By Ronnie Flores

Although some states have not yet opened up their 2018-19 campaign, there were enough big games and showcases in the past two weeks to update FAB 50 National Team Rankings powered by www.ebooksnet.com for the first time in the regular season.

As hoops has tipped-off sooner around the country to be more aligned with schools' academic calendars, savvy tournament directors have made Thanksgiving weekend must-see hoops, particularly the Thanksgiving Hoopfest in Dallas and the Holiday Hoopsgiving in Atlanta. The big news from a rankings perspective came at the Thanksgiving Hoopfest, as preseason FAB 50 No. 17 Sunrise Christian Academy (Bel Aire, Kan.) upped its record to 4-0 with a big 71-55 victory over preseason No. 15 Guyer (Denton, Texas), the preseason top-rated team from the Lone Star State. Despite 21 points from Oklahoma-bound De'Vion Harmon, Guyer just didn't have enough inside to keep up with the talented Buffaloes. Power forward Jalyn Turner, a 6-foot-6 senior, had 12 points, while UCLA-bound Grant Sherfield had 11 points and seven rebounds. Sunrise Christian also got a impactful performance from elite 2020 big man N'Faly Dante, who finished with 11 points and could big the difference-maker in the Buffaloes' big games this season.

Unfortunately, Sunrise Christian Academy couldn't celebrate too long as tragedy struck Sunday evening after the team returned to the Wichita area. Bryce Cook, a 5-foot-7 dynamo headed to SMU who provides a big spark off the bench, reportedly suffered a stroke. He was found unresponsive, but was rushed to Wesley Medical Center in Wichita and is now recovering. According to reports, he has use of his extremities but coach Luke Barnwell wasn't available for further information on Monday.

?? Prayers up for BRYCE COOK!

The SMU commit was reportedly taken to a hospital after suffering a stroke #HeartOverHeight

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Sunrise Christian Academy Cracks Top 10

With its big win, the Buffaloes moved up nine spots into the Top 10 after preseason No. 5 University School (Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.) opened up its season with a 92-82 setback to The Rock (Gainesville, Fla.). University School fell 12 spots in this week's rankings to a spot right behind Guyer, which only falls one spot from its preseason positioning because Sunrise Christian Academy may be that good. Besides, the talented unit now will be motivated to keep up the positive on-court play as Cook looks to recover off-the-court.

Two Georgia teams fell out of the FAB 50 and two bubble teams from the state move in, including No. 35 Meadowcreek (Norcross, Ga.) as the highest rated of the four newcomers to the first FAB 50 update of the regular season. Meadowcreek opened up its season with a 70-54 victory over No. 50 Wheeler (Marietta, Ga.), which handed preseason No. 11 Norcross (Nocross, Ga.) one of its two losses and also defeated preseason No. 35 Holy Spirit Prep (Atlanta, Ga.) in overtime at the UA Hard In The Paint Classic. Norcross' 79-69 loss to Southwest DeKalb (Decatur, Ga.) is the one that knocked the Blue Devils from the FAB 50.

At the Holiday Hoopsgiving, Meadowcreek fell to No. 10 Wasatch Academy (Mt. Pleasant, Utah), 75-67, as guard Tre Wlliams scored 22 points for the talented independent club that is eyeing a berth in GEICO Nationals at the end of the season. Wheeler defeated Greater Atlanta Christian at the Holiday Hoopsgiving, 76-66, behind 20 points apiece from Charles Smith IV and Roscoe Eastmond.

Wasatch Academy and Sunrise Christian Academy will tangle on February 9 at the Heartland Hoops Classic in Nebraska, but in rankings terms, that is eons away and there will be plenty of results to digest between now and then as both teams play tough schedules.

Our next FAB 50 rankings update will be December 10 after some terrific showcase games the weekend of December 7-8.

RELATED:  Preseason 2018-19 FAB 50 National Rankings 

Updated FAB 50 National Team Rankings
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(First poll of 2018-19 regular season; Through games played on Sunday, November 25; Preseason ranking in parentheses; *Indicates forfeit wins, forfeit losses not included; **Indicates forfeits and defaults not included

Dropped Out: Previous No. 11 Norcross (Norcross, Ga.), No. 35 Holy Spirit Prep (Atlanta, Ga.), No. 40 Greensboro Day (Greensboro, N.C.), No. 50 Independence (Charlotte, N.C.).

Bubble Teams:  Atascocita (Humble, Texas) 5-0; Bartlett (Bartlett, Tenn.) 6-0; Benton Harbor (Benton Harbor, Mich.) 0-0; Blue Valley Northwest (Overland Park, Kan.) 0-0; Callaway (Jackson, Miss.) 4-1; Carmel (Carmel, Ind.) 1-0; Cathedral (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1-0; Cedar Falls (Cedar Falls, Iowa) 0-0; Central Plains (Claflin, Kan.) 0-0; Chaminade (St. Louis, Mo.) 0-0; Christ the King (Middle Village, N.Y.) 0-0; Clark (Las Vegas, Nev.) 0-0; Creighton Prep (Omaha, Neb.) 0-0; Evanston (Evanston, Ill.) 4-0; Fairfax (Los Angeles, Calif.) 4-0; Grandview (Aurora, Col.) 0-0; Grandview (Grandview, Mo.) 0-0; Greensboro Day (Greensboro, N.C.) 4-1; Hall (Little Rock, Ark.) 2-1; Hamilton Heights Christian Academy (Chattanooga, Tenn.) 6-1; Hopkins (Minnetonka, Minn.) 0-0; Jefferson (Portland, Ore.) 0-0; Kennedy Catholic (Hermitage, Pa.) 0-0; La Crosse Central (La Crosse, Wis.) 0-0; Legacy Charter (Greenville, S.C.) 3-1; Maria Goretti (Hagerstown, Md.) 2-0; Memorial (Tulsa, Okla.) 3-1; Mission Bay (San Diego, Calif.) 0-0; Morgan Park (Chicago, Ill.) 1-0; Oak Ridge (Orlando, Fla.) 0-0; Olympus (Salt Lake City, Utah) 0-0; Omaha Central (Omaha, Neb.) 0-0; Patrick School (Elizabeth, N.J.) 0-0; Pickerington Central (Pickerington, Ohio) 0-0; Pinnacle (Phoenix, Ariz.) 4-0; Rayville (Rayville, La.) 2-1; San Joaquin Memorial (Fresno, Calif.) 2-0; Simeon (Chicago, Ill.) 0-0; St. Benedict's (Newark, N.J.) 0-0; Teas Valley Christian Prep (Scott Depot, W. Va.) 5-0; Trinity (Louisville, Ky.) 0-0; Trinity Christian (Fayetteville, N.C.) 6-0; Washington (Milwaukee, Wis.) 1-0; Wesley Christian (Allen, Ky.) 5-2; Westchester (Los Angeles, Calif.) 0-0; West Oaks Academy (Orlando, Fla.) 8-1.

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 19 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

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RELATED:  Breakout Performances For Guards Avery Anderson & Jahari Long 

Dallas -- Everything in Texas is big, so it was only fitting the 2016 Pangos All-South Frosh/Soph Camp's MVP turned out to be the player with the largest name and game. That would be one 6-foot-10 Charles Bassey of St. Anthony of San Antonio, who dominated the camp from start to finish with consistent paint performances.

Bassey is just too athletic and skilled for nearly any big man in the country to handle, and even though a couple of post players turned in valiant individual efforts against the sophomore wunderkind, he rose to the occasion in every outing. Bassey operates with efficiency in the half court, rarely taking a bad short and passing with precision from the post. He's also a terror in the open court and handles the ball well enough to push it, dish it and get the return pass for the finish.

Although Bassey was just as dominant this past weekend as he was at last year's camp, we won't spend much time on his exploits because most who follow the grassroots and high school landscape know all about him. The buzz didn't center on one player; as there was a large group of standout performers with similar abilities. The slew of talented wingmen and offensive-minded point guards, not to mention the sheer number of participants, made for some tough choices for the Cream of the Crop Top 30 and Top 60 All-Star Game selections. To be honest the discussions were as heated as the West Texas sun can be, and as a result there were likely deserving players who didn't receive all-star recognition.

Tyreek is Geeked in Cream of the Crop Game 

Among those selected for the top all-star game, nobody did more to help his overall showing at the event than 6-foot-8 forward Tyreek Smith of Advanced International Prep (Dallas). Smith led his White team to a 106-58 victory over the Black team by scoring 24 points and grabbing eight rebounds while adding two second half steals. The White team led 34-26 at halftime, but pulled away in the second half by converting the Black team's missed field goal attempts into easy transition buckets on the other end.

No one played with more consistent energy through the camp's conclusion than Smith, as consistent effort was one of the major differentiators in this camp. Some of the more talented players tailed off near the end, but Smith's game grew as he got more comfortable with the playing atmosphere. Smith wasn't sure of himself or his role in his first game, but loosened up and played like one of the camp's top players on Sunday. Smith has large and strong hands and just needs to work on his touch around the basket to take his game to the next level.

Charles Smith IV, a 6-foot-5 2019 prospect from Westbury Christian (Houston) who was one of the camp's better freshman in 2015, also had a strong performance for the victorious White team with 19 points and four rebounds. Smith was consistent with his shooting and offensive play-making throughout the event. Bassey also played for the winning club, finishing with six points and four blocks in a game played with two, 25-minute running clock halves and 15 players per team.                   

Another consistent performer who got better as the weekend went on was 6-foot-4 guard Moses Moody of Parkview (Little Rock, Ark.). Moody has a smooth approach to the game and excels at both guard positions. He is best at slashing to the basket or pulling up for a quick jumper, but he's also an excellent passer in the half court set. Moody, who was a standout at the Pangos Junior All-American Camp last February, was one of the top three freshmen at the Pangos All-South Frosh/Soph Camp along with 6-foot-5 Cade Cunningham (Bowie, Arlington, Texas) and 6-foot-6 Jerry Lliya (Redemption Christian, Troy, N.Y.).

The best of the lot among eighth-graders (2021 prospects) was small forward Arthur Kaluma of Frankfort Middle School in Dallas. He had 11 points and six rebounds in the top all-star game, but even more importantly improved as the camp wore on. Kaluma can handle the ball well in the open court for a small forward-type and is relentless driving to the basket. He has a solid first step and is especially potent operating on the baseline.

Other All-South Standouts

With over 220 campers, it was easy to overlook a couple of standouts despite the heated discussions about the merits of the best players.

Some of the top standouts in the Cream of the Crop Top 60 game included 6-foot-3 2020 prospect Jaylen Posey of Grand Prairie (Texas), 5-foot-10 2020 prospect Mike Miles of perennial Texas power Lancaster, and 6-foot 2019 prospect Ty Archibald of Katy (Texas). Miles shot the ball well for the wining White club and Archibald stood out on the defensive side of the ball in a game where defense was non-existent for the most part.

There were also a trio of standouts who didn't make either all-star game. Those "snubs" were 6-foot-2 2020 prospect Jahari Long of Episcopal (Houston, Texas), 5-foot-10 2019 prospect Christian Williams of Conway (Ark.) and 6-foot 2019 prospect Jalen Jackson of Wagner (San Antonio, Texas). Long was one of the event's best passing point guards, while Williams and Jackson played with intensity and purpose.

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: Major HEAT at Pangos All-South Frosh/Soph Camp!

Dallas -- With over 215 campers at the Triple A/Focused Learning Academy looking to showcase their skills at the Pangos All-South Frosh/Soph Camp, it hasn't been easy to standout from the pack for a vast majority of the campers. There are just so many young players with a similar skill level -- and similar size. The strength of campers are the wing-types in attendance who are able to finish in the open court and are physically the most advanced group of players.

Most of those players are between 6-foot-3 and 6-foot-7 and with the wide-open, up-and-down nature of the camp, they are able to finish around the rim with explosive moves. They are generally too big for the guards to handle and are able to beat the big men down the court to score in abundance. Some of the standouts that fall into this category include 6-foot-5 2020 prospect Cade Cunningham (Bowie, Arlington, Texas), the younger brother of former SMU big man Cannen Cunningham, 6-foot-3 2019 prospect Tyrese Maxey (Garland, Texas), one of camp's most efficient players so far, 6-foot-5 2019 prospect Trey Williams (The Colony, Texas), 6-foot-6 Jalen Wilson (Guyer, Denton, Texas) and 6-foot-6 Jerry Lliya (Redemption Christian, Troy, N.Y.).

Cunningham is a straight line player who takes it to the front of the rim with authority. He knows how to change direction with little wasted motion and beats defenders in the easiest manner possible on a consistent basis. Expect him to be in the Cream of the Crop Top 20 All-Star game, as he's impressed the large contingent of scouts in attendance. Maxey is a relentless scorer with a high IQ on both ends of the court. He can finish on all three levels, covers ground with his dribble penetration and works on the defensive end, too. Maxey is a jack-of-all-trades type; even though he may not appear to overly excel in any one aspect of the game, there is no aspect of the game he is weak at.

Lliya, a native of Nigeria with family in the Lone Star State, is one of the top out-of-state standouts among the campers. There are 12 states represented along with the District of Columbia at the event, and Lliya is easy to point out with his length, athleticism and motor. He was putting in work defensively, including a couple of impressive run down blocks.

While the wings excelled as a group on day one, it has been a mixed bag for the lead guards so far. There are a large number of small guards (under 5-foot-11) and unfortunately some of these young players don't quite understand they must be even more outstanding in their performance and approach to the game than bigger players who more often than not receive the benefit of the doubt when it comes to earning scholarships from college coaches. Too often one day one the point guards missed open players on the wings, didn't quickly advance the ball up court with a well-timed pass or dribbled with their head down while teammates stood around.

All was not lost in the backcourt, however, as Avery Anderson and Jahari Long were two that stood out among the bigger guards on the first day. Anderson, a 6-foot-3 2019 prospect out of Northwest (Justin, Texas), displayed outstanding ability to break down defenders, draw the defense and hit the open man. Anderson did this in spectacular fashion in the open court and was also effective in the half court with knifing passes. The lefty has some flash to his game and plenty of confidence, while Long also was deft at hitting the open man. Both are excellent ball-handers who don't overly worry about primary defenders because they are concentrating on where the help is coming from after they break down or blow by. Long is particularly effective in slicing past defenders and finishing around the rim from a variety of angles.

Among the diminutive guards, 5-foot-6 2019 prospect Bryce Cook (South Grand Prairie, Grand Prairie, Texas) turned heads with his ball-handling wizardry, confidence and scoring ability. He took no prisoners on day one and put together a couple of memorable scoring outings that impressed his peers and the new age media members. Traditional media members and scouts would like to see him tone down the flashy play a bit, but his production and ability is undeniable for a small guard.

Among the bigs, it was no surprise to see Charles Bassey (St. Anthony, San Antonio, Texas) at the top of the list of performers. The 6-foot-10 center was last year's top player at this camp, last season's National Freshman of the Year and has done nothing so far that would take away from his status as arguably the top prospect in the national 2019 class. He's not the consensus top prospect in the class among the most respected national scouting services, but it's hard to deny his potential as a franchise-type big man down the line.

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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