The post Updated FAB 50: March Madness Indeed! appeared first on www.ebooksnet.com.
]]>RELATED: Chipotle Nationals Record Book (2009-2023)
By Ronnie Flores
The NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament, known as March Madness, released its brackets on Sunday and for high school basketball, the Madness has taken place the past two weeks with one more big weekend to go. After an epic weekend for high school hoops March 8-10, last weekend was big too, with results that shook up the new FAB 50 National Team Rankings powered by www.ebooksnet.com.
In North Carolina, three North Carolina High School Athletic Association (NCHSAA) teams won state titles and cemented their spot in the final FAB 50 set for April 8. NCHSAA Class 3A Central Cabarrus (Concord, N.C.) defeated Seventy-First (Fayetteville, N.C.), 90-62, to finish 33-0 and move up a spot to No. 8 in this week's rankings. Senior forward Josh Dalton scored a game-high 22 points and Lees-McRae commit Desmond Kent Jr. had 20 in the first half in the win for the Vikings, who defeated previously unbeaten Hickory (Hickory, N.C.) in the semifinals, 87-78.
The Vikings will enter the 2024-25 season riding a 65-game winning streak, the nation's longest active streak, after finishing No. 7 in the FAB 50 last season at 32-0. Central Cabarrus has won 95 of its last 96 games.
North Mecklenburg (Huntersville, N.C.) moved up a spot this week to No. 24 after capturing the Class 4A crown with a 57-47 victory over New Hanover (Wilmington, N.C.). The Vikings were led to the program's third state crown behind the play of Duke-bound Mr. Basketball USA candidate Isaiah Evans, who scored 23 points and grabbed eight rebounds as North Meck handed New Hanover its only loss of the season. North Meck state title was a good omen for No. 23 McEachern (Powder Springs, Ga.), which handed the Vikings one of its three losses with the others coming against No. 11 Link Academy (Branson, Mo.) and No. 38 Camden (Camden, N.J.). North Meck also recorded a big victory over No. 27 Myers Park (Charlotte, N.C.) in the state quarterfinals, as Evans scored 48 points.
Reidsville (Reidsville, N.C.) moved up seven spots this week to No. 41 after capturing the NCHSAA Class 2A crown with a perfect 29-0 mark. The Rams defeated Farmville Central (FarmVille, N.C.), 78-77, in overtime, in one of the most well-played championship games of the season. Reidsville was led to victory by junior Johnniyus Sharpe Jr., who netted a game-high 29 points, including 3-of-6 3-pointers. In a pressure-packed game, Sharpe made all 10 of his free throw attempts, as Reidsville went 13-of-13 from the line.
Similar to Central Cabarrus, Wisconsin Lutheran (Milwaukee, Wis.) secured a Top 15 final FAB 50 ranking by capturing a state title, in its case the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association (WIAA) D2 state crown. The Vikings defeated bubble club Pewaukee (Pewaukee, Wis.), 83-62, as Evan's future teammate at Duke, Kon Knueppel, has 11 points and 11 assists. The big win for Wisconsin Lutheran came in the semifinals, when it downed Nicolet (Glendale, Wis.), 56-54, on a lay-up right before the buzzer by Alex Greene off a pretty left-handed feed from sophomore Zavier Zens. Zens got the ball as Knueppel was looking to make a move before falling down and passing it off before any violation was called.
Right behind Wisconsin Lutheran in the rankings at No. 10 is Fishers (Fishers, Ind.), the favorite to capture the Indiana High School State Athletic Association (IHSAA) Class 4A state title over Ben Davis (Indianapolis, Ind.) on March 30 at the Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. Fishers' only loss is to a Carmel (Ind.) team it split with.
The Kentucky High School Athletics Association (KHSAA) Sweet 16 will take place March 20-23 at Rupp Arena. Two FAB 50 ranked teams could meet in the March 23 Final: No. 25 Great Crossing (Georgetown, Ky.) and one of three newcomers this week, No. 47 Newport (Newport, Ky.), who has already lost to Great Crossing. One of the 16 remaining teams has to win twice on March 23 to capture one of the two remaining single-class state tournaments in the country (Delaware is the other).
No. 36 Wayzata (Plymouth, Minn.) is seeking its third Minnesota State High School League (MSHSL) Class 4A state crown in four years after knocking off Hopkins (Minnetonka, Minn.) for the second time in three games this season in the sectional final, 105-76. The Trojans were led to victory by Creighton recruit Jackson McAndrew, who finished with 40 points.
In Ohio, No. 44 St. Ignatius (Cleveland, Ohio) is the newcomer, joining Nebraska School Activities Association (NSAA) Class A state champ Bellevue West (Bellevue, Neb.), who joins the fray at No. 50 this week. The Thunderbirds captured their second consecutive state title by defeating rival Millard North (Omaha, Neb.), 57-48, to avenge an earlier loss to the team it met for the state title for the fifth consecutive year. As for St. Ignatius, it will take on bubble club Hayes (Delaware, Ohio) in the Ohio High School Athletic Association (OHSAA) D1 semifinals on March 23 at University of Dayton Arena. The other semifinal pits Centerville (Centerville, Ohio) versus Whitmer (Toledo, Ohio). Centerville knocked off previous No. 43 Moeller (Cincinnati, Ohio) to advance to the Final Four. The championship game is set for Sunday at 8:30 pm ET.
Pennsylvania and Alaska will also conclude the 2023-24 season in the coming week.
Chipotle Nationals Announced
Every team's final ranking will not be finalized until the completion of Chipotle Nationals, which is set for April 4 - 6 at Brownsburg (Ind.). Five of the top six teams and eight of the top 14 FAB 50 teams will compete in the event (formerly known as GEICO Nationals). The quarterfinal matchups are as follows (seeds listed in parenthesis) and all will be televised by ESPNU:
No. 1 Montverde Academy (1) vs. No. 12 AZ Compass Prep (8), 8 pm ET
No. 4 Long Island Lutheran (4) vs. No. 2 Columbus (5), 4 pm ET
No. 6 Prolific Prep (3) vs. No. 11 Link Academy (6), 6 pm ET
No. 3 Paul VI (2) vs. No. No. 14 IMG Academy (7), 2 pm ET
The semifinals on April 5 will be televised on ESPN2, as will the title game on April 6 (12 pm ET).
CLICK HERE to check out the all-time Chipotle Nationals Team and Individual Record Book (2009-2023).
RELATED: ?Preseason 2023-24 Mr. Basketball USA Tracker | | ? | Chipotle Nationals Record Book
(13th poll of 2023-24 regular season; Through games played on Sunday, March 17; *Indicates forfeit wins, forfeit losses not included; **Indicates forfeits and defaults not included; ***Indicates season not complete.)
| No. | Prev. | High School (City) | Record |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | Montverde Academy (Montverde, Fla.) | 29-0*** |
| 2 | 2 | Columbus (Miami, Fla.) | 27–4*** |
| 3 | 3 | Paul VI (Chantilly, Va.) | 33-2*** |
| 4 | 4 | Long Island Lutheran (Glen Head, N.Y.) | 21-4**** |
| 5 | 5 | Plano East (Plano, Texas) | 40-0 |
| 6 | 6 | Prolific Prep (Napa, Calif.) | 33-5*** |
| 7 | 7 | Harvard-Westlake (North Hollywood, Calif.) | 33-3 |
| 8 | 9 | Central Cabarrus (Concord, N.C.) | 33-0 |
| 9 | 10 | Wisconsin Lutheran (Milwaukee, Wis.) | 30-0 |
| 10 | 12 | Fishers (Fishers, Ind.) | 28-1*** |
| 11 | 8 | Link Academy (Branson, Mo.) | 25-6*** |
| 12 | 11 | AZ Compass Prep (Chandler, Ariz.) | 27-5*** |
| 13 | 13 | Stony Point (Round Rock, Texas) | 38-2 |
| 14 | 14 | IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.) | 18-8*** |
| 15 | 15 | St. Rose (Belmar, N.J.) | 29-2 |
| 16 | 16 | Archbishop Stepinac (White Plains, N.Y.) | 25-4*** |
| 17 | 17 | Don Bosco Prep (Ramsey, N.J.) | 29-3 |
| 18 | 19 | St. Mary Prep (Orchard Lake, Mich.) | 27-1 |
| 19 | 22 | Ridge View (Columbia, S.C.) | 27-2 |
| 20 | 21 | Roosevelt (Eastvale, Calif.) | 31-4 |
| 21 | 23 | Perry (Gilbert, Ariz.) | 24-6 |
| 22 | 24 | Grayson (Loganville, Ga.) | 30-2 |
| 23 | 26 | McEachern (Powder Springs, Ga.) | 26-6 |
| 24 | 25 | North Mecklenburg (Huntersville, N.C.) | 30-3 |
| 25 | 32 | Great Crossing (Georgetown, Ky.) | 34-1*** |
| 26 | 33 | Oak Ridge (Orlando, Fla.) | 27-4 |
| 27 | 27 | Myers Park (Charlotte, N.C.) | 27-4 |
| 28 | 28 | John Marshall (Richmond, Va.) | 25-3 |
| 29 | 29 | Bullis (Potomac, Md.) | 27-3 |
| 30 | 30 | Sidwell Friends (Washington, D.C.) | 27-4 |
| 31 | 31 | Gonzaga (Washington, D.C.) | 28-6 |
| 32 | 36 | St. John Bosco (Bellflower, Calif.) | 28-7 |
| 33 | 37 | Salesian (Richmond, Calif.) | 31-2 |
| 34 | 34 | La Lumiere (La Porte, Ind.) | 23-5 |
| 35 | 35 | Brewster Academy (Wolfeboro, N.H.) | 27-7 |
| 36 | 42 | Wayzata (Plymouth, Minn.) | 27-1*** |
| 37 | 39 | Patrick School (Elizabeth, N.J.) | 28-4 |
| 38 | 40 | Camden (Camden, N.J.) | 30-2 |
| 39 | 41 | Kell (Marietta, Ga.) | 28-3 |
| 40 | 45 | Homewood Flossmor (Flossmor, Ill.) | 33-4 |
| 41 | 48 | Reidsville (Reidsville, N.C.) | 29-0 |
| 42 | 18 | Roman Catholic (Philadelphia, Pa.) | 26-3 |
| 43 | 44 | Millennium (Goodyear, Ariz.) | 25-5 |
| 44 | NR | St. Ignatius (Cleveland, Ohio) | 24-3*** |
| 45 | 46 | Winter Haven (Winter Haven, Fla.) | 27-2 |
| 46 | 47 | Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.) | 29-6 |
| 47 | NR | Newport (Newport, Ky.) | 32-3*** |
| 48 | 49 | Beaumont United (Beaumont, Texas) | 34-4 |
| 49 | 50 | Northwest (Shawnee Mission, Kan.) | 25-0 |
| 50 | NR | Bellevue West (Bellevue, Neb.) | 27-1 |
Dropped Out: Previous No. 20 Combine Academy (Lincolnton, N.C.), No. 38 Bartlett (Bartlett, Tenn.), No. 43 Moeller (Cincinnati, Ohio).
Bubble Teams: Arrowhead (Heartland, Wis.) 27-3; Bartlett (Bartlett, Tenn.) 32-5; Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas, Nev.) 24-5; Brennan (San Antonio, Texas) 31-5; Centerville (Centerville, Ohio) 19-8***; Central Catholic (Portland, Ore.) 28-3; Christian (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 26-3; Combine Academy (Lincolnton, N.C.) 23-3; Curie (Chicago, Ill.) 31-3; Dale (Dale, Okla.) 30-2; De Paul Prep (Chicago, Ill.) 35-2; De Pere (De Pere, Wis.) 26-2; Edmond North (Edmond, Okla.) 24-4; Fort Bend Clements (Sugar Land, Texas) 32-1; Hayes (Delaware, Ohio) 27-1***; Hickory (Hickory, N.C.) 31-1; Hoover (Hoover, Ala.) 30-3; Imhotep Charter (Philadelphia, Pa.) 27-3***; Independence (Thompson’s Station, Tenn.) 32-6; Jackson-Reed (Washington, D.C.) 33-3; Kennedy (Cedar Rapids, Iowa) 25-1; Kokomo (Kokomo, Ind.) 25-4; Lehi (Lehi, Utah) 24-4; Lexington (Lexington, S.C.) 28-2; Lexington Catholic (Lexington, Ky.) 32-3; Liberty Magnet (Baton Rouge, La.) 33-4; Lincoln (Warren, Mich.) 24-4; Lincoln Park (Midland, Pa.) 25-3***; Marquette University (Milwaukee, Wis.) 26-4; Millard North (Omaha, Neb.) 23-3; Moeller (Cincinnati, Ohio) 26-2; Mt. St. Joseph (Baltimore, Md.) 36-5; Noblesville (Noblesville, Ind.) 22-3; Notre Dame (Sherman Oaks, Calif.) 31-4; Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.) 21-6; Owasso (Owasso, Okla.) 26-4; Pewaukee (Pewaukee, Wis.) 25-5; Raymond (Raymond, Miss.) 31-4; Seven Lakes (Katy, Texas) 35-4**; Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth, Calif.) 26-4; St. Anne’s-Bellfield (Charlottesville, Va.) 26-4; St. Joseph (Santa Maria, Calif.) 31-4; St. Peter’s Prep (Jersey City, N.J.) 26-3; Valley (West Des Moines, Iowa) 21-5; Valor Christian (Highlands Ranch, Col.) 26-2; Vashon (St. Louis, Mo.) 26-6; Volcano Vista (Albuquerque, N.M.) 30-1; Lincoln (Warren, Mich.) 24-4; Wasatch Academy (Mt. Pleasant, Utah) 15-7; Westfield (Westfield, Ind.) 19-3; Whitmer (Toledo, Ohio) 25-2***; Woodside (Newport News, Va.) 27-1.
Note:?The FAB 50 powered by www.ebooksnet.com is a continuation of the National Sports News Service ratings that began in 1952. These were the first national high school rankings and the late Art Johlfs of Minnesota compiled them. They were compiled for many years by the late Barry Sollenberger of Phoenix, who merged them into the FAB 50 24 years ago.
Ronnie Flores is the national Grassroots editor of www.ebooksnet.com. He can be reached at?[email protected]. Don't forget to follow him on Twitter:?@RonMFlores
The post Updated FAB 50: March Madness Indeed! appeared first on www.ebooksnet.com.
]]>The post UPDATED FAB 50: Big Wins, Big Change! appeared first on www.ebooksnet.com.
]]>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.
RELATED: ?Preseason 2023-24 Mr. Basketball USA Tracker | | ??
(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.
Note:?The FAB 50 powered by www.ebooksnet.com is a continuation of the National Sports News Service ratings that began in 1952. These were the first national high school rankings and the late Art Johlfs of Minnesota compiled them. They were compiled for many years by the late Barry Sollenberger of Phoenix, who merged them into the FAB 50 24 years ago.
Ronnie Flores is the national Grassroots editor of www.ebooksnet.com. He can be reached at?[email protected]. Don't forget to follow him on Twitter:?@RonMFlores
The post UPDATED FAB 50: Big Wins, Big Change! appeared first on www.ebooksnet.com.
]]>The post UPDATED FAB 50: Calm Before The Storm! appeared first on www.ebooksnet.com.
]]>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.
RELATED: ?Preseason 2023-24 Mr. Basketball USA Tracker | | ??
(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.
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
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