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Let Us Know About Your Team!

Ronnie Flores — Fri, 16 Aug 2024 19:31:05 +0000

The 2024-25 school year is here, and football is about to kick off, but it's never too early to think about high school basketball practice and that first game. There are upwards of 20,000 high schools nationwide with boys' hoops programs, and being nationally ranked is no easy task. It can be done, however, and brings great recognition to a program, helps build up players' confidence and helps teams that want to travel to a tournament it never has been invited to. Being FAB 50 ranked helps!

RELATED: 2024-25 Preseason FAB 50 Questionnaire - CLICK HERE to fill it out!

When it comes to the FAB 50 National Team Rankings powered by www.ebooksnet.com, we actually compile them based on what happens on the court and weigh the results. It's not just about who has the most recruitable players or who is playing on television; it's about building a team's resume to a certain point and then maintaining that level based on the on-court results.

Here are three simple steps you can take to give your team the best chance to get ranked this upcoming 2024-25 season:

Give Your Team A Chance

1. Let Us Know About Your Team
It's never too early to let us know you have a good team. In fact, we are starting to gather team info for the 2024-25 season right now. Coaches, please completely fill out the preseason FAB 50 questionnaire. CLICK HERE to go to the form. The more info we have on your team, the better!

2. Compile and Promote Relevant Team Info
Once in a while a coach or team director will reach out to us about being ranked. Our response is usually, "send me your roster and your stats." You'd be surprised by how many do not have the basics for their team. A functional website is great and the best, but if that's not possible, an up-to-date social media handle with all the results and stats does the trick, too. Some schools are terrific at getting out information and others are not so good. It's Ballislife's job to seek information and know the teams, but with so many teams out there and so much competition to be ranked, it's only common sense to want to help make that task easier since recognition for the players is what it's all about.

3. Be Honest and Consistent
There are programs that hit us up every year to let us know about their team, even if it's not good enough to be nationally or regionally ranked. We appreciate that. Sometimes, we know if a team is expected to be really good because the coach will reach out early and often. And then there are those that embellish the truth or exaggerate. We know some are just trying to get their team out there, but being dis-honest usually comes back around and after doing rankings for so many years, we have a good idea when information about a team or player is not accurate. High school stats are not common (especially since the newspaper industry no longer has the staff to publish them) so getting accurate info from a third party source is not as easy as it was 20 years ago. In press releases for college signings, high school stats are not referenced as much as they were 15 years ago. That info is still relevant and is actually helpful to evaluate players for the next level.

Reaching out early in the preseason is a great step. Below are eight ways your team can get ranked, whether you reach out or not, when the games start and results begin to pour in.

How Your Team Can Get Ranked

1. Play the Strongest Schedule Possible.
Teams that desire to be ranked in the FAB 50 play competitive schedules, including tournaments or showcases with opponents that are good enough to be ranked, too. The adage "If you want to be the best, beat the best" holds true.

2. Defeat a FAB 50-Ranked Team.
Upsets are common in boys' hoops, but beating a ranked team -- especially a winning team with a good track record -- can make a huge statement.

3. Own Significant Head-to-Head Victories.
These results carry weight among FAB 50 editors. A non-ranked team has a strong argument if it defeats a ranked team -- or previously ranked team. Sometimes in basketball, there are "fluke" wins, where a non-ranked team upsets a highly-ranked team, then goes back to playing at the level it previously was at. That's why a pattern of success or winning a tournament with multiple FAB 50-ranked teams is a sure way to move?up or into the rankings.

4. Earn a High Ranking in Your State or Region.
The FAB 50 takes into consideration credible state rankings. If a team wants to be nationally ranked, it should consistently show up in state or local rankings.

5. Root For Your Rivals.
If an opponent you've defeated beats other highly ranked teams during its season, it bodes well and makes a great case for you team to move up in the rankings.

6. Come From one of the Traditional Hoops Hotbeds.
A successful program’s location in a traditional hotbed for boys' basketball such as New York City, Philadelphia, Southern California, or Chicago certainly doesn't hurt its chances to be ranked. This category has expanded and contracted over the years. For instance, high school basketball in Texas once lagged behind spring football. Not anymore. Phoenix is quickly becoming a great place for college coaches to find players.

7. Dominate a Non-Power State.
Plenty of ranked teams fit into this category. That is why teams with extended and dominant in-state successes make the cut. They've earned their spot by setting standards in those states (multiple state title streaks, record victory streaks, etc.).

8. Have a Top Recruit on Your Team.
"Wait a minute,"?you might say.?"I thought the FAB 50 rankings were based on game results, not player rankings." That is true, the FAB 50 is based on game results. But with the explosion of national events, holiday tournaments and intersectional competition, boys' basketball has the most solid foundation to rank teams among the high school sports. That relates to individual talent because in basketball, one player can make a big difference. Having a player near the top of the 247Sports, Rivals.com, Scouts.com, ESPN.com or Hoop Scoop player rankings increases the likelihood of being invited to a tournament or showcase. That’s where the opportunity to defeat another ranked team lies.

FAB 50 Basketball Policy:?We do not rank teams with players on the roster that have completed eight semesters of high school i.e. 5th-year players. We do not rank programs that don't follow age cutoff guidelines of the state association in which the program resides or the recommended date outlined by the NFHS ?(19 before September 1). Programs also must be recognized by a high school athletics governing body or be an associate member of a state association. Generally, programs must be allowed to play members schools of the state association in which the program resides and, outside of recruiting, follow all other rules of the high school governing body in that particular state. If coaches intentionally provide false or misleading information about his/her program, it automatically disqualifies that particular program from inclusion in the FAB 50 this year and each subsequent year.

2023-24 Preseason FAB 50 Questionnaire: CLICK HERE to fill it out!

The post Let Us Know About Your Team! appeared first on www.ebooksnet.com.

Final, Expanded 2023-24 FAB 50 Rankings!

Ronnie Flores — Sun, 21 Jul 2024 21:32:54 +0000

All 50 ranked teams written up with explanations for why they were placed in these positions with comparisons to preseason ranking. The FAB 50 National Team Rankings powered by www.ebooksnet.com is the official rankings of the National Sports News Service, which date back to the 1952 season. Montverde Academy of Florida is the 2023-24 mythical national champion, as the program captured its seventh FAB 50 title since 2013, tying Oak Hill Academy of Virginia for most all-time No. 1 finishes. ?

Compiled by Ronnie Flores

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

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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FINAL 2023-24 Top 20 Regional Rankings!

Ronnie Flores — Thu, 11 Apr 2024 06:16:59 +0000

We go 20 deep from five separate regions of the nation in our final Top 20 Regional Rankings. We rank 100 teams and nobody across the country ranks as many teams as www.ebooksnet.com. Final No. 1 teams are Paul VI (East), Montverde Academy (Southeast), Fishers (Midwest), Plano East (Southwest) and Prolific Prep (West). We still have our expanded FAB 50 rankings will full breakdowns on the nation's 50 best teams to publish, along with our annual All-American Elite team.

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

(Preseason ranking in parentheses)

By Ronnie Flores

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.

FINAL Southwest Region Top 20 Rankings!

Ronnie Flores — Thu, 11 Apr 2024 06:14:49 +0000

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

(Preseason ranking in parentheses)

By Ronnie Flores

SOUTHWEST Region Top 20
(Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas)

1. (14) Plano East (Plano, Texas) 40-0
2. (1) Link Academy (Branson, Mo.) 26-7
3. (12) Stony Point (Round Rock, Texas) 38-2
4. (8) Bellevue West (Bellevue, Neb.) 27-1
5. (17) Beaumont United (Beaumont, Texas) 34-4
6. (NR) Northwest (Shawnee Mission, Kan.) 25-0
?7. (NR) Owasso (Owasso, Okla.) 26-4
8. (18) Volcano Vista (Albuquerque, N.M.) 30-1
9. (13) Seven Lakes (Katy, Texas) 35-4**
10. (NR) Fort Bend Clements (Sugar Land, Texas) 32-1
11. (4) Brennan (San Antonio, Texas) 31-5
12. (NR) Central (Little Rock, Ark.) 27-6
13. (5) Edmond North (Edmond, Okla.) 24-4
14. (NR) Lake Ridge (Mansfield, Texas) 32-7
15. (NR) Dale (Dale, Okla.) 30-2
16. (3) Oak Cliff Faith Family (Dallas, Texas) 25-11
17. (NR) Lancaster (Lancaster, Texas) 30-5
18. (NR) Millard North (Omaha, Neb.) 23-3
19. (9) Vashon (St. Louis, Mo.) 26-6
20. (NR) DeSmet (St. Louis, Mo.) 27-5

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

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 Southwest Region Top 20 Rankings! appeared first on www.ebooksnet.com.

Final 2023-24 FAB 50: MVA Wins Chipotle Nationals!

Ronnie Flores — Mon, 08 Apr 2024 07:33:51 +0000

Chipotle Nationals closed out the 2023-24 season and it's now time to publish our final FAB 50 National Team Rankings powered by www.ebooksnet.com. Montverde Academy of Florida captured the tournament title to go wire-to-wire No. 1, with the results of the event involving eight teams causing some movement within the Top 20.

By Ronnie Flores

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.

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.

Updated FAB 50: Hoosier Hysteria!

Ronnie Flores — Sun, 31 Mar 2024 21:01:47 +0000

With the Indiana state tournament wrapping up on Saturday, there is only one move to make in the latest FAB 50 National Team Rankings powered by www.ebooksnet.com. That would be to give No. 10 Fishers (Ind.) one more win after capturing the coveted Class 4A state title with a 65-56 victory over Ben Davis (Indianapolis, Ind.). Chipotle Nationals will close out the 2023-24 season with the final rankings set for April 8.

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.

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.)

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.)	31-5***
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.)	29-1
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	25	Oak Ridge (Orlando, Fla.)	27-4
26	26	Myers Park (Charlotte, N.C.)	27-4
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.

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.

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.

Grind Session World Championships: Top Stock Risers!

Rodger Bohn — Thu, 28 Mar 2024 01:47:04 +0000

The ‘23-24 Grind Session Power Conference season has come to an end, and it comes with a well-known name in the world of prep school basketball at the top: Prolific Prep. The Napa, Calif. power ran the table throughout the season and defeated Dream City Christian (Glendale, Ariz.), 84-74, at Chicago’s Malcolm X College on March 17 to be crowned the Grind Session World Champions for the second consecutive season.

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 players who caught our eye and enhanced their recruiting stock at the event.

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

Mikey Lewis, 6’3, PG/SG, Prolific Prep (CA), 2024
Playing for one of the more loaded teams in the country, no one is going to be putting up video game numbers and everyone has to find their role on the hardwood. After dropping monster numbers last year with both Accelerated Prep (CO) and with the Oakland Soldiers in the EYBL, many wondered how Mikey Lewis would adjust to playing with so much talent at Prolific, but he has completely let the game come to him. The combo guard played outstanding on ball defense, created his own shot late in the shot clock, and let the game come to him without forcing the issue. Mikey is the key piece in an outstanding St. Mary’s recruiting class that will place them amongst the elite in the WCC yet again.

Savo Drezgic, 6’3, PG, DME Academy (FL), 2025
A highly touted European prospect, Savo Drezgic made the move from Serbia to Daytona Beach, Fla., to play his junior year at DME Academy. The lead guard had a heralded overseas career, playing with the Serbian National Team, at Basketball Without Borders events, and at the Adidas Next Generation Tournament with Partizan Belgrade. Savo possesses no shortage of flare on the court, has deep 3-point range, and has SportsCenter Top 10 passing ability. Drezgic is still getting acclimated to things here in the U.S., but should ultimately find himself with at least a Top 50 national ranking when it’s all said and done, which may be a bit on the conservative side.

Alejandro Aviles, 6’9, PF/C, Dream City Christian (CA), 2025
While there are definitely players who are more flashy in the Grind Session, there aren’t many junior bigs who were more productive than Alejandro Aviles. In his two games in Chicago, he posted 24 points, 14 rebounds in a win against DME and was a playmaker from the post with 10 points, eight rebounds, and five assists against eventual champion Prolific Prep. The Puerto Rican junior can punish you on the low block, has range to the 3-point line (hit two 3-pointers in each game), and has the ability to hit cutters from the post. Having already established quite the reputation in Puerto Rico playing with their 18U team, he is beginning to do the same with Dream City here in the States.

Ifaola “Tacko” Fawaz, 6’11, C, Dream City Christian (AZ), 2025
Like many on this list, the impact that Tacko Fawaz has on the floor extends far beyond the box score. The junior big man is outstanding running the floor, is a constant lob threat, and walls up against anyone attacking the paint defensively as a rim protector. Fawaz ultimately finished with six points and six rebounds against national power Prolific Prep, but certainly made everyone think twice about challenging him at the rack. The junior already holds no shortage of offers from high major programs and will be running on the Adidas 3SSB Circuit with the Utah Prospects this spring.

Cory Connor, 6’2, PG, Prolific Prep (CA), 2024
One of the glue guys for Prolific Prep, Cory Connor brings the versatility and intangibles that don't show up in the box score. The Seattle native excelled guarding both backcourt spots, was a reliable 3-point shooter when left open, and had no problem finishing through contact on straight line attacks to the rim. Connor is still wide open with his recruitment and will be an interesting name to follow with Prolific Prep when it heads to Chipotle Nationals (April 4-6).

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Grind Session World Championships: Top Performers!

Ronnie Flores — Tue, 26 Mar 2024 03:52:17 +0000

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.

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NEW FAB 50: Upsets & Thrillers!

Ronnie Flores — Mon, 25 Mar 2024 05:05:08 +0000

Thrilling games in Kentucky, Minnesota and Ohio caused movement in the latest edition of the FAB 50 National Team Rankings powered by www.ebooksnet.com. There are two newcomers this week, including Kentucky Sweet 16 champ Lyon County and Jackson-Reed (Washington, D.C.), whose strong resume can't be ignored. Indiana's state champions will be crowned on March 30.

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.).

Updated FAB 50 National Team Rankings
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(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.).

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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MSHSL Top Tourney Performers!

Rodger Bohn — Sun, 24 Mar 2024 17:31:41 +0000

The 2023-24 high school season in Minnesota has officially come to its conclusion. Finishing the year later than most states in the country, the Land of 10,000 Lakes holds a four day state tournament that offers eight teams in each bracket with consolation play, providing a great evaluation opportunity for scouts, coaches, and fans alike.

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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Updated FAB 50: March Madness Indeed!

Ronnie Flores — Sun, 17 Mar 2024 23:57:08 +0000

More states wrapped up their state championships over the weekend and there are only a few more to go. After Alaska, Indiana, Kentucky, Minnesota, Ohio and Pennsylvania wrap up next weekend, all that will be left is Chipotle Nationals on April 4-6 in Brownsburg (Ind.). The recent championships caused change to the latest edition of the FAB 50 National Team Rankings powered by www.ebooksnet.com. For the second consecutive week, there are three newcomers, including teams still alive in Kentucky and Ohuio plus a state champion from Nebraska.

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).

Updated FAB 50 National Team Rankings
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(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.

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.

NEW FAB 50: EPIC Weekend!

Ronnie Flores — Mon, 11 Mar 2024 03:24:01 +0000

Many of the nation's power states concluded their state championships over the weekend, and it caused plenty of change to the latest edition of the FAB 50 National Team Rankings powered by www.ebooksnet.com. There are three newcomers this week, including state champions from Illinois and Kansas. We break down why on-court results are paramount.

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.

Updated FAB 50 National Team Rankings
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(12th poll of 2023-24 regular season; Through games played on Sunday, March 10; *Indicates forfeit wins, forfeit losses not included; **Indicates forfeits and defaults not included; ***Indicates season 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	8	Prolific Prep (Napa, Calif.)	31-5
7	10	Harvard-Westlake (North Hollywood, Calif.)	33-3***
8	9	Link Academy (Branson, Mo.)	22-6
9	11	Central Cabarrus (Concord, N.C.)	31-0
10	14	Wisconsin Lutheran (Milwaukee, Wis.)	28-0
11	12	AZ Compass Prep (Chandler, Ariz.)	27-5
12	15	Fishers (Fishers, Ind.)	26-1
13	6	Stony Point (Round Rock, Texas)	38-2***
14	13	IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.)	17-8
15	17	St. Rose (Belmar, N.J.)	29-2***
16	18	Archbishop Stepinac (White Plains, N.Y.)	25-4
17	19	Don Bosco Prep (Ramsey, N.J.)	29-3***
18	21	Roman Catholic (Philadelphia, Pa.)	25-2
19	22	St. Mary Prep (Orchard Lake, Mich.)	24-1
20	23	Combine Academy (Lincolnton, N.C.)	21-2
21	24	Roosevelt (Eastvale, Calif.)	31-4***
22	25	Ridge View (Columbia, S.C.)	27-2***
23	34	Perry (Gilbert, Ariz.)	24-6***
24	35	Grayson (Loganville, Ga.)	30-2***
25	41	North Mecklenburg (Huntersville, N.C.)	28-3
26	20	McEachern (Powder Springs, Ga.)	26-6***
27	7	Myers Park (Charlotte, N.C.)	27-4***
28	27	John Marshall (Richmond, Va.)	25-3***
29	26	Bullis (Potomac, Md.)	27-3***
30	28	Sidwell Friends (Washington, D.C.)	27-4***
31	29	Gonzaga (Washington, D.C.)	28-6***
32	30	Great Crossing (Georgetown, Ky.)	33-1
33	31	Oak Ridge (Orlando, Fla.)	27-4***
34	32	La Lumiere (La Porte, Ind.)	23-5
35	33	Brewster Academy (Wolfeboro, N.H.)	27-7
36	36	St. John Bosco (Bellflower, Calif.)	28-7***
37	37	Salesian (Richmond, Calif.)	31-2***
38	39	Bartlett (Bartlett, Tenn.)	31-4
39	39	Patrick School (Elizabeth, N.J.)	28-4
40	40	Camden (Camden, N.J.)	30-2***
41	44	Kell (Marietta, Ga.)	28-3***
42	48	Wayzata (Plymouth, Minn.)	26-1
43	50	Moeller (Cincinnati, Ohio)	25-1
44	43	Millennium (Goodyear, Ariz.)	25-5***
45	NR	Homewood Flossmor (Flossmor, Ill.)	33-4***
46	46	Winter Haven (Winter Haven, Fla.)	27-2***
47	47	Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.)	29-6***
48	NR	Reidsville (Reidsville, N.C.)	27-0
49	49	Beaumont United (Beaumont, Texas)	34-4***
50	NR	Northwest (Shawnee Mission, Kan.)	25-0***

Dropped Out: Previous No. 16 De Pere (De Pere, Wis.), No. 42 Curie (Chicago, Ill.), No. 45 Cordova (Cordova, Tenn.).

Bubble Teams: Arrowhead (Heartland, Wis.) 26-2; Bay Shore (Bay Shore, N.Y.) 23-0; Bellevue West (Bellevue, Neb.) 27-1***; Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas, Nev.) 24-5***; Brennan (San Antonio, Texas) 31-5***; Central Catholic (Portland, Ore.) 28-3***; Christian (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 23-2; Curie (Chicago, Ill.) 31-3***; Dale (Dale, Okla.) 30-2***; De Paul Prep (Chicago, Ill.) 35-2***; De Pere (De Pere, Wis.) 26-2***; East Lansing (East Lansing, Mich.) 24-2; Edmond North (Edmond, Okla.) 24-4***; Fort Bend Clements (Sugar Land, Texas) 32-1***; Garfield Heights (Garfield Heights, Ohio) 24-1; Hickory (Hickory, N.C.) 31-0; Hoover (Hoover, Ala.) 30-3***; Imhotep Charter (Philadelphia, Pa.) 25-3; Jackson-Reed (Washington, D.C.) 33-3; Kennedy (Cedar Rapids, Iowa) 25-1***; Kokomo (Kokomo, Ind.) 25-4***; Lawrence North (Indianapolis, Ind.) 25-3; Lehi (Lehi, Utah) 24-4***; Lexington (Lexington, S.C.) 28-2***; Lexington Catholic (Lexington, Ky.) 32-2; Liberty Magnet (Baton Rouge, La.) 33-4***; Lincoln Park (Midland, Pa.) 23-3; Millard North (Omaha, Neb.) 23-3***; Mt. St. Joseph (Baltimore, Md.) 36-5***; Neumann-Goretti (Philadelphia, Pa.) 23-3; Newport (Newport, Ky.) 31-3; Noblesville (Noblesville, Ind.) 22-3***; Notre Dame (Sherman Oaks, Calif.) 31-4***; Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.) 21-6; Pewaukee (Pewaukee, Wis.) 24-4; 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. Ignatius (Cleveland, Ohio) 22-3; St. Peter’s Prep (Jersey City, N.J.) 26-3***; Valley (West Des Moines, Iowa) 21-5***; Vashon (St. Louis, Mo.) 24-6; Volcano Vista (Albuquerque, N.M.) 27-1; Wasatch Academy (Mt. Pleasant, Utah) 15-7; Westfield (Westfield, Ind.) 19-3***; Woodside (Newport News, Va.) 27-1***.

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.

UPDATED FAB 50: State Championships On The Line!

Ronnie Flores — Tue, 05 Mar 2024 03:30:34 +0000

Teams that captured 2023-24 state championship caused movement in the latest edition of the FAB 50 National Team Rankings powered by www.ebooksnet.com. In addition, there are six newcomers this week, led by Arizona state open champ No. 34 Perry (Gilbert, Ariz.). More state champs in power states will be crowned this weekend.

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.

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

(11th poll of 2023-24 regular season; Through games played on Sunday, March 3; *Indicates forfeit wins, forfeit losses not included; **Indicates forfeits and defaults not included; ***Indicates season complete.)

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

Dropped Out: Previous No. 26 Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth, Calif.), No. 31 Notre Dame (Sherman Oaks, Calif.), No. 41 Westfield (Westfield, Ind.), No. 44 Jackson-Reed (Washington, D.C.), No. 47 Huntsville (Huntsville, Ala.), No. 50 Pascagoula (Pascagoula, Miss.).

Bubble Teams: Alexander (Douglasville, Ga.) 29-2; Bay Shore (Bay Shore, N.Y.) 23-0; Bellevue West (Bellevue, Neb.) 24-1; Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas, Nev.) 24-5***; Brennan (San Antonio, Texas) 31-5***; Central Catholic (Portland, Ore.) 25-3; Christian (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 21-2; Dale (Dale, Okla.) 27-2; De Paul Prep (Chicago, Ill.) 32-2; Downers Grove North (Downers Grove, Ill.) 31-4; East Lansing (East Lansing, Mich.) 22-2; Edmond North (Edmond, Okla.) 21-3; Fort Bend Clements (Sugar Land, Texas) 32-1***; Garfield Heights (Garfield Heights, Ohio) 22-1; Homewood Flossmor (Flossmor, Ill.) 30-4; Hoover (Hoover, Ala.) 30-3***; Imhotep Charter (Philadelphia, Pa.) 24-3; Jackson-Reed (Washington, D.C.) 33-3; Kennedy (Cedar Rapids, Iowa) 23-0; Kokomo (Kokomo, Ind.) 25-3; Lake Taylor (Norfolk, Va.) 25-1; Lawrence North (Indianapolis, Ind.) 24-3; Lehi (Lehi, Utah) 24-4***; Lexington (Lexington, S.C.) 28-2***; Lexington Catholic (Lexington, Ky.) 30-2; Liberty Magnet (Baton Rouge, La.) 31-4; Lincoln Park (Midland, Pa.) 22-3; Madison Prep (Baton Rouge, La.) 29-3; Millard North (Omaha, Neb.) 21-2; Mt. St. Joseph (Baltimore, Md.) 36-5***; Neumann-Goretti (Philadelphia, Pa.) 22-3; Newport (Newport, Ky.) 29-3; Noblesville (Noblesville, Ind.) 22-3***; Northwest (Shawnee Mission, Kan.) 22-0; Notre Dame (Sherman Oaks, Calif.) 31-4***; Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.) 21-4; Pewaukee (Pewaukee, Wis.) 22-4; Raymond (Raymond, Miss.) 31-4***; Reidsville (Reidsville, N.C.) 25-0; Seven Lakes (Katy, Texas) 35-4**; Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth, Calif.) 26-4***; Southern Guilford (Greensboro, N.C.) 28-1; St. Anne’s-Bellfield (Charlottesville, Va.) 26-4***; St. Ignatius (Cleveland, Ohio) 20-3; St. Peter’s Prep (Jersey City, N.J.) 26-2; St. Raymond (Bronx, N.Y.) 23-5; Thornton (Harvey, Ill.) 29-4; Union (Tulsa, Okla.) 24-2; Vashon (St. Louis, Mo.) 22-6; Veterans Memorial (San Antonio, Texas) 40-1; Volcano Vista (Albuquerque, N.M.) 26-1; Wasatch Academy (Mt. Pleasant, Utah) 15-5; Westfield (Westfield, Ind.) 19-3***; Woodside (Newport News, Va.) 27-1.

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.

UPDATED FAB 50: Showdowns Await!

Ronnie Flores — Tue, 20 Feb 2024 00:59:42 +0000

There are plenty of playoff showdowns coming up among teams in the latest edition of the FAB 50 National Team Rankings powered by www.ebooksnet.com. There are also two newcomers this week, led by new No. 32 Notre Dame (Sherman Oaks, Calif.). Read on to see why the Knights jump back in while leap-frogging 18 others teams.

By Ronnie Flores

This weekend some big matchups will take place that will crown league or section titles for highly-regarded teams in the latest FAB 50 National Team Rankings powered by www.ebooksnet.com. In the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) Southern Section Open Division title game, No. 10 Harvard-Westlake (North Hollywood, Calif.) will take on No. 21 Roosevelt (Eastvale, Calif.), as no matter the outcome there will be a first-time winner for the prestigious sectional crown.

Teams advance to the CIFSS open championship game by winning their respective pool of four teams each among the eight teams chosen by the section's open playoff committee. It's only right the Wolverines and Mustangs face each other Friday night at Cal Baptist University in Riverside after each going 3-0 in pool play the past two weeks.

For Roosevelt, which moves up one spot in this week's FAB 50, it clinched a spot in the section title game after its second of three pool games, a 64-59 victory over bubble club St. Pius X-St. Matthias (Downey, Calif.). Roosevelt trailed by eight points in the third period and didn’t take control of the game until the final six and a half minutes of the game. Junior guard and All-American candidate Brayden Burries scored a game-high 21 points for Roosevelt. Even though a trip to the section title game was already secure, the Mustangs pulled out a 80-76 overtime victory over 11-time CIF state champ Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.) after junior guard Isaac Williamson sent the game in an extra stanza with a clutch 3-pointer.

We gave some thought about moving up Roosevelt a few more spots, but for now it can't be in front of No. 20 McEachern (Powder Springs, Ga.). The Indians took Harvard-Westlake to overtime before bowing to the CIF's top-ranked team in a showcase game at the Spalding Hoophall Classic on MLK Monday, 60-59. Obviously, that comparative score criteria between Roosevelt and McEachern could change next week.

McEachern, the Region 3-AAAAAAA champions, will enter the Georgia High School Association (GHSA) Class AAAAAAA state tournament as one of its favorites along with No. 40 Grayson (Loganville, Ga.), which has lost to No. 39 Ridge View (Columbia, S.C.) and to highly-regarded Perry (Gilbert, Ariz.). Should our rankings hold up, McEachern would meet Grayson in the GHSA's highest classification state title game on March 9.

After returning from Springfield, Mass., Harvard-Westlake had a tough week, losing to both Mission League foes Notre Dame (Sherman Oaks, Calif.) and Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth, Calif.). Harvard-Westlake is able to move up two spots this week after avenging the loss to Sierra Canyon in resounding fashion in its second pool play game, 72-38. The Wolverines defense was stifling last week and role players Christian Horry and Amir Jones were hitting their outside shots to make this team the favorite to capture the CIF state open title on March 9 at the Golden One Center in Sacramento.

It's no secret Harvard-Westlake is extremely motivated to win both the section and state open titles after winning last year's CIF open crown in Sacramento after failing to advance to the CIFSS open final two weeks prior. Harvard-Westlake, which avenged the earlier loss to Notre Dame this season with a 60-56 victory in the Mission League Tournament semifinals, punched its ticket for this year's CIFSS title game with a 64-40 victory over No. 34 St. John Bosco (Bellflower, Calif.) in its third pool game. McDonalds' All-American Trent Perry had 24 points and the defense once again was the difference-maker, as Bosco converted a mere three field goals in the first half and trialed 29-9 at halftime in a game that wasn’t really as close as the final score indicated.

This week's top newcomer is Notre Dame, which was not chosen for the CIFSS open playoffs even though it split with Harvard-Westlake, the top seed. Notre Dame is the top seed in the CIFSS D1 playoffs and advanced to Saturday's title game at the Toyota Arena in Ontario vs. No. 2 seed Windward (Los Angeles) courtesy of victories over state ranked clubs Santa Margarita of Orange County (63-50) and Redondo Union of Los Angeles County (67-60).

Notre Dame was able to leapfrog St. John Bosco and No. 35 Salesian (Richmond, Calif.), which has only lost to Bosco in overtime, because of Harvard-Westlake’s dominance in its pool game victories over St. John Bosco and Sierra Canyon. The Wolverines dominated those two teams and for now, Notre Dame owning a victory over the CIF’s top ranked team and playing them close in another game carries plenty of weight in our rankings criteria. Obviously, that could change going into next week when we once again update the FAB 50.

We'll look to get it out as soon as we can, because next Monday evening the Philadelphia Catholic League final will take place at The Palestra. Wednesday's semifinals will pit No. 24 Roman Catholic (Philadelphia) vs. Father Judge (Philadelphia) and No. 38 Neumann-Goretti (Philadelphia) vs. Archbishop Ryan (Philadelphia). Roman Catholic could avenge on of its two losses in the semifinals vs. Father Judge.

Also taking place on Feb. 26 is the championship game of the Washington Catholic Athletic Conference (WCAC) tournament at American University. WCAC regular season champion and FAB 50 No. 3 Paul VI is the top seed and has only lost to the two teams ranked ahead of it in the nation's longest running weekly national poll.

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

(9th poll of 2023-24 regular season; Through games played on Sunday, February 18; *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.)	27-0
2	2	Columbus (Miami, Fla.)	23–4
3	3	Paul VI (Chantilly, Va.)	27-2
4	4	Long Island Lutheran (Glen Head, N.Y.)	17-4
5	5	Plano East (Plano, Texas)	33-0
6	6	Stony Point (Round Rock, Texas)	32-1
7	7	Myers Park (Charlotte, N.C.)	22-2
8	8	Prolific Prep (Napa, Calif.)	26-5
9	9	Link Academy (Branson, Mo.)	19-6
10	12	Harvard-Westlake (North Hollywood, Calif.)	29-3
11	10	Central Cabarrus (Concord, N.C.)	24-0
12	11	AZ Compass Prep (Chandler, Ariz.)	21-5
13	13	IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.)	15-8
14	14	Wisconsin Lutheran (Milwaukee, Wis.)	23-0
15	20	Fishers (Fishers, Ind.)	21-1
16	16	St. Rose (Belmar, N.J.)	25-2
17	17	Archbishop Stepinac (White Plains, N.Y.)	21-3
18	18	Don Bosco Prep (Ramsey, N.J.)	24-3
19	19	Combine Academy (Lincolnton, N.C.)	21-2
20	21	McEachern (Powder Springs, Ga.)	22-5
21	22	Roosevelt (Eastvale, Calif.)	30-2
22	23	Gonzaga (Washington, D.C.)	25-4
23	24	De Pere (De Pere, Wis.)	21-1
24	26	Roman Catholic (Philadelphia, Pa.)	21-2
25	29	Cordova (Cordova, Tenn.)	27-1
26	25	Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth, Calif.)	26-3
27	27	La Lumiere (La Porte, Ind.)	19-4
28	28	Brewster Academy (Wolfeboro, N.H.)	22-7
29	32	St. Mary Prep (Orchard Lake, Mich.)	19-1
30	30	Great Crossing (Georgetown, Ky.)	28-1
31	31	Oak Ridge (Orlando, Fla.)	24-3
32	NR	Notre Dame (Sherman Oaks, Calif.)	28-3
33	15	Patrick School (Elizabeth, N.J.)	21-4
34	33	St. John Bosco (Bellflower, Calif.)	24-7
35	34	Salesian (Richmond, Calif.)	27-1
36	35	North Mecklenburg (Huntersville, N.C.)	21-3
37	36	Millennium (Goodyear, Ariz.)	23-4
38	37	Neumann-Goretti (Philadelphia, Pa.)	21-2
39	38	Ridge View (Columbia, S.C.)	24-2
40	39	Grayson (Loganville, Ga.)	25-2
41	40	John Marshall (Richmond, Va.)	19-3
42	41	Westfield (Westfield, Ind.)	18-2
43	42	Bartlett (Bartlett, Tenn.)	26-4
44	43	Kell (Marietta, Ga.)	23-3
45	44	Jackson-Reed (Washington, D.C.)	32-2
46	45	Bullis (Potomac, Md.)	23-2
47	47	Sidwell Friends (Washington, D.C.)	22-4
48	48	Huntsville (Huntsville, Ala.)	31-2
49	50	Curie (Chicago, Ill.)	27-2
50	NR	Winter Haven (Winter Haven, Fla.)	25-1

Dropped Out: Previous No. 46 Wasatch Academy (Mt. Pleasant, Utah), No. 49 Homewood Flossmor (Flossmor, Ill.).

Bubble Teams: Alexander (Douglasville, Ga.) 25-2; Atascocita (Humble, Texas) 32-3**; Bellevue West (Bellevue, Neb.) 22-1; Bishop O’Connell (Arlington, Va.) 21-7; Bolingbrook (Bolingbrook, Ill.) 24-4; Brennan (San Antonio, Texas) 28-4; Camden (Camden, N.J.) 24-2; Christian (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 18-2; Christ the King (Middle Village, N.Y.) 20-4; Dale (Dale, Okla.) 24-2; Dearborn (Dearborn, Mich.) 20-0; De Paul Prep (Chicago, Ill.) 28-2; East Lansing (East Lansing, Mich.) 18-2; Edmond North (Edmond, Okla.) 18-3; Fort Bend Clements (Sugar Land, Texas) 30-0; Garfield Heights (Garfield Heights, Ohio) 20-1; Homewood Flossmor (Flossmor, Ill.) 26-4; Hoover (Hoover, Ala.) 31-4; Imhotep Charter (Philadelphia, Pa.) 21-3; Kennedy (Cedar Rapids, Iowa) 21-0; Kokomo (Kokomo, Ind.) 21-3; Ladue (St. Louis, Mo.) 23-1; Lake Taylor (Norfolk, Va.) 20-1; Lawrence North (Indianapolis, Ind.) 20-3; Lexington (Lexington, S.C.) 25-2; Lexington Catholic (Lexington, Ky.) 26-2; Liberty Magnet (Baton Rouge, La.) 29-4; Lincoln Park (Midland, Pa.) 19-3; Madison Prep (Baton Rouge, La.) 27-3; Millard North (Omaha, Neb.) 19-2; Mt. St. Joseph (Baltimore, Md.) 32-4; Newport (Newport, Ky.) 26-3; Noblesville (Noblesville, Ind.) 19-2; North Crowley (Ft. Worth, Texas) 30-3; Northwest (Shawnee Mission, Kan.) 18-0; Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.) 18-4; Pascagoula (Pascagoula, Miss.) 28-1; Pewaukee (Pewaukee, Wis.) 18-4; Reidsville (Reidsville, N.C.) 21-0; Southern Guilford (Greensboro, N.C.) 23-1; St. Ignatius (Cleveland, Ohio) 18-3; St. John’s (Washington, D.C.) 22-6; St. Joseph (Santa Maria, Calif.) 29-2; St. Peter’s Prep (Jersey City, N.J.) 24-2; St. Pius X-St. Matthias (Downey, Calif.) 24-6; Thornton (Harvey, Ill.) 25-4; Union (Tulsa, Okla.) 21-2; Varina (Richmond, Va.) 18-1; Veterans Memorial (San Antonio, Texas) 35-1; Volcano Vista (Albuquerque, N.M.) 23-1; Wasatch Academy (Mt. Pleasant, Utah) 13-4; Wayzata (Plymouth, Minn.) 22-1.

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: Showdowns Await! appeared first on www.ebooksnet.com.

NEW FAB 50: Playoff Madness!

Ronnie Flores — Tue, 13 Feb 2024 01:05:52 +0000

There is not much change at the top of this week's edition of the FAB 50 National Team Rankings powered by www.ebooksnet.com, but you can bet change is coming. The playoffs are here and with that means tougher competition is in store in the coming weeks. There are five newcomers led by No. 37 Neumann-Goretti (Philadelphia, Pa.).?

By Ronnie Flores

Super Sunday has passed and as football season officially closes that can only mean one thing: high school basketball is about to heat up! Top ranked teams usually win in league or conference play and that is reflected at the top of the latest FAB 50 National Team Rankings powered by www.ebooksnet.com. Only one team dropped in the Top 15 after a loss last week.

That team is new No. 26 Roman Catholic (Philadelphia, Pa.), one of the favorites in the upcoming Philadelphia Catholic League playoffs, which tip this Wednesday. The PCL championship game is set for Feb. 26 at The Palestra. The other team expected to have a great shot at the title aside from Roman Catholic (the defending champion) is No. 37 Neumann-Goretti (Philadelphia, Pa.), one of five newcomers to the FAB 50 this week.

The playoffs have already commenced in other areas of the country, and even though there hasn't been monumental upsets, the competition will get thicker in the coming weeks That's when a few FAB 50 ranked teams will inevitably go down. Sometimes it's not if you lose, but when you lose that can be gut-wrenching.

The final of the five newcomers at No. 50 is Curie (Chicago, Ill.), which captured in third Chicago Public League title on Saturday night with a 65-59 victory over Kenwood (Chicago, Ill.). Curie, which has losses to No. 47 Sidwell Friends (Washington, D.C.) and unranked Lindblom (Chicago, Ill.), was led to victory by University of Illinois-Chicago commit Carlos Harris with 20 points, seven rebounds and five assists.

Curie's opportunity to move up in the FAB 50 will come on the road to the Illinois High School Association (IHSA) Class 4A state tournament, as the Condors could face No. 49 Homewood Flossmor (Flossmor, Ill.) in the SuperSectionals. Homewood-Flossmor has been in the FAB 50 for a month, but it is a slow climb for it because of its margin of defeat to No. 20 Fishers (Fishers, Ind.), which beat the Vikings, 78-57. Fishers beat No. 41 Westfield (Westfield, Ind.) by two points, 51-49.

Curie also won CPL crowns in 2019 when it finished third in the IHSA Class 4A tourney and No. 44 in the FAB 50 and in 2014 when it was led by Mr. Basketball USA Cliff Alexander and rose to No. 1 in the FAB 50 for a period of that season.

Neumann-Goretti is one of two teams that dropped out of last week's FAB 50 that returns. The other is new No. 48 Huntsville (Huntsville, Ala.), which has a loss to top-ranked Montverde Academy (Montverde, Fla.) with the other loss coming on a Monday to No. 42 Bartlett (Bartlett, Tenn.), 58-55. Bartlett jumps into the rankings because it has to be in front of Huntsville in our rankings formula. Bartlett also took a loss to Montverde Academy in its Winter Classic, 80-55, on February 10.

Montverde Academy will take on No. 4 Long Island Lutheran (Glen Head, N.Y.) on February 16 at the inaugural Bob McKillop Invitational. The key EYBL Scholastic league game is part of the event held at Hofstra University and hosted by LuHi. The two teams met in the title game of the City of Palms Classic in Ft. Myers, Fla. in December, with MVA posting a 73-59 victory.

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

(8th poll of 2023-24 regular season; Through games played on Sunday, February 11; *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.)	26-0
2	2	Columbus (Miami, Fla.)	22-4
3	3	Paul VI (Chantilly, Va.)	25-2
4	4	Long Island Lutheran (Glen Head, N.Y.)	16-3
5	5	Plano East (Plano, Texas)	32-0
6	6	Stony Point (Round Rock, Texas)	31-1
7	7	Myers Park (Charlotte, N.C.)	20-2
8	8	Prolific Prep (Napa, Calif.)	26-5
9	9	Link Academy (Branson, Mo.)	17-6
10	10	Central Cabarrus (Concord, N.C.)	22-0
11	11	AZ Compass Prep (Chandler, Ariz.)	20-5
12	12	Harvard-Westlake (North Hollywood, Calif.)	27-3
13	13	IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.)	15-8
14	20	Wisconsin Lutheran (Milwaukee, Wis.)	21-0
15	15	Patrick School (Elizabeth, N.J.)	21-2
16	16	St. Rose (Belmar, N.J.)	23-2
17	17	Archbishop Stepinac (White Plains, N.Y.)	20-3
18	18	Don Bosco Prep (Ramsey, N.J.)	21-3
19	19	Combine Academy (Lincolnton, N.C.)	20-2
20	23	Fishers (Fishers, Ind.)	19-1
21	22	McEachern (Powder Springs, Ga.)	20-5
22	24	Roosevelt (Eastvale, Calif.)	28-2
23	25	Gonzaga (Washington, D.C.)	23-4
24	26	De Pere (De Pere, Wis.)	19-1
25	28	Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth, Calif.)	25-2
26	14	Roman Catholic (Philadelphia, Pa.)	20-2
27	29	La Lumiere (La Porte, Ind.)	17-4
28	33	Brewster Academy (Wolfeboro, N.H.)	21-6
29	48	Cordova (Cordova, Tenn.)	26-1
30	31	Great Crossing (Georgetown, Ky.)	26-1
31	32	Oak Ridge (Orlando, Fla.)	23-3
32	50	St. Mary Prep (Orchard Lake, Mich.)	17-1
33	34	St. John Bosco (Bellflower, Calif.)	23-6
34	35	Salesian (Richmond, Calif.)	27-1
35	37	North Mecklenburg (Huntersville, N.C.)	19-3
36	38	Millennium (Goodyear, Ariz.)	21-4
37	NR	Neumann-Goretti (Philadelphia, Pa.)	20-2
38	27	Ridge View (Columbia, S.C.)	22-2
39	39	Grayson (Loganville, Ga.)	23-2
40	NR	John Marshall (Richmond, Va.)	18-3
41	44	Westfield (Westfield, Ind.)	16-2
42	NR	Bartlett (Bartlett, Tenn.)	25-4
43	40	Kell (Marietta, Ga.)	21-3
44	41	Jackson-Reed (Washington, D.C.)	29-2
45	42	Bullis (Potomac, Md.)	21-2
46	43	Wasatch Academy (Mt. Pleasant, Utah)	12-3
47	45	Sidwell Friends (Washington, D.C.)	21-4
48	NR	Huntsville (Huntsville, Ala.)	30-2
49	49	Homewood Flossmor (Flossmor, Ill.)	26-3
50	NR	Curie (Chicago, Ill.)	27-2

Dropped Out: Previous No. 21 Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.), No. 30 Lawrence North (Indianapolis, Ind.), No. 36 Edmond North (Edmond, Okla.), No. 46 Garfield Heights (Garfield Heights, Ohio), No. 47 Alta (Sandy, Utah).

Bubble Teams: Alexander (Douglasville, Ga.) 23-2; Alta (Sandy, Utah) 21-2; Atascocita (Humble, Texas) 32-2**; Bellevue West (Bellevue, Neb.) 19-1; Bishop O’Connell (Arlington, Va.) 20-6; Brennan (San Antonio, Texas) 27-4; Christian (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 15-2; Christ the King (Middle Village, N.Y.) 19-4; Dale (Dale, Okla.) 22-2; De Paul Prep (Chicago, Ill.) 26-2; East Lansing (East Lansing, Mich.) 16-2; Fort Bend Clements (Sugar Land, Texas) 29-0; Garfield Heights (Garfield Heights, Ohio) 19-1; Imhotep Charter (Philadelphia, Pa.) 19-3; Kennedy (Cedar Rapids, Iowa) 20-0; Kokomo (Kokomo, Ind.) 19-3; Ladue (St. Louis, Mo.) 21-1; Lake Taylor (Norfolk, Va.) 20-1; Lawrence North (Indianapolis, Ind.) 19-2; Lexington (Lexington, S.C.) 23-2; Lexington Catholic (Lexington, Ky.) 24-2; Liberty Magnet (Baton Rouge, La.) 27-4; Lincoln (Warren, Mich.) 16-3; Madison Prep (Baton Rouge, La.) 25-3; Millard North (Omaha, Neb.) 17-2; New Madrid County Central (New Madrid, Mo.) 22-1; Newport (Newport, Ky.) 24-3; Noblesville (Noblesville, Ind.) 18-2; Notre Dame (Sherman Oaks, Calif.) 26-3; North Crowley (Ft. Worth, Texas) 29-3; Northwest (Shawnee Mission, Kan.) 16-0; Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.) 18-4; Park Center (Brooklyn Park, Minn.) 19-2; Pascagoula (Pascagoula, Miss.) 27-1; Pewaukee (Pewaukee, Wis.) 17-3; Reidsville (Reidsville, N.C.) 20-0; Southern Guilford (Greensboro, N.C.) 21-1; St. Ignatius (Cleveland, Ohio) 17-3; St. John’s (Washington, D.C.) 21-5; St. Joseph (Santa Maria, Calif.) 27-2; St. Peter’s Prep (Jersey City, N.J.) 21-2; St. Pius X-St. Matthias (Downey, Calif.) 23-5; Thornton (Harvey, Ill.) 24-4; Totino-Grace (Fridley, Minn.) 18-3; Union (Tulsa, Okla.) 20-2; Veterans Memorial (San Antonio, Texas) 34-1; Volcano Vista (Albuquerque, N.M.) 22-1; Wayzata (Plymouth, Minn.) 20-1; Winter Haven (Winter Haven, Fla.) 24-1.

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: Playoff Madness! appeared first on www.ebooksnet.com.

UPDATED FAB 50: Big Wins, Big Change!

Ronnie Flores — Tue, 06 Feb 2024 00:53:45 +0000

There are four newcomers and big change to this week's edition of the FAB 50 National Team Rankings powered by www.ebooksnet.com. The results are paramount, so strength of schedule becomes the No. 1 factor as teams move up and down the rankings ladder. Leading the way among the newcomers is No. 33 Brewster Academy (Wolfeboro, N.H.).?

By Ronnie Flores

No high school team in the country wants to take a loss, of course, but when it does it's our job to make sure where it ends up in the latest FAB 50 National Team Rankings powered by www.ebooksnet.com reflects its overall body of work. For teams that choose to avoid the most difficult competition, or are kept from playing in the events they would love to because of state association rules, it's simple. When they lose, they'll drop plenty and perhaps all the way out. For the teams fortunate to have played other FAB 50 ranked clubs, there are more barometers to accurately slot them in the following week's rankings. That's why strength of schedule is so paramount in any credible national rankings.

Teams don't always fall behind the team it just lost to, if it previously recorded other quality victories. That's the case this week for a select group of FAB 50 ranked teams that recently took losses.

For previous No. 3 Prolific Prep (Napa, Calif.), it fell to then No. 45 IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.) at The Grind Session event in San Jose, Puerto Rico. Darius Acuff Jr., one of the top junior (2025) guard prospects in America, led the way with 28 points, nine rebounds and 12 assists. IMG's Khani Rooths, a 6-foot-8 forward committed to Michigan, also had a big game for the Ascenders with 30 points.

IMG Academy gets plenty of credit for the win, moving up 32 spots this week to No. 13, but doesn't move ahead of The Crew in the FAB 50. Prolific Prep other losses are to top-ranked Montverde Academy (Montverde, Fla.) twice in relatively close games, an overtime loss to No. 2 Columbus and a loss to a team carrying post-graduate players. The Crew owns victories over No. 9 Link Academy (Branson, Mo.) and No. 11 AZ Compass Prep (Chandler, Ariz.), so they remain ahead of IMG Academy at No. 9, down six spots from last week.

IMG Academy remains behind the No. 14 AZ Compass Prep (Chandler, Ariz.) team it lost to, but is able to leap frog other teams it lost to such as No. 43 Wasatch Academy (Mt. Pleasant, Utah), No. 42 Bullis (Potomac, Md.) and No. 18 Don Bosco Prep. The Ironmen of Don Bosco Prep lost to No. 17 Archbishop Stepinac (White Plains, N.Y.) in a showcase game at the Spalding Hoophall Classic, 74-67. Archbishop Stepinac had to take a one spot ding because it has a loss to No. 16 St. Rose (Belmar, N.J.), which lost to Montverde Academy, 84-55, at the Metro Classic in New Jersey last weekend. Stepinac lost to the top-ranked Eagles, 95-55.

Montverde Academy has defeated 14 teams currently ranked in the FAB 50, and the victory margins against those ranked teams helps us place teams after taking a loss.

While still unbeaten teams continue to move up, another team that has a loss that took a big jump up is new No. 23 Fishers (Ind.). The No. 1 ranked team among Indiana High School Athletic Association (IHSAA) clubs has a loss to a hot Carmel (Ind.) team hovering at .500, but Fishers just knocked off previous No. 28 Westfield (Ind.), 51-49, in a terrific team defensive effort. Keenan Garner, a 6-foot-6 senior, led the way with 15 points for Fishers. Two nights later, Fishers absolutely throttled No. 49 Homewood Flossmor (Flossmor, Ill.), the top-ranked team in Illinois, 78-57, at the Bank of O'Fallon Shootout in Illinois.

The highest ranked team to drop out of the FAB 50 this week is No. 18 Huntsville (Huntsville, Ala.), which lost to the Bartlett (Tenn.) team that new No. 48 Cordova (Tenn.) recently avenged its only loss to, 49-43. Cordova lost to Bartlett in the first round of Class 4A, District 15 play in overtime, 63-60.

No. 20 Notre Dame (Sherman Oaks, Calif.) also dropped out after losing to No. 12 Harvard-Westlake (North Hollywood, Calif.), 60-56, in the Mission League Tournament semifinals. It was the Knights' third consecutive loss and they got left out of the eight team CIF Southern Section open division playoffs. Notre Dame, which split with Harvard-Westlake during the regular season, had a resume strong enough to be included. The section open field includes the Wolverines, No. 21 Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.), No. 24 Roosevelt (Eastvale, Calif.), No. 28 Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth, Calif.), and No. 34 St. John Bosco (Bellflower, Calif.).

Two weeks ago before the three consecutive losses, Notre Dame was the highest ranked CIF club in the FAB 50.

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

(7th poll of 2023-24 regular season; Through games played on Sunday, February 4; *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.)	24-0
2	2	Columbus (Miami, Fla.)	20-4
3	4	Paul VI (Chantilly, Va.)	22-2
4	6	Long Island Lutheran (Glen Head, N.Y.)	14-3
5	7	Plano East (Plano, Texas)	30-0
6	8	Stony Point (Round Rock, Texas)	29-1
7	10	Myers Park (Charlotte, N.C.)	18-2
8	3	Prolific Prep (Napa, Calif.)	24-5
9	5	Link Academy (Branson, Mo.)	17-6
10	13	Central Cabarrus (Concord, N.C.)	20-0
11	14	AZ Compass Prep (Chandler, Ariz.)	19-5
12	22	Harvard-Westlake (North Hollywood, Calif.)	26-3
13	45	IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.)	13-7
14	23	Roman Catholic (Philadelphia, Pa.)	18-1
15	11	Patrick School (Elizabeth, N.J.)	21-2
16	12	St. Rose (Belmar, N.J.)	21-2
17	16	Archbishop Stepinac (White Plains, N.Y.)	18-3
18	17	Don Bosco Prep (Ramsey, N.J.)	18-3
19	19	Combine Academy (Lincolnton, N.C.)	20-2
20	27	Wisconsin Lutheran (Milwaukee, Wis.)	18-0
21	25	Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.)	26-2
22	24	McEachern (Powder Springs, Ga.)	18-5
23	48	Fishers (Fishers, Ind.)	18-1
24	26	Roosevelt (Eastvale, Calif.)	27-2
25	21	Gonzaga (Washington, D.C.)	20-4
26	29	De Pere (De Pere, Wis.)	16-1
27	37	Ridge View (Columbia, S.C.)	21-1
28	15	Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth, Calif.)	24-2
29	44	La Lumiere (La Porte, Ind.)	15-4
30	9	Lawrence North (Indianapolis, Ind.)	18-1
31	31	Great Crossing (Georgetown, Ky.)	23-1
32	32	Oak Ridge (Orlando, Fla.)	21-3
33	NR	Brewster Academy (Wolfeboro, N.H.)	18-6
34	33	St. John Bosco (Bellflower, Calif.)	23-5
35	34	Salesian (Richmond, Calif.)	25-1
36	35	Edmond North (Edmond, Okla.)	15-2
37	36	North Mecklenburg (Huntersville, N.C.)	17-3
38	38	Millennium (Goodyear, Ariz.)	19-4
39	39	Grayson (Loganville, Ga.)	21-2
40	40	Kell (Marietta, Ga.)	20-3
41	41	Jackson-Reed (Washington, D.C.)	27-2
42	42	Bullis (Potomac, Md.)	19-2
43	43	Wasatch Academy (Mt. Pleasant, Utah)	12-3
44	28	Westfield (Westfield, Ind.)	14-2
45	46	Sidwell Friends (Washington, D.C.)	18-4
46	NR	Garfield Heights (Garfield Heights, Ohio)	19-0
47	50	Alta (Sandy, Utah)	20-1
48	NR	Cordova (Cordova, Tenn.)	23-1
49	49	Homewood Flossmor (Flossmor, Ill.)	24-3
50	NR	St. Mary Prep (Orchard Lake, Mich.)	15-1

Dropped Out: Previous No. 18 Huntsville (Huntsville, Ala.), No. 20 Notre Dame (Sherman Oaks, Calif.), No. 30 Bishop O’Connell (Arlington, Va.), No. 47 Neumann-Goretti (Philadelphia, Pa.).

Bubble Teams:? Alexander (Douglasville, Ga.) 21-2; Atascocita (Humble, Texas) 31-2**; Bartlett (Bartlett, Tenn.) 22-3; Bellevue West (Bellevue, Neb.) 16-1; Bishop O’Connell (Arlington, Va.) 18-5; Brennan (San Antonio, Texas) 25-4; Christ the King (Middle Village, N.Y.) 17-4; Curie (Chicago, Ill.) 24-2; De La Salle (Concord, Calif.) 23-3; De Paul Prep (Chicago, Ill.) 24-2; Fayetteville (Fayetteville, Ark.) 21-2; Fort Bend Clements (Sugar Land, Texas) 27-0; Huntsville (Huntsville, Ala.) 28-2; Imhotep Charter (Philadelphia, Pa.) 17-3; John Marshall (Richmond, Va.) 17-3; Ladue (St. Louis, Mo.) 19-1; Lake Taylor (Norfolk, Va.) 18-1; Lexington (Lexington, S.C.) 22-2; Lexington Catholic (Lexington, Ky.) 22-2; Liberty Magnet (Baton Rouge, La.) 25-4; Madison Prep (Baton Rouge, La.) 22-3; Millard North (Omaha, Neb.) 16-2; Neumann-Goretti (Philadelphia, Pa.) 16-2; Newport (Newport, Ky.) 22-3; Notre Dame (Sherman Oaks, Calif.) 24-3; North Crowley (Ft. Worth, Texas) 27-3; North Farmington (Farmington Hills, Mich.) 14-1; Northwest (Shawnee Mission, Kan.) 14-0; Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.) 17-3; Park Center (Brooklyn Park, Minn.) 18-2; Pascagoula (Pascagoula, Miss.) 25-1; Pewaukee (Pewaukee, Wis.) 16-2; Reidsville (Reidsville, N.C.) 17-0; Southern Guilford (Greensboro, N.C.) 19-1; St. Ignatius (Cleveland, Ohio) 16-3; St. Joseph (Santa Maria, Calif.) 24-2; St. Mary’s (St. Louis, Mo.) 22-1; St. Peter’s Prep (Jersey City, N.J.) 19-1; St. Raymond’s (Bronx, N.Y.) 17-3; Thornton (Harvey, Ill.) 23-3; Totino-Grace (Fridley, Minn.) 16-3; Union (Tulsa, Okla.) 18-2; Veterans Memorial (San Antonio, Texas) 32-1; Volcano Vista (Albuquerque, N.M.) 20-1; Wayzata (Plymouth, Minn.) 18-1; Winter Haven (Winter Haven, Fla.) 22-1.

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: Big Wins, Big Change! appeared first on www.ebooksnet.com.

NEW FAB 50: Gearing Up!

Ronnie Flores — Tue, 30 Jan 2024 02:16:05 +0000

There are two newcomers to this week's edition of the FAB 50 National Team Rankings powered by www.ebooksnet.com. There is also some movement, as teams that play in tough conferences get the benefit of the doubt while those that don't have to be careful about taking a loss at the wrong time.?

By Ronnie Flores

Most of the nation's best teams are in league, conference or district play and most are winning as they gear up to earn favorable seeds in the post-season. That is reflected in the latest edition of the FAB 50 National Team Rankings powered by www.ebooksnet.com.

There are only two newcomers to the fold: No. 28 Westfield (Westfield, Ind.) and No. 50 Alta (Sandy, Utah). Westfield is now the No. 2 ranked team in Indiana after previous state No. 1 Fishers (Ind.) fell to always-tough Carmel (Ind.), 54-46, as junior guard Alex Couto netted 26 points. Fishers always have trouble with Carmel on the road, and the win is the 22nd in a row by the Greyhounds at home. Fishers is now No. 3 in the state and falls 40 points in the FAB 50 to No. 48.

The highest ranked team that fell out after a loss last week was previous No. 22 Wayzata (Plymouth, Minn.), which fell to always-tough Hopkins (Minnetonka, Minn.), 80-69, in a Lake Conference match-up of traditional state powers. Junior Anthony Smith III led the way for Hopkins with 22 points, including four 3-pointers, while sophomore Jayden Moore added 12 points, 12 rebounds, 11 assists and four steals.

Breaking in for Wayzata is Alta (Sandy, Utah), Utah's top-ranked team and the favorite to capture the Class 5A state title. The Hawks have done enough to overcome their 81-69 loss to unranked St. Pius X-Matthias (Downey, Calif.) in the quarterfinals of the Tarkanian Classic in December, an event in which that club eventually won the championship.

It would bode well for Alta if St. Pius X were to be selected to play in the upcoming CIF Southern Section open division playoffs, where the Warriors are one of approximately 10 teams being considered to play in one of the two pools of four teams each, with the winner of each pool meeting in the CIF Southern Section championship game. That's where playing in a strong league or conference comes into play in the FAB 50 formula. For the first time in over 40 years of weekly state rankings, the top three teams by Cal-Hi Sports are from the same league: the Mission League in the San Fernando Valley. This week, No. 15 Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth, Calif.), No. 20 Notre Dame (Sherman Oaks, Calif.) and No. 22 Harvard-Westlake (North Hollywood, Calif.) will all be competing in the Mission League Tournament. One of the teams is going to win the tourney on February 2 and earn a top two seed in the CIFSS open playoffs. Either Notre Dame or Harvard-Westlake is going to lose in the semifinals and that team will be dropping down in the rankings. That drop, however, will not be happening until next week as those teams get rewarded for playing in tough conferences for now. For instance, Notre Dame lost to Sierra Canyon last week and dropped another showcase game to Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas, Nev.) at the Nike Extravaganza, but only drops one spot in the state rankings and nine in the FAB 50.

The Trinity League, which is made up of parochial schools primarily in Orange County, could also have three teams in the CIFSS open playoffs. No. 25 Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.) now has a split with unranked JSerra (San Juan Capistrano, Calif.) after the Monarch lost the return match last week, 68-62, even though JSerra coach Keith Wilkinson was still serving a six-game suspension for tossing his shoes in protest of the officiating in the first round of league play. JSerra has lost twice to No. 33 St. John Bosco (Bellflower, Calif.), but also owns a double overtime win over No. 26 Roosevelt (Eastvale, Calif.). The best scenario for St. Pius X will be to win its Del Rey League title with an unbeaten slate, have unranked Centennial (Corona, Calif.) beat Roosevelt for the second time this week in the Big VIII League title game and for JSerra to lose to a unranked team in the Trinity League.

The tough league slates will undoubtedly change the FAB 50 next week, as the Mission League teams will not be 1-2-3 in California. Already we know some results from Monday that will also affect next week's FAB 50. In a Border Battle, bubble club Bartlett (Bartlett, Tenn.) downed No. 18 Huntsville (Huntsville, Ala.), 58-53. Coming into the game, Huntsville had only lost to No. 1 Montverde Academy, which captured its own Montverde Academy Invitational Tournament (MAIT) with a 78-72 victory over No. 3 Prolific Prep (Napa, Calif.). It was the Eagles' second win of the season over The Crew. In other Monday action, St. John's (Washington, D.C.) downed No. 30 Bishop O’Connell (Arlington, Va.) in a contest that was a make-up game from the Capitol Hoops Challenge on January 20 that counts towards the Washington Catholic Athletic Conference (WCAC) standings.

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

(6th poll of 2023-24 regular season; Through games played on Sunday, January 28; *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.)	22-0
2	2	Columbus (Miami, Fla.)	19-4
3	3	Prolific Prep (Napa, Calif.)	23-4
4	4	Paul VI (Chantilly, Va.)	18-2
5	5	Link Academy (Branson, Mo.)	17-4
6	6	Long Island Lutheran (Glen Head, N.Y.)	12-3
7	7	Plano East (Plano, Texas)	28-0
8	10	Stony Point (Round Rock, Texas)	27-1
9	9	Lawrence North (Indianapolis, Ind.)	17-0
10	13	Myers Park (Charlotte, N.C.)	17-2
11	12	Patrick School (Elizabeth, N.J.)	23-0
12	14	St. Rose (Belmar, N.J.)	18-1
13	19	Central Cabarrus (Concord, N.C.)	19-0
14	15	AZ Compass Prep (Chandler, Ariz.)	18-5
15	18	Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth, Calif.)	24-1
16	16	Archbishop Stepinac (White Plains, N.Y.)	14-3
17	17	Don Bosco Prep (Ramsey, N.J.)	16-3
18	25	Huntsville (Huntsville (Ala.)	26-1
19	26	Combine Academy (Lincolnton, N.C.)	19-2
20	11	Notre Dame (Sherman Oaks, Calif.)	24-2
21	21	Gonzaga (Washington, D.C.)	18-3
22	23	Harvard-Westlake (North Hollywood, Calif.)	23-3
23	33	Roman Catholic (Philadelphia, Pa.)	17-1
24	27	McEachern (Powder Springs, Ga.)	17-5
25	20	Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.)	24-2
26	28	Roosevelt (Eastvale, Calif.)	25-2
27	48	Wisconsin Lutheran (Milwaukee, Wis.)	16-0
28	NR	Westfield (Westfield, Ind.)	14-1
29	50	De Pere (De Pere, Wis.)	15-1
30	29	Bishop O’Connell (Arlington, Va.)	15-4
31	30	Great Crossing (Georgetown, Ky.)	22-1
32	31	Oak Ridge (Orlando, Fla.)	21-3
33	32	St. John Bosco (Bellflower, Calif.)	22-4
34	34	Salesian (Richmond, Calif.)	23-1
35	35	Edmond North (Edmond, Okla.)	12-2
36	36	North Mecklenburg (Huntersville, N.C.)	15-3
37	37	Ridge View (Columbia, S.C.)	19-1
38	38	Millennium (Goodyear, Ariz.)	17-4
39	39	Grayson (Loganville, Ga.)	19-2
40	40	Kell (Marietta, Ga.)	18-3
41	41	Jackson-Reed (Washington, D.C.)	23-2
42	42	Bullis (Potomac, Md.)	17-2
43	43	Wasatch Academy (Mt. Pleasant, Utah)	12-3
44	44	La Lumiere (La Porte, Ind.)	14-3
45	45	IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.)	11-7
46	46	Sidwell Friends (Washington, D.C.)	15-4
47	24	Neumann-Goretti (Philadelphia, Pa.)	16-1
48	8	Fishers (Fishers, Ind.)	16-1
49	49	Homewood Flossmor (Flossmor, Ill.)	21-2
50	NR	Alta (Sandy, Utah)	18-1

Dropped Out: Previous No. 22 Wayzata (Plymouth, Minn.), No. 47 Curie (Chicago, Ill.).

Bubble Teams:? Alexander (Douglasville, Ga.) 19-2; Allen (Allen, Texas) 26-4; Atascocita (Humble, Texas) 29-2**; Bartlett (Bartlett, Tenn.) 20-2; Bellevue West (Bellevue, Neb.) 15-1; Benet Academy (Lisle, Ill.) 19-3; Blue Valley Northwest (Overland Park, Kan.) 12-1; Brennan (San Antonio, Texas) 23-4; Brewster Academy (Wolfeboro, N.H.) 17-5; Christ the King (Middle Village, N.Y.) 16-2; Cordova (Cordova, Tenn.) 20-1; Curie (Chicago, Ill.) 22-2; De Paul Prep (Chicago, Ill.) 21-2; East Lansing (East Lansing, Mich.) 13-1; Fort Bend Clements (Sugar Land, Texas) 25-0; Garfield Heights (Garfield Heights, Ohio) 17-0; Imhotep Charter (Philadelphia, Pa.) 14-3; John Marshall (Richmond, Va.) 15-3; Lake Taylor (Norfolk, Va.) 16-0; Lexington (Lexington, S.C.) 20-2; Lexington Catholic (Lexington, Ky.) 20-2; Liberty (Henderson, Nev.) 15-1; Lincoln (Warren, Mich.) 12-2; Lyon County (Eddyville, Ky.) 20-2; Madison Prep (Baton Rouge, La.) 19-2; Millard North (Omaha, Neb.) 14-2; Muskegon (Muskegon, Mich.) 9-0; Newport (Newport, Ky.) 21-3; North Crowley (Ft. Worth, Texas) 25-3; Northwest (Shawnee Mission, Kan.) 12-0; Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.) 16-3; Oak Park (Kansas City, Mo.) 16-1; Olentangy Orange (Lewis Center, Ohio) 16-0; Owasso (Owasso, Okla.) 15-2; Park Center (Brooklyn Park, Minn.) 18-1; Pascagoula (Pascagoula, Miss.) 23-1; Pewaukee (Pewaukee, Wis.) 13-2; Reidsville (Reidsville, N.C.) 15-0; Roosevelt (Portland, Ore.) 13-1; Southern Guilford (Greensboro, N.C.) 17-1; St. Ignatius (Cleveland, Ohio) 14-3; St. Joseph (Santa Maria, Calif.) 21-2; St. Mary’s (St. Louis, Mo.) 21-1; St. Mary Prep (Orchard Lake, Mich.) 12-1; St. Peter’s Prep (Jersey City, N.J.) 16-1; St. Raymond’s (Bronx, N.Y.) 15-3; Thornton (Harvey, Ill.) 20-3; Totino-Grace (Fridley, Minn.) 14-3; Volcano Vista (Albuquerque, N.M.) 19-1; Waubonsie Valley (Aurora, Ill.) 22-0; Wayzata (Plymouth, Minn.) 15-1; Winter Haven (Winter Haven, Fla.) 20-1.

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: Gearing Up! appeared first on www.ebooksnet.com.

OCPS Championship Recap!

Rodger Bohn — Thu, 25 Jan 2024 21:55:41 +0000

It’s always awesome to see two teams from the same area both sit amongst the top five in their respective state. However, it’s pretty rare when you see them from the same city from a basketball hotbed such as Florida, much less from the same conference. Enter Oak Ridge and Olympia from the Orange County Public School League in Orlando.

Having both respectively won their side of the conference, it set the stage for a hyped game that had around a dozen potential D1 players from both sides combined playing in the game amidst a sold out crowd at Olympia. Ultimately, it was Oak Ridge, ranked No. 31 in the current FAB 50 National Team Rankings, who won the game 87-73. There was no shortage of players who really helped themselves on both sides.

Here are a few of the top performers from the OCPS championship game:

Jamier Jones, 6’6, SF, Oak Ridge HS (FL), 2025
One of the elite juniors in the nation, Jamier Jones just continues to take his game to new heights. Always a truly special finisher at the rack, he is now a much more confident 3-point shooter and is an absolute terror as an offensive rebounder. Furthermore, Jones has really bought in on the defensive end and put massive pressure on the rock as an on ball defender. There wasn’t much more that Jamier could have done throughout his 27-point, 11-rebound showing to lock up his spot as a Top 5 player in the class.

Jordan Tillery, 6’5, PG/SG, Oak Ridge HS (FL), 2024
While Jamier Jones brought all the highlights, Jordan Tillery brought extreme versatility to the table, playing all three perimeter positions. His 20 points and seven assists don’t even begin to explain the level of impact that he had on both ends of the hardwood. Heading to Georgia Southern, Tillery has the potential to be an immediate impact D1 player due to his size and versatility from the backcourt.

Kameren Wright, 6’5, SG/SF, Olympia HS (FL), 2024
One of the better unsigned seniors in Florida is Kameren Wright, an athletic swingman with deep range. Against Oak Ridge, he dropped 17 points via a flurry of deep threes and blazing takes to the rack. Wright won the Pro16 title this summer with 1 Family and has already taken numerous official visits to D1 programs such as Murray State and Hofstra with high majors closely monitoring.

Kaiden White, 6’4, PG/SG, Olympia HS (FL), 2024
Not being from Florida, I wasn’t familiar with Kaiden White heading into this game. Leaving it, I’m glad that I made the choice to see the OCPS title game. A 6’4 guard with some wiggle to his game, White is a serious shooter who can create for others and has awesome court vision. Showing that he can more than hold his own against Oak Ridge’s abundance of D1 talent, White is a player you’re definitely going to want to track throughout the late signing period.

Jalen Reece, 6’0, PG, Oak Ridge HS (FL), 2025
While he’s not the flashiest player in the class of 2025, there aren’t many lead guards smarter than Jalen Reece in the class. The coach’s son plays the game at his own speed, has an incredibly tight handle, and showed off super deep range. The 15 points and 10 assists that he had against Olympia exemplify the way that he’s able to control the game, and the way he will be able to do the same at the high major level.

Tyler Johnson, 6’5, SF/PF, Oak Ridge HS (FL), 2024
In today’s game, Tyler Johnson is exactly what everyone looks for in a forward. He’s skilled enough to play small forward, tough enough to slide to power forward when needed, and athletic enough to defend both at the high major level. Johnson is exactly the type of glue guy that you need and the 10 points that he had against Olympia don’t even begin to tell the impact he had on the game. The Florida Rebels forward should serve a similar role next year in the ACC at Virginia Tech.

Vophcy Prophete, 6’5, SG/SF, Olympia HS (FL), 2024
A player who I hadn’t seen before was Vophcy Prophete, a bit of a throwback wing. Constantly throwing people off with his change of pace, he showed an innate ability to finish in traffic by taking slower steps and finishing with opposite hand or off opposite leg while also maintaining a presence as a 3-point threat. Owning no shortage of confidence, Prophete scored 20 points against perennial powerhouse Oak Ridge and is still open in the recruitment process.

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UPDATED FAB 50: Calm Before The Storm!

Ronnie Flores — Tue, 23 Jan 2024 03:29:25 +0000

After two weeks of heavy movement and newcomers, there is relative calmness in this week's edition of the FAB 50 National Team Rankings powered by www.ebooksnet.com. There are three newcomers, a few teams that lost but didn't drop out, while most won in league/conference play. There are some big games on the horizon that could change things next week.?

By Ronnie Flores

Much of the focus since the turn of the New Year has been on teams at high powered events, but the focus this week will be on individual, elite talent. That's because the rosters for the 2024 McDonald's All-American Game will be unveiled on January 23 on ESPN's "NBA Today" broadcast between 3-4 pm ET. We'll have our breakdown and reactions to the team following its announcement on the latest episode of the .

Meanwhile, the latest FAB 50 National Team Rankings powered by www.ebooksnet.com is defined by its relative calmness, as most of the nation's elite teams returned to league/conference/district play and predictably won. In fact, there are only three new teams in this week's FAB 50 and all join in at the bottom of the nation's most well-researched poll.

Unbeaten Wisconsin Lutheran (Milwaukee, Wis.) breaks in at No. 48 one week after knocking off previously unbeaten and then No. 12 De Pere (De Pere, Wis.), 70-68, as the Redbirds saw their 42-game win streak snapped. The defending WIAA D1 state champs couldn't slow down Duke commit Kon Knueppel of Lutheran, who netted 38 points.

After one week on the bubble, one-loss De Pere is back in the rankings at No. 50, one spot ahead of new No. 49 Homewood Flossmor (Flossmor, Ill.). That club will have its eye on this Tuesday's Washington Catholic Athletic Conference (WCAC) showdown between No. 21 Gonzaga (Washington, D.C.) and No. 4 Paul VI (Chantilly, Va.). Homewood Flossmor has only lost to visiting Gonzaga, so it will be a swoon for Illinois teams (such as No. 47 Curie of Chicago) should the Purple Eagles pull off the WCAC road victory.

The only top ten FAB 50 team to lose last week was previous No. 6 Harvard-Westlake (North Hollywood, Calif.), which fell twice in Mission League play. The Wolverines first fell to still unbeaten Notre Dame (Sherman Oaks, Calif.), 59-54, as Houston-bound All-American candidate Mercy Miller scored 29 points and got plenty of help from his teammates with big rebounds and timely putbacks. Harvard-Westlake actually lost again later in the week to then No. 18 Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth, Calif.), 74-68. The Wolverines got done in by a 18-0 run in the fourth quarter as the Trailblazers were trialing, 58-50, with six minutes remaining before taking complete control of the game. The catalyst in this game, and for the season for a team that has only lost in overtime to Desert Mountain (Phoenix, Ariz.) in November, was Justin Pippen, the son of NBA great Scottie Pippen and one of the best unsigned seniors in the country. He nailed six 3-pointers and finished with 24 points, including 21 in the second half.

With the win, Notre Dame moved up 10 spots to No. 11 and Sierra Canyon moved up to No. 2 in the Cal-Hi Sports state rankings and to No. 18 in the FAB 50. There are three Mission League teams in the FAB 50 and they make up three of the top four teams in the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) ranks, which currently has seven of its member schools in the FAB 50. This Friday in a nationally-televised game, Notre Dame will visit Sierra Canyon in a No. 1 vs. No. 2 in the state showdown.

One of Harvard-Westlake's losses is a close one-point setback to No. 2 Columbus (Miami, Fla.), which is No. 2 in the FAB 50 behind top-ranked Montverde Academy. MVA will host its annual Montverde Academy Invitational Tournament (MAIT) beginning Thursday and it includes No. 3 Prolific Prep (Napa, Calif.) and No. 31 Oak Ridge (Orlando, Fla.).

Another showdown will take place on Sunday at Holy Family University when fast-rising No. 24 Neumann-Goretti (Philadelphia, Pa.) and No. 33 Roman Catholic (Philadelphia, Pa.) meet with first place on the line in the Philadelphia Catholic League. Similarly to the top teams in the Mission League, which will likely meet once again in the league and sectional playoffs, Goretti and Roman could meet once again in the Philly Catholic League playoffs come February.

FAB 50 ranked teams usually win in league play, so the ones that participate in tough leagues will always get rewarded. For the ones that don't play in such strong ones, the competition will heat up once the playoffs roll around next month.

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

(5th poll of 2023-24 regular season; Through games played on Sunday, January 21; *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.)	19-0
2	2	Columbus (Miami, Fla.)	16-4
3	3	Prolific Prep (Napa, Calif.)	21-3
4	4	Paul VI (Chantilly, Va.)	15-2
5	5	Link Academy (Branson, Mo.)	17-4
6	7	Long Island Lutheran (Glen Head, N.Y.)	11-3
7	8	Plano East (Plano, Texas)	26-0
8	9	Fishers (Fishers, Ind.)	15-0
9	13	Lawrence North (Indianapolis, Ind.)	15-0
10	10	Stony Point (Round Rock, Texas)	25-1
11	21	Notre Dame (Sherman Oaks, Calif.)	23-0
12	12	Patrick School (Elizabeth, N.J.)	16-1
13	14	Myers Park (Charlotte, N.C.)	15-2
14	15	St. Rose (Belmar, N.J.)	15-1
15	16	AZ Compass Prep (Chandler, Ariz.)	17-5
16	17	Archbishop Stepinac (White Plains, N.Y.)	12-3
17	18	Don Bosco Prep (Ramsey, N.J.)	12-3
18	26	Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth, Calif.)	22-1
19	22	Central Cabarrus (Concord, N.C.)	17-0
20	19	Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.)	22-1
21	20	Gonzaga (Washington, D.C.)	15-2
22	27	Wayzata (Plymouth, Minn.)	14-0
23	6	Harvard-Westlake (North Hollywood, Calif.)	20-3
24	28	Neumann-Goretti (Philadelphia, Pa.)	13-0
25	23	Huntsville (Huntsville (Ala.)	23-1
26	24	Combine Academy (Lincolnton, N.C.)	19-2
27	25	McEachern (Powder Springs, Ga.)	15-5
28	29	Roosevelt (Eastvale, Calif.)	22-2
29	30	Bishop O’Connell (Arlington, Va.)	14-3
30	31	Great Crossing (Georgetown, Ky.)	19-1
31	32	Oak Ridge (Orlando, Fla.)	19-2
32	34	St. John Bosco (Bellflower, Calif.)	20-4
33	50	Roman Catholic (Philadelphia, Pa.)	14-0
34	40	Salesian (Richmond, Calif.)	21-1
35	41	Edmond North (Edmond, Okla.)	10-2
36	36	North Mecklenburg (Huntersville, N.C.)	14-3
37	11	Ridge View (Columbia, S.C.)	17-1
38	37	Millennium (Goodyear, Ariz.)	15-4
39	39	Grayson (Loganville, Ga.)	17-2
40	42	Kell (Marietta, Ga.)	15-3
41	43	Jackson-Reed (Washington, D.C.)	21-2
42	44	Bullis (Potomac, Md.)	14-2
43	45	Wasatch Academy (Mt. Pleasant, Utah)	12-3
44	46	La Lumiere (La Porte, Ind.)	12-3
45	47	IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.)	12-3
46	48	Sidwell Friends (Washington, D.C.)	13-4
47	49	Curie (Chicago, Ill.)	21-1
48	NR	Wisconsin Lutheran (Milwaukee, Wis.)	14-0
49	NR	Homewood Flossmor (Flossmor, Ill.)	19-1
50	NR	De Pere (De Pere, Wis.)	13-1

Dropped Out: Previous No. 33 Christ the King (Middle Village, N.Y.), No. 35 Camden (Camden, N.J.), No. 38 Perry (Gilbert, Ariz.).

Bubble Teams:? Alexander (Douglasville, Ga.) 17-2; Allen (Allen, Texas) 24-4; Alta (Sandy, Utah) 17-1; Atascocita (Humble, Texas) 27-2**; Bartlett (Bartlett, Tenn.) 18-2; Beaumont United (Beaumont, Texas) 24-1; Bellevue West (Bellevue, Neb.) 13-1; Benet Academy (Lisle, Ill.) 16-3; Blue Valley Northwest (Overland Park, Kan.) 11-1; Brennan (San Antonio, Texas) 22-4; Brewster Academy (Wolfeboro, N.H.) 16-3; Christ the King (Middle Village, N.Y.) 13-2; Cordova (Cordova, Tenn.) 16-1; DeMatha Catholic (Hyattsville, Md.) 15-4; East Lansing (East Lansing, Mich.) 11-0; Fort Bend Clements (Sugar Land, Texas) 23-0; Garfield Heights (Garfield Heights, Ohio) 14-0; Imhotep Charter (Philadelphia, Pa.) 12-3; John Marshall (Richmond, Va.) 14-3; Lake Taylor (Norfolk, Va.) 13-0; Lexington (Lexington, S.C.) 18-2; Lexington Catholic (Lexington, Ky.) 18-1; Liberty Magnet (Baton Rouge, La.) 21-2; Lyon County (Eddyville, Ky.) 18-1; Madison Prep (Baton Rouge, La.) 15-2; Millard North (Omaha, Neb.) 12-2; North Crowley (Ft. Worth, Texas) 23-3; North Farmington (Farmington Hills, Mich.) 10-0; Northwest (Shawnee Mission, Kan.) 11-0; Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.) 15-3; Oak Park (Kansas City, Mo.) 14-1; Olentangy Orange (Lewis Center, Ohio) 14-0; Owasso (Owasso, Okla.) 14-2; Park Center (Brooklyn Park, Minn.) 16-1; Pascagoula (Pascagoula, Miss.) 21-1; Pewaukee (Pewaukee, Wis.) 11-1; Reidsville (Reidsville, N.C.) 13-0; Roosevelt (Portland, Ore.) 11-1; Southern Guilford (Greensboro, N.C.) 15-1; Southridge (Beaverton, Ore.) 14-1; St. Ignatius (Cleveland, Ohio) 12-3; St. John’s (Washington, D.C.) 15-3; St. Joseph (Santa Maria, Calif.) 19-2; St. Mary’s (St. Louis, Mo.) 19-1; St. Mary Prep (Orchard Lake, Mich.) 10-1; St. Peter’s Prep (Jersey City, N.J.) 14-1; St. Raymond’s (Bronx, N.Y.) 14-3; Thornton (Harvey, Ill.) 18-2; Totino-Grace (Fridley, Minn.) 12-3; Volcano Vista (Albuquerque, N.M.) 17-1; Waubonsie Valley (Aurora, Ill.) 20-0; Winter Haven (Winter Haven, Fla.) 18-1.

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: Calm Before The Storm! appeared first on www.ebooksnet.com.

NEW FAB 50: Columbus Shines on MLK Day!

Ronnie Flores — Tue, 16 Jan 2024 20:33:38 +0000

Following a turbulent week of newcomers , there are much less (four) this time around after all the results pour in, but plenty of movement among top teams in this special MLK edition of the FAB 50 National Team Rankings powered by www.ebooksnet.com. All MLK Monday results are included and when the dust settled, the big winner over MLK weekend was new No. 2 Columbus (Miami, Fla.). Leading the way among four newcomers is No. 35 Camden (Camden, N.J.).

By Ronnie Flores

The Martin Luther King Jr. holiday was first officially observed in 1986 (15 years after his assassination) and 20 years later, high-level high school basketball showcases across the country became a staple of the MLK holiday weekend. The MLK weekend eventually involved so many good national level matchups, it was decided the FAB 50 National Team Rankings powered by www.ebooksnet.com should include all the MLK Monday results and it was a policy other national polls now emulate.

It's ironic that after MLK Monday results poured in, it's a school named after another famous individual who also has an observed federal holiday in his namesake that is the big winner in this week's special MLK edition of the rankings. That school is Christopher Columbus, and it was the Roman Catholic preparatory school located in the Westchester region of Miami, Dade County that defeated two of the top three schools in the FAB 50 at the Spalding Hoophall Classic in Springfield, Mass., which has developed into the best MLK showcase over the past 15 years.

On Saturday, the Explorers of coach Andrew Moran took on then No. 2 Long Island Lutheran (Glen Head, N.Y.), which had only lost to season-long No. 1 Montverde Academy (Montverde, Fla.) 73-59 in the title game of the City of Palms Classic in Florida. Columbus trialed 39-36 at halftime and the third quarter was a stalemate, with both clubs scoring 16 points. In the fourth quarter, however, it was all Columbus, as the Explorers outscored LuHi, 29-7, to pull away with a 81-62 victory. Cameron Boozer, last year's Mr. Basketball USA choice as a mere sophomore and still only 16 years old, had a big impact on the contest with 26 points on 9-of-12 shooting from the field, seven rebounds, four assists, and five blocked shots. Michigan St.-bound guard Jase Richardson also made a big impact with 20 points of 8-of-12 shooting, six rebounds, nine assists, two blocks and four steals.

In our latest edition of the "In The Paint" Podcast, we predicted Boozer was due for a breakout performance and that an upset could be brewing, and the power forward deluxe put his stamp on the holiday weekend by leading the Explorers to their second big win of the weekend on MLK Monday. Once again Columbus closed strong, outscoring then No. 3 Paul VI (Chantilly, Va.), 45-35, in the second half to record a 70-61 victory. Boozer didn't shoot well from the outside (0-4 FG 3-PT), but his looming presence was felt in a major way and he finished with 14 points, 13 rebounds, five assists, four blocks and four steals. Richardson once again, made all the difference, netting a game-high 21 points, six rebounds and four assists.

What made Columbus' second victory of the Hoophall Classic even more meaningful was the fact Paul VI was attempting to capture the "Springfield Double" after capturing the Bass Pro Tournament of Champions in Missouri with a 71-53 championship victory over then No. 46 St. John Bosco (Bellflower, Calif.). Duke-bound Darren Harris led the way for the Panthers with four 3-pointers and a game-high 23 points. Paul VI knocked off then No. 27 McEachern (Powder Springs, Ga.) in the semifinals, 48-37, as Harris scored 20 points. It looked good for Columbus that McEachern nearly came back to beat then No. 10 Harvard-Westlake (North Hollywood, Calif.), taking that club into overtime after trialing by 18 points and coming up just short, 60-59. McEachern defeated then No. 25 Edmond North (Edmond, Okla.) in the Bass Pro TOC third place game, 61-59, on a game-winning jumper by Mr. Basketball USA candidate Ace Bailey, who had 23 points, 14 rebounds and three blocks in the loss to the Wolverines.

Another result that broke Columbus' way was No. 1 Montverde's 76-71 Sunday win at Hoophall Classic over then No. 8 Prolific Prep (Napa, Calif.), the Eagles' closest margin of victory to date so far in an unbeaten slate. Indiana-bound Liam McNeeley led four MVA players in double figures with 22 points, including 4-of-5 3-pointers. When the game was on the line, however, the Eagles smartly went inside to power forward Derik Queen, who scored a bucket and also got fouled on MVA's next possession and went to the free throw line to keep Prolific Prep at bay. The Crew's effort versus MVA looks good for the Explorers because they defeated Prolific Prep in overtime. With their own tough schedule, Paul VI's quality of wins, Prolific Prep's showing and Long Island Lutheran's loss to then No. 11 AZ Compass Prep (Chandler, Ariz.), Columbus ia able to move up six spots this week to No. 2 with Prolific Prep checking it at No. 3.

No. 4 Paul VI has only lost to No. 1 Montverde Academy and No. 2 Columbus. No. 5 Link has lost to No. 1 MVA, No. 3 Prolific Prep, No. 4 Paul VI and to No. 7 LuHi, which has to drop five spots to account for the upset loss to AZ Compass Prep.

Columbus' showing is also a swoon for new No. 6 Harvard-Westlake (North Hollywood, Calif.), ?which lost its only game in an ultra-tight contest to Columbus in the title game of the Les Schwab Invitational in Oregon on Dec. 30. What wasn't mentioned during the national telecast of the Harvard-Westlake-McEachern contest (instead Bailey's NBA prospectus was mentioned every other time he touched the ball) is Harvard-Westlake has a tough turnaround on the way back from the Spalding Hoophall Classic, not just on the way there as McEachern and Paul VI did. The Wolverines traveled back to the West Coast in inclement weather and are gearing up to host No. 21 Notre Dame (Sherman Oaks, Calif.) on Wednesday and travel to face No. 26 Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth, Calif.) on January 19.?

There are only four newcomers this week as teams that play national schedules are rewarded and don't fall all the way out after a showcase loss.

Notre Dame is one of the still unbeaten clubs that gets a noticable and sizable bump up this week. Among those still unbeaten clubs are No. 8 Plano East (Plano, Texas), No. 9 Fishers (Fishers, Ind.), No. 11 Ridge View (Columbia, S.C.), No. 13 Lawrence North (Indianapolis, Ind.), No. 22 Central Cabarrus (Concord, N.C.) and No. 28 Neumann-Goretti (Philadelphia, Pa.). For those that don't venture far from home or test themselves on a regional or national level, a loss could mean a big drop that following week.

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

(4th poll of 2023-24 regular season; Through games played on Monday, January 15; *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.)	18-0
2	8	Columbus (Miami, Fla.)	16-4
3	9	Prolific Prep (Napa, Calif.)	20-3
4	3	Paul VI (Chantilly, Va.)	14-2
5	4	Link Academy (Branson, Mo.)	15-4
6	10	Harvard-Westlake (North Hollywood, Calif.)	20-1
7	2	Long Island Lutheran (Glen Head, N.Y.)	11-3
8	13	Plano East (Plano, Texas)	24-0
9	15	Fishers (Fishers, Ind.)	13-0
10	16	Stony Point (Round Rock, Texas)	23-1
11	17	Ridge View (Columbia, S.C.)	16-0
12	6	Patrick School (Elizabeth, N.J.)	14-1
13	22	Lawrence North (Indianapolis, Ind.)	14-0
14	14	Myers Park (Charlotte, N.C.)	13-2
15	18	St. Rose (Belmar, N.J.)	12-1
16	11	AZ Compass Prep (Chandler, Ariz.)	17-5
17	41	Archbishop Stepinac (White Plains, N.Y.)	10-3
18	7	Don Bosco Prep (Ramsey, N.J.)	10-3
19	21	Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.)	19-1
20	26	Gonzaga (Washington, D.C.)	14-2
21	28	Notre Dame (Sherman Oaks, Calif.)	20-0
22	42	Central Cabarrus (Concord, N.C.)	14-0
23	31	Huntsville (Huntsville, Ala.)	23-1
24	32	Combine Academy (Lincolnton, N.C.)	19-2
25	27	McEachern (Powder Springs, Ga.)	13-5
26	33	Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth, Calif.)	19-1
27	35	Wayzata (Plymouth, Minn.)	12-0
28	47	Neumann-Goretti (Philadelphia, Pa.)	13-0
29	19	Roosevelt (Eastvale, Calif.)	20-2
30	24	Bishop O’Connell (Arlington, Va.)	14-3
31	30	Great Crossing (Georgetown, Ky.)	17-1
32	44	Oak Ridge (Orlando, Fla.)	17-2
33	45	Christ the King (Middle, Village, N.Y.)	11-1
34	46	St. John Bosco (Bellflower, Calif.)	18-4
35	NR	Camden (Camden, N.J.)	11-1
36	29	North Mecklenburg (Huntersville, N.C.)	13-3
37	34	Millennium (Goodyear, Ariz.)	14-3
38	NR	Perry (Gilbert, Ariz.)	14-4
39	20	Grayson (Loganville, Ga.)	15-2
40	NR	Salesian (Richmond, Calif.)	18-1
41	25	Edmond North (Edmond, Okla.)	10-2
42	36	Kell (Marietta, Ga.)	14-3
43	37	Jackson-Reed (Washington, D.C.)	19-2
44	38	Bullis (Potomac, Md.)	12-2
45	5	Wasatch Academy (Mt. Pleasant, Utah)	10-3
46	NR	La Lumiere (La Porte, Ind.)	11-3
47	40	IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.)	8-7
48	48	Sidwell Friends (Washington, D.C.)	11-4
49	49	Curie (Chicago, Ill.)	17-1
50	50	Roman Catholic (Philadelphia, Pa.)	14-0

Dropped Out: Previous No. 12 De Pere (De Pere, Wis.), No. 23 Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.), No. 39 Mt. St. Joseph (Baltimore, Md.), No. 43 Westminster Academy (Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.).

Bubble Teams:? Alexander (Douglasville, Ga.) 16-2; Allen (Allen, Texas) 22-4; Alta (Sandy, Utah) 15-1; Atascocita (Humble, Texas) 25-2**;Bartlett (Bartlett, Tenn.) 18-2;Beaumont United (Beaumont, Texas) 22-1; Bellevue West (Bellevue, Neb.) 11-1; Benet Academy (Lisle, Ill.) 14-2; Berkmar (Lilburn, Ga.) 14-4; Blue Valley Northwest (Overland Park, Kan.) 9-0; Brennan (San Antonio, Texas) 20-4; Brewster Academy (Wolfeboro, N.H.) 13-3; Cordova (Cordova, Tenn.) 16-1; Dakota Valley (North Sioux City, S.D.) 7-0; DeMatha Catholic (Hyattsville, Md.) 15-4; De Pere (De Pere, Wis.) 12-1; East Lansing (East Lansing, Mich.) 9-0; Eastside Catholic (Sammamish, Wash.) 13-1; Fort Bend Clements (Sugar Land, Texas) 22-0; Garfield Heights (Garfield Heights, Ohio) 11-0; Homewood Flossmor (Flossmor, Ill.) 16-1; Imhotep Charter (Philadelphia, Pa.) 10-2; John Marshall (Richmond, Va.) 11-3; Lake Ridge (Mansfield, Texas) 21-3; Lake Taylor (Norfolk, Va.) 14-0; Lake Travis (Austin, Texas) 23-3; Lexington Catholic (Lexington, Ky.) 17-1; Liberty Magnet (Baton Rouge, La.) 19-2; Lyon County (Eddyville, Ky.) 18-1; Madison Prep (Baton Rouge, La.) 15-2; Millard North (Omaha, Neb.) 10-1; Mt. Carmel (Chicago, Ill.) 19-2; Mt. St. Joseph (Baltimore, Md.) 19-2; North Crowley (Ft. Worth, Texas) 21-3; North Farmington (Farmington Hills, Mich.) 9-0; Northwest (Shawnee Mission, Kan.) 8-0; Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.) 14-3; Oak Park (Kansas City, Mo.) 11-1; Park Center (Brooklyn Park, Minn.) 13-1; Pascagoula (Pascagoula, Miss.) 17-1; Raymond (Raymond, Miss.) 18-3; Roosevelt (Portland, Ore.) 11-1; Southern Guilford (Greensboro, N.C.) 14-1; Southridge (Beaverton, Ore.) 13-1; St. Joseph (Santa Maria, Calif.) 16-2; St. Mary’s (St. Louis, Mo.) 19-1; St. Mary Prep (Orchard Lake, Mich.) 9-1; Thornton (Harvey, Ill.) 15-2; Totino-Grace (Fridley, Minn.) 9-3; Vashon (St. Louis, Mo.) 10-4; Volcano Vista (Albuquerque, N.M.) 15-1; Westfield (Westfield, Ind.) 10-0; Winter Haven (Winter Haven, Fla.) 16-1; Wisconsin Lutheran (Milwaukee, Wis.) 13-0.

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: Columbus Shines on MLK Day! appeared first on www.ebooksnet.com.

UPDATED FAB 50: New Year, 15 New Teams!

Ronnie Flores — Tue, 09 Jan 2024 03:45:22 +0000

After all the holiday tournaments and showcases are in the book, this is the most spellbinding weekly FAB 50 National Team Rankings powered by www.ebooksnet.com that we can remember in the past 20 years. The first update of 2024 shows 15 newcomers, led by No. 6 Patrick School (Elizabeth, N.J.). Next week should include more movement following the MLK weekend showcases.

By Ronnie Flores

After all the dust has settled from the holiday events, there is a plethora of newcomers to the latest FAB 50 National Team Rankings powered by www.ebooksnet.com, the first weekly update of the New Year. In the previous update on Dec. 11, there was a whopping 13 newcomers, which was the most we could recall in recent memory up to that point. This time around, there is even more, as 15 teams crack the nation's longest-running weekly national rankings. Since the current FAB 50 format was adopted for the 1999-2000 season, it's the most we can recall joining the fray in a single update.

Does the change mean the rankings are less accurate than previous seasons or that we didn't do our homework in the preseason? No, not necessarily. In fact not at all. It's more a case of rewarding teams that play strong schedules and more of the nation's top talent congregating at fewer schools. The schools in the middle of the FAB 50 pack tend to beat up on each other and expect teams to continue to shuffle in the rear 25 as the season wears on. As far as the Top five, it's a completely different story.

Preseason No. 1 Montverde Academy continues to lead the pack, as the Eagles captured the 50th annual City of Palms Tournament in Ft. Myers, Fla., and lead the EYBLS league standings. Montverde Academy has defeated 10 teams ranked in this week's FAB 50, including the other four teams in the top five and six teams in the top 11.

It will take a monumental effort to take down the Eagles, as coach Kevin Boyle's club took down No. 3 Paul VI (Chantilly, Va.), 69-62, in the COP semifinals and No. 2 Long Island Lutheran (Glen Head, N.Y.), 73-59, in the title game. The Paul VI score was the closest margin of victory so far for a team that is already being compared to the best for a program that has won six FAB 50 national titles, but is Paul VI better than LuHi? Veteran observers at the COP were split on that question, but the debate is likely to be settled on the court. Paul VI still has many landmines remaining in Washington Catholic Athletic Conference (WCAC) play and LuHi will get another shot at MVA on Feb. 16 at the Bob McKillop Invitational.

Speaking of landmines, there will be plenty for teams this week, as the Bass Pro Tournament of Champions in Springfield, Mo. (Jan. 11-13) and the Spalding Hoophall Classic in Springfield, Mass. (Jan. 11-15), headline the slate of MLK weekend events. Paul VI will make the vaunted “Springfield Double” trek as it will look to take the Bass Pro TOC crown over the likes of No. 25 Edmond North (Edmond, Okla.), No. 27 McEachern (Powder Springs, Ga.) and No. 46 St. John Bosco (Bellflower, Calif.). After a travel day on Sunday, Paul VI will battle No. 8 Columbus (Miami, Fla.) on MLK Monday at 1 pm ET.

McEachern will also double dip, taking on No. 10 Harvard-Westlake (North Hollywood, Calif.) on Monday at 11 am ET. Columbus will play another game in Massachusetts, taking on Long Island Lutheran on Saturday at 4 pm ET. LuHi's second game will take place on Monday at 3 pm ET vs. No. 11 AZ Compass Prep (Chandler, Ariz.). Top-ranked MVA will play three games, including one on Sunday vs. No. 9 Prolific Prep (Napa, Calif.) at 7:30 pm ET.

Our next rankings update will be on Tuesday, January 16 and will include all the MLK Monday results.

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

(3rd poll of 2023-24 regular season; Through games played on Sunday, January 7; *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.)	15-0
2	2	Long Island Lutheran (Glen Head, N.Y.)	11-1
3	3	Paul VI (Chantilly, Va.)	11-1
4	5	Link Academy (Branson, Mo.)	14-4
5	6	Wasatch Academy (Mt. Pleasant, Utah)	8-2
6	NR	Patrick School (Elizabeth, N.J.)	13-1
7	17	Don Boso Prep (Ramsey, N.J.)	8-2
8	7	Columbus (Miami, Fla.)	13-4
9	4	Prolific Prep (Napa, Calif.)	18-2
10	9	Harvard-Westlake (North Hollywood, Calif.)	17-1
11	15	AZ Compass Prep (Chandler, Ariz.)	15-4
12	16	De Pere (De Pere, Wis.)	11-0
13	23	Plano East (Plano, Texas)	22-0
14	12	Myers Park (Charlotte, N.C.)	12-2
15	25	Fishers (Fishers, Ind.)	12-0
16	21	Stony Point (Round Rock, Texas)	21-1
17	NR	Ridge View (Columbia, S.C.)	15-0
18	NR	St. Rose (Belmar, N.J.)	9-1
19	NR	Roosevelt (Eastvale, Calif.)	18-1
20	11	Grayson (Loganville, Ga.)	14-1
21	28	Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.)	17-1
22	27	Lawrence North (Indianapolis, Ind.)	10-0
23	31	Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.)	14-1
24	19	Bishop O’Connell (Arlington, Va.)	12-2
25	32	Edmond North (Edmond, Okla.)	9-0
26	8	Gonzaga (Washington, D.C.)	11-2
27	45	McEachern (Powder Springs, Ga.)	10-3
28	38	Notre Dame (Sherman Oaks, Calif.)	17-0
29	20	North Mecklenburg (Huntersville, N.C.)	11-2
30	NR	Great Crossing (Georgetown, Ky.)	14-1
31	NR	Huntsville (Huntsville, Ala.)	21-1
32	43	Combine Academy (Lincolnton, N.C.)	17-2
33	NR	Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth, Calif.)	17-1
34	35	Millennium (Goodyear, Ariz.)	12-3
35	48	Wayzata (Plymouth, Minn.)	10-0
36	NR	Kell (Marietta, Ga.)	13-3
37	42	Jackson-Reed (Washington, D.C.)	15-2
38	29	Bullis (Potomac, Md.)	10-2
39	NR	Mt. St. Joseph (Baltimore, Md.)	18-0
40	30	IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.)	6-6
41	10	Archbishop Stepinac (White Plains, N.Y.)	7-3
42	NR	Central Cabarrus (Concord, N.C.)	13-0
43	NR	Westminster Academy (Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.)	9-4
44	NR	Oak Ridge (Orlando, Fla.)	12-2
45	NR	Christ the King (Middle, Village, N.Y.)	8-1
46	18	St. John Bosco (Bellflower, Calif.)	15-3
47	NR	Neumann-Goretti (Philadelphia, Pa.)	10-0
48	14	Sidwell Friends (Washington, D.C.)	8-4
49	50	Curie (Chicago, Ill.)	15-1
50	NR	Roman Catholic (Philadelphia, Pa.)	11-0

Dropped Out: Previous No. 13 John Marshall (Richmond, Va.), No. 22 Lincoln Park (Midland, Pa.), No. 24 Beaumont United (Beaumont, Texas), No. 26 Lake Travis (Austin, Texas), No. 33 La Lumiere (La Porte, Ind.), No. 34 St. Mary Prep (Orchard Lake, Mich.), No. 36 Hudson Catholic (Hudson, N.J.), No. 37 St. Ignatius (Cleveland, Ohio), No. 39 DeMatha Catholic (Hyattsville, Md.), No. 40 Salesian (Richmond, Calif.), No. 41 Brother Rice (Bloomfield Hills, Mich.), No. 44 Alta (Sandy, Utah), No. 46 Archbishop Ryan (Philadelphia, Pa.), No. 47 Thornton (Harvey, Ill.), No. 49 (49) Owyhee (Meridian, Idaho).

Bubble Teams:? Alexander (Douglasville, Ga.) 13-2; Allen (Allen, Texas) 20-4; Alta (Sandy, Utah) 13-1; Atascocita (Humble, Texas) 23-2**; Bartlett (Bartlett, Tenn.) 16-2; Beaumont United (Beaumont, Texas) 20-1; Bellevue West (Bellevue, Neb.) 11-1; Berkmar (Lilburn, Ga.) 13-2; Blue Valley Northwest (Overland Park, Kan.) 7-0; Brennan (San Antonio, Texas) 18-4; Brewster Academy (Wolfeboro, N.H.) 12-2; Camden (Camden, N.J.) 8-1; Cathedral (Indianapolis, Ind.) 10-0; Cordova (Cordova, Tenn.) 16-1; Dakota Valley (North Sioux City, S.D.) 7-0; DeMatha Catholic (Hyattsville, Md.) 12-3; East Lansing (East Lansing, Mich.) 8-0; Eastside Catholic (Sammamish, Wash.) 10-0; Fort Bend Clements (Sugar Land, Texas) 20-0; Garfield Heights (Garfield Heights, Ohio) 9-0; Homewood Flossmor (Flossmor, Ill.) 14-1; John Marshall (Richmond, Va.) 9-3; Lake Ridge (Mansfield, Texas) 19-3; Lake Taylor (Norfolk, Va.) 11-0; Lake Travis (Austin, Texas) 21-3; La Lumiere (La Porte, Ind.) 9-3; Lexington Catholic (Lexington, Ky.) 14-1; Liberty Magnet (Baton Rouge, La.) 17-2; Lyon County (Eddyville, Ky.) 15-1; Madison Prep (Baton Rouge, La.) 13-2; Millard North (Omaha, Neb.) 9-1; Moravian Prep (Hudson, N.C.) 16-1; Mt. Carmel (Chicago, Ill.) 17-2; North Crowley (Ft. Worth, Texas) 19-3; North Farmington (Farmington Hills, Mich.) 8-0; Northwest (Shawnee Mission, Kan.) 6-0; Oak Park (Kansas City, Mo.) 10-1; Park Center (Brooklyn Park, Minn.) 11-1; Pascagoula (Pascagoula, Miss.) 15-1; Raymond (Raymond, Miss.) 16-3; Salesian (Richmond, Calif.) 15-1; Southern Guilford (Greensboro, N.C.) 12-1; St. Joseph (Santa Maria, Calif.) 13-2; St. Mary’s (St. Louis, Mo.) 17-1; St. Mary Prep (Orchard Lake, Mich.) 7-1; Thornton (Harvey, Ill.) 13-2; Totino-Grace (Fridley, Minn.) 7-3; Vashon (St. Louis, Mo.) 8-3; Volcano Vista (Albuquerque, N.M.) 11-1; Westfield (Westfield, Ind.) 9-0; Winter Haven (Winter Haven, Fla.) 13-1; Wisconsin Lutheran (Milwaukee, Wis.) 12-0.

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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City Of Palms: Day Two Notebook

Ani Umana — Wed, 20 Dec 2023 18:28:50 +0000

One of the most prestigious events in scholastic basketball is commencing. The City of Palms in Ft. Myers, Florida showcases several of the top programs in the country. I flew in to begin catching action on the second day of the event. Below are my thoughts and notes.?

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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Tark Classic: Big Upset On Day One!

Ronnie Flores — Tue, 19 Dec 2023 07:43:19 +0000

In a wide-open Platinum Division, the bracket's top-ranked team, Bishop O'Connell (Arlington, Va.), went down in the first round to Las Vegas' best team, Arbor View, 52-50. Two of three local Vegas teams advance as does FAB 50 ranked Alta (Sandy, Utah).

The prevailing thinking coming into the 11th annual Tarkanian Classic was the event's main draw, the Platinum Division bracket, was a wide-open affair. As many as 10 or perhaps 12 teams had to feel they had a chance to win the bracket coming in and on queue, there was an upset by the second game of the top division. Arbor View (Las Vegas, Nev.) took on Bishop O'Conell (Arlington, Va.) and competed valiantly with a team that came in as the highest ranked club in the latest FAB 50 National Team Rankings and was the de facto top seed. The Aggies kept in range and then made enough key plays at the end to pull out the 52-50 victory.

Arbor View (5-2) held a one point lead (51-50) after O'Connell's Bryson Tucker hit a 12-foot baseline jumper with 40 seconds remaining. O'Connell (5-2) didn't score on its next offensive opportunity and waited until 7.2 seconds remaining to foul Arbor View's Maxiumus Romero. He made one free throw, then the Knights got a break when there was an Arbor View lane violation on the second attempt. Tucker then took it the length of the floor for a slashing lay-up and the ball rolled around the rim...and rolled off. The extra toilet bowl roll prevented any potential tip-in as Arbor View advanced to play St. Augustine (San Diego, Calif.) in Tuesday's second round.

Arbor View had four players in double figures with San Diego St.-bound forward Pharoah Compton, arguably Nevada's top senior and 6-foot-3 2024 guard DeMarion Yap each netting 13 points. Yap, the younger brother of Fresno St. guard Donovan Yap, hit two big 3-pointers late to aid in the upset bid.

Bishop O'Connell, which was coming off a one-point loss to Brewster Academy (Wolfeboro, N.H.), was hurt by the absence of sophomore guard Quincy Wadley, a terrific national Top 25 prospect in the 2026 class who is back in the D.M.V. getting a leg injury diagnosed. His absence was felt against a team that is hoping to give the local fans a team to get behind other than host Bishop Gorman.

St. Augustine, which came in as a top three team from San Diego County but on paper a shade below its prior two teams who participated in the tourney, advanced with a 52-41 victory over Mater Lakes (Miami, Fla.), which took its third loss of the season. Sophomore guard Jaden Bailes had a big game with six 3-pointers and 25 points for St. Augustine (8-1). Bailes is one of the better 2026 prospects in the tourney and is one to track for D1 college coaches.

The Vegas locals could have had three teams to get behind in the winner's bracket as Conorado (Henderson, Nev.) battled with state-ranked St. Pius-St. Matthias (Downey, Calif.) in a back-and-forth affair. The SoCal club, which came in 4-1, finally put it together down the stretch after a slow start and got the key bucket it needed with 36 seconds remaining. That's when San Francisco-bound wing Tyrone Riley made a contested baseline layup to give St. Pius-St. Matthias a four point lead in its eventual 67-62 victory.

Riley finished with 24 points after being held scoreless for the first 12 minutes of the game. Highly-regarded 6-foot-8 2025 power forward Doug Langford added 19 points. He's tracking nicely as a mid-major plus/high-major minus and Langford's production will be key in the quarterfinal matchup with Alta's 6-foot-8 Utah-bound Jaxon Johnson. The Sandy, Utah program entered the tournament at No. 44 in the FAB 50 and moved to 8-0 with its first-round victory.

In the best first round matchup in a battle of unbeatens, Alta took down 10-0 Clovis West (Fresno, Calif.). Alta took control of the game in the third period, outscoring the Golden Eagles, 16-8, as Clovis West netted only four points in the first six minutes of the quarter after trailing 37-30 at halftime. Leading the way in Alta's 74-63 win with a 20-point performance was 5-foot-11 2024 guard Ace Reiser, a composed and crafty shot-maker who can handle defensive pressure and wreak havoc on both sides of the ball. Johnson and 5-foot-8 2026 Dash Reiser, a blur with the ball and Ace's brother, both finished with 15 points.

In the opposite bracket, Desert Mountain (Scottsdale, Ariz.) advanced to the quarterfinals to face host Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas, Nev.) with a 74-69 victory over battle-tested Campbell Hall (North Hollywood, Calif.). After a slow start Desert Mountain (7-1), in particular 6-foot-3 freshman (2027) Javon Bardwell, came alive in the second half, as he netted 26 of his 28 points in the final 16 minutes after not playing in the first period and scoring two points in the second. Desert Mountain, which owns a victory over highly-regarded Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth, Calif.), also got 24 points from 6-foot-3 sophomore point guard Kaden House before he fouled out. House, one of the most exciting players in the tournament, will need to quarterback his team to a lower turnover count to get it past the Gaels.

Bishop Gorman (6-0) was the second of the three Nevada Interscholastic Athletic Association (NIAA) clubs to advance, taking down a game Sagemont (Weston, Fla.) club, 69-66. With the game in the balance, 2025 guard Nick Jefferson made two key buckets down the stretch and Grid-Hoop stud Jett Washington, a 6-foot-5 sophomore wing who doubles as a safety and wide receiver for the mythical national championship Gaels' football team, had a key steal and finish to give Bishop Gorman the cushion it needed. Jefferson finished with 25 points, five rebounds, seven assists and four steals. Washington, the nephew of the late Kobe Bryant, added 19 points and four steals. Sixteen of those points came in the critical fourth period.

Florida High School Athletic Association schools were 0-2 in the first round until Calvary Christian (Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.) got the FHSAA off the schneid with its 55-46 victory over Centennial (Corona, Calif.), the event champion in 2019. Centennial (7-5) led 22-5, but the Eagles stormed back and caught Centennial at the end of the third period, 38-38, before pulling away in the fourth period, as the Huskies had trouble keeping Calvary Christian out of the paint. Centennial was also hurt when UCLA-bound wing Eric Freeny (9 points) fouled out with 5:32 remaining in the game.

Calvary Christian (6-1) was led to victory by 6-foot-7 2024 John Roland Jr. with 16 points. Junior 6-foot-7 forward Shon Abaev also made a second half impact and finished with 10 points. The Eagles also have a budding star in freshman (2027) point guard Cayden Daughtry, a 5-foot-11 dynamo who can handle the ball like a seasoned veteran, has a sweet shooting touch and can create separation for the 3-ball while being under control. Daughtry had 16 points, including three 3-pointers.

Calvary Christian will take on Branson (Ross, Calif.), which defeated St. Bernard (Playa del Rey, Calif.), 71-57, in a game that was a bit more competitive than the final score indicated. It was the first loss of the season for the Vikings.

The difference-maker for Branson (5-1) was Illinois-bound power guard Jase Butler, who made timely outside shots and also punished the Vikings inside. The 6-foot-4 senior finished with 25 points, including five 3-pointers with four coming after intermission.

Tarkanian Classic Platinum Division Quarterfinals (12/19, PST)
St. Augustine (Calif.) vs. Arbor View (Nev.), 4:30 pm
Alta (Utah) vs. St. Pius (Calif.), 6 pm
Desert Mountain (Ariz.) vs. Bishop Gorman (Nev.), 7:30 pm
Calvary Christian (Fla.) vs. The Branson School (Calif.), 9 pm

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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Tark Classic: 5 Things To Watch For

Ronnie Flores — Fri, 15 Dec 2023 05:57:07 +0000

The 2023 Tarkanian Classic will take place Dec. 16-21 at various sites in Las Vegas with the main action taking place at Bishop Gorman High School. The event is once again certified for NBA scouts to attend and evaluate players. We take at look at players and trends to watch for at the prestigious holiday tournament.

Editor's Note: For schedules, brackets and more tourney info, please visit: tarkanianclassic.com

1. Point Guard Matchups In Prep Division
There are over 70 teams in the prep division at Tark and there is an abundance of quality lead guards. Scouts and NBA personnel will want to lock their eyes on the matchup between SoCal Academy (Valencia, Calif.) and Canyon International Academy (Chandler, Ariz.) on Dec. 17 at Gorman. That game will pit Creighton-bound 6-foot-3 2024 Larry Johnson of SoCal Academy vs. Miles Sadler, a 5-foot-10 2026 from CIA who is a blur with the ball. Johnson is a combo downhill scoring threat and will be the one of the best individual talents in the prep division. Sadler is getting hands-on training playing in the EYBL Scholastic high school league and Tark will be a big platform for him to shine. A FAB 50 showdown will take place Dec. 16 between No. 4 Prolific Prep (Napa, Calif.) and No. 15 AZ Compass Prep (Chandler, Ariz.). That will pit Prolific Prep's Zoom Diallo, a 6-foot-4 do-it-all performer who is still undecided and looking to earn a McDonald's All-American berth, vs. 6-foot-2 2025 Jeremiah Fears, a fearless competitor who played well versus No. 1 Montverde Academy in a recent EYBLS game. Fears can be considered more of a combo, but most colleges are playing with three guards or their two best guards, regardless of position, nowadays, so he'll be highly-coveted when its time to choose his next level destination.

2. Will A Vegas High School Team Step Up?
There is no secret that, talent-wise, teams in the Las Vegas Valley are down this year. No NIAA team came close to cracking the preseason FAB 50 and in recent seasons two or three teams were always on the cusp of the rankings. Host Bishop Gorman, which fell in last year's Platinum Division title game to West Ranch (Valencia, Calif.) and won the title three times in four tournaments prior, is one of the dark horses that feels it has a chance. If the Gaels can get by Sagemont (Weston, Fla.), they like their chances between the winner of Desert Mountain (Ariz.) and Campbell Hall (Calif.). Coronado (Henderson, Nev.) is a slight underdog against St. Pius-St. Matthias (Downey, Calif.), as the Cougars must slow down the inside-out combination of 6-foot-5 San Francisco-bound wing Tyrone Riley and 6-foot-8 2025 power forward Doug Langford. Arbor View (Las Vegas) might be the best local team, but it will have its hands full with FAB 50 No. 19 Bishop O'Connell (Arlington, Va.). San Diego St.-bound Pharaoh Compton is a load to handle, but it will take a player such as 6-foot-1 2025 Trammell Darden, Jr. or 6-foot 2024 Maximus Romero stepping up big-time in order to pull off the upset of the tourney's highest-ranked team. Gorman has the best chance to advance in the winner's bracket of the three local clubs.

3. Will Bishop O'Connell (Va.) Live Up to Expectations?
For the first time since perhaps the 2015 Tark Classic, when Overland (Aurora, Col.) took the top division title, the field in the Platinum Division is wide open. As many as 10 teams should feel they have a legitimate shot at capturing the Platinum title, with O'Connell the slight favorite. Still, outside of Overland, no other teams besides Gorman and California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) clubs have won the championship since the tourney began in 2012, so the Knights have something to prove. They also have to bounce back from a 59-58 loss on Dec. 14 at the Western Maryland Hoops Classic to FAB 50 bubble club and EYBLS member Brewster Academy (Wolfeboro, N.H.). Bryson Tucker, a 6-foot-6 2024 small forward, missed a potential game-winning 3-pointer vs. Brewster, but he'll be one of the difference-makers in the Platinum bracket. Jayden Harris, another unsigned 6-foot-6 2024, has been getting things done for coach Joe Wootten's club while Quincy Wadley, a 6-foot-4 shooting guard, will be one of the best sophomores in the event. O'Connell could meet FAB 50 No. 44 Alta (Sandy, Utah) in a semifinal contest, but first the Utah club has to worry about handling the pressure defense of two-time defending Tark divisional champ Clovis West (Fresno, Calif.), which is in the main division for the first time. Clovis West-Alta gets our vote as the best first round matchup.

4. Can Desert Mountain (Ariz.) Keep Up its Momentum?
If anything, the Wolves are exciting to watch and are also an excellent team despite their youth. This Scottsdale, Ariz.-based club has a never-say-die attitude and terrific perimeter scoring punch. This team has only one senior starter (5-foot-8 Ryan Dick) and he didn't take a field goal shot in Desert Mountain's overtime victory over highly-regarded Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth, Calif.) that knocked that club out of the FAB 50. The Wolves' first-round game vs. Campbell Hall (North Hollywood, Calif.) will be a track meet with the quality guards on display for both teams. Campbell Hall is looking to stop a three-game slide against national level teams and must slow down the brother combination of 6-foot-3 2026 sophomore Kaden House and 6-foot-2 sophomore Kalek House. The opposition is going to find out 6-foot Jabron Bardwell and 6-foot-3 Javon Bardwell, freshmen (2027) brothers, are difference-makers, as well. If Desert Mountain can keep the turnover count low, it would give itself a solid chance to make the semifinals.

5. There are Plenty of Prospects To Scout In The HS Division
With 126 high school teams from across the country, there is plenty of talent for college coaches and pro scouts to evaluate. NBA scouts will mostly be intrigued by the underclassmen to track down the line. In addition to the previously mentioned names, the Platinum Division contains a plethora of prospects that have the ability to play at some level of D1 ball. Those players include: 6-foot-7 2026 Kevin Thomas and 6-foot-6 2025 Patrick Liburd of Sagemont (Weston, Fla.), Illinois-bound 6-foot-4 2024 Jase Butler and 6-foot-1 2025 Semetri Carr of Branson (Ross, Calif.), 6-foot-7 2024 Kendyl Sanders, 6-foot-7 2026 Tajh Ariza, 6-foot-2 2025 Caleb Versher and 6-foot-7 2026 Christian Malachi Collins of St. Bernard (Playa del Rey, Calif.), 6-foot-7 2024 Shon Abaev of Calvary Christian (Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.), Arizona-bound 6-foot-9 2024 Carter Bryant and a trio of sophomores from Centennial (Corona, Calif.), including 6-foot-3 2026 Isaiah Rogers, UC San Diego-bound 6-foot-3 2024 Ryder Elisaldez and 6-foot-1 2025 Nick Jefferson of Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas), 6-foot-4 2024 Tanner Jones and Cal Poly SLO-bound 6-foot-2 2024 Aaron Powell of Campbell Hall (North Hollywood, Calif.), 6-foot-3 2024 Josiah Cunningham and 6-foot-10 2025 Tee Bartlett of Coronado (Henderson, Nev.), Utah-bound 6-foot-8 2024 Jaxon Johnson and 5-foot-11 2024 Ace Reiser of Alta (Sandy, Utah), 6-foot-1 2025 D.J. Stickman of Clovis West (Fresno, Calif.), Cal-St. Fullerton-bound 6-foot-2 2024 LoLo Rudolph and 6-foot-1 2026 Jaden Bailes of St. Augustine (San Diego, Calif.) and 6-foot 2025 Anthony Knowles and 6-foot-5 2024 Christian Reid of Mater Lakes (Miami, Fla.).

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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NEW FAB 50: Holiday Madness!

Ronnie Flores — Mon, 11 Dec 2023 08:00:10 +0000

Explosive play on the court leads to explosive movement off it, as the second edition of the FAB 50 National Team Rankings powered by www.ebooksnet.com for the 2023-24 season shows the most newcomers of any poll in recent memory. There is plenty of movement and a whopping 13 newcomers this week, led by No. 24 Beaumont United (Beaumont, Texas). This week also shows the return of two well-known national powers to the nation's longest running weekly national rankings. The upcoming major holiday tournaments should lead to more movement.

By Ronnie Flores

The highly-anticipated No. 1 vs. No. 2 matchup between top-ranked Montverde Academy (Montverde, Fla.) and No. 2 Link Academy (Branson, Mo.) didn't quite materialize as expected on Dec. 8 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nev. as part of the EYBL Scholastic Showcase. Coming into the contest, Link Academy already took a 77-76 loss on Dec. 2 to then No. 8 Prolific Prep (Napa, Calif.) at the Derek Smith Shootout in Louisville, Ky.

Regardless of the prior results or ranking coming in, Link Academy figured to be one of the few teams capable of upsetting the top-ranked Eagles. If anything, it was expected to be a competitive game and it turned out to be that even though Montverde Academy led by 23 points (56-33) after three quarters. The Lions played a spirited fourth quarter and got their deficit down to six (48-42), but shot selection and lack of defensive stops proved to be their downfall as Montverde Academy moved to 8-0 with the 71-59 victory.

Texas-bound Tre Johnson was the catalyst that made the game interesting in the fourth quarter, as the Mr. Basketball USA candidate finished with 25 points, including 6-of-8 3-pointers, for the Lions. Montverde Academy out-rebounded Link Academy, 40-25, and was credited with 16 assists to Link Academy's six.

Mr. Basketball USA front-runner and Duke-bound forward Cooper Flagg was one of four Eagles in double figures with 15 points, nine rebounds, three assists, two blocks and two steals. Undecided big man Derik Queen led MVA in the scoring department with 20 points and nine rebounds, while Baylor-bound point guard Robert Wright had 16 points and six assists.

Saturday afternoon at the Las Vegas Aces practice facility in Henderson, Nev., No. 15 AZ Compass Prep (Chandler, Ariz.) actually gave the Eagles a tough game as well, but never led and trialed by 19 points mid-way through the third period. Still the 16-16 fourth quarter stalemate was a moral victory of sorts for the Dragons, who similar to Link Academy, got within 48-42 before falling 58-46.

Georgia-bound power forward Asa Newell led Montverde Academy with 16 points and also had eight rebounds. Junior point guard Jeremiah Fears had a productive game for the Dragons, finishing with 13 points.

There are no moral victories in credible national rankings, although losing to the Eagles didn't hurt AZ Compass Prep or hurt the other teams that have lost to MVA so far. Each week across the country there are controversial finishes, disputed calls and notable circumstances that could cause a team to lose a game it felt it should have won. We have hundred of results to pour over and consider each week, and even though winning in the bottom line, sometimes those circumstances come into play.

One such case occurred when Stony Point (Round Rock, Texas) met Lake Travis (Austin, Texas) in a battle of unbeaten clubs on Dec. 2. The game was decided at the buzzer when Stony Point's Uzziah Bunytn, a 6-foot- junior guard, intercepted a mid-court heave, squared up and launched a shot from half-court that went in to give his team a dramatic 66-63 victory. There was 0.8 seconds showing on the game clock when the long inbounds pass was thrown. There was some controversy as to if the shot should have counted, but what there was no question about is Stony Point tied the game with two seconds and Lake Travis still doesn't have any other loss on its resume.

As a result, Lake Travis is one of 13 newcomers this week at No. 26, two spots behind the highest ranked newcomer, fellow University Interscholastic League (UIL)club Beaumont United (Beaumont, Texas) at No. 24. The Texas Association of Basketball Coaches (TABC) has Beaumont United, last season's Class 6A state runner-up, as its top-ranked club, but we go with Stony Point as Texas' top-ranked club based on national results. Not only have the Tigers' handed Lake Travis its only loss, they have handed No. 35 Millennium (Goodyear, Ariz.) its only loss, 82-69.

Millennium is another newcomer and replaces previous No. 29 Perry (Gilbert, Ariz.) as the top-ranked Arizona Interscholastic Association (AIA) club. Perry lost to Sunnyslope (Phoenix, Ariz.), 53-53, and one of Sunnyslope's two losses is to Millennium. Its other setback is to No. 18 St. John Bosco (Bellflower, Calif.). Because Desert Mountain (Scottsdale, Ariz.) lost to unranked Pinnacle (Phoenix, Ariz.) and defeated previous No. 38 Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth, Calif.) in overtime, no other Arizona team can crack the back end of the FAB 50.

There are tons of other results in the past two weeks that caused as much change as we've seen in any poll in recent years, but the one event that has the biggest impact on the rankings was the National High School Hoops Festival at DeMatha Catholic (Hyattsville, Md.) over the weekend. When the dust settled two FAB 50 mainstays returned to the FAB 50 this week: The host Stags at No. 39 and Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.) at No. 31.

On Dec. 10, DeMatha downed previous No. 42 Archbishop Wood (Warminster, Pa.), 75-51, to remain unbeaten on the young season, as Ashton Meeks finished with a game-high 23 points. On Saturday, DeMatha easily downed Campbell Hall (North Hollywood, Calif.), 80-54.

Earlier on Sunday, new No. 3 Paul VI (Chantilly, Va.) defeated then No. 10 Sidwell Friends (Washington, D.C.), 65-47. Sidwell Friends other loss was to No. 13 John Marshall (Richmond, Va.) in overtime. On Saturday evening, John Marshall dominated the overtime period, 11-3, to defeat Sidwell Friends, 63-55. Paul VI also needed a dominant overtime (16-8) on Saturday to knock off No. 12 Myers Park (Charlotte, N.C.), 78-70. Myers Park's second loss is to No. 43 Combine Academy (Lincolnton, N.C.), which suffered its only loss to battle-tested Oak Cliff Faith Family (Dallas, Texas).

Oak Cliff Faith Family is one of this season's surprising teams to take multiple losses and fall from the rankings. Perhaps no bigger surprise is preseason No. 10 Richmond Heights (Richmond Heights, Ohio) losing its first three games of the season to fall all the way out this week.

As for Oak Hill Academy, the Warriors are back in the FAB 50 with a 11-1 mark, with their only loss a 84-57 setback to new No. 2 Long Island Lutheran (Glen Head, N.Y.) at the Marshall County Hoopfest in Kentucky. Oak Hill Academy wasn't ranked in this year's preseason for the first time since 1988-89.

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

(2nd poll of 2023-24 regular season; Through games played on Sunday, December 10; *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.)	9-0
2	3	Long Island Lutheran (Glen Head, N.Y.)	3-0
3	4	Paul VI (Chantilly, Va.)	5-0
4	8	Prolific Prep (Napa, Calif.)	12-1
5	2	Link Academy (Branson, Mo.)	9-2
6	6	Wasatch Academy (Mt. Pleasant, Utah)	5-2
7	7	Columbus (Miami, Fla.)	3-2
8	13	Gonzaga (Washington, D.C.)	5-0
9	12	Harvard-Westlake (North Hollywood, Calif.)	9-0
10	14	Archbishop Stepinac (White Plains, N.Y.)	3-0
11	17	Grayson (Loganville, Ga.)	8-0
12	26	Myers Park (Charlotte, N.C.)	4-2
13	9	John Marshall (Richmond, Va.)	4-1
14	10	Sidwell Friends (Washington, D.C.)	2-2
15	15	AZ Compass Prep (Chandler, Ariz.)	9-3
16	18	De Pere (De Pere, Wis.)	3-0
17	19	Don Boso Prep (Ramsey, N.J.)	0-0
18	20	St. John Bosco (Bellflower, Calif.)	7-0
19	24	Bishop O’Connell (Arlington, Va.)	4-0
20	27	North Mecklenburg (Huntersville, N.C.)	6-0
21	30	Stony Point (Round Rock, Texas)	15-0
22	22	Lincoln Park (Midland, Pa.)	3-0
23	43	Plano East (Plano, Texas)	15-0
24	NR	Beaumont United (Beaumont, Texas)	13-0
25	NR	Fishers (Fishers, Ind.)	6-0
26	NR	Lake Travis (Austin, Texas)	14-1
27	NR	Lawrence North (Indianapolis, Ind.)	4-0
28	33	Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.)	7-0
29	40	Bullis (Potomac, Md.)	3-0
30	5	IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.)	3-3
31	NR	Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.)	11-1
32	35	Edmond North (Edmond, Okla.)	3-0
33	16	La Lumiere (La Porte, Ind.)	6-1
34	36	St. Mary Prep (Orchard Lake, Mich.)	1-0
35	NR	Millennium (Goodyear, Ariz.)	8-1
36	37	Hudson Catholic (Hudson, N.J.)	0-0
37	39	St. Ignatius (Cleveland, Ohio)	2-0
38	NR	Notre Dame (Sherman Oaks, Calif.)	6-0
39	NR	DeMatha Catholic (Hyattsville, Md.)	6-0
40	NR	Salesian (Richmond, Calif.)	6-0
41	41	Brother Rice (Bloomfield Hills, Mich.)	5-0
42	NR	Jackson-Reed (Washington, D.C.)	4-1
43	21	Combine Academy (Lincolnton, N.C.)	12-1
44	44	Alta (Sandy, Utah)	5-0
45	47	McEachern (Powder Springs, Ga.)	5-2
46	31	Archbishop Ryan (Philadelphia, Pa.)	3-1
47	NR	Thornton (Harvey, Ill.)	6-1
48	NR	Wayzata (Plymouth, Minn.)	3-0
49	50	Owyhee (Meridian, Idaho)	1-0
50	NR	Curie (Chicago, Ill.)	7-1

Dropped Out: Previous No. 11 Richmond Heights (Richmond Heights, Ohio), No. 23 Kokomo (Kokomo, Ind.), No. 25 Winston-Salem Christian (Winston-Salem, N.C.), No. 28 Wheeler (Marietta, Ga.), No. 29 Perry (Gilbert, Ariz.), No. 32 Oak Ridge (Orlando, Fla.), No. 34 Roosevelt (Eastvale, Calif.), No. 38 Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth, Calif.), No. 42 Archbishop Wood (Warminster, Pa.), No. 45 Sunrise Christian Academy (Bel Aire, Kan.), No. 46 Corner Canyon (Draper, Utah), No. 48 Bellevue West (Bellevue, Neb.), No. 49 Totino-Grace (Fridley, Minn.).

Bubble Teams:? Alexander (Douglasville, Ga.) 9-0; American Fork (Utah) 4-2; Archbishop Wood (Warminster, Pa.) 1-2; Bellevue West (Bellevue, Neb.) 3-1; Berkmar (Lilburn, Ga.) 8-1; Ben Davis (Indianapolis, Ind.) 3-1; Blue Valley Northwest (Overland Park, Kan.) 3-0; Brennan (San Antonio, Texas) 13-4; Brewster Academy (Wolfeboro, N.H.) 7-1; Broken Arrow (Broken Arrow, Okla.) 2-0; Camden (Camden, N.J.) 0-0; Canton (Canton, Miss.) 8-0; Cathedral (Indianapolis, Ind.) 5-0; Centerville (Centerville, Ohio) 1-0; Central Cabarrus (Concord, N.C.) 5-0; Central (Little Rock, Ark.) 6-0; Christ the King (Middle Village, N.Y.) 0-0; Dakota Valley (North Sioux City, S.D.) 1-0; De La Salle (Concord, Calif.) 7-0; Desert Mountain (Scottsdale, Ariz.) 4-1; Dorman (Roebuck, S.C.) 8-0; Duncanville (Duncanville, Texas) 4-5; Eastside Catholic (Sammamish, Wash.) 2-0; Fort Bend Marshall (Missouri City, Texas) 16-0; Homewood Flossmor (Flossmor, Ill.) 8-1; Imhotep Charter (Philadelphia, Pa.) 2-0; Iowa (Iowa, La.) 5-1; JSerra (San Juan Capistrano, Calif.) 11-0; Kell (Marietta, Ga.) 4-3; Kenwood Academy (Chicago, Ill.) 4-2; Kokomo (Kokomo, Ind.) 4-2; Liberty Magnet (Baton Rouge, La.) 9-1; Little Rock Christian Academy (Little Rock, Ark.) 5-1; Lyon County (Eddyville, Ky.) 3-1; Madison Prep (Baton Rouge, La.) 5-1; Marquette University (Milwaukee, Wis.) 3-0; Millard North (Omaha, Neb.) 4-0; Moravian Prep (Hudson, N.C.) 12-0; Mt. St. Joseph (Baltimore, Md.) 8-0; Newton (Covington, Ga.) 6-1; North Crowley (Ft. Worth, Texas) 14-1; Oak Park (Kansas City, Mo.) 4-0; Oak Ridge (Orlando, Fla.) 4-2; Park Center (Brooklyn Park, Minn.) 4-0; Perry (Gilbert, Ariz.) 5-3; Roosevelt (Eastvale, Calif.) 9-1; Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth, Calif.) 8-1; Southern Guilford (Greensboro, N.C.) 7-0; South Grand Prairie (Grand Prairie, Texas) 13-3; St. Rose (Belmar, N.J.) 0-0; Sunnyslope (Phoenix, Ariz.) 3-2; Totino-Grace (Fridley, Minn.) 1-1; Vashon (St. Louis, Mo.) 4-2; Volcano Vista (Albuquerque, N.M.) 5-0; Westfield (Westfield, Ind.) 5-0; Westminster Academy (Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.) 3-0; Wheeler (Marietta, Ga.) 7-2; W.T. White (Dallas, Texas) 8-2; Yazoo City (Yazoo City, Miss.) 11-0.

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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1st Regular Season FAB 50: Lots of Movement!

Ronnie Flores — Tue, 28 Nov 2023 01:31:20 +0000

There was a full slate of holiday showcases and tournaments over Thanksgiving weekend and the results caused plenty of movement in the first edition of the FAB 50 National Team Rankings powered by www.ebooksnet.com for the 2023-24 season. The fastest-rising club is new No. 6 No. 32 Wasatch Academy (Mt. Pleasant, Utah) as it knocked off previous No. 3 Columbus (Miami, Fla.). EYBL Scholastic play will cause movement in coming weeks, while Combine Academy (Lincolnton, N.C.) leads list of newcomers at No. 21.

By Ronnie Flores

As we stated in the preseason, the teams that made up the back end of the FAB 50 National Team Rankings?powered by?www.ebooksnet.com have plenty to prove and work to do in order to move up into the top half of the nation's longest-running national rankings. The gap between the majority of the Top 25 and the bottom 25 is growing wider each year and the teams at the top of the rankings generally play tough schedules and tend to beat up each other.

These two rankings factors are especially true for teams that belong to the newly-announced Nike EYBL Scholastic League, a 14-team loop previously called the National Interscholastic Basketball Conference (NIBC). One of its members, preseason No. 23 Wasatch Academy (Mt. Pleasant, Utah), pulled off the first upset of the 2023-24 regular season when it took down previous No. 3 Columbus (Miami, Fla.), 75-73, in one of the marquee games of the Holiday Hoopsgiving in Atlanta, Ga.

The Tigers shot the ball well from the outside, canning 12-of-31 3-pointers, while the Explorers made 5-of-24 in a two point game. Coach Paul Peterson got a big game from 6-foot-8 2024 (senior) forward Bhan Buom with 19 points, six rebounds and 4 assists. Junior guard Isiah Harwell also played well, scoring 15 points and canning 3-of-7 3-pointers, while 6-foot-4 senior Fischer Brown nailed four 3-pointers and finished with 12 points for a team that moves up 17 spots in the first rankings update of the regular season.

The reason the Tigers are able to move up (despite a 65-56 loss to Dream City Christian of Arizona at the Holiday Hoopsgiving) is they have plenty of landmines upcoming in league play, plus Columbus can't fall too far in the rankings (falling four spots to No. 7) as it owns victories over previous No. 21 McEachern (Powder Springs, Ga.), 86-59, and over previous No. 6 Prolific Prep (Napa, Calif.), 81-78 in overtime. On top of that, Columbus will get its crack on the road at top-ranked Montverde Academy (Montverde, Fla.) on December 1 (5:30 pm ET, ESPN2). That game will feature last year's Mr. Basketball USA, junior Cameron Boozer of Columbus, and this year's preseason front-runner, Duke-bound senior forward Cooper Flagg of Montverde Academy.

Boozer, the only sophomore to ever earn a production-based national player of the year honor, had 26 points, 12 rebounds and six assists in a losing effort versus Wasatch. Incredibly, in the overtime victory over Prolific Prep, Boozer fouled out with 55.9 seconds remaining in regulation and with the Explorers trialing 68-61. That's when his twin brother Cayden Boozer, a 6-foot-4 junior point guard, spark the comeback. Columbus cut its deficit to 70-69 on his 3-pointer with 7.1 seconds remaining, then Prolific Prep's Winters Grady put his team up three after two made free throws. Columbus' Jase Richardson then sprinted to the 3-point line and threw in a banked 3-point shot as time expired to send the game into overtime and the Columbus faithful into a frenzy.

Richardson, a Michigan St. pledge who began his career at Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas, Nev.), finished with 19 points, including five in overtime after going for 17 points and seven rebounds in the close loss to Wasatch Academy. Cayden Boozer finished with 25 points, while top-rated junior A.J. Dybansta scored 35 points for Prolific Prep.

Prolific Prep will look to rebound from the loss this Saturday in Louisville, Ky., when The Crew takes on No. 2 Link Academy (Branson, Mo.) at the Derek Smith Shootout. Link Academy will take on top-ranked Montverde Academy on December 8 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

This week, four University Interscholastic League (UIL) teams fell from the rankings, but Lone Star State hoop fans shouldn't fret. There are many fine teams in Texas and two that were on the preseason FAB 50 bubble and in the Southwest Region Top 20 moved in as unbeaten clubs: No. 30 Stony Point (Round Rock, Texas) and No. 43 Plano East (Plano, Texas). Texas' preseason top-ranked teams have also played many more games already than many teams from other regions in the country and started off playing tough schedules, particularly at the Thanksgiving Hoopfest in Dallas. We envision a scenario where some of the UIL's top state title contenders can and will move back in after the rest of the country begins to play games. Some of the teams with 0-0 records at this point, and those that remain in the rankings that don't play high-powered schedules, are susceptible to being hopped down the line by those that took on tough teams early or play a schedule more national in scope.

We nearly decided to keep Texas power Duncanville (Texas) in the FAB 50, but eventually decided the margin of defeat versus Stony Point was a bit too large (90-65). We also had to make room for Alta (Sandy, Utah), which defeated preseason No. 14 Sunrise Christian Academy (Bel Aire, Kan.), 75-56, at the 5 for The Fight Hoopfest in Utah on Nov. 20.

Alta will take on No. 46 Corner Canyon (Draper, Utah) on December 5. That club dropped an early season contest to still unbeaten and newcomer Wheeler (Marietta, Ga.), which jumps into the FAB 50 at No. 28 after starting out two spots outside of the FAB 50 at No. 11 in the preseason Southeast Region Top 20.

The next FAB 50 update is scheduled for Monday, December 11.

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

(1st poll of 2023-24 regular season; Through games played on Sunday, November 26; *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.)	4-0
2	2	Link Academy (Branson, Mo.)	6-0
3	4	Long Island Lutheran (Glen Head, N.Y.)	0-0
4	5	Paul VI (Chantilly, Va.)	0-0
5	7	IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.)	2-0
6	23	Wasatch Academy (Mt. Pleasant, Utah)	3-2
7	3	Columbus (Miami, Fla.)	2-1
8	6	Prolific Prep (Napa, Calif.)	8-1
9	8	John Marshall (Richmond, Va.)	0-0
10	9	Sidwell Friends (Washington, D.C.)	0-0
11	10	Richmond Heights (Richmond Heights, Ohio)	0-0
12	11	Harvard-Westlake (North Hollywood, Calif.)	4-0
13	12	Gonzaga (Washington, D.C.)	0-0
14	13	Archbishop Stepinac (White Plains, N.Y.)	0-0
15	16	AZ Compass Prep (Chandler, Ariz.)	7-1
16	25	La Lumiere (La Porte, Ind.)	5-0
17	29	Grayson (Loganville, Ga.)	6-0
18	17	De Pere (De Pere, Wis.)	0-0
19	18	Don Boso Prep (Ramsey, N.J.)	0-0
20	19	St. John Bosco (Bellflower, Calif.)	1-0
21	NR	Combine Academy (Lincolnton, N.C.)	9-0
22	22	Lincoln Park (Midland, Pa.)	0-0
23	20	Kokomo (Kokomo, Ind.)	1-1
24	43	Bishop O’Connell (Arlington, Va.)	1-0
25	24	Winston-Salem Christian (Winston-Salem, N.C.)	7-2
26	15	Myers Park (Charlotte, N.C.)	0-1
27	26	North Mecklenburg (Huntersville, N.C.)	2-0
28	BB	Wheeler (Marietta, Ga.)	6-0
29	33	Perry (Gilbert, Ariz.)	3-0
30	BB	Stony Point (Round Rock, Texas)	5-0
31	32	Archbishop Ryan (Philadelphia, Pa.)	0-0
32	28	Oak Ridge (Orlando, Fla.)	2-1
33	42	Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.)	2-0
34	44	Roosevelt (Eastvale, Calif.)	5-0
35	34	Edmond North (Edmond, Okla.)	0-0
36	35	St. Mary Prep (Orchard Lake, Mich.)	0-0
37	36	Hudson Catholic (Hudson, N.J.)	0-0
38	46	Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth, Calif.)	4-0
39	37	St. Ignatius (Cleveland, Ohio)	0-0
40	38	Bullis (Potomac, Md.)	0-0
41	39	Brother Rice (Bloomfield Hills, Mich.)	0-0
42	40	Archbishop Wood (Warminster, Pa.)	0-0
43	BB	Plano East (Plano, Texas)	9-0
44	NR	Alta (Sandy, Utah)	2-0
45	14	Sunrise Christian Academy (Bel Aire, Kan.)	1-2
46	31	Corner Canyon (Draper, Utah)	1-1
47	21	McEachern (Powder Springs, Ga.)	2-2
48	48	Bellevue West (Bellevue, Neb.)	0-0
49	49	Totino-Grace (Fridley, Minn.)	0-0
50	50	Owyhee (Meridian, Idaho)	0-0

Dropped Out: Previous No. 27 Oak Cliff Faith Family (Dallas, Texas), No. 30 Brennan (San Antonio, Texas), No. 41 Ben Davis (Indianapolis, Ind.), No. 45 South Grand Prairie (Grand Prairie, Texas), No. 47 Duncanville (Duncanville, Texas).

Bubble Teams:? American Fork (Utah) 0-1; Archbishop Riordan (San Francisco, Calif.) 0-1; Atascocita (Humble, Texas) 8-1; Beaumont United (Beaumont, Texas) 4-0; Ben Davis (Indianapolis, Ind.) 0-1; Berkmar (Lilburn, Ga.) 3-0; Blue Valley Northwest (Overland Park, Kan.) 0-0; Brennan (San Antonio, Texas) 6-4; Brewster Academy (Wolfeboro, N.H.) 4-0; Broken Arrow (Broken Arrow, Okla.) 0-0; Brownsburg (Brownsburg, Ind.) 2-0; Camden (Camden, N.J.) 0-0; Canton (Canton, Miss.) 4-0; Cathedral (Indianapolis, Ind.) 2-0; Centerville (Centerville, Ohio) 0-0; Central Cabarrus (Concord, N.C.) 1-0; Chaminade (St. Louis, Mo.) 0-0; Christ the King (Middle Village, N.Y.) 0-0; De La Salle (Concord, Calif.) 1-0; Desert Mountain (Scottsdale, Ariz.) 0-0; Dorman (Roebuck, S.C.) 3-0; Duncanville (Duncanville, Texas) 3-3; Eastern Hills (Ft. Worth, Texas) 5-1; Eastside Catholic (Sammamish, Wash.) 0-0; Fishers (Fishers, Ind.) 2-0; Homewood Flossmor (Flossmor, Ill.) 4-0; Imhotep Charter (Philadelphia, Pa.) 0-0; Kenwood Academy (Chicago, Ill.) 1-0; Lake Travis (Austin, Texas) 8-0; Lawrence North (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1-0; Little Rock Christian Academy (Little Rock, Ark.) 2-0; Lyon County (Eddyville, Ky.) 0-0; Madison Prep (Baton Rouge, La.) 3-0; Marquette University (Milwaukee, Wis.) 0-0; Mater Lakes Academy (Miami, Fla.) 2-0; Millennium (Goodyear, Ariz.) 4-1; Mt. St. Joseph (Baltimore, Md.) 3-0; Newton (Covington, Ga.) 4-1; North Crowley (Ft. Worth, Texas) 9-1; Notre Dame (Sherman Oaks, Calif.) 3-0; Oak Cliff Faith Family (Dallas, Texas) 4-3; Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.) 7-0; Salesian (Richmond, Calif.) 2-0; Seven Lakes (Katy, Texas) 7-3; South Grand Prairie (Grand Prairie, Texas) 7-2; St. Rose (Belmar, N.J.) 0-0; Sunnyslope (Phoenix, Ariz.) 2-0; Thornton (Harvey, Ill.) 4-0; Valley (West Des Moines, Iowa) 0-0; Vashon (St. Louis, Mo.) 1-1; Volcano Vista (Albuquerque, N.M.) 0-0; Wayzata (Plymouth, Minn.) 0-0; W.T. White (Dallas, Texas) 5-1.

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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Preseason 2023-24 EAST Region Top 20 Rankings!

Ronnie Flores — Tue, 07 Nov 2023 22:17:49 +0000

As a follow up to the preseason FAB 50, we go 20 teams deep from five separate regions of the nation. Preseason No. 1 ranked teams by region are Long Island Lutheran (East), Montverde Academy (Southeast), Richmond Heights (Midwest), Link Academy (Southwest) and Prolific Prep (West). Nobody across the country ranks as many teams as the FAB 50 National Team Rankings powered by www.ebooksnet.com.

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

By Ronnie Flores

(Final 2022-23 ranking in parentheses; *Indicates forfeit wins, forfeit losses not included; **Indicates forfeits and defaults not included)

FAB 50 Preseason?
EAST Region Top 20
(Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia)

1. (2) Long Island Lutheran (Glen Head, N.Y.) 23-3
2. (7) Paul VI (Chantilly, Va.) 31-4
3. (1) John Marshall (Richmond, Va.) 28-0
4. (5) Sidwell Friends (Washington, D.C.) 29-4
5. (16) Gonzaga (Washington, D.C.) 26-11
6. (14) Archbishop Stepinac (White Plains, N.Y.) 22-10
7. (NR) Don Bosco Prep (Ramsey, N.J.) 26-3
8. (12) Lincoln Park (Midland, Pa.) 30-1
9. (NR) Archbishop Ryan (Philadelphia, Pa.) 17-11
10. (NR) Hudson Catholic (Hudson, N.J.) 16-12
11. (NR) Bullis (Potomac, Md.) 26-5*
12. (NR) Archbishop Wood (Warminster, Pa.) 19-9
13. (NR) Bishop O’Connell (Arlington, Va.) 16-14
14. (NR) St. Rose (Belmar, N.J.) 23-5
15. (4) Imhotep Charter (Philadelphia, Pa.) 30-3
16. (NR) Brewster Academy (Wolfeboro, N.H.) 35-6
17. (9) Mt. St. Joseph (Baltimore, Md.) 38-4
18. (NR) Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.) 24-15
19. (15) Christ the King (Middle Village, N.Y.) 23-5
20. (3) Camden (Camden, N.J.) 23-2**

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 Preseason 2023-24 EAST Region Top 20 Rankings! appeared first on www.ebooksnet.com.

Preseason 2023-24 SOUTHEAST Region Top 20 Rankings!

Ronnie Flores — Tue, 07 Nov 2023 22:09:29 +0000

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

By Ronnie Flores

(Final 2022-23 ranking in parentheses; *Indicates forfeit wins, forfeit losses not included; **Indicates forfeits and defaults not included)

FAB 50 Preseason?
SOUTHEAST Region Top 20
(Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee)

1. (1) Montverde Academy (Montverde, Fla.) 23-3
2. (2) Columbus (Miami, Fla.) 26-4
3. (4) IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.) 17-8
4. (10) Myers Park (Charlotte, N.C.) 28-4
5. (16) McEachern (Powder Springs, Ga.) 23-7
6. (NR) Winston-Salem Christian (Winston-Salem, N.C.) 39-5
7. (NR) North Mecklenburg (Huntersville, N.C.) 29-3
8. (NR) Oak Ridge (Orlando, Fla.) 19-10
9. (NR) Grayson (Loganville, Ga.) 24-6
10. (NR) Chambers (Charlotte, N.C.) 23-7
11. (5) Wheeler (Marietta, Ga.) 27-7
12. (15) DME Academy (Daytona Beach, Fla.) 26-8**
13. (NR) Madison Prep (Baton Rouge, La.) 35-14
14. (NR) Isidore Newman (New Orleans, La.) 32-6
15. (13) West Oaks (Orlando, Fla.) 21-9
16. (NR) Gray Collegiate Academy (West Columbia, S.C.) 25-6
17. (NR) Buckhorn (New Market, Ala.) 27-7
18. (3) Central Cabarrus (Concord, N.C.) 32-0
19. (NR) Raymond (Raymond, Miss.) 27-7
20. (7) Dorman (Roebuck, S.C.) 29-2

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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Preseason 2023-24 MIDWEST Region Top 20 Rankings!

Ronnie Flores — Tue, 07 Nov 2023 22:00:42 +0000

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

By Ronnie Flores

(Final 2022-23 ranking in parentheses; *Indicates forfeit wins, forfeit losses not included; **Indicates forfeits and defaults not included)

FAB 50 Preseason?
MIDWEST Region Top 20
(Kentucky, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, Wisconsin)

1. (4) Richmond Heights (Richmond Heights, Ohio) 29-0
2. (2) De Pere (De Pere, Wis.) 29-0
3. (9) Kokomo (Kokomo, Ind.) 24-5?
4. (NR) La Lumiere (La Porte, Ind.) 19-10?
5. (NR) St. Mary Prep (Orchard Lake, Mich.) 15-11
6. (NR) St. Ignatius (Cleveland, Ohio) 19-8
7. (18) Brother Rice (Bloomfield Hills, Mich.) 22-2?
8. (1) Ben Davis (Indianapolis, Ind.) 33-0
9. (NR) Totino-Grace (Fridley, Minn.) 24-8
10. (NR) Kenwood Academy (Chicago, Ill.) 28-7?
11. (NR) Cathedral (Indianapolis, Ind.) 19-6?
12. (17) Centerville (Centerville, Ohio) 25-4?
13. (8) Metamora (Metamora, Ill.) 34-2?
14. (NR) Lyon County (Eddyville, Ky.) 31-6
15. (NR) Marquette University (Milwaukee, Wis.) 21-7
16. (12) Wayzata (Plymouth, Minn.) 27-4?
17. (NR) Thornton (Harvey, Ill.) 14-12
18. (19) Valley (West Des Moines, Iowa) 21-5?
19. (NR) Park Center (Brooklyn Park, Minn.) 28-3
20. (20) Dakota Valley (North Sioux City, S.D.) 26-0??

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Final, Expanded 2022-23 FAB 50 Rankings!

Ronnie Flores — Tue, 25 Jul 2023 21:49:47 +0000

All 50 ranked teams written up with explanations for why they were placed in these positions with comparisons to preseason ranking. The FAB 50 National Team Rankings powered by www.ebooksnet.com is the official rankings of the National Sports News Service, which date back to the 1952 season. Link Academy of Missouri is the 2022-23 mythical national champion, as the program captured the FAB 50 title in only its second year of eligibility in the nation's longest-running weekly rankings.

Compiled by Ronnie Flores

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

1. (11) Link Academy (Branson, Mo.) 27-1
It was quite a remarkable season for the Lions considering they were breaking in a new coach in Bill Armstrong, a former assistant at LSU, and a new crop of players. The talent was there to begin a bit higher, but considering the coaching change and its status as a program eligible for the FAB 50 for only the second year, No. 11 seemed like the correct range. That point was highlighted when Link Academy met preseason No. 1 Montverde Academy of Florida at the Metro Classic in N.J. Link Academy had started off the season 23-0, but couldn’t overcome early 15-0 and 12-0 MVA runs in a 84-58 loss. Link’s two best victories up to that point were a 72-66 win over No. 14 Sunrise Christian Academy (Bel Aire, Kan.) and a 30-point shellacking of No. 32 Oak Cliff Faith Family (Dallas, Texas). Coach Armstrong’s team was able to make up for the awful first quarter against Montverde Academy at GIECO Nationals by capturing the tournament MVA was part of. Montverde Academy, the top seed, fell in its quarterfinal contest to the same Sunrise Christian Academy team Link Academy beat during the regular season. Despite being No. 2 in the FAB 50, the Lions were awarded the No. 4 seed and downed No. 5 seed and FAB 50 No. 18 Paul VI (Chantilly, Va.), a team that spent some time at No. 1, 68-65, behind All-American Ja’Kobe Walter’s 34-point performance. Armstrong’s crew defeated Sunrise Christian Academy for the second time in the tourney semifinals, 67-61, behind 16 points and 10 assists from All-American point guard Elliot Cadeau. Tennessee-bound guard Cameron Carr also had a big game for the Lions in the win over Sunrise Christian Academy with 18 points. Link Academy was able to secure the top spot in the rankings with a dominant 73-55 title game win over No. 9 AZ Compass Prep (Chandler, Ariz.) in a contest the Lions were in control of throughout. Walter, bound for Baylor, netted a game-high 21 points on 6-of-8 shooting from the field, including 3-of-4 3-point shots, while Tyler McKinley, a 6-foot-9 junior, had a big outing with 17 points and six rebounds. In all, the Lions defeated seven FAB 50 ranked foes during a season in which it did one game better than its first FAB 50 eligible club, as the 2021-22 Link club lost in the GEICO Nationals title game to Montverde Academy and finished No. 2. Cadeau, a junior, eventually re-classed up to attend North Carolina, but the momentum from the GEICO Nationals run should pay dividends in 2023-24.

2. (1) Montverde Academy (Montverde, Fla.) 23-3 ?
It was another successful season for a program that has won more high level games than any other program in the past decade. Coach Kevin Boyle’s club started out as preseason FAB 50 No. 1 for the eighth time in the past 11 seasons and for the second consecutive season finish No. 2 after starting out on top. The Eagles lost the preseason No. 1 spot with a November 65-54 loss to No. 9 AZ Compass Prep and in December suffered a 56-55 setback to No. 27 Mt. St. Joseph (Baltimore, Md.) at the Iolani Classic in Hawaii. Yes, the Eagles lost in the GEICO Nationals quarterfinals to No. 14 Sunrise Christian Academy, but deserve major rankings credit for three reasons. One, they beat Sunrise Christian Academy twice during the regular season, finished 11-1 and in first place in the National Interscholastic Basketball Conference (NIBC) and handed No. 1 Link Academy its only loss. Boyle’s club made a big statement in that game with a 29-7 lead after one period. Link Academy tried in vain to get back in it, but could get no closer than 12 points in the second quarter of its lone 84-58 setback. The scoring in that game displayed MVA’s balance and versatility, as junior forward Derik Queen had a game-high 21 points and 13 rebounds. Junior wing Liam McNeeley netted 15 points, while junior guard Curtis Givens added 13 points. Oregon-bound forward K.J. Evans added 10 points, seven rebounds and five assists, while junior forward Asa Newell added 10 points and nine rebounds. On top on that, the team’s most highly-honored and talented player was sophomore forward Cooper Flagg (9.8 ppg, 5.2 rpg, 3.0 apg 2.2 bpg). This balanced team had four players average between 9-14 points, with McNeeley the leading scorer, and could field its best team in 2023-24 since the dominant 2019-20 that is considered one of the sport’s best of all-time.

?3. (8) Duncanville (Duncanville, Texas) 28-1?
It was another remarkable season for a program that finished as the University Interscholastic League’s (UIL) best for the fifth consecutive season. 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 (recent 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. Without the luxury of the state playoffs, Duncanville recorded quality wins over 6. Columbus (Miami, Fla.), No. 21 Roselle Catholic (Roselle, N.J.) and No. 23 Centennial (Corona, Calif.). McDonald’s All-American Ronald Holland, a forward who will play for the G League Ignite next season, took over down the stretch vs. Centennial and finished with 24 points. The next night he had 25 points and eight rebounds vs. Columbus and Cameron Boozer. 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.

4. (BB) Ben Davis (Indianapolis, Ind.) 33-0?
The Giants were the first team from the Midwest Region outside the preseason FAB 50 behind No. 47 Pewaukee (Wis.) and obviously should have been given more credence among those teams. Cathedral started out as the FAB 50’s highest ranked Midwest Region and Indiana High School State Athletic Association (IHSAA) team at No. 13, but the Giants downed that club in December, 62-50, while Cathedral went on to defeat preseason Midwest No. 2 and FAB 50 No. 16 Pickerington Central of Ohio, 65-61, in January. As for Ben Davis, it rolled along and made it all the way to the Class 4A state title game unbeaten. Basketball is still king in the Hoosier State and over 15,000 people showed up at Gainbridge Fieldhouse to watch the Giants take on bubble club Kokomo, which downed then No. 22 Penn (Wishawaka, Ind.), 58-57, in the state semifinals. Behind 20 points from Ball State signee Zane Doughty and 16 points from sophomore Mark Zackery, the Giants rolled to a 53-41 victory and its fourth IHSAA state crown. The last time an unbeaten Indiana team finished as the state’s No. 1 ranked team was in 2019-20 when Bloomington South finished 26-0, but didn’t get to win an on-court state crown because of COVID-19. Ben Davis’ last won a state crown in 2016-17 when it finished No. 45 in the FAB 50. This Ben Davis team was much more dominant, winning 29 games by double-digits with a averaging winning margin of 18.3 points. Doughty was first team all-state, averaging 13.5 ppg, 9.2 rpg and 2.8 bpg while shooting 61.1 percent from the field.

5. (22) John Marshall (Richmond, Va.) 28-0
If there was ever a state association that needs an open division or Tournament of Champions, it's the Virginia High School League (VSHL). The Justices were expected to be good, but were even more dominant that expected, capturing their second consecutive Class 2A state crown and their fifth since 2014 under coach Ty White. The state title game was a coronation (the entire Class 2A playoffs were actually), as the Justices rolled past Radford, 91-34. The team’s average margin of victory in the post-season was a whopping 65.5 ppg in six contests. From a rankings standpoint, the VHSL competition did not help John Marshall, as it won its 20 games vs. in-state competition by an average of 46.5 ppg. The Justices, however, recorded key victories over No. 6 Columbus (50-47) and No. 20 Wheeler (68-55) at the Chick-fil-A Classic in South Carolina. North Carolina-bound Dennis Parker Jr. (20.0 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 2,4 spg) and Vanderbilt-bound Jason Rivera (15.1 ppg, 7.9 rpg, 3.3 apg, 3.5 spg) led the way, while junior Damon Thompson Jr. (14.6 ppg, 3.4 apg) and freshman Latrell Allmond (13.4 ppg, 8.9 rpg, 3.5 bpg) stepped up all season long. This team began the season ranked two spots higher than the 2020-21 John Marshall club that Parker was supposed to play a big role on and perhaps could have been the best in program history, but wasn’t able play after Richmond Public Schools cancelled the entire season because of the pandemic.

6. (18) Columbus (Miami, Fla.) 26-4?
Last season, Columbus put itself on the FAB 50 map by capturing the FHSAA Class 7A state title to finish No. 45 in the FAB 50 with a 29-2 record. The 2022-23 team returned en masse, but the expectations were much higher and the schedule tougher. The Explorers did lose two more games than in 2021-22, but two of those were to teams ranked higher (No. 3 Duncanville and No. 5 John Marshall). Columbus also lost to No. 13 Imhotep Charter, but defeated No. 12 Camden (N.J.), No. 18 Paul VI (Chantilly, Va.) and No. 20 Wheeler. The Explorers’ 66-64 loss to unranked Palmetto (Fla.) in overtime of the Class 7A, District 16 title game didn’t end up costing them much from a rankings perspective because it defeated that club twice by a combined 67 points, was still the No. 1 seed in the FHSAA playoffs and ended up capturing their second consecutive state crown. Of course, sophomore forward Cameron Boozer and his twin brother Cayden grab most of the headlines, but this was a well-rounded team with many contributors as evidenced in the state title run. The Explorers defeated Winter Haven, 50-48, and sealed the state title when junior forward Malik Abdullahi came up with a steal that led to the game-winning lay-up by senior Garyn Bess with six seconds remaining. Cayden Boozer (15.1 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 4.3 apg) had 21 points in the win and his improvement was one of the top storylines for a team that could challenge for preseason No. 1 next season. Cameron’s historic tenth-grade season saw him average 21.1 ppg, 11.2 rpg, 4.2 apg and 2.0 bpg, while shooting 62.1 percent from the field, 41.6 percent from the 3-point line and 89.1 percent from the charity stripe.

7. (NR) Central Cabarrus (Concord, N.C.) 32-0 ?
We had the Vikings as the No. 2 team in our Southeast Region pecking order among North Carolina High School Athletic Association (NCHSAA) programs behind Myers Park of Charlotte. The Southeast Region, however, is that strong where the Vikings just missed the Top 20. Myers Park went on to capture the NCHSAA Class 4A title, but Central Cabarrus ended up as the state’s best team and the highest-ranked one nationwide which didn’t crack our preseason rankings. We knew the Vikings would be good, but they ended up unbeaten, closing out their season with a 65-51 Class 3A state title game victory over Northwood of Pittsboro to capture their second state title since 2020. The program will enter 2023-24 having won 62 of its last 63 games. Senior guard Adriel Miller (5.4 ppg) got the Vikings off on the right foot, scoring 11 of his 16 points in the opening period. Junior forward Desmond Kent Jr. (12.4 ppg, 4.9 rpg, 2.3 bpg) also netted 16 points vs. Northwood, whom the Vikings’ defense forced 19 turnovers against. Central Cabarrus easily downed West Charlotte, 78-51, in the 3A West Regional final to extract a measure of revenge after last year’s playoffs loss to the same club. The ringleader of a team with five double-digit scorers was six-foot, Charleston Southern-bound Jaiden Thompson, who averaged 19.8 ppg, 5.4 rpg, 4.0 apg and 4.3 spg.

?8. (34) Lake Highlands (Dallas, Texas) 34-3
The Wildcats were considered the biggest threat to Duncanville’s UIL Class 6A supremacy and when the four-time defending champs opted out of the 2022-23 playoffs, Lake Highlands did what was expected of it. Coach Joe Duffield’s club went on to capture the UIL Class 6A title while finishing as the No. 2 ranked UIL club behind Duncanville after losing to the Panthers, 53-52, in its third game of the season. Lake Highlands fell to No. 18 Paul VI (64-58) at the City of Palms Tournament in Florida and to No. 23 Centennial (70-64) at the John Wall Invitational in North Carolina, but were able to finish ranked above those clubs by defeating then No. 13 Beaumont United (Beaumont, Texas), 55-44, at the Alamodome in San Antonio to capture the program’s first state crown since 1968. Beaumont United cut its deficit to 44-42 with five minutes remaining in the game, but the Timberwolves did not score a field goal in the final 4:54 of the game. All-American Tre Johnson (21.8 ppg, 6.4 rpg, 2.7 apg, 1.7 spg, 52-42-91 split), the Dallas Morning News Player of the Year and TABC Mr. Basketball as a junior, led the way with 29 points and eight rebounds for the victors. Samson Aletan, a 6-foot-10 Yale bound center, was key to Lake Highland’s defensive prowess throughout the season and finished the title game with 10 points, 10 rebounds and a Class 6A state title game record seven blocked shots. A third key cog was junior guard Jaylen Washington.

9. (4) AZ Compass Prep (Chandler, Ariz.) 23-7
In its first season as a FAB 50 eligible team team, the Dragons were considered a legit FAB 50 title contender. They came up a bit short of that, but did spend some time at No. 1 after defeating preseason No. 1 Montverde Academy, 65-54, in its first National Interscholastic Basketball Conference (NIBC) game. Coach Ed Gipson’s club also defeated No. 14 Sunrise Christian Academy, 53-47, the next evening, but had some ups and downs in conference play. AZ Compass Prep finished tied for fourth place with No. 10 Long Island Lutheran in the NIBC standings, but finish ranked ahead of LuHi after avenging the regular season loss with a 73-71 victory in the GEICO Nationals quarterfinals. The Dragons then mauled No. 19 IMG Academy, 68-50, in the semifinals before losing in the championship game to No. 1 Link Academy, 73-55. Incredibly, no Dragon made an official all-NIBC club but Oregon-bound Mookie Cook did receive All-American acclaim and New Mexico-bound Tru Washington was arguably the nation’s best sixth man.

10. (25) Long Island Lutheran (Glen Head, N.Y.) 23-3
The Crusaders finished in second place in the NIBC standings at 10-2, one game behind conference champ Montverde Academy, but must remain behind No. 9 AZ Compass Prep after losing to that club in the quarterfinals of GEICO Nationals by two points, 73-71. They did beat AZ Compass Prep during conference play, but also lost to the IMG Academy team the Dragons beat by 18 points (68-50) with the third loss coming to No. 2 MVA (56-51). LuHi did defeat PIAA Class 6A state champ and No. 13 Imhotep Charter (65-55) and No. 14 Sunrise Christian Academy (58-53). For the first time since 2019, the New York State Federation Tournament of Champions took place and LuHi won the Class AA title by downing then No. 49 Archbishop Stepinac (White Plains, N.Y.), 81-57. Junior V.J Edgecomb led the NIBC in scoring (15.5 ppg) and earned first team all-NIBC honors, while senior guard Jayden Reid, who scored 43 points in two TOC games, earned second team laurels, with UConn-bound forward Jayden Ross earning third team honors.

11. (15) Harvard-Westlake (North Hollywood, Calif.) 33-2
The Wolverines started off as the No. 2 team from California and No. 3 in the West Region right behind No. 23 Centennial, the best team from the Golden State in both 2021 and 2022. Harvard-Westlake ended up ranked in the range expected of them in the preseason, but more importantly for their supporters, won their final game of the season to win the program’s first CIF Open Division state title after previously winning three in lower CIF divisions. The Wolverines’ state title game win in the North vs. South format came over St. Joseph (Santa Maria, Calif.), 76-65, but the two big wins from a rankings perspective came in the prior two games. Coach Dave Rebibo’s club downed season-long California No. 1 Centennial, 80-61, in the SoCal open final after avenging its CIF Southern Section pool play loss to No. 31 St. John Bosco. Centennial, if you recall, won its third consecutive CIFSS open crown on a wild steal and dunk at the buzzer at the Honda Center, while Harvard-Westlake failed to make it out of pool play. The only other loss for the Wolverines was to regionally-ranked Liberty of Las Vegas in the championship game of The Classic at Damien. Led by Mission League MVP Trent Perry, a junior, and St. John’s-bound forward Brady Dunlap, this team was one of the most balanced and well-rounded on both ends of the floor that we've been in CIF play over the past 40 years and is the program’s second highest-rated team ever. In 1996-97, the Collins twins (future NBA players Jason and Jarron) led Harvard-Westlake to the CIF D3 state title (the open division was still 15 years away) and No. 5 final ranking in the National Prep Poll (FAB 50 precursor). That team lost one game to a Tracy McGrady-led Mt. Zion club from North Carolina by four points in the Las Vegas Holiday Invitational Tournament title game.

12. (7) Camden (Camden, N.J.) 23-2**
Despite fielding a veteran team that only lost to two ranked clubs and finished in the range expected of it in the preseason, this season has to be considered a disappointment for the Panthers. On the court, Camden only lost to No. 6 Columbus in a game played in Florida and to No. 23 Centennial at the Spalding Hoophall Classic in Massachusetts. Camden did defeat No. 13 Imhotep Charter in a local showdown, but it’s what didn’t occur that hurt The High the most. The favorite to win the 2023 South Jersey Group 2 and state title wasn’t allowed to defend its state title after a melee in the first-ever Camden County Tournament final versus Eastside (Camden, N.J.). With four minutes, 23 seconds remaining in the second quarter, Camden’s Cornelius Robinson, a Bryant recruit, hit Eastside’s Titus Bacon as he was trying to set a screen near the right elbow. Bacon retaliated, which led multiple Panther players, including McDonald’s All-American D.J. Wagner, to chase after Bacon and other Tigers players. Almost immediately, the melee brought players from the benches, coaches and fans onto the court. Camden was leading, 30-17, when game officials canceled the remainder of the game. Per NJSIAA bylaws, any varsity team accumulating three or more player or coach disqualifications prior to the start of the NJSIAA state tournament will not be permitted to participate in it. Before the NJSIAA could rule on the incident, the Camden City School District decided to pulled both clubs from the state tournament. It was a bittersweet ending for a great Camden era, especially since a regular season game with eventual NJSIAA Non-Public B state champ and No. 21 Roselle Catholic wasn’t scheduled. Wagner (22.5 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 3.0 apg) scored 32 points vs. Columbus and 27 points vs. Centennial and was a Gatorade State POY three times and led The High to a 94-5 record in his four seasons. Center Aaron Bradshaw (12.0 ppg, 9.4 rpg, 2.4 bpg), who will join him at Kentucky, also earned All-American acclaim.

??13. (10) Imhotep Charter (Philadelphia, Pa.) 30-3 ?
The Panthers had another terrific campaign and were just as good as advertised in the preseason. Veteran coach Andre Noble (472-99) runs a program that has now won six of the past seven Philadelphia Public League titles (and 11 overall) after downing West Philadelphia, 72-42, in the 2023 City tile game. Along the way to its second consecutive Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association (PIAA) Class 5A state crown, the Panthers downed Archbishop Ryan of Philadelphia (a club that beat then No. 41 Radnor in the quarterfinals) in the semifinals, 72-50, and Exetor Township of Reading in the title game, 78-40. Kentucky-bound All-American forward Justin Edwards (17.9 ppg, 7.5 rpg) had 16 points and Florida Gulf coast-bound senior guard Rahmir Barno chipped in 15 points in the title game victory. The losses came against No. 10 Long Island Lutheran, No. 12 Camden and to unranked Simeon of Chicago. Edwards and company were able to offset the Simeon loss by capturing the title at the prestigious City of Palms Tournament in Florida, where it defeated No. 6 Columbus and No. 20 Wheeler.

14. (2) Sunrise Christian Academy (Bel Aire, Kan.) 22-8
The Buffaloes had national title aspirations, but suffered a few too many overall losses to be in contention. After GEICO Nationals, the Buffaloes got a slight bump up in the final rankings after losing by only six points (72-66) during the regular season to eventual GEICO Nationals champ Link Academy and for beating No. 2 Montverde Academy once in three games. The Buffaloes split with No. 19 IMG Academy, but are ranked higher after that club was routed by GEICO Nationals runner-up AZ Compass Prep in the semifinals. Coach Luke Barnwell’s club lost to the Dragons, 53-47. Outside of NIBC play, the best win for the Buffaloes was a 73-62 victory over No. 21 Roselle Catholic in the Bahamas. A nice core of seniors led the charge for Sunrise Christian, including All-American Matas Buzelis (15.6 ppg, 54-42-78 split), Arkansas-bound guard Layden Blocker (11.7 ppg, 1.7 spg) and Ohio St.-bound wing Scotty Middleton (10.9 ppg). Sunrise Christian is now 2-4 all-time at GEICO Nationals.

15. (37) Beaumont United (Beaumont, Texas) 36-2
The Timberwolves, similar to No. 8 Lake Highlands, did as expected from a preseason statewide perspective, but were even better from a national scope. After capturing back-to-back UIL Class 5A state crowns in 2021 and 2022, Beaumont United was moved up to Class 6A to challenge Duncanville and Lake Highlands for statewide supremacy. The Timberwolves were one game away from a 3-peat, falling to Lake Highlands, 55-44, in the UIL Class 6A title game. Beaumont United was down by two points with five minutes to go, but had a cold spell offensively at the most unfortunate of times, failing to convert another field goal the rest of the way. All-American and Washington-bound Wesley Yates III led the way in a losing effort with 21 points for a team that recorded wins over No. 16 Sidwell Friends (49-20), No. 42 Jonesboro (41-38) and No. 45 Corner Canyon (72-57) with its first loss vs. Washington of Houston coming in the second game of the season. Yates (20.1 ppg, 4.4 rpg, 2.4 apg, 2.4 spg) had to be accounted for at all times, while senior Trealyn Porchia (14.5 ppg, 7.4 rpg, 2.1 apg, 2.4 spg) and junior Kayde Dotson (11.9 ppg, 3.4 rpg, 2.4 apg) also played key roles.

16. (21) Sidwell Friends (Washington, D.C.) 29-4 ?
This is a perfect spot for the Quakers since it lost to No. 15 Beaumont United at the King Cotton Tournament in Pine Bluff, Ark., after Christmas. The 49-20 final score is quite deceiving, as junior forward Caleb Williams was out with injury and the team was feeling the affects of a flu bug. Coach Eric Singletary’s club eventually got Williams back and jelled down the stretch. The results of getting healthy include a win over No. 18 Paul VI (75-68), capturing a second straight DCSAA Class AA title and winning the second annual State Champions Invitational (SCI) to overcome losses to unranked Newton of Georgia and St. Andrews’ Episcopal of Maryland, the latter whom the Quakers split with. Sidwell Friends defeated cross-town Jackson-Reed, 62-47, in the DCSAA title game behind a 20-point, 7-rebound, 6-assist, 4-steal performance from Lehigh-bound Cam Gillus. In the SCI, the second-seeded Quakers downed No. 45 Corner Canyon, 60-53, in the semifinals and No. 20 Wheeler, 57-53, in the title game. Gillus had 19 points and seven steals vs. Corner Canyon while Williams, named CSI MVP, had 13 points, eight rebounds, three blocks and two steals and came back with a 24-point performance vs. Wheeler.

17. (33) St. John’s (Washington, D.C.) 32-4
It makes sense for the Cadets to finish in this spot, as they downed then No. 7 Paul VI, 65-63, in the Washington Catholic Athletic Conference (WCAC) championship game. St. John’s, which lost to Jackson-Reed (a team No. 16 Sidwell Friends defeated) in the DCSAA Class AA semifinals, 66-63, captured its first WCAC title since 2016 when it finished No. 19 in the FAB 50. Similar to that club, this Cadets club also started No. 2 in our WCAC pecking order, but was able to upend Paul VI when junior point guard Daquan Davis scored the game-winning basket on a driving lay-up with time winding down when the Cadets chose not to take a timeout. St. John’s did finish second in the WCAC standings behind Paul VI while splitting with both them and DeMatha Catholic of Maryland. Davis scored a team high 21 points, while Donnie Freeman, another junior, had 16 points. Harvard-bound Malik Mack added 15 points, eight assists and three rebounds for a club that won the Torrey Pines Holiday Classic in San Diego, Calif. It was also an extremely motivated group with regards to capturing the WCAC crown after head coach Pat Behan was diagnosed with ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease in early summer of 2022 at age 34.

18. (3) Paul VI (Chantilly, Va.) 31-4
The Panthers were serious FAB 50 national title contenders and their positioning here and loss amount shouldn’t detract from that fact they were easily one of the nation’s best teams. After a two point loss (57-55) to No. 6 Columbus, the Panthers were able to rebound and rose to No. 1 in the FAB 50 until falling to No. 16 Sidwell Friends by seven points, 75-68, their largest loss margin of the season. Paul VI went into that game with little on the line, in terms of conference standings, and was playing without 6-foot-7 senior wing Isaiah Abraham. At halftime, Sidwell-Friends led 32-30, but Paul VI was outscored by eight points in the third period and to make matters worse, standout freshman guard Jordan Smith broke his wrist. Still. The Panthers had a chance to become the first team to go through their WCAC slate unbeaten since the 2012 Paul VI team that finished No. 12 in the FAB 50, but came up just short when DeShawn Harris-Smith’s long 3-point attempt rimmed out at the buzzer in the 65-63 WCAC title game loss to No. 17 St. John’s. Paul VI split with St. John’s and also had a bit of bad luck with their seed at GEICO Nationals. The Panthers drew the No. 5 seed against No. 4 seed Link Academy, who entered the event No. 2 in the FAB 50. Predictably, the Panthers gave the eventual champions their toughest game of the tournament, falling 68-65. Harris-Smith had a game-high 24 points in the WCAC title game and a team-high 18 vs. Link Academy. The WCAC MVP bound for Maryland averaged 17.8 ppg, 7.4 rpg, 6.3 apg and 2.6 spg.

19. (6) IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.) 17-8
The Ascenders are another NIBC club that was quite formidable throughout the season, but took a high loss count because of the competitive nature of the conference. Coach Sean McAloon’s club finished tied for third place in conference play at 8-4 with No. 9 AZ Compass Prep. The Dragons lost twice to IMG, but finished ranked higher by beating the Ascenders, 68-50, in the semifinals of GEICO Nationals. IMG did defeat No. 10 Long Island Lutheran and split with No. 14 Sunrise Christian Academy, but in the final analysis drop a few notches because of losses to unranked clubs Wasatch Academy of Utah, Huntington Prep of West Virginia and DME Academy of Florida. The team’s biggest victory was its 66-63 win over Prolific Prep (Napa, Calif.) to open GEICO Nationals, as first team all-NIBC performer Blue Cain (Georgia) scored 21 points. Cain’s backcourt mate Jacob Hutchinson, headed to George Wahington, was also a steady performer for a club that lost talented junior Bryson Tucker mid-way through the season.

20. (12) Wheeler (Marietta, Ga.) 27-7
The Wildcats showed why they were so highly-regarded in the preseason (the highest-ranked non-NIBC team in the Southeast Region) with their showing at the State Champions Invitational. After capturing the Georgia High School Association (GHSA) Class AAAAAAA title with a 78-58 win over Cherokee of Canton, Wheeler advanced to the SCI championship game without the services of USC-bound point guard Isaiah Collier. He had 22 points and seven assists in the state title game, but more than that was the nation’s best guard and arguably the best senior. Wheeler’s two-deep team showed what it could do without him, as the Wildcats downed No. 21 Roselle Catholic, 78-68, in the SCI semifinals with center Arrington Page, who will join Collier at USC, scoring 24 points, grabbing seven rebounds and blocking three shots. Iowa St.-bound Jelani Hamilton contributed 22 points, 13 rebounds and four assists. Wheeler led the title game vs. No. 16 Sidwell friends, 47-40, entering the fourth period, but just couldn’t sustain its lead and lost control of the contest in the final minute and a half before falling, 57-53. Regardless, the Wildcats moved up 11 spots in the rankings after the completion of the SCI. With Collier (19.6 ppg, 5.1 rpg. 6.8 apg, 2.3 spg) in the lineup, Wheeler did lose to unranked Sierra Canyon of California and Bishop Gorman of Nevada, with its other losses all to higher ranked clubs: No. 5 John Marshall, No. 6 John Marshall, No. 13 Imhotep Charter and No. 18 Paul VI.

21. (5) Roselle Catholic (Roselle, N.J.) 23-6
The Lions weren’t quite as good as forecasted in the preseason, but they only ended up losing once game to an unranked team in Gonzaga of Washington, D.C. (76-66). Gonzaga is no slouch and from a national perspective Roselle Catholic has been consistently relevant, earning a preseason ranking each season since 2013-14 and finishing outside the FAB 50 in a full season only once in that time period. Roselle Catholic captured the final NJSIAA Tournament of Champions title in 2021-22 and that core of players went on to capture this season’s NJSIAA Non-Public B state title with a 68-59 victory over St. Rose of Belmar. Akil Watson led the way vs. St. Rose with 23 points, while Duke-recruit Mackenzie Mgbako added 13 points and nine rebounds. Roselle Catholic defeated No. 41 Curtis (University Place, Wash.), 84-82, in a play-in game at the CSI, before falling in the semifinals to No. 20 Wheeler, 78-68. Two-time first team all-stater and All-American Simeon Wilcher had 29 points, five assists and three blocks in a highly-anticipated matchup with Curtis’ Zoom Diallo, but the offense sputtered in the loss to Wheeler. Wilcher averaged 15.4 ppg, 4.7 rpg and 5.7 apg for a team that did not lost in-state and went 17-0 in the NJSIAA state tournament during his stellar career.

22. (BB) Perry (Gilbert, Ariz.) 30-1
After all the games were complete in April, Perry fell two spots to make room for two teams that finished strong, particularly No. 16 Sidwell Friends and No. 21 Wheeler at the SCI. Arizona Interscholastic Association (AIA) state champs have competed in sanctioned end-of-the season national events, but Perry did not participate at the SCI even though AIA state champs are eligible. One season after capturing the program’s first Class 6A state crown, Perry won the first ever AIA open division state crown with a 74-58 win over Sunnyslope of Phoenix. We certainly knew about the Pumas in the preseason, but started them below Owyhee of Idaho and Liberty and Durango of Nevada partially because of their lack of a national schedule. Had Perry not dropped one game to Pinnacle of Pheonix, it certainly would have cracked the Top 15. Colorado bound Cody Williams (18.4 ppg, 6.7 rpg, 4.0 apg) was a McDonald’s All-American, but the team’s best player was sophomore Koa Peat. He finished with 35 points in the state title game and averaged 19.7 ppg, 9.4 rpg, 3.0 apg, 1.7 bpg and 1.3 spg as one of the best overall players in high school basketball.

23. (9) Centennial (Corona, Calif.) 30-4 ?
The Huskies were at No. 7 in the FAB 50 entering the CIF SoCal open final, where it fell to No. 11 Harvard-Westlake, 80-61, at home. The loss ended Centennial’s two-year reign as California's best team. Had it 3-peated in one of the nation’s toughest playoff brackets, the Huskies’ losses to No. 20 Wheeler and unranked Don Bosco Prep of New Jersey (lost to No. 21 Roselle Catholic) would have been overcome. Centennial’s other loss was to No. 3 Duncanville, 59-57, in Texas. The Huskies were able to capture their third consecutive CIF Southern Section open title in incredible fashion when LMU-bound senior forward Aaron McBride (13.5 ppg, 8.4 rpg, 3.0 apg, 1.3 bpg) jumped a passing lane and went straight downhill for a game-winning dunk at the buzzer in the big venue setting of the Honda Center. Coach Josh Giles called McBride the most irreplaceable player in program history. A terrific senior class also included California Mr. Basketball Jared McCain, a Duke recruit who averaged 18.0 ppg, 7.1 rpg, and 4.0 apg while shooting 36 percent from 3-point range and 83 percent from the line.

24. (BB) Bellevue West (Bellevue, Neb.) 29-0
The Thunderbirds opened up at No. 10 in the Southwest Region preseason rankings, behind two Texas teams and Staley (Kansas City, Mo.). We knew they were going to be good, but Bellevue West exceeded expectations and capped a dominant season with a 64-41 win over playoff rival Millard North of Omaha in the Nebraska School Activities Association (NSAA) Class A state title game. Bellevue West won 28 of 29 games by double-digits with a average winning margin of 26 ppg. Bellevue West and Millard North met in the title game for the fourth consecutive season, as Millard North won last season and finished No. 20 in the Southwest Region rankings. As a comparison, Millard North’s 2020-21 team had one of the most talent-laden rosters in NSAA history and won the state title game in overtime, 84-78, to finish No. 15 in the FAB 50. Josiah Dotzler netted 16 points in this year’s state final and was named Gatorade State Player of the Year after averaging 16.5 ppg, 4.1 rpg, 5.0 apg, and 2.1 spg, while junior Jaden Jackson averaged 14.7 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 2.3 apg and 1.8 spg. The Thunderbirds became the first unbeaten Class A state champ since Omaha Central in 2011-12, a team that finished No. 31 in the FAB 50.

25. (NR) De Pere (De Pere, Wis.) 29-0
Defending Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association (WIAA) D2 champ Pewaukee opened up as the state’s highest FAB 50 ranked team at No. 47, but it was the Redbirds that went to be the state’s best unit by capturing the D1 state crown with a 69-49 win over Arrowhead of Hartland. De Pere defeated Pewaukee along the way, 70-63, and set a WIAA record for most win in an unbeaten season while winning its first state crown since 1934. Senior guard John Kinzinger led the way in the state final with 24 points, while his young brother, sophomore Zach Kinzinger, added 19 points. Junior big man Will Hornseth added 17 points and 11 rebounds. The elder Kinzinger is headed for Illinois St. after earning all-state laurels for the third consecutive season and sharing Mr. Basketball honors with Pewaukee’s Milan Momcilovic.

26. (NR) Cass Tech (Detroit, Mich.) 28-1 ?
The Technicians burst onto the scene and capped their historic season by capturing the Michigan High School Athletic Association (MHSAA) D1 crown with a 78-63 victory over Muskegon (Mich.). Cass Tech used its “36 Minutes of Hell” full court pressure defense to take control in the fourth quarter. Sophomore Darius Acuff and senior Travon Cooper each netted 19 points for the Technicians, who lost one game in overtime, 66-65, to highly-regarded Brother Rice of Bloomfield Hills in the Operation Friendship game to close the regular season between the top team from Detroit’s Catholic and Public School Leagues. The big win was the state semifinal contest where Cass Tech outlasted Grand Blanc in overtime, 62-56, after Acuff banked in a game-tying 35-footer with two and a half seconds remaining in regulation. A 8-2 run keyed overtime for a team that made its first title game appearance since 1974. Acuff, the Public League’s Mr. Basketball as a sophomore, had 19 points and the Technicians also got a big performance off the bench from freshman Corey Salter Jr., who had 13 points and two key steals down the stretch in regulation.

27. (28) Mt. St. Joseph (Baltimore, Md.) 38-4 ?
The Gaels fell one spot in the final rankings, but finish right in the range predicted of them in the preseason. We pegged coach Pat Clatchey’s club as the team to beat in the Baltimore Catholic League (BCL) in the preseason over St. Frances Academy and Mt. St. Joseph went on to capture their second consecutive BCL title with a 59-50 victory over St. Maria Goretti (Hagerstown, Md.) at Goucher College in Baltimore. The Gaels defeated Goretti two out of three times during the season and also beat St. Frances twice in three tries. The other losses came against Philadelphia Catholic League runner-up Neumann-Goretti (which spent time FAB 50 ranked) and to No. 18 Paul VI with the big regular season win coming against No. 2 Montverde Academy at the Iolani Classic. All-American Amani Hansberry had 17 points and 21 rebounds in the BCL title game, while power forward Tyrone Farrell (17 points) and veteran guard Ace Valentine (17 points, 6 rebounds) also played well. With that win, the Gaels tied the BCL record for most victories in a single-season.

28. (NR) Richmond Heights (Richmond Heights, Ohio) 29-0
The Spartans were not on our preseason radar, but were able to jump into the FAB 50 when they defeated then No. 40 St. Edward (Lakewood, Ohio), 83-80, to cap off an unbeaten regular season. Richmond Heights took over as the state’s top ranked overall team and remained there after capturing the Ohio High School Athletic Association (OHSAA) D4 state crown. The Spartans led Convoy Crestview 31-22 at halftime, but completely blew open the game with a massive third quarter run, as the program won its second consecutive state title. Sophomore Dorian Jones went bonkers from 3-point range and nearly outscored Convoy Crestview by himself, making 7-of-10 3-pointers and finishing with 25 points in the 70-26 victory. The 6-foot-5 Jones (20.1 ppg) was named D4 State Player of the Year while another sophomore, 5-foot-11 De’Erick Barber (8.9 ppg) also earned all-state laurels. Sophomore Demarris Winters Jr. and junior Jeremy Wilson will also return next year as double-digit scorers.

29. (NR) Tualatin (Tualatin, Ore.) 24-5
At first glance it might appear the Timberwolves are ranked too high, but taking a deeper look they deserve plenty of rankings credit for the timing of their wins. Tualatin defeated No. 30 West Linn in the title game of the Oregon Schools Activities Association (OSAA) Class 6A state tournament to avenge three earlier losses to that club. Keep in mind, West Linn was ranked No. 20 at that time and had a win over No. 3 Duncanville. West Linn would have been ranked much higher, too, if not for a loss to De La Salle (Concord, Calif.), a team that lost to No. 31 St. John Bosco. Tualatin pulled off the 60-47 championship upset win behind a terrific defensive performance and 20 points from senior point guard Josiah Lake. Tualatin held West Linn to one field goal in the first quarter and out-rebounded the top seed, 37-23. It’s not as it was a total fluke either, as Tualatin could have beat the Lions in regulation in the quarterfinals of the Les Schwab Invitational, but missed some free throws and lost in overtime. Tualatin's core played together since middle school and won two consecutive Class 6A state crowns.

?30. (NR) West Linn (West Linn, Ore.) 28-2
The Lions were expected to be a quality team, but no OSAA club was placed in the preseason West Region rankings. Even if West Linn and/or Tualatin were, there was no way we’d have forecasted the type of season West Linn had under first-year coach Robert Key. West Linn defeated preseason West No. 5 Modesto Christian (Calif.), FAB 50 No. 31 St. John Bosco and West preseason No. 6 Sierra Canyon (Calif.). The win over Sierra Canyon came in the semifinals of the Les Schwab Invitational, and the next night the Lions became the first OSAA team to capture the prestigious tourney title since 2012 when it handed No. 3 Duncanville its only loss of the season, 62-50. Three-time Three Rivers League Player of the Year and two-time Gatorade State POY Jackson Shelstad played a big role in the LSI crown netting 30 points vs. Duncanville and averaging 33 ppg in four tourney games. With the Oregon-bound Shelstad (28.3 ppg, 5.4 rpg, 3.6 apg, 2.0 spg) leading the way, the Lions defeated Tualatin three of four times, but in the state title game Tualatin out-rebounded West Linn and beat them to 50-50 balls. Some of the luster was taken off those LSI results when West Linn fell to host De La Salle (Concord, Calif.) in a MLK showcase game when it was No. 12 in the FAB 50. West Linn, however, never was ranked higher than Duncanville.

31. (NR) St. John Bosco (Bellflower, Calif.) 26-7
Coach Matt Dunn’s program had a terrific season and could be even better in 2023-24 after exceeding 2022-23 preseason expectations. Bosco was able to crack the FAB 50 after advancing to the CIF Southern Section open division title game vs. No. 23 Centennial despite losing a pool play game to then No. 35 West Ranch (Valencia. Calif.). Bosco defeated eventual CIF open champ Harvard-Westlake in its second pool play game and advanced after Harvard-Westlake defeated West Ranch in the final pool play game. It took a memorable play for Centennial to down Bosco in the section final, 58-56. Harvard-Westlake then got its avenging win over Bosco in the SoCal open semifinal, 69-64. From a national perspective, Bosco only had one bad loss (a Trinity League split with JSerra) and was able to end the 34-year run of league titles by SoCal kingpin Mater Dei of Santa Ana. Sophomore Elzie Harrington was named Trinity League Player of the Year, junior and Loyola-Chicago-bound guard Jack Turner was often the leading scorer in big games and freshman Brandon McCoy Jr. is a star in the making.

32. (BB) Oak Cliff Faith Family (Dallas, Texas) 31-3**
For the second consecutive season, the Eagles were on the FAB 50 bubble but played their way into this range of the rankings. For the second consecutive season, they ventured to the Tarkanian Classic in Las Vegas, where they fell to host Bishop Gorman by two points (82-80) and lost a heart-breaking third place game at the buzzer to Mater Dei (63-61), the club No. 31 St. John Bosco bested for the Trinity League crown. Faith Family didn’t keep up with No. 1 Link Academy, falling 70-40, but as expected won their second consecutive University Interscholastic League (UIL) Class 4A state crown. Faith Family downed Houston Washington (a team that defeated No. 15 Beaumont United) in the title game, 70-56, as all-state and New Mexico-bound forward J.T. Toppin shined. He scored 14 of Faith Family’s 15 first quarter points and finished with 20, as the Eagles pulled away in the second half. Junior center Doryan Onwuchekwa also had a big game with 15 points and 15 rebounds. Faith Family’s final ranking is easy to place, as it defeated Dallas Carter (a team No. 33 Kimball lost to in overtime) in the state quarterfinals, 71-61 and owns a win over No. 34 Edmond North.

33. (BB) Kimball (Kimball, Texas) 33-2 ?
The last team in the preseason Southwest Regional rankings, the Knights got the last laugh after losing their season opener in overtime to Dallas Carter, which opened at No. 8 in the region, one spot behind Oak Cliff Faith Family. The only other team coach Nicholas Smith’s club lost to was FAB 50 No. 20 Wheeler. Kimball rolled to the UIL Class 5A state crown with a 69-48 victory over Ellison of Killeen. Kimball’s defense held Ellison to 33 percent shooting from the field and the Knights had four players in double figures, led by the 17 points of senior guard Tyler Hankamer (10.9 ppg, 4.9 rpg, 2.7 spg). Senior guard T’Johnn Brown (17.8 ppg, 5.2 apg, 3.5 spg) and senior forward DaCannon Wickware (11.4 ppg, 8.2 rpg) also were named to the Class 5A all-tournament team. Kimball won its seventh overall state title and first since 2014 when it finished No. 20 in the Southwest Regional rankings.

34. (BB) Edmond North (Edmond, Okla.) 26-2
The Huskies started out No. 11 in the preseason Southwest Regional rankings right behind Bellevue West of Nebraska. That club went on to win a state title and was the best team in its state and so was Edmond North. The Huskies earned that designation by downing Broken Arrow, 58-49, in the Oklahoma Secondary School Activities Association (OSSAA) Class 6A title game. They lost a holiday tournament game to Crossings Christian of Oklahoma City and to No. 32 Oak Cliff Faith Family in their second game by one point, 52-51. Coach Scott Norris felt his team did a good job of handling expectations as they were expected to repeat as state champions with the core of the team still underclassmen. In the state title game junior guard T.O. Barrett led the way with 17 points and three steals, while Dylan Warlick turned in a triple-double performance with 16 points and 17 rebounds. Junior Tatum Ridge added nine points off the bench, while junior guard Dontrell Yearby did an excellent defensive job of Oklahoma St.-bound Connor Dow of Brown Arrow. Warlick was one of two juniors named to the long-running and prestigious Oklahoman Super 5 and could be an All-American in 2023-24.

35. (NR) Warren Central (Bowling Green, Ky.) 36-1
The only Bluegrass team in the preseason FAB 50 was No. 43 George Rogers Clark (Winchester, Ky.), which defeated the Dragons by one point (43-42) in last year’s Kentucky High School Athletics Association (KHSAA) Sweet 16 championship game. The Dragons had plenty of motivation all season long, especially when a missed throw likely sealed their fate in that game. As fate would have it, Warren Central got another shot at the defending champions in this year’s UK HealthCare Sweet 16 title game and wouldn’t be denied, recording a 64-60 win. Kade Unseld, the son of Warren Central coach Will Unseld, hit two clutch free throws with 8.1 seconds remaining to seal the win and give the Dragons their first Sweet 16 title since 2004, when they finished No. 35 in the FAB 50. Unseld, a 6-foot-5 junior who averaged 16.1 ppg and 17.4, joined Sweet 16 MVP and Fourth Region Player of the Year Chappelle Whitney, a 6-foot-4 senior, on the all-state team. Whitney (16.7 ppg, 7.9 rpg) is headed to Auburn-Montgomery.

36. (NR) Christ School (Arden, N.C.) 31-4
The Greenies captured the North Carolina Independent Schools Athletic Association (NCISAA) Class 4A state crown with a 53-48 victory over Carmel Christian (Matthews, N.C.). Carmel Christian had opened the season as the top-rated NCISAA club and were the defending champions, but the Greenies wouldn’t be denied as they hit their free throws down the stretch. Carmel Christian, which jumped out to a 16-7 first quarter lead, had three players in double figures: Emmanuel Richards (16 points), Jamari Briggs (12) and Bryson Cokley (10). Christ School, which owned a win over No. 39 Dorman, was led in the scoring department by junior Keenan Wilkins (14.1 ppg, 4.5 apg), while Briggs (12.5 ppg) is also a junior.

37. (NR) Reading (Reading, Pa.) 32-1
The Red Knights were not on our preseason radar, but perhaps they shouldn’t have been doubted, as they closed out the season on a 23-game winning streak while capturing the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association (PIAA) Class 6A crown. Reading got plenty of rankings credit for defeating then No. 23 Roman Catholic (Philadelphia, Pa.), 62-56, in overtime in the championship game, as seniors Aris Rodriguez (16 points) and Myles Grey (14 points) led the way offensively. The Red Knights’ ranking makes sense since Roman Catholic defeated No. 39 Dorman and only lost one game to Washington Catholic Athletic Conference (WCAC) power Gonzaga of D.C., which was regionally ranked to begin the season and owned a win over No. 21 Roselle Catholic. In 2021, Reading won the Class 6A crown and finished No. 19 in the FAB 50.

38. (NR) Roman Catholic (Philadelphia, Pa.) 27-4
Similar to No. 37 Reading, the Cahillites moved up four spots in the final rankings after results played out in other states and the State Champions Invitational. Roman Catholic lost the regular season Philadelphia Catholic League game to Neumann-Goretti, but came back to beat that club to win the city title, 57-52, in overtime. Roman was down five points with a minute to go and it seemed over, but the Cahillites stormed back and got the game to overtime on an incredible bank shot by senior guard Xzavier Brown, who iced the game with free throws in the final seconds. Brown finished with 20 points, while Anthony Finkley added 13 points. Neumann-Goretti missed five free throws in the final minute of regulation, including two by standout guard Robert Wright that led to Brown’s banker. Even though the Cahillites won the Philly Catholic League crown for the 33rd time, they fell in overtime, 62-56, to No. 37 Reading in the PIAA Class 6A state title game. Roman must stay ahead of No. 39 Dorman because of a 56-54 head-to-head victory. Another feather in Roman’s cap was an early season win over No. 16 Sidwell Friends.

39. (NR) Dorman (Roebuck, S.C.) 29-2 ?
The Cavaliers continued their Palmetto State dynasty by capturing a fifth South Carolina High School League (SCHSL) state championship in seven seasons. Despite the graduation of big man Noah Clowney (a 2023 NBA first round draft choice), Dorman utilized team ball to become a dominant in-state team and captured the Class AAAAA title with a 58-56 win over Goose Creek. All five starters netted double figures for Dorman, as Clooney’s replacement, 6-foot-8 senior Jamarcus Wilkins, had 14 points, six rebounds and two blocks, while the five starters scored all 58 points in the championship game. From a national standpoint, it’s easy to know where Dorman lands, as the Cavaliers lost to No. 38 Roman Catholic (56-54) and to No. 36 Christ School (52-45).

40. (NR) Lake City (Coeur d’Alene, Idaho) 26-0
We wanted to make a splash in the preseason by ranking a team from Idaho for the first time in 36 years of weekly polls. Based on their track record and national schedule, we placed Owyhee (Meridian, Idaho) at No. 50. We had the right idea, but the wrong team, as the Timberwolves let it be known they would be a force to be reckoned with by defeating Owyhee in their third game, 80-60. Three games later they downed No. 41 Curtis, 77-65, in the title game of the Curtis Winter Classic, as Blake Buchanan and Kolton Mitchell combined for 48 points. Lake City rolled from there on out, culminating its campaign with the Idaho High School Activities Association (IDHSAA) Class 5A state title. Lake City finished undefeated via its 75-61 victory over Meridian to secure the first ever FAB 50 ranking for an Idaho team. Mitchell, a point guard headed to Idaho State, was named 5A Inland Empire League MVP while averaging 18.0 ppg, 5.2 rpg, 5.1 apg and 2.8 for his career. The Virginia-bound Buchanan (15.2 ppg, 9.8 rpg, 3.0 apg, 1.9 bpg) was named Idaho Mr. Basketball and Gatorade State Player of the Year.

?41. (NR) Curtis (University Place, Wash.) 28-4 ?
The Vikings played a tough schedule and were able to repeat as Washington Interscholastic Athletics Association (WIAA) Class 4A champions. Curtis defeated South Puget Sound League rival Olympia in the state title game, 49-43, as the Vikings got a big game from superb junior guard Zoom Diallo (21 points) despite his father Siaka being hospitalized the night before the game. Tyce Paulsen, a Carolina Baptist recruit, also did a great job defensively on Olympia star Parker Gerrits, holding the WSU recruit to seven points. The two teams know each other well, as Olympia was able to win one of four matchups with its SPSL rival. As a state champ, Curtis was invited to play in the State Champions Invitational, where it fell to No. 21 Roselle Catholic, 84-82, despite 25 points and eight assists from Diallo and 24 points from Devin Whitten. Curtis also lost to No. 40 Lake City in its own Winter Classic and to No. 11 Harvard-Westlake in the Classic at Damien semifinals.

42. (NR) Jonesboro (Jonesboro, Ark.) 30-3
Bentonville started off as our highest rated Arkansas High School Activities Association (AHSAA) club in the Southwest Region, but it was the Hurricane that took the state by storm. They went on to defeat Springdale, 48-43, to capture the Class 6A state crown after moving up from 5A, where Jonesboro won state titles in 2021 and 2022. Deion Buford-Wesson, a 6-foot senior, keyed the 3-peat by hitting a clutch 3-pointer to put Jonesboro’s lead at seven with 1:16 remaining and finished with a game-high 15 points. As for Bentonville? The Hurricane plowed right through them in the state quarterfinals, 61-28. Jonesboro lost its first two matchups with North Little Rock, but beat that club in the third meeting, with its third overall loss coming against No. 15 Beaumont United. Sandwiched in between the loss to Beaumont United at the King Cotton Tournament, Jonesboro defeated Georgia powers Newton and McEachern of Powder Springs.

43. (NR) Central Pointe Christian (Kissimmee, Fla.) 30-11
The White Tigers are FAB 50 ranked for the second time in three years after finishing No. 35 in 2020-21. The big difference? This time Central Pointe Christian captured the Sunshine Independent Athletic Association (SIAA) championship after losing to Victory Rock Prep in the 2021 semifinals. The White Tigers defeated top-seed DME Academy, 69-66, in the SIAA Final Four before defeating second seed West Oaks Academy in the title game, 63-60. Senior guard Carlos Cortijo led Central Pointe in the title game with 17 points, junior wing Eric Mejias added 13 points, and 6-foot-7 all-SIAA senior Vuk Vukcevic was named tourney MVP after scoring 10 points, including nine in the third period. SIAA play is very balanced and difficult to navigate through, so many times the conference’s top teams has many more losses than the other teams in its FAB 50 range. The teams often play in the Grind Session and at this year’s Worlds Championships, the White Tigers were seeded third and advanced to the Elite 8 before losing to Bella Vista Prep of Arizona.

?44. (BB) Durango (Las Vegas, Nev.) 21-6
The Trailblazers opened up third in the pecking order among Nevada Interscholastic Activities Association (NIAA) clubs behind Bishop Gorman of Las Vegas and Liberty of Henderson. Despite some tough losses during the holiday tournament season and the resignation of head coach Chad Beeten on the eve of the post-season, Durango rallied to capture the program’s first NIAA title since 1996. Two days after the resignation, Durango lost to Gorman, 68-64, but rallied to beat the Gaels in the South regional semifinals, 63-55. The Trailblazers then beat Liberty, 65-59, in the South final before beating them for the third time in four tries in the NIAA Class 5A state title game, 57-47. Long Beach St-bound point guard Tyler Riley and junior wing Taj Degourville were both first team all-Southern Nevada choices and led a gritty group that believed it could win each outing.

45. (BB) Corner Canyon (Draper, Utah) 25-3**
The Chargers began right behind Durango in the preseason West Regional Rankings at No. 15, and that’s the same club they finish behind on a national scale. Corner Canyon captured the Utah High School Activities Association (UHSAA) Class 6A title with a 66-51 victory over American Fork. The Chargers got 61 of their points from senior guards Max Toombs and Jaxson Roberts, and junior forward Brody Kozlowski. Roberts finished with 24 points while Tombs added 21 points and eight rebounds. As a result, the Chargers were invited to the SCI, where they defeated Mississippi entrant Yahoo City, 89-62, before losing to No. 16 Sidwell Friends in the semifinals, 60-53, despite 14 points and 14 rebounds from Kozlowski. Corner Canyon also lost to No. 15 Beaumont United, but must remain behind No. 44 Durango because of a loss to Liberty of Nevada.

46. (38) Notre Dame (Sherman Oaks, Calif.) 27-10
The Knights finish just a shade below preseason expectations and were able to stay FAB 50 ranked despite a high loss count. The two reasons they land in this spot is playing one of the toughest schedules in the country and by rolling to a CIF D1 state title after not getting picked for the CIF SoCal open regional playoffs. After not being chosen, it was pretty evident Notre Dame had a good chance at a D1 state title, provided it got past Mission League rival Sierra Canyon. It did for the fourth time in the SoCal D1 final before defeating Granada of Livermore, 67-58, in the state title game. Mission League champ Harvard-Westlake won the state open crown and beat Notre Dame twice, as did No. 23 Centennial and West Ranch of Valencia, which spent most of the season FAB 50 ranked. Notre Dame’s ranking is predicated by losses to American Fork (which lost to No. 45 Corner Canyon in its state title game) and to Liberty of Nevada, which lost in the same playoff division as No. 44 Durango. In four victories over Sierra Canyon, Duke-bound guard Caleb Foster averaged 20.5 ppg and for the season averaged 21.4 ppg, 6.8 rpg, 3.9 apg and 1.2 spg, while Gonzaga-bound Dusty Stromer averaged 17.3 ppg, 5.4 rpg, 2.2 apg and 1.2 spg.

47. (NR) Moline (Moline, Ill.) 35-3
In terms of results, Illinois and Chicago had a down year, but the Maroons deserve a spot in the FAB 50 after defeating Benet Academy of Lisle, 59-43, to win the Illinois High School Association (IHSA) Class 4A state crown. The Maroons rode a dominant performance and season from 6-foot guard Brock Harding and 6-foot-10 center Owen Freeman, long-time travel ball teammates and both headed to Iowa. Harding finished with 28 points, including 11-of-14 from the free throw line, while Freeman had six points, one rebound and three assists in the title game. Harding (18.5 ppg, 5.6 apg) was named Illinois Mr. Basketball for a team that lost its first game to Wisconsin Lutheran of Milwaukee and Chicago clubs Mt. Carmel and Simeon, the latter whom also beat Benet Academy.

48. (NR) Kell (Marietta, Ga.) 28-2
The Longhorns put forth a terrific season, concluding it by winning the GHSA Class AAAAA state crown with a 61-53 victory over 29-2 Eagle’s Landing of McDonough. Kell trialed entering the fourth quarter, but got back in the game and took control when coach Jermaine Sellers inserted star big man Peyton Marshall back into the lineup with 3:36 to play and his team trialing by a point. Marshall scored the next five points and helped the Eagles pull away from Eagle’s Landing down the stretch. Kell gets the nod as the No. 2 GHSA team and final team from the Southeast Region, as it owns a win over Liberty of Nevada and St. Augustine of California, with its only losses to Grayson of Loganville in overtime and to West Ranch of California, which captured the Tarkanian Classic but lost to St. Augustine in the SoCal open playoffs. Kell will be formidable once again in 2023-24 as Marshall, a center, and fellow junior C.J. Brown, a guard, are returning all-staters.

49. (NR) Archbishop Hoban (Akron, Ohio) 26-3
The Knights get the nod as the final Midwest Region team in the rankings in front of Illinois club Metamora, which defeated Simeon of Chicago for the Class 3A state crown and Indiana Class 4A semifinalist Kokomo. Archbishop Hoban won the OHSAA D1 state crown, 53-47, over Pickerington Central (Pickerington, Ohio). Pick Central was the defending D1 state champ and looking to finish FAB 50 ranked for the second consecutive season. Senior Logan Vowles led the way offensively for Hoban in the title game with 17 points, while senior Will Scott Jr. (13 points) and freshman Sam Greer (12 points) also hit double figure scoring. The Knights’ defense, meanwhile, held Ohio Mr. Basketball Devin Royal to 5-of-15 shooting. Hoban lost three in-state games, but gets rankings credit for winning one of the toughest playoff divisions in the Midwest while beating St. Edward (Lakewood, Ohio), which spent time in the FAB 50, along the way.

50. (NR) Lincoln Park (Midland, Pa.) 30-1
The Leopards get the nod as the twelfth and final team from the East Region after they knocked off then No. 24 Neumann-Goretti (Philadelphia, Pa.), 62-58, to capture the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association (PIAA) Class 4A state crown. Sophomore Maleek Thomas, one of the best guards in the country regardless of class, hit the game-winning basket (a driving, 12-foot runner) with 11 seconds remaining. Junior Brandin "Beebah" Cummings made clutch free throws down the stretch, including two with 0.5 seconds left in the game. Thomas (24.9 ppg) finished with 22 points while Cummings (23.1 ppg) netted 25. The Leopards, which lost only to Central Catholic (Pittsburgh, Pa.) by five points, won the program’s third state crown and should be formidable once again in 2023-24.

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 Southwest Region Top 20 Rankings!

Ronnie Flores — Wed, 19 Apr 2023 08:08:07 +0000

We go 20 deep from five separate regions of the nation in our final Top 20 Regional Rankings. We rank 100 teams and nobody across the country ranks as many teams as www.ebooksnet.com. Final No. 1 teams are John Marshall (East), Montverde Academy (Southeast), Ben Davis (Midwest), Link Academy (Southwest) and AZ Compass Prep (West). We still have our expanded FAB 50 rankings will full breakdowns on the nation's 50 best teams to publish, along with our annual All-American Elite team.

Final 2022-23 FAB 50
Region-By-Region Rankings

(Preseason ranking in parentheses)

By Ronnie Flores

SOUTHWEST Region Top 20
(Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas)

1. (3) Link Academy (Branson, Mo.) 27-1
2. (2) Duncanville (Duncanville, Texas) 28-1
3. (5) Lake Highlands (Dallas, Texas) 34-3
4. (1) Sunrise Christian Academy (Bel Aire, Kan.) 22-8
5. (6) Beaumont United (Beaumont, Texas) 36-2
6. (10) Bellevue West (Bellevue, Neb.) 29-0
7. (7) Oak Cliff Faith Family (Dallas, Texas) 31-3**
8. (20) Kimball (Kimball, Texas) 33-2
9. (11) Edmond North (Edmond, Okla.) 26-2
10. (NR) Jonesboro (Jonesboro, Ark.) 30-3
11. (8) Carter (Dallas, Texas) 31-4
12. (4) Vashon (St. Louis, Mo.) 24-7
13. (14) Volcano Vista (Albuquerque, N.M.) 29-1
14. (9) Staley (Kansas City, Mo.) 30-2
15. (NR) Ellison (Killeen, Texas) 38-4
16. (NR) Broken Arrow (Broken Arrow, Okla.) 27-2
17. (NR) Martin (Arlington, Texas) 30-5
?18. (NR) Fort Bend Marshall (Missouri City, Texas) 35-4
19. (NR) Blue Valley Northwest (Overland Park, Kan.) 21-4
20. (NR) Oak Park (Kansas City, Mo.) 27-2

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

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 Southwest Region Top 20 Rankings! appeared first on www.ebooksnet.com.

FINAL 2022-23 Top 20 Regional Rankings!

Ronnie Flores — Wed, 19 Apr 2023 07:59:21 +0000

We go 20 deep from five separate regions of the nation in our final Top 20 Regional Rankings. We rank 100 teams and nobody across the country ranks as many teams as www.ebooksnet.com. Final No. 1 teams are John Marshall (East), Montverde Academy (Southeast), Ben Davis (Midwest), Link Academy (Southwest) and AZ Compass Prep (West). We still have our expanded FAB 50 rankings will full breakdowns on the nation's 50 best teams to publish, along with our annual All-American Elite team.

Final 2022-23 FAB 50
Region-By-Region Rankings

(Preseason ranking in parentheses)

By Ronnie Flores

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

1. (1) AZ Compass Prep (Chandler, Ariz.) 23-7
2. ?(3) Harvard-Westlake (North Hollywood, Calif.) 33-2
3. (11) Perry (Gilbert, Ariz.) 30-1
4. (2) Centennial (Corona, Calif.) 30-4
5. (NR) Tualatin (Tualatin, Ore.) 24-5
6. (NR) West Linn (West Linn, Ore.) 28-2
7. (NR) St. John Bosco (Bellflower, Calif.) 26-7
8. (NR) Lake City (Coeur d’Alene, Idaho) 26-0
9. (NR) Curtis (University Place, Wash.) 28-4
10. (14) Durango (Las Vegas, Nev.) 21-6
11. (15) Corner Canyon (Draper, Utah) 25-3**
12. (7) Notre Dame (Sherman Oaks, Calif.) 27-10
13. (9) Liberty (Henderson, Nev.) 21-10
14. (NR) St. Augustine (San Diego, Calif.) 28-5
15. (NR) West Ranch (Valencia, Calif.) 29-3
16. (10) Garfield (Seattle, Wash.) 25-2
17. (6) Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth, Calif.) 23-11
18. (12) Bishop Montgomery (Torrance, Calif.) 28-5
19. (4) Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas, Nev.) 22-7
20. (NR) East (Denver, Col.) 26-2
*Indicates forfeit wins/losses not included.
**Indicates default wins/losses not included.

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 2022-23 Top 20 Regional Rankings! appeared first on www.ebooksnet.com.

Salute to All-Time FAB 50 No. 1s

Ronnie Flores — Mon, 17 Apr 2023 06:06:43 +0000

A detailed listing of the all-time No. 1 nationally-ranked high school basketball teams

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.

(Each school listed with win-loss record, head coach and source of ranking. Rankings key: BIL - FAB 50 powered by Ballislife; GR - Grassroots Hoops FAB 50; SS - Student Sports FAB 50; ESPN - POWERADE/ESPN RISE FAB 50; Rivals - Rivals FAB 50; Fox - Fox FAB 50; NSNS - National Sports News Service; NPP - National Prep Poll -- The Associated Press, ESPN, The Sporting News; USA - USA Today Super 25; BW - Basketball Weekly.)

FAB 50 ERA

2023 -- Link Academy (Branson, Mo.) (27-1); HC-Bill Armstrong; BIL-- The Lions began the season No. 11 in the FAB 50 and had the talent to start even higher, but were breaking in a new coach and cast of players after Rodney Perry left for an assistant coaching position at Kansas St. In 2021-22, Perry led the program to the GEICO Nationals title game, losing to Montverde Academy and finishing No. 4 in the FAB 50. This season the independent program on the campus of Camp Kanakuk had lofty aspirations and the talent level to meet those goals under new coach Bill Armstrong. The Lions started off the season 23-0 before losing by a wide margin to preseason No. 1 Montverde Academy, 84-58, at the Metro Classic in N.J. Link Academy just couldn’t overcome early 15-0 and 12-0 runs, but it bounced back at GEICO Nationals to make up for that awful first quarter against the Eagles. Led by Baylor-bound guard Ja'Kobe Walter and junior guard Elliot Cadeau, who is committed to North Carolina, Link Academy defeated three top 20 foes to claim the program’s first GEICO Nationals crown in its second year as an eligible program. In the quarterfinals, the Lions were involved in a tough No. 4 vs. No. 5 seed contest, as Link Academy was a surprise No. 4 seed and downed FAB 50 No. 18 Paul VI (Chantilly, Va.), 68-65, behind Walter's 34 points (including four 3-pointers). Top seeded Montverde Academy fell in its quarterfinal contest to FAB 50 No. 14 Sunrise Christian Academy (Bel Aire, Kan.) by a point (46-45) and the Lions were able to atone for their lone regular season loss by downing the club that just knocked off the top seed, 67-61, as Cadeau had 16 points and 10 assists. Tennessee-bound guard Cameron Carr came up big for the Lions in the win over Sunrise Christian Academy with 18 points. Link Academy, which entered the eight-team tournament No. 2 in the FAB 50, was able to secure the top spot with a dominant 73-55 championship game victory over No. 9 AZ Compass Prep (Chandler, Ariz.). The Lions were in control throughout the title game, taking a 35-25 halftime lead and extending it to 44-26 after starting out the second half on a 9-1 run. Walter netted a championship game-high 21 points on 6-of-8 shooting from the field, including 3-of-4 3-point shots while, Tyler McKinley, a 6-foot-9 junior, had a big outing with 17 points and six rebounds. Walter averaged 21.3 ppg in three GEICO Nationals games, while Cadeau averaged 9.7 ppg, 9.7 apg, and 2.3 spg, while his 29 total assists broke the event record held by Montverde Academy's Andrew Nembhard, who had 28 in 2018. Coach Armstrong’s club actually defeated Sunrise Christian Academy during the regular season, 72-66, as the Lions defeated seven FAB 50 ranked foes, including No. 32 Oak Cliff Faith Family (Dallas, Texas) by 30 points, 70-40. Like many outstanding ball clubs, Armstrong had a balanced attack throughout the season, with Walter (14.4 ppg, 37.8 3-PT FG, 4.0 rpg, 1.7 spg), Cadeau (10.9 ppg, 2.4 rpg, 7.3 apg, 1.9 spg) and Carr (11.6 ppg, 75.0 2-PT FG, 87.2 FT, 3.1 rpg) leading the way in the backcourt, while LSU-bound power forward Corey Chest (7.3 ppg, 76.3 2-PT FG, 3.2 rpg) and Phillips (6.8 ppg, 6.0 rpg, 1.2 bpg) playing key interior roles.

2022 -- Duncanville (Texas) (35-1); HC-David Peavy; BIL-- 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 Pheonix 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 all, Duncanville won seven games against teams that were FAB 50 ranked at the time, including No. 33 Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth, Calif.), 80-73, No. 5 Centennial (Corona, Calif.), 75-50, and No. 26 McKinney (Texas), 69-49, in the University Interscholastic League (UIL) Class 6A title game after that club downed Richardson by two points (54-52) in the regional quarterfinals. 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. There is a bit of a misnomer that public school programs belonging to state associations cannot compete with academy-type programs, but Duncanville's resume means a third public in seven years finishes as the top-ranked team in the country. Duncanville is also the third UIL program to capture the FAB 50 title in 20 years, joining Lincoln (Dallas) in 2001-02 and Yates (Houston) in 2009-10. All of Texas' other mythical national championships occurred before the advent of weekly, in-season national rankings (1975-76).

2021 -- Montverde Academy (Montverde, Fla.) (24-1); HC-Kevin Boyle; BIL-- It wouldn't be fair to compare this unit to the 2019-20 team that is considered one of high school basketball's all-time greats, as this team carved out its own niche in FAB 50 lore. The Eagles began the season at No. 1 and stayed there throughout, even when their 44-game winning streak was snapped by FAB 50 No. 2 Sunrise Christian Academy (Bel Aire, Kan.) in the two powers' second meeting of the regular season. By virtue of joining the newly-formed National Interscholastic Basketball Conference (NIBC), nearly every game on the regular season schedule was against a team of national or regional significance. All the teams in the NIBC played each other more than once and Montverde Academy won the inaugural NIBC title game with a 61-57 victory over Sunrise Christian Academy. The Eagles closed out the season by winning their fifth GEICO Nationals title, after last season's team was denied the opportunity to compete in the season-ending tournament for elite teams because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Eagles bested No. 23 Oak Hill Academy of Virginia (85-64) in the quarterfinals, AZ Compass Prep of Arizona (51-49) in the semifinals and Sunrise Christian Academy for the third time during the season in the title game (62-52). They not only went 4-1 against No. 2 Sunrise Christian Academy and No. 3 IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.), the Eagles won 16 games against teams that were FAB 50 ranked at some point in the season. That 16-game total doesn't include AZ Compass Prep, the only other team to defeat Sunrise Christian Academy. MVA beat AZ Compass Prep without Dayton-bound big man DaRon Holmes at GEICO Nationals and also with him in the lineup in overtime, 76-65, at the Montverde Academy Invitational. This team's defining moment came when it went 12-of-12 from the field in the decisive third quarter of the GEICO Nationals title game that broke it open in favor of the Eagles. Montverde Academy got quality, inside looks from junior center Jalen Duren and back-breaking 3-pointers from Creighton-bound Ryan Nembhard in those eight minutes. It was truly a team effort throughout the year for a program that has now won six mythical FAB 50 national titles in the past nine seasons. Duren (14.3 ppg, 8.4 rpg, 2.2 bpg) was dominant inside all season long and Nembhard (6.5 ppg, 6.0 apg) emerged as an elite floor general. Michigan-bound Caleb Houstan, the only returning starter from last year's historical unit, (13.2 ppg, 4.6 rpg), shot nearly 53 percent from the field and 40 percent from the 3-point line. Baylor-bound Langston Love (12.7 ppg), the third returning senior along with Nembhard, was one of four double-digit scorers along with junior Dariq Whitehead (10.4 ppg). As a team, the Eagles shot 55.1 percent from the field.

Cade Cunningham

6'7" - PG - 2020

2020 -- Montverde Academy (Montverde, Fla.) (25-0); HC-Kevin Boyle; BIL-- In the preseason, defending FAB 50 champ IMG Academy edged the Eagles for the No. 1 spot by the slimmest of margins. As stated in the preseason, had Montverde Academy not blown a 16-point lead (63-47) to IMG Academy entering the fourth quarter of their GEICO Nationals semifinal contest, Montverde Academy would have started as preseason No. 1. IMG Academy went on to win the game and earn the 2019 FAB 50 No. 1 ranking with a GEICO Nationals championship. With

Jaden Springer back and a host of other talented players, on paper the Ascenders had the talent to play with Montverde Academy, which returned Cade Cunningham and Moses Moody and also had a plethora of available talent on deck. When Scottie Barnes joined the Eagles' roster, it turned a potential juggernaut into a virtual machine, as Montverde Academy ran roughshod through a national schedule with an average winning margin of 39 ppg. When the Eagles and IMG Academy met in the City of Palms Classic title game, the Ascenders gave Montverde Academy its toughest game of the season, falling 63-55 despite no true facilitator and highly-regarded Jalen Johnson not part of the equation. The Eagles opened the season with a 84-51 win over No. 20 Duncanville (Texas), defeated No. 4 DeMatha Catholic (Hyattsville, Md.) 76-56 and beat IMG Academy two more times. In addition, Kevin Boyle's club defeated No. 29 Scotlandville (Baton Rouge, La.) 81-48 and No. 13 Long Island Lutheran (Glen Head, N.Y.) 83-47. In all, the Eagles defeated 12 FAB 50 ranked clubs (at the time of the matchup) and could have potentially faced three more had GIECO Nationals not been cancelled because of the COVID-19 Pandemic. Despite not being able to participate at that event, Montverde Academy captured its fifth FAB 50 title in the past eight seasons, and fielded its best overall team in that time frame. Video-centric younger fans will want to compare this team to the 2016 Chino Hills (Calif.) that dominated its playoff competition and produced an average margin of victory of 28.4 ppg, but the all-time great team that is a better comparison is the undefeated 1993 Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.) team. The Warriors had a huge front line, had a Mr. Basketball USA talent (Jerry Stackhouse), beat one high school team 96-8 and beat six college teams. Oak Hill's average margin of victory was 37.3 ppg. From the standpoint of producing an all-time great team that also had success at the next levels, this Montverde Academy team may one day be favorably compared to the undefeated 1983 Dunbar (Baltimore, Md.) team. The Poets also had a large winning margin (36.5 ppg) and produced three of the top 22 picks in the 1987 NBA Draft. Similar to Dunbar, this year's Eagles team was incredibly balanced with seven players averaging 8.3 ppg or more led by Cunningham’s 13.9. He also averaged 4.2 rpg and 6.4 apg, while Barnes was third on the team in scoring (11.6 ppg), second in rebounding (6.5), second in assists (4.6 apg) first in deflections (1.7 dpg), and first in steals (1.9 spg). While the average margin of victory stands out, the individual numbers doesn't do this team justice and it will interesting to follow how the players develop on the next levels of the game.

Jeremiah Robinson-Earl

6'8" - PF - 2019

2019 -- IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.) (31-1); HC-Sean McAloon; BIL-USA.-- In the preseason, defending FAB 50 champ Montverde Academy (Montverde, Fla.) was No. 1, but during the regular season preseason No. 6 La Lumiere (La Porte, Ind.) beat the Eagles twice to rise to No. 1. The Lakers remained No. 1 until the final game of the season, when they were defeated, 66-55, by then No. 4 IMG Academy in the GIECO Nationals title game. By virtue of their win over a previously unbeaten No. 1 team, two additional quality victories at GEICO Nationals and six victories over teams that finished in the Top 12, the Ascenders moved up three spots in the final rankings to claim their first ever FAB 50 title. They join Montverde Academy as the only two Florida programs to win a mythical national dating back to 1952, which marks the beginning of the end-of-season National Sports News Service Rankings. IMG Academy defeated Montverde Academy in the GEICO Nationals semifinals, 74-73, after storming back from a 16-point deficit to begin the fourth quarter behind the play of junior guard

Jaden Springer, who averaged 21.3 ppg in the three victories at the event. IMG Academy edges McEachern (Powder Springs, Ga.) for the FAB 50 crown, as the Indians were No. 2 when they received an invite to GEICO Nationals, then chose not to participate in the event. McEachern, the GHSA Class AAAAAAA champions, had an incredible season, defeating eight teams in the final FAB 50. Only one, however (No. 5 Mountain Brook of Alabama), finished in the Top 10. That was a significant win because Mountain Brook handed IMG Academy its only loss, a 72-67 setback that prevented a McEachern-IMG Academy game during a holiday tournament. The Ascenders were able to overcome that loss by defeating six FAB 50 ranked teams. The main difference between their resume and McEachern's being that all six of those wins came against teams ranked in the Top 12: No. 3 La Lumiere, No. 4 Montverde Academy, No. 8 DeMatha Catholic (Hyattsville, Md.), No. 10 Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.), No. 11 Sunrise Christian Academy and No. 12 University School (Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.). IMG Academy defeated Sunrise Christian Academy, 65-50, in the quarterfinals of GEICO Nationals behind Springer's 26 points, the same total he had in the comeback win over Montverde Academy. Had McEachern (which beat Sunrise Christian Academy in overtime) accepted the GEICO Nationals bid, not only could it have potentially met IMG Academy, it could have bolstered its resume to include wins over 11 FAB 50 clubs. As it stands, the quality of IMG Academy's victories, including two over Top 5 teams that went into the game ranked higher, was enough to edge an unbeaten team with the common opponent factor in its favor. In addition to Springer, McAloon's club was led by three McDonald's All-Americans, GEICO Nationals MVP forward Jeremiah Robinson-Earl (Villanova), wing Josh Green (Arizona) and post player Armando Bacot (North Carolina).

RJ Barrett

6'7" - SG - 2018

2018 -- Montverde Academy (Montverde, Fla.) (36-0); HC-Kevin Boyle; BIL-USA-NPP.-- In the preseason, there was a huge rankings decision to determine if No. 1 should be the Eagles or Memphis East (Memphis, Tenn.). After beating Montverde Academy twice in three games in 2016-17 and finishing with the highest ranking ever for a team from Tennessee (No. 3), it was completely logical to place Memphis East at No. 1. We ultimately went with Montverde Academy because we reasoned it would be difficult for Memphis East to have the ball bounce its way and get the breaks for two consecutive seasons, while also factoring in the Eagles' motivation level after coming up short the previous two seasons. When the dust settled there was no controversy, as Montverde Academy defeated 15 opponents who were ranked or previously ranked in the FAB 50 en route to an undefeated campaign. Memphis East lost three games and ended up ranked No. 4. By defeating No. 2 University School (Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.) 76-58 in the GEICO Nationals title game, Montverde Academy not only captured its fourth mythical national title in six years, it finished undefeated for the first time since head coach Kevin Boyle took over for the 2011-12 season. In each of those four championship seasons, the Eagles began their season as preseason FAB 50 No. 1. This is the first time MVA did not fall in the rankings and regain the top spot. In 2012-13, the Eagles lost back-to-back games, while the 2013-14 team lost on-court to Curie (Chicago, Ill.) in a game that was later forfeited by the Condors, and rose back to No. 1 after Curie lost on the court. The 2014-15 team lost one game in December (to Wheeler of Marietta, Ga.) before returning to No. 1 in the second poll of January. The ring-leader for Boyle's club this season was Duke-bound left-handed big guard

RJ Barrett, who broke Ben Simmons' all-time GEICO Nationals scoring mark and averaged 26.7 points and 10 rebounds in his team's three victories. Barrett had 25 points and 15 rebounds in the title game win over University, which defeated preseason No. 3 Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.) 80-65 in the tournament semifinals to avenge an earlier loss.

2017 -- Nathan Hale (Seattle, Wash.) (29-0); HC-Brandon Roy; BIL-NPP.-- 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.

Michael Porter Jr. 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. Similar to Oak Hill Academy in 2012 when it finished No. 1 but did not play at the event but owned a win over a La Lumiere team that No. 2 Findlay Prep lost to, the common opponent factor became paramount in Hale's championship season. Hale (which also beat Oak Hill Academy of Virginia at the Hoophall Classic) defeated the Sierra Canyon team that La Lumiere suffered its only loss to. Oak Hill Academy was the preseason No. 1 and La Lumiere was No. 2. This was only the second time in the FAB 50 era that the FAB 50, the National Prep Poll and USA Today Super 25 didn't name a consensus national champion, as Hale dropped in the USA Today poll after declining the Dick's Nationals invite to No. 4, one spot behind a Findlay Prep team Sierra Canyon defeated 76-47.

Lonzo Ball

6'6" - PG - 2016

2016 -- Chino Hills (Chino Hills, Calif.) (35-0); HC-Steve Baik; BIL-USA-NPP.-- The Huskies started out as California's No. 1 ranked team, 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 in recent memory. 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 winning the CIF Open Division state title, Chino Hills became the sixth public school since 2000 to earn the mythical national title and the first team ever from California's Inland Empire region to earn national No. 1 honors. The last unbeaten team from California to finish No. 1 was Inglewood (29-0) in 1979-80, led by Cal-Hi Sports Mr. Basketball Ralph Jackson (UCLA) and future NBA guard Jay Humphries. 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. That Mater Dei team finished No. 2 in the FAB 50 behind Montverde Academy. Led by UCLA-point

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

2015 -- Montverde Academy (Montverde, Fla.) (31-1); HC-Kevin Boyle; GR-USA-NPP.-- For the second consecutive season, the Eagles defeated No. 2 Oak Hill Academy in the finals of the Dick's Sporting Goods National High School Tournament. Senior

Ben Simmons, led the way with 20 points, 11 rebounds and six assists in the 70-61 win over Oak Hill Academy, which fell to 0-4 in Dicks Nationals championship games. Montverde Academy became the first team in the weekly poll era (1976-current) to win three consecutive mythical national titles and only the second program following the legendary McClymonds (Oakland, Calif.) teams of 1958-60 led by future NBA standout and head coach Paul Silas. Simmons was a fixture on all three of Montverde's championship teams and played a different role on each. He was a key reserve as a sophomore, the team's best frontcourt and overall player as a junior and a facilitator and all-around threat as a senior. Montverde was the preseason No. 1 for the third consecutive season and fell from the top spot for one week this season after losing to Wheeler (Marietta, Ga.) in the City of Palms Tournament championship game. Wheeler later lost to a West Linn (West Linn, Ore.) team the Eagles defeated 70-58. Oak Hill Academy then took over the top spot for a week before losing to Hamilton (Memphis, Tenn.) in a game that was later overturned in the Warriors' favor via forfeit. Oak Hill and Montverde then met in the last game of the season to decide the mythical national title in the court. In all, Kevin Boyle's club defeated 17 teams that were at some point ranked or included in the final FAB 50.

2014 -- Montverde Academy (Montverde, Fla.) (27-1*); HC-Kevin Boyle; SS-USA-NPP.-- The Eagles defeated No. 3 Oak Hill Academy 71-62 in the finals of the Dick's Sporting Goods National High School Tournament to capture their second consecutive mythical national title. Montverde Academy becomes the first repeat national champion in the FAB 50/National Prep Poll era since Oak Hill Academy in 1993-94. The Eagles' championship at Dick's Nationals capped off a season in which it beat 16 teams that were at some point ranked or included in the final FAB 50. That does not include Huntington Prep of West Virginia, which it defeated in the Dick's Nationals semifinals, or Curie of Chicago, which beat the Eagles on the court only to have that game forfeited later on in the season. As it did the previous season, coach Kevin Boyle lined up a daunting schedule in late December and January and the Eagles came away 10-1 on the court playing around the country against some of the nation's top teams. Montverde Academy also captured the tournament title at the prestigious City of Palms Classic. Boyle's club wasn't as strong on the interior as it 2013 club, but junior Ben Simmons had a breakout campaign. He averaged 20.3 points and 10.7 rebounds per game at the Dick's Nationals while McDonalds' All-American shooting guard

D'Angelo Russell often took over point guard duties and led the team in crunch time. In all, Boyle's club carried seven Division I bound seniors.

2013 -- Montverde Academy (Montverde, Fla.) (26-2); HC-Kevin Boyle; SS-USA-NPP.-- The Eagles defeated No. 22 Oak Hill Academy of Virginia (77-71, OT), Prime Prep Academy of Dallas (57-55) and No. 2 St. Benedict’s of New Jersey (67-65) to capture the 2013 National High School Invitational (NHSI) in North Bethesda, Md. to conclude the season. Montverde Academy defeated St. Benedict’s on a last-second 3-pointer by Jalyn Patterson. In the NHSI semis, St. Benedict’s ended the 54-game winning streak of No. 3 Findlay Prep, which beat Montverde Academy at the buzzer at the Hoophall Classic. Montverde’s other loss was also at the buzzer against unranked Paul VI (Fairfax, Va.) two nights before the Findlay Prep game. The Eagles are the first FAB 50 No. 1 team to lose two games in 13 years, but not many teams around the country would have taken on the daunting January schedule coach Kevin Boyle lined up for his teams and both losses came in the game's closing seconds. Montverde Academy started off as the nation’s preseason No. 1 team in the FAB 50, the only credible outlet to start the Eagles at No. 1, and their overall schedule and key wins were enough to overcome the two close losses to become the first ever Florida to finish ranked No. 1 in the nation since the National Sports News Service began end-of-the-season ratings in 1952. It’s also the first ever mythical national title for Boyle, who had two teams at now closed St. Patrick (Elizabeth, N.J.) open preseason No. 1 and a few others come within a buzzer beater of the No. 1 ranking.

2012 -- Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.) (44-0); HC-Steve Smith; ESPN-USA-NPP.--It was a remarkable comeback for No. 2 Findlay Prep in the championship game of the ESPNHS National High School Invitational, but going to overtime to beat No. 3 Montverde Academy is not what the Pilots needed to create a change at the top of the final POWERADE FAB 50. Oak Hill’s 44-0 record, including a win over the La Lumiere (La Porte, Ind.) team Findlay Prep lost to, is the best in school history. It is second-best all-time for a mythical national champion after the 46-0 mark for Kashmere (Houston) in 1974-75. On their way to perfection, the Warriors defeated teams from 13 states, the District of Columbia and Canada, including five FAB 50 ranked teams. Leading the way for coach Steve Smith, now with a 27-year 860-53 record, were 5-foot-11 point guard and McDonald's All-American Tyler Lewis, a North Carolina State commit, plus 6-foot-5 Jordan Adams (UCLA), 6-foot-3 D'Vauntes Smith-Rivera (Georgetown) and 7-foot A.J. Hammons (Purdue). For Smith and the program at Oak Hill Academy, this year’s FAB 50 national crown is the seventh since 1993. The Warriors claimed their last one in 2007 with a 40-1 record. Their other No. 1 finishes were in 2004 (38-0), 2001 (33-0), 1999 (31-0), 1994 (30-1) and 1993 (36-0). Oak Hill Academy was invited to play in the NHSI, but declined this year, citing the team’s recent tour of exhibition games in China. The No. 1 team won’t always come as a result of the NHSI championship game, but we won’t always automatically rank an unbeaten club that declines an invite No. 1, or move up a team to No. 1 after it finishes an unbeaten season while turning down an invite to an event it is eligible for. Every situation like this one requires a deep examination of the circumstances.

Kyle Anderson

6'7" - PG - 2012

2011 -- St. Anthony (Jersey City, N.J.) (33-0); HC-Bob Hurley, Sr.; ESPN-USA-NPP.--Montrose Christian felt if it won the end-of-season ESPN RISE National Invitational (NHSI), it would consider itself national champions. No one would deny the Mustangs those feelings and the winner of the NHSI did indeed win a national championship. But it’s not the same as being considered national champion among every state champion in the land and it’s not the same as a mythical national champion based on national rankings. According to criteria that have been used for over 20 years by the POWERADE FAB 50 rankings compilers, Montrose ends at No. 2 in final rankings behind St. Anthony, which did not compete at the NHSI. The Friars capped the school's sixth unbeaten season with their 11^thTournament of Champions state crown and fourth national poll championship. International Basketball Hall of Fame coach Bob Hurley, who surpassed 1,000 career wins during the season, won his 24th Non-Public B state crown with a 62-45 win over FAB 50 No. 3 St. Patrick. The Friars' victims also included FAB 50 ranked Mount Vernon (Mount Vernon, N,Y.), Boys & Girls (Brooklyn, N.Y.) and Friends Central (Wynnewood, Pa.) plus DeMatha (Hyattsville, Md.) by a 75-25 margin and Linden (Linden, N.J.), the only team to defeat FAB 50 No. 2 Montrose Christian (Rockville, Md.). The Friars were led by 5-foot-9 senior point guard Myles Mack, a Rutgers recruit, and 6-foot-7 junior

Kyle Anderson, who had a terrific game vs. Mr. Basketball USA Michael Gilchrist in the big showdown 62-45 win over St. Patrick.

2010 -- Yates (Houston, Texas) (32-0); HC-Greg Wise; ESPN-USA-NPP.--The Lions are the first from Texas to end No. 1 in the nation since 2002 when Lincoln (Dallas) won the Class 4A state title and went 40-0 behind future NBA star Chris Bosh. En route to winning its own Class 4A state crown, Yates 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). Wise's team, with depth and a signature full-court defense that never let up, captured its second straight Class 4A title and had an average winning margin greater than 40 points per game.

2009 -- Findlay Prep (Henderson, Nev.) (33-0); HC-Michael Peck; ESPN-USA-NPP.-- The Pilots captured the inaugural ESPN RISE National High School Invitational in North Bethesda, Md., beating previous No. 1 Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.), 74-66. Avery Bradley Jr. (20 points) and junior Cory Joseph (18) combined to score 38 points and both were named to the all-tournament team, which Bradley copping tourney MVP honors. A Mr. Basketball USA finalist headed to Texas, Bradley Jr. played lockdown perimeter defense in three victories and veteran Oak Hill Academy coach Steve Smith praised Bradley as the best guard his program has faced. Coach Michael Peck’s two-year old program competed as a team that did not allow postgraduates for the first time and topped No. 5 Montrose Christian (Rockville, Md.), 60-43, in the semifinals, as Bradley scored 13 of his game-high 27 points in the first quarter and had 15 points, six rebounds and five assists in a 76-55 first round win over Mountain State Academy (Beckley, W.Va.). The three-day tournament had six ranked teams and two regional ones, playing to packed arenas at Georgetown Prep's Hanley Center. Other big contributors were seniors D.J. Richardson and Victor Rudd.

2008 -- St. Anthony (Jersey City, N.J.) (32-0); HC-Bob Hurley, Sr.; Rivals-USA-NPP.--The Friars capped an unbeaten season with their 10th state Tournament of Champions title. It was the fifth unbeaten season, and third national crown, for 36-year coach Bob Hurley, who guided No. 1 teams in 1989 and 1996. Hurley has a 933-101 career record with 22 of the school's 25 North Jersey Non-Public B crowns. The Friars defeated Science Park, 69-36, in the TOC final after routing Immaculata, 76-41, in the semifinals. During the season, the Friars defeated two Top 25 teams in Utah champion Lone Peak and state rival St. Patrick. The team was led by 6-foot-3 senior guard Mike Rosario, an EA SPORTS All-American candidate and Rutgers recruit. Hurley's son, Danny, coached the No. 2 team in the country at St. Benedict's in nearby Newark. Hurley Sr. was recently elected to the Naismith Hall of Fame, only the second high school coach ever selected following six-time mythical national title winning coach Morgan Wootten of DeMatha (Hyattsville, Md.).

2007 -- Oak Hill (Mouth of Wilson, Va.) (40-1); HC--Steve Smith; SS-USA-NPP.--The Warriors captured their sixth national ranking title by recording their second straight 40-1 record season and winning 96 of their last 98 games. This season, Oak Hill defeated six of seven teams ranked in the top 30 of the FAB 50. The Warriors defeated No. 8 Norcross, No. 9 South Medford, No. 13 Mater Dei, No. 22 Liberty Tech, No. 23 Fairfax, and No. 27 Montrose Christian. Oak Hill's lone loss was by 78-75 to No. 5 Simeon in Chicago. Three Warriors will earn All-America honors including McDonald's All-American Nolan Smith, a Duke recruit, who averaged 22 points and 4.5 assists a game. Other A-A honorees are Michigan recruit Alex Legion and Brandon Jennings. Coach Steve Smith has a 22-year record of 684-40 with previous national titles in 2004, 2001, 1999, 1994 and 1993. Why wasn't Oak Hill No. 1 last year despite an identical 40-1 season? Because they lost their last game to Kevin Durant and Montrose Christian plus Lawrence Central of Indianapolis went unbeaten with Greg Oden and Mike Conley and went wire-to-wire as our No. 1 team. The FAB 50 was the only national ranking last year that had that squad No. 1 from the start and considering what that duo is doing this season at Ohio State our rankings look even more credible.

Greg Oden

7'0" - C - 2006

2006 -- Lawrence North (Indianapolis, Ind.) (29-0); HC--Jack Keefer; SS-USA-NPP.--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. As a comparison, USA Today had them No. 5 in its preseason rankings. 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 --

Greg Oden, the 7-foot consensus National Player of Year honoree, and guard Mike Conley. Oden averaged 22 points, 10.5 rebounds and shot 74% from the floor. Conley averaged 16.5 points. Coach Jack Keefer won his fourth state title. North is the first Indiana mythical national champion since Washington of East Chicago captured the 1971 crown.

2005 -- Niagara Falls (Niagara Falls, N.Y.) (28-1); HC--Dan Bazzani; SS-NPP.--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 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.

Rajon Rondo

6'2" - PG - 2004

2004 -- Oak Hill (Mouth of Wilson, Va.) (38-0); HC--Steve Smith; SS-USA-NPP.--The Warriors claimed their fifth mythical national ranking title by going wire-to-wire as No. 1 and posted the winningest season in team history. Two All-Americans led the way -- Josh Smith (6-8), an Indiana recruit, and

Rajon Rondo (6-1), a Kentucky signee. Smith, who might declare for the NBA Draft, averaged 23 points, eight rebounds and six blocked shots a game and is probably the most athletic player in school history. Rondo set a school record by averaging 12 assists per game, including single-game efforts of 31, 27 and 27 while chipping in 20 points per night. The Warriors defeated teams from 13 states, including FAB 50 No. 7 Mount Vernon, No. 8 Westchester and No. 11 Fairfax. While the legendary 1993 Oak Hill team had more depth than this club, the starting five on this club matches up with any previous team, according to head coach Steve Smith. The closest winning margins were by five points over Dougherty and 10 points versus Moeller (Ohio) and the Warriors claimed titles at Iolani Prep Classic in Honolulu, the GlaxoSmithKline Invitational in Raleigh, N.C., the Mountain State Coal Classic in Beckley, W.Va., and won marquee games at the NIKE Extravaganza in Los Angeles and the Prime Time Shootout in Trenton, N.J. Smith now has an 19-year record of 570-36.

LeBron James

6'8" - SF - 2003

2003 -- St. Vincent-St. Mary (Akron, Ohio) (26-0x); HC--Dru Joyce, Sr.; SS-USA-NPP; x-forfeit losses not included. --Irish capped unbeaten, on-court season with third state title in four years -- the Division II title this time -- and defeated teams from seven states: California, Illinois, Michigan, North Carolina, Ohio Pennsylvania, and Virginia. Included in those wins were victories over three Top 10 ranked teams -- No. 3 Mater Dei, No. 8 Oak Hill Academy and a dominating 78-52 win over California Division I state champ and No. 4 Westchester of Los Angeles.

LeBron James made a statement by scoring 52 points in the win over the Comets in his first game back with the team after being suspended for two games for accepting two "throwback" jerseys from a local sporting goods store. The Fightin' Irish also made a statement by beating Oak Hill by 20 points on national television, one of the worst losses in the Steve Smith-era for the Warriors. It was a season that wound up even better than expected, if that's possible, with James in the lineup. King James’ team played one of the most ambitious schedules ever and did not lose on the court. The MVP in the McDonald's and EA SPORTS Roundball Classic All-Star games and the probable No. 1 pick in the NBA Draft, James averaged 30.6 points for the season and ended with 2,646 career points, third best in Ohio history, while the Irish went 102-5 on the court with four FAB 50 rankings. This team wasn’t just James, either, as the nucleus of the team played together since middle school. Forward Romeo Travis, point guard Dru Joyce Jr., the son of the head coach, and the role players meshed well with James and this team has to be considered among the all-time best considering the teams they beat during an unbeaten season. St. Vincent-St. Mary’s started No. 7 in the FAB 50 (as a comparison the Irish began No. 23 by USA Today) and had it not been upset in the Division II state final in 2002 (James’ only in-state loss in four years) and finished No. 40, this year’s team would have began at No. 3 instead of four spots lower. In our rankings system it goes to show that what a program accomplished prior can affect pre-season positioning and play in role in how fast or high a team can rise in the FAB 50. Obviously with the schedule and results this team played, those four spots became a moot point as that loss fueled the fire more than anything else.

2002 -- Lincoln (Dallas, Texas) (40-0); HC--Leonard Bishop; SS-USA-NPP.--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. They 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. In 2001, Sugar Land Willowridge was an impressive large class state champ from Texas with a perfect record. This year Lincoln did it again, but unlike Willowridge, the Tigers were able to finish No. 1 in the nation instead of No. 2 to become the first Texas boys basketball team in 27 years to claim a mythical national rankings championship. The last Texas team to claim No. 1 honors was the 46-0 record Houston Kashmere team, which was crowned No. 1 in 1975 by the National Sports News Service. Two other Houston teams also captured titles in the 1970s. Legendary coach Jackie Carr guided Wheatley High to top spots with 43-1 and 39-0 records in 1973 and 1970, respectively.

2001 -- Oak Hill (Mouth of Wilson, Va.) (33-0); HC--Steve Smith; SS-USA-NPP.--The Warriors went wire-to-wire as the nation’s No. 1 team and completed its march to the mythical national crown with a 93-79 victory in late February over Notre Dame Academy of Winchester, Va. Steve Smith’s club posted wins over five state champions and beat programs from 11 states overall. Three of those teams -- No. 3 St. Vincent-St. Mary of Akron, Ohio; No. 8 Salem of Salem, Va.; and No. 13 Osseo of Osseo, Minn. -- lost their only games of the season to Oak Hill. There were two close results for a program that has now won 98 of its last 100 games. The first was Billy Edelin's last minute layup that proved to be the winning points in a 79-78 victory over St. Vincent-St. Mary and super sophomore LeBron James on Jan. 13. Three weeks later, DeSagana Diop scored with six seconds left, pushing a Feb. 3 game against Blue Ridge (Dyke, Va.) to overtime, which the Warriors won 76-69. Oak Hill defeated schools from 11 states, including four teams in the final FAB 50 and numerous regionally ranked teams. Oak Hill won five tournaments, including national events in Las Vegas, St. Louis and Raleigh. Seniors Rashaad Carruth (Kentucky), Edelin (Syracuse) and Diop (possibly NBA bound) led the Warriors. This team set school records for field goal percentage (62.1), three-point percentage (45.5) and assists per game (24.5). Diop averaged 14.6 points, 13.1 rebounds (387). Mario Boggan (14.4 ppg), the top junior contributor, shot a staggering 81.6 percent from the field and had 32 points and 12 rebounds in the final win. Edelin, the leading scorer (21.2 ppg), shot 73.6 percent. Rashaad Carruth (18.5 ppg) hit a school-record 118 3-pointers and Justin Gray (10.1 ppg) rounded out the lineup for a program that won the program’s fourth mythical national title since 1993 and set school records for field goal percentage (62.1), three-point percentage (45.5) and assists per game (24.5).

Tyson Chandler

7'0" - PF - 2001

2000 -- Dominguez (Compton, Ca.) (35-2); HC--Russell Otis; Fox-USA-NPP-NSNS.--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 state Division II state title in last 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. “The Franchise” scored 18 points in limited minutes against Philadelphia’s Eddie Griffin in a matchup pitting the nation’s best junior (Chandler) versus an elite All-American senior (Griffin) and led Dons to a 21-point win over Roman Catholic. He also 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. "I've said all year that this was a team of great chemistry,” head coach Russell Otis remarked. “I've had some teams before that had better talent, but what separates these guys is that basketball-wise they do whatever it takes to win.”

National Prep Poll Era

1999 -- Oak Hill (Mouth of Wilson, Va.) (31-0); HC--Steve Smith; NPP-USA-NSNS.--The routine was the same almost every week for the Warriors from Oak Hill Academy -- study hard and go to class the first four days of the week. On Fridays, it was time to hit the road, venturing to such places as Los Angeles, Las Vegas and Minneapolis. On every one of its trips this year, the “Road Warriors” came home a winner as they won five tourney titles in five different states, including the 54-team Reebok Holiday Classic in Las Vegas. The team’s closest game of the season was a 61-60 victory over No. 5 Christ The King of Middle Village, N.Y., at the Glaxco-Wellcome tourney. Other close calls came against Minnetonka, Minn., and No. 3 Dominguez of Compton, Calif., 64-60. Six-foot-7 Ronald Slay led Oak Hill in scoring with 16.3 points per game and also collected 6.5 rebounds per game. Slay also was MVP at the Reebok Holiday Classic, where the Warriors rolled past No. 7 Mt. Zion of Durham, N.C., 81-50, in a title match up performance that head coach Smith called ”our best game of the year" against a team Oak Hill beat twice. Travis Watson, also 6-foot-7, set a school single season rebound record with 386 (12.5 per game) and scored at a 15.3 ppg clip. The backcourt also was strong with Jerry Reynolds (12.7 ppg), junior Cliff Hawkins (11.7 ppg) and senior point guard Steven Blake (8.8 ppg, 7.3 apg.). The 31-0 record marked the school’s third undefeated season in the last nine years, following the 29-0 record established in 1989-90 and the 30-0 mark from 1992-93. “To be honest I didn’t think at the beginning of the season we would be as good as we have over the past four or five years,” Smith said. “Talent-wise, it’s not the best we’ve had. But once they got on the floor they were great.”

1998 -- St. John's (Frederick, Md.) (25-0); HC--Stu Vetter; NPP-USA-NSNS.--On Saturday, February 28 at the Dean E. Smith Center in Chapel Hill, N.C., St. John’s at Prospect Hall laid claim to the mythical national title with a 32-25 victory over Oak Hill Academy of Virginia. The game was played without a shot clock and marred by poor shooting, but salvaged by St. John’s tenacious defense and a court-ordered appearance from junior Damien Wilkins, who had previously been suspended from school. He scored eight points and helped neutralize the Warriors’ tall frontline. No. 5 Oak Hill had its 23-game winning streak snapped and besides No. 23 Liberty, Mo., no other top 25 ranked team besides St. John’s finished the season undefeated. All-American Jason Capel iced the game with two free throws with 19.5 second left as the 6-foot-8 Duke recruit led a team that won tournaments in Hawaii, North Carolina and Maryland. The Vikings beat two other top 25 teams and finished the season having won 36 games in a row and 50 of their last 51 games. It was the second mythical national crown for head coach Stu Vetter, as he led Flint Hill Prep of Oakton, Va. to a 23-0 record in 1987 and No. 1 ranking by the National Sports News Service (National Prep Poll precursor) and USA Today.

1997 -- Manual (Peoria, Ill.) (31-1); HC--Wayne McClain; NPP-USA-NSNS.--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 a unprecedented fourth straight Class AA state title. The coach’s son led the team with a 18 ppg., but his value really wasn’t measured by stats. In addition to McClain and Williams, McDonald’s All-American center Marcus Griffin contributed to the team’s historic run.

1996 -- St. Anthony (Jersey City, N.J.) (31-0); HC--Bob Hurley, Sr.; NPP-USA-NSNS.--St. Anthony wore a bulls eye on its back every night, but the preseason No. 1 boys basketball team lived up to its billing. The Friars captured the New Jersey Group and overall championships, extending their winning streak to 53 in a row. St. Anthony's 61-57 overtime win over No. 23 Shawnee in the New Jersey TOC was a fitting end to a dominant season in which Garden state teams were the most talk-about nationally. Head coach Bob Hurley Sr. won his 600th game early in the season when the Friars downed Crenshaw of Los Angeles, 90-74, in the finals of the Above the Rim Tournament in San Diego as tourney MVP Ajmal Basit netted 36 points and grabbed 15 rebounds. No. 15 Crenshaw went to win the California Div. I state title and St. Anthony also downed St. Raymond's of the Bronx at Madison Square Garden, No. 6 St. John’s of Prospect Hall, No. 24 St. Patrick of Elizabeth and also recorded a win over a

Kobe Bryant-led Ardmore (Pa.) Lower Merion team. Hurley’s team snuck up on opponents when it won the TOC in 1995 with wins over Paterson Catholic, St. Patrick of Elizabeth, and unbeaten and nationally-ranked Shawnee of Medford, but this team played up to lofty expectations every game. National Junior of the Year Anthony Perry paced the team with averages of 20.3 points, 7.6 rebounds and 3.7 assists and has led the Friars team in scoring all three of his seasons on the varsity. Six-foot-5 leaper Ike Williams and 6-foot-3 sharpshooter Mike Frey and Basit also played key roles in St. Anthony’s championship season.

1995 -- St. Augustine (New Orleans, La.) (37-1); HC--Bernard Griffith; NPP-USA-NSNS.--The Purple Knights opened the season unranked in the National Prep Poll Top 25, but climbed to the No. 1 spot during the season and capped their improbable run to the top of the polls with a 57-33 victory over Catholic-Baton Rouge in the Class 5A state title game. St. Augustine lost its second game of the season to in-state rival Glen Oaks and top-notch junior Lester Earl, but won two holiday tournaments and finished the season riding a 36-game winning streak. Bernard Griffith upped his record to 242-36 in his eight seasons at St. Augustine and has been selected district coach of the year six times and was also named Student Sports National Coach of the Year this year. Leading the Purple Knights to their third state title overall was 6-foot-5 forward Maurice Robertson, the Times-Picayune's All-Metro Large Schools most outstanding player who averaged 17.0 ppg. The other bookend forward was 6-foot-7 junior Eugene Edgerson, a no-nonsense type that checked in with norms of 15.9 points and 6.0 rebounds. The preseason No. 1 team, St. John’s of Prospect Hall, finished No. 2 after losing in overtime to Laurel (Md.) Baptist, which received 40 points and six assists from Louis Bullock to pull out a 62-56 victory. Preseason No. 2 Oak Hill Academy lost three times, but beat preseason No. 4 Mater Dei in the finals of the Las Vagas Holiday Classic while preseason No. 3 Farragut of Chicago, led by consensus national player of the year Kevin Garnett and super junior Ronnie Fields, was stunned in the Class 2A state quarterfinals by a Thornton of Harvey team led by Tai Streets.

1994 -- Oak Hill (Mouth of Wilson, Va.) (30-1); HC--Steve Smith; NPP-USA-NSNS.--Oak Hill had the fire power to finish unbeaten for the second consecutive season, but they were stunned 65-48 at the Las Vegas Holiday Prep Classic by Dominguez of Compton, a team that finished regionally ranked at 28-4. Since Dominguez did not win a California Div. II state title, the Warriors needed some help to climb back to the top of the polls and that exactly what they got when previously unbeaten King of Chicago was upset by Westinghouse, 59-58, and Mater Dei of Santa Ana suffered its first and only loss to No. 2 Crenshaw of Los Angeles, 71-67, in a much-anticipated Div. I SoCal Regional final. Those results allowed Oak Hill to finish No.1 after the early loss in Las Vegas. Leading the way for the Warriors was the stellar backcourt of 6-foot-2 Curtis Staples and 6-foot-5 Tarik Turner, both transfers from St. John’s Prospect Hall in Maryland. Staples, a Virginia commit, averaged 24 points and four assists while Tuner will join Mr. Basketball USA Felipe Lopez at St. John’s. Six-foot-11 Mark Blount, 6-foot-6 Tavares Johnson and 6-foot-7 Alex Sanders, holdovers from Oak Hill’s dominant 1993 club, were the leaders up front. Sanders actually was the only returning starter for a club that won the Above the Rim Tournament in San Diego with wins over St. John’s Prospect Hall and Bishop O’Dowd of Oakland as Oak Hill has now won 157 of its last 161 games. No. 2 Crenshaw had a team with a comparable resume and comparable talent to Oak Hill, but they lost to Simon Gratz of Philadelphia, 70-65, and then to Columbia (S.C.) Richland Northeast, 74-65, in the third place game of the Beach Ball Classic in Myrtle Beach, S.C. when all-state forward Kris Johnson was suspended for violating a team rule.

Jerry Stackhouse

6'6" - SF - 1993

1993 -- Oak Hill (Mouth of Wilson, Va.) (30-0); HC--Steve Smith; NPP-NSNS; Philadelphia, Pa., Simon Gratz (31-0); HC--Bill Ellerbee; USA.--The Class of 1993 produced a ton of quality individual talent and three dominating teams, but when it was all said and done the best team was judged to be Oak Hill Academy. Coach Steve Smith had his first unbeaten club in 1990, when 6-foot-10 Elite All-American Anthony Cade led the Warriors to a 29-0 mark and No. 2 ranking. Despite a No. 3 finish in USA Today’s Super 25, this was clearly Smith’s best team in his eight years as Oak Hill’s head coach. In 1990, Oak Hill played second fiddle to Chicago King, but this season the Jaguars, with twins towers Rashard Griffith and Thomas Hamilton, finished No. 3 at 32-0 behind No. 2 Simon Gratz of Philadelphia, which finished 31-0. 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, but Oak Hill was simply on another level. The Warriors rolled to the tournament title at the Las Vegas Holiday Prep Classic and tournament director Larry McKay remarked, “It was like men playing against boys as the Warriors dominated a talented field of teams.” In all, Oak Hill beat teams from 11 states and Australia and finished 30-0 against high school competition and 36-0 overall. First team Elite All-American

Jerry Stackhouse, who scored 27 points in the McDonald's All-America Game, averaged 25.6 points, 7.3 rebounds and 4.0 assists. Point guard Jeff McInnis set a school record with 303 assists and averaged 17 points and will join Stackhouse at North Carolina. Center Makhtar Ndiaye averaged 10.3 rebounds and 8.1 blocks a game and depth was provided by the likes of guard Jermaine “Sunshine” Smith, center Mark Blount and forwards Alex Sanders and Tavares Johnson. In all, nine players are considered Div. I recruits.

1992 -- Dunbar (Baltimore, Md.) (29-0); HC--Pete Pompey; NPP-USA-NSNS.--The Poets went wire-to-wire as the No. 1 team and have won 52 consecutive games. Considering No. 2 Oak Hill Academy finished with two losses, including one to the Poets, there’s no question Dunbar is the top team in the land but ultimately this team is going to 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 for the Baltimore Sun and traveled to see them play in showcase games. "The 1992 team wasn't always on the same page. They were a free-spirited team with their own goals. (Pete) Pompey is a good coach and a good man, but doesn't have (1983 head coach) Bob Wade's dominant personality." 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. 6-foot-6 junior Keith Booth will likely play in the McDonald’s game next year and Davis also points to the play of unsung hero Cyrus Jones as a main reason Dunbar was able to survive its moments of individualism.

1991 -- Simon Gratz (Philadelphia, Pa.) (27-1); HC--Bill Ellerbee; NPP; Detroit, Mi., Southwestern (26-1); HC--Perry Watson; USA-NSNS.--The Bulldogs 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. The 6-foot-9 Kirkaldy, a Brooklyn native who played his junior season at Oak Hill Academy, actually didn’t start but played the important minutes at center and averaged 14.1 ppg., and the Bulldogs often got a spark off the bench from freshman dynamo Shawn ''Reds'' Smith, a 5-foot-8 guard. Speaking of Oak Hill, the No. 4 Warriors 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.

1990 -- King (Chicago, Ill.) (32-0); HC--Landon Cox; NPP-USA-NSNS.--Chicago Public League power Martin Luther King opened up the season as the National Prep Poll's and USA Today's No. 1 ranked team. King, under Landon "Sonny" Cox, 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 and also expected to be Chicago’s next great prep player as Brandon departs for the University of Illinois.

1989 -- St. Anthony (Jersey City, N.J.) (32-0); HC--Bob Hurley, Sr.; NPP-USA-NSNS.--The Friars capped an unbeaten season by winning the first state Tournament of Champions with a 62-55 victory over regionally-ranked Elizabeth. Six-foot-7 Jerry Walker, a Seton Hall recruit, was named tourney MVP and 6-foot-4 wing Terry Dehere, also headed to Seton Hall, scored a team-high 20 points in the title game while 6-foot point guard Bobby Hurley Jr., a Duke recruit, adding 16 points for the Friars. St. Anthony had to overcome some adversity throughout the season and came through with flying colors. In the preseason, Bobby’s younger brother Danny, the top player on the junior varsity team as a freshman who was expected to be the top guard off the bench as a sophomore, shattered his finger and missed the season. Later in the season, 6-foot-7 Sean Rooney, the team’s top rebounder, tore ligaments in his ankle during a 64-43 win over All Hollows of the Bronx. Six-foot-6 junior Jose Ortiz stepped in the lineup for Rooney and the Friars didn’t miss a beat, defeating teams from 10 states in addition to winning the TOC and finishing the season riding a 50-game winning streak. Highlighting the regular season was a tournament victory at the Great Florida Shootout and an impressive 64-45 victory, in front of a national television audience, over No. 9 Flint Hill Prep of Oakton, Va. in the finals of the King Cotton Classic in Pine Bluff, Arkansas. The Friars even recorded a 68-59 victory over Solesbury Prep of Pennsylvania, a school with post-graduates, to close out the regular season. Rounding out the team’s excellent starting line up is 6-foot-5 freshman Rodrick Rhodes, who edged California phenom Jason Kidd, from St. Joseph’s of Alameda, for National Freshman of the Year honors.

1988 -- Tolentine (Bronx, N.Y.) (30-1); HC--John Sarandrea; NPP-USA-NSNS.-- There was little doubt the Big Apple fielded the best crop of teams nationally among cities known for producing basketball talent this season. Most veteran observers also considered the CHSAA the best league in the country and it was the Wildcats that captured the school’s first CHSAA title since 1982. The season opened on a good note for Tolentine as the Wildcats defeated two-time defending CHSAA champ Archbishop Malloy of Queens, 76-72, before an overflow crowd. Tolentine was led to victory by 6-foot-7 Elite All-American Malik Sealy with 19 points, seven rebounds, three blocks and two steals. Sealy, New York’s Mr. Basketball, was the ringleader all season as he finished the season shooting 65.4 percent from the field with norms of 21.4 points and 10.2 rebounds and was named tourney MVP of both the CHSAA and state championships. In the CHSAA final, the Wildcats had an expected return match up with No. 8 Malloy. Malloy took a 37-36 halftime lead, but Sealy responded by scoring six straight points to tie the game at 49. He eventually scored 18 of the Wildcats’ final 27 points, including a resounding dunk that gave his team a 63-61 lead, in an eventual 70-65 victory. Tolentine went on to win the Class A state title with a 95-69 win over Our Savior Lutheran of the Bronx as sophomore forward Brian Reese netted 23 points with Sealy adding 21 points. Reese was one of two standout sophomores on Tolentine’s squad, the other being guard Adrian Autry. The CHSAA’s also had a third 10th-grader, Cardinal Hayes’ Jamal Mashburn, considered among the top 10 nationally and two of the 10 best juniors nationally in Malloy's Kenny Anderson and Christ the King’s Jamal Faulkner. Outside the Big Apple, the Wildcats only lost to No. 2 St. Anthony of Jersey City, N.J., 62-58, but that contest was actually played in Hawaii in the championship game of the Iolani Prep Classic. In the semifinals St. Anthony downed Dunbar of Baltimore, 84-71, while the Wildcats mauled No. 17 Flint Hill Prep of Virginia, 97-69, to end that program’s 59-game winning streak. Tolentine was then able to jump back in front of St. Anthony in the polls after the Friars were upset by Ferris of Jersey City after leading by nine points with just under two minutes remaining.

All-Time No. 1's

1987 -- Flint Hill (Oakton, Va.) (23-0); HC--Stu Vetter; NSNS-USA.

1986 -- Camden (Camden, N.J.) (30-0); HC--Clarence Turner; NSNS-USA.

1985 -- Spingarn (Washington, D.C.) (31-0); HC--John Wood; NSNS; Dunbar (Baltimore, Md.) (28-1); HC--Bob Wade; USA.

1984 -- Poly (Long Beach, Calif.) (31-2); HC--Ron Palmer; NSNS; DeMatha (Hyattsville, Md.) (39-2); HC--Morgan Wootten; USA.

1983 -- Dunbar (Baltimore, Md.) (31-0); HC--Bob Wade; NSNS-USA.

1982 -- Calvert Hall (Towson, Md.) (34-0); HC--Mark Amatucci; NSNS-BW.

1981 -- Quincy (Quincy, Ill.) (33-0); HC--Jerry Leggett; NSNS-BW.

1980 -- Inglewood (Inglewood, Calif.) (29-0); HC--Vince Combs; NSNS-BW.

1979 -- Southwest (Macon, Ga.) (28-0); HC--Don Richardson; NSNS-BW.

1978 -- DeMatha (Hyattsville, Md.) (28-0); HC--Morgan Wootten; NSNS-BW.

1977 -- West Philadelphia (West Philadelphia, Pa.) (30-0); HC--Joey Goldenberg; NSNS-BW.

1976 -- Dunbar (Washington, D.C.) (29-0); HC--Joe Dean Davidson; NSNS; Canarsie (Brooklyn, N.Y.) (24-0); HC--Mark Reiner; BW.

1975* -- Kashmere (Houston, Texas) (46-0); HC--Weldon Drew; NSNS; Verbum Dei (Los Angeles, Calif.) (28-1); HC--George McQuarn; BW.

1974 -- Verbum Dei (Los Angeles, Calif.) (30-2); HC--George McQuarn.

1973 -- tie: Wheatley (Houston, Texas) (43-1); HC--Jackie Carr; Verbum Dei (Los Angeles, Calif.) (29-2); HC--George McQuarn.

1972 -- Thornridge (Dolton, Ill.) (33-0); HC--Ron Ferguson.

1971 -- Washington (East Chicago, Ind.) (29-0); HC--John Molodet; Schenley (Pittsburgh, Pa.) (25-3) HC--Spencer Watkins.

1970 -- Wheatley (Houston, Texas) (39-0); HC--Jackie Carr.

1969 -- Compton (Compton, Calif.) (30-0); HC--Bill Armstrong.

1968 -- Compton (Compton, Calif.) (32-0); HC--Bill Armstrong.

1967 -- tie: Ambridge (Ambridge, Pa.) (27-0); HC--Charles DeVenzio; Newark (Newark, N.J.) (26-0).

1966 -- DeWitt Clinton (New York, N.Y.) (21-0); HC--Robert Buckner.

1965 -- DeMatha (Hyattsville, Md.) (28-1); HC--Morgan Wootten.

1964 -- Power Memorial (New York, N.Y.) (30-0); HC--Jack Donahue.

1963 -- Power Memorial (New York, N.Y.) (27-0); HC--Jack Donahue.

1962 -- DeMatha (Hyattsville, Md.) (29-3); HC--Morgan Wootten.

1961 -- Collinsville (Collinsville, Ill.) (32-0); HC--Vergil Fletcher.

1960 -- McClymonds (Oakland, Calif.) (22-0); HC--Paul Harless.

1959 -- McClymonds (Oakland, Calif.) (22-0); HC--Paul Harless.

1958 -- McClymonds (Oakland, Calif.) (21-0); HC--Paul Harless.

1957 -- Middletown (Middletown, Ohio) (27-0); HC--Paul Walker.

1956 -- tie: Middletown (Middletown, Ohio) (25-0); HC--Paul Walker; Crispus Attucks (Indianapolis, Ind.) (31-0); HC--Ray Crowe.

1955 -- Crispus Attucks (Indianapolis, Ind.) (31-1); HC--Ray Crowe.

1954 -- Pampa (Pampa, Texas) (28-0); HC--Clifton McNeely.

1953 -- Pampa (Pampa, Texas) (26-0); HC--Clifton McNeely.

1952 -- Compton (Compton, Calif.) (32-0); HC--Ken Fagans.

*All selections prior to 1975 by National Sports News Service (unless noted)

National Negro High School Tournament

A national tournament for segregated Black high schools took place from 1929-1967. It was held at Hampton, Va., Institute (now Hampton University), 1929-33; Gary, Ind., 1934-35, Roanoke, Va., 1936-1937, Fayetteville State College (N.C.), 1938-44, Tennessee State (Tenn.), 1945-65, and Alabama State College (Ala.), 1966-67. It was known as the The Southern Interscholastic Basketball Tournament from 1949 until the final year in 1967.

Source: Charles Herbert Thompson, LSU Historial Dissertations and Theses, 1980

1929 -- Armstrong (Washington, D.C.) d. Douglass (Huntington, W.Va.), 20-19

1930 -- Armstrong (Washington, D.C.) d. Douglass (Huntington, W.Va.), 32-23

1931 -- Phillips (Chicago) d. Genoa (Bluefield, W.Va.), 39-14

1932 -- No Tournament

1933 -- Roosevelt (Gary, Ind.) d. Henderson Institute (N.C.), 37-6

*1934 -- Roosevelt (Gary, Ind.) d. Central Colored School (Louisville, Ky.), 39-24

*1935 -- Roosevelt (Gary, Ind.) d. Kelly Miller (Clarksburg, W.Va.), 21-19

**1935 -- Genoa (Bluefield, W.Va.) d. Interurban Heights (Jefferson County, Ala.), 19-17

*1936 -- Roosevelt (Gary, Ind.) d. Kelly Miller (Clarksburg, W.Va.), 37-17

**1936 -- Rosenwald (Harlan County, Ky.) d. Dorchester Academy (Midway, Ga.), 20-19

**1937 -- Avery Institute (Charleston, S.C.) d. Mayo-Underwood (Frankfort, Ky.), 21-20

**1938 -- Xavier University Prep (New Orleans, La.) d. Garnet (Charleston, W.Va.), 12-9

*1939 -- Roosevelt (Gary, Ind.) d. E. E. Smith (Fayetteville, N.C.), 28-21

**1939 -- Booker T. Washington (Tulsa, Okla.) d. Cuyler Beach (Savannah, Ga.), 31-29

*1940 -- Roosevelt (Gary, Ind.) d. Gary District (Gary, W.Va.), 37-24

**1940 -- Lincoln (Evansville, Ind.) d. Cuyler Beach (Savannah, Ga.), 31-29

*1941 -- Morningside (Statesville, N.C.) d. Armstrong (Richmond, Va.), 34-32

**1941 -- Booker T. Washington (Sand Springs, Okla.) d. Booker T. Washington (Seminole, Okla.), 38-24

*1942 -- Sumner Academy (Kanas City, Kan.) d. Garnet (Charleston, W.Va.), 31-26

**1942 -- Booker T. Washington (Tulsa, Okla.) d. Southern Lab (Baton Rouge, La.), 42-19

*Sponsored by the National Interscholastic Athletic Association

**Sponsored by Tuskegee Institute

1943 -- No Tournament (World War II)

1944 -- No Tournament (World War II)

*1945 -- Douglass (Oklahoma City, Okla.) d. Elkhorn (Switchback, W. Va.), 36-33

*1946 -- Booker T. Washington (Cushing, Okla.) d. Middleton (Tampa, Fla.), 44-40

*1947 -- Booker T. Washington (Tulsa, Okla.) d. Middleton (Tampa, Fla.), 51-42

*1948 -- Booker T. Washington (Tulsa, Okla.) d. Don Thompson Vocational (Tampa, Fla.), 52-29

*Sponsored by the National High School Athletic Association

1949 -- St. Elizabeth (Chicago, Ill.) d. Booker T. Washington (Tulsa, Okla.), 57-36

1950 -- St. Elizabeth (Chicago, Ill.) d. Ballard-Hudson (Macon, Ga.), 56-49

1951 -- St. Elizabeth (Chicago, Ill.) d. Booker T. Washington (Cushing, Okla.), 46-40

1952 -- Central Colored School (Louisville, Ky.) d. Wheatley (Houston, Texas), 41-38

1953 -- Western (Paris, Ky.) d. Booker T. Washington (Montgomery, Ala.), 70-41

1954 -- Laurinburg Institute (Laurinburg, N.C.) d. Dunbar (Summerset, Ky.)

1955 -- Central Colored School (Louisville, Ky.) d. Burt (Clarksville, Tenn.), 85-61

1956 -- Central Colored School (Louisville, Ky.) d. Douglass (Lexington, Ky.), 81-61

1957 -- St. Elizabeth (Chicago, Ill.) d. McKinley (Baton Rouge, La.), 61-53

1958 -- Pearl (Nashville, Tenn.) d. Carver (Dothan, Ala.), 68-58

1959 -- Pearl (Nashville, Tenn.) d. Scipio Jones (North Little Rock, Ark.), 76-72

1960 -- Pearl (Nashville, Tenn.) d. Roosevelt (West Palm Beach, Fla.), 74-50

1961 -- Burt (Clarksville, Tenn.) d. Webster (Minden, La.), 73-70

1962 -- Booker T. Washington (Memphis, Tenn.) d. Carter Parramore (Quincy, Fla.), 66-61

1963 -- Pearl (Nashville, Tenn.) d. Jim Hill (Jackson, Miss.), 64-55

1964 -- Parker (Birmingham, Ala.) d. Armstrong (Richmond, Va.), 81-79

1965 -- Lanier (Jackson, Miss.) d. Booker T. Washington (Suffolk, Va.), 58-55

1966 -- Coleman (Greenville, Miss.) d. Dunbar (Lynchburg, Va.), 81-54

1967 -- Booker T. Washington (Montgomery, Ala.) d. Temple (Vicksburg, Miss.), 71-56

National Interscholastic Tournament Finals (at University of Chicago, Bartlett Gym)

1930 -- Athens (Athens, Texas) d. Jena (Jena, La.), 22-16; HC--Jimmy Kitts.

1929 -- Athens (Athens, Texas) d. Classen (Oklahoma City, Okla.), 25-21; HC--Jimmy Kitts.

1928 -- Ashland (Ashland, Ky)., d. Canton (Canton, Ill.), 15-10; HC--James Anderson.

1927 -- Morton (Cicero, Ill.) d. Batesville (Batesville, Ark.), 18-16; HC--H. K. Long.

1926 -- Fitchburg (Fitchburg, Mass.), d. Fargo (Fargo, N.D.), 25-14; HC--Clarence N. Amiott.

1925 -- Wichita (Wichita, Kan.), d. El Reno (El Reno, Okla.), 27-6; HC--A. R. Young.

1924 -- Windsor (Windsor, Colo.), d. Yankton (Yankton, S.D.), 25-6; HC--Joseph E. Ryan.

1923 -- Kansas City (Kansas City, Kan.), d. Rockford (Rockford, Ill.), 43-21; HC--C. W. Corsant.

1922 -- Lexington (Lexington, Ky.), d. Mt. Vernon (Mt. Vernon, Ohio.), 46-28; HC--John Barclay.

1921 -- Washington (Cedar Rapids, Iowa) d. West Lafayette (West Lafayette, Ind.), 43-19; HC--Leo V. Novak.

1920 -- Wingate (Wingate, Ind.), d. Crawfordville (Crawfordville, Ind.), 22-16; HC--Merrill Eaton.

1918-19 -- not staged because of World War I.

1917 -- Township (Evanston, Ill.) d. Freeport (Freeport, Ill.), 27-22, ot.; HC--James W. Bixby.

Note: Head coaches (HC) listed for championship team.

National Catholic Interscholastic Tournament Finals
(at Loyola University, Chicago; Alumni Hall)

1941--Leo (Chicago, Ill.) d. St. Francis Mission (St. Francis, S.D.), 49-41, ot.

1940--Catholic (Fort Wayne, Ind.) d. St. Michael (Santa Fe, N.M.), 35-33.

1939--Catholic (Fort Wayne, Ind.) d. Leo (Chicago, Ill.), 44-37.

1938--St. Xavier (Louisville, Ky.) d. Loyola (Winnetka, Ill.), 31-22.

1937--Fenwick (Oak Park, Ill.) d. Catholic (Joliet, Ill.), 30-27.

1936--De La Salle (Chicago, Ill.) d. St. Mary (Anderson, Ind.), 45-29.

1935--St. Xavier (Louisville, Ky.) d. St. Mel (Chicago, Ill.), 29-24.

1934--Catholic (Joliet, Ill.) d. St. Mary's (Stockton, Calif.), 30-17.

1933--Cathedral (Indianapolis, Ind.) d. St. Rita (Chicago, Ill.), 31-10.

1932--St. Patrick (Chicago, Ill.) d. St. Mel (Chicago, Ill.), 22-20.

1931--De La Salle (Minneapolis, Minn.) d. Academy (Jasper, Ind.), 23-21.

1930--De La Salle (Chicago, Ill.) d. Academy (Jasper, Ind.), 25-14.

1929--De La Salle (Chicago, Ill.) d. St. Stanislaus (Bay St. Louis, Miss.), 25-16.

1928--De La Salle (Joliet, Ill.) d. University (St. Louis, Mo), 32-11.

1927--De La Salle (Joliet, Ill.) d. Roman Catholic (Philadelphia, Pa.), 26-11.

1926--St. Xavier (Louisville, Ky.) d. Aquinas (Rochester, N.Y.), 18-16.

1925--St. Mel (Chicago, Ill.) d. Marquette Academy (Milwaukee, Wis.), 15-7.

1924--Spalding (Peoria, Ill.) d. Marquette Academy (Milwaukee, Wis.), 21-7.

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 Salute to All-Time FAB 50 No. 1s appeared first on www.ebooksnet.com.

NEW FAB 50: Historic Seasons!

Ronnie Flores — Mon, 27 Mar 2023 03:31:22 +0000

All playoff games in each of the 50 states are now complete and championship games over the weekend brought change to the new FAB 50 National Team Rankings powered by www.ebooksnet.com. Newly crowned state champs in Pennsylvania are the two newcomers this week: Class 6A boys champ Reading (Pa.) at No. 41 and Class 4A champ Lincoln Park (Midland, Pa.) at No. 50. No. 5 Ben Davis (Indianapolis, Ind.) completes historic, unbeaten run to a state title in basketball-crazed Indiana.

All the state champions across the country have now been crowned and the results created change in this week's FAB 50 National Team Rankings powered by www.ebooksnet.com. All that is left for the 2022-23 season is GEICO Nationals, which tip offs March 31 in Ft. Myers, Fla., and the State Champions Invitational,?which is set for April 6-8 at McDonough Arena at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C.

The highest ranked team that wrapped up its season over the weekend was No. 5 Ben Davis (Indianapolis, Ind.), which won the coveted Indiana High School State Athletic Association (IHSAA) Class 4A state crown with a 53-41 win over bubble club Kokomo (Ind.). The game was played in front of over 15,000 people at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, with fans waiting in line hours before tip-off to get into the highly-anticipated contest.

Valparaiso signee Zane Doughty led the way with 20 points in an interior showdown with Kokomo's Floury Budinga (19 points, 11 rebounds, 5 blocks). Sophomore Mark Zackery also had a big game for the Giants with 16 points. Ben Davis led 28-17 at halftime, but Kokomo, which was looking to win its first state crown since 1961, closed the third quarter on a 9-0 run to trial 36-33 entering the final period. That's when Ben Davis responded with a 8-0 run of its own to open the final period and clinch its undefeated season.

Ben Davis, which won its fourth state crown with the latest coming in 2017, secured a final high ranking by finishing unbeaten in Indiana's largest classification. The Giants won their games by an average of 18.3 points and won 29 games by double-digits, with one of the single-digit wins coming against Kokomo (58-51) in their first meeting. In 2017, the Giants finished No. 45 in the FAB 50, but is still in the running for the No. 1 spot and FAB 50 title this season. What happens with the top five will be decided at GEICO Nationals later this week.

Another highly-ranked team that captured a state crown was No. 8 Long Island Lutheran (Glen Head, N.Y.), which captured the New York State Federation Tournament of Champions Class AA title with a 81-57 victory over previous No. 49 Archbishop Stepinac (White Plains, N.Y.) on Sunday at Shaker (Latham, N.Y.). The game between ranked clubs was close early, but LuHi just had too much size and firepower for Stepinac to keep up with.

Senior Jayden Reid had a terrific TOC, going for 20 points, five rebounds and 14 assists in Sunday's title game win after going for 23 points, six assists and five steals in the 81-52 victory over Victor (N.Y.), the New York State Public High School Athletic Association (NYSPHSAA) champs. Archbishop Stepinac, the New York State Catholic High School Athletic Association (NYCHSAA) champs defeated New York Public School Athletic League (PSAL) champ Eagle Academy (Brooklyn, N.Y.) in its semifinal contest, 75-70. Junior guard Boogie Fland scored 42 points in two TOC games for Stepinac. The federation TOC was played for the first time since 2019, but there is no guarantee if will continue in 2023-24.?

LuHi is not done either (as noted by asterisk***), as it is the No. 2 seed in GEICO Nationals and takes on No. 7 seed and FAB 50 No. 22 AZ Compass Prep (Chandler, Ariz.) at 4 pm ET (ESPNU) on Thursday.

Archbishop Stepinac fell out the FAB 50 this week and the other club to fall out was previous No. 24 Neumann-Goretti (Philadelphia, Pa.). It's a tough drop for the Saints, but they have to be ranked behind one-loss Lincoln Park (Midland, Pa.), which captured the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association (PIAA) Class 4A state crown with a 62-58 victory on March 23. The Leopards, which only lost to Central Catholic (Pittsburgh, Pa.) by five points on January 14, captured the program's third state crown behind the play of Maleek Thomas and Brandin "Beebah" Cummings. Thomas, one of the best guards in the country regardless of class who finished with 22 points, scored the game-winning basket (a driving, 12-foot runner) with 11 seconds remaining for Lincoln Park. Cummings, who finished with 25 points, made clutch free throws down the stretch, including two with 0.5 remaining in the game.

The other PIAA champ to enter the nation's longest running weekly rankings was Reading (Pa.), which captured the Class 6A crown with a 62-56 overtime win over previous No. 23 Roman Catholic (Philadelphia, Pa.) on Saturday evening. Seniors Aris Rodriguez (16 points) and Myles Grey (14 points) led the Red Knights to victory. Reading, which only lost to Washington Catholic Athletic Conference (WCAC) power Gonzaga of D.C., closed its season on a 23-game winning streak and captured its second state crown in three seasons. In 2021, Reading made all of Berks County proud when it finished No. 19 in the FAB 50.

Roman Catholic, the Philadelphia Catholic League champs who won the second meeting of the season vs. Neumann-Goretti, must stay ranked ahead of South Carolina AAAAA champ Dorman (Roebuck, S.C.) because of a head-to-head victory. So the results from the PIAA championships puts Reading at No. 41, Roman Catholic at No. 42, while Dorman drops four spots this week to No. 43. The top-ranked PIAA club had no trouble in the Class 5A title game, as No. 11 Imhotep Charter (Philadelphia, Pa.) downed Exeter Township (Reading, Pa.), 78-40, on Friday. One of Imhotep Charter's three losses came against Long Island Lutheran.

Another ranked club that closed out its season with a state title was No. 25 Cass Tech (Detroit, Mich.), which won the Michigan High School Athletic Association (MHSAA) D1 crown with a 78-63 victory over bubble club Muskegon (Mich.). Cass Tech only lost one game in overtime to two-loss and bubble club Brother Rice (Bloomfield Hills, Mich.) to finish as Michigan's highest ranked overall team.

The state champions across the country have been crowned, but the final ranking for nationally ranked clubs for the 2022-23 season is not yet settled.

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

(15th poll of 2022-23 regular season; Through games played on Sunday, March 26; *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.)	23-2***
2	2	Link Academy (Branson, Mo.)	24-1***
3	3	John Marshall (Richmond, Va.)	28-0
4	4	Duncanville (Duncanville, Texas)	28-1
5	5	Ben Davis (Indianapolis, Ind.)	33-0
6	6	Columbus (Miami, Fla.)	26-4
7	7	Lake Highlands (Dallas, Texas)	34-3
8	8	Long Island Lutheran (Glen Head, N.Y.)	23-2***
9	9	Central Cabarrus (Concord, N.C.)	32-0
10	10	Camden (Camden, N.J.)	23-2**
11	11	Imhotep Charter (Philadelphia, Pa.)	30-3
12	12	Harvard-Westlake (North Hollywood, Calif.)	33-2
13	13	Beaumont United (Beaumont, Texas)	36-2
14	14	Sidwell Friends (Washington, D.C.)	27-4***
15	15	St. John’s (Washington, D.C.)	32-4
16	16	Paul VI (Chantilly, Va.)	31-3***
17	17	Sunrise Christian Academy (Bel Aire, Kan.)	21-7***
18	18	Perry (Gilbert, Ariz.)	30-1
19	19	IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.)	16-7***
20	20	Roselle Catholic (Roselle, N.J.)	22-5***
21	21	Centennial (Corona, Calif.)	30-4
22	22	AZ Compass Prep (Chandler, Ariz.)	21-6***
23	26	Bellevue West (Bellevue, Neb.)	29-0
24	27	De Pere (De Pere, Wis.)	29-0
25	28	Cass Tech (Detroit, Mich.)	28-1
26	25	Mt. St. Joseph (Baltimore, Md.)	38-4
27	29	Richmond Heights (Richmond Heights, Ohio)	29-0
28	30	Tualatin (Tualatin, Ore.)	24-5
29	31	West Linn (West Linn, Ore.)	28-2
30	32	St. John Bosco (Bellflower, Calif.)	26-7
31	33	Wheeler (Marietta, Ga.)	26-6***
32	34	Oak Cliff Faith Family (Dallas, Texas)	31-3**
33	35	Kimball (Kimball, Texas)	33-2
34	36	Edmond North (Edmond, Okla.)	26-2
35	37	Warren Central (Bowling Green, Ky.)	36-1
36	38	Christ School (Arden, N.C.)	31-4
37	40	Lake City (Coeur d’ Alene, Idaho)	26-0
38	41	Curtis (University Place, Wash.)	28-3***
39	42	Jonesboro (Jonesboro, Ark.)	30-3
40	43	Central Pointe Christian (Kissimmee, Fla.)	30-11
41	NR	Reading (Reading, Pa.)	32-1
42	23	Roman Catholic (Philadelphia, Pa.)	27-4
43	39	Dorman (Roebuck, S.C.)	29-2
44	44	Durango (Las Vegas, Nev.)	21-6
45	45	Corner Canyon (Draper, Utah)	24-2**
46	46	Notre Dame (Sherman Oaks, Calif.)	27-10
47	47	Moline (Moline, Ill.)	35-3
48	48	Kell (Marietta, Ga.)	28-2
49	50	Archbishop Hoban (Akron, Ohio)	26-3
50	NR	Lincoln Park (Midland, Pa.)	30-1

Dropped Out: Previous No. 24 Neumann-Goretti (Philadelphia, Pa.), No. 49 Archbishop Stepinac (White Plains, N.Y.).

Bubble Teams:?Andover (Andover, Kan.) 23-2; Archbishop Stepinac (White Plains, N.Y.) 22-10; Benet Academy (Lisle, Ill.) 35-2; Blue Valley Northwest (Overland Park, Kan.) 21-4; Bondurant-Farrar (Bondurant, Iowa) 24-0; Brentwood Academy (Brentwood, Tenn.) 29-3; Briarcrest Christian (Eads, Tenn.) 32-3**; Broken Arrow (Broken Arrow, Okla.) 27-2; Brother Rice (Bloomfield Hills, Mich.) 22-2; Carmel Christian (Matthews, N.C.) 28-4; Carter (Dallas, Texas) 31-4; Catholic B.R. (Baton Rouge, La.) 28-6; Centerville (Centerville, Ohio) 25-4; Cherokee (Canton, Ga.) 25-7; Christ the King (Middle Village, N.Y.) 23-5; East (Denver, Col.) 26-2; DME Academy (Daytona Beach, Fla.) 26-8**; Dwyer (Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.) 29-1; Eagle’s Landing (McDonough, Ga.) 29-2; Ellison (Killeen, Texas) 38-4; Farmville Central (Farmville, N.C.) 30-1; Garfield (Seattle, Wash.) 25-2; Grand Blanc (Grand Blanc, Mich.) 25-3; Grayson (Loganville, Ga.) 24-6; Greensboro Day (Greensboro, N.C.) 30-5; Hayfield (Alexandria, Va.) 30-1; Highland (Warrenton, Va.) 30-3; Highland Park (Topeka Kan.) 21-0**; Hoover (Hoover, Ala.) 31-4; Isidore Newman (New Orleans, La.) 32-6; Kapun Mt. Carmel (Wichita, Kan.) 23-2; Kokomo (Kokomo, Ind.) 24-5; Liberty (Henderson, Nev.) 21-10; McEachern (Powder Springs, Ga.) 23-7; Metamora (Metamora, Ill.) 34-2; Modesto Christian (Modesto, Calif.) 27-7; Muskegon (Muskegon, Mich.) 26-3; Myers Park (Charlotte, N.C.) 28-4; Norcross (Norcross, Ga.) 26-5; North Mecklenburg (Huntersville, N.C.) 29-3; Northside (Roanoke, Va.) 27-1; Neumann-Goretti (Philadelphia, Pa.) 26-4; Park Center (Brooklyn Park, Minn.) 28-3; Penn (Wishawaka, Ind.) 28-2; Pickerington Central (Pickerington, Ohio) 25-6; Reidsville (Reidesville, N.C.) 26-1; Scotlandville (Baton Rouge, La.) 33-4; Simeon (Chicago, Ill.) 32-4; Staley (Kansas City, Mo.) 30-2; St. Augustine (San Diego, Calif.) 28-5; St. Maria Goretti (Hagerstown, Md.) 27-7; Vashon (St. Louis, Mo.) 24-7; Valley (West Des Moines, Iowa) 21-5; Volcano Vista (Albuquerque, N.M.) 29-1; Wasatch Academy (Mt. Pleasant, Utah) 19-10; Wayzata (Plymouth, Minn.) 27-4; West Oaks (Orlando, Fla.) 21-9; West Ranch (Valencia, Calif.) 29-3; Yazoo City (Yazoo City, Miss.) 30-5***.

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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UPDATED FAB 50: Closing Strong!

Ronnie Flores — Mon, 20 Mar 2023 04:24:42 +0000

Most of the country is now finished for 2022-23, as many state champions were crowned among the teams in the new FAB 50 National Team Rankings powered by www.ebooksnet.com. New crowned state champs include No. 28 De Pere (Wis.) and No. 35 Richmond Heights (Richmond Heights, Ohio). There are two newcomers this week, including newly-crowned Ohio D1 state champ Archbishop Hoban (Akron, Ohio) and Archbishop Stepinac (White Plains, N.Y.), one of 18 teams still looking to close strong!

We now know who is going to play in end-of-the season events and just under 20 percent of the teams in this week's FAB 50 National Team Rankings powered by www.ebooksnet.com are still going and looking to close strong.

Among the state champs who wrapped up their season this weekend include Ohio High School Athletic Association (OHSAA) Division 4 champ Richmond Heights (Ohio), which finished unbeaten and as the state's top ranked team with a 70-26 stomping of Convoy Crestview (Convoy, Ohio) on Sunday afternoon. The Spartans led 31-22 at the half, but completely blew open the game with a massive third quarter run, as the program won its second consecutive state crown to move up six spots in this week's rankings. Dorian Jones, one of the better sophomores (2025) in the Midwest, went bonkers from 3-point range and nearly outscored Convoy Crestview by himself, making 7-of-10 3-pointers and finishing with 25 points.

One of the two newcomers is OHSAA D1 champ Archbishop Hoban (Akron, Ohio), which took down defending D1 champ Pickerington Central (Pickerington, Ohio) on Sunday evening, 53-47, at the University of Dayton. Senior Logan Vowles led the way offensively for Hoban with 17 points, while senior Will Scott Jr. (13 points) and freshman Sam Greer (12 points) also hit double figures. In a game where points were at a premium, Vowles made five of the game's 10 3-pointers. Offensive rebounds were also a key to the game and Vowles and Greer came up with a combined nine, as the Knights grabbed 14 offensive rebounds to Pick Central's 11, even though the defending champions held the rebounding advantage by one (32-31).

Pick Central was looking to finish FAB 50 ranked for the second consecutive season, but had a rough go offensively, making only 3-of-16 3-point attempts and 4-of-7 free throws. Ohio Mr. Basketball Devin Royal scored a team-high 15 points, but made only 5-of-15 shot attempts.

Up three spots this week is No. 37 Warren Central (Bowling Green, Ky.), which only lost one game all season and captured the coveted UK HealthCare Sweet 16 title with a 64-60 victory over defending Kentucky High School Athletics Association (KHSAA) Sweet 16 champ George Rogers Clark (Winchester, Ky.) at Rupp Arena. In the single elimination, winner-take-all format, Warren Central looked to erase some of the painful memories of last year's final, when George Rogers Clark defeated the Dragons, 43-42, as a missed free throw late was a key factor in the outcome.

This time around, junior Kade Unseld hit two clutch free throws with 8.1 seconds remaining to seal with win for coach Will Unseld, his father. Unseld, who had a 26-point effort at the Sweet 16, was one of three Warren Central players to finish the championship game with 17 points. The others were Damarion Walkup and Omari Glover, both seniors. The Dragons' only other state crown came in 2004, when it won their last 21 games after seven regular season losses to finished No. 35 in the FAB 50 that season.

The two highest ranked teams looking to win state titles this week are unbeaten and No. 5 Ben Davis (Indianapolis, Ind.) and No. 11 Imhotep Charter (Philadelphia, Pa.). Ben Davis will play bubble club Kokomo (Ind.) on March 25 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse for the Indiana High School Athletic Association (IHSAA) Class 4A state crown. Kokomo knocked off previous No. 22 Penn (Wishawaka, Ind.), 58-57, in the state semifinals. Imhotep Charter, meanwhile, is gunning for its second consecutive Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association (PIAA) Class 5A state crown. It will play Archbishop Ryan (Philadelphia, Pa.), the club that knocked off previous No. 41 Radnor (Radnor, Pa.) in the state quarterfinals, in the semifinal on March 20. The state championship game is set for March 24.

Teams marked with an asterisk by their won-loss record are still playing, including the six state champions that will participate in the second annual State Champions Invitational set for April 6-8 at McDonough Arena at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C.

No. 41 Curtis (University Place, Wash.) plays No. 20 Roselle Catholic (Roselle, N.J.), with the winner of that game meeting No. 33 Wheeler (Marietta, Ga.) in one semifinal contest. No. 14 Sidwell Friends (DC) is already slated in the other semifinal and will take on the winner of No. 45 Corner Canyon (Draper, Utah) and bubble club Yazoo City (Yazoo City, Miss.). The SCI championship game is set for 12 pm ET on April 8.

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

(14th poll of 2022-23 regular season; Through games played on Sunday, March 19; *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.)	23-2***
2	2	Link Academy (Branson, Mo.)	24-1***
3	3	John Marshall (Richmond, Va.)	28-0
4	4	Duncanville (Duncanville, Texas)	28-1
5	5	Ben Davis (Indianapolis, Ind.)	32-0***
6	6	Columbus (Miami, Fla.)	26-4
7	7	Lake Highlands (Dallas, Texas)	34-3
8	8	Long Island Lutheran (Glen Head, N.Y.)	21-2***
9	9	Central Cabarrus (Concord, N.C.)	32-0
10	10	Camden (Camden, N.J.)	23-2**
11	11	Imhotep Charter (Philadelphia, Pa.)	28-3***
12	12	Harvard-Westlake (North Hollywood, Calif.)	33-2
13	13	Beaumont United (Beaumont, Texas)	36-2
14	14	Sidwell Friends (Washington, D.C.)	27-4***
15	15	St. John’s (Washington, D.C.)	32-4
16	16	Paul VI (Chantilly, Va.)	31-3***
17	17	Sunrise Christian Academy (Bel Aire, Kan.)	21-7***
18	18	Perry (Gilbert, Ariz.)	30-1
19	19	IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.)	16-7***
20	20	Roselle Catholic (Roselle, N.J.)	22-5***
21	21	Centennial (Corona, Calif.)	30-4
22	23	AZ Compass Prep (Chandler, Ariz.)	21-6***
23	24	Roman Catholic (Philadelphia, Pa.)	26-3***
24	25	Neumann-Goretti (Philadelphia, Pa.)	25-3***
25	26	Mt. St. Joseph (Baltimore, Md.)	38-4
26	27	Bellevue West (Bellevue, Neb.)	29-0
27	28	De Pere (De Pere, Wis.)	29-0
28	29	Cass Tech (Detroit, Mich.)	25-1***
29	35	Richmond Heights (Richmond Heights, Ohio)	29-0
30	30	Tualatin (Tualatin, Ore.)	24-5
31	31	West Linn (West Linn, Ore.)	28-2
32	32	St. John Bosco (Bellflower, Calif.)	26-7
33	33	Wheeler (Marietta, Ga.)	26-6***
34	34	Oak Cliff Faith Family (Dallas, Texas)	31-3**
35	36	Kimball (Kimball, Texas)	33-2
36	37	Edmond North (Edmond, Okla.)	26-2
37	40	Warren Central (Bowling Green, Ky.)	36-1
38	38	Christ School (Arden, N.C.)	31-4
39	39	Dorman (Roebuck, S.C.)	29-2
40	42	Lake City (Coeur d’ Alene, Idaho)	26-0
41	43	Curtis (University Place, Wash.)	28-3***
42	44	Jonesboro (Jonesboro, Ark.)	30-3
43	45	Central Pointe Christian (Kissimmee, Fla.)	30-11
44	46	Durango (Las Vegas, Nev.)	21-6
45	47	Corner Canyon (Draper, Utah)	24-2**
46	48	Notre Dame (Sherman Oaks, Calif.)	27-10
47	49	Moline (Moline, Ill.)	35-3
48	50	Kell (Marietta, Ga.)	28-2
49	NR	Archbishop Stepinac (White Plains, N.Y.)	21-9***
50	NR	Archbishop Hoban (Akron, Ohio)	26-3

Dropped Out: Previous No. 22 Penn (Wishawaka, Ind.), No. 41 Radnor (Radnor, Pa.).

Bubble Teams: Andover (Andover, Kan.) 23-2; Benet Academy (Lisle, Ill.) 35-2; Blue Valley Northwest (Overland Park, Kan.) 21-4; Bondurant-Farrar (Bondurant, Iowa) 24-0; Brentwood Academy (Brentwood, Tenn.) 29-3; Briarcrest Christian (Eads, Tenn.) 32-3**; Broken Arrow (Broken Arrow, Okla.) 27-2; Carmel Christian (Matthews, N.C.) 28-4; Carter (Dallas, Texas) 31-4; Catholic B.R. (Baton Rouge, La.) 28-6; Centerville (Centerville, Ohio) 25-4; Cherokee (Canton, Ga.) 25-7; Christ the King (Middle Village, N.Y.) 23-5; East (Denver, Col.) 26-2; DME Academy (Daytona Beach, Fla.) 26-8**; Dwyer (Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.) 29-1; Eagle’s Landing (McDonough, Ga.) 29-2; Ellison (Killeen, Texas) 38-4; Farmville Central (Farmville, N.C.) 30-1; Garfield (Seattle, Wash.) 25-2; Grand Blanc (Grand Blanc, Mich.) 24-2***; Grayson (Loganville, Ga.) 24-6; Greensboro Day (Greensboro, N.C.) 30-5; Hayfield (Alexandria, Va.) 30-1; Highland (Warrenton, Va.) 30-3; Highland Park (Topeka Kan.) 21-0**; Hoover (Hoover, Ala.) 31-4; Isidore Newman (New Orleans, La.) 32-6; Kapun Mt. Carmel (Wichita, Kan.) 23-2; Kokomo (Kokomo, Ind.) 24-4***; Liberty (Henderson, Nev.) 21-10; McEachern (Powder Springs, Ga.) 23-7; Metamora (Metamora, Ill.) 34-2; Modesto Christian (Modesto, Calif.) 27-7; Muskegon (Muskegon, Mich.) 24-2***; Myers Park (Charlotte, N.C.) 28-4; Norcross (Norcross, Ga.) 26-5; North Mecklenburg (Huntersville, N.C.) 29-3; Northside (Roanoke, Va.) 27-1; Park Center (Brooklyn Park, Minn.) 26-2***; Penn (Wishawaka, Ind.) 28-2; Pickerington Central (Pickerington, Ohio) 25-6; Reidsville (Reidesville, N.C.) 26-1; Scotlandville (Baton Rouge, La.) 33-4; Simeon (Chicago, Ill.) 32-4; Staley (Kansas City, Mo.) 30-2; St. Augustine (San Diego, Calif.) 28-5; St. Maria Goretti (Hagerstown, Md.) 27-7; Vashon (St. Louis, Mo.) 24-7; Valley (West Des Moines, Iowa) 21-5; Volcano Vista (Albuquerque, N.M.) 29-1; Wasatch Academy (Mt. Pleasant, Utah) 19-10; West Oaks (Orlando, Fla.) 21-9; West Ranch (Valencia, Calif.) 29-3; Yazoo City (Yazoo City, Miss.) 30-5***.

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: Closing Strong! appeared first on www.ebooksnet.com.

In the Paint | March Madness Hot Takes, State Champs, Guns (Again), & More

Ronnie Flores — Tue, 14 Mar 2023 22:33:00 +0000

On Episode 157 of the Ballislife In The Paint Show, hosts Ronnie Flores and Chelsea Hopkins go in on the latest high school and NBA news and give their hot takes on the upcoming NCAA Tournament.

Ron and Chelsea talk about the latest gun incident (surprise) involving Shawn Kemp and Ja Morant's rehab stint away from the Memphis Grizzlies. Is this the first step to a total re-make for Ja?

The ITP crew also talk about the issue of NBA load management and how guidelines could be put in place for player awards through the CBA.

Ron also breaks down the CIF state championships and the atmosphere of the California state tournament. Is there going to be change in order to make it more appeasing to the average fan? Ron also talks about how the CIF and UIL (Texas) state tournament affect the latest FAB 50 rankings.

Chelsea also gives her hot takes on the women's NCAA Tournament. Can anyone challenge South Carolina? Who are the favorites to reach the Final Four? Chelsea also breaks down players to watch.

Both Ron and Chelsea give their team and players to watch in the wide-open men's NCAA Tournament? It truly will be March Madness this season!

The ITP crew offers some terrific insight on all levels of the game and both genders, so make sure to tune in to Episode 157 from start to finish!

(0:00) - Intro
(1:16) - Gun Incident with Shawn Kemp... WTH!
(3:52) - Ja Morant in Rehab: Will He Turn the Corner?
(10:49) - New NBA CBA Will Address Load Management
(13:28) - NBA MVP Debate: A Racial Thing or Flawed Process?
(17:11) - Life of Pro: Preparing for Adjustment or Staying in Moment
(19:45) - Ballislife Podcast Network Shout-Outs
(20:04) - Ron’s CIF Championships Hot Takes
(27:21) - Ron’s FAB 50 Update
(28:24) - Ron’s UIL Final Four Break Down
(35:15) - Chelsea’s Women’s NCAA Tourney Breakdown!
(49:09) - Hot Take on Men’s NCAA Tournament!

The post In the Paint | March Madness Hot Takes, State Champs, Guns (Again), & More appeared first on www.ebooksnet.com.

UPDATED FAB 50: Explosive Movement!

Ronnie Flores — Mon, 06 Mar 2023 21:38:06 +0000

The results that poured in this week lead to explosive movement in the latest FAB 50 National Team Rankings powered by www.ebooksnet.com. Fast risers include No. 15 Sidwell Friends (Washington, D.C.), No. 24 Roman Catholic (Philadelphia, Pa.), and No. 31 Mt. St. Joseph (Baltimore, Md.). There are three newcomers this week, including two that wrapped up their seasons as state champions. For some state champs, the season may not be over yet.

As we mentioned last week, Monday's championship results were going to shake up the rankings, but what happened later in the week also played a big role in where teams landed in this week's FAB 50 National Team Rankings powered by www.ebooksnet.com. After falling to St. John's (Washington, D.C.) in the 2023 WCAC title game, Paul VI (Chantilly, Va.) bounced back on Saturday to capture the Virginia Independent Schools Athletic Association (VISAA) D1 title with a 69-56 victory over St. Anne's-Belfield (Charlottesville, Va.) at Virginia State University.

With quality victories on its resume, including a split with St. John's, the Panthers couldn't fall too far in the new FAB 50 and come in at No. 17. In fact, they might not have fallen very much at all if St. John's had won the District of Columbia State Athletic Association (SDCSAA) Class AA championship later in the week. After capturing the WCAC title on Monday, the Cadets fell to unranked Jackson-Reed (Washington, D.C.) on Friday in the semifinals, 66-63, at Georgetown University's McDonough Arena. WCAC clubs really gear up for the WCAC Tournament, and sometimes fall flat during their ensuing state tournament. This is not the first time it's happened to a WCAC Champion.

From a broader perspective, however, for teams in the mix for the FAB 50 national title, every result counts. That means St. John's drops three spots to No. 16, right in front of the Paul VI team it split with.

Jackson-Reed fell on Sunday to Sidwell Friends (Washington, D.C.), 62-47, in the DCSAA Class AA championship game at the Smith Center on the campus of George Washington University. Senior Cam Gillus was named game MVP for the Quakers, who also won the same title in 2022, with 20 points (3-of-4 3-pointers), seven rebounds, six assists and four steals. Caleb Williams also was terrific with 16 points and 11 rebounds, as Sidwell Friends outscored Jackson-Reed in each quarter.

The Quakers are the big winners in this week's rankings, as they move up in 20 points in front of St. John's at No. 15. Coach Eric Singletary's club, which defeated Paul VI in a non-conference affair, jelled down the stretch after overcoming an injury to Williams (and sickness) during the holidays. Williams was not available in three December losses and the Quakers averaged a January one-point (51-50) loss to St. Andrew's Episcopal (Potomac, Md.) with a 55-41 victory one game before taking down Paul VI.

One club Paul VI did beat this year also won a title over the weekend, as Mt. St. Joseph (Baltimore, Md.) moved up three spots to No. 28 after claiming the Baltimore Catholic League title on Sunday with a 59-50 victory over St. Maria Goretti (Hagerstown, Md.) at Goucher College in Baltimore. All-American candidate Amani Hansberry closed out his career in spectacular fashion with 17 points and 21 rebounds, as the Gaels won their second consecutive BCL championship. Power forward Tyrone Farrell (17 points) and Ace Valentine (17 points, 6 rebounds) also played well for veteran coach Pat Clatchey.

Mt. St. Joseph, which has now won nine BCL titles, must remain behind the Neumann-Goretti club that fell to No. 24 Roman Catholic (Philadelphia, Pa.) in Monday's Philadelphia Catholic League title game. Mt. St. Joseph tied the program record for single-season victories first set in 2005-06 when the Gaels went 38-1 and finished No. 12 in the FAB 50. That teams's only loss came to DeMatha Catholic (Hyattsville, Md.) at the Alhambra Catholic Invitational, which this year is set to take place March 9-11.

Although Paul VI nor Mt. St. Joseph are scheduled to participate in the Alhambra tourney this season, it doesn't mean the season is over for some of the previously mentioned state champions.

Last season, Sidwell Friends appeared in the inaugural State Champions Invitational, which is set to take place this year April 6-8 in the DMV region. Last season, the event was a four-team bracket and this year the field will reportedly expand to six teams. Teams that win state championships in NFHS-affiliated state governing bodies are eligible to be selected. The participating states are Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Mississippi, Nevada, New Jersey, Utah, Washington and the District of Columbia.

In addition to Sidwell Friends, there's two teams that would be very attractive to event organizers. One is FAB 50 No. 6 Columbus (Miami, Fla.), which won its second consecutive FHSAA Class 7A state title on Saturday with a 50-48 victory over Winter Haven (Fla.). The championship was sealed when junior forward Malik Abdullahi came up with a steal that led to the game-winning lay-up by senior Garyn Bess with six seconds remaining. Sophomore Cayden Boozer led the way with 21 points. The other club would be No. 22 Roselle Catholic (Roselle, N.J.), which captured the NJSIAA Non-Public B state title with a 68-59 victory over St. Rose (Belmar. N.J.). With the NJSIAA discontinuing its end-of-season Tournament of Champions, the State Champions Invitational would be an attractive option for the Lions.

Another notable state champion crowned was No. 43 Lake City (Coeur d’Alene, Idaho), which captured the Idaho High School Activities Association (IDHSAA) Class 5A state title with a 75-61 victory over Meridian (Idaho). No IDHSAA team has ever finished FAB 50 ranked, but it's a good bet the Timberwolves will in 2022-23.

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

(12th poll of 2022-23 regular season; Through games played on Sunday, March 5; *Indicates forfeit wins, forfeit losses not included; **Indicates forfeits and defaults not included; ***Indicates season complete)

No.	Prev.	High School (City)	Record
1	1	Montverde Academy (Montverde, Fla.)	23-2
2	2	Link Academy (Branson, Mo.)	24-1
3	3	John Marshall (Richmond, Va.)	25-0
4	4	Duncanville (Duncanville, Texas)	28-1***
5	5	Ben Davis (Indianapolis, Ind.)	29-0
6	6	Columbus (Miami, Fla.)	26-4
7	8	Centennial (Corona, Calif.)	30-3
8	9	Lake Highlands (Dallas, Texas)	32-3
9	11	Long Island Lutheran (Glen Head, N.Y.)	21-2
10	10	Camden (Camden, N.J.)	23-2***
11	12	Imhotep Charter (Philadelphia, Pa.)	25-3
12	15	Central Cabarrus (Concord, N.C.)	31-0
13	16	Beaumont United (Beaumont, Texas)	35-1
14	14	Sunrise Christian Academy (Bel Aire, Kan.)	21-7
15	35	Sidwell Friends (Washington, D.C.)	27-4
16	13	St. John’s (Washington, D.C.)	30-3
17	7	Paul VI (Chantilly, Va.)	31-3
18	17	Perry (Gilbert, Ariz.)	30-1
19	18	IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.)	16-7
20	20	West Linn (West Linn, Ore.)	27-1
21	28	Harvard-Westlake (North Hollywood, Calif.)	31-2
22	22	Roselle Catholic (Roselle, N.J.)	22-5
23	19	AZ Compass Prep (Chandler, Ariz.)	21-6
24	36	Roman Catholic (Philadelphia, Pa.)	23-3
25	21	Neumann-Goretti (Philadelphia, Pa.)	22-3
26	26	Penn (Wishawaka, Ind.)	25-1
27	27	Brother Rice (Bloomfield Hills, Mich.)	21-1
28	31	Mt. St. Joseph (Baltimore, Md.)	38-4***
29	29	Bellevue West (Bellevue, Neb.)	26-0
30	30	De Pere (De Pere, Wis.)	25-0
31	23	Cass Tech (Detroit, Mich.)	21-1
32	25	St. John Bosco (Bellflower, Calif.)	26-7***
33	34	Wheeler (Marietta, Ga.)	25-6
34	37	Oak Cliff Faith Family (Dallas, Texas)	29-3**
35	40	Simeon (Chicago, Ill.)	30-3
36	41	Christ the King (Middle Village, N.Y.)	23-4
37	42	Benet Academy (Lisle, Ill.)	33-1
38	38	Carter (Dallas, Texas)	31-4***
39	43	Richmond Heights (Richmond Heights, Ohio)	25-0
40	44	Kimball (Kimball, Texas)	31-2
41	39	Broken Arrow (Broken Arrow, Okla.)	25-1
42	45	Dorman (Roebuck, S.C.)	29-2***
43	46	Lake City (Coeur d’ Alene, Idaho)	26-0***
44	48	Warren Central (Bowling Green, Ky.)	30-1
45	NR	St. Edward (Lakewood, Ohio)	21-2
46	47	Central Pointe Christian (Kissimmee, Fla.)	29-10
47	49	Radnor (Radnor, Pa.)	26-0
48	50	Curtis (University Place, Wash.)	28-3
49	NR	Durango (Las Vegas, Nev.)	21-6***
50	NR	Corner Canyon (Draper, Utah)	24-2**

Dropped Out: Previous No. 23 Don Bosco Prep (Ramsey, N.J.), No. 32 West Ranch (Valencia, Calif.), No. 33 Park Center (Brooklyn Park, Minn.).

Bubble Teams:??Brentwood Academy (Brentwood, Tenn.) 29-3***; Briarcrest Christian (Eads, Tenn.) 32-3**; Carmel Christian (Matthews, N.C.) 28-4***; Centerville (Centerville, Ohio) 23-3; Cherokee (Canton, Ga.) 25-6; Christ School (Arden, N.C.) 31-4***; DME Academy (Daytona Beach, Fla.) 25-7**; Dwyer (Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.) 29-1; Eagle’s Landing (McDonough, Ga.) 29-1; Edmond North (Edmond, Okla.) 23-2; Ellison (Killeen, Texas) 37-3; Farmville Central (Farmville, N.C.) 29-1; Garfield (Seattle, Wash.) 25-2***; Grand Blanc (Grand Blanc, Mich.) 20-2; Grayson (Loganville, Ga.) 24-6***; Greensboro Day (Greensboro, N.C.) 30-5***; Hammond Central (Hammond, Ind.) 24-1; Hayfield (Alexandria, Va.) 28-1; Highland (Warrenton, Va.) 30-3; Highland Park (Topeka Kan.) 21-0**; Jonesboro (Jonesboro, Ark.) 29-3; Kapun Mt. Carmel (Wichita, Kan.) 21-1; Kell (Marietta, Ga.) 27-2; Kennedy (Cedar Rapids, Iowa) 22-0; Kenwood Academy (Chicago, Ill.) 28-6; Liberty (Henderson, Nev.) 21-10***; McEachern (Powder Springs, Ga.) 23-7***; Metamora (Metamora, Ill.) 31-2; Modesto Christian (Modesto, Calif.) 27-6; Muskegon (Muskegon, Mich.) 20-2; Myers Park (Charlotte, N.C.) 27-4; Nixa (Nixa, Mo.) 26-0; Norcross (Norcross, Ga.) 26-5***; North Farmington (Farmington Hills, Mich.) 19-1; North Mecklenburg (Huntersville, N.C.) 29-3; Northside (Roanoke, Va.) 27-1; Notre Dame (Sherman Oaks, Calif.) 25-10; Oak Park (Kansas City, Mo.) 26-1; Park Center (Brooklyn Park, Minn.) 23-2; Reidsville (Reidesville, N.C.) 26-0; Sacred Heart Griffin (Springfield, Ill.) 31-3; Scotlandville (Baton Rouge, La.) 32-3; Staley (Kansas City, Mo.) 26-2; St. Augustine (San Diego, Calif.) 28-5***; St. Maria Goretti (Hagerstown, Md.) 27-7***; UOD Jesuit (Detroit, Mich.) 18-4; Vashon (St. Louis, Mo.) 21-7; Volcano Vista (Albuquerque, N.M.) 26-1; Wasatch Academy (Mt. Pleasant, Utah) 19-10; West Oaks (Orlando, Fla.) 19-8; West Ranch (Valencia, Calif.) 29-3***; Yazoo City (Yazoo City, Miss.) 30-5.

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: Explosive Movement! appeared first on www.ebooksnet.com.

NEW FAB 50: Playoff Madness Is HERE!

Ronnie Flores — Tue, 28 Feb 2023 05:13:45 +0000

The playoffs continue around the country and some states are quickly wrapping up. By this time next week, some ranked teams in the updated FAB 50 National Team Rankings powered by www.ebooksnet.com?will be complete with the 2022-23 season. We already know there will be big changes to next week's rankings even though the Top 20 remained the same this week. There are three newcomers this week, led by UIL Class 5A front-runner Kimball (Kimball, Texas).

The playoffs are when a team can quickly move up in the rankings, or fall out after an untimely loss. For the top teams in the FAB 50 National Team Rankings powered by www.ebooksnet.com last week was relatively calm. No team in the top 20 suffered a loss and only two in the Top 25 tasted defeat. Neither team saw its season end, so it will have a chance to bounce back and perhaps move back up in the rankings.

Previous No. 24 Park Center (Brooklyn Park, Minn.) fell to Elk River (Minn.), 73-30, but still rate as the favorite to capture the Minnesota State High School League (MSHSL) Class 4A state title. The Pirates actually have a split with Elk River and fall nine spots this week to No. 33. No. 25 St. John Bosco (Bellflower, Calif.) actually didn't fall in the rankings, but its loss was much more gut-wrenching than Park Center's. Bosco fell at the buzzer to No. 8 Centennial (Corona, Calif.) in the CIFSS open division title game on a break away steal and dunk by LMU-bound forward Aaron McBride, who jumped a passing lane and tipped the ball to himself with 3.9 seconds remaining, took one dribble in the front court and two-hand dunked it right before the clock hit 0.00 to give his team a dramatic 58-56 victory.

Bosco's season is not over and it will have chance for redemption in the CIF Southern open regional tournament, where Centennial is the No. 1 seed and the Braves No. 2. Both teams drew byes in Tuesday's first round and so did No. 3 seed and FAB 50 No. 28 Harvard-Westlake (North Hollywood, Calif.). That means one of those team's will see its season end on Saturday March 4 when the Braves and Wolverines meet in a monster SoCal open regional semifinal contest at Bosco. The CIF open champion will be crowned on March 11 at the Golden One Center in Sacramento.

While there wasn't much movement in this week's rankings, that surely won't be the case next week.

On Monday night (February 27) two keys results played out in the Washington Catholic Athletic Conference (WCAC) Tournament championship game and the Philadelphia Catholic League title contest. In the WCAC final, No. 13 St. John’s (Washington, D.C.) took down No. 7 Paul VI (Chantilly, Va.), 65-63, as St. John's junior point guard Daquan Davis (team-high 21 points) scored the game-winning basket on a driving lay-up with time winding down when the Cadets chose not to take a timeout. Paul VI, which was No. 1 in the FAB 50 two weeks ago, had a chance to win it in the final 3.8 seconds but DeShawn Harris-Smith's (game-high 24 points) long 3-point attempt rimmed out. St. John's now owns a split with the Panthers.

In the Philly Catholic League showdown, No. 36 Roman Catholic (Philadelphia, Pa.) took down No. 21 Neumann-Goretti (Philadelphia, Pa.) 57-52, in overtime, to avenge a regular season loss to the Saints. Neumann-Goretti, which needed overtime to defeat West Catholic (Philadelphia, Pa.) in the semifinals, couldn't get away with free throw misses down the stretch against the Cahillites in the title game.

Leading by six points with 20 seconds remaining, Neumann-Goretti missed three free throws, which allowed Roman Catholic to sent the game into overtime on a 3-pointer by senior Xzayvier Brown. The Cahillites hit their free throws down the stretch in overtime to account for the final margin. Brown finished with a game-high 20 points.

For Roman, winning the Catholic League title is a big moment; some would even argue its bigger than capturing the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association (PIAA) state crown. The job, however, is not done until the final game is played.

For all the three newcomers to this week's rankings, the season is not over. The highest ranked newcomer, No. 44 Kimball (Texas), is the favorite to capture the University Interscholastic League (UIL) Class 5A state crown. It's only losses this season are to 4A contender and No. 39 Carter (Dallas, Texas) in overtime and to 6A contender and No. 16 Beaumont United (Beaumont, Texas).

Some teams on ?the bubble are now finished for the season (which is noted by an asterisk ***), including NIAA Class 5A state champ Durango (Las Vegas, Nev.), which captured its first state crown since 1996 over the weekend. For the Trailblazers and other state champs, there is still opportunity to move into the rankings based on the results of various state playoffs around the country.

Remember, every result counts (as does every free throw) and the opportunity to move into the rankings is not over until all the results are played out for every ranked team.

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

(11th poll of 2022-23 regular season; Through games played on Sunday, Feb. 26; *Indicates forfeit wins, forfeit losses not included; **Indicates forfeits and defaults not included; ***Indicates season complete)

No.	Prev.	High School (City)	Record
1	1	Montverde Academy (Montverde, Fla.)	23-2
2	2	Link Academy (Branson, Mo.)	24-1
3	3	John Marshall (Richmond, Va.)	25-0
4	4	Duncanville (Duncanville, Texas)	28-1***
5	5	Ben Davis (Indianapolis, Ind.)	26-0
6	6	Columbus (Miami, Fla.)	24-4
7	7	Paul VI (Chantilly, Va.)	28-2
8	8	Centennial (Corona, Calif.)	29-3
9	9	Lake Highlands (Dallas, Texas)	29-3
10	10	Camden (Camden, N.J.)	23-2***
11	11	Long Island Lutheran (Glen Head, N.Y.)	16-2
12	12	Imhotep Charter (Philadelphia, Pa.)	24-3
13	13	St. John’s (Washington, D.C.)	28-2
14	14	Sunrise Christian Academy (Bel Aire, Kan.)	20-6
15	15	Central Cabarrus (Concord, N.C.)	29-0
16	16	Beaumont United (Beaumont, Texas)	32-1
17	17	Perry (Gilbert, Ariz.)	29-1
18	18	IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.)	16-7
19	19	AZ Compass Prep (Chandler, Ariz.)	20-5
20	20	West Linn (West Linn, Ore.)	25-1
21	21	Neumann-Goretti (Philadelphia, Pa.)	21-2
22	22	Roselle Catholic (Roselle, N.J.)	19-5
23	23	Don Bosco Prep (Ramsey, N.J.)	26-2
24	27	Cass Tech (Detroit, Mich.)	21-0
25	25	St. John Bosco (Bellflower, Calif.)	26-6
26	28	Penn (Wishawaka, Ind.)	23-1
27	29	Brother Rice (Bloomfield Hills, Mich.)	20-1
28	32	Harvard-Westlake (North Hollywood, Calif.)	30-2
29	30	Bellevue West (Bellevue, Neb.)	25-0
30	34	De Pere (De Pere, Wis.)	24-0
31	26	Mt. St. Joseph (Baltimore, Md.)	35-4
32	35	West Ranch (Valencia, Calif.)	29-2
33	24	Park Center (Brooklyn Park, Minn.)	22-1
34	36	Wheeler (Marietta, Ga.)	23-6
35	40	Sidwell Friends (Washington, D.C.)	24-4
36	47	Roman Catholic (Philadelphia, Pa.)	21-3
37	38	Oak Cliff Faith Family (Dallas, Texas)	26-3**
38	39	Carter (Dallas, Texas)	29-3
39	42	Broken Arrow (Broken Arrow, Okla.)	24-0
40	41	Simeon (Chicago, Ill.)	28-3
41	43	Christ the King (Middle Village, N.Y.)	22-4
42	44	Benet Academy (Lisle, Ill.)	31-1
43	45	Richmond Heights (Richmond Heights, Ohio)	23-0
44	NR	Kimball (Kimball, Texas)	28-2
45	48	Dorman (Roebuck, S.C.)	27-2
46	46	Lake City (Coeur d’ Alene, Idaho)	23-0
47	NR	Central Pointe Christian (Kissimmee, Fla.)	29-10
48	49	Warren Central (Bowling Green, Ky.)	29-1
49	50	Radnor (Radnor, Pa.)	25-0
50	NR	Curtis (University Place, Wash.)	25-3

Dropped Out: Previous No. 31 Pinson Valley (Pinson, Ala.), No. 33 DME Academy (Daytona Beach, Fla.), No. 37 Carmel Christian (Matthews, N.C.).

Bubble Teams:??Bentonville West (Centerton, Ark.) 25-3; Briarcrest Christian (Eads, Tenn.) 31-2**; Bullis (Potomac, Md.) 25-2; Carmel Christian (Matthews, N.C.) 28-4***; Centerville (Centerville, Ohio) 22-3; Chambers (Charlotte, N.C.) 23-6; Christ School (Arden, N.C.) 31-4***; Corner Canyon (Draper, Utah) 22-2; DME Academy (Daytona Beach, Fla.) 25-7**; Durango (Las Vegas, Nev.) 21-6***; Eagle’s Landing (McDonough, Ga.) 27-1; East Nashville (Nashville, Tenn.) 26-0; Eastside Catholic (Sammamish, Wash.) 19-8; Edmond North (Edmond, Okla.) 22-2; Ellison (Killeen, Texas) 34-3; Farmville Central (Farmville, N.C.) 27-1; Garfield (Seattle, Wash.) 22-2; Grand Blanc (Grand Blanc, Mich.) 19-2; Grayson (Loganville, Ga.) 23-5; Greensboro Day (Greensboro, N.C.) 30-5***; Hammond Central (Hammond, Ind.) 22-1; Hayfield (Alexandria, Va.) 27-1; Highland Park (Topeka Kan.) 19-0**; Horn Lake (Horn Lake, Miss.) 30-1; Joliet West (Joliet, Ill.) 27-5; Jonesboro (Jonesboro, Ark.) 27-3; Kapun Mt. Carmel (Wichita, Kan.) 19-1; Kell (Marietta, Ga.) 25-2; Kennedy (Cedar Rapids, Iowa) 21-0; Kenwood Academy (Chicago, Ill.) 26-6; Liberty (Henderson, Nev.) 21-10***; McEachern (Powder Springs, Ga.) 23-6; Metamora (Metamora, Ill.) 29-2; Modesto Christian (Modesto, Calif.) 26-6; Muskegon (Muskegon, Mich.) 19-2; Myers Park (Charlotte, N.C.) 25-4; Newton (Covington, Ga.) 19-10; Nixa (Nixa, Mo.) 26-0; Norcross (Norcross, Ga.) 25-4; North Farmington (Farmington Hills, Mich.) 17-1; North Mecklenburg (Huntersville, N.C.) 28-2; Northern Nash (Rocky Mount, N.C.) 28-2; Northside (Roanoke, Va.) 26-1; Notre Dame (Sherman Oaks, Calif.) 22-10; Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.) 20-13; Oak Park (Kansas City, Mo.) 24-1; Reading (Reading, Pa.) 25-1; Sacred Heart Griffin (Springfield, Ill.) 29-3; Scotlandville (Baton Rouge, La.) 30-3; Seven Lakes (Katy, Texas) 33-4; Staley (Kansas City, Mo.) 24-2; Starkville (Starkville, Miss.) 24-5***; St. Augustine (San Diego, Calif.) 27-4; St. Edward (Lakewood, Ohio) 19-2; St. Frances Academy (Baltimore, Md.) 23-10; St. Maria Goretti (Hagerstown, Md.) 25-6; UOD Jesuit (Detroit, Mich.) 17-4; Vashon (St. Louis, Mo.) 19-7; Volcano Vista (Albuquerque, N.M.) 25-1; Wasatch Academy (Mt. Pleasant, Utah) 13-10; West Oaks (Orlando, Fla.) 19-8.

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: Playoff Madness Is HERE! appeared first on www.ebooksnet.com.

UPDATED FAB 50: Abrupt Endings!

Ronnie Flores — Mon, 20 Feb 2023 07:43:36 +0000

The playoffs are in full affect and results in the CIF Southern Section open playoffs caused some shift and one of its teams dropping out of the new FAB 50 National Team Rankings powered by www.ebooksnet.com. There are four total newcomers this week, two that were previously ranked plus a St. John Bosco (Bellflower, Calif.) club that will look to win its first CIFSS open title on Saturday. There is also a new No. 1 ranked team in the nation, as Paul VI of Virginia goes down on Sunday evening. Can the Panthers climb back up in the rankings? March is going to be exciting!

The NBA All-Star Game was another lackluster affair, but what young players can take from it is that you have to be ready to play and learn how to win under trying circumstances, especially for those teams competing for a spot in the FAB 50 National Team Rankings powered by www.ebooksnet.com.

When a team is in the No. 1 spot, as Paul VI (Chantilly, Va.) was for the past month and a half, every team is gunning for them and every outing matters. On Sunday evening, Paul VI took on a Sidwell Friends (Washington, D.C.) club that has been playing much better in recent weeks due to the return of 6-foot-7 junior (2024) wing Caleb Williams. Paul VI came into the game with not alot on the line, in terms of conference standings, and was playing without 6-foot-7 senior (2023) wing Isaiah Abraham.

After one period, Sidwell-Friends led 18-15 and went into halftime trialing the Panthers but two points (32-30). Paul VI was outscored by eight points in the pivotal third period and to make matters worse, standout 2026 guard Jordan Smith broke his wrist. Paul VI just couldn't get over the hump against a hungry team that match every field goal the Panthers could make, as the Quakers went on to record a 75-68 victory. Six-foot-5 sophomore (2025) Jalen Rougier-Roane led the Quakers with 20 points, fellow 2025 Acaden Lewis, a 6-foot-3 guard, added 17 and Williams finished with 15.

The win catapulted Sidwell-Friends back into the FAB 50 this week at No. 40 after the Quakers got as high as No. 35 earlier in the season. They are in front of another newcomer this week, No. 47 Roman Catholic (Philadelphia, Pa.), a team they to lost earlier in the year because the Quakers deserve credit for taking down the nation's No. 1 team. As for Roman Catholic, which got as high as No. 33 earlier in the season and takes on Archbishop Wood (Philadelphia, Pa) in the Philadelphia Catholic League semifinals on Wednesday at The Palestra, it does deserve to be in front of the No. 48 Dorman (Roebuck, S.C.) club it defeated earlier in the season.

As for Paul VI, it drops to No. 7 this week right behind the Columbus (Miami, Fla.) club it lost to in the City of Palms Classic semifinals. It may be a tough break for the Panthers, both literally and figuratively, but it will have plenty of opportunity to stay in contention for the FAB 50 national title. Paul VI, which was led in defeat by 5-foot-10 2024 guard Ben Hammond (18 points) and Maryland-bound forward DeShawn Harris-Smith (16 points), still has the upcoming Washington Catholic Athletic Conference (WCAC) tournament and a potential trip to GEICO Nationals down the line.

What's coming down the line influenced the top of this week's FAB 50, as preseason No. 1 Montverde Academy (Montverde, Fla.) resumes the top spot after Paul VI's second loss of the season. The Eagles, which went 11-1 in National Interscholastic Basketball Conference (NIBC) play, are the likely top seed at GEICO Nationals (March 30-April 1) this year. Link Academy (Branson, Mo.), which finished its regular season with only one loss to Montverde Academy, is up three spots to No. 2. Link Academy will receive a berth to GEICO Nationals after losing to the Eagles in last year's title game. How would Paul VI fare at the tournament should it receive an invite?

Abrupt Endings For Duncanville & Camden

For two highly-ranked teams with FAB 50 title aspirations, there is an abrupt ending to its season, one expected and one unexpectedly. For Duncanville (Texas), the defending FAB 50 national champion, it knew it would not participate and defend its University Intersholastic League (UIL) Class 6A state title since November, when it opted out of the 2022-23 UIL playoffs. The defending state and national champion Panthers had a terrific season, and their results will affect the final edition of the FAB 50 even if it will be difficult for that club to move up without the luxury of playoffs games against the likes of UIL Class 6A front-runners No. 9 Lake Highlands (Dallas, Texas) and No. 16 Beaumont United (Beaumont, Texas).

For No. 10 Camden (N.J.), the abrupt ending was unexpected to say the least.

In the first-ever Camden County Tournament final between the Panthers (folks, school nicknames are not that original or unique around the country) and Eastside (Camden, N.J.), an on-court melee broke out with four minutes, 23 seconds remaining in the second quarter when Camden’s Cornelius Robinson, a Bryant recruit, hit Eastside’s Titus Bacon as he was trying to set a screen near the right elbow. Bacon then retaliated, which led multiple Panther players, including Mr. Basketball USA candidate D.J. Wagner, to chase after Bacon and Tigers' players. Almost immediately, the melee brought players from the benches, coaches and fans onto the court.

At that point with Camden leading the Tigers, 30-17, game officials canceled the remainder of the game. Per NJSIAA bylaws, any varsity team accumulating three or more player or coach disqualifications prior to the start of the NJSIAA state tournament will not be permitted to participate in it. Before the NJSIAA could rule on the incident, the Camden City School District decided to pulled both clubs from the state tournament. Both clubs were defending state champions in their respective division and both seasons are now over. Camden was the No. 2 seed in South Jersey Group 2 and was the favorite to win a section and state title.

Similar to Duncanville, Camden is now listed with an asterisk (***) next to its won-loss record to indicate its 2022-23 season is complete. The Panthers' record does not include the contest with Eastside, as that game is reflected as a default, nor is the forfeit loss to Lindenwold in the opening round of the state tournament. It's an unfortunate incident, and Camden will be judged by its on-court record as will the FAB 50 ranked teams it beat and lost to (No. 6 Columbus of Florida and No. 8 Centennial of California)

Another newcomer is No. 45 Richmond Heights (Ohio), which knocked off previous No. 40 St. Edward (Lakewood, Ohio), 83-80, to cap off an unbeaten regular season. Richmond Heights takes over as Ohio's top ranked team overall despite its Division IV status in the OHSAA.

While Sidwell-Friends and Roman Catholic return to the nation's longest-running weekly national rankings, the highest rated newcomer is No. 25 St. John Bosco (Bellflower, Calif.). The Braves advanced to Saturday's CIF Southern Section open division championship game versus No. 8 Centennial (the team that handed Camden one of its two losses).

While Centennial, the two-time defending CIFSS open champs, advanced to the title game at the Honda Center by going 3-0 in its pool, St. John Bosco needed some help to crack the FAB 50 after losing its opening pool play game to No. 35 West Ranch (Valencia, Calif.). St. John Bosco defeated No. 32 Harvard-Westlake (North Hollywood, Calif.) in its second pool game, so West Ranch controlled its own destiny since it also won its second pool play game over St. Bernard (Playa del Rey, Calif.). Harvard-Westlake defeated West Ranch in its final pool play game and needed St. Bernard to defeat St. John Bosco in the third and final pool play game. Had that happened, it would have been Harvard-Westlake advancing to play Centennial because of the head-to-head over the Wildcats, the team Bosco lost to. Since St. John Bosco and Harvard-Westlake both ended up winning its third game, Bosco was the team to advance with a 2-1 mark.

Bosco's ranking is reflected in its opportunity to beat Centennial in its first trip to the CIFSS open final, but it must remain behind No. 20 West Linn (West Linn, Ore.), a team the Braves lost to during a December tournament in Oregon. Should Bosco pull off the minor upset on Saturday, it will be ranked accordingly. Should it lose, however, there is no guarantee it will be ranked higher than No. 35 West Ranch in next week's FAB 50 and when the CIF open regional tournament begins on March 1 regardless of its seeding.

All teams will be judged by their results, even Duncanville and Camden. St. John Bosco has a big opportunity this week, while Paul VI hopes its opportunity comes down the line to move back up in the FAB 50.

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

(10th poll of 2022-23 regular season; Through games played on Sunday, Feb. 19; *Indicates forfeit wins, forfeit losses not included; **Indicates forfeits and defaults not included; ***Indicates season complete)

No.	Prev.	High School (City)	Record
1	2	Montverde Academy (Montverde, Fla.)	23-2
2	5	Link Academy (Branson, Mo.)	24-1
3	3	John Marshall (Richmond, Va.)	22-0
4	4	Duncanville (Duncanville, Texas)	28-1***
5	7	Ben Davis (Indianapolis, Ind.)	24-0
6	9	Columbus (Miami, Fla.)	22-4
7	1	Paul VI (Chantilly, Va.)	26-2
8	6	Centennial (Corona, Calif.)	28-3
9	8	Lake Highlands (Dallas, Texas)	27-3
10	10	Camden (Camden, N.J.)	23-2***
11	12	Long Island Lutheran (Glen Head, N.Y.)	16-2
12	13	Imhotep Charter (Philadelphia, Pa.)	22-3
13	14	St. John’s (Washington, D.C.)	26-2
14	15	Sunrise Christian Academy (Bel Aire, Kan.)	18-6
15	16	Central Cabarrus (Concord, N.C.)	26-0
16	17	Beaumont United (Beaumont, Texas)	30-1
17	18	Perry (Gilbert, Ariz.)	28-1
18	20	IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.)	16-7
19	21	AZ Compass Prep (Chandler, Ariz.)	19-5
20	22	West Linn (West Linn, Ore.)	23-1
21	23	Neumann-Goretti (Philadelphia, Pa.)	20-2
22	24	Roselle Catholic (Roselle, N.J.)	17-5
23	25	Don Bosco Prep (Ramsey, N.J.)	25-2
24	26	Park Center (Brooklyn Park, Minn.)	21-0
25	NR	St. John Bosco (Bellflower, Calif.)	26-5
26	27	Mt. St. Joseph (Baltimore, Md.)	33-3
27	28	Cass Tech (Detroit, Mich.)	20-0
28	33	Penn (Wishawaka, Ind.)	21-1
29	32	Brother Rice (Bloomfield Hills, Mich.)	18-1
30	30	Bellevue West (Bellevue, Neb.)	24-0
31	31	Pinson Valley (Pinson, Ala.)	29-0
32	11	Harvard-Westlake (North Hollywood, Calif.)	30-2
33	29	DME Academy (Daytona Beach, Fla.)	25-6
34	38	De Pere (De Pere, Wis.)	23-0
35	19	West Ranch (Valencia, Calif.)	29-2
36	37	Wheeler (Marietta, Ga.)	21-6
37	35	Carmel Christian (Matthews, N.C.)	27-3
38	36	Oak Cliff Faith Family (Dallas, Texas)	24-3**
39	39	Carter (Dallas, Texas)	27-3
40	NR	Sidwell Friends (Washington, D.C.)	22-4
41	41	Simeon (Chicago, Ill.)	26-3
42	46	Broken Arrow (Broken Arrow, Okla.)	22-0
43	42	Christ the King (Middle Village, N.Y.)	20-4
44	43	Benet Academy (Lisle, Ill.)	29-1
45	NR	Richmond Heights (Richmond Heights, Ohio)	22-0
46	45	Lake City (Coeur d’ Alene, Idaho)	22-0
47	NR	Roman Catholic (Philadelphia, Pa.)	20-3
48	48	Dorman (Roebuck, S.C.)	26-2
49	49	Warren Central (Bowling Green, Ky.)	27-1
50	50	Radnor (Radnor, Pa.)	23-0

Dropped Out: Previous No. 34 Garfield (Seattle, Wash.), No. 40 St. Edward (Lakewood, Ohio), No. 44 Notre Dame (Sherman Oaks, Calif.), No. 47 Bentonville West (Centerton, Ark.).

Bubble Teams: Archbishop Stepinac (White Plains, N.Y.) 17-8; Bentonville West (Centerton, Ark.) 24-3; Briarcrest Christian (Eads, Tenn.) 30-2**; Bullis (Potomac, Md.) 25-2; Centerville (Centerville, Ohio) 20-3; Chambers (Charlotte, N.C.) 20-6; Corner Canyon (Draper, Utah) 21-2; Curtis (University Place, Wash.) 24-3; Durango (Las Vegas, Nev.) 19-6; Eagle’s Landing (McDonough, Ga.) 25-1; East Nashville (Nashville, Tenn.) 24-0; Eastside Catholic (Sammamish, Wash.) 18-8; Edmond North (Edmond, Okla.) 20-2; Ellison (Killeen, Texas) 32-3; Farmville Central (Farmville, N.C.) 24-1; Garfield (Seattle, Wash.) 21-2; Grand Blanc (Grand Blanc, Mich.) 17-2; Grayson (Loganville, Ga.) 21-5; Hammond Central (Hammond, Ind.) 20-1; Hayfield (Alexandria, Va.) 24-1; Heights (Wichita, Kan.) 17-1; Highland Park (Topeka Kan.) 16-0**; Horn Lake (Horn Lake, Miss.) 29-1; Jackson-Reed (Washington, D.C.) 24-6**; Joliet West (Joliet, Ill.) 25-5; Jonesboro (Jonesboro, Ark.) 25-3; Kell (Marietta, Ga.) 23-2; Kennedy (Cedar Rapids, Iowa) 20-0; Kenwood Academy (Chicago, Ill.) 24-6; Kimball (Kimball, Texas) 26-2; Liberty (Henderson, Nev.) 20-9; McEachern (Powder Springs, Ga.) 21-6; Metamora (Metamora, Ill.) 27-2; Modesto Christian (Modesto, Calif.) 24-6; Muskegon (Muskegon, Mich.) 17-2; Myers Park (Charlotte, N.C.) 22-4; Newton (Covington, Ga.) 17-10; Nixa (Nixa, Mo.) 24-0; Norcross (Norcross, Ga.) 23-4; North Farmington (Farmington Hills, Mich.) 17-1; North Mecklenburg (Huntersville, N.C.) 25-2; Northern Nash (Rocky Mount, N.C.) 25-2; Northside (Roanoke, Va.) 24-0; Notre Dame (Sherman Oaks, Calif.) 22-10; Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.) 20-13; Oak Park (Kansas City, Mo.) 23-1; Putnam City North (Oklahoma City, Okla.) 22-1; Reading (Reading, Pa.) 24-1; Sacred Heart Griffin (Springfield, Ill.) 27-3; Scotlandville (Baton Rouge, La.) 30-3; Seven Lakes (Katy, Texas) 31-4; Staley (Kansas City, Mo.) 23-2; Starkville (Starkville, Miss.) 24-4; St. Augustine (San Diego, Calif.) 25-4; St. Edward (Lakewood, Ohio) 18-2; UOD Jesuit (Detroit, Mich.) 16-3; Vashon (St. Louis, Mo.) 17-7; Volcano Vista (Albuquerque, N.M.) 24-1; Wasatch Academy (Mt. Pleasant, Utah) 13-10.

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: Abrupt Endings! appeared first on www.ebooksnet.com.

NEW FAB 50: Teams Dig Deep

Ronnie Flores — Mon, 13 Feb 2023 10:01:55 +0000

The playoffs are heating up and there are some key games in the next two weeks that could shake up the FAB 50 National Team Rankings powered by www.ebooksnet.com. No. 1 Paul VI of Virginia could see its season extended if it closes strong and there are four new teams in the industry's longest-running weekly national rankings for the second consecutive week. This week's newcomers are led by No. 41 Simeon (Chicago, Ill.), which returns after capturing the Chicago Public League title.

FAB 50 ranked and quality teams usually win big in early round playoff games, so there isn't much movement at the top of the latest FAB 50 National Team Rankings powered by www.ebooksnet.com.

The only team in the Top 25 to lose last week was previous No. 6 Columbus (Miami, Fla.). The Explorers fell to unranked Palmetto (Fla.) in overtime in the Class 7A, District 16 title game, 66-64. It was Columbus' first loss of the season to a team from South Florida. Because of the quality wins on its resume and by defeating Palmetto by a combined 67 points in handing that team two of its four losses, Columbus only drops three spots in this week's rankings. The Explorers fall to No. 9 right in front of the Camden (N.J.) team it beat in early January. Columbus is still seeded No. 1 in its eight-team region in the FHSAA Class 7A power rankings and have home court priority in the regional. ?

This week's highest rated newcomer is another team that went into overtime last week. In fact, No. 41 Simeon (Chicago, Ill.) played five overtimes in two games over a period of 48 hours to capture the 2023 Chicago Public League?(CPL) crown in coach Robert Smith's final season. Simeon also avenged two of its regular season losses to move back up in front of Benet Academy (Lisle, Ill.). Benet Academy, which has one regular season loss to Simeon, moves up five spots to No. 43 this week.

Simeon outlasted Curie (Chicago, Ill.) in the semifinals, 64-60, in an incredible four-overtime affair. Unsigned senior guard Jalen Griffith had 21 points for Simeon in the gut-check win. With no shot clock in play, each team only scored two points in the third extra period. Curie had multiple opportunities to win, but the Wolverines' Miles Rubin came up with a clutch block and Simeon senior point guard Kaiden Space nailed two free throws to seal the semifinal victory.

In Saturday's championship game at UIC Credit Union 1 Arena, it must of felt like no sweat to play an extra period against Kenwood Academy (Chicago, Ill.), the other team that beat the Wolverines earlier in the season. Simeon dominated the extra period, rolling to a 72-64 victory to give Smith his eighth CPL title.

Simeon, which was led by Wes Rubin with 21 points with his brother Miles chipping in 15 vs. Kenwood Academy, will now look to capture a seventh IHSA state crown under Smith's leadership in Class 3A.

Senior Dai Dai Ames, bound for Kansas St., led Kenwood Academy with 22 points and scored his team's only points in overtime on two free throws.

A newcomer that has a big game coming up on Tuesday is No. 44 Notre Dame (Sherman Oaks, Calif.), a participant in the CIF Southern Section open division playoffs. In a format with two pools of four teams each, Notre Dame defeated previous No. 34 Bishop Montgomery (Torrance, Calif.), 71-63, in the number four vs. number five seed pool game. Notre Dame was the only victor in one of the four CIFSS open pool games as the lower, visiting seed, as its defense played superbly in the second and third quarter while the offense nailed 13-of-21 3-pointers. Notre Dame’s "big three" guards all made an impact with Gonzaga-bound Dusty Stromer scoring 20 points, Duke-bound Caleb Foster hitting for 18 points and Houston-bound Mercy Miller, a junior, netting 17 points.

The Knights can really make some FAB 50 noise on Tuesday when they hit the road to take on number one seed and FAB 50 No. 6 Centennial (Corona, Calif.) in their second pool play game. If Notre Dame can win its second consecutive road pool play game, it would capture Pool “A” and its Mission League rematch with Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth, Calif.) on Friday (the third pool game) wouldn’t have any bearing other than SoCal regional placement.

Notre Dame took No. 11 Harvard-Westlake (North Hollywood, Calif.) into double overtime in one of the two games versus its Mission League foe during the regular season. In Pool "B" should the Wolverines and No. 19 West Ranch (Valencia, Calif.) win pool play games at home on Tuesday, the two ranked clubs would meet Friday in a defacto semifinal game to determine the winner of that pool. That game would be at Harvard-Westlake, as the Wolverines are the number two seed and West Ranch the number three. The CIFSS open championship game is set for February 25 at the Honda Center in Orange County.

No. 1 Paul VI (Chantilly, Va.) plays for the Virginia Independent Schools Athletic Association (VISAA) state title. The VISAA playoffs are not sanctioned by the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS). In order for teams to qualify for the end-of-season State Champions Invitational, it must capture a NFHS-sanctioned state championship in its respective state. This opens the door for the Panthers to compete at GEICO Nationals, which is slated for March 30 - April 1 and has been a tournament for top independent programs since the 2008-09 season and National Interscholastic Basketball Conference (NIBC) clubs since its inception in 2020-21.

Paul VI is in consideration for a GEICO Nationals berth and coach Glen Farello told Ballislife his team would accept an invitation to the event if it was chosen to participate.

Paul VI is the No. 1 team in the FAB 50, but the team likely to earn the No. 1 seed is No. 2 Montverde Academy (Montverde, Fla.). The Eagles, GEICO Nationals tournament champions the past two seasons, closed out their regular season with a 62-52 victory over No. 20 IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.) to finish 11-1 in NIBC play in 2022-23. MVA defeated IMG Academy twice during the regular season and only lost to No. 21 AZ Compass Prep (Chandler, Ariz.) in conference play.

Montverde Academy only scored five points in the first quarter and trialed 23-18 at halftime, but executed and made the extra passes down the stretch. At one point, IMG Academy led by as many as 12 points. Junior forward Derik Queen had another strong game for a MVA club that won its final 11 NIBC games with its non-NIBC loss to No. 27 Mt. St. Joseph (Baltimore, Md.), a team No. 1 Paul VI defeated.

While Montverde Academy and IMG Academy are already done with the regular season (per FHSAA rules which both programs follow in order to be eligible to play those full member programs), Paul VI still has plenty of games to go in the Washington Catholic Athletic Conference (WCAC), which is the strongest parochial high school conference in the country. From the results so far this season, Paul VI would be a fine addition to GEICO Nationals.

According to event organizers with Skokie, Ill.-based Paragon Marketing, new state associations sanctioned by the NFHS are going to allow their state championship teams the opportunity to play in the State Champions Invitational if selected.

Updated FAB 50 National Team Rankings
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(9th poll of 2022-23 regular season; Through games played on Sunday, Feb. 12; *Indicates forfeit wins, forfeit losses not included; **Indicates forfeits and defaults not included)

No.	Prev.	High School (City)	Record
1	1	Paul VI (Chantilly, Va.)	24-1
2	2	Montverde Academy (Montverde, Fla.)	23-2
3	3	John Marshall (Richmond, Va.)	21-0
4	4	Duncanville (Duncanville, Texas)	27-1
5	5	Link Academy (Branson, Mo.)	23-1
6	7	Centennial (Corona, Calif.)	26-3
7	8	Ben Davis (Indianapolis, Ind.)	24-0
8	9	Lake Highlands (Dallas, Texas)	26-3
9	6	Columbus (Miami, Fla.)	21-4
10	10	Camden (Camden, N.J.)	22-2
11	11	Harvard-Westlake (North Hollywood, Calif.)	29-1
12	12	Long Island Lutheran (Glen Head, N.Y.)	15-2
13	13	Imhotep Charter (Philadelphia, Pa.)	20-3
14	14	St. John’s (Washington, D.C.)	23-2
15	15	Sunrise Christian Academy (Bel Aire, Kan.)	16-6
16	16	Central Cabarrus (Concord, N.C.)	24-0
17	17	Beaumont United (Beaumont, Texas)	29-1
18	18	Perry (Gilbert, Ariz.)	27-1
19	19	West Ranch (Valencia, Calif.)	28-1
20	20	IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.)	16-7
21	21	AZ Compass Prep (Chandler, Ariz.)	18-5
22	22	West Linn (West Linn, Ore.)	21-1
23	23	Neumann-Goretti (Philadelphia, Pa.)	18-2
24	24	Roselle Catholic (Roselle, N.J.)	15-5
25	25	Don Bosco Prep (Ramsey, N.J.)	23-2
26	27	Park Center (Brooklyn Park, Minn.)	19-0
27	28	Mt. St. Jospeh (Baltimore, Md.)	31-3
28	29	Cass Tech (Detroit, Mich.)	18-0
29	30	DME Academy (Daytona Beach, Fla.)	24-5**
30	31	Bellevue West (Bellevue, Neb.)	22-0
31	35	Pinson Valley (Pinson, Ala.)	27-0
32	37	Brother Rice (Bloomfield Hills, Mich.)	16-1
33	40	Penn (Wishawaka, Ind.)	19-1
34	26	Garfield (Seattle, Wash.)	19-1
35	36	Carmel Christian (Matthews, N.C.)	26-3
36	38	Oak Cliff Faith Family (Dallas, Texas)	23-3**
37	39	Wheeler (Marietta, Ga.)	19-6
38	43	De Pere (De Pere, Wis.)	21-0
39	32	Carter (Dallas, Texas)	26-3
40	44	St. Edward (Lakewood, Ohio)	17-1
41	NR	Simeon (Chicago, Ill.)	26-3
42	42	Christ the King (Middle Village, N.Y.)	19-4
43	48	Benet Academy (Lisle, Ill.)	27-1
44	NR	Notre Dame (Sherman Oaks, Calif.)	21-9
45	45	Lake City (Coeur d’ Alene, Idaho)	20-0
46	46	Broken Arrow (Broken Arrow, Okla.)	19-0
47	NR	Bentonville West (Centerton, Ark.)	23-2
48	49	Dorman (Roebuck, S.C.)	24-2
49	50	Warren Central (Bowling Green, Ky.)	24-1
50	NR	Radnor (Radnor, Pa.)	22-0

Dropped Out: Previous No. 33 Roman Catholic (Philadelphia, Pa.), No. 34 Bishop Montgomery (Torrance, Calif.), No. 41 Archbishop Stepinac (White Plains, N.Y.), No. 47 Scotlandville (Baton Rouge, La.).

Bubble Teams:??Archbishop Stepinac (White Plains, N.Y.) 16-7; Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas, Nev.) 21-6; Bishop Montgomery (Torrance, Calif.) 25-3; Bullis (Potomac, Md.) 23-2; Cardinal Ritter (St. Louis, Mo.) 18-3; Cathedral (Indianapolis, Ind.) 15-4; Centerville (Centerville, Ohio) 19-3; Chambers (Charlotte, N.C.) 19-5; Corner Canyon (Draper, Utah) 19-2; Curtis (University Place, Wash.) 22-3; Eagle’s Landing (McDonough, Ga.) 25-1; Edmond North (Edmond, Okla.) 18-2; Ellison (Killeen, Texas) 31-3; Farmville Central (Farmville, N.C.) 22-1; Federal Way (Federal Way, Wash.) 21-1; Gonzaga (Washington, D.C.) 21-5; Grayson (Loganville, Ga.) 19-5; Hayfield (Alexandria, Va.) 21-1; Highland (Warrenton, Va.) 25-2; Horn Lake (Horn Lake, Miss.) 28-1; Jackson-Reed (Washington, D.C.) 24-6**; Joliet West (Joliet, Ill.) 24-5; Jonesboro (Jonesboro, Ark.) 23-3; Kell (Marietta, Ga.) 21-2; Kennedy (Cedar Rapids, Iowa) 19-0; Kenwood Academy (Chicago, Ill.) 23-6; Kimball (Kimball, Texas) 25-2; Liberty (Henderson, Nev.) 18-8; MacArthur (Decatur, Ill.) 25-3; McEachern (Powder Springs, Ga.) 19-6; Metamora (Metamora, Ill.) 26-2; Muskegon (Muskegon, Mich.) 15-1; Myers Park (Charlotte, N.C.) 20-4; Newton (Covington, Ga.) 16-9; Nixa (Nixa, Mo.) 21-0; North Farmington (Farmington Hills, Mich.) 15-1; North Mecklenburg (Huntersville, N.C.) 22-2; Northern Nash (Rocky Mount, N.C.) 23-1; Northside (Roanoke, Va.) 22-0; Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.) 20-13; Oak Park (Kansas City, Mo.) 21-1; Putnam City North (Oklahoma City, Okla.) 20–1; Reading (Reading, Pa.) 21-1; Richmond Heights (Richmond Heights, Ohio) 21-0; Roman Catholic (Philadelphia, Pa.) 19-3; Sacred Heart Griffin (Springfield, Ill.) 26-3; Scotlandville (Baton Rouge, La.) 28-3; Staley (Kansas City, Mo.) 21-2; Starkville (Starkville, Miss.) 23-4; St. Augustine (San Diego, Calif.) 24-4; UOD Jesuit (Detroit, Mich.) 15-3; Vashon (St. Louis, Mo.) 14-7; Volcano Vista (Albuquerque, N.M.) 22-1; Wasatch Academy (Mt. Pleasant, Utah) 13-10.

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: Teams Dig Deep appeared first on www.ebooksnet.com.

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