Allen, Jenkins Combo Kicks off Day 2 of COP

My first game to watch in Fort Myers, FL was a quality one, as two Florida based programs in Victory Christian and Riviera Prep battled it out.?

Riviera Prep nabbed a 73-56 win and 2025 Dante Allen and 2027 Jeremy Jenkins played a large part in the victory. 

I’ve watched Allen multiple times, but this season is the first I’ve evaluated him being the primary scoring option. Liked how he got his teammates involved by finding guys running the floor or dishing it to the open man when he got to the paint. Because of his willingness to pass, it opened driving lanes and open shots for him. Allen recorded 17 points, six assists and five rebounds?

Jenkins will be a name talked about??plenty of times for the 2027 class.?

I saw him in Dallas last year as an eighth grader and he showed flashes of the skill but he physically dominated games for the most part. On the varsity level as a freshman, he has exhibited an array of skills. Possesses a clean shooting stroke at 6’7, scores with back to basket and facing up due to adequate footwork and touch. Jenkins offensive versatility poses as a matchup issue for opponents. Finished game with 20 points, 4 rebounds and 2 assists.

Mater Dei With Convincing Win vs Windermere Prep

Five Players reached double figures in Mater Dei’s matchup over Windermere Prep of Florida.

Player Evals 

Mater Dei

Brannon Martinsen, 6’7 PF - 2026: Skilled forward that’s a capable shooter from deep. Embraces contact on back downs from the block and uses body well to generate enough space to get shot off over length. Operated well and made sound decisions in the high post, as a pick n pop guy and in the short roll. 

Luke Barnett, 6’3 SG - 2026: Shot over 50% from the field and 3-7 from deep. Attacked closeouts and got to the mid-range pull and floater game. Active off-ball mover who has extended range from deep.

Blake Davidson, 6’7 PF - 2025: Started the game out with a 3-pointer and I liked his assertiveness and toughness on the glass. Physical box-outs, active on offensive glass and can make jumpers when his feet is set. Activity and motor, to go along with his promising shooting touch, was on display.?

Windermere Prep

Sinan Huan, 7’ C - 2026: Lefty that’s a legit 7-footer that’s equipped with adequate touch around the rim. Coordinated for size and age, comfortable operating on the low block but could play with more toughness and aggression on the glass. Regardless, can see the tools and the talent.?

Brandon Bass Jr, 6’4 CG - 2026: Struggled shooting and seemed to have been pressing on offense when shots weren’t going in. Can see the talent though and I liked that he continued to compete on the defensive end regardless of how his offense was. A lefty with wiggle off the dribble and can shot create.?

Evening Recap

VJ Edgecomb leads LuHi vs Westminister Academy

LuHi, ranked No. 2 in the latest FAB 50 Rankings, came out the gates slow but executed better in the second half and recorded a 83-59 win vs. a talented Westminister squad. 5 star guard VJ Edgecomb showed why he’s one of the best in 2024. An explosive athlete that has polished up his offensive game. Major vertical pop, first step and one of if not the best wing defender in the country. He finished the game with 20 points, 7 rebounds, 4 steals on 61 percent shooting.?

Also wanted to note the impact of 2025 guard Kayden Mingo had on the game. Got downhill and to the paint multiple times, finished through contact, navigated well in tight spaces and was a pest as an on-ball defender, shooting through the gaps and racking steals as a team defender.?17 points, 2 assists and a whopping 6 steals.?

For Westminister, 2026 Alex Constanza is the real deal. A fluid 6’8 wing with legit guard skills. Everything looked effortless and clean. Long strides allowed him to get to spots in limited dribbles, he utilized his length to finish vs like-size length and he’s an adequate shooter also. Saw why he’s labeled one of the best overall prospects in 2026. 

Rutgers Commits Go Toe to Toe

The Scarlet Knights should be excited about what’s coming in 2024 from the high school side. Dylan Harper (Don Bosco Prep, NJ) and Ace Bailey (McEachern High School, GA) put on a show on Tuesday. Don Bosco ran away with it in the second half and won 76-50.?

Harper led his squad with 28 points, 8 rebounds, 3 assists on 11-for-17 shooting. The lefty pg was dominant. He controls the pace of the game, manages the floor and knows when to score the ball. He’s not speeding by the defender, but he’s using his body and ball-handling creativity to create space and score. Also wanted to note his ability to read double teams and skip passes to make the defense shift. He only recorded 3 assists, but he had a plethora of possessions that his pass led to the ball rotating and eventually generated a bucket.?

Ace Bailey continued to play hard and I respected that. Recorded 24 points and 7 rebounds. At 6’8 and the elevation he has on his jumper, there are so many shots he can create because of how high he gets off the floor and his high release point. There’s plenty of upside as a shot creator when he gets hot offensively, it’s very hard to cool him off as a defender. 

I know the transfer portal is a huge deal and labeled as the wave in college basketball, but these two will be impact freshmen and won’t be in college long.?

Columbus Found Rhythm and Defeat Archbishop Ryan

The evening matchups all were basically a tale of two halves. Columbus (Fla.) vs. Archbishop Ryan (Pa.) was no different.?

Ryan slowed down the pace of the game and its zone defense gave Columbus fits early on. Causing turnovers and Columbus didn’t shoot it well from deep. Offensively it scored off a heavy dose of back-door cuts and post feeds to Georgetown commit Thomas Sorber (11pts 9rebs & 3 assists).?

Columbus eventually found their groove and went on a scoring tear. The Explorers just played a lot fast and started attacking the paint in the zone. Jase Richardson was very good in this one with 17 points and 8 rebounds. An athletic, lefty guard that once he gets downhill, he’s finishing around the rim and playing above the rim. 5 star forward Cameron Boozer started to show why he’s arguably the best in his class, as he finished better around the rim and started utilizing his strength inside. He recorded 26 points, 8 rebounds on 62 percent shooting.?

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Here are a number of players who certainly saw their stock rise day two at the City of Palms Tourney:
Keiner Asprilla, 7’1, C, Don Bosco Prep (NJ), 2026
It was my first time seeing the Colombian big man and he certainly showed why he’s one of the country’s next gems down the road. He absolutely dominated the paint against an athletic McEachern (GA) team, grabbing rebounds with two hands above the rim and providing a formidable shot blocking presence. The Co-MVP of the prestigious Pangos All Frosh/Soph East camp also showed an advanced offensive game for a young big, ultimately finishing with 12 points and 14 rebounds in Don Bosco's big 76-50 win over McEachern (GA).

Darren Williams, 6’2, PG, Archbishop Ryan (PA), 2024
The catalyst for a tough Philly team that came into the event ranked No. 46 in the FAB 50, Williams definitely showed that he can hold his own against one of the nation’s finest teams in Christopher Columbus. The lefty playmaker showed off blazing speed, has nice range, and constantly kept defense on toes with ability to change directions. Headed to Florida Gulf Coast, Williams has ability to make immediate impact, exhibited by his 16 points, 3 assists, and 3 steals at City of Palms.

Alex Lloyd, 6’4, SG/PG, Westminster Academy (FL), 2025
A player who I’d seen before he ever played a high school game, I think people outside of the state of Florida forget how much Alex Lloyd brings to the table. Lloyd is an outstanding on ball defender, great cutter, and has really improved as a playmaker. The Nightrydas combo guard finished with 16 points, 5 rebounds, and 4 assists, showing why he’s a priority for virtually every high major in Florida.

Alier Maluk, 6’10, C, Long Island Lutheran (NY), 2025
A name well knownst amidst recruiting circles since early in his freshman year, people sometimes forget how good Alier Maluk actually is. The Florida State bound big was a much more willing roller/lob threat, played with more energy than he has in the past, and still maintained his presence as a 3-point threat. The native of South Sudan finished with 9 points, 8 rebounds, 4 blocks, and 3 assists in a blowout win.

Jaxon Richardson, 6’5, SG/SF, Christopher Columbus HS (FL), 2026
Playing for one of the best teams in the nation in Miami’s Christopher Columbus, ranked No. 7 in the FAB 50, minutes aren’t necessarily plentiful at times. In Columbus’ 73-38 victory at City of Palms, it was great to get an extended look at guys like Jaxon Richardson. The sophomore is an absolutely absurd athlete who is elite in transition, is a great cutter, and has shown flashes of dominance on the perimeter defensively. The son of a former NBA 20 PPG scorer Jason Richardson is certainly making moves to follow in his father’s footsteps.

D.J. Wimbley, 6’7, SF/PF, Westminster Academy (FL), 2025
One of the more versatile players that we saw at City of Palms was D.J. Wimbley. Able to play and defend inside/out, Wimbley is a rangy athlete, produces at a high rate, and showed great lateral quickness defending on the perimeter. Wimbley’s father (Dwayne Wimbley Sr.) was a 6-foot-9 forward for Miami in the 90’s, so the genetics are certainly in line for the high major forward to continue growing.

Sinan Huan, 7’0, C, Windermere Prep (FL), 2026
It was my first time watching the highly touted Chinese product and it was easy to see what the hype was about. The lefty big man ran the floor well, finished above the rim, and showed intriguing touch facing the rim. Huan had an outstanding performance for China’s U-16 National Team this past summer and piggybacked at City of Palms with 11 points and six rebounds on Tuesday.

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By Ronnie Flores

RELATED: Preseason FAB 50 No. 1 Loses

Usually it's the two week period between the pre-Christmas tournaments and the first set of rankings for the New Year that results in big changes in the FAB 50 National Team Rankings powered by www.ebooksnet.com. This season, however, plenty of big changes have already taken place before teams tip off in prestigious tournaments across the country beginning December 17. As a result, there are 11 FAB 50 newcomers in the updated rankings, which is a high number compared to what we usually see in the set of rankings right before the holidays. Traditionally, that's around the number of new teams we see crack the rankings after the holidays.

Not only do we have 11 new teams, but a new No. 1, as preseason No. 1 IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.) fell to No. 4 Paul VI (Fairfax, Va.), 67-56, at the National High School Hoops Festival in Hyattsville, Md. two weekends ago. The Panthers led by as much as 17 points and were led to victory by Duke-bound point guard Jeremy Roach (16 points, four rebounds, three assists) and junior wing Trevor Keels (25 points, four rebounds, two steals.

Footage courtesy of @SportsHiphop12

4th quarter. On the road. Down 7. 30 seconds left. No quit in our guys. pic.twitter.com/4jxDovlgiQ

— PVI Boys' Basketball (@PVIHoops) December 16, 2019

Paul VI began the season No. 4 FAB 50 and almost didn't have a chance to move up because it went on the road to face a tough Archbishop Wood (Warminster, Pa.) club on December 14 and needed an incredible seven overtimes to gut out a 130-128 victory. The Panthers, who trailed by 17 points in the fourth period, needed all their big-time backcourt guns to survive and come out with a "W", as Roach had 31 points, six rebounds and two steals and Keels poured in 30 points, nine rebounds and three assists. Sophomore guard "Dug" McDaniel had 21 points, five assists and five steals and senior guard Josiah Freeman added 20 points, including four 3-pointers, and three steals. All four players fouled out in the Paul VI win.

Paul VI moves up to No. 2, which naturally means Montverde Academy (Montverde, Fla.) takes over at No. 1 following its 76-56 win over preseason No. 3 DeMatha Catholic (Hyattsville, Md.) that wasn't really as close as the score indicated. The Eagles play suffocating defense and have length and scoring at each position. If early comparative scores are any indication, it's going to take an incredible effort to knock off Montverde Academy.

Grayson, Oak Hill Academy Make Statement

Paul VI was not the only team to make a statement in the past couple of weeks, as perennial FAB 50 power Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.) and Grayson (Loganville, Ga.) both came up with important victories.

Oak Hill Academy avenged its only loss of the season with a 83-62 victory over Combine Academy (N.C.). LSU-bound All-American candidate Cam Thomas finished with 23 points and eight rebounds while Jamari Sibley added 15 points in the home win.  The following night at the Battle at the Rock in Fort Mill (S.C.), the Warriors defeated previous No. 33 Dorman (Roebuck, S.C.), 63-52, as Thomas went bonkers with 42 points (including 4-of-8 from 3-point range) and 15 rebounds. As a result, the Warriors move up seven spots to No. 10 as they prepare to do battle at the Iolani Classic in Hawaii this week.

Grayson snapped the 39-game winning streak of McEachern (Powder Springs, Ga.) with a resounding 83-57 victory as South Florida commit Caleb Murphy came up with a monster 24-point, seven-rebound performance against the defending GHSA AAAAAAA champs. The Rams are a balanced club and got plenty of contributions from their other starters, including Toneari Lane (17 points, seven rebounds), Deivon Smith (17 points, nine rebounds, seven assists) and Ian Schieffelin (13 points, 10 rebounds, 11 blocked shots).

Grayson moves up three spots to No. 14 and the only reason it didn't climb into the Top 10 or to Oak Hill's spot was because of its 84-80 loss to Newton (Covington, Ga.) on December 10, four days before its signature win versus the Indians. Newton hit 14 3-pointers and needed a field goal at the buzzer to send the game into overtime. Grayson will have a chance to avenge the loss when its hosts Newton on January 14.

Can Anyone Beat Montverde Academy at City of Palms?

Tampa Catholic (Tampa, Fla.) is on the bubble and its comparative scores in its two losses (to Montverde Academy and IMG Academy) are telling. MVA had no problem with Tampa Catholic, downing the Crusaders 97-43, while IMG Academy (which is playing without Duke-bound Jalen Johnson) needed two overtimes to down the same team, 76-70.

"We played much better against IMG and that was a home game for us which also helped," Tampa Catholic coach Don Dziagwa told www.ebooksnet.com. "But Montverde showed no weakness against us. Their defensive intensity just took us out of everything we wanted to run."

New No. 1 Montverde Academy now is the odd-on favorite to capture the City of Palms Tournament in Ft. Myers, Fla. If early scores are any indication, IMG Academy will have its hands full its its second game between the winner of No. 20 Archbishop Stepinac (White Plains, N.Y.)-No. 34 Briarcrest Christian (Eads, Tenn.). If Montverde Academy were to lose before the final, it would be considered quite an upset.

On West at the Tarkanian Classic in Las Vegas, the December 20 semifinals would pit No. 17 Neumann-Goretti (Philadelphia, Pa.) versus No. 19 Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.) in one semifinal with No. 27 Sheldon (Sacramento, Calif.) taking on host and No. 5 Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas, Nev.) in the other at the Orleans Arena off the Las Vegas Strip. There are plenty of dangerous regionally-ranked teams that could knock off any one of the top four seeds by the quarterfinal round.

No. 6 Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth, Calif.), which is coming off an emotional win over regionally-ranked St. Vincent-St. Mary (Akron, Ohio) in Ohio, will play two showcase games at the Tarkanian Classic, including one on Wednesday evening versus No. 47 Oak Ridge (Orlando, Fla.).

Joining Oak Hill Academy at the Iolani Classic are No. 18 Long Island Lutheran (Glen Head, N.Y.), No. 21 Wasatch Academy (Mt. Pleasant, Utah) and No. 30 Archbishop Wood (Warminster, Pa.).

The next FAB 50 update is scheduled for Monday, January 6 after all the results from the holiday tournaments from around the country are in.

RELATED: Preseason FAB 50 No. 1 Loses

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

(Second poll of 2019-20 regular season; Through games played on Sunday, December 15; *Indicates forfeit wins, forfeit losses not included; **Indicates forfeits and defaults not included)

No.	Prev.	High School (City)	Record
1	2	Montverde Academy (Montverde, Fla.)	6-0
2	4	Paul VI (Fairfax, Va.)	6-0
3	7	St. Frances Academy (Baltimore, Md.)	10-0
4	10	Sunrise Christian Academy (Bel Aire, Kan.)	9-0
5	5	Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas, Nev.)	4-0
6	6	Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth, Calif.)	8-0
7	8	La Lumiere (La Porte, Ind.)	7-0
8	1	IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.)	4-1
9	15	Hamilton Heights Christian Academy (Chattanooga, Tenn.)	11-0
10	16	Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.)	17-1
11	12	Roselle Catholic (Roselle, N.J.)	0-0
12	3	DeMatha Catholic (Hyattsville, Md.)	4-2
13	14	Patrick School (Elizabeth, N.J.)	0-0
14	17	Grayson (Loganville, Ga.)	10-1
15	11	Gonzaga (Washington, D.C.)	7-2
16	9	McEachern (Powder Springs, Ga.)	7-1
17	18	Neumann-Goretti (Philadelphia, Pa.)	3-0
18	20	Long Island Lutheran (Glen Head, N.Y.)	3-0
19	19	Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.)	6-0
20	32	Archbishop Stepinac (White Plains, N.Y.)	3-0
21	22	Wasatch Academy (Mt. Pleasant, Utah)	12-0
22	25	Duncanville (Duncanville, Texas)	9-2
23	28	O'Dea (Seattle, Wash.)	3-0
24	33	Dorman (Roebuck, S.C.)	4-1
25	13	Minnehaha Academy (Minneapolis, Minn.)	3-1
26	21	Scotlandville (Baton Rouge, La.)	8-1
27	36	Sheldon (Sacramento, Calif.)	4-0
28	34	West Oaks Academy (Orlando, Fla.)	9-2
29	38	Norcross (Norcross, Ga.)	9-0
30	31	Archbishop Wood (Warminster, Pa.)	1-2
31	NR	Lawrence North (Indianapolis, Ind.)	4-0
32	NR	Milton (Milton, Ga.)	8-1
33	37	Vashon (St. Louis, Mo.)	2-0
34	44	Briarcrest Christian (Eads, Tenn.)	6-0
35	41	St. Stephen's & St. Agnes (Alexandria, Va.)	6-1
36	NR	Poly (Baltimore, Md.)	3-0
37	NR	St. Raymond (Bronx, N.Y.)	4-1
38	NR	Knoxville Catholic (Knoxville, Tenn.)	5-1
39	27	Lawrence Central (Indianapolis, Ind.)	2-1
40	39	Gray Collegiate Academy (West Columbia, S.C.)	6-1
41	42	Roman Catholic (Philadelphia, Pa.)	3-0
42	NR	Collinsville (Collinsville, Ill.)	8-0
43	NR	Jemison (Huntsville, Ala.)	12-0
44	45	Tri-Cities (East Point, Ga.)	11-0
45	48	La Crosse Central (La Corsse, Wis.)	4-0
46	46	Woodward Academy (College Park, Ga.)	12-1
47	NR	Oak Ridge (Orlando, Fla.)	5-0
48	NR	Eden Prairie (Eden Prairie, Minn.)	4-0
49	NR	Westlake (Austin, Texas)	15-1
50	NR	Concord First Assembly (Concord, N.C.)	13-1

Dropped Out: No. 23 Moeller (Cincinnati, Ohio), No. 24 Etiwanda (Etiwanda, Calif.); No. 26 Legacy Early College (Greenville, S.C.), No. 29 Morgan Park (Chicago, Ill.), No. 30 The Rock (Gainesville, Fla.), No. 35 Whitney Young (Chicago, Ill.), No. 40 Coronado (Henderson, Nev.), No. 43 Lincoln (Ypsilanti, Mich.), No. 47 Millennium (Goodyear, Ariz.); No. 49 Callaway (Jackson, Miss.), No. 50 Park Center (Brooklyn Park, Minn.).

Bubble Teams:  Allen (Allen, Texas) 13-2; Beaumont United (Beaumont, Texas) 13-1; Benton Harbor (Benton Harbor, Mich.) 2-0; Bloom (Chicago Heights, Ill.) 8-1; Bogan (Chicago, Ill.) 9-1; Booker T. Washington (Tulsa, Okla.) 2-1; Brooklyn Collegiate (Brooklyn, N.Y.) 6-0; Callaway (Jackson, Miss.) 7-2; Camden (Camden, N.J.) 0-0; Centennial (Corona, Calif.) 6-2; Chaminade (St. Louis, Mo.) 1-0; Christian Brother’s (St. Louis, Mo.) 2-3; Coronado (Henderson, Nev.) 2-1; Cretin-Derham Hall (St. Paul, Minn.) 5-1; Durham Academy (Durham, N.C.) 13-1; Edmond Memorial (Edmond, Okla.) 5-1; Evanston (Evanston, Ill.) 8-0; Fairfax (Los Angeles, Calif.) 7-0; Hamilton (Sussex, Wis.) 3-0; Gill St. Bernard’s (Gladstone, N.J.) 0-0; Greensboro Day (Greensboro, N.C.) 12-1; Guyer (Denton, Texas) 10-2; Harvard-Westlake (North Hollywood, Calif.) 11-0; John Paul II (Plano, Texas) 12-1; Lancaster (Lancaster, Texas) 10-2; Lincoln (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 0-1; Madisonville-North Hopkins (Madisonville, Ky.) 4-0; Male (Louisville, Ky.) 5-1; Marion (Marion, Ark.) 2-2; Meridian (Meridian, Miss.) 10-1; Millbrook (Raleigh, N.C.) 9-0; Millennium (Goodyear, Ariz.) 7-2; Mitty (San Jose, Calif.) 5-0; Moeller (Cincinnati, Ohio) 2-1; Morgan Park (Chicago, Ill.) 4-2; Muskegon (Muskegon, Mich.) 1-0; Orchard Lake (Orchard Lake, Mich.) 1-0; Niles Notre Dame (Niles, Ill.) 8-2; North Little Rock (North Little Rock, Ark.) 7-1; North Mecklenburg (Huntersville, N.C.) 8-0; Rangeview (Aurora, Col.) 4-0; Riverdale Baptist (Upper Marlboro, Md.) 5-1; River Rouge (River Rouge, Mich.) 2-0; Sanford School (Hockessin, Del.) 1-1; Southmoore (Moore, Okla.) 2-0; Starkville (Starkville, Miss.) 8-1; St. Edward (Lakewood, Ohio) 3-0; St. John’s (Washington, D.C.) 6-0; St. Mark’s (Dallas, Texas) 8-2; St. Raymond (Bronx, N.Y.) 4-1; St. Vincent-St. Mary (Akron, Ohio) 3-1; Summer Creek (Houston, Texas) 12-3; Tampa Catholic (Tampa, Fla.) 3-2; The Rock (Gainesville, Fla.) 9-4; University Lab (Baton Rouge, La.) 9-0; Whitehaven (Memphis, Tenn.) 8-0; Whitney Young (Chicago, Ill.) 4-2; Wildwood Catholic (North Wildwood, N.J.) 0-0; Windward (Los Angeles, Calif.) 10-1;
Yates (Houston, Texas) 5-4.

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 20 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 Rankings: NEW No. 1 & 11 Newcomers! appeared first on www.ebooksnet.com.

By Ronnie Flores

RELATED: NCAA and NFHS Limit June Live Period Opportunities | FAB 50 No. 1, 2, 3 All GO DOWN!

We had to wait an extra day to get out the latest edition of the FAB 50 National Team Rankings powered by www.ebooksnet.com because of the way the calendar fell in 2018 with New Year's Eve on a Monday. It meant we had to wait for the results of John Rhodes' Beach Ball Classic in Myrtle Beach, S.C., and a few other big tournaments that traditionally end on New Year's Eve, such as the Arby's Classic in Bristol, Tenn.

Those results were just to make sure our deep rankings were as accurate as possible because the big news over the holiday tournament season was the No. 1, No. 2, and No. 3 ranked teams in the FAB 50 all went down at the City of Palms Classic in Florida and the Iolani Classic in Hawaii and fans want to know, who is the new No. 1 as we ring in 2019?

It came down to previous No. 5 La Lumiere (La Porte, Ind.), which defeated previous No. 1 Montverde Academy (Montverde, Fla.) in the Iolani Classic semifinals, 58-51, and previous No. 10 McEachern (Powder Springs, Ga.), which outlasted 10 other FAB 50 ranked teams to capture the City of Palms title.

Gerald Drumgoole scored 19 points for the Lakers and senior forward Keion Brooks hit two big 3-pointers down the stretch to help La Lu snap the Eagles' 41-game winning streak. At City of Palms, previous No. 3 IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.) fell to previous No. 28 Mountain Brook (Mountain Brook, Ala.) in the quarterfinals and No. 2 Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.) fell to previous No. 13 Imhotep Charter (Philadelphia, Pa.) in the semifinals. Considering McEachern demolished Mountain Brook in the semifinals, 50-29, and defeated Imhotep Charter, 68-47, for the tournament title as junior point guard Sharife Cooper was named tournament MVP, the 10-0 Indians have a good enough resume to be considered No. 1. They also defeated three other opponents that were ranked at the time of victory and have tough games coming up.

With both teams still unbeaten, who deserves to be No. 1?

It was a close call, but we went with La Lumiere for three reasons. One, it was ranked higher than McEachern going into the last rankings shuffle. If we didn't think La Lu was deserving of such lofty acclaim, we wouldn't have started them higher than McEachern in the preseason. Second, La Lu defeated our defending FAB 50 champion and the No. 1 team at the time and that carries plenty of weight in our system. Montverde Academy hasn't lost to another team. Lastly, the Lakers face No. 16 Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas, Nev.) and have a rematch with Montverde Academy this upcoming weekend at the Cancer Research Classic in Wheeling, W. Va., where they must prove their rankings worth.

Should Montverde Academy win the re-match, McEachern will be waiting in the wings and Montverde Academy will also be angling to get back to the top spot. McEachern has a game with No. 17 Rancho Christian (Temecula, Calif.), which lost to Bishop Gorman in the Tarkanian Classic title game in Las Vegas, on January 21. The big silver lining for McEachern is GHSA state champions have been eligible for GEICO Nationals in recent seasons and if it holds serve the Indians could conceivably face La Lumiere on the court at the end of the season. In that ideal scenario, this rankings debate will be settled on the court.

Sierra Canyon's Missed Opportunity

Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth, Calif.) has only lost to Montverde Academy, 57-49, and that game occurred AFTER La Lumiere defeated the Eagles. On its side of the bracket at Iolani, Sierra Canyon defeated No. 22 Westchester (Los Angeles, Calif.), which captured the Beach Ball Classic title on New Year's Eve, but in accordance to CIF rules, Sierra Canyon cannot play La Lumiere. So in essence there was no championship game and Sierra Canyon missed out on a prime opportunity to play the team that just knocked off No. 1. Will Sierra Canyon get another opportunity like that this season?

That remains to be seen, but the worst scenario possible happened for Sierra Canyon, as it fell to the team it saw lose in the other side of the championship bracket. As for La Lumiere, it survived a "trap game" by defeating tournament quarterfinalist Oak Ridge (Orlando, Fla.), 72-58, in its "championship" game.

In future seasons, per CIF rules, members schools cannot play independent programs that don't compete for a state crown such as La Lumiere, Oak Hill Academy and Montverde Academy. Let's hope tournament organizers adjust their invites and brackets so situations such as the one involving Sierra Canyon doesn't happen again. For more on the enforcement of this rule, CLICK HERE.

Looking Ahead

In addition to the big No. 1 vs. No. 3 rematch showdown at the Cancer Research Classic between La Lumiere and Montverde Academy on January 5 (3 pm ET), there are other big games on tap at the two-day event. No. 2 McEachern faces No. 34 Findlay Prep (Henderson, Nev.) on January 4 (2:40 pm ET) with La Lumiere playing Bishop Gorman in the very next game. At 6 pm ET on January 4, Montverde Academy faces battle-tested Norcross (Norcross, Ga.) and at 7:45 pm ET, No. 8 Imhotep Charter faces No. 14 Sunrise Christian Academy (Bel Air, Kan.).

Findlay Prep faces Sunrise Christian Academy the next afternoon at 1:20 pm ET with La Lumiere-Montverde Academy in the next game. Gorman faces Gonzaga (Washington, D.C.) at 4:40 pm ET, No. 6 DeMatha Catholic (Hyattsville, Md.) faces Norcross at 6:05 pm ET and the event closes out at 7:45 pm ET with McEachern facing Imhotep Charter in a rematch of the City of Palms title game.

RELATED: NCAA and NFHS Limit June Live Period Opportunities

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

(Fourth poll of 2018-19 regular season; Through games played on Monday, December 31; Previous ranking in parentheses; *Indicates forfeit wins, forfeit losses not included; **Indicates forfeits and defaults not included; ***Indicates scrimmages and foundation games not included; ****Indicates season not complete)

No.	Prev.	High School (City)	Record
1	5	La Lumiere (LaPorte, Ind.)	14-0
2	10	McEachern (Powder Springs, Ga.)	10-0
3	1	Montverde Academy (Montverde, Fla.)	7-1
4	7	Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth, Calif.)	16-1
5	3	IMG Academy (Brandenton, Fla.)	12-1
6	4	DeMatha Catholic (Hyattsville, Md.)	10-1
7	8	Wasatch Academy (Mt. Pleasant, Utah)	15-0
8	13	Imhotep Charter (Philadelphia, Pa.)	7-2
9	2	Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.)	15-1
10	15	Ranney School (Tinton Falls, N.J.)	7-0
11	16	Belleville West (Belleville, Ill.)	15-0
12	14	Warren Central (Indianapolis, Ind.)	8-0
13	19	Roselle Catholic (Roselle, N.J.)	7-0
14	11	Sunrise Christian Academy (Bel Aire, Kan.)	9-2
15	25	Allen (Allen, Texas)	21-1
16	26	Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas, Nev.)	10-1
17	17	Rancho Christian (Temecula, Calif.)	14-1
18	28	Mountain Brook (Mountain Brook, Ala.)	15-3
19	6	University School (Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.)	10-3
20	29	Shadow Mountain (Phoenix, Ariz.)	13-1
21	24	Federal Way (Federal Way, Wash.)	10-1
22	NR	Westchester (Los Angeles, Calif.)	13-1
23	9	Paul VI (Fairfax, Va.)	7-3
24	22	Vashon (St. Louis, Mo.)	9-1
25	49	Scotlandville (Baton Rouge, La.)	19-0
26	35	Rainier Beach (Seattle, Wash.)	7-0
27	34	Hamilton Heights Christian Academy (Chattanooga, Tenn.)	16-2
28	20	St. Frances Academy (Baltimore, Md.)	14-3
29	36	Memphis East (Memphis, Tenn.)	8-3
30	27	Scott County (Georgetown, Ky.)	13-1
31	38	Nicolet (Glendale, Wis.)	8-1
32	39	Olive Branch (Olive Branch, Miss.)	10-5
33	21	Guyer (Denton, Texas)	17-4
34	37	Findlay Prep (Henderson, Nev.)	13-2
35	45	Curie (Chicago, Ill.)	14-0
36	NR	Bergen Catholic (Oradell, N.J.)	6-0
37	41	Gonzaga Prep (Spokane, Wash.)	9-2
38	48	Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.)	15-1
39	NR	Center Hill (Olive Branch, Miss.)	16-0
40	NR	Salesian (Richmond, Calif.)	14-0
41	18	Carmel Christian (Matthews, N.C.)	20-1
42	30	Oak Ridge (Orlando, Fla.)	11-2
43	50	Pickerington Central (Pickerington, Ohio)	8-0
44	44	Bartlett (Barlett, Tenn.)	14-1
45	NR	Charlotte Christian (Charlotte, N.C.)	14-1
46	31	Long Island Lutheran (Glen Head, N.Y.)	8-1
47	40	Wilson (Washington, D.C.)	10-5
48	42	South Shore (Brooklyn, N.Y.)	12-1
49	NR	Cox Mill (Concord, N.C.)	11-1
50	12	Roman Catholic (Philadelphia, Pa.)	8-3

Dropped Out: Previous No. 23 Mansfield Timberview (Arlington, Texas), No. 32 Meadowcreek (Norcross, Ga.), No. 33 Immaculate Conception (Montclair, N.J.), No. 43 St. Benedict's (Newark, N.J.), No. 46 Kennedy Catholic (Hermitage, Pa.), No. 47 Whitney Young (Chicago, Ill.).

Bubble Teams:  Baylor (Chattanooga, Tenn.) 11-0; Bearden (Knoxville, Tenn.) 12-3; Benton Harbor (Benton Harbor, Mich.) 8-0; Biloxi (Biloxi, Miss.) 16-0; Bishop Loughlin (Brooklyn, N.Y.) 7-0; Bishop Miege (Shawnee Mission, Kan.) 3-1; Bloom (Chicago Heights, Ill.) 14-1; Bogan (Chicago, Ill.) 14-1; Bonner-Prendergast (Drexel Hill, Pa.) 8-0; Booker T. Washington (Tulsa, Okla.) 8-1; Brentwood (Brentwood, N.Y.) 6-0; Blue Valley Northwest (Overland Park, Kan.) 5-1; Buford (Buford, Ga.) 12-1; Carmel (Carmel, Ind.) 7-0; Cedar Falls (Cedar Falls, Iowa) 6-1; Centennial (Corona, Calif.) 14-3; Central Plains (Claflin, Kan.) 7-0; Clark (Las Vegas, Nev.) 13-0; Creighton Prep (Omaha, Neb.) 7-0; Discovery (Lawrenceville, Ga.) 13-3; Dorman (Roebuck, S.C.) 12-3; Duncanville (Duncanville, Texas) 12-7; Edmond Santa Fe (Edmond, Okla.) 8-0; Fairfax (Los Angeles, Calif.) 13-1; Gill St. Bernard’s (Gladstone, N.J.) 8-0; Grandview (Grandview, Mo.) 9-2; Grayson (Loganville, Ga.) 13-2; Hopkins (Minnetonka, Minn.) 12-1; Immaculate Conception (Montclair, N.J.) 5-3; Independence (Charlotte, N.C.) 7-3; Keenan (Columbia, S.C.) 16-1; Kennedy Catholic (Hermitage, Pa.) 5-2; Lancaster (Lancaster, Texas) 16-2; Lewis-Palmer (Monument, Col.) 7-0; Mansfield Timberview (Arlington, Texas) 19-2; Maria Goretti (Hagerstown, Md.) 13-2; Maryville (Maryville, Tenn.) 15-1; Meadowcreek (Norcross, Ga.) 13-3; Memorial (Tulsa, Okla.) 12-3; Millbrook (Raleigh, N.C.) 14-0; Minnehaha Academy (Minneapolis, Ky.) 6-2; Moeller (Cincinnati, Ohio) 10-0; New Haven (New Haven, Mich.) 7-1; Norcross (Norcross, Ga.) 10-5; North Shore (Houston, Texas) 18-1; Pinnacle (Phoenix, Ariz.) 15-3; Pleasant Grove (Pleasant Grove, Utah) 11-2; Rockhurst (Kansas City, Mo.) 10-0; Sapulpa (Sapulpa, Okla.) 7-1; South Central (Winterville, N.C.) 10-1; Springfield Southeast (Springfield, Ill.) 12-1; St. Benedict's (Newark, N.J.) 12-2; Teas Valley Christian Prep (Scott Depot, W. Va.) 12-0; Trinity Catholic (St. Louis, Mo.) 11-0; Upson-Lee (Thomaston, Ga.) 12-1; Wagner (San Antonio, Texas) 15-5; Wheeler (Marietta, Ga.) 14-4.

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

The post NEW FAB 50: There is a NEW No. 1 For NEW Year's! appeared first on www.ebooksnet.com.

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University School out-rebounded Vashon 60 to 21 for the 96-69 victory to move on to the next round of the tournament. Vashon will move on to the consolation bracket.

Mario Mckinney: 17 points
Cam'ron Fletcher: 16 points
Nick Kern: 16 points
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Vernon Carey: 35 points
Scottie Barnes: 13 points
Roger McFarlane: 16 points
Jace Howard: 19 points

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By Ronnie Flores

RELATED: NCAA and NFHS Limit June Live Period Opportunities

This week we strived to get out the latest edition of the FAB 50 National Team Rankings powered by www.ebooksnet.com as quickly as possible. No, we didn't want to cheat the process of looking up scores from all over the country or break down the teams with deeper analysis than anyone; we just want to make sure the rankings stay relevant because tournaments with major rankings implications are tipping off all over the country as early as Monday night.

The big result over the past week was Roman Catholic (Philadelphia, Pa.) knocking off previous No. 6 Imhotep Charter (Philadelphia, Pa.), 92-69, in a battle of defending PIAA champions. Penn St.-bound Seth Lundy had a terrific game for the victorious Cahillites, as he scored 27 points on 7-of-12 shooting from the field while also contributing eight rebounds. Roman Catholic also got a terrific performance from 6-foot-9 Jalen Duren, who finished with 17 points in a physical battle. It's hard to imagine there is a better freshman front court player in the country than Duren.

As a result of that big win, the Cahillites move up 31 spots this week to No. 12, as Imhotep Charter falls seven spots right behind Roman. Imhotep Charter, which was led in defeat by Maryland-bound Donta Scott, still has a veteran team with one of the best resumes in the country over the past three years and can't fall any further. Roman's sole loss was a 70-61 setback to No. 4 DeMatha Catholic (Hyattsville, Md.) in a game that was close to the end. The Stags rebounded from their own loss to No. 3 IMG Academy (Brandenton, Fla.) by defeating then No. 17 Guyer (Denton, Texas) 60-53 at the ARS/Rescue Rooter National Hoopfest in Dallas on December 15. Guyer has played one of the toughest schedules in the country and falls to No. 21 this week.

The highest rated newcomer this week is Hamilton Heights Christian Academy (Chattanooga, Tenn.), which checks in at No. 34 after posting wins over the weekend at the Bartlett Invitational versus then No. 22 Memphis East (66-63) and No. 41 Bartlett (85-83). Both losing clubs remained in the rankings this week because of the nature of the opponent and the close scores.

How Will City of Palms And Other Tourneys Affect Rankings?

Unbeaten University School (Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.) is looking to defend its City of Palms Classic title, but it won't be easy by any means. The Sharks, currently ranked No. 6, are one of 11 FAB 50 ranked teams in the field. University School, led by Mr. Basketball USA candidate Vernon Carey, opens the tournament on December 18 with No. 22 Vashon (St. Louis, Mo.). The University-Vashon winner will likely take on No. 13 Imhotep Charter in the second round on Thursday, as the Panthers look to bounce back from the loss to Roman Catholic.

On the same side of the bracket lies in wait No. 2 Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.) and No. 39 Olive Branch (Olive Branch, Miss.), which are likely to meet in the second round. Oak Hill Academy is in the COP bracket for the first time since 1991, when it lost in the tournament semifinals and finished No. 2 in the final 1991-92 rankings. Last season, Oak Hill handed University School its only regular season loss. Will the Sharks return the favor or will a team like Imhotep Charter break up a pontential Oak Hill-University semifinal?

On the other side of the bracket, No. 28 Mountain Brook (Mountain Brook, Ala.) has already defeated No. 40 Wilson (Washington, D.C.) and the two-time defending AHSAA Class 7A state champs are likely to face No. 3 IMG Academy (Brandenton, Fla.) in a Thursday quarterfinal contest. No. 9 Paul VI (Fairfax, Va.) faces No. 33 Immaculate Conception (Montclair, N.J.) to open the COP bracket with the winner likely facing No. 10 McEachern (Powder Springs, Ga.) in the quarterfinals. IMG Academy is a big favorite to reach the semifinal, where Paul VI, Immaculate Conception or McEachern will be quite a test.

Does University have the depth to advance to the championship game? Or will the most talented and top-rated teams in the field, Oak Hill Academy and IMG Academy, meet?

In the Tarkanian Classic at Bishop Gorman High School in Las Vegas, bracket play begins Wednesday and the Gaels, ranked No. 26, are the defending champions and a favorite to reach the tourney semifinals. It could meet No. 47 Whitney Young (Chicago, Ill.) or talented Sheldon (Sacramento, Calif.) in the semis. On the other side of the bracket, a monster semifinal between No. 17 Rancho Christian (Temecula, Calif.) and No. 24 Federal Way (Federal Way, Wash.) would be a mixtape dream, as both teams are unbeaten, contain high-level players and have aspirations to climb in the rankings.

Rancho Christian has FAB 50 title aspirations, but must win Tarkanian to avoid a steep uphill climb in the rankings. In order to become a serious title contender, the Eagles will at some point have to get by No. 7 Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth, Calif.), which will participate in the Iolani Tournament in Hawaii beginning on December 19. Sierra Canyon could meet surging No. 30 Oak Ridge (Orlando, Fla.) or Westchester (Los Angeles, Calif.) in the semifinals. Westchester just missed the FAB 50 this week.

On the other side of the bracket, top-ranked Montverde Academy (Montverde, Fla.) will likely meet No. 5 La Lumiere (La Porte, Ind.) in the semifinals. It would shake up the rankings going into the next set of rankings in 2019 if La Lumiere, Sierra Canyon or Oak Ridge were to knock off the Eagles and win the Iolani.

RELATED: NCAA and NFHS Limit June Live Period Opportunities

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

(Third poll of 2018-19 regular season; Through games played on Sunday, December 16; Previous ranking in parentheses; *Indicates forfeit wins, forfeit losses not included; **Indicates forfeits and defaults not included; ***Indicates scrimmages and foundation games not included; ****Indicates season not complete)

No.	Prev.	High School (City)	Record
1	1	Montverde Academy (Montverde, Fla.)	4-0
2	2	Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.)	13-0
3	4	IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.)	9-0
4	3	DeMatha Catholic (Hyattsville, Md.)	6-1
5	5	La Lumiere (LaPorte, Ind.)	8-0
6	8	University School (Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.)	6-0***
7	7	Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth, Calif.)	9-0
8	9	Wasatch Academy (Mt. Pleasant, Utah)	12-0
9	10	Paul VI (Fairfax, Va.)	5-1
10	11	McEachern (Powder Springs, Ga.)	4-0
11	12	Sunrise Christian Academy (Bel Aire, Kan.)	7-1
12	43	Roman Catholic (Philadelphia, Pa.)	7-1
13	6	Imhotep Charter (Philadelphia, Pa.)	3-1
14	13	Warren Central (Indianapolis, Ind.)	4-0
15	14	Ranney School (Tinton Falls, N.J.)	2-0
16	15	Belleville West (Belleville, Ill.)	10-0
17	16	Rancho Christian (Temecula, Calif.)	7-0
18	18	Carmel Christian (Matthews, N.C.)	14-0
19	19	Roselle Catholic (Roselle, N.J.)	2-0
20	20	St. Frances Academy (Baltimore, Md.)	11-1
21	17	Guyer (Denton, Texas)	11-3
22	21	Vashon (St. Louis, Mo.)	6-0
23	23	Mansfield Timberview (Arlington, Texas)	15-0
24	24	Federal Way (Federal Way, Wash.)	6-0
25	25	Allen (Allen, Texas)	15-1
26	26	Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas, Nev.)	6-1
27	28	Scott County (Georgetown, Ky.)	7-0
28	30	Mountain Brook (Mountain Brook, Ala.)	11-1
29	31	Shadow Mountain (Phoenix, Ariz.)	7-1
30	36	Oak Ridge (Orlando, Fla.)	9-0
31	32	Long Island Lutheran (Glen Head, N.Y.)	3-0
32	35	Meadowcreek (Norcross, Ga.)	11-2
33	34	Immaculate Conception (Montclair, N.J.)	1-0
34	NR	Hamilton Heights Christian Academy (Chattanooga, Tenn.)	13-1
35	38	Rainier Beach (Seattle, Wash.)	5-0
36	22	Memphis East (Memphis, Tenn.)	6-2
37	39	Findlay Prep (Henderson, Nev.)	8-0
38	45	Nicolet (Glendale, Wis.)	7-1
39	37	Olive Branch (Olive Branch, Miss.)	8-3
40	27	Wilson (Washington, D.C.)	5-2
41	42	Gonzaga Prep (Spokane, Wash.)	4-1
42	46	South Shore (Brooklyn, N.Y.)	6-1
43	NR	St. Benedict's (Newark, N.J.)	8-0
44	41	Bartlett (Barlett, Tenn.)	11-1
45	NR	Curie (Chicago, Ill.)	10-0
46	NR	Kennedy Catholic (Hermitage, Pa.)	2-0
47	33	Whitney Young (Chicago, Ill.)	7-2
48	47	Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.)	10-1
49	48	Scotlandville (Baton Rouge, La.)	13-0
50	50	Pickerington Central (Pickerington, Ohio)	4-0

Dropped Out: Previous No. 29 St. John Bosco (Bellflower, Calif.), No. 40 Mountain Pointe (Phoenix, Ariz.), No. 44 St. Edward (Lakewood, Ohio), No. 49 Wheeler (Marietta, Ga.).

Bubble Teams:  Benton Harbor (Benton Harbor, Mich.) 4-0; Biloxi (Biloxi, Miss.) 10-0; Bishop Loughlin (Brooklyn, N.Y.) 5-0; Bishop Miege (Shawnee Mission, Kan.) 3-0; Bishop Montgomery (Torrance, Calif.) 7-2; Bishop O’Connell (Arlington, Va.) 5-1; Bloom (Chicago Heights, Ill.) 11-0; Bonner-Prendergast (Drexel Hill, Pa.) 3-0; Brooklyn Collegiate (Brooklyn, N.Y.) 6-1; Blue Valley Northwest (Overland Park, Kan.) 5-1; Buford (Buford, Ga.) 7-0; Cardinal Hayes (Bronx, N.Y.) 7-0; Carmel (Carmel, Ind.) 7-0; Cedar Falls (Cedar Falls, Iowa) 4-1; Central Plains (Claflin, Kan.) 6-0; Clark (Las Vegas, Nev.) 6-0; Cox Mill (Concord, N.C.) 6-0; Creighton Prep (Omaha, Neb.) 5-0; Dallas Jesuit (Dallas, Texas) 13-1; East St. Louis (East St. Louis, Ill.) 6-2; Edmond Santa Fe (Edmond, Okla.) 6-0; Evanston (Evanston, Ill.) 8-1; Fairfax (Los Angeles, Calif.) 10-0; Grandview (Aurora, Col.) 4-1; Grandview (Grandview, Mo.) 5-1; Greensboro Day (Greensboro, N.C.) 11-1; Hopkins (Minnetonka, Minn.) 6-1; Keenan (Columbia, S.C.) 10-0; Lancaster (Lancaster, Texas) 10-2; Lanier (Montgomery, Ala.) 10-1; Lewis-Palmer (Monument, Col.) 5-0; Maria Goretti (Hagerstown, Md.) 8-2; Martin Luther (Greendale, Wis.) 6-0; Memorial (Tulsa, Okla.) 7-2; Minnehaha Academy (Minneapolis, Ky.) 4-1; Norcross (Norcross, Ga.) 8-3; O’Dea (Seattle, Wash.) 4-0; Pinnacle (Phoenix, Ariz.) 9-2; Pleasant Grove (Pleasant Grove, Utah) 9-0; Salesian (Richmond, Calif.) 8-0; Sheldon (Sacramento, Calif.) 3-1; St. Edward (Lakewood, Ohio) 4-1; St. John Bosco (Bellflower, Calif.) 11-1; Teas Valley Christian Prep (Scott Depot, W. Va.) 11-0; Trinity (Louisville, Ky.) 6-0; Trinity Catholic (St. Louis, Mo.) 7-0; University Heights (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 7-0; Upson-Lee (Thomaston, Ga.) 9-0; Washington (Milwaukee, Wis.) 5-1; Westchester (Los Angeles, Calif.) 6-0; Wheeler (Marietta, Ga.) 9-3.

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

The post UPDATED FAB 50 Rankings As Holiday Hoops Begin! appeared first on www.ebooksnet.com.

The post HE DID THE JOHN WALL!! Scottie Lewis DEMOLISHES City of Palms Dunk Contest! CRAZY DUNKS!!! appeared first on www.ebooksnet.com.

By Ronnie Flores

After preseason No. 1 Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.) fell 83-79 to California's top-ranked club, Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth, Calif.), in a showcase game, it put preseason No. 2 La Lumiere (La Porte, Ind.) in position to take over the top spot in the FAB 50 National Team Rankings powered by www.ebooksnet.com. When Sierra Canyon later fell in the championship of the Les Schwab Invitational to then No. 24 Nathan Hale (Seattle, Wash.), it made the decision that much easier.

La Lumiere has been dominant so far in its 14 wins and upcoming tests will test its ranking positioning. After winning the prestigious City of Palms Classic in Ft. Myers, Fla. with a 63-54 victory over No. 8 Memphis East (Memphis, Tenn.), the Eagles were also considered for No. 1. They have four wins over FAB 50 ranked foes, including a 70-66 semifinal victory over No. 3 IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.), and field one of coach Kevin Boyle's finest defensive units ever.

We saw no need to make a switch or jump La Lumiere because the Lakers have been quite impressive both times we evaluated them and beat the Hamilton Heights Christian Academy (Chattanooga, Tenn.) team that defeated Memphis East handily (70-56). Montverde Academy actually will play Memphis East for the second time this season at the Penny Hardaway Hoopfest in Memphis on January 7.

La Lumiere takes on No. 5 Findlay Prep (Henderson, Nev.) on the same day at the Cancer Research Classic in Wheeling, W. Va. and faces battle-tested Sierra Canyon on January 16 at the Hoophall Classic in Springfield, Mass. Sierra Canyon will be traveling from the Bass Pro Tournament of Champions in Springfield, Mo., in a tournament field that includes Montverde Academy, Findlay Prep, Memphis East and No. 23 Greenforest Christian Academy (Decatur, Ga.)

The real debate came at who should be slotted in the No. 3 position, and we decided to go with IMG Academy over Nathan Hale. IMG Academy was very competitive versus No. 2 Montverde Academy and has an impressive slate of victories, including ones over No. 10 Patrick School (Elizabeth, N.J.), No. 13 West Oaks Academy (Orlando, Fla.), No. 40 Pebblebrook (Mableton, Ga.), No. 43 Norcross (Norcross, Ga.) and No. 45 Neumann-Goretti (Philadelphia, Pa.). Hale nipped Sierra Canyon in the Les Schwab title game and had Oak Hill not dropped a second game after losing to Sierra Canyon, Hale likely would have check in at No. 3.

Sierra Canyon fell one spot in the rankings to make room for Findlay Prep, which not only takes on top-ranked La Lumiere this week but defeated Oak Hill Academy more convincingly. Sierra Canyon was in a dogfight, whereas the Pilots were in complete control and cruised to a 78-62 win over the Warriors in the title game of the Iolani Classic in Hawaii. Kentucky-bound P.J. Washington is having a standout season so far playing for his father Paul Washington Sr. As noted in the preseason, the coaching carousel, not the talent level, kept the Pilots low in the rankings but Washington Sr. has done an excellent job and built good chemistry in his first year at the helm.

Leading Mr. Basketball USA candidate Michael Porter Jr. of Nathan Hale averaged 32 point and 16.7 rebounds in four Les Schwab Invitational victories and is keeping word on his promise that the Raiders' preseason ranking was too low as well. Bound for the University of Washington after spending his underclass years at Father Tolton (Columbia, Mo.), Porter Jr. had 27 points 15 rebounds and four steals versus Sierra Canyon, while top-ranked junior Marvin Bagley III had 22 points for the one-loss Trailblazers.

Teams that play demanding schedules were not dropped from the FAB 50 for multiple losses if there were off-setting wins over ranked foes. Hamilton Heights Christian Academy is a good example. We also are in the stage of the season where we reward undefeated teams with a signature win.

We also didn't drop previous No. 6 Neumann-Goretti (Philadelphia, Pa.) out because All-American guard Quade Green got hurt during the team's first game of the City of Palms versus IMG Academy. When he was healthy, the Saints defeated No. 14 Imhotep Charter, which recently captured the Beach Ball Classic in Myrtle Beach, S.C., 78-76, over No. 46 Evanston (Evanston, Ill.).

According to coach Carl Arrigale, the Kentucky-bound Green has now recovered from his back and ankle injuries.

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

(Third poll of the 2016-17 regular season; Through games played on Sunday, January 1; Previous ranking in parentheses; *Indicates forfeit wins, forfeit losses not included; **Indicates forfeits and defaults not included)

No.	Prev.	High School (City)	Record
1	2	La Lumiere (La Porte, Ind.)	14-0
2	4	Montverde Academy (Montverde, Fla.)	12-0
3	8	IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.)	14-1
4	24	Nathan Hale (Seattle, Wash.)	9-0
5	19	Findlay Prep (Henderson, Nev.)	17-0
6	5	Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth, Calif.)	10-1
7	1	Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.)	16-2
8	17	Memphis East (Memphis, Tenn.)	9-2
9	10	Chino Hills (Chino Hills, Calif.)	16-0
10	3	Patrick School (Elizabeth, N.J.)	3-2
11	11	Greensboro Day (Greensboro, N.C.)	20-1
12	20	Simeon (Chicago, Ill.)	11-0
13	16	West Oaks Academy (Orlando, Fla.)	9-1
14	14	Imhotep Charter (Philadelphia, Pa.)	8-1
15	23	Gonzaga (Washington, D.C.)	9-2
16	9	Bishop Montgomery (Torrance, Calif.)	12-1
17	25	St. Anthony (Jersey City, N.J.)	6-0
18	27	Mt. St. Joseph (Baltimore, Md.)	14-0
19	34	St. Benedict's (Newark, N.J.)	10-1
20	7	DeMatha Catholic (Hyattsville, Md.)	8-1
21	39	Jackson (Massillion, Ohio)	6-0
22	18	Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.)	16-1
23	21	Greenforest Christian Academy (Decatur, Ga.)	10-2
24	31	Clarkston (Clarkston, Mich.)	5-0
25	22	Garfield (Seattle, Wash.)	9-2
26	40	Jonesboro (Jonesboro, Ark.)	11-0
27	43	Wesleyan Christian Academy (High Point, N.C.)	14-1
28	45	North Central (Indianapolis, Ind.)	8-0
29	NR	Skyline (Dallas, Texas)	17-0
30	NR	Westerville South (Westerville, Ohio)	8-0
31	29	Long Island Lutheran (Glen Head, N.Y.)	10-1
32	NR	McEachern (Powder Springs, Ga.)	12-0
33	NR	Blue Ridge (St. George, Va.)	13-0
34	NR	Trinity (Louisville, Ky.)	12-1
35	46	The Burlington School (Burlington, N.C.)	16-0
36	15	Hamilton Heights Christian Academy (Chattanooga, Tenn.)	12-4
37	33	Wheeler (Marietta, Ga.)	10-4
38	NR	Klein Forest (Houston, Texas)	17-0
39	36	Roselle Catholic (Roselle, N.J.)	3-1
40	42	Pebblebrook (Mableton, Ga.)	8-5
41	NR	Brentwood Academy (Nashville, Tenn.)	11-1
42	48	New Albany (New Albany, Ind.)	8-2
43	13	Norcross (Norcross, Ga.)	13-3
44	NR	Scotlandville (Baton Rouge, La.)	13-1
45	6	Neumann-Goretti (Philadelphia, Pa.)	3-4
46	NR	Evanston (Evanston, Ill.)	13-2
47	NR	Shadow Mountain (Phoenix, Ariz.)	16-0
48	49	Bishop Miege (Shawnee Mission, Kan.)	3-0
49	37	Jefferson (Portland, Ore.)	7-1
50	NR	East English Village Prep (Detroit, Mich.)	5-0

Dropped Out: Previous No. 12 Curie (Chicago, Ill.), No. 26 Wagner (San Antonio, Texas), No. 28 Westlake (Atlanta, Ga.), No. 30 Cordova (Cordova, Tenn.), No. 32 Paul VI (Fairfax, Va.), No. 35 Rainier Beach (Seattle, Wash.), No. 38 Houston Math, Science & Tech (Houston, Texas), No. 41 Oldsmar Christian (Oldsmar, Fla.), No. 44 Meridian (Meridian, Miss.), No. 47 Corona Del Sol (Tempe, Ariz.), No. 50 Blue Valley Northwest (Overland Park, Kan.).

Bubble Teams:  Apollo (Glendale, Ariz.) 14-3; Apple Valley (Apple Valley, Minn.) 5-1; Archbishop Moeller (Cincinnati, Ohio) 9-0; Baldwin (Baldwin, N.Y.) 4-0; Basha (Chandler, Ariz.) 17-0; Birmingham (Lake Balboa, Calif.) 11-3; Blackman (Murfreesboro, Tenn.) 10-2; Blue Valley Northwest (Overland Park, Kan.) 3-1; Brandon (Brandon, Miss.) 15-1; Chaminade (St. Louis, Mo.) 10-1; Champlin Park (Champlin, Minn.) 8-0; Clark (Las Vegas, Nev.) 12-2; Desert Vista (Phoenix, Ariz.) 9-2; Edmond North (Edmond, Okla.) 8-1; Edwardsville (Edwardsville, Ill.) 11-1;Fairport (Buffalo, N.Y.) 7-0; Federal Way (Federal Way, Wash.) 9-0; Fern Creek (Louisville, Ky.) 12-1; First Love Christian Academy (Washington, Pa.) 8-1; Foothills Christian (El Cajon, Calif.) 12-2; Grand Rapids Christian (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 3-0; Houston Math, Science & Tech (Houston, Texas) 22-1; Hudson Catholic (Jersey City, N.J.) 5-2; Lincoln (Brooklyn, N.Y.) 11-2; Linden (Linden, N.J.) 4-1; McCallie School (Chattanooga, Tenn.) 15-2; Meridian (Meridian, Miss.) 15-1; Minneapolis North (Minneapolis, Minn.) 8-1; Newton (Covington, Ga.) 13-0; Oak Ridge (Oak Ridge, Tenn.) 12-2; Omaha South (Omaha, Neb.) 6-0; Paul VI (Fairfax, Va.) 8-2; Pickerington Central (Pickerington, Ohio) 7-0; Pleasant Grove (Pleasant Grove, Utah) 10-1; Potomac (Dumfries, Va.) 9-1; Providence Day (Charlotte, N.C.) 12-5; Rainier Beach (Seattle, Wash.) 4-2; Rock Creek Christian (Upper Marlboro, Md.) 10-0; Sheldon (Sacramento, Calif.) 8-1; St. Mary's (Elizabeth, N.J.) 7-0; St. John's (Washington, D.C.) 10-3; Sunrise Christian Academy (Bel Aire, Kan.) 12-3; Trotwood-Madison (Trotwood, Ohio) 6-0; University Lab (Baton Rouge, La.) 15-2; University of Detroit Jesuit (Detroit, Mich.) 3-1; Vashon (St. Louis, Mo.) 9-2; Wagner (San Antonio, Texas) 18-1; Wasatch Academy (Mt. Pleasant, Utah) 14-2; Wayne (Huber Heights, Ohio) 6-1; Wing's Academy (Bronx, N.Y.) 10-1; Wise (Upper Marlboro, Md.) 10-0; Woodcreek (Roseville, Calif.) 13-2; Word of God Academy (Raleigh, N.C.) 13-4.

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 17 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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