size (6-5) and arm length at the 2-guard spot: He shoots it from deep, is a quality scorer in spot up situations that needs minimal dribbles to get to his spots, create space and score. Defensively, he shows high ceiling as a switchable defender that utilizes his length and instincts to cover ground and collect steals.

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As Team USA goes for its fifth straight men's basketball Olympic Gold Medal on August 10 (3:30 pm ET, NBC) against host France, we wanted to put into perspective what the Olympics has meant to American basketball development over the years.

To give it some perspective, Team USA was 143-6 all-time entering Olympic competition at this year's games, including the 5-3 "disaster" of 2004 when America took the Bronze medal. Overall, there is no big problem. Everyone always says the world has caught up to the U.S.A., but in reality, they still have a plenty ways to go.

Serbia led 76-63 with 10 minutes remaining in this year's semifinal contest vs. the USA with arguably the best player in the world on its team (Nikola Joki?) and still fell, 95-91. When Team USA had to get it done, it defended and played team ball. It wasn't all that surprising it made that comeback. It's how it got to this point that raises questions and/or doubts about the quality and usefulness of the American Olympic process.

There is no denying that the decision to use NBA players starting with the 1992 Olympics in Spain and coaching clinics around the world featuring some of the brightest minds over the last half century is the reason the world is so much better at the game we love. The Dream Team gave the world the motivation and our coaches gave the world the know how to get better at the game. Without that 1992 Dream Team, there perhaps is no Joki? today, or maybe a player of his caliber wouldn't have developed for another 50 years or so.

Many folks feel the development across the world has come at the expense of development here in the United States, but at the highest level, that development is curtailed.

There are two things that made the Dream Team work in 1992. tThe timing of its announcement and Team USA's 82-76 loss to the Soviet Union in the 1988 semifinals. If the late John Thompson and his group of college players (alongside David Robinson, who hadn't yet played pro ball but was the No. 1 pick of the 1987 NBA Draft) had won Gold in Seoul, South Korea, who knows if we are even having this discussion now. USA and the rest of the world was ready to see what would happen with NBA players and there was no better group than the guys on that 1992 Dream Team to make it a success. Perhaps it wouldn't have worked as well in 1988 or in 1996. Timing is very important and people forget the go-to players on this year's US Olympic team, LeBron James, Kevin Durant and Steph Curry, are significantly older than anyone on the 1992 Dream Team, which had the make and feel of a veteran national team.

Lost in the Dream Team's greatness is the lack of a tryout process. And there hasn't been one since.

Yes, USA Basketball has done a fine job at the youth level and are dominant in the 19U-16U age groups. But those players who dominate the younger levels are not necessarily the ones who dominate at the senior levels. Development happens at various stages for aspiring players and what the Olympic team is missing is a tryout process.

Having a tryout process would eliminate some of the issues that come with clashing NBA egos on a team and would help with chemistry. Now, NBA stars probably don't want to be part of the tryout process, as they don't want to give up the leverages they have worked at for years to attain as the world's best, but the positives would outweigh any backlash.

The positives of a tryout process are many. It would create an atmosphere of fairness, it would help foster a team culture (instead of a group of star players), and most importantly, would be great evaluation for NBA personnel, not to mention college and grassroots scouts for the younger players. It would also create what recent Olympic teams are missing: the ability for role players to increase their worldwide profile and young players to enjoy a marketing platform that would help the world know more about the up-and-coming and future pro stars. With the current state of college basketball and the NBA's reliance on players to enter the league who have been out of high school for less than a year, there are limited ?opportunities to market players to the point where they have built brand value and a faithful following prior to the draft. This would help in that area tremendously and be a win for everyone involved in the process.

The tryout should include non-NBA players and elite high school players, if the selection committee deems them worthy. Only a few might be worthy every four years, but after watching Cooper Flagg (last season's Mr. Basketball USA and now a Duke freshman) doing what he did against Team USA at a scrimmage, it would be meaningful to have that type of atmosphere in a formal tryout setting. Even for the players who didn't make the team, it would be a tremendous evaluation and marketing opportunity.

As NBA agent and marketing veteran Nate Jones points out, the Olympics are one of the few events left in terms of media platforms, where the masses still watch the game at one time. For an up-and-coming star to be siting on the bench or contributing in a way that is not the norm for a max contract NBA player, it would not only be a great opportunity, it would enhance the team and set a great example of what a team should be on on the world stage.

For anyone who attended an Olympic tryout prior to the formation of the Dream Team, it was more than an excellent evaluation tool. For Frank Burlison, a McDonald's All-American voters since the game's inception in 1977, the 1984 Olympic tryouts was one of the best settings and best basketball he ever evaluated. This coming from a person who has attended endless summer games since the 1970s to NBA Finals games featuring Michael Jordan. Even players who were cut from that '84 Olympic tryout, such as future NBA Hall of Famers John Stockton and Charles Barkley, got tremendous milage out of the experience.

Now, the 1984 team led by Jordan was one of the best teams of all-time that didn't feature NBA players. As the late Bobby Knight told the world before they could understand or were ready to hear from a coaching perspective, Jordan was that special of a talent and the team around him, which included Patrick Ewing and specialists such as sharp-shooter Steve Alford, was strong. It was evident when Thompson was putting his team together for 1988, it wasn't going to be as strong as the team in 1984. The tryout roster was not near the talent level of four years prior. Some felt Thompson was playing favorites when his incoming high school recruit Alonzo Mourning (the 1988 Mr. Basketball USA pick) was one of the last Olympic cuts. In reality, however, his talent level warranted a serious look despite just graduating from high school.

That brings us to our next two points. One, the talent level across the high school and grassroots landscape is not close to equal year over year. This is hardly ever never pointed out or analyzed by national scouts. Two, it wasn't the end of the world that Team USA lost an Olympic game. There is no secret the high school classes that made up the 1984 team were clearly stronger than the high school classes that created the talent poll for the 1988 team. The Class of 1985 is considered weak overall and it took a major hit when forward Ben Wilson of Siemon (Chicago, Ill.), was murdered just as his senior season was about to tip off in the fall of 1984. Perhaps as a graduated college senior, he could have helped Thompson and Team USA win gold.

We'll never know.

After the 1988 team lost in the semifinals in a competitive game to Arvydas Sabonis and the Soviet Union, the 1992 Dream Team's performance felt like a series of exhibition games. Still to this day, the Dream Team proved the point. Also, for a U.S. Olympic team, there is no shame in losing if the players are giving it their all like the 1988 team did. The novelty of the NBA players in FIBA events wore off fast. By the 1994 World Championships, in fact, they were more criticized than praised. The young team had talents such as Shawn Kemp and Derrick Coleman that were framed by the media as malcontents more often than great champions.

Heading into 1992, Team USA was 85-2, including the infamous 1972 Gold Medal loss to the Soviet Union. Since then, Team USA has only lost in the medal round once with a young team in 2004 that was void of great chemistry and leadership. Those issues were resolved by the 2008 Redeem Team led by the late Kobe Bryant, but perhaps those issues wouldn't have been there had the circumstances of making the team been different and accepted over the years.

The 2004 losses certainly wouldn't be looked at the same if the team wasn't handpicked by influential individuals and had a more open tryout process. For now, the process only favors NBA elites instead of being used as the ultimate developmental setting for our country's players.

Ronnie Flores is the national Grassroots editor of www.ebooksnet.com. He can be reached at?[email protected]. Don't forget to follow him on Twitter:?@RonMFlores

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Compiled by Ronnie Flores

(Preseason ranking in parentheses; *Indicates forfeit wins, forfeit losses not included; **Indicates forfeits and defaults not included.)

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1. (1) Montverde Academy (Montverde, Fla.) 33-0
This team made history for a variety of reasons, as it became the third team under coach Kevin Boyle (344-26 at MVA, 854-158 overall) to claim a FAB 50 title with an unbeaten record. The 2020 team didn’t get an opportunity to compete in Chipotle Nationals because of the COVID-19 pandemic, but this year’s team was able to match the 2018 team by going wire-to-wire as the FAB 50 No. 1 team. The 2021 MVA team also went wire-to-wire No. 1 but was not unbeaten. The Eagles closed out their season with a Chipotle Nationals crown, courtesy of a 79-63 win over No. 3 Paul VI (Chantilly, Va.) in the championship game, their second victory over that same club. Curtis Givens came off the bench to nail 6-of-9 3-pointers and score 24 points while All-Americans Cooper Flagg and Derik Queen added 16 and 19 points, respectively, as the program upped its record to 29-6 all-time at the end-of-season tournament. Between those three players, there was only nine shots missed while Flagg (16.1 ppg, 7.6 rpg, 3.9 apg, 2.7 bpg, 1.6 spg) blocked six shots. Flagg averaged 20.0 ppg and 7.0 rpg in three Chipotle Nationals victories, as the Eagles recorded a whopping 24 victories over teams that were FAB 50 ranked at some point during the 2023-24 season. Queen was the Eagles’ leading scorer (16.4 ppg) and shot 68.3 percent from the field while attempting only three 3-pointers, as this club had uncanny balance and thrived by taking quality shots from the field. Montverde Academy’s other three starters averaged double figures for a team that played as tough a schedule as any MVA team ever and only had three games decided by single-digits. For its dominance, this club will ultimately be compared to its 2020 unit and by living up to expectations was able to claim the program’s seventh Chipotle Nationals crown and seventh No. 1 FAB 50 crown. The No. 1 finish means MVA ties Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.) for the most all-time FAB 50 national titles. Regardless of where it stands on the list of most dominant teams the program has ever produced, it will be remembered for playing up to expectations against one of the toughest schedules ever seen among FAB 50 ranked teams.

2. (3) Columbus (Miami, Fla.) 28-5
Similar to No. 3 Paul VI and No. 5 Long Island Lutheran, the Explorers lost to No. 1 Montverde Academy twice, but are able to finish one spot ahead of Paul VI because of their 70-61 victory over the Panthers at the Spalding Hoophall Classic. Columbus lost to Montverde Academy in the semifinals of Chipotle Nationals after falling behind big just as it did in its first matchup with the eventual FAB 50 champions. Junior Cameron Boozer finished with 29 points and seven rebounds in Columbus’ final game of the season and was remarkably consistent throughout the year for a team that lived up to expectations, averaging 22.2 ppg, 11.4 rpg, 2.7 apg and 2.1 bpg. Columbus qualified for Chipotle Nationals by defeating No. 15 Oak Ridge (Orlando, Fla.) in overtime, 72-67, in the Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA) Class 7A championship game. Boozer’s slam dunk with five seconds remaining sent the game into overtime and he finished it with 24 points, 11 rebounds, five assists and three steals. Columbus also got strong seasons from Cam’s brother, Cayden Boozer (12.0 ppg, 2.7 rpg, 7.6 apg) and Michigan St.-bound Jase Richardson (15.3 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 3.7 apg, 2.3 spg). In addition to defeating No. 3 Paul VI, the Explorers also downed No. 4 No. 4 Long Island Lutheran (Glen Head, N.Y.), No. 6 Prolific Prep (Napa, Calif.) and No. 8 Harvard-Westlake (North Hollywood, Calif.), the latter in the title game of the Les Schwab Invitational in Portland, Ore.

3. (5) Paul VI (Chantilly, Va.) 35-3?
As the season came to a close, the big ranking decision involved placing the Washington Catholic Athletic Conference (WCAC) champs at No. 2 or leaving them behind Columbus of Florida, which lost in Chipotle Nationals semifinals to the same Montverde Academy team the Panthers fell to in the event’s title game, 79-63. The Panthers did have two fewer losses than the Explorers, but MVA’s victory margins over Paul VI in comparison to the margins vs. Columbus are in similar range that a rankings flip to go against a head-to-head result (Columbus defeated Paul VI) was unwarranted. Although that decision was a close call, what cannot be disputed was the expectation for Paul VI to be in the thick of the FAB 50 title race for the second consecutive season and being able to live up to that. Although this year’s club wasn’t able to ascent to the No. 1 spot as the 2022-23 club did, coach Glen Farello’s club was able to capture its second WCAC title in there years with a 63-51 win over No. 30 Gonzaga (Washington, D.C.) at American University. Duke-bound Darren Harris, the WCAC MVP, led the way with 20 points and seven rebounds. Harris (17.2 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 3.1 apg, 2.0 spg) scored 36 points in Paul VI’s first round win at Chipotle Nationals over No. 17 IMG Academy (101-89), netted 20 points in the semifinal victory over No. 7 Link Academy (58-44) and averaged 24.0 ppg in three games at the event. Also playing key roles on a deep team that won its third consecutive VISAA D1 state crown and finished 15-0 in WCAC regular and tourney play were sophomore guard Jordan Smith Jr., a third team All-Met selection by the Washington Post, and honorable mention choice Isaiah Abraham, a senior forward. An unbeaten WCAC run like Paul VI’s last occurred in 2011-12 when the Panthers finished No. 12 in the FAB 50.

4. (BB) Plano East (Plano, Texas) 40-0
The Panthers were the definition of team, and check in as the highest rated public school team for 2023-24. Plano East started out No. 14 in Southwest Regional Rankings, but exceeded expectations by capturing a University Interscholastic League (UIL) state title in the highest classification (Class 6A). Coach Matt Wester’s team steadily climbed in the rankings and turned heads with a 55-50 win over Stony Point (Round Rock, Texas) in the championship game of the long-running Whataburger Tournament. That was Stony Point’s only loss of the season until the two teams once again locked horns in the state title game at the The Alamodome in front of 8,812. Plano East was in control and posted a historic 53-41 victory over the then No. 6 ranked team in the FAB 50. D.J. Hall led the way for Plano East with 18 points, while Rachard Angton, a 5-foot-10 senior, came on the bench to score 13 crucial points. Stony Point led by two points early in the game momentarily, as Plano East not only won its first UIL state crown, but the first state title in school history in any sport. Hall (15.7 ppg, 7.0 rpg) was named Class 6A Tourney MVP and TABC all-state, while Jordan Mizell, a 6-foot-2 senior guard, was a TABC all-Region 1 choice.

5. (4) Long Island Lutheran (Glen Head, N.Y.) 21-5?
The Crusaders were expected to challenge Montverde Academy for the EYBL Scholastic (formerly NIBC) League title and they played up to par all season long. They finished 10-2 in league play, losing once to the top-ranked Eagles and dropping a game to No. 16 AZ Compass Prep. LuHi was able to overcome that loss with two victories over No. 6 Link Academy, a win over No. 17 IMG Academy and one over No. 19 Don Bosco Prep. LuHi qualified for Chipotle Nationals, where it saw its season come to an end with a 71-58 setback to No. 2 Columbus in the quarterfinals. Leading the way for coach John Buck’s successful program for the second consecutive season was Baylor-bound shooting guard V.J. Edgecomb (17.3 ppg, 6.0 rpg, 4.0 apg, 2.3 spg), who made many big plays on both sides of the ball and was named all-league for the second consecutive year. Also putting forth a terrific season was junior point guard Kayden Mingo, a third team all-EYBL Scholastic choice. Mingo averaged 15.2 ppg in league play for a team whose four of its five losses were to the two top-ranked teams in the country.

6. (2) Link Academy (Branson, Mo.) 26-7?
After capturing the 2023 FAB 50 national crown in only its second season eligible for the national rankings, Link Academy was expected to be a main challenger to Montverde Academy for a chance at back-to-back No. 1 finishes. That didn’t materialize, although the Lions had only one loss that can be pointed to that was to a team out of their rankings range. That was a loss in EYBL Scholastic play to No. 34 Brewster Academy, as Link Academy fell twice to No. 5 Long Island Lutheran and to No. 3 Paul VI. Coach Billy Armstrong’s club was able to avenge its regular season loss to No. 7 Prolific Prep with a 80-76 double overtime victory in the opening round of Chipotle Nationals before falling in the semifinals to Paul VI, 58-44. Link Academy, which finished in third place in the EYBL Scholastic standings one game behind (9-3) No. 5 Long Island Lutheran, were led by All-American and first team all-league choice Tre Johnson. The Texas-bound shooting guard averaged 15.5 ppg, 3.3 rpg and 3.6 apg. Alabama-bound guard Jasper Johnson earned third team all-league honors while averaging 11.9 ppg, while LaBaron Philon, also bound for Alabama, scored 24 points in the avenging win over Prolific Prep and sported norms of 10.0 ppg and a team-high 4.3 apg.

7. (6) Prolific Prep (Napa, Calif.) 31-6
The Crew played right in the range expected of them in the preseason and earned a Chipotle Nationals berth for the fifth consecutive season. On a team built to challenge for the FAB 50 title, the big problem was health, as the team went 13-0 heading into Chipotle Nationals with its top seven players healthy. In the first game of the season for sophomore forward Tyran Stokes, The Crew upped their record to 9-1 with a 77-76 win over Link Academy when that club was No. 2 in the FAB 50. In the rematch with all top seven players available, Prolific Prep fell in double overtime, 80-76. There were three McDonald’s All-Americans on the team (Washington-bound point guard Zoom Diallo, Alabama-bound forward Derrion Reid and Alabama-bound center Aidan Sherrell), but the top player was junior A.J,. Dybansta. He helped Prolific Prep win its second consecutive Grind Session regular season and tourney title by finishing with team highs in points (21.2 ppg) and rebounds (9.4 rpg), while adding 3.5 apg.

8. (11) Harvard-Westlake (North Hollywood, Calif.) 33-3
The Wolverines lived up to expectations and then some, as No. 2 Columbus was the only team it didn’t beat on a tough schedule, falling to the Explorers on a controversial call in the waning moments of the Les Schwab Invitational championship game, 55-54. Coach Dave Rebibo’s club lost back-to-back Mission League games the same week after a MLK Monday victory over No. 24 McEachern, but the Wolverines avenged those losses by beating Notre Dame (Sherman Oaks, Calif.) by four points in the Mission League Tournament semifinals and by defeating Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth, Calif.), 72-38, in the CIF Southern Section open playoffs. By going on to defeat No. 13 Roosevelt in the CIFSS open title game and CIF open final, Harvard-Westlake became the first team since Sierra Canyon in 2019-20 to start as preseason No. 1 in California and officially finish as the Cal-Hi Sports State Team of the Year. It was a preseason goal of Harvard-Westlake to win both section and state open crowns, after winning only at the state level in 2022-23 and behind the play of Trent Perry, basically refused to lose down the stretch. The McDonald’s All-American closed his senior strong, scoring 42 points in Harvard-Westlake’s 73-72 SoCal open semifinal win over Carlsbad (Calif.), netting 28 points in a come-from-behind win over Roosevelt in the SoCal open final, and scoring the last six points of the game and coming up with a clutch steal down the stretch in a 17-point performance in a 50-45 win over No. 32 Salesian in the CIF open title game at the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento. Senior Robert Hinton and junior Nik Khamenia also stepped up in the playoffs with the team’s role players knowing exactly what was expected of them.

9. (NR) Fishers (Fishers, Ind.) 29-1
The Tigers didn’t crack the preseason Midwest regional rankings, but served notice they were a force to be reckoned with by defeating preseason No. 8 Ben Davis (Indianapolis, Ind.), 74-61, and preseason No. 3 Kokomo (Ind.), 77-55, early in the season. Ben Davis was the defending Indiana High School Athletic Association (IHSAA) Class 4A state champs and Kokomo the defending runner-up, but Fishers proved to be the class of the Hoosier field in 2023-24. Fishers avenged its only loss to Carmel (Ind.) with a 54-41 victory and beat Kokomo once again in the IHSAA Class 4A playoffs. Coach Garrett Winegar’s club went on to face Ben Davis for a second time in the Class 4A state final and with the stakes at their highest, came away with a 65-56 victory at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. The defending champions led Fishers heading into the final period, 48-47, but the Tigers scored the first six points of the final period to take control of the game. Fishers junior guard JonAnthony Hall and senior forward Keenan Gardner led the way down the stretch, as Hall finished with 23 points and 10 rebounds while Gardner had 19 points, 10 rebounds and five assists. Garner, a 6-foot-6 senior bound for IUPUI, was the ringleader all-season long and was named to the first team A.P. all-state team. Taden Metzger, a 6-foot-2 senior guard who scored 10 points in the state title game, and Hall, a Grid-Hoop standout, were honorable mention choices. Ben Davis was coming off a 33-0 season in which it finished ranked No. 4 and had the Tigers not dropped the one contest, it would have finished in that range, too.

10. (NR) Wisconsin Lutheran (Milwaukee, Wis.) 30-0
Another team we didn’t have on our preseason Midwest Region radar was the Vikings, who ran roughshod through their Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association (WIAA) competition en route to a D2 state crown. Wisconsin Lutheran was able to defeat preseason FAB 50 No. 17 De Pere, 70-68, during the regular season to snap that team’s 42-game winning streak, as Duke-bound Kon Knueppel racked up 38 points in the big win. De Pere was the defending D1 state champs and the Vikings went on to defeat three-time defending D2 state champ Pewaukee three times during the season, including a 83-62 victory in the D2 state title game. Pewaukee came into that contest a FAB 50 bubble club, but was no match for Wisconsin Lutheran as Knueppel shared the sugar with 11 points and 11 assists. In the state semifinals, Wisconsin Lutheran downed Nicolet (Glendale, Wis.), 56-54, on a lay-up right before the buzzer by junior Alex Greene (7.6 ppg) off a pretty feed from sophomore Zavier Zens (9.9 ppg, 4.7 rpg, 2.7 apg). Knueppel (25.9 ppg, 8.6 rpg, 5.3 apg) was named WBCA state Mr. Basketball and was a three-time all-state choice, while senior Logan Rindfleisch, a 6-foot-5 wing headed to UW-Oshkosh, also earned all-state mention while averaging 13.9 ppg.

?11. (BB) Stony Point (Round Rock, Texas) 38-2?
This team had a season to be proud of even though the results came up one game short of their desired goal of a UIL Class 6A state crown. Similar to eventual champ Plano East, Stony Point started a bit too low in our regional rankings forecast at No. 12 in the Southwest (two spots higher than the Panthers), but steadily climbed after rebounding from its 55-50 loss to Plano East in the Whataburger Tourney title game. Stony Point’s big win in the postseason came in the regional semifinals when it defeated preseason FAB 50 No. 30 Brennan (San Antonio, Texas), 69-68, and secured a high FAB 50 ranking with its 54-46 state semifinal victory over No. 48 Beaumont United. Stony Point had a chance to avenge its only loss in the highly-anticipated final but came up short, 53-41. Josiah Moseley was Stony Point’s only double-digit scorer in the game, finishing with 18 points, 12 rebounds and four assists for a club that was outscored in each quarter. The Villanova-bound Moseley (22.8 ppg, 8.9 rpg, 1.8 bpg) earned second team All-American Elite team honors and was a TABC all-state choice, while junior Uzziah Bunton (12.2 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 5.1 apg, 1.8 spg) and senior Junior Goodlet (10.9 ppg) were named TABC all-Region 4.

12. (BB) Central Cabarrus (Concord, N.C.) 33-0
In 2022-23, the Vikings began as the No. 2 North Carolina High School Athletic Association (NCHSAA) team in our Southeast Region pecking order behind Myers Park of Charlotte, but ended up as the state’s best team. This season, Central Cabarrus actually opened up at No. 18 in the Southeast Regional Rankings behind NCHSAA schools Myers Park and Chambers of Charlotte, but exceeded expectations en route to a second consecutive Class 3A state title. Central Cabarrus did have some key graduation losses, but coach Jim Baker’s club was able to run the table for the second consecutive season, downing 71st of Fayetteville, 90-62, in the state title game. Lees-McRae commit Desmond Kent Jr. (19.8 ppg, 9.0 rpg) had 20 points in the first half and added nine rebounds, five steals, two assists and two blocks, while senior forward Josh Dalton (15.6 ppg, 6.1 rpg) scored a game-high 22 points. The Vikings also recorded a key semifinal win by downing previously unbeaten Hickory (N.C.), 87-78, as Kent went for 25 points. Baker had three other double-digit scorers at his disposal in junior Emari Russell (10.3 ppg), and Catawba College-bound twin brothers Carson Daniel (11.7 ppg, 8.1 apg, 4.5 spg) and Chase Daniel (11.2 ppg, 4.3 rpg, 7.2 apg, 3.2 spg). With their success the past two seasons, the Vikings enter 2024-25 with the nation’s longest winning streak at 65 games. The program has won 95 of its last 96 contests.

13. (44) Roosevelt (Eastvale, Calif.) 31-4
It was a successful season for Mustangs coach Steve Singleton, who coached Roosevelt to a California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) D1 state title in 2017 and a Tyson Chandler-led Dominguez (Compton, Calif.) team to a D2 state title and No. 17 FAB 50 ranking. Despite not winning a section or state title, this team is actually ranked higher than that Dominguez club led by a 7-footer a few months from being the No. 2 pick in the 2001 NBA Draft. Roosevelt fell to No. 8 Harvard-Westlake in both the CIFSS open title game and SoCal D1 title game and split with the other two teams it lost two, including Big VIII League rival Centennial (Corona,. Calif.). In the preseason, we knew Roosevelt was going to be dynamic with the eligibility of junior guards Brayden Burries and Isaac Williamson restored after sitting out the 2022-23 season, but the Mustangs were even better than expected, as they beat Centennial in the league title game and avenged the loss to JSerra (San Juan Capistrano, Calif.) with a 64-51 victory in CIFSS open pool play. With Burries (24.8 ppg, 7.9 rpg, 3.5 apg and 2.7) and Williamson back next season along with point guard Myles Walker and glue player Dom Copenhagen, this team should begin next season much higher than its 2023-24 preseason spot.

14. (BB) St. Rose (Belmar, N.J.) 29-2
After advancing to the NJSIAA Non-Public Group B title game in 2022-23, we got tipped off the Purple Roses would be terrific in 2023-24 by an event operator, and he turned out to be spot on. St. Rose started out at No. 14 in the East Region Top 20, one spot outside of the FAB 50 and that tuned out to be too low. After losing their first game to Patrick School (Elizabeth, N.J.), 62-59, the Purple Roses were too cohesive and talented for any other team to handle expect No. 1 Montverde Academy (beat them 84-55). The Purple Roses defeated No. 18 Archbishop Stepinac at the Jordan Holiday Classic and went on to capture the Non-Public B state crown with a 73-29 whitewashing of Immaculate Conception (Montclair, N.J.). That win cemented their status as New Jersey’s No. 1 team, as Villanova-bound Matt Hodge finished his career with 14 points, 13 rebounds, six assists and three blocks. St. Rose relied on defense the entire season, and it came up with 10 blocks in the title game, including five from 6-foot-6 Gio Panzini, who netted a game-high 16 points and nine rebounds. The third senior in the eight-man rotation, Maryland-bound Jayden Hodge (12.5 ppg, 5.2 rpg, 2.6 apg), was the team’s top overall talent and helped this program win its first state title since 1977.

?15. (28) Oak Ridge (Orlando, Fla.) 27-4
Similar to No. 14 St. Rose, the Pioneers lost big to No. 1 Montverde Academy (97-66), but it’s losses to Bishop O’Connell of Virginia (preseason No. 44 in FAB 50) and to unranked Westminster Academy of Florida that keep them behind that New Jersey state champion. Oak Ridge certainly showed what type of team it was when it gave No. 2 Columbus all it could handle in the Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA) Class 7A championship game, going into overtime before falling, 72-67. After a slam dunk tied the game near the end of regulation, Oak Ridge junior guard Jalen Reece’s 3-point attempt at the buzzer rimmed out. The Pioneers were down 16 at one juncture, but made a huge comeback behind the efforts of junior Jamier Jones, who canned three 3-pointers in the third period and finished with 16 points and six rebounds. Senior Jordan Tillery (16 points, 13 rebounds, five assists) also played well in his final game for coach Steve Reece. His club was able to down then No. 46 Winter Haven (Fla.) in the semifinals, 85-74, to snap that team’s 27-game winning streak as Jones (19.2 ppg) went bonkers from the field (12-of-15) and finished with 29 points. With Jones and Reece (15.4 ppg), the coach’s son, back in the fold along with the rapidly improving Tim Winkler (4.8 ppg, 5.0 rpg), the Pioneers could start next season higher than this ending position.

?16. (16) AZ Compass Prep (Chandler, Ariz.) 27-6
The Dragons finished exactly in the spot forecasted for them in the preseason and qualified for Chipotle Nationals for the fourth consecutive season. Coach Pete Caffey’s club was the No. 8 seed and fell to top seed and season-long FAB 50 No. 1 Montverde Academy, 64-49. The Dragons finished the EYBL Scholastic League in fourth place (9-4) behind No. 6 Link Academy (9-3). AZ Compass Prep was able to record a victory over No. 5 Long Island Lutheran (10-2), but also fell to unranked Wasatch Academy of Utah in league play. Outside of Wasatch Academy, Caffey’s crew lost only to teams ranked ahead of it, with two of the losses coming to Montverde Academy. Junior guard Jeremiah Fears led the way, averaging 13.8 ppg and earning third team all league honors. The Dragons will have a fine team once agains next season, but must replace the grit and rim protection of Grand Canyon-bound Sammy Yeanay and VCU-bound Luke Bamgboye.

17. (7) IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.) 18-9
The Ascenders weren’t quite as good as forecasted in the preseason, but they were formidable and could compete with the nation’s best teams. The high overall loss count means a 10-spot drop from the preseason, but a victory over No. 7 Prolific Prep offsets its 96-92 loss to No. 19 Don Bosco Prep and a loss to No. 28 Bullis. The Ascenders were the No. 7 seed at Chipotle Nationals and fell to No. 2 seed Paul VI, 101-89, and now sport a 6-5 all-time mark at the event. Point guard Darius Acuff, a junior, was the leading scorer in EYBL Scholastic games (21.3 ppg) and averaged 20.4 ppg and 5.5 assists to earn first team all-league honors. Donnie Freeman (16.5 ppg, 8.3 rpg) had 21 points and seven rebounds in his final game for the Ascenders and the third team all-leaguer is now headed to Syracuse, while bookend forward Khani Rooths is bound for Louisville.

18. (13) Archbishop Stepinac (White Plains, N.Y.) 26-4
The Crusaders won their second straight Catholic High School Athletic Association AA crown and were one of the nation’s best teams throughout the season. In 2022-23, they were FAB 50 ranked until losing in the New York State Federation Tournament of Champions AA final, an event that was discontinued. Before last season, Stepinac last captured the Catholic League title in 2018, as it was the favorite in 2020 before COVID-19 abruptly stopped the post-season in New York, while there wasn’t much of a 2020-21 season. Patrick Massaroni (169-80) coached a unit that only lost one game to an unranked team it had already beaten twice, St. Raymond (Bronx, N.Y.), in the New York Archdiocesan Class AA title game. The Crusaders other three losses are to higher ranked teams (including No. 1 Montverde Academy) and they own victories over No. 19 Don Bosco Prep and No. 21 Perry. They defeated Nazareth (Brooklyn, N.Y.), 66-51, in the state title game as three-time all-CHSAA pick Boogie Fland (19.2 ppg, 6.6 rpg, 3.6 apg and 2.4 spg) scored 18 points, while sophomores Jasiah Jervis and Hassan Koureissi added 15 points each. Stepinac downed PSAL champ Eagle Academy (Brooklyn, N.Y.), 75-64, to close its season as Fland (Alabama) and Quinnipiac-bound Braylan Ritvo (14.2 ppg) netted 22 and 21 points, respectively, in the inaugural Catholic vs. Public League AA title game at Long Island University.

19. (18) Don Bosco Prep (Ramsey, N.J.) 29-3
With the New Jersey Tournament of Champions discontinued after the 2021-22 season, the Ironmen were not able to take on NJSIAA Non-Public Group B champ No. 14 St. Rose after capturing its own state title in Group A. Similar to that club, Don Bosco Prep lost to Patrick School, but must remain behind St. Rose since its second loss is to No. 5 Long Island Lutheran with the third loss a 74-67 setback to No. 18 Archbishop Stepinac. Led by Rutgers recruit Dylan Harper, the Ironmen captured the New Jersey Non-Public A title with a 56-29 victory over Paul VI (Haddonfield, N.J.). Harper produced as well as any player in America down the stretch, nearly outscoring Paul VI by himself (26 points) and going for 38 points and eight rebounds in the prior game versus highly-regarded St. Peters Prep in the North Jersey Non-Public A title game. Harper, the son of former NBA guard Ron Harper who averaged 22.4 ppg, 5.7 rpg and 2.7 apg, also led his team to a win over No. 24 McEachern.

20. (35) St. Mary Prep (Orchard Lake, Mich.) 27-1
Coach Todd Colvert’s club was preseason FAB 50 ranked in three of the last four seasons and more than lived up to expectations with this year’s unit, capturing the Michigan High School Athletic Association (MHSAA) D1 state crown. St. Mary Prep had its top seven returnees back from a mildly surprising semifinalist unit in 2022-23, so it wasn’t a big surprise the Eaglets only dropped one game in the Catholic League to University of Detroit-Jesuit in December. The Eaglets came back to avenge that loss with a 76-68 victory, as All-American Trey McKenney and junior power forward Jayden Savoury combined for 48 points. McKenney (22.6 ppg, 10.1 rpg, 2.5 apg) scored 21 points in the first half and finished with 32 points in the state D1 title game victory over North Farmington (63-52) to give the program its first state title since 2000, when the program finished 28-0 and was ranked No. 10 in the FAB 50. McKenney proved to be one of the most difficult checks in the country and yet another junior honors candidate for Colvert was 6-foot-3 Sharod Barnes, who averaged 12.5 ppg, 3.1 rpg and 4.4 apg.

21. (NR) Ridge View (Columbia, S.C.) 27-2?
Dorman of Roebuck opened up as the top-ranked team from the Palmetto State at No. 20 in the Southeast Region Top 20, but when the dust cleared it was evident the Blazers should have been regionally ranked. Ridgeview did drop two in-state contests to Westwood of Blythewood and cross-town A.C. Flora, but were able to avenge both losses. Coach Joshua Staley’s club also defeated No. 23 Grayson (58-53) and No. 27 John Marshall (also 58-53). The Blazers downed Riverside, 58-52, in the South Carolina High School League (SCHSL) AAAA title game after jumping out to a 20-6 lead and holding on to capture their fifth state title. Ridge View was led by Korie Corbett with 18 points and Jayden Pretty with 15 points. Corbett, a sophomore wing, was named all-state after averaging 16.0 ppg, 7.3 rpg, 2.1 apg and 2.3 spg.

22. (33) Perry (Gilbert, Ariz.) 24-6
For a while, it looked like the Pumas would finish ranked in the range of their preseason forecast or even a bit lower after they lost twice to Arizona Interscholastic Association (AIA) teams. Perry, however, closed strong and so did the out-of-state teams they lost to. No. 18 Archbishop Stepinac won a New York state title and No. 8 Harvard-Westlake, which beat the Pumas twice, won California’s open state title. After losing to Sunnyslope (Phoenix, Ariz.), the team it beat in the first AIA open title game in 2022-23, the Pumas actually dropped out of the nation's longest-running weekly national rankings but returned at No. 34 after downing then No. 38 Millennium (Goodyear, Ariz.), 71-67, to repeat as AIA open division state champs. Incredibly, Perry was down 17 points but chipped away at its deficit behind some big shots by guard Barron Silsby and the clutch play of Koa Peat, already a two-time All-American with his senior season to go. Silsby had 10 second half points to help Perry overcome a 41-32 halftime deficit and Peat finished with 21 points, 13 rebounds and four assists. Perry won the Class 6A crown in 2021-22 and is 14-0 in the playoffs the past three seasons with Peat (20.5 ppg, 10.6 rpg, 3.4 apg, 2.2 bpg) in the lineup. Arizona high school hoops fans are already anticipating his quest for an unbeaten career postseason run.

23. (29) Grayson (Loganville, Ga.) 30-2
The Rams opened the season as the No. 2 Georgia High School Association (GHSA) team behind McEachern (Powder Springs, Ga.) and in front of Wheeler (Marietta, Ga.), the team it fell to in the 2022-23 GHSA Class AAAAAAA semifinals. Grayson got over the hump and erased some demons by capturing its first-ever state crown with a 51-41 victory over then No. 20 McEachern, the same team it beat 79-62 in a true road game at the Georgia Elite 8 Tip-Off Classic. Junior Georgia commit Jacob Wilkins made some big plays down the stretch after McEachern made one final push, finishing with 14 points and 12 rebounds. Purdue signee Gicarri Harris, a 6-foot-4 senior, added nine points and five rebounds for the victorious Rams, who also defeated No. 37 Kell (70-54), the Class AAAAA champion. In 2019-20, Grayson got all the way up to No. 4 in the FAB 50 before falling in the AAAAAAA title game, but this year’s ranking cake is baked, so to speak, because of its two out-of-state losses. Grayson fell to No. 21 Ridge View and No. 22 Perry.

24. (21) McEachern (Powder Springs, Ga.) 26-6
McEachern started the season ranked higher in the FAB 50 than Grayson by eight spots and came into the GHSA Class AAAAAAA title game ranked higher in the FAB 50 than that club because of its previous national results, including a win over No. 25 North Mecklenburg and an overtime loss to No. 8 Harvard-Westlake. McEachern played the Rams better than it did in their first game, but eventually fell 51-41 after making one final push in the fourth quarter. The Indians’ other losses were to No. 2 Columbus, No. 3 Paul VI and to No. 19 Don Bosco Prep, so it’s only natural they finish one spot behind their in-state nemesis. National player of the year (Mr. Basketball USA) finalist Ace Bailey had 18 points in his final game, but only four in the second half. Against national competition, Georgia’s Mr. Basketball finished with norms of 32.5 ppg, 15.5 rpg, 3.5 apg and 2.4 bpg.

25. (26) North Mecklenburg (Huntersville, N.C.) 30-3
The Vikings moved down one spot after capturing the NCHSAA Class 4A state crown to make room for a McEachern of Georgia club that had to drop, too, after losing in its respective state title game. On the flip side, North Meck also finish one spot higher than forecasted in the preseason when it opened as the NCHSAA’s No. 2 team behind the Myers Park of Charlotte club it lost to in the 2023 Class 4A Western Regional Final. McEachern was one of the three losses for North Mecklenburg, with the others coming against No. 36 Camden and No. 6 Link Academy. North Meck downed No. 26 Myers Park in the state quarterfinals, 79-63, as Duke-bound All-American Isaiah Evans went bonkers with a season-high 48 points, including 21 consecutive in the third period. In the semifinals, it took North Meck overtime to down Lake Norman, 65-61, as Evans scored four points in the final 40 seconds to force overtime. His jumper with 40 seconds remaining in OT gave his team the lead and his two free throws down the stretched sealed the victory. New Hanover came into the state title game unbeaten, but Evans’ 23 points and eight rebounds propelled North Meck to a 57-47 victory. For the season, the N.C.B.C.A. State Player of the Year led the program to its third state crown by averaging 27.4 ppg, 6.1 rpg, 3.2 apg and 2.3 spg.

?26. (15) Myers Park (Charlotte, N.C.) 27-3
The Mustangs were the preseason No. 1 NCHSAA for the second consecutive season and were coming off a year in which they captured the Class 4A title. With their three big guns back, Myers Park had its eyes on a FAB 50 title run, but ran into a North Mecklenburg team that wouldn’t be denied in the Class 4A state quarterfinals. Myers Park led until late in the second quarter, but the wheels fell off in the third, as it trialed by 20 points (56-36) heading into the final period of an eventual 79-63 loss. Notre Dame-bound Sir Mohammed (13.1 ppg, 6.0 rpg, 3.8 apg, 2.3 spg) led the way in a losing effort with 20 points, while Tennessee-bound Bishop Boswell (11.5 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 5.9 apg) and junior Ashton King added 14. The Mustangs showed they were a serious FAB 50 threat when they took No. 3 Paul VI into overtime before losing, with the other loss coming versus in-state Combine Academy. In addition to King (7.4 ppg), Myers Park (which beat No. 27 John Marshall), return highly-regarded Sadiq White Jr. (16.9 ppg, 5.6 rpg) next season.

27. (8) John Marshall (Richmond, Va.) 25-3
Similar to No. 26 Myers Park, the Jayem Justices had FAB 50 title aspirations in the preseason, but came up just short of that level. Unlike Myers Park (which beat John Marshall), the Justices were able to capture a third consecutive Virginia High School League (VHSL) Class 2A state crown. Their 2020-21 club might have been the most talented on paper, but didn’t play any games because of the COVID-19 Pandemic so technically its a fourth consecutive title after wining it all in 2020. John Marshall’s FAB 50 ranking is easily laid out, as it lost to No. 21 Ridge View, while its loss to St. Christopher’s of Richmond is offset by a win over No. 29 Sidwell Friends. Led by VHSL Class 2A Player of the Year Damon “Redd” Thompson (18.0 ppg, 2.1 rpg, 4.1 apg), John Marshall easily downed Virginia High, 89-32, in the state title game with its James Madison signee going for 12 points, four rebounds, six assists and two steals in a game that went to a running clock early. Without a VHSL Tournament of Champions or open division, the Justices’ dominance in its division is nearly counter productive to its greatness. The program’s average margin of victory in its six playoff games was 60 points, while its 2023 post-season winning margin was 65.5 ppg. Under coach Ty White, the program has now won five state titles in the past seven seasons and six since 2014. In all, the Justices enter 2024-25 having won 24 consecutive playoff games and have all-state talents Latrell Allmond (6-9 sophomore) and Aiden Argabright (5-11 junior) returning, along with 6-foot-9 junior Marcus Jackson and 6-foot-6 junior Desmon Rose.

28. (38) Bullis (Potomac, Md.) 27-3
The Bulldogs started out as our No. 4 team for the DMV and there could have been six or seven ranked teams, as the region is that talented. For the second consecutive season, coach Bruce Kelley’s club captured the Interstate Athletic Conference (IAC) title, defeating Georgetown Prep (Bethesda, Md.), 70-52, behind a balanced offensive attack and good rebounding. Junior Adrien Stevens led the way with 14 points, while junior center Eric Reibe added 13 points with senior Caden Diggs chipping in 12 points. After a short-handed Bullis club was upset in the first round of the 2023 Maryland Private School State Tournament, this year the Bulldogs fared much better, advancing to the title game before falling in double overtime to DeMatha Catholic, 74-68. Bullis’ also lost another overtime game to No. 44 Jackson-Reed and a third game to Moravian Prep of North Carolina, but those losses are offset by victories over No. 17 IMG Academy and No. 29 Sidwell Friends. Stevens (14 ppg, 43 percent 3-point) was the top honors candidate and will be back along with the highly-regarded Reibe, but the club will miss Diggs (Old Dominion) and two-time All-Met choice Tyler Boston (Holy Cross).

?29. (9) Sidwell Friends (Washington, D.C.) 27-4
The Quakers didn’t fare quite as well as they wanted to versus FAB 50 title contenders, but it was another terrific season for coach Eric Singletary (279-133). His club lost to No. 28 Bullis (60-56), in overtime to No. 27 John Marshall (63-55), to No. 6 Link Academy and to No. 3 Paul VI. Sidwell Friends did finish strong, however, capturing the District of Columbia State Athletic Association (DCSAA) Class AA title with a 47-37 victory over St. John's (Washington, D.C.). From a rankings standpoint, the big playoff victory was a 52-52 semifinal victory over then No. 16 Gonzaga (Washington, D.C.), which finishes right behind the Quakers in the rankings. Acaden Lewis, a play-making point guard, had 16 points vs. St. John’s and was the difference-maker vs. Gonzaga with 21 points, five rebounds and three assists. Georgetown-bound forward Caleb Williams had another terrific season on both ends of the floor. He joined Lewis (14.5 ppg) on the Washington Post All-Met team, with junior forward Jalen Rougier-Roane also earning post-season acclaim. Sidwell Friends has now won three consecutive DCSAA state titles and four in the past five seasons heading into 2024-25 with Lewis, Rougier-Roane and guard Caleb Gillus all returning.

30. (12) Gonzaga (Washington, D.C.) 28-6
The Purple Eagles opened as the No. 2 team in the Washington Catholic Athletic Conference (WCAC) and finish as its No. 2 ranked team behind FAB 50 No. 3 Paul VI, the preseason favorite. The one-point (53-52) loss to No. 29 Sidwell Friends in the DCSAA semifinals dropped the Purple Eagles 13 spots the week after the game and prevents them from finishing in the range expected in the preseason. Sidwell Friends was the only non-WCAC or EYBL Scholastic member coach Stephen Turner’s club lost to, as it also fell to No. 1 Montverde Academy and No. 5 Long Island Lutheran. Gonzaga split with Bishop O’Connell and the loss to Paul VI in the WCAC title game was actually it second setback to the Panthers. Nyk Lewis (13 ppg, 6 rpg, 4.5 apg) was first team All-Met for the second consecutive season with his senior year two go. Turner (468-171) also has second team All-Met selection Derek Dixon (6-3) and honorable mention choice Christian Gurdak (6-10) returning.

31. (19) St. John Bosco (Bellflower, Calif.) 28-7
The Braves rebounded from failing to advance to the CIF Southern Section open title game and losing the Trinity League title to No. 46 Mater Dei by capturing the CIF D1 state crown. Coach Matt Dunn’s club defeated San Ramon Valley (Danville, Calif.) in the state final, as Loyola-Chicago-bound Jack Turner led the way with 20 points, including 4-of-6 3-pointers. After losing to Trinity League champ Mater Dei twice in league play, Bosco got its avenging victory with a 71-68 overtime win in the SoCal D1 final. Junior point guard Elzie Harrington had 22 points in the win over Mater Dei and sophomore Brandon McCoy had 18 points, eight rebounds and three blocks and averaged 19.7 ppg and 11 rpg in the regional playoffs. St. John Bosco lost to then FAB 50 ranked Sierra Canyon and to No. 8 Harvard-Westlake in CIFSS open pool play, to No. 13 Roosevelt (the team that played Harvard-Westlake for the section title), to No. 3 Paul VI and to Chris The King of New York in the semifinals of the Iolani Tournament in Hawaii.

32. (BB) Salesian (Richmond, Calif.) 31-2
The Pride began No. 19 in West Region Top 20, but they were much better than that and were one game away from finishing in the Top 15. It got over its demons in the NorCal open regionals (0-5 between 2013-23) to advance to the CIF open championship game, where it gave No. 8 Harvard-Westlake all it could handle before falling, 50-45. Two late turnovers doomed any chance Salesian had to pull off the mild upset and allowed the Pride to hop the No. 31 St. John Bosco team it lost to in overtime at The Classic at Damien. Salesian might have been the most balanced NorCal team we’ve ever evaluated, as six players averaged between 6.3 and 9.0 ppg. The ringleader was Hawaii-bound point guard Aaron Hunklin-Claytor, the Tri-County Rock League Player of the Year for the second consecutive season who averaged 8.4 ppg (tied for second on the team with fellow all-stater De’Undrae Perteete), 3.9 rpg and 3.8 apg.

33. (25) La Lumiere (La Porte, Ind.) 23-5
After going 5-7 in the National Interscholastic Basketball Conference (now EYBL Scholastic) in 2022-23, LaLu had a more talented team, closed games better and was able to finish in a four-way tie for fifth place in the conference standings. At 7-5, the Lakers tied with No. 17 IMG Academy (which they lost to), No. 34 Brewster Academy (which they beat) and with unranked Wasatch Academy. Coach Patrick Holmes’ team key conference win came against fourth place and No. 16 AZ Compass Prep to help offset the above mentioned losses and those to conference foes Oak Hill Academy and No. 1 Montverde Academy. Junior Jalen Haralson and Jerry Easter received the most post-season acclaim, while fellow junior Chuck Love was another standout.

34. (BB) Brewster Academy (Wolfeboro, N.H.) 27-7
In its first season being eligible for the FAB 50 after joining the EYBL Scholastic League, the longtime New England Preparatory School Athletic Council (NEPSAC) power (which now has a prep and a national high school team) started No. 16 in the East Regional Rankings. That was only three spots outside the FAB 50, but coach Jason Smith’s club started a tad bit low after ended up finishing in a four-way tie for fifth place in the conference standings. Brewster not only lost to No. 33 La Lumiere head-to-head in two overtimes (74-66), it lost to No. 17 IMG Academy and to Veritas Prep of California, two EYBLS clubs La Lumiere defeated. Brewster Academy, competitive in every game outside its loss to No. 1 Montverde Academy, was led by third team all-EYBLS choice and Gatorade State Player of the Year Nojus Indrusaitis (14.5 ppg, 4.6 rpg, 2.3 apg), whose headed for Iowa State, and BYU-bound point guard Elijah Crawford (13.5 ppg, 4.0 rpg, 5.1 apg).

35. (NR) Patrick School (Elizabeth, N.J.) 28-4
The Celtics quietly had a terrific campaign as an independent program. Yes, the Patrick School did lose games to Bridgton Academy of Maine, Phelps School of Pennsylvania, and to Our Savior Lutheran of New York, but the Celtics deserve rankings credit for the quality of their wins. They downed No. 14 St. Rose and No. 19 Don Bosco Prep, the two highest ranked New Jersey state champions. Patrick School’s top talents were St. John’s-bound guard Jaden Glover, junior guard Brandon Lee and Manhattan College-bound forward William Sydnor.

36. (BB) Camden (Camden, N.J.) 30-2
The High had a team not quite as talented nor acclaimed as its 2022-23 unit, but became embroiled in a major playoff controversy for the second straight year. The ’23 unit led by D.J. Wagner wasn’t able to defend its ’22 state title after a melee in the first-ever Camden County Tournament led to the team being booted from the playoffs. In this year’s NJSIAA Group 2 state semifinal, it appeared Manasquan defeated The High on a buzzer-beating field goal as time expired before a game official waived off the basket to give Camden the 46-45 victory. Manasquan filed a lawsuit before Camden met Arts of Newark for the state crown to overturn the result, but the NJSIAA stuck to its bylaws that the game was over the moment the referees left the gym despite admitting the mistake. Led by Louisville recruit Billy Richmond (17.6 ppg, 7.4 rpg, 2.6 apg), Camden went on to win the state crown and only lost to St. Frances Academy of Maryland and to No. 24 McEachern. Our rankings are always results based and from a national perspective based on our criteria it wouldn’t have made sense to penalize Camden, as controversies, blown calls and off-court rulings have been part of the high school landscape for decades.

37. (NR) Kell (Marietta, Ga.) 28-3
The Longhorns missed the Southeast Regional Top 20 in the preseason and got off to a slow 1-3 start. One of the teams they lost to, Newton, ended up only losing to No. 24 McEachern by only three points (67-64) in the playoffs and Kell’s other early losses were to that same McEachern team and to No. 23 Grayson, the two teams that ended up playing in the Georgia High School Association (GHSA) Class AAAAAAA title game. Kell went on to end the season on a 27-game winning steak that culminated with a 62-51 victory over Eagle’s landing in the AAAAA title game. Coach Jermaine Sellers’ club won its second consecutive state crown behind the play of AAAAA Player of the Year C.J. Brown, a University of South Florida recruit, and his backcourt mate and Alabama A&M recruit Jaylen Colon, a second team all-state choice by sandysspeil.com.

38. (NR) Homewood Flossmor (Flossmor, Ill.) 33-4
The Vikings have a proud history and for the first time ever won the Illinois High School Association’s top prize by defeating a talented Normal Community unit, 60-48, in the Class 4A state title game. Junior Bryce Heard led the way with 21 points, 10 rebounds and three assists, while Jayden Taylor, a 5-foot-11 sophomore, added 15 points for a club that only lost two games in-state. The Vikings lost to Bradley-Bourbannis, split with Bolingbrook, defeated Bloom, Chicago Public League champ Curie and a Thorton of Harvey team that spent plenty of time FAB 50 ranked twice. As Illinois’ top-ranked team, the Vikings cannot be ranked any higher because of the defeat margins vs. No. 30 Gonzaga (77-47) and Fishers of Indiana (78-57).

39. (NR) Reidsville (Reidsville, N.C.) 29-0?
After going 26-1 and losing in the NCHSAA Class 2A state title game in 2022-23, this season the Rams upped the ante by a game, capturing the Class 2A crown with a perfect mark. The Rams defeated Farmville Central (Farmville, N.C.), 78-77, in overtime, in a terrific title game. Reidsville junior Johnniyus Sharpe Jr. made all 10 of his free throw attempts, as the Rams went 13-of-13 from the line in the hostly contested contest. Sharpe Jr. finished with a game-high 29 points, including 3-of-6 3-pointers, while Grid-Hoop dynamo Kendre Harrison finished with 19 points, 17 rebounds and blocked five shots. Harrison, a sophomore, was the ringleader all season long by recording 25 double-doubles and averaging 19.4 ppg, 15.1 rpg, and 3.7 bpg while shooting 67 percent from the field.

40. (NR) Roman Catholic (Philadelphia, Pa.) 26-3
The Cahillites captured their 34th Philadelphia Catholic League title in dramatic fashion, as they defeated Archbishop Ryan, 46-45, in overtime. It looked like Archbishop Ryan was going to claim the crown when Ryan Everett hit a 3-pointer to give his team a 45-44 lead with 8.5 seconds remaining, but Roman’s Kabe Gass hit the game-winner on a pull-up 17-footer as the clock hit 0.00 after he dribbled the length of the court without the Cahillites calling a timeout. Yes, Roman Catholic did lose to Parkland in the PIAA Class 6A quarterfinals, but that doesn’t change the fact the Cahillites avenged their loss to Father Judge in the PCL semifinals, 65-57, while the dramatic win over Archbishop Ryan also avenged another of their three losses. Junior Shareef Jackson (17.3 ppg) earned first team all-PCL honors, while senior Travis Reed (Chestnut Hill) earned second team laurels for a club that won its second consecutive league title.

?41. (37) St. Ignatius (Cleveland, Ohio) 26-3
Some Midwest prognosticators felt we had the Wildcats a bit too high as our No. 6 team from the region, but that spot ended up being in the range for a club that won the Ohio High School Athletic Association (OHSAA) D1 crown. Coach Cam Joyce’s club defeated Centerville, 66-56, before 5,189 at University of Dayton Arena as four players scored in double figures led by 6-foot senior guard Jack Zapolnick with 14 points, plus seven assists, and 6-foot-1 senior guard Matt Ellis’ 12 points. The difference in the game was St. Ignatius’ 3-point shooting, as it made 7-of-15 3-pointers, including a 3-for-3 performance by senior forward Michael Lamirand. This is a natural spot for the Wildcats as they only suffered one in-state loss with the others coming against No. 15 Oak Ridge and St. Joseph's Prep (Philadelphia, Pa.), which lost to No. 40 Roman Catholic. The Wildcats won their first state title since 2001 when they finished No. 40 in the FAB 50 after capturing St. Ignatius’ first D1 state crown.

42. (BB) Millennium (Goodyear, Ariz.) 25-5
The Tigers started out at No. 17 in West Region Top 20, as the fourth highest rated Arizona Interscholastic Association (AIA) team behind Desert Mountain, Sunnyslope and top-rated Perry. It was a terrific regular season in which coach Ty Amundsen’s club defeated Desert Mountain and Sunnyslope twice. The Tigers look like they were going all the way after opening up a big lead on Perry in the AIA open title game. Millennium's Sabien Cain knocked down seven 3-pointers in the first 10 minutes of the title game, as then No. 38 Millennium built an early 17-point lead. In the end, Perry stormed back and won, 71-67, as Millennium dropped its first game to an AIA foe at the most inopportune time. Cain, who had 33 points in the title game, sophomore Cameron Holmes and junior Kingston Tosi led a team that only lost to teams ranked ahead of it: No. 11 Stony Point, No. 3 Paul VI and No. 25 North Mecklenburg at the City of Palms, and to No. 32 Salesian.

43. (NR) Winter Haven (Winter Haven, Fla.) 27-2
The Blue Devils played a national level schedule and beat qualify FHSAA teams, including six that made the final four in their respective classifications. They lost their first game of the season to Burlington School of North Carolina, then rattled off 27 consecutive victories, including one over two-time Alabama Class 7A state champ hoover, before running into No. 15 Oak Ridge in the Class 7A state semifinals. Winter Haven was looking to capture its first state crown since the Otis Birdsong-led 1973 team, but came up two games short after falling to the Pioneers, 85-74. Yale-bound Isaac Celiscar (21.5 ppg, 9.2 rpg, 5.0 apg, 2.0 spg) and Stetson-bound Jamie Phillips Jr. (15.9 ppg, 7.0 rpg, 6.3 apg) led a team with four double-digit scorers.

44. (NR) Jackson-Reed (Washington, D.C.) 33-3
The Tigers lost to St. John’s in the District of Columbia State Athletic Association (DCSAA) Class AA semifinals, but their overall resume was just too strong to keep them out of the FAB 50. Jackson-Reed defeated No. 28 Bullis in overtime, 61-58, defeated Philly Catholic League finalist Archbishop Ryan, South Shore (Brooklyn, N.Y.) and Wasatch Academy (Mt. Pleasant, Utah). We considered Chicago Public League champ Curie, Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association (PIAA) Class 6A state champ Imhotep Charter and Independence (Thompson’s Station, Tenn.) for the FAB 50, but all three lost to South Shore. Jackson-Reed, whose other losses are to No. 30 Gonzaga and No. 37 Kell, had a balanced attack led by second team All-Met selection Jayden Fort (11.6 ppg, 6.5 rpg), a junior, and senior guard Scottie Hubbard (8.7 ppg, 4.8 rpg).

?45. (48) Bellevue West (Bellevue, Neb.) 27-1
We figured the Nebraska School Activities Association (NSAA) Class A state championship would come down to Millard North and the Thunderbirds. After all, the two clubs had met in the previous four state title games. Sure enough, the two clubs met again for all the marbles and it was Bellevue West defeating its rival, 57-48. The win gave Bellevue West its second straight state crown, avenged the club’s only regular season loss and allowed it to finish in the range expected in the preseason. South Dakota St-bound Jaden Jackson led the way in the state final with 21 points, seven rebounds and three steals. For the season, the state player of the year averaged 17.2 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 2.9 apg and 2.0 spg and helped the Thunderbirds go 106-8 in his four-year career.

46. (42) Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.) 29-6
Good offensive execution and terrific outside shooting allowed the Monarchs to advance to the SoCal D1 final, where they fell in overtime to Trinity League rival and No. 31 St. John Bosco, 71-68. Gary McKnight (1,272-140) had a club that won its 40th league crown in his 42nd season as head coach by defeating Bosco twice during the regular season. After losing sophomore Brannon Martinsen for the post-season to injury, Mater De went 0-2 in CIFSS open play, but bounced back to beat a Notre Dame of Sherman Oaks club that spent some time FAB 50 ranked in the regional semifinals. Martinsen will return along with sharpshooters Owen Verna and Luke Barnett, the latter whom McKnight feels might be the best shooter in program history.

47. (BB) Lyon County (Eddyville, Ky.) 36-3
The Lyons, a program with 277 students, opened up No. 14 in Midwest Region Top 20, but ended up breaking in the FAB 50 by capturing the Kentucky High School Athletics Association (KHSAA) Sweet 16. Lyon County downed Harlan County (Rosspoint, Ky.) in the Sweet 16 final, 67-58, before 13,568 at historic Rupp Arena. Travis Perry, Kentucky’s Mr. Basketball, hit 5-of-9 3-pointers en route to 27 points, along with five assists and two steals vs. Harlan County. Jack Riddick and Brady Shoulders added 15 points each for the Lyons, who downed then No. 25 Great Crossing (Georgetown, Ky.) 58-49 in the semifinals a few hours before taking on Harlan County behind Perry’s 24 points. Lyon County also beat state champions from Alabama (Buckhorn) and South Carolina (Lexington). Kentucky still employs the one-class system (as does Delaware) and because of Eddyville’s and Harlan’s size, Perry (29.5 ppg, 5.4 rpg, 5.0 apg, 3.9 spg) is now a state folk hero after leading his team to its first state title.

48. (BB) Beaumont United (Beaumont, Texas) 34-4
The Timberwolves began No. 17 in Southwest Regional Rankings, but for the second consecutive year exceeded national expectations. After winning back-to-back University Interscholastic League (UIL) Class 5A state crowns in 2021 and 2022, Beaumont United was moved up to Class 6A last season and advanced to the state title game. This season, TABC All-State picks Kayde Dotson (18.0 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 3.2 apg) and Clarence Payia III (17.6 ppg, 7.4 rpg) led a Timberwolves club that advanced to the Class 6A semifinals before falling to No. 11 Stony Point, 54-46. The program has now finished FAB 50 ranked for four consecutive seasons.

49. (NR) Northwest (Shawnee Mission, Kan.) 25-0
Blue Valley Northwest (Overland Park, Kan.) was our top-ranked Kansas team in the preseason, two spot behind Beaumont United at No. 19 in the Southwest Region, but it was Northwest that emerged as the state’s best team. The Cougars culminated their perfect run to the KSHSAA Class 6A state title with a 47-38 victory over Wichita Heights. Northwest defeated Sunflower League foe Mill Valley in the semifinals and captured its first state title on its 14th trip to state since 1973 using an all-underclass starting lineup led by all-staters Keaton Wagler, a junior, and Ethan Taylor, a sophomore. The Cougars are the sixth and final team from the Southwest to earn a ranking, edging out Oklahoma’s top team, Owasso, and New Mexico’s best club, Volcano Vista, the latter which started at No. 18 in the region sandwiched between Beaumont United and Blue Valley Northwest.

50. (NR) Great Crossing (Georgetown, Ky.) 36-2
The Warhawks are the eighth and final Midwest club to crack the FAB 50, beating out Chicago Public League champ Curie, St. Joseph of California from the West Region, Imhotep Charter of Philadelphia from the East Region and Lexington of South Carolina from the Southeast Region. Great Crossing’s season ended in the KHSAA Sweet 16 semifinals with a 58-49 loss to eventual champ No. 47 Lyon County, with its only regular season loss coming in double overtime to Washington Catholic Athletic Conference (WCAC) member Bishop O'Connell of Virginia. Helping the Warhawks earn the final spot in the final rankings despite falling in the semis is O’Connell defeating two FAB 50 ranked teams and similar to Lyon County, owning a win over Lexington of South Carolina. After losing in the Beach Ball Classic final to O’Connell, Great Crossing downed Chaminade of Missouri, 72-46, and before the Beach Ball won the King of the Bluegrass Tournament with a win over Central of Little Rock, Ark.

Ronnie Flores is the national Grassroots editor of www.ebooksnet.com. He can be reached at?[email protected]. Don't forget to follow him on Twitter:?@RonMFlores

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Last December we honored NBA Hall of Famer George McGinnis the week of his passing. The late McGinnis will not only be remembered for his gentle disposition, but for being one of the best Grid-Hoop (football-basketball combo) athletes in U.S. high school history. McGinnis is recognized as the first two-time National Grid-Hoop Player of the Year by www.ebooksnet.com during his time at Washington (Indianapolis) over 55 years ago. Joe Girard III, who helped Clemson to the NCAA Elite Eight in 2024 and is currently on the Toronto Raptors' summer league team, was also honored after his junior and senior campaign at Glens Falls (N.Y.) five years ago.

Which brings us to this year's honoree, Kendre Harrison of Reidsville (N.C.), a 6-foot-7, 240-pound menace at tight end, defensive end and power forward. Harrison's exploits are incredible, but many know him for recently shattering two backboards within three months and for assaulting the rims on the Nike EYBL 16U circuit with Team CP3.

Harrison will now be just as well known for becoming the first sophomore ever to be honored as the nation's finest football-basketball combo athlete. The all-time list dates back to the 1954-55 season and includes some of the finest athletes ever to grace high school playing fields with many of them going on to play in the NFL. Many recruiting experts feel Harrison has the kind of potential to one day join that exclusive group who were terrific at hoops and went on to the NFL.

Perhaps no sophomore ever has been as highly honored in both sports and it's incredible to think Harrison still has two more high school years to develop and add to his impressive resume. Scouring around the country, there were a couple of senior (class of 2024) standouts in both sports such as Terry Bussey of Timpson (Texas) and Caden Pinnick of Del Oro (Loomis, Calif.), but none seemed to be on the level of the top underclass choices. Among juniors, C.J. Ingram of Hawthorne (Fla.) was more explosive and arguably better than all the seniors, too, after leading the Hornets to FHSAA Class 1A state titles in both sports as a quarterback and wing player. He too has shined on the EYBL with the Florida Rebels 17U club, but Harrison's resume and accolades were attained at a higher level of competition.

In football, Harrison helped Reidsville capture the NCHSAA Class 2A crown by hauling in 62 receptions for 930 yards and 16 total touchdowns for a 15-1 club. On defense, the grid-hoop sophomore sensation was in on 70, tackles, including 17 for loss, to go along with eight sacks, 30 quarterback hits, seven pass breakups, two forced fumbles and one fumble recovery.

Harrison is considered the top tight end prospect in the national 2026 class and is a consensus Top 10 recruit, but hoops is the separator in his selection. Reidsville not only captured the Class 2A title, it finished 29-0 and ranked No. 39 in the final FAB 50 National Team Rankings. The Rams defeated Farmville Central (Farmville, N.C.), 78-77, in overtime, in one of the most well-played championship games of the season. In that game, Harrison finished with 19 points, 17 rebounds and blocked five shots. In 29 games, Harrison recorded 25 double-doubles and finished with averages of 19.4 ppg, 15.1 rpg, and 3.7 bpg while shooting 67 percent from the field for the Rams while earning 2023-24 Underclass All-American honors. He was just as impressive statistically as a ninth-grader (21.5 ppg, 15.1 rpg) for a team that went 26-1 and made it to the state title game and was a dominant two-way player on the grid-iron for a 14-2 club.

After a strong spring, Harrison is now considered a Top 50 national basketball recruit in the rising junior class and fields high major offers in both sports. He is the fourth national grid-hoop honoree from North Carolina and the first since Sage Surratt of Lincolnton (N.C.) for the 2016-17 season. He's now been offered in both sports by the University of North Carolina and its inevitable for him to draw comparisons to Tar Heel great Julius Peppers, who went on to become the second pick of the 2002 NFL Draft after playing both sports in college.

Peppers helped UNC reach the 2000 NCAA Final Four after starring in both sports at Southern Nash (Bailey, N.C.), where he was good enough to get invited to the prestigious Nike All-American Camp and was a finalist for 1997-98 National Grid-Hoop Player of the Year. He was somewhat over-shadowed (as were other terrific athletes such as future NBA player Matt Barnes) by Ron Curry of Hampton (Va.), who was named national player of the year in both sports by some credible publications and eventually joined Peppers on the UNC football and basketball teams.

Will Harrison be the next great Tar Heel to play both sports? He's scheduled to cut his college list to six programs in the coming days and UNC is expected to make the cut.

Harrison already makes the cut as one of the most explosive grid-hoopers in recent memory and has a chance to join the likes of McGinnis and Curry as one of the best all-time nationally in both sports. Will he play both sports in college? Will he stay home for the next level?

Harrison's story still has a long ways to go even though he's already accomplished quite a bit as a young two-sport star.

Ballislife National
Grid-Hoop Players of the Year

(Selections retroactive from 1979 back based on research by editor Ronnie Flores with input from Mark Tennis of Cal-Hi Sports, Kevin Askeland of Maxpreps.com and retired National High School Hall of Fame journalist Doug Huff; Selections are based on high school accomplishment, not future college/pro potential and are reflective of those that lead their teams to state championships in both football and basketball.)

2023-24 -- Kendre Harrison, Reidsville (N.C.) 6-7 TE/F (Soph.)
2022-23 -- Lincoln Kienholz, Riggs (Pierre, S.D.) 6-2 QB/G
2021-22 -- Sonny Styles, Pickerington Central (Pickerington, Ohio) 6-4 DB/F
2020-21 -- Travis Hunter, Collins Hill (Suwanee, Ga.) 6-1 DB/WR/G
2019-20 -- Jalen Suggs, Minnehaha Academy (Minneapolis) 6-4 QB/G
2018-19 -- Joe Girard III, Glens Falls (N.Y.) 6-2 QB/G
2017-18 -- Joe Girard III, Glens Falls (N.Y.) 6-2 QB/G (Jr.)
2016-17 -- Sage Surratt, Lincolnton (N.C.), 6-3, WR/G
2015-16 -- Chazz Surratt, East Lincoln (Denver, N.C.) 6-4 QB/G
2014-15 -- Joe Burrow, Athens (Ohio) 6-4 QB/F
2013-14 -- Patrick Mahomes, Whitehouse (Texas) 6-3 QB/F
2012-13 -- Cornelius Elder, Ensworth (Nashville, Tenn.) 5-10 RB/G
2011-12 -- Dorial Green-Beckham, Hillcrest (Springfield, Mo.) 6-6 WR/F
2010-11 -- Jacoby Brissett, Dwyer (Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.) 6-2 QB/G
2009-10 -- Jackson Jeffcoat, Plano West (Plano, Texas) 6-3 DE/F
2008-09 -- Marlon Brown, Harding Academy (Memphis, Tenn.) 6-5 WR/F
2007-08 -- Terrelle Pryor, Jeannette (Pa.) 6-6 QB/F
2006-07 -- Tray Allen, South Grand Prairie (Grand Prairie, Texas) 6-4 OL/F
2005-06 -- Percy Harvin, Landstown (Virginia Beach, Va.) 6-1 WR/G
2004-05 -- Greg Paulus, Christian Brother’s Academy (Syracuse, N.Y.) 6-2 QB/G
2003-04 -- Dwayne Jarrett, New Brunswick (N.J.) 6-5 WR/F
2002-03 -- Matt Bush, Male (Louisville, Ky.) 6-3 QB/G
2001-02 -- Matt Trannon, Northern (Flint, Mich.) 6-7 WR/F
2000-01 -- Marcus Spears, Southern Lab (Baton Rouge, La.) 6-5 TE/F
1999-00 -- Dominique Sims, De La Salle (Minneapolis) 6-2 QB/G
1998-99 -- Derek Smith, Highlands (Fort Thomas, Ky.) 6-4 TE/F
1997-98 -- Ronald Curry, Hampton (Va.) 6-2 QB/G
1996-97 -- LaVarr Arrington, North Hills (Pittsburgh) 6-4 LB/F
1995-96 -- Tim Couch, Leslie County (Hyden, Ky.) 6-5 QB/F
1994-95 -- Randy Moss, DuPont (Belle, W.Va.) 6-4 WR/F
1993-94 -- Tony Gonzalez, Huntington Beach (Calif.) 6-4 TE/F
1992-93 -- Allen Iverson, Bethel (Hampton, Va.) 6-0 QB/G (Jr.)
1991-92 -- Steve Taneyhill, Altoona (Pa.) 6-3 QB/G
1990-91 -- Marvin Harrison, Roman Catholic (Philadelphia) 6-0 WR/G
1989-90 -- Lawrence Moten, Archbishop Carroll (Washington, D.C.) 6-4 TE/G
1988-89 -- Terry Kirby, Tabb (Va.) 6-2 RB/G
1987-88 -- Carl Pickens, Murphy (N.C.) 6-3 WR/F
1986-87 -- Greg Skrepenak, G.A.R. (Wilkes-Barre, Pa.) 6-8 OL/C
1985-86 -- Ed McCaffrey, Central Catholic (Allentown, Pa.) 6-5 TE/F
1984-85 -- Andre Rison, Northwestern (Flint, Mich.) 6-0 DB/G
1983-84 -- Chris Carter, Middletown (Ohio) 6-2 WR/G
1982-83 -- John Paye, Menlo (Atherton, Calif.) 6-3 QB/G
1981-82 -- Paul Jokisch, Brother Rice (Birmingham, Mich.) 6-7 WR/F
1980-81 -- Mark Rypien, Shadle Park (Spokane, Wash) 6-4 QB/G
1979-80 -- Reginald White, Howard (Chattanooga, Tenn.) 6-6 DL/C
1978-79 -- Tony Hunter, Moeller (Cincinnati) 6-5 TE/F
1977-78 -- Ken McAlister, Oakland (Calif.) 6-5 LB/F
1976-77 -- Danny Ainge, North Eugene (Eugene, Ore.) 6-4 WR/G
1975-76 -- Butch Carter, Middletown (Ohio) 6-5 WR/G
1974-75 -- Tony Nathan, Woodlawn (Birmingham, Ala.) 6-2 ATH/G
1973-74 -- Stan Rome, Valdosta (Ga.) 6-5 WR/F
1972-73 -- Lester Hayes, Wheatley (Houston) 6-1 LB/G
1971-72 -- Quinn Buckner, Thornridge (Dolton, Ill.) 6-2 DB/G
1970-71 -- Charles Cleveland, Bibb County (Centerville, Ala.) 6-5 WR/F
1969-70 -- Joel Parker, Clearwater (Fla.), 6-5 WR/F
1968-69 -- George McGinnis, Washington (Indianapolis) 6-7 TE/F
1967-68 -- George McGinnis, Washington (Indianapolis) 6-7 TE/F (Jr.)
1966-67 -- Dan Fife, Clarkston (Mich.) 6-2 ATH/G
1965-66 -- Jim Mandich, Solon (Ohio) 6-2 TE/F
1964-65 -- Norm Van Lier, Lincoln (Midland, Pa.) 6-0 QB/G
1963-64 -- Ken Stabler, Foley (Ala.) 6-3 QB/F
1962-63 -- Randy Mahaffey, LaGrane (Ga.) 6-6 DE/F
1961-62 -- Myron Erickson, Orland (Calif.) 6-5 WR/C
1960-61 -- Lance Rentzel, Casady (Oklahoma City, Okla.) 6-2 RB/G
1959-60 -- Archie Roberts, Holyoke (Mass.) 6-0 QB/G
1958-59 -- Terry Baker, Jefferson (Portland, Ore.) 6-2 QB/G
1957-58 -- John Havlicek, Bridgeport (Ohio) 6-5 QB/F
1956-57 -- Glynn Gregory, Abilene (Texas) 6-2 RB/G
1955-56 -- George Greathouse, Phoenix Union (Phoenix, Ariz.) 5-9 RB/G
1954-55 -- Randy Duncan, Roosevelt (Des Moines, Iowa) 6-0 QB/G

Ronnie Flores is the national Grassroots editor of www.ebooksnet.com. He can be reached at?[email protected]. Don't forget to follow him on Twitter:?@RonMFlores

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The 168-team Boys Cali Live '24 June Scholastic Live Period event in Roseville, Calif. concluded on Sunday with first place pool finishers playing another first place finisher in a de-facto championship game. There were 42 pools in all and many standouts across the board. There were tons of players to evaluate, and Cali Live '24 helped many in their recruitment during a scholastic setting. Most of all, it gave every player a chance, a fairly equal opportunity to be seen, and that's what the two June live period weekends designed for high school teams are all about. In this report, we'll talk a look at the overall themes of the event.

1. Being A Keen Evaluator Has Never Been More Important
While it's true college coaches don't concentrate on high school underclassmen as much as they once did and juniors don't commit at a high rate, it's also true the evaluations of them are more important than ever. Even if coaches at a certain level know they are not going to successfully recruit a particular player, they have the knowledge a healthy percentage of recruits will eventually end up in the NCAA Transfer Portal. The portal has quickly become its own cottage industry. The key is projecting those transfers portaling up to a higher level or portaling down to the level they should have been recruited at in the first place. The recruiter that knows this will position himself accordingly and foster relationships with players he already knows he won't have on his roster as a freshman. Evaluating a player for what level he'll be recruited is many respects is not as important as what level he'll eventually play at down the line.

2. Being Realistic Has Never Been More Important
We've stressed on this website over the years how important it is for players and parents to have realistic recruiting goals. In a nutshell, players need to get advice from an experienced person who won't benefit if they make it to the NBA or a big-time college and from another veteran observer who won't be hurt emotionally or financially if they don't. (Read that again.). There are many players who play at a level that would have earned them a cinch D1 scholarship 10 years ago that are no longer getting those looks. Those same level of players have to put their ego aside and realize a D2 scholarship is their realistic level and not shun non-D1 colleges. It's all about getting in the system with some legitimate stats and game film (i.e. Synergy). That is the name of the game and a huge part of the recruiting process. Many recruits used to go to the highest level possible, but since the advent of NIL three years ago this July and officially paying college players on the horizon, that is not a financially sound move. It's much more financially advantageous to put up numbers at a lower level and portal up to a school that realizes you can play at a high level. An all-conference level player can potentially earn life-changing money in the current NIL climate.

3. Arizona Hasn't Cooled Down Since COVID-19
It's no secret because of various COVID-19 restrictions along political lines, the state of Arizona has been a hotbed for talent since the outbreak of the pandemic over four years ago. Based on what we saw at Cali Live '24 and Section 7 the week prior, there is no signs of that slowing down. There is no question the Arizona teams part of its state association (AIA) helped make Cali Live '24 a better recruiting atmosphere for college coaches. And with players such as 2027 center Darrius Wabbington of Sunnyslope (Phoenix, Ariz.) and 2028 guard Aiden Diggs of Williams Field (Gilbert, Ariz.) in the fold for the next few years, having Arizona teams as part of the June Scholastic Live Period will be beneficial for any live period event. This doesn't even include all the talent and high major size found at various academy-type programs across the Valley of the Sun. This talent surge has been part of a process that started because of its warm weather and the price of housing in other areas of the region such as Los Angeles and the San Francisco Bay Area. There is simply more talent to choose from and college coaches spend more than in the Phoenix metro than ever before.

4. Nothing Beats One-Stop Shopping
Part of the reason for the advent of the June scholastic Live Period was to get high school coaches involved in the recruiting and evaluation process. That is happening and almost all scouts and college coaches are in agreement the scholastic-based evaluation is a key part of the recruiting process. Some felt an actual high school setting with be beneficial to the process, but June evaluation is not a high school playoff game atmosphere. There are no cheerleaders and in some respects the score doesn't matter. It's about getting a good evaluation and venues such as the 12-court Roebbelen Center used for Cali Live '24 is the way to go in the future. College Coaches want to evaluate as many good teams and players as possible without having to get in their car to drive to another gym. Having the best teams' starting times staggered over the course of the day also helps.

5. Nobody Knows The Future
We know Cali Live '25 will be back down in Southern California and it will reportedly be at the Ladera Sports Center in Orange County. Beyond that, however, no one knows what the long-future holds in terms of the NCAA recruiting calendar. We know the NCAA is due to pay out 2.7 billion to former collegiate athletes (which most of the money going to Power 5 football players) if a federal judge approves the terms of the House vs. NCAA antitrust case. If that settlement is not agreed to, the NCAA will have a long road in terms of legal bills and potentially paying out more than 2.7 billion should the case go to trial. The back damages are related to name, image and likeness (NIL) restrictions and we figured the settlement would catch the eyes of older players who feel their basic rights have been violated, too. Sure enough, on June 10, 10 members of the 1983 N.C. State men's basketball NCAA championship team sued the NCAA and the Collegiate Licensing Company for unauthorized NIL use over many years and more recently, members of the 2008 Kansas title team and 16 athletes total joined in a lawsuit on similar grounds. Where does this leave the NCAA? Well, if it has to pay out damages to the N.C. State and Kansas team and other older former NCAA athletes, who knows if the organization will exist its current form five years from now. The whole recruiting industry could look different, but rest assured the recruiting services and major recruiting networks will still function. How the scholastic period and NCAA recruiting calendar looks in five years is difficult to prepare for based on these lawsuits.

Ronnie Flores is the national Grassroots editor of www.ebooksnet.com. He can be reached at?[email protected]. Don't forget to follow him on Twitter:?@RonMFlores

The post Cali Live '24: What We Learned appeared first on www.ebooksnet.com.

The Section 7 Team Camp is a staple on the NCAA's June Scholastic Live Period calendar and sets the bar for how June live period events should be executed. When it comes to setting the bar for individual play, Cameron Boozer of Columbus (Miami, Fla.) set the bar extremely high in 2023 when he put on a virtuoso performance in leading his team to a major division title at the event and further cementing his status as one of the most productive high school players to come down the pike in recent memory.

The 2024 edition of the must stop June event for college coaches, national scouts and high school teams in the West Region was a more wide open affair without a dominant top five type player leading a prohibitive favorite. With 160 teams from 12 states and well over 500 prospects who could garner some NCAA or NAIA interest at State Farm Stadium for the event put on by the Arizona Basketball Coaches Association, somebody was bound to step up and lead his team and help his recruiting stock in the process.

The player who foot the bill in those areas was 6-foot-7 2025 (rising senior) Kingston Tosi of Millennium (Goodyear, Ariz.), who turned in a spectacular performance in leading the Tigers to a 69-58 victory over Archbishop Riordan (San Francisco, Calif.) in the title game of the Legacy Foundation Bracket. Tosi, who helped the Tigers reach the 2024 Arizona Interscholastic Association (AIA) open division title game, netted 31 points on 12-of-15 shooting from the field against a talented Riordan team. The talented scoring wing who excels with a variety of mid-range shots in Millennium's offense, had 19 points at halftime as the Tigers held a 42-31 lead.

Riordan cut its deficit to six points (56-50) when Tosi went to the bench with foul trouble, but Millennium quickly re-gained its form when he re-entered the game. Riordan, which defeated Redondo Union (Redondo Beach, Calif.) in its semifinal contest, 69-57, and defeated Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth, Calif.), 68-52, earlier in its Saturday quarterfinal game, started hunting jump shots down the stretch to get back in the game and they didn't fall, as Millennium maintained their lead.

Jasir Rencher, a 6-foot-6 2025 wing with a mature game who helped his stock immensely at this event, led three Riordan players in double figures with 16 points. Riordan finished the game 1-of-15 from 3-point range, while Millennium went through its offense and got its main players good looks from the field.

"We work on our offense alot and work to get each other open," said Tosi, who averaged 26.8 ppg and was credited with 12 blocks in four Section 7 games. Not only did Tosi average 26.8 ppg, he might have been the most efficient offensive player in the event in terms of taking quality shots.

"With shooters like Cam (Holmes) and Quincy (Everson), it opens up looks for me and with the guys giving me confidence, it feels like no one can guard me. We'll see if my phone blows up (with schools calling me.)"

Tosi definitely will see an uptick in his recruitment after his Section 7 performance and for his teammate Cameron Holmes, the 6-foot-6 2026 (rising junior) who was an underclass All-American for a 25-6 club in 2023-24, this event solidified his status as one of the best 2026 wing prospects in the national junior class. He finished the title game with 22 points, including 2-of-3 3-pointers, and shined in high profile matchups earlier in the event.

Holmes finished with 28 points, 10 rebounds and five assists in a 75-65 quarterfinal victory over Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.) and its highly-regarded 2026 wing Brannon Martinsen. In the semifinals, the Tigers downed Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas, Nev.), a program that won major Section 7 division titles in both 2019 and 2022, 83-57, as Tosi made 7-of-12 field goals and 8-of-10 free throws en route to 23 points. Holmes and 6-foot-1 2025 Quincy Everson, finished with 18 and 15 points, respectively. Tosi got Millennium's successful weekend off on the right foot on Friday when he made 15-of-21 shots from the field in a 38-point performance, as the Tigers downed St. Joseph (Santa Maria, Calif.), 84-79, in their first round matchup. Holmes finished with 18 points, eight rebounds, four assists, four blocks and four steals in his showdown with probable 2025 McDonald's All-American Tounde Yessoufou

With its 4-0 mark, Millennium became the first AIA club to capture a Section 7 championship in one of the two major divisions. Before this year, those divisions have been dominated by Bishop Gorman and Southern Section powers from the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF).

Millennium being the first AIA program to be in the Section 7 spotlight is a fact Holmes did not sell short.

"Oh my God, to go 4-0 it means alot," said Holmes. "It means alot to have Section 7 here in this stadium, with all the college coaches and everything that is going on."

Millennium was not the only school to break through and earn a major Section 7 title. Owyhee (Meridian, Idaho) used terrific teamwork and outside shooting to capture the Legacy Foundation Bracket with a 83-64 victory over Oak Ridge (Orlando, Fla.). The visitors from Florida were the same program that lost to Columbus (Miami, Fla.) in the 2024 FHSAA Class 7A state title game and were impressive in making it to Sunday's title game versus a school that has only been open for four years.

The talent-laden Oak Ridge club carried only seven players, but impressed in its 75-71 semifinal victory over Harvard-Westlake (North Hollywood, Calif.), the defending CIF open champs and a team that lost to Columbus in the 2023 Section 7 top division title game. Perhaps the Pioneers were a bit weary playing their fourth game in three days with a limited bench, but Owyhee being a veteran, cohesive and talent-laden cub in its own right was probably the biggest factor in the outcome.

The Legacy Foundation title tilt went back-and-fourth early and the team from Southwest Idaho that has been around a shorter period of time that Section 7 itself took a 38-33 halftime lead. Eventually, its crisp passing that led to open 3-pointers and bullish shots around the paint from 6-foot-7 2025 power forward Jackson Rasmussen led to Owyhee taking control of the game in the second half.

Owyhee took a 44-33 lead on a conventional 3-point play by the Idaho-bound Rasmussen and never looked back from there. Rasmussen, who covers ground with the ball, has good defensive instincts and broad shoulders and can finish over both of them, had more than one conventional 3-point play and Owyhee was able to get to the spots around the key that is usually the prime real estate for success. Rasmussen finished with 24 points, six rebounds, three assists, two blocks and two steals for the Storm.

While Rasmussen already has made a verbal commit to Idaho and is a terrific pick-up for the Vandals, Owyhee coach Andy Herrington is a bit perplexed (to put it mildly) 6-foot-3 2025 combo guard Boden Howell is not receiving more college interest. Herrington coins Howell a legitimate D1 basketball player and based on his performance in Arizona we whole-heartedly agree. He reports an offer from Portland, but his recruitment should pick up tremendously after Section 7 weekend.

Howell, whose confidence permeates in all his movements on the floor and excels on corner 3-pointers and pull-ups, finished with 21 points, including 3-of-7 from 3-point range, and chipped in three assists versus Oak Ridge. Owyhee also got a big game from Logan Haustveit, a 5-foot-10 2026 guard who also excels on the gridiron. Haustveit, a terrific southpaw shooter, netted 18 points, including 4-of-9 3-pointers.

As a team, Owyhee made 11-of-27 from 3-point range, while Oak Ridge only connected on 2-of-11. This was Owyhee's fourth trip to Section 7 and to get the opportunity to win a championship in a top division was meaningful for its players and program. Incredibly, Owyhee traveled to Arizona for the first time for the event before the school even opened in the fall of 2021.

"We play terrific team defense," Howell said. "We definitely came here to let people know Owyhee can play some basketball and to prove we can play with anybody."

Oak Ridge was led by Providence-bound 6-foot-5 win Jamier Jones with 19 points. Speaking of Grid-Hoopers, C.J. Ingram, a 6-foot-5 2025 specimen who plays quarterback and will likely play another skill position at any college of his choice, might be the nation's best. He showed at the recent Pangos All-American Camp and at Section 7 he could be a major contributor at a P5 school in hoops if he chose to. He was the most explosive athlete around the rim at this event, even hurdling an opponent for a dunk in its 60-55 quarterfinal win over Damien (La Verne, Calif.). Ingram, who led Hawthorne (Fla.) to state titles in both sports as a junior, finished with 13 points and eight rebounds for Oak Ridge.

Ingram had 12 points, five rebound and three steals versus Damien, while contributing 13 points, six rebounds and three assists in the semifinal win over Harvard-Westlake. Jones and 6-foot 2025 guard Jalen Reece, the son of Oak Ridge head coach Steve Reece, each scored 18 points against Harvard-Westlake.

Owyhee defeated Salesian (Richmond, Calif.), 58-48, in its semifinal contest as Howell led the way with 26 points. That result set up a third place game in the Legacy Foundation bracket that was a rematch of the 2024 CIF open division state title game in California. Some of the cast of characters were different, but it was still a meaningful "rematch". Havard-Westlake had a 57-51 lead late, but Salesian's Isaiah Davis, a 5-foot-10 2026 point guard, hit a clutch 3-pointer to tie the game with 10 seconds remaining. Harvard-Westlake's Dominique Bentho, a 6-foot-8 2026 forward known for his work around the basket, then banked in a 14-footer from straightaway just before the buzzer sounded to give the Wolverines a 61-59 victory.

In other Section 7 title games, St. Piux-St. Matthias (Downey, Calif.) defeated Mojave (North Las Vegas, Nev.), 83-74, in the Coco 5 Bracket. In the AZ Family Bracket, St. Anthony (Long Beach, Calif.) downed Clovis North (Clovis, Calif.), 53-51, as 6-foot 2026 guard Jayshawn Kibble nailed a 16-footer from the right wing right before time expired. In the Willeng Construction Bracket, Rolling Hills Prep (San Pedro, Calif.) defeated Campbell Hall (North Hollywood, Calif.), 67-50. In the Mayo Clinic Bracket, Crespi (Encino, Calif.) defeated Canyon (Anaheim, Calif.), 65-56.

Ronnie Flores is the national Grassroots editor of www.ebooksnet.com. He can be reached at?[email protected]. Don't forget to follow him on Twitter:?@RonMFlores

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The purpose of the NBPA Top 100 Camp is to help in the development of the world's elite high school-aged basketball players and give them a taste of what it is like to play in the NBA. The NBA is an exclusive group (there has been less than 5,000 NBA players all-time since the league's inception) and this exclusive camp, held annual at the Disney Wide World of Sports Complex in Orlando, Fla., has featured some of the biggest names in basketball over the past 30 years, from the likes of Kevin Durant, Anthony Edwards, Jaylen Brunson, Kyrie Irving and James Harden, plus a plethora of other future pros.

There is no doubt plenty from the 2024 crop of 110 campers will one day play in the NBA, but for now it was all about competing, learning and getting better, not to mention performing well in front of scouting representatives of every NBA team and hundreds of college coaches.

There was roughly 11 players on each of the camp's 10 teams coached by current or just retired NBA players going through a coaching mentorship program put on by the NBPA. The four-day camp was also one of attrition, as the participants play NBA regulation length games with NBA rules and on the last two days of the camp, each team played three games in a seven-hour period.

When the dust settled, the Houston Rockets team used balance and teamwork to post a 9-0 record, the last one a 120-119 championship game victory over a New York Knicks team that came into the contest 6-2. It was actually the Rockets' second victory over the Knicks, as they beat that team to start off the camp's final day, 106-101, in a competitive game. Even though the Rockets were no stranger to the attrition themselves, they did a good job of taking quality shots, hitting their free throws in seven of nine games, and making timely 3-pointers, particularly by 6-foot-5 2025 (rising senior) point guard Brayden Burries of Roosevelt (Eastvale, Calif.) and 6-foot-8 2025 wing Shon Abaev of Calvary Christian Academy (Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.).

The Rockets played the first contest versus the Knicks without Burries, who was arguably the top guard in attendance with his strong frame, powerful drives, timely passing, clutch shot-making and presence. Rockets coach Terrance Mann of the L.A. Clippers had others step up in his absence, as five players scored in double figures with two more on the 10-man roster going for nine points. Mike Williams, a 6-foot-1 2025 guard from Jackson Academy (Miss.) and the son of former NBA guard and Jackson State coach Mo Williams, particularly stepped up with 16 points, including 2-of-5 3-pointers and 6-of-6 free throws, to go along with six rebounds and four assists. Williams' rebounding from the guard position, his instincts on defense and change of pace on offense was a huge lift for Mann all week at camp.

Seven-foot-1 2025 center Malachi Moreno of Great Crossing (Georgetown, Ky.) matched up with all-star selection, 7-foot 2025 Eric Reibe of Bullis School (Washington, D.C.), and came up with a double-double of 16 points and 12 rebounds. The left-handed Reibe was the most effective player on the court with 25 points, including 3-of-6 3-pointers, and added six rebounds and two assists. Reibe has a terrific feel and plays a style similar to former Kansas great Raef LaFrentz but with more shooting range and more ground covering. Six-foot-8, 250-pound 2025 Zymicah Wilkins of Christ School (Arden, N.C.) had a great impact in both games versus the Rockets with his power game, motor and relentlessness in crunch time. Wilkins finished the first contest with 17 points.

Burries returned for the eighth game, one in which Houston jumped out to a 29-10 lead over the Indian Pacers and never looked back in a 106-96 victory. He finished with 17 points, five rebounds and five assists. Moreno led seven in double figures with 19 points and eight rebounds. The center made all five of his free throws, but the rest of the Rockets were 8-of-18 in that second to last game.

After shooting so well from the charity stripe in its first seven games, that performance was an omen for the final game, as weary free throw legs and the never-say-die attitude of the Knicks kept them in the championship contest in the second half after trialing by as many as 19 points early. The Rockets were without Elijah Williams, a 6-foot-6 2026 (rising junior) wing out of Brother Rice (Bloomfield Hills, Mich.) and the son of Detroit Pistons head coach Monty Williams, for the final two games and without Mike Williams in the championship rematch, but gutted out the one-point victory after building a 64-50 halftime lead by coming up with a defensive stop after Burries missed a free throw (worth two points) with under five seconds remaining in the game.

Reibe hurt the Rockets, in the first contest, but was neutralized more in the rematch, finishing with 14 points and five rebounds while not attempting a shot from 3-point range. Moreno matched him with 11 points and 10 rebounds, as he finished the camp with three triple doubles while missing another by just one rebound. Moreno is a team-oriented player with a great pace and understanding of the game and once he gets into his offensive move and makes his decisions on the block quicker, he's going to be an excellent college player. While Reibe was kept in check, the Rockets simply had no answer for Wilkins in the rematch, as he kept his team in it with relentless offensive rebounding, tough shot making on the move and even hit a key 3-pointer while the Knicks were making their second half run. He finished with 29 points and 14 rebounds and impressed college coaches and the NBPA Top 100 selection committee with his inspired play.

Burries finished the title game with 24 points, including 4-of-6 3-pointers, despite missing six of 10 free throws. As a team, the fatigued Rockets made 14-of-32 free throws, but dug deep to make 10-of-20 3-pointers. The leading scorer for the victors was 6-foot-1 2025 point guard Acaden Lewis of Sidwell Friends (Washington, D.C.), who made 4-of-7 3-pointers and finished the title game with 25 points, five rebounds and eight assists. Lewis impressed college coaches with his crafty offensive package, ability to finish in either direction and dominate in the half court, particularly in pick-n-roll sets. The Rockets don't go unbeaten without Lewis' efforts, particularly his 26-point effort in a 117-112 win over a L.A. Lakers team that might have been the camp's second most talented one. He made 4-of-9 3-pointers in that contest and was dominant enough to over the final two days to be selected to the camp's 10-man all-star team.

It's hard to envision the Rockets going unbeaten without the contributions of 6-foot-9 power 2025 forward Sebastian Williams-Adams of St. John's (Houston, Texas) as well. In the win over the L.A. Lakers, he had an incredible 11 offensive rebounds in a 18-point, 12-rebound performance and sealed the win a pass interception and close-out dunk. Twice he came up with a defensive play, steal and dunk to seal a win for his team and joined Burries and Lewis as Rockets players on the camp all-star team. Williams-Adams literally didn't take a bad shot all week and had 20 points on 8-of-14 shooting in the championship game win. Williams-Adams is also a complete defender and for the week shot 61-of-94 (.648) from the field in nine camp games.

Jerry Easter II, a 6-foot-4 2025 shooting guard from La Lumiere who was our top rated performer at the recent Pangos All-American Camp, had 12 points, eight rebounds and four assists for the Rockets in the title game. Easter also contributed key defense and steady ball-handling and didn't force it much when the shots weren't dropping. Six-foot-8 2026 forward Sebastian Wilkins also provided quality defense and good finishing around the rim for Mann's team, 6-foot-10 2025 power forward Trent Steinour of Lake Norman (N.C.) showed potential as a rim-runner and flashes of pop around the rim, while 6-foot-9 2026 center Moustapha Diop of the Walker School (Powder Springs, Ga.) is oozing with potential as a shot blocker and long term impact college player with a bit more seasoning.

"It was a great opportunity to be able to coach these guys that are eventually going to be playing against me in a couple years," said Mann. "It was dope to see the high level of competition, and I was amazed by their skill and intelligence. These kids are special and the game is getting better and better."

The camp had talent at all positions, but was dominated by its interior play, as teams made it a point to get its pivots involved in its offensive sets. There was some terrific individual battles, as 46 campers were listed as being 6-foot-8 and taller. When it was completed, 6-foot-10 2025 Chris Cenac of Newman (New Orleans, La.) was named NBPA Top 100 Camp Most Valuable Player. Cenac's combination of fluidity, versatility, size and length made him stand out from a group of highly-regarded campers.

Cenac led the camp in rebounds (11.4) and finished third in blocks (1.6). All-star selection Meleek Thomas of Lincoln Park (Midland, Pa.), the recent Pangos All-American Camp MOP, was third in scoring (22.6) and first in assists (7.3). After winning two state title in Pennsylvania, Thomas recently accounted he'll be spending his senior campaign with Overtime Elite.

The scoring leaders in front of Thomas were 6-foot-5 wing Tounde Yessoufou of St. Joseph (Santa Maria, Calif.) at 23.1 and 6-foot-4 2025 wing Kiyan Anthony of Long Island Lutheran (Glen Head, N.Y.) at 28.5. Anthony is the son of future NBA Hall of Famer Carmelo Anthony.

NBPA Top 100 Camp Top 5 Stock Risers
(selected by editor Ronnie Flores)
Phillip Davis Fogle, AZ Compass Prep (Chandler, Ariz.) 6-8 SF 2025
Acaden Lewis, Sidwell Friends (Washington, D.C.) 6-1 PG 2025
Deron Rippey Jr., Blair Academy (Blairstown, N.J.) 6-1 PG 2026
Zymicah Wilkins, Christ School (Arden, N.C.) 6-8 PF 2025
Mike Williams, Jackson Academy (Jackson, Miss.) 6-1 CG 2025

NBPA Top 100 Top 5 Rising Juniors
(selected by editor Ronnie Flores)
Tajh Ariza, Westchester (Los Angeles, Calif.) 6-8 SF 2026
Aliou Dioum, Accelerated Schools (Denver, Col.) 6-10 C 2026
Caleb Holt, Buckhorn (New Market, Ala.) 6-4 PG 2026
Jordan Smith, Paul VI (Chantilly, Va.) 6-3 SG 2026
Qayden Samuels, Bishop McNamara (Forestville, Md.) 6-6 SF 2026

2024 NBPA Top 100 Camp All-Star Team
(selected by camp selection committee)
MVP: Chris Cenac, Newman (New Orleans, La.) 6-10 PF 2025
Darius Adams, La Lumiere (La Porte, Ind.) 6-4 SG 2025
Kiyan Anthony, Long Island Lutheran (Glen Head, N.Y.) 6-4 SG 2025
Brayden Burries, Roosevelt (Eastvale, Calif.) 6-5 PG 2025
Oswin Erhunmwunse, Putnam Science Academy (Putnam, Conn.) 6-10 C 2025
Acaden Lewis, Sidwell Friends (Washington, D.C.) 6-1 PG 2025
Eric Reibe, Bullis School (Washington, D.C.) 7-0 C 2025
Qayden Samuels, Bishop McNamara (Forestville, Md.) 6-6 SF 2026
Meleek Thomas, Lincoln Park (Midland, Pa.) 6-4 SG 2025*
Sebastian Williams-Adams, St. John's (Houston, Texas) 6-9 PF 2025
Tounde Yessoufou, St. Joseph (Santa Maria, Calif.) 6-5 SG 2025

*Meleek Thomas recently announced he will play at Overtime Elite in Atlanta for his senior season.

Editor's Note: Ronnie Flores is a member of the NBPA Top 100 Player Selection Committee.

Ronnie Flores is the national Grassroots editor of www.ebooksnet.com. He can be reached at?[email protected]. Don't forget to follow him on Twitter:?@RonMFlores

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Many times in an individual showcase camp for elite talent, the play can be less than inspiring or sloppier than talent scouts or NBA personnel would hope to see. But the 2024 edition of the Pangos All-American Camp certainly didn't have that problem. The games were well-played, and most importantly, were ultra competitive from the first ones on Sunday through the final top all-star game on Tuesday afternoon.

For the first time in the event's history, there was a team championship game prior to the Cream of the Crop All-Star Games to reward winning basketball. Illinois representing the Big 10 Conference and took on Notre Dame representing the Atlantic Coast Conference both went 3-0 during regular camp games to qualify for the championship. ?The Illini then came up with a 86-73 come-from-behind-victory to finish 4-0.

Leading the way for the camp's best team with his steady play was 6-foot-3 2025 guard Jerry Easter of La Lumiere (La Porte, Ind.) with 15 points, five rebounds and five assists. Also netting 15 points for his team was 6-foot-5 2025 Jermaine O'Neal Jr. of Dynamic Prep (Dallas, Texas). Turning heads with his play on the interior was 6-foot-10 2025 Badara Diakite of South Kent Prep (Conn.). He finished with 10 points and six rebounds.

Notre Dame held a 43-41 lead at halftime but couldn't sustain it, as Illinois out-rebounded the Irish (39-37)and were credited with more assists (20-15). Joshua Lewis, a 6-foot-7 2025 forward from Blake (Tampa, Fla.) chosen for the Cream of the Crop Top 60 Game, led Notre Dame with 20 points. It should also be noted that when Brayden Burries, the 6-foot-5 2025 from Roosevelt (Eastvale, Calif.) and Notre Dame's top overall player, was out of the game, his team consistently gave up leads. Burries was the unifying force with his unselfish passing and overpowering finishes and rebounding. Burries' plus/minus likely was off the charts throughout the camp and he showed why he could successfully play on or off the ball at the next level.

Burries was arguably the best all-around player at the camp, with the only difference between he and Easter was the latter's efficiency from the field. Easter was credited as shooting 7-of-8 from the field in the championship game (plus his team got the win), while Burries was 4-of-10. In the Cream of the Crop Top 30 All-Star Game designed for the camp's top performers among 110 participants from 31 different states, Easter was 6-of-7 from the field (good for 15 points), while Burries was 2-of-7 (good for 10 points). Easter was just super efficient all weekend long with his controlled game, change of pace and high percentage shot attempts. He let the game come to him and has that knack for keeping defenders just a bit left or right when he attacks or on his release point. Easter has been a well known commodity on the circuit since middle school, but feels playing in a balanced attack at La Lumiere in the scholastic setting durning his junior season helped him coming into Pangos Camp.

"I came in with the mindset to go out, play and compete," Love said. "It definitely helped me get better to play with guys like Chuck Love and Jalen Haralson and in six months (playing EYBL Scholastic) I got alot better. I just love the game and I just want to have fun and at the same time be a leader."

Love and Burries actually played on the same team in the Cream of the Crop Top 30 game and their Red-clad team came out on top over the Blue jersey-wearing unit, 114-106, in a competitive game. The Blue team actually led by 12 points in the first half and at halftime, 56-50. The game was tied 90-90 with six minutes remaining before the Red team took control behind some nifty passes from Burries, some steady play-making from Easter and a big 3-pointer down the stretch from the team's leading scorer, 6-foot-5 2025 wing Tounde Yessoufou of St. Joseph (Santa Maria, Calif.). Yessoufou was pulling the trigger on his open looks all camp long and finished the final game with 20 points. Yessoufou made 3-of-7 three-pointers and all of his five free throws, including two clutch ones in the game's waning moments.

Seven-foot center Xavion Staton of Sierra Vista (Las Vegas, Nev.) continued his defensive dominance and helped the Red team to victory with five blocked shots. Also playing well was Kayden Edwards, a 6-foot-2 2025 southpaw guard from Duncanville (Texas) who made 4-of-7 three-pointers and had 12 points, and Dylan Mingo, a 6-foot-5 2026 point guard from Long Island Lutheran (Glen Head, N.Y.), who finished with 10 points. Also making positive final impression were O'Neal Jr. and steady Devin Brown, a 6-foot-7 2025 from Milwaukee Academy of Science (Wis.).

The Blue team built its first half lead behind the hot shooting of 6-foot-6 2026 shooting guard Jacob Lanier of Maumelle (Ark.). Lanier played within himself throughout the event and didn't force much, and in the all-star game when he was open on the outside, he let it fly. Lanier made all six of his 3-point attempts and finished with 20 points. He definitely showed why he should be near the top of any credible 2026 national rankings.

Meleek Thomas, a 6-foot-5 2025 guard from Lincoln Park (Midland, Pa.), was the Blue Team's leading scorer with 22 points. After arriving from Western Pennsylvania on Monday, Thomas put his stamp on each game he played and evaluated the level of competition and competitiveness in the camp with his energy and presence. Thomas came into the event with the mindset to dominate, and outside of a few rushed shots, did just that. He was rewarded for his efforts by being named 2024 Pangos Camp Most Outstanding Player.

"I came in wanting to be vocal and be a leader," said Thomas, who has already been an All-American Elite team selection twice in his Lincoln Park career with a season to go. "Coming from a winning high school program plays a part, but it's also about me individually wanting to win at every event I play in and be the best."

The one player we were most vocal about deserving a Top 30 roster spot was 6-foot-7 2025 Chuck Love III, Easter's teammate at La Lumiere. He went out and proved his worth as the top performer in the Top 60 game. Love made a variety of mid-range pull-ups and deep shots to finish with a game-high 25 points in his Blue Team's 103-99 victory

Point guard Jalen Reese, a 6-foot 2025 from Oak Ridge (Orlando, Fla.) also played well for the winning Blue team. Another standout was 6-foot-6 2026 Herly Brutus of Umatilla (Fla.).

For the Red Team, both Kelvin Odih, a 6-foot-5 2025 from South Kent Prep (Conn.), and Amari Allen, a 6-foot-7 2025 from IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.), stood out. Both finished with 12 points.

We always like to point out a few top performers who were not chosen for either all-star game. The best of a deep lot this year were arguably one big and one wing. The big was 6-foot-10 2025 Jayden Everett of Chapin (El Paso, Texas) and the wing was 6-foot-6 2025 Jaden Vance of Bella Vista Prep (Scottsdale, Ariz.).

Pangos Camp All-Time MOPs

2024: Meleek Thomas, Lincoln Park (Midland, Pa.) 6-4 SG
2023: (co): Flory Bidunga, Kokomo (Ind.) 6-9 PF
2023: (co): Cameron Scott, Lexington (S.C.) 6-6 SF
2022: Xavier Booker, Cathedral (Indianapolis, Ind.) 6-11 PF
2021: Jalen Duren, Montverde Academy (Montverde, Fla.) 6-10 C
2020: Jabari Smith, Sandy Creek (Tyrone, Ga.) 6-10 PF (Festival)
2019 (co): Cade Cunningham, Montverde Academy (Montverde, Fla.) 6-7 G
2019 (co): Evan Mobley, Rancho Christian (Temecula, Calif.) 7-0 C
2018: Charles Bassey, Aspire Academy (Louisville, Ky.) 6-10 C
2017 (co): Cole Anthony, Archbishop Malloy (Queens, N.Y.) 6-2 PG
2017 (co): Charles Bassey, St. Anthony (San Antonio, Texas) 6-10 C
2016 (co): Trevon Duval, API (Dallas) 6-2 PG
2016 (co): Michael Porter Jr., Father Tolten (Columbia, Mo.) 6-9 SF
2015 (co): Rawle Alkins, Christ the King (Middle Village, N.Y.) 6-5 SG
2015 (co): Mustapha Heron, Sacred Heart (Waterbury, Conn.) 6-5 SG
2014 (tri): Isaiah Briscoe, Roselle Catholic (Roselle, N.J.) 6-3 PG
2014 (tri): Tyler Dorsey, St. John Bosco (Bellflower, Calif.) 6-5 SG
2014 (tri): Stephen Zimmerman, Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas) 7-0 PF
2013: Stanley Johnson, Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.) 6-7 SF
2012: Cliff Alexander, Currie (Chicago) 6-9 PF
2011: Shabazz Muhammad, Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas) 6-6 WF
2010: Myck Kabongo, Findlay Prep (Henderson, Nev.) 6-2 PG
2009: Harrison Barnes, Ames (Ames, Iowa) 6-7 WF
2008: John Wall, Word of God Academy (Raleigh, N.C.) 6-3 PG
2007: Brandon Jennings, Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.) 6-1 PG
2006: James Harden, Artesia (Lakewood, Calif.) 6-5 SG
2005: Davon Jefferson, Lynwood (Calif.) 6-8 WF
2004: CJ Miles, Skyline (Dallas) 6-6 WF
2003: Robert Swift, Bakersfield (Calif.) 7-0 C

Ronnie Flores is the national Grassroots editor of www.ebooksnet.com. He can be reached at?[email protected]. Don't forget to follow him on Twitter:?@RonMFlores

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With the grassroots event calendar getting tighter each summer because of the voluminous number of event across the country and abroad, it would be easy to focus on the elite national level talent who were unable to participate at the 2024 Pangos All-American Camp do to event conflicts or other issues, but what that accomplished from the "half full" perspective was create opportunities for other hungry college-bound players.

The Pangos All-American Camp is designed for national Top 150 prospects, but with the way college recruiting is set up nowadays with the robust NCAA transfer portal, colleges are not focused on high school players outside the Top 50 in credible national rankings, give or take 25 players. Not many of the rising seniors (2025) have committed to college yet where in year's past a handful would already by the time the event that traditionally tips-off summer commences.

Camp Director Dinos Trigonis invited some without the national fanfare but with the talent to take a legitimate shot at being considered a national Top 150 recruit.?

Incredibly, two players, one guard and one big man, came into the camp with zero offers but will leave with plenty of national buzz. And expect the offers to come, too. The guard was 6-foot-2 Darrell Brown Jr., a 2025 prospect out of West Nottingham Academy (Colora, Md.). In the first camp game, Brown's athleticism and explosive drives to the basket turned heads. However, as the game went, it wasn't hard to evaluate that his other skills were up to par too, as Brown is a deft ball-handler and can knock down the perimeter shot enough to keep defenses honest against playing him for the drive. He plays in the mold of former USC and NBA guard Robert Pack?by packing alot of punch around the rim in a small guard's body.

National scouts were a bit shocked to see Brown didn't have an official offer on the table. Which may be a first for a standout Pangos Camp player.

The post player who fell into the same offer category as Darrell Brown was 7-foot rising senior (2025) Tammar Brown of Rocktop Acadey (King of Prussia, Pa.). Now, there can be a variety of reasons why a player doesn't have an offer, especially with big men who develop in the later stages of their high school career. For the soft-spoken Brown, however, it isn't difficult to see he'll be a much improved player two years from now and has a chance to develop into a legit NBA prospect.

Tammar Brown's skill level is quickly catching up to his confidence and in the camp games he showed he can effectively compete with a deep group of camp bigs. He hit some nice turnaround shots and even a fall-away jumper with touch. Tammar Brown also does a good job of asking for the ball in prime post position, runs well and has good length and a frame that gets NBA scouts to take notice.

Expect the offers for both Browns to roll in sooner rather than later.

There were other standouts who did come into the camp with some offers, but should see there list grow. That would include, first and foremost, 6-foot-10 Cody Peck, a rising junior (2026) out of Carmel Christian (Matthews, N.C.). Peck has tremendous versatility in his offensive game, from 3-point shot making capabilities to a nifty package of finger rolls and layups. Peck is light on his feet and is one of the best upside prospects in attendance at a camp with plenty of them.

Some of the other top upside prospects among big men who should see their recruiting grow include 6-foot-10 2025 Jayden Leverett of Chapin (El Paso, Texas), 6-foot-10 Collins Onyejiaka of Newman School (Boston, Mass.) and 7-foot 2026 Keiner Asprilla of Don Bosco Prep (Ramsey, N.J.).

The wings and guards who fall into this category, among others, include 6-foot 2025 Miles Sadler of Canyon International Academy (Phoenix, Ariz.), 6-foot-5 2026 Dylan Mingo of Long Island Lutheran (Glen Head, N.Y.), 6-foot-5 2026 Elias Obenyah of Salesian (Richmond, Calif.), 6-foot-7 2025 Robert Moore of AZ Compass Prep (Chandler, Ariz.), 6-foot-6 2025 Jayden Vance of Bella Vista Prep (Scottsdale, Ariz.) and 6-foot-8 2026 Christian Collins of Westchester (Los Angeles, Calif.).

Trigonis focused on size to fill out the depth of his camp in order to give the 26 NBA teams who had their scouts in attendance something to log in their memory bank down the line. Many of them were no doubt impressed by the activity level and upside of 6-foot-9 2025 Oswin Erhunmwunse of Putnam Science Academy (Conn.) and 7-foot-1 2025 Xavion Staton of Sierra Vista (Las Vegas, Nev.). Erhunmwunse motor is non-stop and he has the most explosive vertical pop of any big man in attendance. Staton is a relentless shot blocker who isn't afraid to challenge shots outside his area and has a bit of a nasty streak to him, to go along with being a valedictorian level student. Staton was getting challenged plenty at the rim and won a majority of the battles.

There is already some anticipation for Erhunmwunse and Staton to square off in Tuesday's Cream of the Crop Top 30 All-Star Game reserved for the camp's top performers.

That game should also include a matchup of arguably the camp's top guards: 2024 All-American Elite Team member Maleek Thomas, a 6-foot-4 dynamo out of Lincoln Park (Midland, Pa.), and 6-foot-5 2025 Brayden Burries of Roosevelt (Eastvale, Calif.). All of the desired matchups for the top all-star game have yet to be determined after two days of camp games, but it's a safe bet those two will be squaring up at some point on the camp's third and final day.

Some of the other "locks" include 6-foot-3 2025 Jerry Easter of La Lumiere (La Porte, Ind.), 6-foot-3 2026 Ikenna Alozie of Dream City Christian (Glendale, Ariz.), 6-foot-6 2025 Tounde Yessoufou of St. Joseph (Santa Maria, Calif.) 6-foot-10 post-graduate Matt Gilhool of Penn Charter (Philadelphia, Pa.) and his high school teammate, 6-foot-1 2025 Jake West.

Ronnie Flores is the national Grassroots editor of www.ebooksnet.com. He can be reached at?[email protected]. Don't forget to follow him on Twitter:?@RonMFlores

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Today, we take a look at five selections over the years we’d love to have back and five we are proud of.

The high school industry has changed plenty over the years. In the 1970s and 1980s, getting your name in the local paper was the IT thing. In the 1980s, USA Today helped mainstream national team rankings and All-American teams, but the national daily newspaper cut its high school editorial department in Dec. 2019. In the 1990s and 2000s, national magazines were all the rage. Getting on a national cover was hot and something many athletes aspired for such as the cover story of Student Sports Magazine. LeBron James and De La Salle (Calif.) football helped high school sports become something worthy of regular national telecasts, but All-American teams have been constant throughout going back to the 1950s.

Most of the ones produced in recent decades have been recruiting-oriented and many we’ve seen even had players on them that barely played half of their team’s game that season. We’re proud of the fact we take some time to research the players and what they actually accomplished and take some local consensus into consideration. We’re not perfect by any means, and today we decided to take a look back at the five best choices we made with our All-American Elite teams we’ve produced over the years, starting in Student Sports Magazine for the 1994-95 season. Those teams have also been published under the title sponsor of EA SPORTS and under the umbrella of ESPN and Ballislife as well.

Here’s a look at 10 defining moments of choosing our annual All-American Elite Teams.

5 All-American Choices We’d Love To Take Back

1. Mike Bibby Over Kobe Bryant For ’96 Mr. Basketball USA
There is no doubt Mike Bibby is the best high school player from Arizona (in terms of his career) and is probably still the state’s only "rock star" player, but he wasn’t a better talent that Kobe Bryant. Mike Bibby was a Student Sports Magazine cover subject and we had a compelling story to go along with the selection. Still, Bryant had a monster senior season after a terrific summer in 1995, when a plan was hatched to send him straight to the NBA. Sometimes, you have to just pick the best player. It should be noted that the Mr. Basketball USA Tracker began for the 2007-08 season and the voting results may have been different had a 10-man panel voted on it, instead of a group of journalists choosing.

2. Kawhi Leonard On ’09 Third Five
Now we’re cheating a bit here because having Kawhi Leonard on any All-American team in 2009 was a good call. It’s a somewhat famous snub that he didn’t play in the 2009 McDonald’s All-American Game. However, taking a deeper look at that team, Leonard should have been somewhere on the second five. The fact he was behind sophomore Michael Gilchrist of St. Patrick (Elizabeth, N.J.) or seniors John Henson of Sickles (Tampa, Fla.) is not awful, but is certainly not great, either. The 2009 Cal-Hi Sports Mr. Basketball out of King (Riverside, Calif.) averaged 22.6 points, 13.1 rebounds, and 3.9 assists per game and led King to its second consecutive CIF Div. I SoCal regional final.

3. Blake Griffin On '07 Third Five
The class of 2007 was star-studded and one of the best of all-time. It certainly wasn’t easy to make All-American that season, but looking back Griffin should have been on second five. He was excellent in the McDonald’s All-American practices and game and it was easy to see he was more explosive and a better player than a few guys with more national notoriety or higher in national player rankings. Was Griffin a better high school player than either second five pick Corey Stokes of St. Benedict's (Newark, N. J.) or Gani Lawal of Norcross (Ga.)? Probably so.

4. Kemba Walker On ’08 Second Five
Willie Warren of North Crowley (Fort Worth, Texas) was a clutch player and state champion in Texas, but it was a close call to put him on first five. Now, we wish we would have went with the two point guard offense on first five with Walker and player of the year Brandon Jennings. At the McDonald's All-American game, Walker didn't take a backseat to any guard, finishing with 13 points, six rebounds and three assists. He didn’t begin playing basketball until 12, but Walker developed into one of the many decorated floor generals to attend now defunct Rice (New York) and went on to an excellent college and NBA career.

5. Jalen Suggs On ’20 Second Five
He moved up from second team All-American (30 players) to the second of four fives (our first team has had a 20-player format since 2004-05). After a career that rivaled any Minnesota player ever, Suggs probably would have been the better first five choice than sophomore Emoni Bates, who had tons of hype that season and was even named Gatorade National Player of the Year. We didn’t think that highly of Bates, but he did have a terrific season, but Suggs was probably better and we should have employed a three guard offense with Mr. Basketball USA Cade Cunningham of Montverde Academy (Fla.) and Jalen Green of Prolific Prep (Napa, Calif.). At the time, Suggs was the highest-rated recruit ever to commit to Gonzaga and was also the nation’s top Grid-Hoop Player who was named the 2019 Minnesota Mr. Football as a signal-caller on the gridiron.

5 All-American Choices We’re Most Proud Of

1. Onyeka Okongwu On Fourth Five As A Junior In ‘18
The Chino Hills (Calif.) big man was terrific as a junior and we’re glad to honor him as a two-time All-American. He really deserved it and it’s still incredible to think he was a major omission from the 2019 McDonald’s All-American Game. He showed how good he was in high school when one year later the two-time California Mr. Basketball was the No. 6 pick in the 2020 NBA Draft.

2. Jalen Brunson On Second Five As A Senior In ’15
There is this narrative the Stevenson (Lincolnshire, Ill.) was overlooked in the NBA Draft or that he’s been “slept on” until joining the New York Knicks, but that narrative is from from the truth. This pick actually can fall in both categories, as we wish we placed him on first five. Brunson was that good for his high school team and on the grassroots circuit. Some just don’t know what they are looking at when evaluating if players don’t have the typical quickness or athleticism that stands out.

3. Draymond Green On Fourth Five As A Senior In ’08
This Saginaw (Mich.) big man wasn’t rated anywhere near the Top 20 on the 2008 class. In fact, he was rated No. 122 in the country by Rivals.com, but we could see he was a talented player and more importantly, a winner. Green led the Trojans to a second straight state Class A championship while posting a 27-1 record. He was named Michigan’s Mr. Basketball for his all-around play.

4. Anthony Davis On First Five As A Senior In ‘11
Well, it wasn’t a big evaluation coupe to have A.D. on first five. After all, he was probably the most talented player in the country after being a virtual unknown as a junior. He completely blew up on the travel ball circuit, but the problem was he didn’t have any momentum from previous seasons, Perspectives Charter (Chicago) was a small school playing against relatively meager competition and the team finished 6-18. The Mr. Basketball USA Tracker knew his talent was too much to ignore, as he appeared on eight of 10 ballots, including three second-place votes. His future Kentucky teammate Michael Gilchrist was the Mr. Basketball USA that season.

5. Jalen Duren On First Five As A Junior In ‘21
Montverde Academy (Fla.) lost four starters off its terrific 2020 team, but was still able to repeat as FAB 50 champs mainly behind the play of the nation’s most physically dominant interior player. He opened up the season as the eighth highest vote-getter in the preseason Mr. Basketball USA Tracker, but ended up third behind Chet Holmgren and Jabari Smith in the final analysis. After being named national junior of the year, he re-classed up a year and left to Memphis.

Ronnie Flores is the national Grassroots editor of www.ebooksnet.com. He can be reached at?[email protected]. Don't forget to follow him on Twitter:?@RonMFlores

The post All-American Elite Team Retrospective appeared first on www.ebooksnet.com.

In Atlanta for session II, we focused much of our time on the younger age groups (16U and 15U), but since the younger groups were playing at a different location in Indy, we focused on the 17U division. We take a look at 10 players (primarily 17U) who are making strides on the court, which should pay off on the recruiting front in the weeks and months to come.

Heading into session IV next weekend (May 24-27) in Kansas City, Florida-based Nightrydas Elite is first place in the Merritt Conference while DMV-based Team Takeover and NorCal-based Oakland Soldiers are tied for first place in the Raveling Conference. All three teams sport 9-1 records.

Let's take a look at 10 players making strides in their game and helping their recruitment based on their play at Nike EYBL Session III in?Indianapolis:

2025

Silas Barksdale, Boo Williams 17U/Woodside (Newport News, Va.) 6-9 PF
This no non-sense performer does his job and doesn't worry a lot about the fanfare of the cameras and it's paying great dividends. Barksdale moves well without the ball in pick and roll situations and has a solid face up game.

C.J. Ingram II, Florida Rebels 17U/Hawthorne (Fla.) 6-5 SF
Grid-Hoop stud was his usual active self and played with an extra pop for the Steve Reece-coached team that is currently tied for second place behind the Nightrydas in the Merritt Division. Ingram attacks the rim with a vengeance and his skill is underrated considering the fact he quarterbacks Hawthorne's football team and spends time away from the game. He led both programs to FHSAA Class 1A state titles and is a key cog for a top-flight travel club program.

Jasper Johnson, Team Thad 17U/Link Academy (Branson, Mo.) 6-4 SG
He's a top 10 national recruit, but Johnson just adds something to his game each time we evaluate him. The smooth lefty was attacking the paint and finishing with soft touch around the basket. There is just plenty to like about his overall ability.?

Brandon Lee, NY Rens 17U/The Patrick School (Elizabeth, N.J.) 6-5 SG
He was terrific in Indianapolis and draws high praise from his travel ball coaches for his character and approach to the game. Lee has a nice pull up mid-range shot, drives hard to the rack and makes energy plays that helps his team win, as well. Lee is also a quality free throw shooter and defender. His offer count will go way up as the EYBL rolls along.?

Nyk Lewis, Team Takeover 17U/Gonzaga (Washington, D.C.) 6-1 PG
He was recently named an Underclass All-American, so it's not like Lewis isn't productive. He's physically prepared for the rigors of high level ball, steady and unflappable and one of the main reasons why Team Takeover is in position to challenge for its fourth Peach Jam title since the EYBL was formed in 2010. Lewis gets into the lane and makes the correct reads and is the type of guard colleges utilizes to make a deep NCAA Tourney run.

Ahziel "JoJo" McIver, Drive Nation 17U/Ellison (Killeen, Texas) 6-2 PG
Terrific mid-major prospect who could push to the next level if he keeps showing like he did in Indy. McIver has a nice perimeter game and does well beating defenders to the inside from either wing. McIver also has quick hands on defense and gets out in front of plays. Simply put, he's a winner.

Antonio Munoz, Meanstreets 17U/Whitney Young (Chicago) 6-6 SF
This athletic small forward can change the dynamics of a game with a spectacular finish around the rim. He cuts well and is a line-drive attacker who is a load to stop once he gets downhill. Munoz plays hard on both ends and is tracking to improve the level of his scholarship offers based on what we saw in Indianapolis.?

Tae Simmons, Why Not 17U/Heritage Christian (Northridge, Calif.) 6-6 PF
This rugged forward may be a bit undersized for the high major level, but boy does he do things that help college coaches win and keep their job. He's relentless attacking the glass or going after an offensive rebound put back and doesn't need the ball of offense to make an impact. Many D1 colleges in Simmons' SoCal backyard should be all over him with an offer. ?

Dallas Washington, AZ Unity 17U/Santa Margarita (Calif.) 6-9 PF
He's found a nice niche on a team loaded with individual talent and is tracking upward. Washington also played on a talented high school team that was up and down in 2023-24, and his level of consistency wasn't where it needed to be. This spring, however, he's starting to put together a string of performances that have turned the heads of colleges coaches at the mid-major and high-major level. Washington is rebounding hard and finding his comfort zone on offense. ? ?

2026

Imahri Wooten, City Rocks NY 17U/Putnam Science Academy (Putnam, Ct.) 6-5 SG
His explosiveness jumps out right away and Wooten has a versatile offensive package. Wooten's game is maturing and he can keep defenders honest with his outside shooting. In fact, he reportedly went 6-of-7 from 3-point range in one contest and in another game we evaluated, he dominated with an array of offensive moves. The way he's tracking, Wooten should be a serious McDonald's All-American candidate in 18 months.

Ronnie Flores is the national Grassroots editor of www.ebooksnet.com. He can be reached at?[email protected]. Don't forget to follow him on Twitter:?@RonMFlores

The post Indy NIKE EYBL: Making Strides! appeared first on www.ebooksnet.com.

Related: 2023-24 All-American Elite Team | 2023-24 Mr. Basketball USA: Cooper Flagg ?| 2023-24 Underclass Players of the Year | Ballislife Podcast Network?|

Ten juniors named to the 30th Annual All-American Elite Team headline a group of 75 elite players selected to the 2023-24 Underclass All-American team powered by www.ebooksnet.com.

Power forward Cameron Boozer of Columbus (Miami, Fla.) and dynamic junior wing A.J. Dybansta lead the way among underclass players who stood out among the nation’s best players. In fact, Boozer and Dybansta were two of the four leading voter getters in the final 2023-24 Mr. Basketball USA Tracker with both appearing on all 10 ballots. Boozer finished in third place with 78 points, including two second place votes and six third place votes. Dybansta finished with 55 points (out of 100 possible), including one second place vote and two fourth place votes.

Boozer’s and Dybansta’s production and notoriety shouldn’t come as a surprise, as the son of former 1999 All-American Elite Team member and NBA player Carlos Boozer was the first tenth-grader ever to earn Mr. Basketball USA honors in 2022-23. Boozer has a chance to earn class Player of the Year honors in each of his four high school seasons. Dybansta was the top honoree on a team with three McDonald’s All-American choices after re-classifying up in the off-season. Dybansta was on the freshman All-American honor roll in 2022-23 and is considered one of the best prospects in the world outside the NBA.

While Boozer was the nation’s best player in 2022-23 as a sophomore, there were three other highly-regarded tenth-graders that are repeat honorees on this year’s All-American Elite Team. Cooper Flagg of FAB 50 champ Montverde Academy of Florida re-classed up to the 2024 class and was named this year’s Mr. Basketball USA. Repeat third five selection Koa Peat of Perry (Gilbert, Ariz.) and repeat fourth five selection Meleek Thomas of Lincoln Park (Midland, Pa.) have won five state titles between them with one season to go.

Five more juniors were selected to the 30-man second team. No sophomore made this year’s All-American Elite team, but the 2026 class is developing into a special one. There were 30 standout tenth-graders selected as Underclass All-Americans, led by player of the year Jalen Montonati of Owasso (Okla.), and at least a dozen other worthy players who were deserving to make this year’s underclass honor roll.

Each season, players classifying up in order to speed up the recruiting process or transfer in hopes the move will be more advantageous to their development and this off-season is no different. There will also be some who seek a transfer to put themselves in better position to secure Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) endorsement deals. In most states, it is not illegal or against state association rules to sign an endorsement deal, provided that endorsement is not facilitated with the athlete wearing or promoting garments or items trademarked by the state association or the NCAA.

Already it’s been announced that junior wing Hudson Greer will transfer to defending FAB 50 champion Montverde Academy and sophomore guard Kaden House (along with his highly-regarded brother Kalek House) will transfer from their public high school in Arizona to join AZ Compass Prep (Chandler, Ariz.), which is part of the same EYBL Scholastic League that Montverde Academy competes in.

Expect more player movement as the travel ball season and summer rolls on.

National Grassroots Editor Ronnie Flores selects this performance-based squad with input from Mr. Basketball USA panelists. It is chosen after the conclusion of the season, which makes the Underclass All-American Team more reflective of players who made state championship runs.

Our national coach of the year is Jim Baker of Central Cabarrus (Concord, N.C.).

Juniors to Watch (2025)

G — Darius Acuff, IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.) 6-2
F — Kenyon Aguino, Volcano Vista (Albuquerque, N.M.) 6-7
F — Cameron Boozer, Columbus (Miami, Fla.) 6-9
C — DeWayne Brown, Hoover (Ala.) 6-10
G — Brayden Burries, Roosevelt (Eastvale, Calif.) 6-5
F — A.J. Dybantsa, Prolific Prep (Napa, Calif.) 6-7
G — Jerry Easter, La Lumiere (La Porte, Ind.) 6-5
G — Jeremiah Fears, AZ Compass Prep (Chandler, Ariz.) 6-3
G — Kingston Flemmings, Brennan (San Antonio, Texas) 6-4
F — Hudson Greer, Lake Travis (Austin, Texas) 6-6
F — D.J. Hall, Plano East (Plano, Texas) 6-7
F — Davion Hannah, Nicolet (Glendale, Wis.) 6-5
G — Jalen Haralson, La Lumiere (La Porte, Ind.) 6-7
F — Bryce Heard, Homewood-Flossmoor (Flossmoor, Fla.) 6-5
F — Jamier Jones, Oak Ridge (Orlando, Fla.) 6-6
G — Acaden Lewis, Sidwell Friends (Washington, D.C.) 6-2
G — Nyk Lewis, Gonzaga (Washington, D.C.) 6-0
G — Chance Mallory, St. Anne’s-Bellfield (Charlottesville, Va.) 5-9
G — Trey McKenney, St. Mary’s Prep (Orchard Lake, Mich.) 6-3
G — Kayden Mingo, Long Island Lutheran (Glen Head, N.Y.) 6-1
C — Malachi Moreno, Great Crossing (Georgetown, Ky.) 7-0
F — Koa Peat, Perry (Gilbert, Ariz.) 6-7
G — Darryn Peterson, Huntington Prep (Huntington, W. Va.) 6-5
C — Xavion Staton, Sierra Vista (Las Vegas, Nev.) 6-11
C — Moustapha Thiam, DME Academy (Daytona Beach, Fla.) 7-1
G — Meleek Thomas, Lincoln Park Performing Arts (Midland, Pa.) 6-3
F — Cameron Ward, Largo (Upper Marlboro, Md.) 6-7
F — Jacob Wilkins, Grayson (Loganville, Ga.) 6-7
F — Caleb Wilson, Holy Innocents (Atlanta, Ga.) 6-9
F — Tounde Yessoufou, St. Joseph (Santa Maria, Calif.) 6-5

2024 National Junior of the Year: Cameron Boozer

Sophomores to Watch (2026)
F — Latrell Almond, John Marshall (Richmond, Va.) 6-8
G — Ikenna Alozie, Dream City Christian (Glendale, Ariz.) 6-3
F — J.J. Andrews, Little Rock Christian Academy (Little Rock, Ark.) 6-5
G — Alijah Arenas, Chatsworth (Calif.) 6-6
F — Cole Cloer, Orange (Hillsborough, N.C.) 6-6
G — Korie Corbett, Ridge View (Columbia, S.C.) 6-4
F — Alexander Costanza, Westminster Christian (Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.) 6-8
G — Jason Crowe Jr., Lynwood (Calif.) 6-2
C — Moustapha Diop, Walker (Marietta, Ga.) 6-10
C — Sam Funches, Germantown (Madison, Miss.) 6-10
F — Kendre Harrison, Reidsville (N.C.) 6-8
G — Jayden Hodge, St. Rose (Belmar, N.J.) 6-6
G — Cam Holmes, Millennium (Goodyear, Ariz.) 6-5
G — Caleb Holt, Buckhorn (New Market, Ala.) 6-5
G — Kaden House, Desert Mountain (Scottsdale, Ariz.) 6-3
G — Jacob Lanier, Maumelle (Ark.) 6-5
G — Taylen Kinney, Newport (Ky.) 6-0
F — Brannon Martinsen, Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.) 6-8
G — Brandon McCoy Jr., St. John Bosco (Bellflower, Calif.) 6-4
G — Mason Magee, Basha (Chandler, Ariz.) 6-0
F — Jalen Montonati, Owasso (Okla.) 6-7
G — Jayden Moore, Hopkins (Minnetonka, Minn.) 6-0
G— Dionte Neal, Reidsville (N.C.) 5-9
G — Trent Perry, Lone Star (Frisco, Texas) 6-3
G — Nas Price, Seven Lakes (Katy, Texas) 6-3
F — Dean Rueckert, Timpview (Provo, Utah) 6-6
G — Jordan Smith Jr., Paul VI (Fairfax, Va.) 6-4
F — Tyran Stokes, Prolific Prep (Napa. Calif.) 6-7
F — Abdou Toure, Notre Dame (West Haven, Conn.) 6-6
F — Sebastian Wilkins, Brewster Academy (Wolfeboro, N.H.) 6-8

2024 National Sophomore of the Year: Jalen Montonati

Freshmen to Watch (2027)
G — Javon Bardwell, Desert Mountain (Scottsdale, Ariz.) 6-4
G — Jacob Canton, Rutgers Prep (Somerset, N.J.) 6-2
G — Jaxson Davis, Warren Township (Gurnee, Ill.) 6-1
G — Cayden Daughtry, Calvary Christian (Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.) 5-11
G — Silas Graham, Haverford School (Haverford, Pa.) 6-4
F — Ahmad Hudson, Ruston (La.) 6-6
F — Dooney Johnson, Juneau (Milwaukee, Wis.) 6-5
G — Tre Keith, Tri-Cities (East Point, Ga.) 6-3
F — Josh Leonard, Wilson (Florence, S.C.) 6-6
F — Jaylan Mitchell, Reitz Memorial (Evansville, Ind.) 6-7
G — Jordan Page, Broughton Magnet (Raleigh, N.C.) 6-5
F — Jeremiah Profit Jr., Temecula Valley (Temecula, Calif.) 6-5
F — Gene Roebuck, La Mirada (Calif.) 6-5
F — Taj Saragba, Woodstock (Ga.) 6-7
G — Davion Thompson, Bolingbrook (Ill.) 6-2

2024 National Freshman of the Year: Jaylan Mitchell

2023-24 Mr. Basketball USA: Cooper Flagg, Montverde Academy (Montverde, Fla.) 6-9 Sr.

National Coach of the Year: Jim Baker, Central Cabarrus (Concord, N.C.).

Note: ESPN selections 2010-2012; EA SPORTS selections 2003-2009; Student Sports selections prior to 2003; Selections are based on high school accomplishment, not future college/pro potential, and are reflective of those that lead their teams to state championships. The editors of www.ebooksnet.com do not knowingly select fifth-year players, and those ineligible due to age or academics, Mr. Basketball USA or to its various All-American teams.

Ronnie Flores is the national Grassroots editor of www.ebooksnet.com. He can be reached at?[email protected]. Don't forget to follow him on Twitter:?@RonMFlores

The post 2023-24 Underclass All-American Elite Team appeared first on www.ebooksnet.com.

Related: 2023-24 Underclass All-American Elite Team | 2023-24 Mr. Basketball USA: Cooper Flagg ?| 2023-24 Underclass Players of the Year | Ballislife Podcast Network?|

The 2023-24 All-American Elite Team, now published for the 30th consecutive season and on the www.ebooksnet.com platform for the tenth year, includes 41 of the nation’s best seniors, led by 2024 Mr. Basketball USA Cooper Flagg of FAB 50 No. 1 Montverde Academy and 10 talented juniors.

Flagg and five juniors, including class player of the year Cameron Boozer of FAB 50 No. 2 Columbus (Miami), headline the 20-player overall first team. ??There are eight repeaters off the 2022-23 All-American Elite Team, including six who made first team. Boozer is a repeat first five choice and was the 2022-23 Mr. Basketball USA as a sophomore, the first ever tenth-grade honoree. Flagg, who was classified as a sophomore last season, moved up from the second five to earn Mr. Basketball USA honors as a senior in his third year of playing high school basketball. Two other 2022-23 sophomores earning repeat All-American honors as juniors are third five selection Koa Peat of FAB 50 No. 22 Perry (Gilbert, Ariz.) and fourth five selection Maleek Thomas of Lincoln Park Performing Arts (Midland, Pa.). Both Peat and Thomas led their teams to state titles in 2023-24.

Kansas-bound big man Flory Bidunga of Kokomo (Ind.) moves up from third five to second five and Texas-bound Tre Johnson of FAB 50 No. 6 Link Academy (Branson, Mo.) repeats as second five honoree. Johnson was last season’s national junior of the year at Lake Highlands (Garland, Texas).

There are three players off last season’s 30-player second team who earned All-American status, including Rutgers-bound first five choice Dylan Harper of FAB 50 No. 19 Don Bosco Tech (Ramsey, N.J.), a scoring guard that challenged Flagg for Mr. Basketball USA honors. Two second team repeaters helped Montverde Academy make history with four All-Americans choices off this year’s roster, the first time ever one program has had more than three players honored not only in the last 30 years, but including our retroactive picks dating back to the 1954-55 season.

UCONN-bound Liam McNeeley averaged 12.7 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 2.9 apg and 1.1 spg while shooting 46 percent from 3-point range and 80 percent from the free throw line for the FAB 50 champions. Meanwhile, Baylor-bound point guard Rob Wright averaged 12.2 ppg, 4.0 rpg, 6.0 apg and 1.2 spg while shooting 42.8 percent from 3-point range on a team that not only included the eventual Mr. Basketball USA choice, but another first five performer in Maryland-bound Derik Queen.

All underclassmen are eligible for All-American Elite Team selection. No sophomore was selected and in 30 seasons of publishing annual All-American teams (plus the retroactive teams), no freshman has ever made the first team.

Our national coach of the year is Jim Baker of Central Cabarrus (Concord, N.C.). The Vikings finished No. 12 in the FAB 50 and own the nation's longest winning streak at 65 games.

National Grassroots Editor Ronnie Flores selects this performance-based All-American team with input from Mr. Basketball USA panelists. It is chosen after the conclusion of the season, which makes the All-American Elite team more reflective of players who made state championship runs.
This honors squad has been chosen in its current format since the 1994-95 season and is powered by www.ebooksnet.com for the tenth consecutive season. This team is chosen regardless of class and is not exclusive or preferential to seniors chosen for national all-star games.

2023-24 All-American First Team

First Five

G — Dylan Harper, Don Bosco Tech (Ramsey, N.J.) 6-4 Sr.
One of four juniors to make the second team in 2022-23, one left for college early, two repeated and Harper catapulted to serious national player of the year candidate as a result of a monster season that included individual and team success. The powerful guard averaged 22.4 ppg, 5.7 rpg and 2.7 apg for a team that captured the New Jersey Non-Public A state title with a 29-3 record. Harper went for 38 points and eight rebounds in the North Jersey Non-Public A title game for a team that finished No. 19 in the FAB 50. With his size, change of pace and explosiveness, Harper was the most dominant guard in the country and displayed his talent in the post-seasons all-star games. He was named co-MVP of the McDonald's All American Game with 22 points and five assists. He also made the game-winning shot in the Jordan Brand Classic and finished with a game-high 30 points. His production led him to two first-place votes in the Mr. Basketball USA Tracker and 86 points, second only to eventual honoree Cooper Flagg. He will join fellow first five selection Ace Bailey at Rutgers.

F — Cooper Flagg, Montverde Academy (Montverde, Fla.) 6-9 Sr.
Even though he only put up modest numbers last season (9.8 ppg, 5.2 rpg, 3.0 apg, 2.2 bpg) it was readily apparent he was one of the nation’s best players as a sophomore for the nation’s No. 2 team. Flagg re-classed up to the 2024 class and took his game one step further as a senior, leading an unbeaten club that was expected to be the nation’s best to the FAB 50 title with a 33-0 record. Flagg led a team that recorded 24 wins over ranked teams by dominating with his defensive prowess and shot-making ability. After becoming only the third sophomore to earn first or second five All-American honors in the last ten years, Flagg received eight of 10 first place votes to become Montverde Academy’s fifth Mr. Basketball in 10 seasons. For the season, Flagg averaged 16.1 ppg, 7.6 rpg, 3.9 apg, 2.7 bpg and 1.6 spg while being named EYBL Scholastic League Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year. ??*

F — Airious Bailey, McEachern (Powder Springs, Ga.) 6-9 Sr.
Put it all together in a memorable senior season that saw him lead the Indians to a 26-6 mark and No. 24 FAB 50 ranking. Some recruiting experts feel “Ace” has the best long-term potential of any senior, and his production wasn’t too shabby, either. Against rugged competition, Bailey averaged 32.5 ppg, 15.5 rpg, 3.5 apg and 2.4 bpg. He not only finished as a top five vote-getter in the Mr. Basketball USA Tracker, he was named Georgia Mr. Basketball by sandysspiel.com. Headed to Rutgers along with good friend and fellow first five selection Dylan Harper, Bailey was named a McDonald’s All-American and also participated in the Nike Hoop Summit, where he recorded 14 points and six rebounds for Team USA.

F — Cameron Boozer, Columbus (Miami, Fla.) 6-9 Jr.
Already named National Junior Player of the Year, Boozer didn’t repeat as Mr. Basketball USA, but he was one of four players to appear on all ten final ballots of the Mr. Basketball USA Tracker. It’s nearly impossible to meet expectations after becoming the first sophomore ever to earn national player of the year honors, but Boozer was just as dominant as a junior. He led the Explorers to their third consecutive FHSAA Class 7A state title and No. 2 final FAB 50 ranking. Columbus couldn’t get over the hump vs. Montverde Academy in two attempts, but did beat No. 3 Paul VI (Va.). Boozer had 14 points, 11 rebounds, three assists, four blocks and three steals vs. Paul IV, 20 points, eight rebounds, five assists and four steals in the first game vs. MVA and 29 points and seven rebounds in the second contest. For the season, Boozer averaged 22.2 ppg, 11.4 rpg, 2.7 apg, and 2.1 bpg while shooting 62 percent from the field (234-378), 41 percent from the 3-point line (43-105) and 82 percent from the free throw line (155-188). He has a chance next season to become the first three-time first five choice since LeBron James in 2001-2003.

C — Derik Queen, Montverde Academy (Montverde, Fla.) 6-9 Sr.
This year’s MVA team will ultimately be compared to the program’s 2019-20 juggernaut, and for the second time in five seasons, the Eagles place two players on the first five. That season, Mr. Basketball USA Cade Cunningham was complimented by Scottie Barnes, who did a bit of everything for one of the best teams of all-time. Before that duo, you have to go all the way back to 1974-75 with future NBA players David Greenwood and Roy Hamilton at Verbum Dei (Los Angeles) to find a pair of teammates selected first five Elite All-Americans. Queen was this team’s Swiss-Army-Knife in that he could contribute in a variety of ways, but was also the Eagles’ leading scorer (16.4 ppg). With his unselfishness and dominance around the basket, the Maryland bound big man added 7.6 rpg, 2.0 apg, 1.0 spg and just under a block per game for a 33-0 club. In displaying how important his role was, Queen shot 68.3 percent from the field (while only attempting three 3-pointers all season) and 79 percent from the free throw line. Many felt Queen was the most dominant player at the City of Palms and he also put forth a MVP performance at the McDonald's All-American Game with 23 points, eight rebounds, five assists and three steals.

Second Five

G — Johnuel “Boogie” Fland, Archbishop Stepinac (White Plains, N.Y.) 6-3 Sr.
?Highly regarded coming into high school, Fland produced each season and saved his best for last. With his speed and body control, Fland’s play-making ability from the lead guard was a sight to behold, as he was basically unstoppable in stretches and still unselfish. He led Stepinac to the New York Catholic League title, posting norms of 19.2 ppg, 6.6 rpg, 3.6 apg and 2.4 spg for the No. 18 team in the FAB 50. He had a 43-point, 11-rebound playoff game vs. rival Christ the King (Middle Village) and was named New York Mr. Basketball for his outstanding play. Fland was also named all-CHSAA for the third straight season and the Class AAA Player of the Year. He went for 17 points, five rebounds and three assists in his team’s comeback victory at the McDonald’s All-American Game.

G — V.J. Edgecombe, Long Island Lutheran (Glen Head, N.Y.) 6-5 Sr.
On a talented team that competed for the FAB 50 national title, Edgecombe was the leader on both ends of the floor and arguably the most talented two-guard in the country. With his shot making ability and spectacular defensive plays that often included clutch steals or a highlight block, Edgecombe led LuHi to a second place finish in the EYBL Scholastic League with a 10-2 mark and No. 4 finish in the FAB 50. He was named first team all-league for the second consecutive season and finished with norms of 17.3 ppg, 6.0 rpg, 4.0 apg and 2.3 spg. Bound for Baylor, Edgecomb scored 17 points for the World Team at the Nike Hoop Summit.

G — Tre Johnson, Link Academy (Branson, Mo.) 6-5 Sr.
If V.J. Edgecombe is not the top off-guard in the country, then Johnson surely is. His sweet-shooting touch was on full display at the McDonald’s All-American Game, where he knocked down 5-of-7 3-pointers and had 17 points. One of the toughest checks in the country and a repeat second five choice, both Johnson and Edgecombe appeared on five of 10 ballots in the final Mr. Basketball USA voting. After earning National Junior Player of the Year honors at Lake Highlands (Garland, Texas) last season, Johnson led Link Academy to a berth in Chipotle Nationals, where it defeated Prolific Prep in the first round of the event and finished 26-7. Johnson, bound for Texas, averaged a team-high 15.5 ppg, 3.3 rpg and 3.6 apg for the No. 6 team in the FAB 50. He finished the season shooting 39 percent from 3-point range and 89.1 percent from the free throw line.

F — A.J. Dybantsa, Prolific Prep (Napa, Calif.) 6-7 Jr.
On a talent-laden team with three McDonald’s All-American choices, it was the highly-regarded junior that was the team’s leading player. He was listed as a freshman in 2022-23, but re-classified into the 2025 class in the off-season and some feel he’s the best overall prospect not only in the class, but regardless of class. Prolific Prep battled injuries to many of its best players, but Dybansta was the most consistent, and dynamic player, capable of carrying the team or turning around a big game with his vast offensive arsenal. Originally from Brockton, Mass., Dybansta led a 33-6 team that finished No. 7 in the FAB 50 and only lost two games at full strength. He joined Cameron Boozer as the only two juniors to appear on every ballot of the Mr. Basketball USA Tracker after finishing with a team-high 21.2 ppg, 9.4 rpg (also team-high) and 3.5 apg.

C — Flory Bidunga, Kokomo (Ind.) 6-10 Sr.
After being the second leading vote-getter on the Indiana A.P. All-State team as a junior, he was named Mr. Basketball of the state as a senior, out-distancing Purdue-bound guard Jack Better of Brownstown Central in points, 198-122. Bidunga also tied for No. 8 on the final Mr. Basketball USA Tracker with fellow second teamer Tre Johnson and moves up from the third five as a junior when he led the Wildkats to their first state title game appearance since 1989. This season, the McDonald’s All-American selection averaged 19.0 ppg, 12.9 rpg, 3.2 apg and 4.4 bpg in leading Kokomo to the Class 4A regional finals. Bidunga is not only a terrific defender and shot blocker, he’s one of the most efficient offensive players in high school basketball history. After making 81 percent (207-263) of his shots from the field as a junior, he converted 236-of-290 shots (81.4 percent) as a senior and shot 80.3 percent from the field in his three-year career. The Congo native was a two-time Gatorade State Player of the Year and finished his career with 1,609 points, 1,132 rebounds and 402 blocked shots. Bidunga posted six triple doubles, including three as a senior, and 49 double-doubles the past two seasons.

Third Five

G — Travis Perry, Lyon County (Eddyville, Ky.) 6-2 Sr.
Not only is Perry one of the most accomplished players on this year’s Elite team, he’s now a Bluegrass Folk Hero after leading Lyon County to a Sweet 16 title and No. 47 FAB 50 ranking. He led a program where 277 students attend the school to a 36-3 mark and scored 27 points in the state title game to earn Sweet 16 MVP honors. For the season, the future Kentucky Wildcat averaged 29.5 ppg, 5.4 rpg, 5.0 apg, and 3.9 spg while earning state Mr. Basketball honors while receiving 91 of 124 first-place votes. His career numbers are mind boggling, as Perry began playing with his Lyon County teammates in second grade and joined the varsity in seventh grade. Perry scored 5,481 points in 201 career games, while scoring in double figures in 196 of those games with four of those five single-digit games coming before ninth grade. He also made career 712 3-pointers.

G — Trent Perry, Harvard-Westlake (North Hollywood, Calif.) 6-4 Sr.
Emotional leader and clutch play-maker for a team that won CIF section and state crowns and finished No. 8 in the FAB 50. Perry actually led Harvard-Westlake to back-to-back CIF open crowns and averaged 18 ppg, 6 rpg, 5.8 apg and 1.2 spg as a senior for a 33-3 club. Even more than his averages, Perry was clutch for the Wolverines in their biggest games, as he had a open division record 10 assists in the 2023 CIF state final vs. Santa Maria St. Joseph to go along with 16 points and eight rebounds, while scoring his team’s last six points after trialing 45-44, in this season’s state final. Perry was named California Mr. Basketball for his efforts and was this season’s CIFSS Open Division Player of the Year. He’s a two-time all-state choice and two-time Mission League Player of the Year. The UCLA recruit led led Harvard-Westlake to a 108-15 mark against rugged competition and is headed for UCLA.

F — Isaiah Evans, North Mecklenburg (Huntersville, N.C.) 6-7 Sr.
?In a strong year for teams and individual talent in North Carolina, Evans stood out among the best players, earning state player of the year honors from the N.C. Basketball Coaches Association. He’s one of the country’s most dynamic talents and offensive players, capable of carrying his team when necessary. He led North Meck to a 30-3 mark and the NCHSAA Class 4A title and along the way scored a season-high 48 points, including 21 consecutive in the third period, in a state quarterfinal victory over FAB 50 ranked Myers Park (Charlotte). For the season, the Duke recruit averaged 27.4 ppg, 6.1 rpg, 3.2 apg and 2.3 spg and was selected top play in the McDonald’s, Jordan Brand and Nike Hoop Summit all-star games.

F — Darren Harris, Paul VI (Fairfax, Va.) 6-5 Sr.
His resume is much like his PVI teammate last year, Deshawn Smith-Harris, who was also a third five selection. Harris was MVP of the prestigious Washington Catholic Athletic Conference (WCAC) and led his team to the VISAA D1 state title (its third straight) as well as the WCAC regular season (15-0) and tourney title. This team was expected to compete for a FAB 50 title and did, advancing to the Chipotle Nationals title game with Harris leading the way by averaging 24.0 ppg, including 36 in the first round win over IMG Academy. For the season, Harris averaged 17.2 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 3.1 apg and 2.0 spg for one of the most balanced and talent-laden teams in the country. He’ll join Mr. Basketball USA Cooper Flagg and fellow first team All-Americans Isaiah Evans and Kon Knueppel at Duke.

F — Koa Peat, Perry (Gilbert, Ariz.) 6-8 Jr.
A repeat third five selection, Peat has a terrific chance to supplant 1996 Mr. Basketball USA Mike Bibby as the most accomplished player the Arizona Interscholastic Association (AIA) has ever produced. The AIA open division started in Peat’s sophomore season and he scored 35 points in the title game win over Sunnyslope of Phoenix. In this season’s open title game, he went for 21 points, 13 rebounds and four assists to help his team overcome a 17-point deficit to defeat Millennium (Goodyear). Perry won the Class 6A crown in 2021-22 and is 14-0 in the playoffs the past three seasons with this powerful forward in the lineup. He’s already been a two-time Gatorade State POY and enters his senior season with 1,649 points. Peat, also an accomplished player for USA Basketball who will look to earn a third gold medal later this summer at the FIBA 17U World Cup, posted season averages of 20.5 ppg, 10.6 rpg, 3.4 apg, and 2.2 bpg as Perry finished 24-6 and No. 22 in the FAB 50.

Fourth Five

G — Mercy Miller, Notre Dame (Sherman Oaks, Calif.) 6-3 Sr.
This sweet shooting guard received plenty of attention during the season for his lack of respect in national player rankings, even though he’s the son of a celebrity (rap mogul Master P). He’s been on our radar for years as a talented prospect and put it all together in a monster senior season in which he became the first Notre Dame player to score 1,000 points or more in a season. Miller was one of the nation’s best two-guard scorers (28.8 ppg), an instinctual rebounder (9.3 rpg) and unselfish in knowing when to get teammates involved or take over a game. Despite facing defenses that sold out to stop him, Miller was at his best in big games, and in any five-game sample from Notre Dame’s 31-4 season Miller's averages would be nearly identical to his season averages, including the eight state ranked teams the Knights faced. Miller had 29 points in the win over state No. 1 Harvard-Westlake and 33 in the loss in the Mission League final to the same team and was considered the runner-up for state Mr. Basketball to third five pick Trent Perry. After leading Notre Dame to the CIF Southern Section D1 crown, he was named his section’s D1 Player of the Year and chosen to the L.A. Times All-Star Team. He’s headed to Houston.

G — Meleek Thomas, Lincoln Park Performing Arts (Midland, Pa.) 6-3 Jr.
A repeat fourth five selection, Thomas’ season was on par with what he accomplished as a sophomore: fantastic outings for a 27-3 team that finished No. 19 in the East Region Top 20. A top five recruit in his class, many in West Pennsylvania are hoping he joins his good friend and teammate Brandin Cummings at Pitt. As a sophomore, Thomas was named Pittsburgh Tribune-Review Player of the Year and this season he and Cummings (22.8 ppg) shared the honor after leading Lincoln Park to back-to-back WPIAL and PIAA Class 4A titles. Known for his competitive nature and clutch play, Thomas averaged 22.7 points and 10.4 rebounds for a team that won its last 20 games. Cummings (who averaged 29.8 ppg in the PIAA playoffs) finished with 2,224 career points, while Thomas enters his senior season with 1,750.

F — Kon Knueppel, Wisconsin Lutheran (Milwaukee, Wis.) 6-6 Sr.
Led his team to a perfect 30-0 mark and No. 10 FAB 50 ranking by getting teammates involved or taking over when he had to. Knueppel saved this best for last, posing 11 points and 11 assists in the WIAA D2 state title game win over three-time defending state champ Pewaukee. For the season, Knueppel averaged 25.9 ppg, 8.6 rpg and 5.3 apg and was named WBCA state Mr. Basketball in the process. For his career, Knueppel racked up 1,978 points, 808 rebounds and 398 assists, while Wisconsin Lutheran posted a 99-11 four-year mark. Knueppel is part of a Duke recruiting class that includes four first team selections, including Mr. Basketball USA Cooper Flagg.

F — Morez Johnson, Thorton (Harvey, Ill.) 6-9 Sr.
One of the nation’s most dominant interior players, Johnson made the most of his only season in a Wildcats’ uniform, leading Thorton to a 29-5 mark and the Class 3A Super-Sectionals. Johnson produced each night despite defenses geared to stop him, posting 29 double-doubles. He finished the seasons with norms of 17.2 ppg, 14.1 rpg, 3.5 apg, 3.4 bpg and 2.6 spg. For his efforts, Johnson was named Gatorade State POY and voted state Mr. Basketball by coaches and the media. This season was the third time he was named a first team IBCA all-state selection, with the first two all-state nods coming at St. Rita of Chicago. He had eight points, four rebounds and blocked a shot off the bench for Team USA in the Nike Hoop Summit.

C — Caleb Wilson, Holy Innocents (Atlanta, Ga.) 6-9 Jr.
One of the top 2025 prospects in the country, Wilson is a versatile talent who had a breakout junior campaign. Wilson can dominate the game in various fashions and is capable of triple-doubles with assists or blocked shots in any game he plays. For the season, Wilson averaged 20.8 ppg, 14.6 rpg, 4.7 apg and 4.4 bpg for a Holy Innocents team that finished 26-7 as the Class AAAA runner-ups. For his efforts, Wilson was named first five all-Georgia and the Class AAAA Player of the Year.

2023-24 All-American Second Team

G — Darius Acuff, IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.) 6-2 Jr.
G — Jalil Bethea, Archbishop Wood (Warminster, Pa.) 6-4 Sr.
G — Brayden Burries, Roosevelt (Eastvale, Calif.) 6-5 Jr.
F — K. Annor Boateng, Central (Little Rock, Ark.) 6-5 Sr.
F — Jacob Cofie, Eastside Catholic (Sammamish, Wash.) 6-9 Sr.
G — Brandin Cummings, Lincoln Park Performing Arts (Midland, Pa.) 6-3 Sr.
F — Donnie Freeman, IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.) 6-8 Sr.
G — Gicarri Harris, Grayson (Loganville, Ga.) 6-4 Sr.
F — Matthew Hodge, St. Rose (Belmar, N.J.) 6-8 Sr.
F — Jaxon Johnson, Alta (Sandy, Utah) 6-9 Sr.
F — Jamier Jones, Oak Ridge (Orlando, Fla.) 6-6 Jr.
F — Ryan Jones Jr., The Rock (Gainesville, Fla.) 6-8 Sr.
G — Cooper Lewis, Lehi (Utah) 6-2 Sr.
F — Jackson McAndrew, Wayzata (Plymouth, Minn.) 6-9 Sr.
G — Trey McKenney, St. Mary’s Prep (Orchard Lake, Mich.) 6-3 Jr.
F — Liam McNeeley, Montverde Academy (Montverde, Fla.) 6-7 Sr.
G — Paul McNeil, Richmond Senior (Rockingham, N.C.) 6-5
G — Juni Mobley, Wasatch Academy (Mt. Pleasant, Utah) 6-0 Sr.
F — Josiah Moseley, Stony Point (Round Rock, Texas) 6-8 Sr.
F — Trent Noah, Harlan County (Baxter, Ky.) 6-6 Sr.
G — Ahmad Nowell, Imhotep Charter (Philadelphia, Pa.) 6-0 Sr.
G — Tahaad Pettiford, Hudson Catholic (Jersey City, N.J.) 5-11 Sr.
G — Labaron Philon, Link Academy (Branson, Mo.) 6-4 Sr.
F — Billy Richmond, Camden (N.J.) 6-6 Sr.
F — Cameron Scott, Lexington (S.C.) 6-6 Sr.
C — Thomas Sorber, Archbishop Ryan (Philadelphia, Pa.) 6-9 Sr.
F — Bryson Tucker, Bishop O’Connell (Arlington, Va.) 6-6 Sr.
F — Dylan Warlick, Edmond North (Edmond, Okla.) 6-6 Sr.
G —Robert Wright II, Montverde Academy (Montverde, Fla.) 6-1 Sr.
F — Tounde Yessoufou, St. Joseph (Santa Maria, Calif.) 6-5 Jr.

Related: 2023-24 Underclass All-American Elite Team | 2023-24 Mr. Basketball USA: Cooper Flagg ?| 2023-24 Underclass Players of the Year | Ballislife Podcast Network?|

Ronnie Flores is the national Grassroots editor of www.ebooksnet.com. He can be reached at?[email protected]. Don't forget to follow him on Twitter:?@RonMFlores

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As far as the travel ball clubs on the 17U circuit go, there is only one 6-0 team in the Merritt Division and that's California-based Why Not 17U. Coached by Reggie Morris Jr., Why Not upped its record heading into the EYBL's Live Period Session III in Indianapolis (May 17-19) with a 71-66 comeback victory over Strive For Greatness 17U in an all-California Sunday showdown. The star of the game was 6-foot-5 2025 wing Tounde Yessoufou, who had the most energy of all 10 players on both ends of the floor, hit a variety of shots and made some big defensive plays en route to a 26-point performance. He made 9-of-10 field goals and 7-of-8 free throws vs. Strive and is unofficially tied for first in 17U scoring with 6-foot-6 2025 wing Xzavion Mitchell of Wisconsin-based Team Herro at 25.5 ppg.

Team Herro is one of three 6-0 teams in the Raveling Division, along with New England-based Expressions Elite and DMV-based Team Takeover.

For now, let's take a look at the top underclass performers and eye-catchers at Nike EYBL Session II:

2026

Austin Brown, JL3 Elite/Lufkin (Texas) 6-8 SF
This hard-nosed forward moves well without the ball and excels even though sometimes JL3 plays at a fast-pacedthat doesn't always suit Brown's best attributes. In the half court game, or a tight spot, this team knows who to get the ball to because Brown knows how to move without the ball and is such a terrific shooter. Brown was knocking down the 3-ball with regularity and is especially excellent off the catch.

Josiah Cannady, Team Durant 16U/St. Francis Academy (Baltimore, Md.) 6-3 PG
We loved his speed with the basketball and play-making ability.

Christian Collins, Why Not 16U/Westchester (Los Angeles) 6-8 SF
This wiry athlete played second fiddle on his previous high school team at St. Bernard (Playa Del Rey, Calif.) to a talented graduating senior and Why Not 17s friend Tajh Ariza, who will join him at Westchester. From a national perspective, however, was his breakout event. We've known he was a high-major prospect for over a year and a half now, but he's added more coordination and maturity to his game, and is now hitting deep perimeter shots with ease. The son of 2002 McDonald's All-American DeAngelo Collins, Christian one game where he canned three consecutive 3-pointers and caught the attention of national scouts and even a few NBA brass.

Kendre Harrison, Team CP3 16U/Reidsville (N.C.) 6-7 PF
Former NBA player Austin Rivers made headlines earlier this week when he talked about NBA players' abilities to play in the NFL. We've been closely following the nation's top Grid-Hoopers for close to 40 years and even though his assessment was a bit off, there are still plenty of two-sport athletes that play high level basketball that could make a NFL roster. Harrison helped Reidsville to a 29-0 record and North Carolina Class 2A state crown and No. 39 Final FAB 50 ranking a few months after leading the football team to a state title in the same division. Harrison is the nation's top tight end prospect in his class, but boy, he's awfully fun to watch on the hardwood. Not only does he tear down the rim, he does everything with good timing and has great hands as one could imagine.

Andrew Hilman, Oakland Soldiers 16U/Riordan (San Francisco, Calif.) 6-4 SG
The game is starting to slow down for this slashing wing player who was often the best player on a talent-laden Riordan team where multiple bench players have legit D1 offers. Hilman is a strider who can get in the lane with ease and loves to spin off defenders. He has good instincts and loves to jump lanes for easy run-out buckets. There may be some more naturally talented, but few played every possession as hard as this humble kid.

Jordan Hunter, Team Takeover 16U/Paul VI (Chantilly, Va.) 6-3 SG
An under control shooter with range and discipline. Hunter knows what a good shot is and where he wants to get in the half court setting.

Dylan Mingo, PSA Cardinals 16U/Long Island Lutheran (Glen Head, N.Y.) 6-4 PG
Repeatedly came up with strong drives to the basket and his talent level stands out. A well known player who is in store for a big summer.

Jordan Smith, Team Takeover 17U/Paul VI (Chantilly, Va.) 6-4 SG
Playing up, Smith was one of the standouts of the weekend, as Team Takeover remains unbeaten in EYBL play. He is the team's catalyst with his motor, physicality and skill. In fact, his combination of those three attributes might have been the best we saw in Atlanta. Smith is a ferocious on-ball defender and did a terrific job on The Family's Darius Acuff Jr. in a key win. Smith also has solid play-making skills to create and loves to take it down the middle for strong finishes or a monster flush.

Jahda Swann, New Heights Lightning 16U/Jefferson (Brooklyn, N.Y.) 6-4
A sleeper who has plenty of long-term potential. Swann is just coming into his own and we liked what we saw with his outside shooting and sleek frame. Swann can knock down the corner shot, moves his feet well on defense, and is creative off the dribble. He's under the radar, but his teammate Oesoemana Sacko (6-8, 2026) might be the best 2026 prospect in NYC at St. Francis Prep (Queens, N.Y.).

Cameron Williams, Vegas Elite 16U/St. Mary's (Phoenix, Ariz.) 6-10 PF
He may not dominate today, but boy, the potential is off the charts. Williams can face up and score and when the skill level and strength meet on the frame he possesses, he's going to be a legit NBA prospect. After last weekend, keen NBA scouts know who Williams is.

Clyde Walters, Nightrydas Elite 16U/Pinson Valley (Ala.) 6-7 SF
His team had an abundance of talent, but we wanted to point out his good feel on the basketball court. Walters has alot in his offensive bag with the ball.

2027

Brock Bass-Browner, Georgia Stars 15U/North Cobb Christian (Kennesaw, Ga.) 6-7 PF
Athletic forward who knows what he is. Excels at finishing off off pick and rolls and has solid touch as a lefty big.

Anderson Diaz, NY Rens 15U/St. Raymond (Bronx, N.Y.) 6-1 PG
Of all the 15U games we evaluated, Diaz might have had the best burst with the ball from a stop-start position. His first step is great, but Diaz also seemed under control when we watched. Likes to get in the key with the ability to do it, then make a quick dish to either side for a quality shot.

Amir Dockery, New Heights Lightning 15U/Eagle Academy (Brooklyn, N.Y.) 6-0 PG
A throwback NYC point guard with all the trimmings and fixings on his plate: keeps the dribble alive with a crafty handle, gets through tight spaces, can split double teams and fishing with a strong lay-up package. Freshman starter for his high school team that captured the PSAL, title while he was named the Public League's freshman of the year.

Cole Holden, Why Not 15U/Harvard-Westlake (North Hollywood, Calif.) 6-2 CG
This club was unbeaten until its last game on Sunday and it's easy to see why when you look of the makeup of the roster. The team uses teamwork and good ball-movement to punish foes and Holden is one of the ring-leaders. He and Why Not teammate Pierce Thompson (6-2, 2027) played JayVee for the CIF Open Division champions and it's easy to see how practicing against those experienced players is helping him on the 15U level. Holden is a confident ball-handler and once the game slows down for him, he's going to be a terrific contributor for one of the best high school programs on the West Coast. On this team, he has plenty of weapons around him and is learning when to attack and when to get them involved.

Jeremy Jenkins, FL Rebels 15U/Riviera Prep (Miami, Fla.) 6-7 PF
His strength and skill at his age (turned 15 last month) stand out right away. He's physical and can handle the rigors of big-time ball. Already considered one of the nation's best prospects in the 2027 class. Jenkins' front court mate Jonathan Watts (6-8, 2027) also moves well and challenges shots at the rim.

Dooney Johnson, Team Herro 15U/Juneau (Milwaukee, Wis.) 6-4 PG
We love the name and the game even more, as Johnson is one of the best 2027 prospects in the Midwest Region. He gets downhill in a hurry and can change direction well with the handle.

Gabriel Nesmith, Nightrydas Elite 15U/Montverde Academy (Montverde, Fla.) 6-6 SG
You will be hard-pressed to find a better performance by a 15U player than the one we saw from Nesmith on Saturday afternoon. It was only one game and we can't wait to evaluate Nesmith more, but within the first 10 seconds of watching him we knew what kind of talent he was and what level he'll eventually be recruited it. He hit a mid-court crossover and covered tons of ground to get in attack position in that time frame and his fluid body movements, approach and confidence stood out right away. Nesmith has the length you look for in a high-major wing and can shoot the deep ball out to 25 feet with ease. The mechanics and rhythm look great, too. Don't be surprised if he challenges for a top 3 spot in the 2027 class in the final rankings that matter at the end four years from now.

Marquis Newson, Team Final 15U/Sanford School (Hockessin, Del.) 6-3 SG
A team with an ubundance of individual talent that we liked, Newson is a high-level athlete who can get downhill with plenty of horizontal pop. He's a prototypical wing prospect with a high skill level that high majors will track down the line.

Babatunde Oladotun, Team Durant 15U/ Blake (Silver Spring, Md.) 6-8 SF
Oozing with potential and talent, some well-known evaluators peg this lanky wing as the top prospect in the 2027 class. He wasn't our production-based National Freshman of the Year, but we understand the sentiments of placing him at the top. There is still a long ways to go, but Oladotun obviously has the size and measurables to be a terrific and dominant high school player. At this level, he can dominate with array of shot-making skills, step backs and length. He needs to work on getting in a stance and taking the positive space in front of him, instead of relying on the negative space that he can have at any time against lesser talents.

Zaiyir Phillips, Team United 15U/Hunter Huss (Gastonia, N.C.) 5-10 PG
This lefty just keeps attacking until he gets to his spot on the floor. It's refreshing to see his skill level combined with his desire to make winning plays. Phillips is deft at the straight away jumper and shoots a high percentage off the catch. Phillips has the qualities coaches love in their young guards.

Delton Prescott, AZ Unity 15U/Sunnyslope (Phoenix, Ariz.) 6-0 PG
This quarterback helped a terrific high school team in the winter as a ninth-grader and is a leader on one of the best 15U teams in the country. Prescott is beyond his years when it comes to understanding and seeing a play ahead. He's also a terrific passer in various situations.

Clarence Rosser Jr., Team United 15U/Northern Nash (Rocky Mount, N.C.) 6-9 PF
He is the type of player that stands out right away with his length and size, but Rosser has already developed a nice array of skill. Rosser makes nice high post passes and has some patience in his attack. He can shoot the deep ball with confidence and his potential is off the charts. Once he learns how to take space and cover ground with the dribble, watch out as he'll be a Top 20 type prospect when it's all said and done. His front court teammate Charles Pur (6-9, 2027) is one to watch as well.

Jymin Veney, Tea Melo 15U/Gonzaga (Washington, D.C.) 6-3 SG
We love it when young players can get their feet under them on offense and stay in control off the dribble and Veney can do just that. He can play the lead or off the ball and is a terrific shooter, with a nice array of pull-ups. Keep an eye on him down the line.

2028

Adan Diggs, AZ Unity 15U/Arizona 6-4 SG
The state of Arizona is has an abundance of quality young players and Diggs is right up there as the best of the lot. He has terrific size and frame for his position, and moves well with our without the basketball. Diggs' athleticism is also high-major and he's a shot-maker with plenty of confidence. With natural progression, he'll be on the recruiting list of Blue Bloods in the future.

Jakyi Miles, Oakland Soldiers 15U/Arizona 6-3 CG
When one talks about scoring, some just had that innate feel and instinct for it and “KyiKyi” is one of the best. In fact, as a rising ninth-grader he's one of the best we've seen come down the pike in a long time. Last season he played on AZ Compass Prep's high school team and was probably good enough to play on the EYBL Scholastic team. He dropped 35 points in a game vs. Babatunde Oladotun and Team Durant and was terrific in the game prior that we also had a chance to evaluate. Miles had great ability to get by defenders while covering ground, can shake them with meaningful dribbles and already possesses a smooth pull-up game from mid-range that most elite high school players would kill to have in their arsenal. Sprinting into a pull-up is not easy and Miles already has that in his tool box. Watch out for Miles on the elite high school level.

Ronnie Flores is the national Grassroots editor of www.ebooksnet.com. He can be reached at?[email protected]. Don't forget to follow him on Twitter:?@RonMFlores

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2023-24 Mr. Basketball USA: Cooper Flagg, Montverde Academy (Montve?rde, Fla.) 6-8 F
Flagg was the Gatorade State Player of the Year as a freshman at Nokomis Regional (Newport, Maine) before spending the last two seasons at Montverde Academy. He was one of the best players in the country last season as a sophomore when he came in No. 10 in the final 2022-23 Mr. Basketball USA Tracker and earned second five Elite Team All-American honors. Flagg is one of the best shot-blocking small forwards to come down the pike in many years and his shooting is better than advertised. He shot 54.7 percent from the field and 35.2 percent from 3-point range as a senior and has a vast array of shots from the elbow in.

Flagg is the third consecutive Mr. Basketball USA honoree from Florida and the second in three years from Montverde Academy that is headed to Duke, joining 2022 honoree Dariq Whitehead, who has played two games in the NBA so far. To view the full Mr. Basketball USA release, the Mr. Basketball Tracker voting results, and comments from Flagg's coach, CLICK HERE.

For all-time Mr. Basketball USA honorees dating back to 1954-55, CLICK HERE

2024 National Junior of the Year: Cameron Boozer, Columbus (Miami, Fla.) 6-9 F
When it comes to this year's choice among juniors, it goes to show how expectations work and how each season is slightly different from the previous ones. Boozer, the son of 1999 second five Elite Team All-American Carlos Boozer of Juneau-Douglas (Juneau, Alaska), was only the fourth non-senior national player of the year last season and the first sophomore, but this season did not receive a first place vote in the final Mr. Basketball USA Tracker despite putting up similar numbers to his sophomore campaign. He was one of only four players to appear on all ten ballots after leading Columbus to its third consecutive FHSAA Class 7A state by posting averages of 22.2 ppg while shooting 62 percent from the field (234-378), 41 percent from the 3-point line (43-105) and 82 percent from the free throw line (155-188), 11.4 rpg, 2.7 apg and 2.1 bpg for the No. 2 team in the FAB 50. He also averaged 24.5 ppg in two losses against FAB 50 No. 1 Montverde Academy of Florida. Boozer has been the class player of the year in each of his three seasons of high school and has a chance to be the first three time first five All-American since LeBron James in 2001. He's the first honoree in the junior class from Florida since Jalen Duren of Montverde Academy in 2021. Duren subsequently re-classified after that season to enroll at Memphis.

For all-time Junior Player of the Year honorees dating back to 1954-55, CLICK HERE

2024 National Sophomore of the Year: Jalen Montonati, Owasso (Okla.) 6-7 F

Last season it was easy to peg in Cameron Boozer as the chose among tenth-graders after earning national player of the year honors, but this year the race was closer among a strong group of candidates. Guards Brandon McCoy of St. John Bosco (Bellflower, Calif.) and Caleb Holt of Buckhorn (New Market, Ala.) both did enough to deserve this honor, but the choice is Montonati, one of the most honor-laden talents so far in what is shaping out to be a terrific class. McCoy and Holt helped their team win state titles below the top division, but it was Montonati who helped his team win an Oklahoma state crown in the top division (Class 6A) by scoring 34 points in a 57-53 overtime victory over Edmond North.

For the season, the talented forward averaged 23.6 ppg, 5.0 rpg and 2.0 apg for a 26-4 team that finished No. 7 in the Southwest Regional Top 20 rankings. His all-around skill level is terrific at his size and despite being the focus of defenses, Montonati shot 54 percent from the field and 44 percent from the 3-point line. Montonati was also honored on the prestigious Oklahoman's Super 5 and was named Gatorade State Player of the Year, the first ever sophomore choice from Oklahoma. He also won a gold medal with Team USA at the 2023 FIBA 16U AmeriCup and hopes to be part of another gold-medal wining team this summer at the 2024 FIBA World Cup in Turkey. Montonati is the first ever player from Oklahoma chosen in this class.

For all-time Sophomore Player of the Year honorees dating back to 1967-68, CLICK HERE

2024 National Freshman of the Year: Jaylan Mitchell, Reitz (Evansville, Ind.) 6-8 SF
The ninth-grade national class is showing great promise and its pecking order is still being established, but there are already a handful who've made a big impact on quality teams. In terms of combining best all-around talent with production, Reitz is our choice. The 15-year old helped make Reitz a competitive team in the Southern Indiana Athletic Conference (SIAC) by averaging 15.6 ppg, 8.2 rpg. 3.9 apg, 2.2 spg. He earned All-SIAC first team honors and is already considered one of the best players nationally in the class. The 15-year old stood out at the recent USA Basketball Mini-Camp, as he displayed a nice shooting touch with the ability to score in a variety of ways. In addition to his obvious physical talents, Mitchell makes the right reads and excels on the defensive end. He's the third ever freshman choice from the Hoosier State, joining North Central's Eron Gordon in 2013 and Indiana legend Damon Bailey from North Lawrence, who was already nationally known as a ninth-grader in 1987.

For all-time Freshman Player of the Year honorees dating back to 1967-68, CLICK HERE

2024 National Coach of the Year: Jim Baker, Central Cabarrus (Concord, N.C.).
The Vikings own the nation's longest winning streak at 65 games and the architect of the program is its veteran coach with 36 years of college coaching experience. Baker was a D1 assistant for 12 years and the head coach at Catawba College for 20 years. For the last seven seasons, he's been the head coach at Central Cabarrus and the program has qualified for the state playoffs the past five seasons. For the past three seasons the Vikings have been dynamite, winning three consecutive South Piedmont Conference Tournament titles and losing only one game.

With its 90-62 victory over 71st of Fayetteville, the Vikings captured their second consecutive North Carolina High School Athletic Association (NCHSAA) Class 3A title, as D.J. Kent was named the game’s most valuable player with 20 points, nine rebounds, five steals, two assists and two blocks. With the victory, Central Cabarrus finished 33-0 and No. 12 in the FAB 50 National Team Rankings. The Vikings went 32-0 in 2022-23, finished No. 7 in the FAB 50 and have now won 95 of their last 96 games heading into the 2024-25 season under Baker's leadership.

Baker's teams are known for their terrific defensive concepts and fast-paced offense. In this year's state title game victory over 71st, Central Cabarrus scored 24 points off 24 turnovers and were credited with 15 steals. In his first season at the high school level in 2017-18, Central Cabarrus went 4-21, but the program got better each season to the point it reached a national level of success the past two years.

Baker is the first honoree from a NCHSAA program and the second ever from North Carolina, joining legendary Greensboro Day mentor Freddy Johnson, who was honored in 2016-17 and has nearly 1,200 coaching victories at the high school level.

For all-time National Coach of the Year honorees dating back to 1969-70, CLICK HERE

Ronnie Flores is the national Grassroots editor of www.ebooksnet.com. He can be reached at?[email protected]. Don't forget to follow him on Twitter:?@RonMFlores???

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RELATED:? 2023-24 Underclass POYs | Preseason Mr. Basketball USA Tracker | All-Time Honorees?| Ballislife Podcast Network?|

For Cooper Flagg of Montverde Academy (Fla.), his unique talents coincide with his unique situation on the nation's best team. He starred with a group of players who were All-Americans in their own right, the Eagles started off No. 1 in the FAB 50 and were expected to dominate the 2023-24 high school scene. The team didn't skip a beat, finishing 33-0 and their individual talents were recognized by the 10-man Mr. Basketball USA Tracker panel.

It could be easy to overlook individual brilliance on a team as talented as Montverde Academy, or to dismiss the success as simply stock-piling talent, but no less than four MVA players received recognition as national player of the year candidates. On a team with plenty of stars and in a year with plenty of viable candidates, Flagg stood out, topping the voting in the final tracker, and today is honored with the title of 2023-24 Mr. Basketball USA.

"Cooper is not just a great player, he's an infectious leader with a work ethic and an approach that separates him from all players in his class," said Montverde Academy coach Kevin Boyle. "Cooper doesn't play basketball to score points or be popular; this kid plays the game to win and be a champion. There's no one like Cooper Flagg."

Flagg did have an abundance of talent around him and that is reflected in the final voting. Maryland-bound teammate Derik Queen finished sixth in the voting while appearing on eight of 10 ballots. UConn-bound wing Liam McNeeley and point guard Curtis Givens also were among 31 candidates who received recognition for the production-based national player of the year honor selected by Ballislife's 10-man panel of national scouts. Flagg was one of four candidates to appear on all ten ballots, an unusually high number at the end of the season.

Montverde Academy only had three games decided by single-digits, yet defeated 24 teams that were FAB 50 ranked at some point during the season, as individually Flagg met every challenge and performed well on the big stage. For the season, the Duke commit averaged 16.1 ppg, 7.6 rpg, 3.9 apg, 2.7 bpg and 1.6 spg, while shooting 54.7 percent from the field and 35.2 percent from 3-point range. At Chipotle Nationals, Flagg averaged 20.0 ppg and 7.0 rpg in three victories and blocked six shots in the title game win over No. 3 Paul VI (Va.).

"Flagg is the best 'player/prospect' out of the U.S. high school ranks in many years, perhaps since Anthony Davis," said panel member and U.S. Basketball Writers Association Hall of Famer Frank Burlison. "He has the ability to be a dominant college player in every aspect of the game in what will be his only college season."

Flagg is the fourth Duke-bound Mr. Basketball USA, joining 1985 honoree Danny Ferry, 2018 choice RJ Barrett and Dariq Whitehead for the 2021-22 season. He is the fifth honoree from Montverde Academy in the past 10 seasons, joining Ben Simmons in 2015, Barrett, Cade Cunningham in 2020 and Whitehead. Boyle has now coached six national players of the year, as Michael Kidd-Gilchrist was the choice in Boyle's final season at St. Patrick (Elizabeth, N.J.) in 2010-11.

"Cooper understands the expectations that have been built around him and in his two years at Montverde, his skillset has developed to an advanced level," Boyle said. "Most of all the kid's success stems from his ability to compartmentalize and mentally prepare for the biggest moments, better than anyone."

Not only was Cooper able to separate himself from a crowded pack, what made this year's Mr. Basketball USA race so unique is that Flagg re-classified up during the off-season and last season's honoree, Cameron Boozer of Columbus (Miami, Fla.) was returning for his junior campaign after becoming the first tenth-grader ever to earn Mr. Basketball USA honors.

Flagg was a second five All-American Elite team selection as a tenth-grader, while Boozer earned top honors. Despite Boozer having another terrific campaign, Flagg's combination of talent and team success was the difference. Boozer was one of the four players to appear on all ten ballots, tallying 78 total points, but zero first place votes. He did receive two second-place and six third-place votes after averaging 22.2 ppg, 11.4 rpg, 2.7 apg, 2.1 bpg while shooting 62 percent from the field (234-378), 41 percent from the 3-point line (43-105) and 82 percent from the free throw line (155-188) for a team that won its third consecutive FHSAA Class 7A state title and finished No. 2 in the FAB 50.

"The gap between Boozer and Flagg as a 'prospect/player' is much slimmer than that between he and anyone below Boozer on my list, with each of 3-thru-10 almost interchangeable, depending on the time of day," Burlison said. "Almost “underrated” now – as crazy as that sounds – because of the elevation of the national perspective over the past year or so of Flagg and A.J. Dybansta."

Flagg tallied eight first place votes (10 points each), one second and one fourth place vote for his 96 total points. Only one other candidate received a first place vote, as Rutgers-bound point guard Dylan Harper received the other two that Flagg didn't receive after leading Don Bosco Prep (Ramsey, N.J.) to the New Jersey Non-Public A state title and No. 19 FAB 50 ranking with a 29-3 record. Harper closed strong, as he was named co-MVP of the McDonald's All American Game with 22 points and five assists and made the game-winning shot at the Jordan Brand Classic, finishing with a game-high 30 points.

The other prospect to appear in all 10 final ballots was another elite player who re-classed up in the off-season. A.J. Dybansta of Prolific Prep (Napa, Calif.) is another super junior who could challenge Boozer for the most prestigious production-based honor in high school basketball in 2024-25. As this year clearly proved, each season is its own entity and the process will start all over again with a clean slate for each player once the 2024-25 season commences.

As far as 2023-24 goes, it's impossible to deny Flagg's talent and the impact it had on his team not tasting defeat from start to finish.

Editor's Note: Click on the "+" sign next to each player's number to view how many first, second, third or fourth place votes he got and his overall point total. Previous tracker results are also listed ("Prev.").

2022-24 Mr. Basketball USA Tracker Panel

Paul Biancardi, ESPN National Director of Basketball Recruiting
Frank Burlison, BurlisonOnBasketball.com Publisher
Van Coleman, Nothing But Net Magazine
Jordan Divens, Maxpreps.com National Basketball Editor
Ronnie Flores, www.ebooksnet.com National Grassroots Editor
Chris Lawlor, Blue Star Media National Analyst
Horace Neysmith, AllMetroHoops.com
Patrick Stanwood, Patrick Stanwood Basketball
Dinos Trigonis, Fullcourt Press Editor & Publisher
Ani Umana, 5StateHoopReport.com

About Basketball USA Tracker Panel
www.ebooksnet.com's panel of 10 experts, which includes six McDonald’s All-American selection committee members, casts its vote for the top national player of the year candidates. Each panelist lists his top seven candidates regardless of class. The votes are then tabulated on a 10-point scoring system with a first-place vote equaling 10 points, a second-place vote earning nine points and down to four points for a seventh-place vote. The number in parenthesis refers to the numbers of ballots on which a player appeared and previous rankings refers to position in the previous tracker.

For the all-time list of Mr. Basketball USA honorees, CLICK HERE.

Ronnie Flores is the national Grassroots editor of www.ebooksnet.com. He can be reached at?[email protected]. Don't forget to follow him on Twitter:?@RonMFlores

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Hudson Greer Trending Towards Being a Burger Kid
We are still months away, but every time I see Hudson Greer play he is one of, if not the top, standout. Every time one of the national rankings gets updated, he’s moving up. Greer has been one of the most consistent players in the country and as he continues to rise, we’ll eventually see his name on the back of a McDonald’s All American Jersey..

Is This The Year A Texas Program Wins Peach Jam?
Looking at the Nike EYBL rosters, specifically Drive Nation’s and JL3, I think we will see one, if not both, make a serious run at the 2024 Peach Jam Title. JL3 boasts a big-time roster with the core of Hudson Greer, Shelton Henderson, Sebastian Williams-Adams and Nigel Walls. Demorae Pritchett plays a major role, too, and is on the radar of D1 schools.

Henderson is a big guard that utilizes power and skill to score and play-make. Williams-Adams is a swiss army knife that accumulates near triple-doubles due to his effort, athleticism, feel for the game and just always being in the right position. Either that's to secure a rebound, score the ball by attacking closeouts or in transition, and Williams-Adams just doesn’t overthink his decision making. He and Henderson will rise in the national rankings as well. This JL3 squad can make a special run this season.

For Drive, this 2025 group has been in the mix for a title since they were playing 15U. Jaden Toombs, Jermaine O’Neal Jr., Leroy Kelly, JoJo McIver and Reggie Webster have been playing together for a while and the additions of point guard Jacobe Coleman and Des Jones gives the backcourt more depth and an offensive jolt needed to win in the EYBL. Toombs was good at USA Basketball, orchestrated sound performances in the EYBL Memphis Session as he’s a load in the paint with his footwork and touch with either hand around the rim. Can stretch from 12-15 feet and knock down jumpers. O'Neal is a wing that’s a good two-foot athlete that can defend multiple positions and, offensively, knocks down shots from deep. Kelly is as steady as they come at the guard spot. Makes shots from three, adequate ball mover and relocates to spots on the floor to create spacing and scoring opportunities for himself. Coleman is an athletic guard that can get to the paint and just provides a formidable scoring punch. Third time a charm this year for Drive Nation?

UAA: King Grace Wants To Re-Introduce Himself/Texas Impact Makes Splash
2025 King Grace is nationally known from the evaluators and the high major coaches, but saw a dip in the number beside him. Rankings are like stocks, however, they can bear (downward) or bull (upward), but it’s never permanent. Grace made a statement this past weekend in South Carolina. 30-point games, transition dunk after transition dunk, scoring in spot up situations plus off the dribble and more importantly going 4-0. I like stats and production, but I love winning and credit to Texas Impact and coach T.J. Thomas on the roster construction and the way he’s utilizing his players. More weekends like this for King Grace, he’ll see his name in higher tiers.

Texas Impact is playing fast, guys are moving the ball and players are helping themselves such as Steven Ramirez and David Iweze. Ramirez has developed a dependable 3-point shot and he’s knocking them down. Plus he hustles on the glass and overall knows how to play. Iweze is a post that has a lot of upside. Reliable hook shot and counters in the post, can rebound and attack and more physical on the glass.

Bryceson Melvin Keeps Rising/Max Levels Is In The Convo
I predicted the pop with Nic Codie last year before the circuit ball and I have another one for you this year. His name is Bryceson Melvin. 2025 class is deep in Texas, but Melvin will have himself in the top 10 convo soon and could go higher. 6’5 with a strong body, Melvin is a high-level midrange scorer and shooter from deep. The athleticism has grown, the handle is getting tighter (still has some work to do) but the way he scores it and plays translates. A high major prospect that will see himself in the national polls by the end of the summer. I won’t miss on this one!

This may be Max Level’s best overall I’ve seen with the program. They have size, depth, shooting and most importantly talent. Jayden Ramnanan is a strong built scoring point guard that when he gets hot, he’s scoring in bunches. Mixes speed and strength to get to spots when the defense is trying to apply pressure on him. A D1 prospect that has had a great start to the spring. Dorian Johnson of Eastern Hills is helping himself. Athletic four-man that’s a mismatch with his blend of inside/out scoring. Mbayde Babacar has improved a lot over the past year. Alters shots but a more reliable dump-off, dunker spot candidate when guards drive. Plus he’s 6’10 and knows how to use his height to his advantage now.

Cooz Elite Always Reload
It’s fun watching Cooz Elite play. Jason Tocabens is a state champion coach and has won with less. They play fast, physical and the players play with freedom, but don’t abuse it.

Tyran Rathan-Mayes has seen his recruitment pick up. A sturdy built 6’6 wing that shoots it from deep and is an adequate passer. Uses size advantages and will post-up smaller defenders. Ian Inman calling card is his shooting. Good elevation and quick getting off his hands. Very solid creating his own jumper and attacks closeouts to get to the mid-range pull. Jason Scott has come back from injury and is looking like his normal self. Attacking guard that’s persistent on getting to the teeth of the defense. Also like stretch big Evan Cochran and shooting 4-man Yohan Gutierrez.

YGC Big Addition Gave A Major Boost
YGC has a loaded roster. The duo of four-star Kayden Edwards and early season addition Chris Cenac provide a formidable presence. Edwards can score 30 points in any game. Lefty that’s a confident shot taker and fast with the ball. Cenac is a skilled big at 6’10 with face-up skills and plays above the rim inside. ‘24 Kole Williams deserves a shoutout. One of the best available prospects in 2024 as the 6’5 guard is a physical finisher at the rim, capable of making shots from deep and has a body ready for college basketball. Someone will eventually take the chance on him.

Front Court Duo To Keep Tabs Of
Jaylan Jackson (6’10) and Landon Brooks (6’8) - Triumph

Notable Prospects Not Listed Above That May Breakout During The May Live Period
Aiden Disu, 6’6 SF - ASAK ELITE
DJ Hall, 6’7 PF - Southern Assault
Caleb Steger, 6’4 SG - Southern Assault
Michael Grant, 6’5 Wing - Triumph
Dorian Hayes, 6’4 Guard - Houston Hoops
Jaylan Lawal, 6’2 PG - Trae Young Elite
Mike Williams 5’10 PG - Gulf Coast Blue Chips
Christian Thomas, 6’7 SF - Gulf Coast Blue Chips
Kobi Pearson, 6’8 PF/SF - Family Ties
Cam Cowgill, 6’2 SG - SA Future
Jayden Leverett, 6’10 C - IFN
Luke Laczkowski, 6’6 SF - Texas Impact
Happy To See Them Healthy And Playing Well
Bryson Jackson, 6’3 CG - Houston Hoops
Jed Nansha, 6’7 C/PF - YGC

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Southern Assault

The 17U didn’t have an ideal showing, going 1-3 last weekend but the silver lining was the play from 2025 D.J. Hall. A player that I have received numerous calls from, from various collegiate levels. Hall averaged 14.7 ppg and 7.2 rpg a game and Hall just showed his versatility offensively. A burly built forward standing at about 6'6-6'7, Hall is a skilled 4-man that can dribble, pass and shoot. Most of his damage is in the post, using advanced footwork, a large frame and plus length to generate space to score. An adequate mid-range shooter, high level passer from 15 feet in and as the games went on, he rebounded and started igniting breaks.

Players like him can be a challenge to evaluate. What is the right level for Hall? He doesn’t play above the rim and I do wish he was a little bit taller, but his feel and skill allows him to be very productive and players like him have been successful at the D1 level. I’ve said it in the past about other guys and I’ll say it again...He’s someone that, regardless if it's low, mid or high major D1, the program that values what he is and utilizes him right will get a stud.

16U

The 2026 group went 2-2 and two players stood out to me. Big man Davion Adkins and guard/wing Alex Barther. Adkins has freakish athleticism. Skies for blocks and dunks and one play, he snatched a shot with two hands and hit his head on the backboard. His effort, athleticism and touch with his hook shots, Adkins has emerged as a top 30-40 player in the country and can jump to 5-Star status at some point in his high school career. I think there’s a lot more to unlock from a face-up and overall skill facet as well.

Barther led the team in scoring as he shot it well in spot-ups from three, rebounded well due to 95 percent of his basketball career, he's played the post. Also liked when games got tight, he posted up smaller defenders and used height advantage. Another player that’s on the national scenes in the 2026 class.

Team Trae Young

The 17U group probably want to forget Omaha, but most importantly learn from what didn’t work. They went 0-4. I did think Jaylen Lawal showed he’s a no brainer D1 player and will garner a couple offers throughout the spring/summer. Four-star guard Carlsheon Young can score it in bunches. A very talented player that just didn’t get in a rhythm offensively that I'm accustomed to him being in. Damario Adams is a 6’7 wing-forward that holds an assortment of skills. An intriguing prospect that during the live periods, if Adams can string together a couple high level games, can see his stock skyrocket. Tough weekend for them but they’ll clean up the main areas of concern especially with lack of ball movement and questionable shot selection and I expect them to be better going forward.

16U

The 2026 squad ended with an even record of 2-2. Bryce Dixon is a wing prospect that exudes toughness. Gets to the rim on drives, rebounds in traffic, fights for the loose ball and improving his perimeter game. Defensively, Dixon takes charges, does a good job keeping the ball-handler in front and uses strength to push out taller guys that try to post him up. I think he has a good IQ for the game, and once his skill matches that and the motor, he’ll see himself in a different tier than he’s at currently.

The other prospect that stood out to me was Brandon Malone. A 6’6-6’7 forward that ran the floor hard, made trail threes and finished at the rim. His ability to stretch the floor allows him to mix it up and attack the rim from the top of the key because the defender is closing out harder on him. One to keep tabs of.

ASAK Elite

The 2025 group went 2-2 on the weekend. 2026 Bo Ogden played up and was very good. Shot it well from deep and I like that he can get his feet set quickly on the move and launch. His motor and effort to secure offensive rebounds or just keep the play alive stood out to me. A no-brainer top 75 level prospect nationally in my opinion and you can argue higher. 2025 Aiden Disu has a lot of potential. The first game in ASAK’s win vs MASS Rivals, he collected 16 points and 11 rebounds. A sturdy built wing that can score inside and out and guard multiple positions when locked in on that end. Rising senior Uzziyah Bunton was very solid as well. Managed the games well and scored when the opportunities were present. Sometimes his production goes beyond what the box-score stats say.

16U

This team also probably wants to forget Omaha as well. They were winless in the first session. Second half scoring droughts hurt them in close battles.

2026 Billy White is about 6’7 and shoots the cover off the ball. His size and confidence as a shooter allows him to make tough shots. A very dependable perimeter threat that doesn’t need much time to get his shot off. Will rise in the national top 150 before his high school career is over.

Silas Rodriguez was productive. Shot it well from three, can make shots off the dribble and uses angles very well when finishing vs traffic. Silas' feel for the game is a plus and as an off ball mover, he puts himself in advantageous opportunities to score the ball. One trait I do think about Silas that can go unnoticed is he has an edge about him that allows him to make his presence known in games.

One Time Legends

I didn’t get to evaluate their 16U club but I will at the next stop I’m at. The 2025 group went 2-2 and I liked how the team played together. Unsigned senior Jakeel Registe was good. Averaged 16 ppg and his blend of athleticism and shot creation stood out. He utilized jab steps to keep defenders honest before he launched and when he was near the rim, Registe finished with dunks but also showed off his hang-time and finished well around translatable length and size. The talent is there, he’s a D1 level prospect and the next 30-35 days will be big for him.

2025 Dasean Brodie has always intrigued me. A lefty with a good basketball frame, makes shots from deep and has a solid feel for rebounding the basketball. One to keep tabs throughout the summer and see where his recruitment goes.

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With teams ranging from 15U through 17U, there were standouts at every division, but here are six players who caught our eye as top performers at the event:

Meleek Thomas, 6’5, SG, New Heights Lightning 17U, 2025
As far as the top player in The Fantastic 40 was concerned, the conversation starts and ends with Meleek Thomas. The Pittsburgh product was absolutely electric, scoring the rock without forcing the issue, showing what he could do with limited bounces en route to an undefeated weekend for the EYBL program. Meleek was an absurd shot creator off of a live dribble, was creative finishing at the rack, and did his best KD/Dirk impression with countless one legged fadeaway jumpers. Already signed to an NIL deal with Roc Nation, Thomas left no doubt in anyone’s mind that he’s a top five player in the class of 2025 nationally.

Cayden Daughtry, 6’0, PG, Florida Rebels 15U, 2027
In the 2027 class, there wasn’t a player at the Pangos Fantastic 40 who was a more confident scorer than Cayden Daughtry. Having put up monstrous stats on the varsity level dating back to his middle school years, Daughtry exudes supreme scoring ability when playing his age group against his peers. He is an electric 3-point shooter, is patient weaving in and out of the lane, and isn’t afraid of contact despite his slender frame. Daughtry holds a number of D1 offers and brings that killer mentality every time he steps on the hardwood.

Jaion Pitt, 6’8, PF, Arizona Unity 17U, 2025
Blending potential with a massive amount of production, Jaion Pitt was the most productive front court player in the 17U division of the Fantastic 40. The Canadian is a beast rebounding on both ends, is an outstanding cutter, and showed surprising vision passing out of double teams or finding teammates in the dunker. Pitt is extending his range beyond the 3-point line and as he continues to gain consistency stretching the defense, his ranking should trend upwards.

Felipe Quinones, 6’5, SG, Jet Academy 16U, 2026
Next in line out of Puerto Rico, Felipe Quinones lived up to his billing at The Fantastic 40. Owning a prototypical build for a two guard, the sophomore showed off a reliable 3-point shot, impacted the game defensively with his length, and has a massive amount of confidence when he has the ball in his hands. Felipe showed everyone in attendance at Gibson Park that he has the makings of a high major guard and will be learning from a good one in Kenny Smith at Jet Academy.

Gustavo Guimaraes, 6’11, C, All Ball 17U, 2025
One of the bigger surprises of the event, both literally and figuratively, was near 7-footer Gustavo Guimaraes of All Ball. The Riviera Prep (FL) big is fresh off a state title, is quite agile running the floor, and looks to finish above the rim at every available opportunity. There is still plenty of room for growth for Gustavo, but between his play with All Ball and with the Brazil 17U team, expect to hear plenty more from him sooner rather than later.

Darius Wabbington, 6’10, C, Arizona Unity 15U, 2027
There wasn’t a single big in the 15U bracket who could come close to stopping Sunnyslope (AZ) product Darrius Wabbington on the block throughout the Fantastic 40. The Arizona big looks for contact, showed off intriguing footwork on the block, and was incredibly confident scoring the ball. Patterning his game after Nikola Jokic, Darius also stepped out to hit a few threes on the weekend, leaving no doubt in anyone’s mind why he’s right there at the top of a very special Arizona 2027 class.

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With NCAA member schools focusing their recruiting efforts on the transfer portal for the month on April, the NCAA decided to move its spring live weekend to May (17-19) for the 2024 recruiting calendar. Travel teams are still attending events in April to warm up, get acclimated and to decide roster fits.

Twenty-six travel teams, both shoe-sponsored and independent, descended on Gibson Park in Miami to participate in the Fantastic 40. Our colleague Rodger Bohn will focus on stock-risers and top performers from the three-day event, so we decided to give a rundown of some under-the-radar recruits (from a national perspective) that had a good showing.

O'Neal Delancey, Gibbs (Tampa, Fla.) 6-2 2027 CG
The Florida Rebels EYBL have a terrific talent level on their 15u club and their backcourt has a chance to be special. We evaluated and mentioned 2027 point guard Cayden Daughtry of Calvary Christian (Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.) during the Tarkanian Classic in December, so we decided to spotlight his backcourt mate Delancey. He made a huge splash during the high school season and was terrific at the Fantastic 40 as well. Sprinting into a pull-up jumper or stopping smoothly to hit a mid-range J is a lost art, but that's what sticks out about Delancey's game like a sore thumb. He can shoot in traffic or set up the right play on a 3-on-2 or 2-on-1 advantage. He was particularly effective in a highly-competitive 79-72 win over Jet Academy 15U on Saturday afternoon, finishing with 21 points. In fact, he and Daughtry (who is more of a lead guard) combined for 54 points. Plenty was expected of Delancey coming into the 2023-24 high school season and he delivered for Gibbs, finishing as the second-leading scorer (15.4 ppg) behind 2025 guard Jacob Daniels for a team that won the Class 4A state crown.

Myles Fuentes, Riviera Prep (Miami, Fla.) 6-1 2027 PG
This cat-quick guard made a big impression at the event for All Ball 17U with his court savvy and play-making ability. While Fuentes' rep is growing nationally, he's well known in the Sunshine State after starting on a Riviera Prep team that captured the Florida Class 3A state title and finished No. 17 in the FAB 50 Southeast Regional Rankings. Fuentes already has plenty of high school experience, and international FIBA experience, as he started as an eighth grader for Riviera Prep and also plays for Puerto Rico's 16U National Team. That combination of experience and savvy stands out even when playing up, as he can thread the needle and makes the right decisions under duress. Look for him on the UAA Rise 17U circuit this year with All Ball (FL). His older brother, fellow Riviera Prep starter Mason Fuentes, is a 2026 point guard who is a blur with the ball and gets in the key at will. The travel team the brothers belong to is coached by their father, Joseph Fuentes.

Myles Jones, Gateway Charter (Ft. Myers, Fla.) 6-3 2025 SG
Good all-around athlete is having a terrific spring so far for Team Knight NB 17U. Jones has an improving jumper to combine with his D1 athleticism. He finishes well around the basket through contact, plays at rim level and is a capable defender to boot. Jones also gets after it on the glass and just needs to shore up his handling and dishing skills to take his recruitment to the next level.

Cam McKinney, LA Premier Prep (Downey, Calif.) 6-6 2027 WF
This Oakland native made a terrific impact for Arizona Unity 16U and has a bright future in the game. McKinney really got in a stance on the defensive end and can guard the wing or eat space inside. McKinney's skill level is improving and his move to SoCal was intended to put him on a good training regimen with the goal of taking his game to the next level. He already has the frame, motor and desire.

Jaion Pitt, Canyon International Academy (Glendale, Ariz.) 6-8 2025 PF
This Toronto native has a productive season in EYBL Scholastic League play and is using this travel season to expand his offensive repertoire. Pitt has an old school forward's game, but at the Fantastic 40 was successfully using his triple-threat game to keep defenses honest and create lanes for himself and teammates. Pitt, the third leading rebounder in the EYBL Scholastic, is pretty confident in the progression of his game and is hearing from schools all over the country. The consensus Top 75 prospect is hearing from Michigan St., Oregon, among others, and fields offers from ASU, OSU and CAL, among others.

Ronnie Flores is the national Grassroots editor of www.ebooksnet.com. He can be reached at?[email protected]. Don't forget to follow him on Twitter:?@RonMFlores

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RELATED: Staton An Eye-Catcher At USA Basketball

At the recent USA Basketball Junior National Team Mini-Camp in Arizona, we had a chance to interview Koa Peat of FAB 50 No. 22 Perry (Gilbert, Ariz.). The 6-foot-8 rising senior (2025) is one of the well-established players in the nation. He's also a Team USA veteran who should be one of the leading players on this summer's team at the FIBA 17U World Cup, June 29-July 7 in Istanbul, Turkey.

If Team USA captures the Gold Medal in Turkey, it was be a third gold medal for the 17-year old who could go down as the most accomplished Arizona high school basketball player, ever. Peat, already a two-time Gatorade State Player of the Year, averaged a team-high 17.2 ppg during the 2023 FIBA 16U Americas Championship in Merida, Mexico and also contributed 8.3 rpg, 3.2 apg and 1.5 spg in six contests. He was also part of the gold-medal winning team at the 2022 FIBA 17U World Cup in Malaga, Spain and for his accomplishments was named 2023 USA Basketball Male Athlete of the Year.

We talk with Peat about his camp experience, his vast experience with USA Basketball and what he hopes to accomplish this summer, and to give us some insight about not losing a high school playoff game yet with his senior season to come.

Ronnie Flores is the national Grassroots editor of www.ebooksnet.com. He can be reached at?[email protected]. Don't forget to follow him on Twitter:?@RonMFlores

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Final 2023-24 FAB 50
Region-By-Region Rankings

(Preseason ranking in parentheses)

By Ronnie Flores

RELATED: Final East Top 20 | Final Southeast Top 20??| Final Midwest Top 20 | Final Southwest Top 20 | Final 2023-24 FAB 50 Rankings

WEST Region Top 20
(Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Washington, Wyoming)

1. (1) Prolific Prep (Napa, Calif.) 33-6
2. (2) Harvard-Westlake (North Hollywood, Calif.) 33-3
3. (9) Roosevelt (Eastvale, Calif.) 31-4
4. (3) AZ Compass Prep (Chandler, Ariz.) 27-6
5. (7) Perry (Gilbert, Ariz.) 24-6
6. (4) St. John Bosco (Bellflower, Calif.) 28-7
7. (19) Salesian (Richmond, Calif.) 31-2
8. (17) Millennium (Goodyear, Ariz.) 25-5
9. (8) Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.) 29-6
10. (NR) St. Joseph (Santa Maria, Calif.) 31-4
11. (10) Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth, Calif.) 26-4
12. (15) Notre Dame (Sherman Oaks, Calif.) 31-4
13. (5) Wasatch Academy (Mt. Pleasant, Utah) 15-7
14. (NR) Olympus (Salt Lake City, Utah) 24-3
15. (18) Archbishop Riordan (San Francisco, Calif.) 25-5
16. (NR) Carlsbad (Carlsbad, Calif.) 30-3
17. (NR) Clovis North (Clovis, Calif.) 28-7
18. (NR) St. Pius X-St. Matthias (Downey, Calif.) 24-7
19. (NR) Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas, Nev.) 24-5
20. (NR) Valor Christian (Highlands Ranch, Col.) 26-2

*Indicates forfeit wins/losses not included.
**Indicates default wins/losses not included.

Note: The FAB 50 powered by www.ebooksnet.com is a continuation of the National Sports News Service ratings that began in 1952. These were the first national high school rankings and the late Art Johlfs of Minnesota compiled them. They were compiled for many years by the late Barry Sollenberger of Phoenix, who merged them into the FAB 50 24 years ago.

Ronnie Flores is the national Grassroots editor of www.ebooksnet.com. He can be reached at [email protected]. Don't forget to follow him on Twitter: @RonMFlores

The post FINAL 2023-24 Top 20 Regional Rankings! appeared first on www.ebooksnet.com.

At the USA Basketball Junior National Team Mini-Camp, we had a chance to interview fast-rising big man Xavion Staton of Sierra Vista (Las Vegas). The 6-foot-11 rising senior (2025) is one of the fast-rising prospects in the country and a name to know for the future.

RELATED: Staton An Eye-Catcher At USA Basketball

Staton is an excellent student who has picked up offers from all over the country in the past six months, from the likes of Stanford to Blue Bloods like Kansas. He arguably has as much upside as any of the 65 players who were in attendance at the Mini-Camp over final our weekend, but it wasn't always this way. In fact, it wasn't long ago when Staton thought his future was in another sport.

We talk with Staton about his camp experience, his background, his introduction into organized basketball that was fueled by a COVID-19 growth spurt and whom he emulates.

Ronnie Flores is the national Grassroots editor of www.ebooksnet.com. He can be reached at?[email protected]. Don't forget to follow him on Twitter:?@RonMFlores

The post USA Basketball: Xavion Staton Interview! appeared first on www.ebooksnet.com.

By Ronnie Flores

RELATED: Final East Top 20??| Final Southeast Top 20??| Final Midwest Top 20?| Final Southwest Top 20 | Final West Top 20

The big question heading into 2024 Chipotle Nationals was if any team could seriously challenge season-long FAB 50 No. 1 Montverde Academy of Florida. The Eagles were facing as talented a crop of teams the program has ever faced in the end-of-season event that has been played for 16 years. The Eagles were also facing seven potential teams, all ranked within the top 14 of the FAB 50 National Team Rankings powered by www.ebooksnet.com prior to the start of the event, that they beat at least once earlier in the season.

There is an old saying it's hard to beat a good team twice, but the battle tested and top seeded Eagles won three games at Brownsburg (Ind.) to capture the event title for the seventh time in the last 11 times the event was held. Montverde Academy's 79-63 victory over No. 2 seeded and FAB 50 No. 3 Paul VI (Chantilly, Va.) makes the Eagles the official 2023-24 FAB 50 National Champs.

Many veteran onlookers felt Paul VI was the best bet to upset Montverde Academy, but the all-around brilliance of Duke-bound Cooper Flagg and the shot making ability of LSU-bound Curtis Givens was the difference in the championship contest. Flagg, the leading Mr. Basketball USA candidate, was named tourney MVP after scoring 16 points, grabbing eight rebounds, and blocking six shots versus Paul VI. In Montverde Academy's three victories, Flagg averaged 20.0 ppg and 7.0 rpg and had only blocked one shot in the first two games before his big defensive performance in the final.

Montverde Academy led 45-32 at halftime, as both Givens and Flagg hit big field goals right before intermission. Whenever Paul VI looked to make a run, Givens would hit a big 3-pointer to play the role of rally-killer. Flagg's block and run out dunk right before the third period buzzer which gave his team a 60-46 lead summarized the game and the event. No matter what any team tried to do, Montverde Academy had an answer.

Givens finished with 24 points, including 6-of-9 shooting from 3-point range. Also making a big impact as a matchup nightmare was Maryland-bound forward Derik Queen. He used his big body, passing ability and uncanny moves around the basket to finish with 19 points, six rebounds and four assists. Queen, who averaged 16.3 ppg and 6.7 rpg at the event, should also be considered a Mr. Basketball USA candidate.

"In almost 40 years of coaching this year's team was as close has any I’ve ever had both on and off the court," Montverde Academy head coach Kevin Boyle told www.ebooksnet.com. "They won seven games versus nationally-ranked top five teams and 14 versus nationally-ranked top ten teams. They are in the conversation as the greatest team of all-time and clearly along with Montverde Academy 2020, Dunbar 1983, Oak Hill Academy 1993 and Montverde 2018 one of the five best teams of all- time."

The big ranking decision coming out of the event was one to move up Paul VI one spot to No. 2 as the runner-up or leave Columbus (Miami, Fla.) in that spot after the Explorers fell in the semifinals to Montverde Academy, 84-70. Even though Paul VI advanced one round further at Chipotle Nationals, the Panthers lost a head-to-head matchup to Columbus, 70-61, at the Spalding Hoophall Classic in Massachusetts, so the Explorers remain at No. 2. Although Columbus did fall behind big early in its game with MVA just as it did in the first meeting between the two, MVA's victory margins over the Explorers and the Panthers were in similar range that a rankings flip to go against the head-to-head result was unwarranted.

Flagg finished with 28 points in the win over Columbus while Queen added 16 points and six rebounds. Cameron Boozer, last season's Mr. Basketball USA as a sophomore, led Columbus with 29 points (3-of-11 3-point) and seven rebounds.

Paul VI knocked off then No. 11 Link Academy (Branson, Mo.) in its semifinal, 58-44, as Duke-bound Darren Harris led the way with 20 points. Harris also scored a team-high 16 points in the championship final loss to Montverde Academy and had 36 points (5-of-9 3-point) in the 101-89 first round win over then No. 14 IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.). Link Academy is able to move up five spots after defeating then No. 6 Prolific Prep (Napa, Calif.), 80-76 in double overtime, in the first round. Link Academy and Prolific Prep split games this season, but with Link Academy avenging the regular season loss, it finishes ranked one spot ahead of The Crew from Napa, Calif.

In its first round victory, Montverde Academy took down then No. 12 AZ Compass Prep (Chandler, Ariz.), 64-49, as Flagg had 16 points while Queen finished with 14 points and eight rebounds.

This is Montverde Academy's third FAB 50 national title team to finish unbeaten, joining the already legendary 2020 team that didn't get the opportunity to compete in Chipotle Nationals because of COVID-19 and the 2018 team. The 2018 team also went wire-to-wire as FAB 50 No. 1 team just as this year's close knit group did.

For Montverde Academy, the program has now finished No. 1 in the FAB 50 seven times, which ties Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.) for the most all-time FAB 50 national titles. We'll have more detail on that achievement and this year's MVA team in our annual "Salute to All-Time FAB 50 No. 1 Teams".

There was also some movement in the final rankings after we reviewed the entire season log for each team that we'll explain in our Final, Expanded FAB 50 Rankings with detail on each team.

RELATED: Final East Top 20??| Final Southeast Top 20??| Final Midwest Top 20?| Final Southwest Top 20 | Final West Top 20 |?Preseason 2023-24 Mr. Basketball USA Tracker | | ? | Chipotle Nationals Record Book

Final FAB 50 National Team Rankings
Powered by www.ebooksnet.com

(16th and final poll of 2023-24 regular season; Through games played on Saturday, April 6; *Indicates forfeit wins, forfeit losses not included; **Indicates forfeits and defaults not included)

No.	Prev.	High School (City)	Record
1	1	Montverde Academy (Montverde, Fla.)	33-0
2	2	Columbus (Miami, Fla.)	28-5
3	3	Paul VI (Chantilly, Va.)	35-3
4	5	Plano East (Plano, Texas)	40-0
5	4	Long Island Lutheran (Glen Head, N.Y.)	21-5
6	11	Link Academy (Branson, Mo.)	26-7
7	6	Prolific Prep (Napa, Calif.)	33-6
8	7	Harvard-Westlake (North Hollywood, Calif.)	33-3
9	9	Fishers (Fishers, Ind.)	29-1
10	9	Wisconsin Lutheran (Milwaukee, Wis.)	30-0
11	13	Stony Point (Round Rock, Texas)	38-2
12	8	Central Cabarrus (Concord, N.C.)	33-0
13	20	Roosevelt (Eastvale, Calif.)	31-4
14	15	St. Rose (Belmar, N.J.)	29-2
15	26	Oak Ridge (Orlando, Fla.)	27-4
16	12	AZ Compass Prep (Chandler, Ariz.)	27-6
17	14	IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.)	18-9
18	16	Archbishop Stepinac (White Plains, N.Y.)	26-4
19	17	Don Bosco Prep (Ramsey, N.J.)	29-3
20	18	St. Mary Prep (Orchard Lake, Mich.)	27-1
21	19	Ridge View (Columbia, S.C.)	27-2
22	21	Perry (Gilbert, Ariz.)	24-6
23	22	Grayson (Loganville, Ga.)	30-2
24	23	McEachern (Powder Springs, Ga.)	26-6
25	24	North Mecklenburg (Huntersville, N.C.)	30-3
26	26	Myers Park (Charlotte, N.C.)	27-3
27	27	John Marshall (Richmond, Va.)	25-3
28	28	Bullis (Potomac, Md.)	27-3
29	29	Sidwell Friends (Washington, D.C.)	27-4
30	30	Gonzaga (Washington, D.C.)	28-6
31	31	St. John Bosco (Bellflower, Calif.)	28-7
32	32	Salesian (Richmond, Calif.)	31-2
33	33	La Lumiere (La Porte, Ind.)	23-5
34	34	Brewster Academy (Wolfeboro, N.H.)	27-7
35	35	Patrick School (Elizabeth, N.J.)	28-4
36	36	Camden (Camden, N.J.)	30-2
37	37	Kell (Marietta, Ga.)	28-3
38	38	Homewood Flossmor (Flossmor, Ill.)	33-4
39	39	Reidsville (Reidsville, N.C.)	29-0
40	40	Roman Catholic (Philadelphia, Pa.)	26-3
41	41	St. Ignatius (Cleveland, Ohio)	26-3
42	42	Millennium (Goodyear, Ariz.)	25-5
43	43	Winter Haven (Winter Haven, Fla.)	27-2
44	44	Jackson-Reed (Washington, D.C.)	33-3
45	45	Bellevue West (Bellevue, Neb.)	27-1
46	46	Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.)	29-6
47	47	Lyon County (Eddyville, Ky.)	36-3
48	48	Beaumont United (Beaumont, Texas)	34-4
49	49	Northwest (Shawnee Mission, Kan.)	25-0
50	50	Great Crossing (Georgetown, Ky.)	36-2

Dropped Out: None.

Editor's Note: No bubble clubs are included in the final FAB 50, as the final 2023-24 Top 20 Regional Rankings include all the teams considered for the bubble.

Note:?The FAB 50 powered by www.ebooksnet.com is a continuation of the National Sports News Service ratings that began in 1952. These were the first national high school rankings and the late Art Johlfs of Minnesota compiled them. They were compiled for many years by the late Barry Sollenberger of Phoenix, who merged them into the FAB 50 24 years ago.

Ronnie Flores is the national Grassroots editor of www.ebooksnet.com. He can be reached at?[email protected]. Don't forget to follow him on Twitter:?@RonMFlores

The post Final 2023-24 FAB 50: MVA Wins Chipotle Nationals! appeared first on www.ebooksnet.com.

Approximately 65 of some of the finest home grown high school talent was in display in Phoenix for the USA Basketball Junior National Team Minicamp. For some camp veterans such as Koa Peat, a 2025 forward out of FAB 50 ranked Perry (Chandler, Ariz.), the experience is nothing new and it's the start of the process of competing at the FIBA 17U World Cup taking place June 29 through July 7 in Istanbul, Turkey. Expect Peat, a three time high school state champion, to be one of the team's leaders.

Today we wanted to highlight the players who made a favorable impression over the first two days by approaching the mini-camp playing the right way, under control and with pace. This is not about passing the look test, as some players look like they belong but have a long way to go in terms of their I.Q. and approach. The theme here is making a favorable impression by being coachable and not pressing or forcing the action.

Here's five participants who caught our eye in those departments and five more who impressed.

Davion Adkins, Oak Cliff Faith Family (Dallas), 6-8 2026 PF
We we first evaluated this well put together 16-year old forward at the Pangos All-South Frosh/Soph Camps, his motor and rim-running stood out, but he's added plenty to his game since then. Adkins had added solid post moves over both shoulders to compliment his vertical pop. He converted a couple of terrific left-handed half hooks and displayed nice touch around the basket. Adkins' pace and patience made a big difference and national scouts and some NBA personnel definitely came away impressed. Adkins plays for a winning high school program and is using the experience to learn how to adjust his offensive game playing against forwards of similar size and skill.

Devin Cleveland, Kenwood Academy (Chicago), 6-1 2027 PG
We counted 10 2027s in attendance and Cleveland was among the few that really turned heads in a class that has a long ways to go (and plenty of time) to develop. As a 15-year old, many of the older players and upperclassmen in attendance could learn a thing or two about place from Cleveland, who has a cool-under-fire disposition on and off the court. While many of the young guards were forcing the action and getting into trouble with the dribble, Cleveland has a good grasp of the stop-and-pop game and not taking it too deep into the paint to get caught in no man's land. Cleveland can cover ground with the dribble and displays a nice-pull up jumper. He can also finish under control around the rim with both hands and has a competitive drive that will pay off down the line. If he keeps developing at a normal pace, Cleveland has a bright future in the game.

Hudson Greer, Lake Travis (Texas), 6-6 2025 WF
This 17-year old is a well-known commodity on the high school and grassroots circuit and is making a splash at USA Basketball this weekend. Greer had some nagging injuries this past season for Lake Travis, and gutted them out well enough to earn district MVP honors. Already a two-time district MVP, Greer displayed a terrific all-around skill level and when his legs are bouncy and he's at 100 percent like he was here, it takes his game to a whole other level. Greer was knocking down shots at a high clip and finishing in traffic with authority. He also got behind the defense and used his stride to get out and finish before the defense could get set. Greer reminds us some of former Florida St. standout Bob Sura and his confidence and eagerness to get better really shined through on Saturday.

Jacob Lanier, Maumelle (Ark.), 6-5 2026 WF
This 17-year old prospect is just scratching the surface of his potential and coming out of his shell at this level. On the first day, Lanier turned heads and caught the attention of national scouts with his shot making ability off the dribble and his movement off-the-ball. On the second day, he was lauded for not losing his composure during stretches of out-of-control play by the lead guards on his team. Lanier moves without the ball well and can score in a variety of ways, with a better than average float game. He's also an instinctual defender who is learning how to become more vocal on the court and take more of an alpha role. His progression is noticeable and will pay off plenty this spring and summer.

Xavion Staton, Sierra Vista (Las Vegas) 6-11 2025 C
With a dearth of traditional big men in attendance, Staton stands out for many reasons, and even if there were more in attendance, he'd still stand out. That's because he's a quick learner, smart both on and off the court (excellent student) and has tremendous upside. In fact, scouts and NBA personnel were surprised to learn he's been playing the game for only a short period of time (less than four years). Staton grew up playing football until a 6-7 inch growth spirt during the COVID-19 Pandemic made him and his family realize the gridiron was likely not in his long-term future. With his defensive instinct and vertical pop and second jump ability, Staton has a bright future on the hardwood. The 17-year old was blocking shots at a high clip and there might not be a player in the country that alters more shots with his presence than Staton. Another plus is he doesn't do too much he's not capable of right now and quickly moves the ball when he doesn't have an advantage. Few players are getting more out of the USA Basketball experience than this Las Vegas big man who quickly has the interest of P5 schools around the country.

5 More That Impressed:

Mikel Brown Jr., Overtime Elite (Atlanta), 6-2 2025 PG
Not many guards here can rip a crossover into a pull-up, but Brown has a nice offensive arsenal with the ball.
Junior County, Utah Prep (Manti, Utah) 6-5 2026 SG
One of the best shooting strokes of any player in attendance.
Jaylen Mitchell, Reitz Memorial (Evansville, Ind.) 6-7 2027 WF
This 15-year old was making the right passes and displayed a nice shooting touch.
Chris Nwuli, Wasatch Academy (Mt. Pleasant, Utah) 6-8 SF
Las Vegas native has been up and down on the circuit the past two years, but deserves credit because his outside shot was on point on Saturday and he brought his usual energy and toughness to make winning plays.
Babatunde Oladotun, Blake (Silver Spring, Md.) 6-7 2027 SF
There is plenty to like about this 15-year old who knows how to play with the ball and sets grown man screens. He has a good offensive base, to boot.

Ronnie Flores is the national Grassroots editor of www.ebooksnet.com. He can be reached at?[email protected]. Don't forget to follow him on Twitter:?@RonMFlores

The post USA Basketball: Eye Catchers! appeared first on www.ebooksnet.com.

RELATED: Chipotle Nationals Record Book (2009-2023)

By Ronnie Flores

With only one state tournament still going this past week, it wasn't too difficult to make the updates for the second-to-last FAB 50 National Team Rankings powered by www.ebooksnet.com for the 2023-24 season. The only thing we had to do to update the won-loss record for No. 10 Fishers (Ind.) and give the Tigers one more victory to finish their historic season at 29-1.

On Saturday evening, the Tigers captured the coveted Indiana High School Athletic Association (IHSAA) Class 4A with a 65-56 victory over Ben Davis (Indianapolis, Ind.) at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. Fishers won its first ever state crown after making its first appearance in an Indiana state final since 1922. Ben Davis (23-6) was the defending champions coming off its own historic season with a 33-0 record and No. 4 FAB 50 finish in 2022-23.

Fishers, whose only loss is to a Carmel (Ind.) team it split with, stays at No. 10 this week. There is no other movement in the rankings as teams' overall resume will be considered for the final 2023-24 edition throughout the week.

The defending champions led Fishers heading into the final period, 48-47, but the Tigers scored the first six points of the final period to take control of the game. Fishers' guard JonAnthony Hall and forward Keenan Gardner sparked Fishers in the critical movements of the fourth period and throughout the game. Hall, a Grid-Hoop standout junior, had 23 points and 10 rebounds, making two 3-pointers and coming up with two seals in the process. Gardner, a 6-foot-6 senior forward, had 19 points, 10 rebounds and five assists.

Ben Davis never seemed to recover after that early fourth period spurt by Indiana's top-ranked team and were outscored 18-8 in the final period. Ben Davis outscored Fishers, 18-11, in the third period after the Tigers led 36-30 at halftime.

Taden Metzger, a 6-foot-2 senior guard, was the third Fishers players in double figures with 10 points. Ben Davis had four players in double figures, led by 5-foot-10 Grid-Hoop standout Mark Zachary with 14 points.

With Fishers closing out its season with 13 consecutive victories, including an avenging win over Carmel, all that is left to conclude the season is Chipotle Nationals, which will be held just outside Indianapolis at Brownsburg (Ind.), April 4-6.

Unbeaten, top seeded and top-ranked Montverde Academy (Fla.) leads a field that includes eight teams in the top 14 of the FAB 50. Montverde is looking to capture its third FAB 50 title with an unblemished record in program history.

RELATED:  Preseason 2023-24 Mr. Basketball USA Tracker | |   | Chipotle Nationals Record Book

Updated FAB 50 National Team Rankings
Powered by www.ebooksnet.com

(15th poll of 2023-24 regular season; Through games played on Sunday, March 30; *Indicates forfeit wins, forfeit losses not included; **Indicates forfeits and defaults not included; ***Indicates season not complete.)

Dropped Out: None.

Bubble Teams: Arrowhead (Heartland, Wis.) 27-3; Bartlett (Bartlett, Tenn.) 32-5; Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas, Nev.) 24-5; Brennan (San Antonio, Texas) 31-5; Centerville (Centerville, Ohio) 20-9; Central Catholic (Portland, Ore.) 28-3; Christian (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 26-3; Combine Academy (Lincolnton, N.C.) 23-3; Curie (Chicago, Ill.) 31-3; Dale (Dale, Okla.) 30-2; De Paul Prep (Chicago, Ill.) 35-2; De Pere (De Pere, Wis.) 26-2; Edmond North (Edmond, Okla.) 24-4; Fort Bend Clements (Sugar Land, Texas) 32-1; Hayes (Delaware, Ohio) 27-2; Hickory (Hickory, N.C.) 31-1; Hoover (Hoover, Ala.) 30-3; Imhotep Charter (Philadelphia, Pa.) 29-3; Independence (Thompson’s Station, Tenn.) 32-6; Kennedy (Cedar Rapids, Iowa) 25-1; Kokomo (Kokomo, Ind.) 25-4; Lehi (Lehi, Utah) 24-4; Lexington (Lexington, S.C.) 28-2; Lexington Catholic (Lexington, Ky.) 32-3; Liberty Magnet (Baton Rouge, La.) 33-4; Lincoln (Warren, Mich.) 24-4; Lincoln Park (Midland, Pa.) 27-3; Marquette University (Milwaukee, Wis.) 26-4; Millard North (Omaha, Neb.) 23-3; Minnetonka (Minnetonka, Minn.) 25-6; Moeller (Cincinnati, Ohio) 26-2; Mt. St. Joseph (Baltimore, Md.) 36-5; Noblesville (Noblesville, Ind.) 22-3; Notre Dame (Sherman Oaks, Calif.) 31-4; Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.) 21-6; Owasso (Owasso, Okla.) 26-4; Pewaukee (Pewaukee, Wis.) 25-5; Raymond (Raymond, Miss.) 31-4; Seven Lakes (Katy, Texas) 35-4**; Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth, Calif.) 26-4; St. Anne’s-Bellfield (Charlottesville, Va.) 26-4; St. Joseph (Santa Maria, Calif.) 31-4; St. Peter’s Prep (Jersey City, N.J.) 26-3; Totino-Grace (Fridley, Minn.) 27-5; Valley (West Des Moines, Iowa) 21-5; Valor Christian (Highlands Ranch, Col.) 26-2; Vashon (St. Louis, Mo.) 26-6; Volcano Vista (Albuquerque, N.M.) 30-1; Lincoln (Warren, Mich.) 24-4; Wasatch Academy (Mt. Pleasant, Utah) 15-7; Wayzata (Plymouth, Minn.) 29-2; Westfield (Westfield, Ind.) 19-3; Whitmer (Toledo, Ohio) 25-3; Woodside (Newport News, Va.) 27-1.

Note: The FAB 50 powered by www.ebooksnet.com is a continuation of the National Sports News Service ratings that began in 1952. These were the first national high school rankings and the late Art Johlfs of Minnesota compiled them. They were compiled for many years by the late Barry Sollenberger of Phoenix, who merged them into the FAB 50 24 years ago.

Ronnie Flores is the national Grassroots editor of www.ebooksnet.com. He can be reached at [email protected]. Don't forget to follow him on Twitter: @RonMFlores

The post Updated FAB 50: Hoosier Hysteria! appeared first on www.ebooksnet.com.

The two wins in Chicago put The Crew's record at 33-5, but their season isn’t over just yet.

Sitting at No. 6 in the latest FAB 50 National Team Rankings powered by www.ebooksnet.com, the Prolific Prep Crew is Indianapolis bound for the Chipotle High School Nationals (April 4-6), where they’ll be matched up against FAB 50 No. 11 Link Academy (Branson, Mo.) in the opening round. While many are already looking forward to that, let’s focus on the outstanding performances that many of the Prolific players and others had to wrap up the Grind Session season.

Here are the top performers from the Grind Session World Championship Final Four:

A.J. Dybantsa, 6’8, SF/PF, Prolific Prep (CA), 2025
The top junior in the nation showed that he is just beginning to scratch the surface with his immense bag of talents, pacing Prolific Prep to the Grind Session World Championship with 24 points and eight boards in the title game. While his outside shot wasn’t falling at his typical rate, Dybantsa impacted the game in different ways, utilizing his size on both ends of the court. The USA Basketball gold medalist exploited mismatches by posting smaller defenders, was a beast on the offensive glass, and showed immense potential on the defensive end. A.J. will be running with Vegas Elite for his final season on the AAU circuit and will undoubtedly have all eyes on him for the remainder of his high school career.

Tyran Stokes, 6’7, SF/PF, Prolific Prep (CA), 2026
Considered by many to be the top player in the class of 2026, Tyran Stokes proved that he could be a remarkably effective player with limited touches at the Grind Session World Championship. The Louisville product was great on the offensive glass keeping plays alive, scoring within the flow of the offense, and facilitating for others. The 18 points, nine rebounds, six assists, and three blocks that Stokes finished with in the championship game don't even begin to show the overall impact that he had on the game.

Ikenna Alozie, 6’2, PG, Dream City Christian, (AZ), 2026
While Dream City Christian came up short to Prolific in the title game, it certainly has nothing to do with the play of Ikenna Alozie. The sophomore dropped 29 points, seven rebounds, five assists, and four steals, leaving everyone on notice that he is one of the better guards in the class of 2026. Ike used his strong frame and length to play unreal on ball defense, was a freakish shot blocker as a guard, and was elite finishing at the rim through contact. As Alozie’s 3-point shot continues to gain consistency, we will see him push his way up to five star status.

Emmanuel Stephen, 7’0, C, Dream City Christian (AZ), 2024
An absolutely massive individual, Emmanuel Stephen was the physical enforcer on both ends of the court for Dream City Christian. He used his ridiculous frame to carve out position deep in the paint, was great using his size to wall up as a rim protector, and dunked virtually everything that he got in the three second area. Heading to Arizona next year, “E-Man” is everything you look for out of a big as a rim protector and lob threat.

Sean Blake, 6’2, PG, Royal Crown Institute (CAN), 2024
A player I hadn't seen before, Sean Blake left it all on the floor and showed that he belonged against Grind Session champion Prolific Prep. The Canadian lead guard got into the paint at will, was excellent converting with creativity at the rack with both hands, and was the overall catalyst for Royal Crown with his 21- point, 5-assist showing versus Prolific Prep. Heading to Vermont next year, Blake is another key addition to the America East champs who took on Duke in the first round of the NCAA tournament.

Winters Grady, 6’6, SF, Prolific Prep (CA), 2025
The best junior prospect in the state of Oregon made local headlines when he was going to initially transfer from Lake Oswego to Tualtin before ultimately ending up at Prolific Prep. The move paid off for Grady, as he walked away with a Grind Session World Championship and firmly established himself as a top-100 player in the process. Winters is a versatile wing with deep 3-point range, provides a presence as a rebounder, and finds a way to make an impact on the game with minimal plays being ran for him. Since Grady emerged at the 2023 Crossroads Elite Invitational, he has quickly become a priority for numerous high major programs throughout the country.

The post Grind Session World Championships: Top Performers! appeared first on www.ebooksnet.com.

RELATED: Chipotle Nationals Record Book (2009-2023)

By Ronnie Flores

The Sweet 16 field is set for March Madness and there is still some high school madness happening around the country. In fact, right before the Sweet 16 field was set on Sunday evening, the Ohio High School Athletic Association (OHSAA) wrapped up its state tournament with the state's top ranked-club, St. Ignatius (Cleveland, Ohio), capturing the Division I state crown with a hard-fought 66-56 win over Centerville (Ohio) before 5,189 at University of Dayton Arena.

Four players scored in double figures for coach Cam Joyce's crew, led by 6-foot senior guard Jack Zapolnick with 14 points and seven assists and 6-foot-1 senior guard Matt Ellis with 12 points. Michael Lamirand, a 6-foot-4 senior forward, nailed all three of his 3-point attempts and finished with 11 points as the Wildcats made 7-of-15 3-pointers.

St. Ignatius won its first OHSAA state crown since 2001, when the Wildcats finished No. 40 in the FAB 50 that season after winning their first state D1 title with a 25-2 mark. This year's team only suffered one in-state loss, with its other losses to St. Joseph's Prep (Philadelphia, Pa.) and FAB 50 No. 25 Oak Ridge (Orlando, Fla.). With St. Joseph's Prep having a loss to No. 40 Roman Catholic (Philadelphia, Pa.), it only makes sense the Wildcats move up three spots to No. 41 in this week's updated FAB 50 National Team Rankings powered by www.ebooksnet.com.

St. Ignatius nipped Hayes (Delaware, Ohio) in the semifinals, 54-53, while Centerville defeated bubble club Whitmer (Toledo, Ohio), 58-39. Six-foot-10 junior forward Damon Friery (16 points) and 6-foot-1 junior guard Quinn Woidke led the way for balanced St. Ignatius in the win over Hayes. The semifinal game came down to Woidke's running lay-up with 10 seconds remaining and a defensive stand following his clutch shot that turned out to be the game-winning points.

In Kentucky, The prestigious Kentucky High School Athletics Association (KHSAA) Sweet 16 was captured by Lyon County (Eddyville, Ky.) with a 67-58 Saturday evening victory over Harlan County (Rosspoint, Ky.) before 13,568 at historic Rupp Arena. It was incredible state championship game and everything that is right about high school basketball. Kentucky still employs the one-class system, so the event is already electric and highly-anticipated. The fact both finalists were small schools made this year's Sweet 16 even more memorable.

According to the 2010 census, Eddyville has a population of 2,554 and Harlan 1,745. Lyon County, which has a student body of 277, can now be called state champions for the first time after taking a 18-10 lead after one period and ending the game with a 22-13 advantage in the final period. The Lyons' best player is not just an All-American headed to UK and Kentucky's all-time leading scorer, he's now a state folk hero after leading his team to a state title. Travis Perry, the state's Mr. Basketball, hit 5-of-9 3-pointers en route to 27 points to go along with five assets and two steals.

Jack Riddick netted 15 points and Brady Shoulders had 15 points and seven rebounds for the Lyons, who not only beat state champions from Alabama (Buckhorn) and South Carolina (bubble club Lexington), but also previous FAB 50 No. 25 Great Crossing (Georgetown, Ky.) in the semifinals, 58-49, earlier on Saturday afternoon behind Perry (24 points), Shoulders (13 points) and Reddick (11 points). That Lyon County trio have been teammates since second grade and erased some of the sting of losing at the Sweet 16 the previous two seasons after capturing its regional. Perry scored 5,481 points in his high school career playing for his father, Ryan, and broke the hallowed state scoring record of the late "King" Kelly Coleman of Wayland in the process.

In the championship game, Harlan County was led by Maddox Huff with 22 points while Trent Noah, a South Carolina commit, had 17 points and 9 rebounds.

With the four wins at the Sweet 16, including two on Saturday, Lyon County breaks into the FAB 50 at No. 47. Great Crossing, which didn't lose to another Kentucky team and fell in the regular season in overtime to Washington Catholic Athletic Conference (WCAC) member Bishop O'Connell of Virginia (which beat two FAB 50 ranked teams), remains in at No. 50 this week.

The highest ranked newcomer this week is actually No. 44 Jackson-Reed (Washington, D.C.), which played its final game on March 1. While considering many teams for this week's second newcomer along with Lyon County, the resume of the Tigers kept coming up. Jackson-Reed owns an overtime victory over No. 29 Bullis (Potomac, Md.) and owns wins over South Shore (Brooklyn, N.Y.) and Wasatch Academy (Mt. Pleasant, Utah).

We strongly considered Chicago Public League champ Curie (Chicago, Ill.), but that club has a loss to South Shore. Imhotep Charter, who captured the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association (PIAA) Class 6A state title on Friday, didn't lost any games in state and also has a loss to South Shore. With Independence (Thompson’s Station, Tenn.), another team from the Southeast Region we considered for entry also losing to South Shore, it was clear Jackson-Reed from the East Region was the logical choice.

The only state still playing is Indiana because of the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament first two rounds being played at the Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. On March 30, No. 10 Fishers (Fishers, Ind.) will face Ben Davis (Indianapolis, Ind.).

RELATED: ?Preseason 2023-24 Mr. Basketball USA Tracker | | ? | Chipotle Nationals Record Book

Updated FAB 50 National Team Rankings
Powered by www.ebooksnet.com

(14th poll of 2023-24 regular season; Through games played on Sunday, March 24; *Indicates forfeit wins, forfeit losses not included; **Indicates forfeits and defaults not included; ***Indicates season not complete.)

No.	Prev.	High School (City)	Record
1	1	Montverde Academy (Montverde, Fla.)	29-0***
2	2	Columbus (Miami, Fla.)	27–4***
3	3	Paul VI (Chantilly, Va.)	33-2***
4	4	Long Island Lutheran (Glen Head, N.Y.)	21-4****
5	5	Plano East (Plano, Texas)	40-0
6	6	Prolific Prep (Napa, Calif.)	33-5***
7	7	Harvard-Westlake (North Hollywood, Calif.)	33-3
8	8	Central Cabarrus (Concord, N.C.)	33-0
9	9	Wisconsin Lutheran (Milwaukee, Wis.)	30-0
10	10	Fishers (Fishers, Ind.)	28-1***
11	11	Link Academy (Branson, Mo.)	25-6***
12	12	AZ Compass Prep (Chandler, Ariz.)	27-5***
13	13	Stony Point (Round Rock, Texas)	38-2
14	14	IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.)	18-8***
15	15	St. Rose (Belmar, N.J.)	29-2
16	16	Archbishop Stepinac (White Plains, N.Y.)	26-4
17	17	Don Bosco Prep (Ramsey, N.J.)	29-3
18	18	St. Mary Prep (Orchard Lake, Mich.)	27-1
19	19	Ridge View (Columbia, S.C.)	27-2
20	20	Roosevelt (Eastvale, Calif.)	31-4
21	21	Perry (Gilbert, Ariz.)	24-6
22	22	Grayson (Loganville, Ga.)	30-2
23	23	McEachern (Powder Springs, Ga.)	26-6
24	24	North Mecklenburg (Huntersville, N.C.)	30-3
25	26	Oak Ridge (Orlando, Fla.)	27-4
26	27	Myers Park (Charlotte, N.C.)	27-4
27	28	John Marshall (Richmond, Va.)	25-3
28	29	Bullis (Potomac, Md.)	27-3
29	30	Sidwell Friends (Washington, D.C.)	27-4
30	31	Gonzaga (Washington, D.C.)	28-6
31	32	St. John Bosco (Bellflower, Calif.)	28-7
32	33	Salesian (Richmond, Calif.)	31-2
33	34	La Lumiere (La Porte, Ind.)	23-5
34	35	Brewster Academy (Wolfeboro, N.H.)	27-7
35	37	Patrick School (Elizabeth, N.J.)	28-4
36	38	Camden (Camden, N.J.)	30-2
37	39	Kell (Marietta, Ga.)	28-3
38	40	Homewood Flossmor (Flossmor, Ill.)	33-4
39	41	Reidsville (Reidsville, N.C.)	29-0
40	42	Roman Catholic (Philadelphia, Pa.)	26-3
41	44	St. Ignatius (Cleveland, Ohio)	26-3
42	43	Millennium (Goodyear, Ariz.)	25-5
43	45	Winter Haven (Winter Haven, Fla.)	27-2
44	NR	Jackson-Reed (Washington, D.C.)	33-3
45	50	Bellevue West (Bellevue, Neb.)	27-1
46	46	Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.)	29-6
47	47	Lyon County (Eddyville, Ky.)	36-3
48	48	Beaumont United (Beaumont, Texas)	34-4
49	49	Northwest (Shawnee Mission, Kan.)	25-0
50	25	Great Crossing (Georgetown, Ky.)	36-2

Dropped Out: Previous No. 36 Wayzata (Plymouth, Minn.), No. 47 Newport (Newport, Ky.).

Bubble Teams: Arrowhead (Heartland, Wis.) 27-3; Bartlett (Bartlett, Tenn.) 32-5; Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas, Nev.) 24-5; Brennan (San Antonio, Texas) 31-5; Centerville (Centerville, Ohio) 20-9; Central Catholic (Portland, Ore.) 28-3; Christian (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 26-3; Combine Academy (Lincolnton, N.C.) 23-3; Curie (Chicago, Ill.) 31-3; Dale (Dale, Okla.) 30-2; De Paul Prep (Chicago, Ill.) 35-2; De Pere (De Pere, Wis.) 26-2; Edmond North (Edmond, Okla.) 24-4; Fort Bend Clements (Sugar Land, Texas) 32-1; Hayes (Delaware, Ohio) 27-2; Hickory (Hickory, N.C.) 31-1; Hoover (Hoover, Ala.) 30-3; Imhotep Charter (Philadelphia, Pa.) 29-3; Independence (Thompson’s Station, Tenn.) 32-6; Kennedy (Cedar Rapids, Iowa) 25-1; Kokomo (Kokomo, Ind.) 25-4; Lehi (Lehi, Utah) 24-4; Lexington (Lexington, S.C.) 28-2; Lexington Catholic (Lexington, Ky.) 32-3; Liberty Magnet (Baton Rouge, La.) 33-4; Lincoln (Warren, Mich.) 24-4; Lincoln Park (Midland, Pa.) 27-3; Marquette University (Milwaukee, Wis.) 26-4; Millard North (Omaha, Neb.) 23-3; Minnetonka (Minnetonka, Minn.) 25-6; Moeller (Cincinnati, Ohio) 26-2; Mt. St. Joseph (Baltimore, Md.) 36-5; Noblesville (Noblesville, Ind.) 22-3; Notre Dame (Sherman Oaks, Calif.) 31-4; Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.) 21-6; Owasso (Owasso, Okla.) 26-4; Pewaukee (Pewaukee, Wis.) 25-5; Raymond (Raymond, Miss.) 31-4; Seven Lakes (Katy, Texas) 35-4**; Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth, Calif.) 26-4; St. Anne’s-Bellfield (Charlottesville, Va.) 26-4; St. Joseph (Santa Maria, Calif.) 31-4; St. Peter’s Prep (Jersey City, N.J.) 26-3; Totino-Grace (Fridley, Minn.) 27-5; Valley (West Des Moines, Iowa) 21-5; Valor Christian (Highlands Ranch, Col.) 26-2; Vashon (St. Louis, Mo.) 26-6; Volcano Vista (Albuquerque, N.M.) 30-1; Lincoln (Warren, Mich.) 24-4; Wasatch Academy (Mt. Pleasant, Utah) 15-7; Wayzata (Plymouth, Minn.) 29-2; Westfield (Westfield, Ind.) 19-3; Whitmer (Toledo, Ohio) 25-3; Woodside (Newport News, Va.) 27-1.

Note:?The FAB 50 powered by www.ebooksnet.com is a continuation of the National Sports News Service ratings that began in 1952. These were the first national high school rankings and the late Art Johlfs of Minnesota compiled them. They were compiled for many years by the late Barry Sollenberger of Phoenix, who merged them into the FAB 50 24 years ago.

Ronnie Flores is the national Grassroots editor of www.ebooksnet.com. He can be reached at?[email protected]. Don't forget to follow him on Twitter:?@RonMFlores

The post NEW FAB 50: Upsets & Thrillers! appeared first on www.ebooksnet.com.

Cherry (Junction, Minn.) cruised to the MSHSL state title in Class A (Minnesota’s smallest division), led by the Asuma family. Isaac is heading to the University of Minnesota, Noah (2026) is an elite baseball prospect who also has the ability to play college basketball, and Isaiah (2027) is next in line, but is already playing his third year of varsity basketball. The township of less than 1,000 people cruised to a 78-40 win over Fertile-Beltrami (Fertile, Minn.) to take home their first state title.

The Breck School (Golden Valley, Minn.) is another first time winner of their first state tournament in the state’s AA division. Coached by Tyus Jones’ high school teammate and former Howard Pulley AAU coach Harry Sonie, Breck was paced by Wisconsin-bound playmaker Daniel Freitag, who used his energy and leadership to push his teammates on both ends. The alma mater of Memphis Grizzlies forward David Roddy, Breck ultimately topped Lake City (Minn.), 76-72, to take home the crown.

The most talented team in the state from top to bottom, Totino-Grace (Fridley, Minn.) took home their third consecutive AAA state title, topping Mankato East (Mankato, Minn.), 73-64. Coach Nick Carroll has a squad that has been building over the years and keeps reloading, sporting a roster that will likely have eight eventual D-1 players by the time that it is all said and done. Losing a minimal amount of seniors from this year’s team, T-G will be the early favorites to hit a 4-peat next season.

In the biggest upset of the day, Minnetonka (Minn.) upset FAB 50 No. 36 Wayzata (Plymouth, Minn.), 72-61, to take home the AAAA title, Minnesota’s largest division. Coach Bryce Tesdahl had an upperclassmen-laden squad that played with grit on both ends, unselfishness, and extreme continuity in what was an absolutely electric final game that wrapped up Minnesota’s 2023-24 high school season.

Here are a few of the top performers from the 2024 MSHSL State Tournament:

Isaiah Johnson-Arigu, 6’7, SF/PF, Totino-Grace HS (MN), 2024
Changing his role throughout the season, Johnson-Arigu became the facilitator for Totino-Grace as a 6-foot-7 point forward and yet another state title followed. Posting averages of 26.5 points, 13 rebounds, 4.5 assists, 2.5 steals, and 2.5 blocks in the Final Four, Isaiah showed the immense versatility and improvement that he’s made to develop into a high major prospect. After transferring from Osseo as a sophomore, Johnson-Arigu completed the journey of winning back-to-back state titles to finish his high school career and begin his next chapter at Miami in the ACC.

Daniel Freitag, 6’3, PG, Breck School (MN), 2024
Minnesota’s top wide receiver on the gridiron, Freitag opted to hang up his cleats during his senior year, but still brings that football toughness to the basketball court. After playing varsity for four years at Bloomington Jefferson HS (he played as an eighth grader), Freitag flirted with transferring to So Cal Academy for his senior year before opting to stay at home and make history at the Breck School with a first state championship for the program. The sturdy guard was ridiculous finishing through contact at the rack, provided an outstanding presence on the glass from the backcourt, and offered his patented lockdown defense on the perimeter. The future Wisconsin Badger capped his high school career with 33 points, eight rebounds, and five steals in Breck’s four point victory over Lake City.

Andy Stefonowicz, 6’1, PG, Minnetonka HS (MN), 2024
One of the state’s more crafty players, Stefonowicz showed how much he could impact the game with things that don’t show up in the box score. An incredibly heady lead guard, Stefonowicz showed immense patience and poise en route to his 19-0point, 8-rebound, 5-assist showing in the AAAA title game. Heading to North Dakota State next year, Andy’s combination of IQ, ability to play out of ball screens, and intangibles should allow him to see playing time early on.

Casmir “Cash” Chavis, 6’3, PG, Park Center HS (MN), 2024
Despite suffering a shocking loss to Eagan in the quarterfinals, Park Center bounced back to win the consolation championship on the back of its elite senior point guard. Putting up straight up video game numbers of 26.3 points, 8.3 rebounds, 7.6 assists, and 5.6 steals per game throughout the three games this week, the future Washington Huskies’ catalyst left no doubt in anyone’s minds who the most exciting guard in the state of Minnesota was with his electric style play and charisma on the court.

Isaac Asuma, 6’3, PG, Cherry HS (MN), 2024
Another player whose presence is felt well beyond the stat line, Isaac Asuma wrapped up his storied high school career as a state champion. The gritty guard is an outstanding cutter when he doesn’t have the ball in his hands, is elite finishing through contact, and has shown the ability to guard all three perimeter positions. The Minnesota recruit showed how he will be able to make an impact all over the floor with his play on Saturday, posting 12 points, eight rebounds, eight assists, five blocks, and three steals in the championship game.

Jaeden Udean, 6’2, PG/SG, DeLaSalle HS (MN), 2027
As the MSHSL State Tournament went on, Udean continued to solidify his case for best freshman in the state of Minnesota. The electric lefty scorer showcased NBA range on his 3-point shot, was outstanding creating separation to get to his shot, and showed no shortage of confidence letting it fly during critical moments of the game. Udean averaged double digits on varsity as an eighth grader last year and played up on the 3SSB circuit with D1 Minnesota, preparing him for big moments like this.

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RELATED: Chipotle Nationals Record Book (2009-2023)

The program at Montverde Academy in Florida has won Chipotle Nationals, the end of-season tournament founded in 2009 when it was known as the ESPN RISE National High School Invitational, a record six times. The program, which will make its record 13th appearance this April, won the event in 2013-15, 2018, 2021-22. Those years do not coincide with the years Montverde Academy captured its six FAB 50 national titles. That’s because in 2020, the program put together its best team, only to be denied a chance for a coronation at the event because the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The 2020 version of the event never took place.

In 2022, Kevin Boyle’s Eagles won the event for the sixth time, downing Link Academy (Branson, Mo.) in the title game, 60-49. That season, however, MVA finished No. 2 in the FAB 50 behind Duncanville (Texas), which beat them in a head-to-head matchup on a buzzer-beating 3-pointer by Panthers junior guard Aric Demings.

Many fans and scribes felt the 2020 event would be a coronation for that Cade Cunningham-Scottie Barnes led club that defeated its foes, including 12 FAB 50 ranked teams, by 39.0 ppg, one of the largest winning margins among elite high school basketball programs we’ve covered over the years. This year’s unit, which has another terrific starting five led by Mr. Basketball USA candidates Cooper Flagg (Duke) and Derik Queen (Maryland) and three other players who were serious McDonalds’ All-American candidates, hasn’t been that dominant in its winning margin, but some feel Chipotle Nationals (April 4-6 in Brownsburg, Ind.) is a coronation of sorts.

One aspect of its resume this year’s MVA club has over previous title teams, even the 2019-20 unit that will go down as one of the best in high school history, is its strength of schedule. Flagg, Queen, Liam McNeeley (Indiana) and company defeated a whopping 21 teams that have been FAB 50 ranked at some point during the regular season. Obviously that number could grow to 24 in this eight-team bracket. One interesting aspect of the field is Montverde Academy has beaten all seven of its potential opponents at this event, outscoring the other seven participants by nearly 15 ppg (the Eagles have beaten FAB 50 No. 4 Long Island Lutheran of New York and No. 6 Prolific Prep of California twice).

To answer the question, yes, Montverde Academy can be beat. There is just too much talent and familiarity within the teams in this field.

Will it be easy? No. Would it be an upset? Yes, but not a big one it that occurred after its first round game with FAB 50 No. 12 AZ Compass Prep (Chandler, Ariz.), the No. 8 seed. This AZ Compass Prep team is gritty and fearless. Led by junior (2025) guard Jeremiah Fears, it just doesn’t have the elite scoring talent the Eagles have across the board. MVA beat the Dragons, 58-46, in a December meeting in Las Vegas that was fairly competitive.

Whoever wins the No. 4 vs No. 5 seed quarterfinal matchup between Long Island Lutheran and FAB 50 No. 2 Columbus (Miami, Fla.), could potentially give MVA all it can handle in the semifinals. Columbus’ seeding really doesn’t match the quality of wins it has, even though Cameron Boozer and company have losses to unranked Wasatch Academy and No. 17 Don Bosco Prep (Ramsey, N.J.), along with losses to No. 6 seed Link Academy (Branson, Mo.) and to Montverde Academy in a game that wasn’t very competitive (89-61). Columbus does have a win over No. 2 seed and FAB 50 No. 3 Paul VI (Chantilly, Va.) and over Long Island Lutheran (which lost to AZ Compass Prep).

Boozer, last year’s Mr. Basketball USA as a sophomore, his twin brother Cayden Boozer and Jase Richardson, a talented guard headed to Michigan St., played more cohesively over the last month of the season and are motivated to show the Explorers can play with Montverde, but beating Long Island Lutheran a second time won’t be an easy task. V.J. Edgecombe could have a breakout tournament and LuHi has plenty of depth, including standout juniors such as Kiyan Anthony, Nigel James, Jacob Ross and Kayden Mingo. Whoever survives that first round game should have plenty of confidence vs. Montverde Academy in a potential semifinal on April 5.

Last year, we felt Paul VI had a tough draw against Link Academy, the eventual Chipotle Nationals champ and FAB 50 No. 1 team. We felt whoever won that No. 4 vs. No. 5 quarterfinal matchup had a chance to win the whole tournament and Link ran the tables after a 68-65 win over the Panthers. This year, Paul VI is the No. 2 seed and could be even better. The Panthers return most of their cast, including Duke-bound Darren Harris, one of the better talents in this tournament. The individual numbers don’t do Harris justice on this deep and balanced team that could be the one that gives Montverde Academy all it can handle in the championship game.

Paul VI opens up with No. 7 seed IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.), the lowest ranked team in the field (No. 14) which already has a loss to the Panthers. With junior guard Darius Acuff Jr., the Ascenders will always have a chance because of his penchant for scoring and play-making. In fact, he led the EYBL Scholastic League (which includes five Chipotle Nationals participants) in scoring at 21.3 ppg. The key to the No. 2 vs. No. 7 seed game will be if IMG Academy’s front court players, such as Donnie Freeman, can slow down Paul VI on the boards and keep the Panthers from second shot opportunities.

Montverde Academy has played in the most overall tournament games by far (26-6 record in 12 appearances), but No. 6 seed Link Academy actually has the best winning percentage in the event’s history (5-1) after advancing to the title game in 2022 in its first year of eligibility and winning it all last year. Coach Billy Armstrong will have his team ready in its matchup with No. 3 seed Prolific Prep (Napa, Calif.), a dangerous club that could win it all if it’s healthy and in sync. Link Academy has a legitimate Mr. Basketball USA candidate in Tre Johnson that could help the Lions pull off a minor upset against a team it has already lost to, 77-76, in the first game of the season super sophomore Tyran Stokes played for The Crew after missing the team's first nine games. During the middle portion of its schedule (nearly two months), McDonald’s All-American Derrion Reid was out with injury, but he’s an indispensable piece if Prolific Prep is to defeat Link Academy, potentially Paul VI and possibly meet Montverde Academy in the finals.

Nobody has played Montverde Academy tougher than Prolific Prep. Playing the Eagles tough, however, and beating this year’s team, are two different things. Montverde Academy’s unit knows what’s at stake in trying to live up to the lofty standards that previous MVA units set. The field, however, is as talented as it’s ever been and these teams know each other inside and out. Whoever emerges will be a worthy champion and if that is one of the top four seeds, it willl likely finish at No. 1 in the final FAB 50 on April 8.

Chipotle Nationals April 4 Lineup

No. 1 Montverde Academy (1) vs. No. 12 AZ Compass Prep (8), 8 pm ET
No. 4 Long Island Lutheran (4) vs. No. 2 Columbus (5), 4 pm ET
No. 6 Prolific Prep (3) vs. No. 11 Link Academy (6), 6 pm ET
No. 3 Paul VI (2) vs. No. No. 14 IMG Academy (7), 2 pm ET

Note: Seeds listed in parenthesis. All quarterfinal games televised on ESPNU. The semifinals on April 5 will be televised on ESPN2, as will the title game on April 6 (12 pm ET).

Ronnie Flores is the national Grassroots editor of www.ebooksnet.com. He can be reached at?[email protected]. Don't forget to follow him on Twitter:?@RonMFlores

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The section finals offered no shortage of excitement as well, though. With all three games that we took in throughout the week being sold out, the atmosphere was like no other. Wayzata (Plymouth, Minn.) beat Hopkins (Minnetonka, Minn.) in the section 6AAAA final to take a 2-1 victory in their 2023-24 trilogy to move up to No. 36 in the latest FAB 50 National Rankings, Orono beat Benilde St. Margaret’s in double OT in the section 6AAA final in a game that had three separate buzzer beaters that broke the internet, and private power Breck School cruising to the section 5AA title over Minneapolis North.

Jackson McAndrew, 6’9, PF, Wayzata HS (MN), 2024
The state’s top senior certainly lived up to his reputation, pouring in 40 points in a 105-76 win over rival Hopkins to advance to the state tournament. The versatile forward showed his effortless 3-point range, scored out of quick flashes in the post, and blew by defenders trying to run him off the 3-point line. McAndrew is the highest ranked recruit ever to head to Creighton, where he should be able to make an immediate impact with his deep range and offensive versatility as a forward. Jackson was also recently selected to play in the prestigious Iverson Classic in May.

Nolan Groves, 6’5, PG/SG, Orono HS (MN), 2025
There hasn’t been a junior in the state of Minnesota who has helped themselves more in the high school season than 6-foot-5 combo guard Nolan Groves of Orono. The J-Sizzle guard continued to add to this sentiment in the section finals. He dropped 43 points, 18 rebounds, and 11 assists in a double OT victory while making a half court shot at the buzzer that was No. 1 on ESPN's SportsCenter Top 10 to send Orono to States. Groves showed his effortless 3-point range, underrated ability to drop pocket passes, and ability to utilize his size against smaller guards in his legendary performance in what has been one of the better games in recent Minnesota playoff history. Groves has already visited St. Thomas, but has also heard from high major programs such as Clemson, Iowa, and Northwestern.

Daniel Freitag, 6’2, PG, Breck HS (MN), 2024
The epitome of a power point guard, Daniel Freitag has been an absolute game changer on both ends during his senior season. Doubling as the top wide receiver in the state of Minnesota, Freitag opted to focus on hoops at the next level and it has shown with his growth as a lead guard. Daniel used his toughness/athleticism to lock down all three perimeter spots, made outstanding passes with both hands, and ripped the rim off at every time he attacked the rack. The Wisconsin signee dropped an easy 27 points en route to a state tournament berth for Breck.

Brady Wooley, 6’9, PF, Orono HS (MN), 2025
One of the most intriguing players in Minnesota’s junior class, Brady Wooley is everything that you look for in a new age forward and showed that against BSM with 17 points, 13 rebounds, and seven assists. The agile big man with great hands is versatile enough to contain defensively on the perimeter, can playmake for others from the post position, and is skilled enough to punish you facing the basket. Wooley holds an offer from Ivy League power Yale and has already visited the likes of Iowa State and Minnesota.

Jaleel Donley, 6’2, PG, Benilde St. Margaret’s (MN), 2025
While it was a disappointing end to the season, the fastest guard in the state of Minnesota ended his junior campaign in about as impressive of fashion as one could imagine. The lefty junior playmaker has shown consistent improvement on his 3-point shot (including three to send game to first overtime), is outstanding passing the rock with both hands, and is a truly electric finisher once he gets into the paint. Donley is still a bit under the radar nationally, but shouldn’t be for much longer once he hits the EYBL with Howard Pulley.

Marcus Marshall Jr., 5’11, PG, Minneapolis North HS (MN), 2027
Many freshmen emerge throughout their freshman campaigns, and Marcus Marshall Jr. was certainly one of those dudes who kept growing, both in terms of stature and in terms of his game. He is a confident 3-point shooter with super deep range, owns super sneaky athleticism, and will make you pay if you try to run him off the three point line. Marcus is coached by former NBA sparkplug scorer Ricky Davis and wrapped up his freshman campaign with 31-point and 17-point games in the playoffs, finishing with a 14.9 PPG average on the year.

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RELATED: Chipotle Nationals Record Book (2009-2023)

By Ronnie Flores

The NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament, known as March Madness, released its brackets on Sunday and for high school basketball, the Madness has taken place the past two weeks with one more big weekend to go. After an epic weekend for high school hoops March 8-10, last weekend was big too, with results that shook up the new FAB 50 National Team Rankings powered by www.ebooksnet.com.

In North Carolina, three North Carolina High School Athletic Association (NCHSAA) teams won state titles and cemented their spot in the final FAB 50 set for April 8. NCHSAA Class 3A Central Cabarrus (Concord, N.C.) defeated Seventy-First (Fayetteville, N.C.), 90-62, to finish 33-0 and move up a spot to No. 8 in this week's rankings. Senior forward Josh Dalton scored a game-high 22 points and Lees-McRae commit Desmond Kent Jr. had 20 in the first half in the win for the Vikings, who defeated previously unbeaten Hickory (Hickory, N.C.) in the semifinals, 87-78.

The Vikings will enter the 2024-25 season riding a 65-game winning streak, the nation's longest active streak, after finishing No. 7 in the FAB 50 last season at 32-0. Central Cabarrus has won 95 of its last 96 games.

North Mecklenburg (Huntersville, N.C.) moved up a spot this week to No. 24 after capturing the Class 4A crown with a 57-47 victory over New Hanover (Wilmington, N.C.). The Vikings were led to the program's third state crown behind the play of Duke-bound Mr. Basketball USA candidate Isaiah Evans, who scored 23 points and grabbed eight rebounds as North Meck handed New Hanover its only loss of the season. North Meck state title was a good omen for No. 23 McEachern (Powder Springs, Ga.), which handed the Vikings one of its three losses with the others coming against No. 11 Link Academy (Branson, Mo.) and No. 38 Camden (Camden, N.J.). North Meck also recorded a big victory over No. 27 Myers Park (Charlotte, N.C.) in the state quarterfinals, as Evans scored 48 points.

Reidsville (Reidsville, N.C.) moved up seven spots this week to No. 41 after capturing the NCHSAA Class 2A crown with a perfect 29-0 mark. The Rams defeated Farmville Central (FarmVille, N.C.), 78-77, in overtime, in one of the most well-played championship games of the season. Reidsville was led to victory by junior Johnniyus Sharpe Jr., who netted a game-high 29 points, including 3-of-6 3-pointers. In a pressure-packed game, Sharpe made all 10 of his free throw attempts, as Reidsville went 13-of-13 from the line.

Similar to Central Cabarrus, Wisconsin Lutheran (Milwaukee, Wis.) secured a Top 15 final FAB 50 ranking by capturing a state title, in its case the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association (WIAA) D2 state crown. The Vikings defeated bubble club Pewaukee (Pewaukee, Wis.), 83-62, as Evan's future teammate at Duke, Kon Knueppel, has 11 points and 11 assists. The big win for Wisconsin Lutheran came in the semifinals, when it downed Nicolet (Glendale, Wis.), 56-54, on a lay-up right before the buzzer by Alex Greene off a pretty left-handed feed from sophomore Zavier Zens. Zens got the ball as Knueppel was looking to make a move before falling down and passing it off before any violation was called.

Right behind Wisconsin Lutheran in the rankings at No. 10 is Fishers (Fishers, Ind.), the favorite to capture the Indiana High School State Athletic Association (IHSAA) Class 4A state title over Ben Davis (Indianapolis, Ind.) on March 30 at the Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. Fishers' only loss is to a Carmel (Ind.) team it split with.

The Kentucky High School Athletics Association (KHSAA) Sweet 16 will take place March 20-23 at Rupp Arena. Two FAB 50 ranked teams could meet in the March 23 Final: No. 25 Great Crossing (Georgetown, Ky.) and one of three newcomers this week, No. 47 Newport (Newport, Ky.), who has already lost to Great Crossing. One of the 16 remaining teams has to win twice on March 23 to capture one of the two remaining single-class state tournaments in the country (Delaware is the other).

No. 36 Wayzata (Plymouth, Minn.) is seeking its third Minnesota State High School League (MSHSL) Class 4A state crown in four years after knocking off Hopkins (Minnetonka, Minn.) for the second time in three games this season in the sectional final, 105-76. The Trojans were led to victory by Creighton recruit Jackson McAndrew, who finished with 40 points.

In Ohio, No. 44 St. Ignatius (Cleveland, Ohio) is the newcomer, joining Nebraska School Activities Association (NSAA) Class A state champ Bellevue West (Bellevue, Neb.), who joins the fray at No. 50 this week. The Thunderbirds captured their second consecutive state title by defeating rival Millard North (Omaha, Neb.), 57-48, to avenge an earlier loss to the team it met for the state title for the fifth consecutive year. As for St. Ignatius, it will take on bubble club Hayes (Delaware, Ohio) in the Ohio High School Athletic Association (OHSAA) D1 semifinals on March 23 at University of Dayton Arena. The other semifinal pits Centerville (Centerville, Ohio) versus Whitmer (Toledo, Ohio). Centerville knocked off previous No. 43 Moeller (Cincinnati, Ohio) to advance to the Final Four. The championship game is set for Sunday at 8:30 pm ET.

Pennsylvania and Alaska will also conclude the 2023-24 season in the coming week.

Chipotle Nationals Announced
Every team's final ranking will not be finalized until the completion of Chipotle Nationals, which is set for April 4 - 6 at Brownsburg (Ind.). Five of the top six teams and eight of the top 14 FAB 50 teams will compete in the event (formerly known as GEICO Nationals). The quarterfinal matchups are as follows (seeds listed in parenthesis) and all will be televised by ESPNU:

No. 1 Montverde Academy (1) vs. No. 12 AZ Compass Prep (8), 8 pm ET
No. 4 Long Island Lutheran (4) vs. No. 2 Columbus (5), 4 pm ET
No. 6 Prolific Prep (3) vs. No. 11 Link Academy (6), 6 pm ET
No. 3 Paul VI (2) vs. No. No. 14 IMG Academy (7), 2 pm ET

The semifinals on April 5 will be televised on ESPN2, as will the title game on April 6 (12 pm ET).

CLICK HERE to check out the all-time Chipotle Nationals Team and Individual Record Book (2009-2023).

RELATED: ?Preseason 2023-24 Mr. Basketball USA Tracker | | ? | Chipotle Nationals Record Book

Updated FAB 50 National Team Rankings
Powered by www.ebooksnet.com

(13th poll of 2023-24 regular season; Through games played on Sunday, March 17; *Indicates forfeit wins, forfeit losses not included; **Indicates forfeits and defaults not included; ***Indicates season not complete.)

No.	Prev.	High School (City)	Record
1	1	Montverde Academy (Montverde, Fla.)	29-0***
2	2	Columbus (Miami, Fla.)	27–4***
3	3	Paul VI (Chantilly, Va.)	33-2***
4	4	Long Island Lutheran (Glen Head, N.Y.)	21-4****
5	5	Plano East (Plano, Texas)	40-0
6	6	Prolific Prep (Napa, Calif.)	33-5***
7	7	Harvard-Westlake (North Hollywood, Calif.)	33-3
8	9	Central Cabarrus (Concord, N.C.)	33-0
9	10	Wisconsin Lutheran (Milwaukee, Wis.)	30-0
10	12	Fishers (Fishers, Ind.)	28-1***
11	8	Link Academy (Branson, Mo.)	25-6***
12	11	AZ Compass Prep (Chandler, Ariz.)	27-5***
13	13	Stony Point (Round Rock, Texas)	38-2
14	14	IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.)	18-8***
15	15	St. Rose (Belmar, N.J.)	29-2
16	16	Archbishop Stepinac (White Plains, N.Y.)	25-4***
17	17	Don Bosco Prep (Ramsey, N.J.)	29-3
18	19	St. Mary Prep (Orchard Lake, Mich.)	27-1
19	22	Ridge View (Columbia, S.C.)	27-2
20	21	Roosevelt (Eastvale, Calif.)	31-4
21	23	Perry (Gilbert, Ariz.)	24-6
22	24	Grayson (Loganville, Ga.)	30-2
23	26	McEachern (Powder Springs, Ga.)	26-6
24	25	North Mecklenburg (Huntersville, N.C.)	30-3
25	32	Great Crossing (Georgetown, Ky.)	34-1***
26	33	Oak Ridge (Orlando, Fla.)	27-4
27	27	Myers Park (Charlotte, N.C.)	27-4
28	28	John Marshall (Richmond, Va.)	25-3
29	29	Bullis (Potomac, Md.)	27-3
30	30	Sidwell Friends (Washington, D.C.)	27-4
31	31	Gonzaga (Washington, D.C.)	28-6
32	36	St. John Bosco (Bellflower, Calif.)	28-7
33	37	Salesian (Richmond, Calif.)	31-2
34	34	La Lumiere (La Porte, Ind.)	23-5
35	35	Brewster Academy (Wolfeboro, N.H.)	27-7
36	42	Wayzata (Plymouth, Minn.)	27-1***
37	39	Patrick School (Elizabeth, N.J.)	28-4
38	40	Camden (Camden, N.J.)	30-2
39	41	Kell (Marietta, Ga.)	28-3
40	45	Homewood Flossmor (Flossmor, Ill.)	33-4
41	48	Reidsville (Reidsville, N.C.)	29-0
42	18	Roman Catholic (Philadelphia, Pa.)	26-3
43	44	Millennium (Goodyear, Ariz.)	25-5
44	NR	St. Ignatius (Cleveland, Ohio)	24-3***
45	46	Winter Haven (Winter Haven, Fla.)	27-2
46	47	Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.)	29-6
47	NR	Newport (Newport, Ky.)	32-3***
48	49	Beaumont United (Beaumont, Texas)	34-4
49	50	Northwest (Shawnee Mission, Kan.)	25-0
50	NR	Bellevue West (Bellevue, Neb.)	27-1

Dropped Out: Previous No. 20 Combine Academy (Lincolnton, N.C.), No. 38 Bartlett (Bartlett, Tenn.), No. 43 Moeller (Cincinnati, Ohio).

Bubble Teams: Arrowhead (Heartland, Wis.) 27-3; Bartlett (Bartlett, Tenn.) 32-5; Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas, Nev.) 24-5; Brennan (San Antonio, Texas) 31-5; Centerville (Centerville, Ohio) 19-8***; Central Catholic (Portland, Ore.) 28-3; Christian (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 26-3; Combine Academy (Lincolnton, N.C.) 23-3; Curie (Chicago, Ill.) 31-3; Dale (Dale, Okla.) 30-2; De Paul Prep (Chicago, Ill.) 35-2; De Pere (De Pere, Wis.) 26-2; Edmond North (Edmond, Okla.) 24-4; Fort Bend Clements (Sugar Land, Texas) 32-1; Hayes (Delaware, Ohio) 27-1***; Hickory (Hickory, N.C.) 31-1; Hoover (Hoover, Ala.) 30-3; Imhotep Charter (Philadelphia, Pa.) 27-3***; Independence (Thompson’s Station, Tenn.) 32-6; Jackson-Reed (Washington, D.C.) 33-3; Kennedy (Cedar Rapids, Iowa) 25-1; Kokomo (Kokomo, Ind.) 25-4; Lehi (Lehi, Utah) 24-4; Lexington (Lexington, S.C.) 28-2; Lexington Catholic (Lexington, Ky.) 32-3; Liberty Magnet (Baton Rouge, La.) 33-4; Lincoln (Warren, Mich.) 24-4; Lincoln Park (Midland, Pa.) 25-3***; Marquette University (Milwaukee, Wis.) 26-4; Millard North (Omaha, Neb.) 23-3; Moeller (Cincinnati, Ohio) 26-2; Mt. St. Joseph (Baltimore, Md.) 36-5; Noblesville (Noblesville, Ind.) 22-3; Notre Dame (Sherman Oaks, Calif.) 31-4; Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.) 21-6; Owasso (Owasso, Okla.) 26-4; Pewaukee (Pewaukee, Wis.) 25-5; Raymond (Raymond, Miss.) 31-4; Seven Lakes (Katy, Texas) 35-4**; Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth, Calif.) 26-4; St. Anne’s-Bellfield (Charlottesville, Va.) 26-4; St. Joseph (Santa Maria, Calif.) 31-4; St. Peter’s Prep (Jersey City, N.J.) 26-3; Valley (West Des Moines, Iowa) 21-5; Valor Christian (Highlands Ranch, Col.) 26-2; Vashon (St. Louis, Mo.) 26-6; Volcano Vista (Albuquerque, N.M.) 30-1; Lincoln (Warren, Mich.) 24-4; Wasatch Academy (Mt. Pleasant, Utah) 15-7; Westfield (Westfield, Ind.) 19-3; Whitmer (Toledo, Ohio) 25-2***; Woodside (Newport News, Va.) 27-1.

Note:?The FAB 50 powered by www.ebooksnet.com is a continuation of the National Sports News Service ratings that began in 1952. These were the first national high school rankings and the late Art Johlfs of Minnesota compiled them. They were compiled for many years by the late Barry Sollenberger of Phoenix, who merged them into the FAB 50 24 years ago.

Ronnie Flores is the national Grassroots editor of www.ebooksnet.com. He can be reached at?[email protected]. Don't forget to follow him on Twitter:?@RonMFlores

The post Updated FAB 50: March Madness Indeed! appeared first on www.ebooksnet.com.

By Ronnie Flores

The weekend of March 8-10 was an epic one for high school basketball across the country. That's because many power states conclude their state championship events, and it caused plenty of change to the new FAB 50 National Team Rankings powered by www.ebooksnet.com. Let's run down the key results:

* Plano East (Plano, Texas) made history by capturing a University Interscholastic League (UIL) state title in the highest classification (Class 6A) by going undefeated. In the final, the Panthers downed then FAB No. 6 Stony Point (Round Rock, Texas), 53-41, before 8,812 at The Alamodome in San Antonio. Leading the way was junior forward D.J. Hall with 18 points in a game Plano East was in control of throughout. Joining Hall on the all-tournament team was Plano East's Jordan Mizell, a 6-foot-2 senior guard.

With the victory, No. 5 Plano East (40-0) guaranteed itself a top five finish in the final 2023-24 FAB 50, which will be published on April 8. Stony Point, which downed No. 49 Beaumont United (Beaumont, Texas) in the semifinals, 54-46, dropped seven spots this week to No. 13, although its final ranking will not be determined until all the results across the country play out. Stony Point's only two losses in 40 games were to the Panthers.

* In the Georgia High School Association (GHSA) Class AAAAAAA title game, No. 35 Grayson (Loganville, Ga.) captured its first-ever state crown with a 51-41 victory over then No. 20. McEachern (Powder Springs, Ga.). Junior forward Jacob Wilkins, already committed to Georgia, led the way for the Rams with some big plays down the stretch after McEachern was threatening with one final push. Wilkins finished with 14 points and 12 rebounds, while Purdue signee Gicarri Harris, a 6-foot-4 senior, added nine points and five rebounds for the victorious Rams. Grayson (which beat McEachern twice this season), held Indians star forward and Mr. Basketball USA candidate Ace Bailey to four points in the second half, as he netted 18 points on 8-of-20 shots from the field.

McEachern came into the game ranked higher in the FAB 50 because some of its previous national results, including a victory over new No. 25 North Mecklenburg (Huntersville, N.C.) and an overtime loss to No. 7 Harvard-Westlake (North Hollywood, Calif.). Benefitting from Grayson's title game victory the most is new No. 23 Perry (Gilbert, Ariz.), which moves up 11 spots this week because it handed the Rams one of its only two losses with the other coming to No. 22 Ridge View (Columbia, S.C.). Perry was able to avenge two of its in-state losses with the out-of-state losses coming against Harvard-Westlake (twice) and No. 16 Archbishop Stepinac (White Plains, N.Y.).

"It’s something these kids will take with them forever," Grayson coach Geoffrey Pierce told www.ebooksnet.com. "They will forever be know as state champions in the largest classification in Georgia. I can guarantee there are a lot of former players and coaches from Grayson that are celebrating with us."

*At the Golden One Center in Sacramento, Calif., Harvard-Westlake downed No. 37 Salesian (Richmond, Calif.) in the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) Open Division title game, 50-45, in a hard-fought game before approximately 5,000 fans. The game was close for the final three quarters after the Wolves took a 21-11 lead after one period. Salesian took its final lead (45-44) with 1:31 to go on a lay-up by sophomore Elias Obenyah, but Harvard-Westlake's McDonalds' All-American, USC-bound Trent Perry, scored the game's final six points and came up with a steal with just under a minute remaining to put his team in position to win its second consecutive CIF open state crown, the third program to do that since the advent of the open division in 2013. Perry, who finished with 17 points, hit an elbow jump shot with 26 seconds remaining and two free throws with under 10 seconds remaining to seal the victory.

Harvard-bound Robert Hinton scored a team-high 19 points for Harvard-Westlake, which defeated No. 21 Roosevelt (Eastvale, Calif.) in Tuesday's SoCal open final, 63-59, behind 28 points from Perry. It was the same team the Wolverines defeated for the CIF Southern Section open title. Harvard-Westlake not only beat Roosevelt and Perry twice, it also defeated McEachern and No. 36 St. John Bosco (Bellflower, Calif.), which captured the CIF D1 crown on Friday night and handed Salesian its only regular season loss in overtime. The out-of-state loss for Harvard-Westlake came in a one possession game to No. 2 Columbus (Miami, Fla.).

* Columbus became eligible for the Chipotle High School Basketball Nationals (April 4-6) by capturing the Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA) Class 7A title, the Explorers' third consecutive state crown. The Explorers needed overtime to turn back then No. 31 Oak Ridge (Orlando, Fla.), 72-67, after giving up a 13-point lead in the third period. Battle-tested Oak Ridge, which downed No. 46 Winter Haven (Winter Haven, Fla.) in the semifinals, 85-74, used a 13-0 run late in the third quarter to get back in the game.

Cameron Boozer, last season's Mr. Basketball USA as a sophomore, came up with a thunderous slam dunk with five seconds remaining to send the game into overtime. Boozer finished with 24 points, 11 rebounds, five assists and three steals in the big victory. His brother Cayden Boozer added 16 points, while Michigan St.-bound Jase Richardson added 14 points.

In addition to defeating Harvard-Westlake, which moves up three spots to No. 7 this week, the Explorers own victories over No. 3 Paul VI (Chantilly, Va.), No. 4 Long Island Lutheran (Glen Head, N.Y.) and No. 6 Prolific Prep (Napa, Calif.).

Expect the FAB 50's No. 2, No. 3, No. 4 and No. 6 teams to join top-ranked Montverde Academy at Chipotle High School Basketball Nationals. The eight-team field for the event is expected to be announced this week and all its games will be broadcast live on ESPN platforms.

There will be more movement in the coming weeks based on the results in the states where the playoffs are still going such as Indiana and Pennsylvania, plus Chipotle Nationals. For many of the nation's best teams, however, this past weekend was big and capturing state titles on-the-court is something that can never be taken away, regardless of their final position in the FAB 50.

We'll give our take on the big off-court happenings in New Jersey later this week.

RELATED: ?Preseason 2023-24 Mr. Basketball USA Tracker | | ??

Ronnie Flores is the national Grassroots editor of www.ebooksnet.com. He can be reached at?[email protected]. Don't forget to follow him on Twitter:?@RonMFlores

The post NEW FAB 50: EPIC Weekend! appeared first on www.ebooksnet.com.

Xavier Green, 6’ 2026 PG - The Colony: Green is one part of the three headed 2026 monster that led The Colony to a the Class 5A UIL Regional Finals. A sturdy built guard that knows how to run a team but also generate his own offense. Mid-range pulls, floaters and can shoot 3-pointers off the catch. Was impressed also with his defense. He competes on that end as he’s active with his hands and feet, which allow him to be a pest to opposing guards.?

Dakari Spear, 6’4 2026 SG/SF - The Colony: Dakari is arguably the best 2026 we have in Texas and will be known nationally. A rangy, long guard that can really shoot the ball. While moving, off the catch and can attack a close out and enter into a mid-range pull. Tough kid, too. I’ve seen him constantly get to the rim when the game is close to seal the deal.?

Bryce Dixon, 6’3 2026 SF - The Colony: The last one of the prolific 2026 group for The Colony. His energy is unmatched. Physical, rebounds, plays with an edge and plays bigger than his size. He’s a mismatch in the frontline because he beats the bigger, slower guys off the dribble, but exploits size advantages when teams switch when he’s a screen setter.?

Davion Adkins, 6’8 2026 PF/C - Faith Family: Faith Family is still rolling and looking to add another Class 4A state title on the mantle. Big man Davion Adkins has played an integral part this season. Athletic, runs the floor, alters shots at the rim and is a lob/dunker spot finisher. There is more to his offensive game that’s growing, but he’s played his role and to his strengths that translates to a high level of high school basketball. High major prospect in 2026.?

Nasir Price, 6’3 CG - Katy Seven Lakes: A combo that has natural scoring abilities. Back-court of him and Louisiana Tech signee A.J. Bates was a handful. They led their team to a 6A Regional semifinal run before losing to FAB 50 No. 49 Beaumont United (Beaumont, Texas). A lot to like about Price from a scoring output, but I’ve witnessed improvements on his play-making skills as well.?

Kollin Douglas, 6’ 2026 CG - Lancaster: Really shoots the ball and when he’s hot, he provides a jolt of offense for a Lancaster group that’s currently in the Class 5A semifinals. Has played a nice role for this team and looks more comfortable and confident playing on the varsity level.?

Josh Goodwin Jr., 6’4 2026 Guard - Cy Ranch: Josh is really good with the ball in his hands. Good positional size, assertive driver to the rim and can really pass on the move. Throws strikes on skip passes, dump-offs and kicks to the shooter when he drives. Was an integral part of the Cy Ranch group that reached the Class 6A regional semifinals.?

Billy White III, 6’7 2026 SF/PF - Corpus Christi Veterans Memorial: Really more of a three, but can be utilized and provide a lot of spacing as a four, too. Anyways, Billy White III is a marksman from deep that holds a quick trigger. He has range beyond the 3-point line and with his blend of size, length and shooting prowess, he’s been a big-time contributor for a Corpus Christi Veterans Memorial team that is in the Class 5A semifinals.?

Kavian Bryant, 6’1 2027 PG - Palestine Westwood: Bryant had a season to remember and he’s only a freshman. Averaged 30 points per game (yes 30) and led his team to the Class 3A regional semifinals. In a loss vs Kountze, Kavian strung together a 55 point outing. A bucket getter that embraces contact, Bryant is a three level scorer whose approach to the game gives him an edge vs opponents.?

Amarion Hunter, 6’2 2027 SG - Dallas Carter: Hunter is part of a Dallas Carter squad that got to the Class 4A regional finals. Hunter had games where he connected on multiple triples and when he gets hot, he doesn’t need much space to launch. Was a rotation player that brought spacing when on the floor.?

The post UIL Playoffs: Underclass Stars! appeared first on www.ebooksnet.com.

By Ronnie Flores

It's not how you start, but how you finish and for teams that do suffer a loss at an inopportune time, the hope should be that their foes do well the rest of the way. That theme definitely applied to the team at Perry (Gilbert, Ariz.). The Pumas began No. 33 in the preseason FAB 50 after capturing the first ever Arizona Interscholastic Association (AIA) open division state tile in 2222-23. Perry dropped out of the nation's longest-running weekly national rankings earlier this season after dropping games to Arizona clubs, including Sunnyslope (Phoenix, Ariz.), the team it beat in last year's open title game.

This week the Pumas made a grand return as the highest of six newcomers at No. 34 after defeating then No. 38 Millennium (Goodyear, Ariz.), 71-67, to repeat as AIA open division state champs. Millennium had an early 17-point lead, but Perry chipped away at its deficit behind some big shots by guard Barron Silsby down the stretch and the clutch play of All-American Koa Peat. Silsby had 10 second half points to help Perry overcome a 41-32 halftime deficit, while Peat, still a junior and a returning first team Elite All-American, finished with 21 points, 13 rebounds and four assists.

Millennium's Sabien Cain finished with 33 points, including an incredible seven 3-pointers in the first 10 minutes of the game for a team that drops five spots this week. Sunnyslope was the only in-state team Perry didn't end up defeating, as its out of state losses were to No. 18 Archbishop Stepinac (White Plains, N.Y.) and to No. 10 Harvard-Westlake (North Hollywood, Calif.), twice. On Tuesday, Harvard-Westlake hosts No. 24 Roosevelt (Eastvale, Calif.) in the California InterscholasticFederation (CIF) SoCal open division regional title game with the winner taking on either No. 37 Salesian (Richmond, Calif.) or unranked Riordan (San Francisco, Calif.) for the CIF Open Division state title on March 9 at the Golden One Center in Sacramento.

It goes without saying Perry would benefit from Harvard-Westlake winning back-to-back open state crowns, while Salesian would hop the Pumas if it goes on to win its final two games to capture its first CIF open state title. Perry has now won three consecutive AIA state titles and Peat has never lost a AIA playoff game in his stellar three-year career. Perry defeated Basha (Chandler, Ariz.) in the semifinals, 83-79, as Peat poured in 35 points and grabbed 16 rebounds.

Another team enjoying a three-peat that finished strong is No. 28 Sidwell Friends (Washington, D.C.), which captured the District of Columbia State Athletic Association (DCSAA) Class AA title with a 47-37 victory over St. John's (Washington, D.C.). The Quakers got 16 points from Acaden Lewis and 15 from Jalen Rougier-Roane in the title game victory. The big win in terms of rankings position, was the 53-52 semifinal victory over then No. 16 Gonzaga (Washington, D.C.), as the Quakers' Lewis was a difference-maker in a tight game with 21 points, five rebounds and three assists.

Sidwell Friends has now won three consecutive DCSAA state titles and four in the past five seasons and is up 18 spots this week. The Purple Eagles, who were runners-up in the WCAC Tournament to No. 3 Paul VI (Fairfax, Va.) on Monday, drop 13 spots but can't go down any further. No. 30 Great Crossing (Georgetown, Ky.) has only lost in overtime to WCAC member Bishop O’Connell (Arlington, Va.), a team Gonzaga split with. No. 31 Oak Ridge (Orlando, Fla.) has also lost to Bishop O’Connell with another loss to a club Gonzaga beat: Westminster Academy (Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.). Oak Ridge's third loss is to FAB 50 No. 1 Montverde Academy of Florida.

This Friday, Oak Ridge will battle No. 46 Winter Haven (Winter Haven, Fla.) in the Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA) Class 7A semifinals. The other semifinal pits Evans (Orlando, Fla.) vs. No. 2 Columbus (Miami) with the winners of each game playing on Saturday evening.

In addition to Florida and California, another power state that will crown state champions this week is Texas. The University Interscholastic League (UIL) Class 6A Final Four will take place at The Alamodome in San Antonio. No. 5 and unbeaten Plano East (Plano, Texas) will take on Lake Ridge (Mansfield, Texas) in one semifinal, with No. 6 Stony Point (Round Rock, Texas) facing new No. 49 Beaumont United (Beaumont, Texas) in the other. Beaumont United will be making its fourth consecutive state Final Four appearance, while Stony Point has only lost to Plano East.

Another attractive state final takes place in Georgia, where the Georgia High School Association (GHSA) Class AAAAAAA title game at the Macon Coliseum pits No. 20 McEachern (Powder Springs, Ga.) vs. No. 35 Grayson (Loganville, Ga.) on Saturday evening. Grayson has only lost to state champ and No. 25 Ridge View (Columbia, S.C.) and to Perry.

The 2023-24 season will conclude with the Chipotle High School Basketball Nationals, April 4-6, at Brownsburg (Ind.) just outside of Indianapolis. Expect an invite for Columbus provided it captures a state title and the other top four teams in the FAB 50. All games at the event will be broadcast live on ESPN platforms.

RELATED: ?Preseason 2023-24 Mr. Basketball USA Tracker | | ??

Ronnie Flores is the national Grassroots editor of www.ebooksnet.com. He can be reached at?[email protected]. Don't forget to follow him on Twitter:?@RonMFlores

The post UPDATED FAB 50: State Championships On The Line! appeared first on www.ebooksnet.com.