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This year's NBA Draft is supposed to field one of the deepest crop of impact players in recent memory. Which teams will make the right decisions in the lottery? Make sure to check out our special NBA Draft "In The Paint" podcast , Devin Ugland's NBA Draft Board watch our second annual Ballislife NBA Draft Party on July 29 at 6:15 pm ET/3:15 PT to get our insight before the draft and as the top picks unfold.

RELATED: NBA Draft podcast | Ballislife NBA Draft Board | Ballislife Podcast Network

Devin Ugland's NBA Draft Day Steals

Jared Butler, Baylor (Junior), 6-3 PG (Age 20)
Projected Pick: No. 30
Butler proved that not only could he improve individually over the course of his college career, but that he also impacts winning in high level games as he led the Bears to the 2021 NCAA Tournament title. Butler is a heady and smart lead guard who can play both on or off the ball. In his final season at Baylor, Butler shot 41.6 percent from three-point range and just over 47 percent from the field overall. Guys like Butler. who are drafted to a good team late in the first round, usually end up in a good situation where they can ease into the NBA game in a back-up style role.  I'm confident Butler has the intangibles, leadership and shot making ability to be a long-term NBA guard.

Quentin Grimes, Houston (Junior), 6-5 CG (Age 21)
Projected Pick: No. 32
Though we have Grimes slotted as an early second round pick, I can see a few teams picking in the late first round who could use his services. Grimes got off to a bit of a rocky start to his college career at Kansas before transferring to Houston where he put up numbers consistent with his Top 10 ranking coming out of high school. I like Grimes to be a draft steal because he has an NBA body, showed poise in big game situations and shooting and playmaking at his size should translate well to the pro game. Something else that stands out about Grimes is the success he had after leaving Kansas with some labeling his a "bust."

Kessler Edwards, Pepperdine (Junior), 6-8 SF (Age 21)
Projected Pick: No. 44
Edwards is one of the more unheralded prospects in this draft - both when he was coming out of high school and now coming out of college. The 6-foot-8 swingman has a ton of versatility to his game due to his combination of length, fluid athleticism and lateral mobility on the defensive end of the floor. Edwards averaged 17.2 points per game as a junior on 55.3 percent from the field, 37.8 percent from three and hit 87.6 percent of his free throws. Those are solid percentages for an inside-out type of scorer who prefers to operate in the mid-range area of the floor. NBA teams might have to be patient with his three-point shooting stroke as he gets used to the deeper line.

Ronnie Flores' NBA Draft Day Steals

Cam Thomas, LSU (Freshman), 6-4 SG (Age 19)
Projected Pick: No. 16 
This former Oak Hill Academy (VA) standout is one of the most accomplished scorers in the draft at any pick.  Any questions about being a shoot-first, volume player at his draft position will quickly be quelled by his talent level and ability to adjust and find the right role that will maximize his potential. LSU had bouts of selfishness across the board and I think he’ll excel down the line because of his innate ability to score and draw fouls.

Miles McBride, West Virginia (Sophomore), 6-2 PG (Age 20)
Projected Pick: No. 29
I like winners and tough guards and "Deuce" foots the bill. He was way better in HS than the recruiting evaluators gave him credit for coming out of Moeller (Cincinnati, Ohio), where he was a key cog on a FAB 50 ranked team. He led teams that won back-to-back D1 states titles, had a 49-game winning streak and went 29-0 his senior year. That type of production (not to mention defense) from a team standpoint translates. In two college seasons, McBride became a viable NBA prospect by improving his shooting (shot .414 from 3-point range in 2020-21) and increasing his play-making while his turnover count remained low. Obviously size will come into play for some teams with regards to where he lands, but whom ever needs a quality back up better take a long, hard look because he makes up for his lack of size with terrific on-ball defense, athleticism, instincts and a winner's mentality.

John Petty Jr., Alabama (Senior), 6-5 SF (Age 22)
Projected Pick: No. 58
If Petty can display solid enough ball-handling, I think he can stick in the NBA. He’s always been a good shooter (.370 3-point) and can get the ball up against good defenders. He has the ability to get hot and played with other talented scorers on a balanced Alabama team and should have no trouble being productive in what would be limited minutes if he makes a roster down the line. If Petty improves on the nuances of the game, he can be a complete steal late in this draft. I like reliability in the range he's may get drafted at instead of taking a big gamble on a project.

Devin's Draft Day Enigmas

Corey Kispert, Gonzaga (Senior), 6-7 G/F (Age 22)
Projected Pick: No. 11
It's always risky when you take a specialist-type prospect with a lottery pick and Kispert is absolutely one of the best shooters in the draft. The questions with Kispert are: what else does he do well that translates to the NBA? Can he guard and rebound his position well enough to see extended minutes? At age 22 with four years of college under his belt, what type of upside is there for him? I think Kispert is valued so highly because NBA teams are putting an emphasis on players who can spread the floor with limited dribbles, and while I think Kispert would be a safe pick in the mid to late first round range, taking him in the middle to the end of the lottery could be a risky decision.

Sharife Cooper, Auburn (Freshman), 6-0 PG (Age 20)
Projected Pick: No. 19
Cooper is an enigma in two different ways: I think there's a chance he could out-play his draft position (if selected around this projected range) or a guy who doesn't quite live up to the expectations of a first round selection. Cooper is an extremely talented ball handler who has great feel for the game and possesses the passing instincts necessary to play the PG spot in the NBA. There are, however, questions about his size, burst in transition and with his first step, and his lackluster three-point shooting percentage from the college line (22.8 percent) in 12 games. I don't see Cooper slipping out of the first round, but there are some shortcomings that could make NBA front offices second guess picking him.

Ziaire Williams, Stanford (Freshman), 6-8 SF (Age 19)
Projected Pick: No. 20
Williams has shown flashes of having all the tools to become a solid NBA wing, but his up-and-down season at Stanford cooled his draft stock after many believed he was a surefire lottery pick heading into the 2020-21 college basketball season. The 6-foot-8 wing averaged just 10.7 points per game in 20 games for the Cardinal and shot 37.4 percent from the field and 29.1 percent from 3-point range. In addition to those poor shooting numbers, Williams had a streak to close the season where he scored in single digits in five of his last seven games, a stretch where Stanford went 2-5.

Ronnie's Draft Day Enigmas

Jonathan Kuminga, G League Ignite (1st Year Pro), 6-8 SF (Age 18)
Projected Pick: No. 6
Evaluating some of the G League Ignite games, Kuminga's skill and production level simply didn’t indicate a top 4-5 pick to me. Does he have loads of potential? Absolutely, plus he's a bit younger than a majority of the other prospects at the top of this draft. He also has the frame and explosiveness many NBA GMs cost. However, he shoots a low percentage (38.7 FG, 24.6 3-point, 62.5 FT), needs tons of work on what to do without the ball and his decision making left alot to be desired in those G League games. He does have plenty of potential, but not much experience even dominating at the high school level. Will that potential blossom? There’s would be a lot less pressure for him going at No. 6 through 8 than No. 3 or No. 4. The lower he goes, the more I like his chances for long-term success.

Scottie Barnes, Florida St. (Freshman), 6-9 SF (Age 19)
Projected Pick: No. 5
How do you pass on a guy who does so much well? And how do you NOT pass on a guy that simply can’t shoot it well enough for his on court and draft position (27.5 3-point, 62.1 FT)? You do because he can improve his shooting and the other things he excels at (leading, defense, play-making) most of the other draftees simply are not as capable and likely won’t ever be, no mater how much they work on it. I feel Barnes will be a good pro, but if he doesn't pan out at the production level of the pick where he's expected to go (No. 4-5), a GM will be kicking himself in the foot for overlooking the obvious.

Jalen Johnson, Duke (Freshman), 6-9 PF (Age 19)
Projected Pick: No. 14
Will he buy in and be committed to the team that drafts him, or will he excel only in a situation for a team that covets his talents and will be patient with his development? We ask that because he Johnson has one of the biggest draft ranges of any eligible prospect. To me, he has lottery type talent and the make-up of a starting caliber NBA forward, but I also wouldn't be surprised to see him drop to the slot Dev currently has him listed at. There is alot of talent to work with, but not a big body of work. He didn’t have a complete senior high school season (he abruptly left IMG Academy early in the 2019-20 season) nor a complete college season (as he exited the program in a highly-publicized manner). Why is that? What will NBA teams find out when they dig deep on those incidents? Players have to be more talented than their perceived problems and it only takes one team with the right fit to unlock the best version of a talented prospect.

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Today we take a look at five of the country's top "Must See" Players!
Related: Straight Bucket-Getters | Best Shooters | Best Dunkers | Top Defenders |

Mikey Williams

6'3"   -   SG   -   2023

Mikey Williams, San Ysidro (Calif.) 6-3 2023:
When it comes to making an impact socially, it's hard to top this first-year player whose father (Mahlon Williams) was a college player at nearby U.S. International (now Alliant University). Williams turns heads everywhere he goes with his confident demeanor and penchant for spectacular plays. He can be soft-spoken at times, but he's a natural in front of a camera and with 1.5 million Instagram followers, his peers and adults with cameras follow his every move. At first it seemed as if the hype surrounding him was just that, hype, but then he showed he could play and admirably compete with many of the nation's best at the 2019 Pangos All-Amercan Camp last summer. For an encore, he averaged 30.2 ppg, 6.6 rpg, and 5.0 apg as a freshman for a team (known as the "Border Boyz" for the school's proximity to the U.S.-Mexico border) that won a San Diego Section D3 title and had LeBron James and rapper Y.G. in attendance during a state playoff game.

Jalen Green

6'5"   -   SG   -   2020

Jalen Green, Prolific Prep (Napa, Calif.) 6-4 2020:
There is some debate as to whom is the top long-term prospect in the 2020 class with Cade Cunningham of FAB 50 No. 1 Montverde Academy (Fla.), center Evan Mobley of Rancho Christian (Temecula, Calif.) or is Green, but there is little doubt whom the fans are interested in following among that trio. It's the kid from Fresno with a million dollar smile who throws down zero-gravity dunks. Green is what we call a one percent athlete, and with his explosive first step, moved and ability to hang a lean, it's easy to see why fans flock to watch him play. It's because he moves like a certain No. 23 that used to play in Chicago and although it's impossible to compare anyone to M.J. it's quite okay because Green has been forging his own path since he was a well-known middle school star. Green starred at San Joaquin Memorial (Fresno, Calif.) for three years and nearly willed Team Why Not to the Nike EYBL title last summer before putting on some show-stopping performances for Vegas Elite, another EYBL outfit, at the Big Time Tournament in Las Vegas. Wherever Green plays, fans anticipate his ever move, but rumors that he will skip college to play pro ball for a year before declaring for the NBA Draft are just rumor.

Josh Christopher

6'4"   -   SG   -   2020

Josh Christopher Mayfair (Lakewood, Calif.) 6-4 2020:
With his game, infectious personality, and witty social media posts, Christopher is a natural to make this list. Most of all, it's his game, as Christopher uses a strong frame to punish defenders and get to the line and has a underrated skill set. His high school games always drew curious onlookers and he produced on the court after entering high school with plenty of fanfare as his oldest brother played in the NBA (Pat Christopher). After scoring a school record 2,755 points (to break the mark of 2001 McDonald's All-American and future NBA player Josh Childress) and being named Suburban League Player of the Year four times, Christopher joined Childress as Mayfair's second McDonald's All-American. With 637,000 Instagram followers, Christopher is a fun follow and is coined in SoCal basketball circles by his handle "jaygup".

Sharife Cooper

6'0"   -   PG   -   2020

Sharife Cooper McEachern (Powder Springs, Ga.) 5-11 2020: This two-time All-American has two main ingredients that fans and social media followers flock to: he's under six-foot and and is exciting with the ball in his hands. Two things stand out right away about Cooper: One, plays the game the right way and two, he makes it look SO EASY. Cooper controls the outcome of the game as much as any player in the country, and in 2018-19 led the Indians to a GHSA Class 7A state title with a 32-0 mark and a No. 2 final FAB 50 ranking. Cooper had another monster season as a senior (although McEachern didn't repeat at state), but the fans still love to flock to his games or watch his highlights. There is just something about the player who looks ordinary (like the mailman or better yet Steph Curry) and not like some genetic freak that the fans can relate to and fall in love with and Cooper is one of the best examples of that in recent memory.

LeBron James Jr.

6'4"   -   CG   -   2023

LeBron James Jr., Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth, Calif.) 6-2 2023: He could go down as one of the most popular high school athletes ever and realistically, he's already reached the highest plateau. It's just a matter of how active he's going to be, and keep in mind, he's has three years of high school remaining. Even when he joined social media, it was news, while most high school athletes will never see what they post go viral. Bronny, the son of NBA superstar LeBron James, has 4.7 million Instagram followers despite only having 19 posts to his account. He plays on the best team in California that is gunning for a third consecutive CIF Open Division state crown and Bronny has a solid role off the bench. His athleticism has grown by leaps and bounds over the last year and a half and he projects to be a big guard with excellent instincts and vision. The freshman hit a big 3-pointer in a playoff win over fellow FAB 50 ranked club Etiwanda (Calif.) and showed great poise, skill and potential during the summer of 2019 playing both 14U and 15U ball. As the son of a NBA legend, he was ordained to be a "Must See" player and what knowledgable fans like most so far is two of the most important things in basketball: One, his teammates genuinely like playing with him (not just the status that comes with it) and he seems to genuinely love the game.

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

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RELATED: Preseason East Region Top 20 | Preseason Southeast Region Top 20  | Preseason Midwest Region Top 20 | Preseason Southwest Region Top 20 | Preseason West Region Top 20 | Preseason 2018-19 FAB 50 (1-15) | Preseason 2018-19 FAB 50 (16-30) | Preseason 2018-19 FAB 50 (31-50)

During the regular season, www.ebooksnet.com will publish the Mr. Basketball USA Tracker, an inside look at the nation’s top on-court high school performers, according to a panel made up of 10 high school basketball and recruiting experts, including six McDonald’s All-American selection committee members.

Every season, the race for national player of the year is affected by factors such as team talent level (or lack thereof), injury or ineligibility. While those factors can fluctuate, there are three concrete factors that play a role in each season in the national player of the year race. With the season jumping off, we decided to break down the criteria and give some insight on the selection process. What separates the winner from other strong candidates?

Talent level

This is the most important factor. The winner must possess the skills to make an immediate impact on the college level. Nearly all past winners projected as NBA players, but not all of them start the ascension to player of the year candidate from the same point.

For instance, take the case of 1997 winner Tracy McGrady compared to runner-up Lamar Odom. As an underclassman, McGrady was a non-descript forward at Auburndale (Fla.). He wasn't on anyone's national radar prior to the summer  of 1996 when he attended the ABCD Camp before transferring to Mount Zion (Durham, N.C.), whereas Odom was one of the nation's best players since his sophomore year at Christ the King (Middle Village, N.Y.).

Of the 57 eventual Mr. Basketball USA choices, only two did not go on to log NBA minutes: forward Bill Raftery of St. Cecelia's (Kearney, N.J.) in 1959 and Damon Bailey of North Lawrence (Bedford, Ind.) in 1990.

Team Success

Of course, talented players can't always control the talent level surrounding them, but they can control their effort and help their team win. Leading a FAB 50-ranked team and helping it win a state title is a significant factor. Those teams generally play tough competition, which nowadays means the candidate's team challenged itself against competition from outside its region.

In 2010, Jared Sullinger of Northland (Columbus, Ohio) led the nation's No. 1 ranked team before the Vikings were stunned 71-45 in the Ohio regional playoffs by an unranked team. The other top candidate that season, fellow Ballislife All-Decade selection Harrison Barnes of Ames (Iowa), led his team to a 27-0 record and No. 10 final FAB 50 rating. If Barnes' team would have lost even one game, or if Sullinger's team would have won the state title and finished No. 1 in the country, the Mr. Basketball USA panel might have voted in favor of Sullinger over Barnes.

Many of the 10 experts on the tracker panel weigh this factor nearly as much as individual talent, while others don't penalize individual talent and production should that player's team fall a bit short of its goals.

Head-to-head comparisons

This doesn't happen often, but it's a factor that can't be overlooked. In 2011, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist of St. Patrick (Elizabeth, N.J.) and Austin Rivers of Winter Park (Fla.), played against each other on national television. St. Patrick won 75-66.

Gilchrist scored 21 points and grabbed nine rebounds and had the stronger supporting cast. In the balloting the week following that game, the panel didn't penalize Rivers much, if at all. He did score 38 points to keep his team within striking range.

Gilchrist was the eventual Mr. Basketball USA choice, but what if Rivers had scored 38 points in a Winter Park victory?

State and National Records

Raftery and Bailey never played in the NBA, but they have something else in common: both enjoyed record-breaking prep careers for winning programs.

Raftery scored 827 points in 1959, then a New Jersey single-season state scoring record. Bailey lived up to the tremendous hype that Hoosier Hysteria created around him. Bailey averaged 31.3 points per game as a senior for a state title-winning team in the Indiana single-class tournament. His team finished ranked No. 15 in the National Prep Poll (FAB 50 precursor) and he finished with 3,134 career points, a state record.

It’s not hard for respected scouts to pick out the nation’s best players, but it’s never easy to predict how the season will play out or forecast the one national player of the year award that is truly based on season on-court performance.

For now, we present some of the eligible candidates who figure to factor in the 2019-20 Mr. Basketball USA race.

The Early Mr. Basketball USA Favorites
(listed alphabetically)

Emoni Bates, Lincoln (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 6-8 Soph.

Why He Could Win: The 6-foot-8 forward with a sweet shooting touch was so impressive in leading Lincoln to the MHSAA D1 state title he was named D1 state player of the year by the Associated Press and Gatorade State Player of the Year as a freshman. Bates led Lincoln to the D1 state crown by scoring 23 points in a 64-62 victory over University of Detroit Jesuit. It’s pretty safe to say Lincoln wouldn’t have been in position to win a state crown without Bates, as he had 31 points and 14 rebounds in a 72-56 state semifinal win over Howell and hit two game-winning post-season shots. For the season, Bates averaged 28.7 points and 10.2 rebounds. Simply put, he's one of the most talented players in the country regardless of class.

Why He Wouldn’t: It could be argued junior Sharife Cooper was the most productive player in the country last season, but he didn't get the recognition from the panel that he likely deserved based on individual numbers and team success. The panel traditionally tends to favor seniors for Mr. Basketball USA honors, unless the player is a generational prospect (LeBron James, Lew Alcindor, etc.). Simply being a sophomore could hurt Bates' candidacy, as no tenth-grader has ever been named national player of the year going back to 1955. James was the last one to even be in the running back in 2001.

Sharife Cooper, McEachern (Powder Springs, Ga.) 6-0 Sr. 

Why He Could Win: He controls the outcome of games as much as any player in the country, and his high school team wins. A leader and clutch shot maker who can get to any spot on the floor, Cooper averaged 28.1 ppg, 6.0 rpg, 8.2 apg and 4.0 spg as a junior and was named MVP of the City of Palms Tournament and the Bass Pro Tournament of Champions as the Indians finished 32-0 and No. 2 in the FAB 50.

Why He Wouldn’t: Cooper earned first five All-American status as a junior after the Indians went unbeaten against one of the best schedules in the country. He was the only underclassman to make the first five, but despite his ultra-impressive season, Cooper was No. 6 in last year's final balloting. McEachern begins at No. 10 in the preseason FAB 50, but if the Indians don't have as much team success, will Cooper be penalized? Will he be judged on this season's merits, or will his senior season be judged by what happened last season? The latter could hurt him.

Cade Cunningham, Montverde Academy (Montverde, Fla.) 6-7 Sr. 

Why He Could Win: He is the best all-around player on a team that could end up being the nation's best. A recent Oklahoma St. pledge, Cunningham finished tied for No. 12 in last year's final tracker, but had a big-time summer travel season, pushing Evan Mobley for the No. 1 overall prospect tag with his terrific approach to the game as a big guard. Cunningham plays for a team that will get tons of national exposure, he’ll have the ball in his hands and he impacts winning basketball.

Why He Wouldn’t: Cunningham averaged 25.1 ppg, 6.6 rpg and 5.2 apg for the Texas Titans on the EYBL circuit and enters the 2019-20 season with great momentum. On his high school team, his individual numbers have not been so gaudy and for good reason: Montverde Academy has one of the most talented rosters in high school basketball and there is simply no need, as the focus is winning not individual accolades. Last season, Cunningham averaged 11.4 ppg, 5.7 rpg, and 5.5 apg for a team that finished No. 4 in the FAB 50. If he has similar numbers as a senior, will it be enough for the panelists to put him No. 1 on their ballots should Montverde Academy live up to preseason expectations? Another top candidate could have monster individual numbers that could sway the panel.

Jalen Green, Prolific Prep (Napa, Calif.) 6-4 Sr.

Why He Could Win: Arguably the most explosive guard in the country, Green is productive and plays at the high level necessary to earn national player of the year honors. Green earned Cal-Hi Sports State Sophomore of the Year honors in 2017-18 after averaging 27.9 ppg at San Joaquin Memorial (Fresno, Calif.) and upped his overall production as a junior to 31.1 ppg, 7.8 rpg, and 3.6 apg while shooting 63 percent from the field as the Panthers won their second consecutive CIF Central Section D2 crown. He was named a second team All-American (along with Bates, Cunningham, Jalen Johnson, and Jalen Suggs), but finished only tied for No. 23 in the final balloting. It will be important for him and his team to get off to a hot start.

Why He Wouldn’t: At San Joaquin Memorial last season, he was edged for State Junior Player of the Year honors by Evan Mobley and being in the same state/region, the panel could look at an individual comparison between the two (based more on long-term potential) instead of judging him on his individual merits against the field of candidates. Green is in a similar boat to Johnson in that his role will somewhat change joining an independent program that has a lot more size and depth than the school he played at as an underclassmen. Will the transfer hurt or help his candidacy?

Jalen Johnson, IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.) 6-8 Sr.

Why He Could Win: IMG Academy begins at No. 1 in the FAB 50 and Johnson could emerge as its top honors candidate. Last season at Nicolet (Glendale, Wis.), Johnson was named The A.P. State Player of the Year and a second team All-American after averaging 19.7 ppg, 11.7 rpg and 5.9 apg for the WIAA D2 state champs. His team finished 27-1 and No. 24 in the FAB 50, and Johnson finished tied for No. 16 in the final 2018-19 balloting. Johnson has the necessary talent and will get the necessary exposure to move up in the balloting.

Why He Wouldn’t: Similar to Cunningham, Johnson plays with plenty of talent around him, as he joins the defending FAB 50 national champions after it graduated three McDonald’s All-American players. The Ascenders are the deepest team in the country, so Johnson won’t always have to be the player to shine or compile gaudy statistics for IMG to win. That could possibly hurt him, or a teammate such as point guard Jaden Springer (the standout in last year's GEICO Nationals run) could emerge as the Ascenders' top candidate. He isn't likely to post the stats he did at Nicolet, as Johnson will have a slightly different role on a team with four players 6-foot-10 or taller.

Evan Mobley, Rancho Christian (Temecula, Calif.) 7-0 Sr.

Why He Could Win: For a portion of last season, this talented seven-footer was in the thick of the Mr. Basketball USA race alongside honoree Isaiah Stewart and runner-up Cole Anthony. The agile center with great patience and a high skill level averaged 19.2 ppg, 10.4 rpg, 4.7 bpg, and 3.3 apg and bolstered his All-American candidacy with a 13-point, 3-block performance in a win over Memphis East and first five All-American James Wiseman. He's is simply that good of a high school player and will have plenty of opportunity to display his talents against a demanding schedule.

Why He Wouldn’t: Mobley finished No. 3 in the final balloting last year behind Stewart and Anthony, but his candidacy suffered when the Eagles underachieved in sectional and regional play. Rancho Christian finished No. 39 in the FAB 50 at 25-6 and for some panelists that might have been disappointing since team expectations were so high. It would definitely help Mobley's candidacy is the Eagles move up from their preseason No. 21 position and win the CIF Southern Section and/or CIF state open championship.

Jalen Suggs, Minnehaha Academy (Minneapolis, Minn.) 6-3 Sr.

Why He Could Win: Suggs is one of the best athletes in the country, as he’s a highly-regarded prep signal-caller in football and was named our national class player of the year as a freshman and sophomore. Suggs averaged 24.2 ppg as a junior playing alongside elite 2021 prospect Chet Holmgren (18.6 ppg) and together they form one of the best 1-2 punches in the country.

Why He Wouldn’t: Even though he's been considered one of the very best players in the 2020 class since his freshman campaign, Suggs wasn’t mentioned as a serious national Junior Player of the Year candidate last season because of the emergence of Mobley and the terrific campaign of Cooper, so he has some ground to make up. Minnehaha Academy begins at No. 14 in the FAB 50 and could challenge for the highest FAB 50 ranking ever for a Minnesota team (No. 11), but Suggs’ candidacy will be heavily dependent on his performance on January 4 versus No. 6 Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth, Calif.) because the MSHSL limits travel for its member schools. What is he doesn't have a big game or Minehaha Academy loses big? It could very well be that Holmgren emerges as the team's top honors candidate.

OTHER SENIOR CANDIDATES
FROM STRONG PROGRAMS

F — Jabri Abdir-Rahim, Blair Academy (Blairstown, N.J.) 6-7
G — Adrian “Ace” Baldwin, St. Frances (Baltimore, Md.) 6-0
F — Scottie Barnes, Montverde Academy (Montverde, Fla.) 6-8
G — Reece Beekman, Scotlandville (Baton Rouge, La.) 6-2
F — Brandon Boston, Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth, Calif.) 6-6
F — Greg Brown III, Vandegrift (Austin, Texas) 6-8
F — Jaemyn Brakefield, Huntington Prep (Huntington, W.V.) 6-8
G — Josh Christopher, Mayfair (Lakewood, Calif.) 6-4
F — Terrence Clarke, Brewster Academy (Wolfeboro, N.H.) 6-6
G — Jalen Cook, Landry Walker (New Orleans, La.) 6-0
G — Andre Curbelo, Long Island Lutheran (Glen Head N. Y.) 6-0
G — Jyare Davis, Sanford School (Hockessin, Del.) 6-7
G — R.J. Davis, Archbishop Stepinac (White Plains, N.Y.) 6-1
C — Hunter Dickinson, DeMatha Catholic (Hyattsville, Md.) 7-2
G — Noah Farrakhan, Patrick School (Elizabeth, N.J.) 6-2
F — Cam’Ron Fletcher, Vashon (St. Louis, Mo.) 6-7
F — P.J. Hall, Dorman (Roebuck, S.C.) 6-9
F — Keon Johnson, The Webb School (Bell Buckle, Tenn.) 6-5
G — Caleb Love, Christian Brothers College (St. Louis, Mo.) 6-3
G — Tristan Maxwell, North Mecklenburg (Charlotte, N.C.) 6-3
G — Carson McCorkle, Greensboro Day (Greensboro, N. C.) 6-4
F — Adam Miller, Morgan Park (Chicago, Ill.) 6-4
G — Ethan Morton, Butler Area (Butler, Pa.) 6-5
G — Dashien Nix, Trinity International (Las Vegas, Nev.) 6-4
C — Cliff Omoruyi, Roselle Catholic (Roselle, N.J.) 6-11
F — Micah Peavy, Duncanville (Texas) 6-7
G — Jeremy Roach, Paul VI (Fairfax, Va.) 6-2
G — Samson Ruzhentsev, Hamilton Heights (Chattanooga, Tenn.) 6-8
C — Day’Ron Sharpe, Montverde Academy (Montverde, Fla.) 6-9
F — Mady Sissoko, Wasatch Academy (Mt. Pleasant, Utah) 6-9
G — Deivon Smith, Grayson (Loganville, Ga.) 6-1
G — Jaden Springer, IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.) 6-3
G — D.J. Steward, Whitney Young (Chicago, Ill.) 6-4
G — Cam Thomas, Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.) 6-3
F — J.T. Thor, Norcross (Norcross, Ga.)
G — Bryce Thompson, Booker T. Washington (Tulsa, Okla.) 6-5
F — Earl Timberlake, DeMatha Catholic (Hyattsville, Md.) 6-6
F — Isaiah Todd, Word of God (Raleigh, N.C.) 6-9
F — Terrence Williams, Gonzaga (Washington, D. C.) 6-6

IMPACT JUNIORS

F — Trey Alexander, Heritage Hall (Oklahoma City, Okla.) 6-4
G — Devin Askew, Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.) 6-4
F — Patrick Baldwin Jr., Hamilton (Sussex, Wis.) 6-8
C — Nate Bittle, Crater (Central Point, Ore.) 6-11
F — Kendall Brown, Sunrise Christian Academy (Bel Air, Kan.) 6-7
G — Kennedy Chandler, Briarcrest Christian (Eads, Tenn.) 6-1
F — Paolo Banchero, O’Dea (Seattle, Wash.) 6-9
F — Max Christie, Rolling Meadows (Rolling Meadows, Ill.) 6-6
G — Zaon Collins, Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas, Nev.) 6-1
G — Rashool Diggins, Archbishop Wood (Warminster, Pa.) 6-1
C — Michael Foster Jr., Hillcrest Prep (Phoenix) 6-8
G — Wendell Green Jr., La Lumiere (La Porte, Ind.) 5-11
G — Adrian Griffin Jr., Archbishop Stepinac (White Plains, N.Y.) 6-4
G — Jaden Hardy, Coronado (Henderson, Nev.) 6-4
G — Zion Harmon, Marshall County (Benton, Ky.) 5-11
G — Chucky Hepburn, Bellevue West (Bellevue, Neb.) 6-1
C — Chet Holgrem, Minnehaha Academy (Minneapolis, Minn.) 7-0
F — Daron Holmes, Millennium (Goodyear, Ariz.) 6-9
F — Harrison Ingram, St. Mark’s (Dallas, Texas) 6-7
F — Will Jeffress, McDowell (Erie, Pa.) 6-6
G — Jackie Johnson, Wichita Southeast (Wichita, Kan.) 5-10
G — Trevor Keels, Paul VI (Fairfax, Va.) 6-5
F — Jonathan Kuminga, Patrick School (Elizabeth, N.J.) 6-8
F — Aminu Mohammed, Greenwood Laboratory (Springfield, Mo.) 6-5
F — Trey Patterson, Rutgers Prep (Somerset, N.J.) 6-7
G — Daeshon Ruffin, Callaway (Jackson, Miss.) 5-9
F — Jabari Smith, Sandy Creek (Tyrone, Ga.) 6-8

IMPACT SOPHOMORES

G — Amari Bailey, Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth, Calif.) 6-4
G — Jaden Bradley, Cannon School (Concord, N.C.) 6-2
G — Jameel “Milzy” Brown, Haverford School (Haverford, Pa.) 6-1
G — Zion Cruz, Hudson Catholic (Hudson, N.J.) 6-3
C — Lee Dort, North Dallas Adventist Academy (Dallas, Texas) 6-10
C — Jalen Duren, Roman Catholic (Philadelphia, Pa.) 6-9
G — Bryce Griggs, Fort Bend Hightower (Missouri City, Texas) 6-1
G — Richard "Pop Pop" Isaacs Jr., Wasatch Academy (Mt. Pleasant, Utah) 6-1
G — Chris Livingston, Buchtel (Akron, Ohio) 6-5
G — Knasir “Dug” McDaniel, Paul VI (Fairfax, Va.) 5-9
G — Aidan Mahaney, Campolindo (Moraga, Calif.) 6-2
F — Tai Manning, Grandview (Mo.) 6-6
F — Mark Mitchell, Bishop Miege (Shawnee Mission, Kan.) 6-6
G — M.J. Rice, Durham Academy (Durham, N.C.) 6-5
F — Perry Smith Jr., Legacy Early College (Greenville, S.C.) 6-8
F — Jarace Walker, IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.) 6-6
F — Jordan Walsh, Faith Family Academy (Dallas, Texas) 6-6
F — Kijani Wright, Windward (Los Angeles, Calif.) 6-8

*Editor's note: Listed alphabetically; The Mr. Basketball USA honor is based on high school accomplishment, not future college/pro potential. www.ebooksnet.com does not knowingly select fifth-year players, and those ineligible due to age or academics, as Mr. Basketball USA or to the various All-American teams it publishes.

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

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The 2018-19 All-American Elite Team, now published for the 25th consecutive season and on the www.ebooksnet.com platform for the fifth time, includes 41 of the nation’s best seniors, led by Mr. Basketball USA Isaiah Stewart of FAB 50 No. 3 La Lumiere (La Porte, La.).

Seventeen seniors and three juniors, including first five selection Sharife Cooper of FAB 50 No. 2 McEachern (Powder Springs, Ga.), headline the 20-player overall first team.

A 30-player second team includes 24 additional seniors. Four talented juniors join one special sophomore and one outstanding freshman on the second team, as all underclassmen are eligible for selection. Last year’s Mr. Basketball USA, R.J. Barrett of Montverde Academy (Montverde, Fla.), re-classified up to the 2018 class after earning national sophomore player of the year honors in 2017.

This year’s 20-man first team includes two players who re-classified up from the 2020 class early in the school year: first five selection Anthony Edwards of Holy Spirit Prep (Atlanta) and Nico Mannion of Pinnacle (Phoenix, Ariz.). The second team includes another All-American honoree that re-classed up after the season ended: combo guard R.J. Hampton of Little Elm (Texas).

In the 25 seasons of publishing annual All-American teams (and on the retroactive teams dating back to the 1954-55 season), no freshman has ever made the first team.

Our national coach of the year is Carl Kremer of Moeller (Cincinnati, Ohio). He guided the Fighting Crusaders to back-to-back OHSAA Division I titles and a 49-game winning streak entering 2019-2020. In 2018, Moeller finished No. 16 in the FAB 50 and with that club graduating a strong senior class, the Fighting Crusaders exceeded expectations this season, finishing 29-0 and No. 7 in the FAB 50. Along the way, Moeller became the first unbeaten OHSAA D1 state champ since 1995 and Kremer won his fifth state title as coach.

Kremer, whose overall record now stands at 575-157, tied the reported state record with his fifth coaching state title at one program, which was first accomplished by Middletown’s Paul Walker and later Dru Joyce of St. Vincent-St. Mary (Akron, Ohio). Under Kremer’s leadership, Moeller also won state titles in 1999, 2003, and 2007. He’s the first coach from Ohio to earn national acclaim on our all-time list dating back to the 1969-70 season.

National Grassroots Editor Ronnie Flores selects this performance-based All-American team with input from Mr. Basketball USA panelists. It is chosen after the conclusion of the season, which makes the Elite All-American team more reflective of players who made state championship runs. This honors squad has been chosen in its current format since the 1994-95 season and is powered by www.ebooksnet.com for the fifth consecutive season. This team is chosen regardless of class and is not exclusive or preferential for seniors named to the Ballislife All-American Game. To check out who has played in the Ballislife All-American Game the past nine years, please visit ballislifeallamerican.com. To view archived All-American teams published under this format, please visit GrassrootsHoops.net.

2018-19 All-American First Team

First Five

G — Sharife Cooper, McEachern (Powder Springs, Ga.) 6-0 Jr.
His father and travel ball coach Omar Cooper told Ballislife, “things will be different this year,” with regards to the Indians’ quest for their first GHSA state title. Dad ended up being right on the money, as McEachern had a storybook run to the GHSA Class 7A crown. As the catalyst for a 32-0 team, it wasn’t a hard choice to put Cooper on first team after the Indians went unbeaten against one of the best schedules in the country. A leader and clutch shot maker who can get to any spot on the floor, Cooper averaged 28.1 ppg, 6.0 rpg, 8.2 apg and 4.0 spg and was named MVP of the City of Palms Tournament and the Bass Pro Tournament of Champions. He teamed with senior Isaac Okoro to lead the Indians to nine wins over FAB 50 ranked clubs and three more against teams that were ranked at the time. Okoro (who was seriously considered for fourth five) and Cooper shared all-classification Player of the Year honors on the Atlanta Journal Constitution’s all-state team and Cooper was named the state’s Mr. Basketball by sandysspiel.com.

G — Cole Anthony, Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.) 6-3 Sr.
The official runner-up to Isaiah Stewart for Mr. Basketball USA, Anthony is arguably the best guard to suit up for veteran coach Steve Smith since Brandon Jennings, who was the Mr. Basketball USA choice in 2008. Two years earlier, Oak Hill had another runner-up in Kevin Durant. Four Mr. Basketball USA Tracker panelists had Anthony as their top player of the year choice (and the other six had Stewart) after he averaged 18.5 ppg, 10.1 rpg and 10.2 apg and led Oak Hill to the GIECO Nationals semifinals and No. 10 FAB 50 ranking. Anthony played like the best guard in the country on the post-season all-star circuit with big-time showings at the McDonald’s All-American Game (14 points, on 7-of-11 shooting, five rebounds, seven assists, and two blocks) the Nike Hoop Summit (25 points, 8 rebounds, 2 assists) and at the Jordan Brand Classic (25 points, 6 rebounds, 6 assists). In fact, he’s the first player to sweep MVP honors of the major all-star events since first five selection Zach Randolph (Marion, Ind.) in 2000 when he turned the trifecta at McDonald’s, Nike Hoop Summit and the Nike Derby Festival Classic.

G — Anthony Edwards, Holy Spirit Prep (Atlanta, Ga.) 6-5 Sr.
There was plenty of excitement surrounding Holy Spirit Prep in the preseason and even though the team didn’t live up to preseason expectations, it doesn’t diminish Edwards’ individual brilliance. He used his combination of explosiveness, power and silk jump shooting to develop into the top shooting guard in the country and the No. 1 ranked player by at least one major scouting network. Edwards averaged 25 ppg, 9 rpg, 2 apg and 2 spg, but Holy Spirit Prep finished 15-14. He had 21 points at the Jordan Brand Classic and 12 points and 3 assists at the McDonald’s All-American Game. He’s staying home and will attend Georgia, where he’s the highest-rated incoming recruit to join the Bulldogs since 1979 second five choice Dominque Wilkins (Washington, N.C.).

F — Isaiah Stewart, La Lumiere (La Porte, Ind.) 6-9 Sr.
Went from underclass All-American honors last year to the highest individual honor a player can receive as this year’s Mr. Basketball USA. Not only did he lead a 30-1 team, he’s was the first player mentioned among elites by coaches and scouts when the question was asked “Who plays the hardest and gives the best effort every single time out?” Stewart’s Mr. basketball candidacy steadily rose, from appearing on six ballots in the preseason with 35 points and zero first or second place votes to appearing on all 10 Mr. Basketball Tracker ballots to edging Cole Anthony with six of the 10 first place votes to conclude the season. After averaging 18.1 ppg, 11.3 rpg, and 2.9 bpg while shooting 63 percent from the field, Stewart is the first-ever national player of the year choice to attend the University of Washington. He’s also the first choice from an Indiana program since Greg Oden of Indianapolis Lawrence North in 2006.

F — James Wiseman, Memphis East (Memphis, Tenn.) 7-0 Sr.
He was one of the final selections of the fourth five last season and jumps all the way up to the first five after showing what he could do on the national all-star game circuit. The nation’s top prospect in the 247Sports.com composite, Wiseman showed why he’s so highly-coveted among pro scouts with 13 points and 6 rebounds at the McDonalds All-American Game, 21 points and 6 rebounds at the Jordan Brand Classic and 6 blocked shots at the Nike Hoop Summit. For his high school team, he averaged 25.8 ppg, 14.8 rpg, and 5.5 bpg with both some dominant and pedestrian moments. Still, with his size, skill level and agility, he’s a cinch All-American among this crop of candidates. A long-time commit to Memphis, this year’s Tennessee’s AAA Mr. Basketball will play for 1990 first five choice Penny Hardaway (Memphis Treadwell).

Second Five

G — Nico Mannion, Pinnacle (Phoenix, Ariz.) 6-3 Sr.
Even though he re-classed up to 2019, he completed one of the most spectacular careers in Arizona history, leading Pinnacle to consecutive AIA Class 6A state titles. A three-time all-state selection by the Arizona Republic, Mannion improved his statistical output in each of three seasons and was a two-time Gatorade State Player of the Year choice. For his career, he averaged 24.6 ppg and scored 2,095 points. As a senior, Mannion averaged 30.4 ppg, 6.2 rpg, 6.2 apg and 2.8 spg for a 28-3 club that only lost one game in-state and handed FAB 50 No. 14 Shadow Mountain its first in-state loss in 91 games. The son of former NBA player Pace Mannion, the scoring point guard stepped up in big games, and won the Shadow Mountain game on a contested, buzzer-beating 3-pointer. Goes down as one of the best players ever to come out of Arizona along with 1996 Mr. Basketball USA Mike Bibby of Shadow Mountain and 1985 third five selection Sean Elliot of Tucson Cholla. Like those two former NBA standouts, Mannion will play at Arizona.

G — Scottie Lewis, Ranney School (Eatontown, N.J.) 6-5 Sr.
We don’t often go against credible local consensus, but we had to make a decision of what to do with the dynamic Ranney School duo that led the program to its first ever New Jersey Tournament of Champions title. Lewis’ teammate Bryan Antoine received more local honors, but it was Lewis that was a bit more impressive against his peers in various elite settings. At the McDonald’s All-American Game, Lewis showed he’s one of the best two-way performers in the country with scoring, intensity and defensive ability, as he went for 10 points and four steals. Lewis also played well at the Nike Hoop Summit and was noted for his big play ability for his high school team. The Florida-bound wing guard had 20 points and 11 rebounds in the TOC title game and finished his four-year career with 1,874 career points. On the season, Lewis sported averages of 17.5 ppg, 6.3 rpg, 3.5 apg, 2.7 spg and 1.5 bpg for the No. 6 team in the FAB 50.

F — Precious Achiuwa, Montverde Academy (Montverde, Fla.) 6-9 Sr.
One of the most highly-skilled and multi-dimensional frontcourt players in the country, Achiuwa made the most of his one season in the Eagles’ program after earning underclass All-American honors at St. Benedict’s (Newark, N.J.) as a junior. The younger brother of former St. John’s forward God’sgift Achiuwa, Precious only put up modest numbers (14 ppg, 7 rpg), but those actually led a talent-laden team that finished 22-3 and ranked No. 4 in the FAB 50. He displayed versatile talent, with the ability to finish effectively with both hands and guard multiple positions. On the post-season all-star circuit is where Achiuwa made a favorable impression and increased his All-American candidacy, going for 22 points and nine rebounds at the McDonald’s All-American Game and 15 points and 11 rebounds at the Nike Hoop Summit. Teammate Cade Cunningham was also considered for first team and just missed making the fourth five.

F — Trendon Watford, Mountain Brook (Birmingham, Ala.) 6-9 Sr.
Terrific big-game performer and one of the best winners in the 2019 class closed out his career as one of Alabama’s most decorated players ever. His consistency, versatility and underrated shooting (career .392 3-point) led Mountain Brook to a 31-3 mark and No. 5 FAB 50 ranking this year and three consecutive AHSAA Class 7A state crowns. Turned in a signature 38-point, 12-rebound performance against IMG Academy to hand that FAB 50 No. 1 club its only loss of the season and closed out his senior season with averages of 23.7 ppg, 11.8 rpg, 3.6 apg and 2.5 bpg. Watford finished with four-year career totals of 3,237 points and 1,604 rebounds and his five-year totals include 1,909 rebounds, the all-time state record over 2005 third five selection Richard Hendrix of Athens. The undecided recruit participated in the McDonald’s, Jordan Brand and Ballislife All-American Games.

F — Jeremiah Robinson-Earl, IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.) 6-9 Sr.
The son of 1996 second five selection Lester Earl of Glen Oaks (Baton Rouge, La.) is the most highly honored player on the most talent-laden team in the country. As a result of his statistical output and strong finish at GEICO Nationals, Robinson-Earl gets the nod on first team over North Carolina-bound teammate Armando Bacot (who was seriously considered for fourth five) off a team that has at least nine D1 recruits on its roster and is the first ever to produce three McDonald’s All-Americans (Arizona-bound forward Josh Green). The Villanova-bound combo forward led the 31-1 team in scoring (17.1 ppg) and rebounding (9.5 rpg) and had 18 points, seven rebounds and six assists in the GEICO Nationals championship game victory over La Lumiere (Ind.) to deliver the Ascenders their first national championship in any sport. Robinson-Earl averaged 14 ppg and seven rpg and was singled out for his terrific defense in three games at GEICO Nationals and was named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player.

Third Five

G — Joe Girard III, Glens Falls (N.Y.) 6-2 Sr.
Had an even more impressive high school career than DeWitt Christian Brothers Academy’s Greg Paulus, who was the nation’s top Grid-Hooper in 2004-2005 who was the Gatorade National Player of the Year in football and New York’s Mr. Basketball during that winter. Girard is also a Mr. Basketball recipient after averaging a nation-leading 48.6 ppg as a senior when he led Glen Falls to a 29-1 record and the New York Federation Class B title. He hit 195 three-pointers as a senior and a game-winning shot with three seconds remaining in overtime to deliver Glen Falls its first state title. He shattered the all-time state scoring mark (2,846 points) held by 2009 first five selection Lance Stephenson of Brooklyn Lincoln, finishing with 4,329 career points (not including the 434 he scored as an eighth-grader) while averaging an incredible 42.4 ppg in his 102-game four-year career. Included in that point total are 618 3-pointers and 1,065 free throws. Unlike Paulus, he won’t be trying his hand at college basketball first, but like him will play quarterback at Syracuse after accounting for 8,414 yards and 130 touchdowns in his career.

G — Bryan Antoine, Ranney School (Eatontown, N.J.) 6-4 Sr.
Teammate and second five selection Scottie Lewis gets a bit more national acclaim, but it can be argued Antoine is the more accomplished high school player. After all, he led the 31-3 club with a scoring average of 20.9 ppg while also contributing 4.0 rpg, 2.7 apg and 2.8 spg. Antoine was also extremely efficient on offense, scoring at a 60 percent clip from the field, 39 percent from 3-point range and 84 percent from the free throw line while never shooting more than 18 field goal attempts in a single game. It’s no wonder the Villanova-bound shooting guard was the NJ.com State Player of the Year and was a model of consistency in helping Ranney School become the first Shore Conference program to win the TOC crown. Along the way, the McDonald’s All-American became the all-time scoring leader in the Shore Conference with 2,499 points and helped the Panthers win 103 games in four seasons.

F — E.J. Liddell, Belleville West (Belleville, Ill.) 6-7 Sr.
One of the most highly honored players in the nation, Liddell’s production led to winning in the highest classification of Illinois basketball (IHSA Class 4A). The powerful and no-nonsense inside presence had 24 points, 10 rebounds, and six assists in the 4A state title game win over Evanston after dominating FAB 50 ranked Chicago Curie in the semifinals with 14 points, 11 rebounds, five assists and four blocks. He had that type of impact on many big games with season highs of 42 points, 16 rebounds, and 10 blocks while shooting 63 percent from the field. Belleville West’s all-time leader in points (2,508), rebounds (1,004) and blocks (500), he’s also third in assists (322) despite his rugged inside nature. The Ohio St. recruit averaged 20.2 ppg, 9.3 rpg, and 3.8 bpg and is the second back-to-back state Mr. Basketball, following in the footsteps of two-time Mr. Basketball USA finalist Jabari Parker of Chicago Simeon (2012-13). He joins Parker and fellow elite first teamers Derrick Rose (2007) and Shaun Livingston (2004) as lead players on back-to-back IHSA major division state championship teams.

F — Vernon Carey Jr., University School (Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.) 6-10 Sr.
Although the powerful and skilled big man didn’t have quite the season he did during his breakout junior campaign for the Sharks when he earned National Junior Player of the Year honors, Carey was the best player in Florida for the second consecutive season. The two-time Florida Mr. Basketball also repeated as the Sun Sentinel’s Broward County Player of the Year and was named to the McDonald’s All-American and Jordan Brand Classic teams. The son of a former NFL offensive lineman, Carey averaged 21.1 ppg and 9 rpg for a 27-4 team that repeated as FHSAA Class 5A state champs. He did not play in the state semifinals, championship game, or the post-season all-star circuit because of a nagging ankle injury. The Duke-bound power forward gutted it out at GEICO Nationals and had 15 points and 11 rebounds in a first round loss to FAB 50 No. 4 Montverde Academy.

F — Onyeka Okongwu, Chino Hills (Calif.) 6-9 Sr.
He’s one of the most highly acclaimed and honored players in the country despite not being selected for the McDonald’s or Jordan Brand Classic. Okongwu is known best for helping an already legendary Huskies club go 35-0 to capture the 2016 FAB 50 national championship when the Big O was a 14-year old freshman. After Melo Ball (another 14-year old starter on that team) left school, Okongwu became more of a focal point of the offense and simply dominated California ball because his impeccable defensive instincts and timing never wavered. He put together two memorable playoff runs to finish his career with three CIF state titles and is a two-time Cal-Hi Sports Mr. Basketball, the first post player to win in back-to-back seasons since first five selection Tyson Chandler (2000-2001). For the season, he averaged 27 ppg on 66 percent shooting, 11.0 r.pg, 4.0 apg, 4.3 bpg and 1.3 spg, including marks of 30 ppg and 5.5 bpg in 10 post-season games. The USC recruit recorded a 31-3 post-season mark in addition to helping his Compton Magic travel club (along with fourth teamer Evan Mobley) capture a mythical grassroots national title.

Fourth Five

G — Jahmius Ramsey, Duncanville (Texas) 6-4 Sr.
Transfer from IMG Academy made most of his return to the Lone Star State, leading the Panthers to the UIL Class 6A state crown, their first since 2007. Duncanville began the season 7-7, but when the players realized it needed to re-group from the coaches’ preseason voices and to focus on getting the ball to Ramsey, it turned around their season. Duncanville finished the season with 25 consecutive wins, as Ramsey scored 26 points in a big regional final win over Denton Guyer and 22 points in the state title game win over Houston Klein Forest in the title game. For the season, the athletic and muscular power guard averaged 18.9 ppg, 5.2 rpg, and 2.9 apg and was chosen TABC All-State in addition to being named Dallas Morning News Player of the Year over last year’s choice, second teamer Darius Garland. The Texas Tech recruit was team MVP at the Ballislife All-American Game and also played at the Jordan Brand Classic, where he had 15 points, six rebounds and two steals.

G — Cassius Stanley, Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth, Calif.) 6-5 Sr.
The unofficial runner-up to third teamer Onyeka Okongwu for Cal-Hi Sports Mr. Basketball honors, perhaps no player on the elite team used his senior year performance more to gain post-season national acclaim. After sitting out part of his junior season because of transfer, Stanley stepped up as a senior to lead Sierra Canyon to its second consecutive CIF Open state title and a 32-3 record. An improved jump shot and offensive decision-making helped Stanley average 19 ppg, 6 rpg, and 3 apg for a talented team featuring three all-state players that finished No. 9 in the FAB 50. The Duke-bound shooting guard earned a slew of local honors and was selected for the Ballislife All-American Game and Jordan Brand Classic, the latter in which he scored 16 points. One of the best leapers ever in California history, this three-time CIF state champion was player of the year on the all-CIFSS Open Division team, on the L.A. Dailey News all-region team and from SoCal Varsity, which covers a vast portion of Southern California.

F — Jalen Johnson, Nicolet (Glendale, Wis.) 6-7 Jr.
The last few spots on the elite team were tough choices, but we decided to honor a couple of juniors whose talent is too great to ignore. In the case of Johnson, team success makes him a slam dunk pick, after he led the Knights to a 27-1 mark and No. 24 FAB 50 ranking. There is a plethora of underclass talent in Wisconsin, including second team All-American Patrick Baldwin and six of the top 10 players of the Associated Press all-state team, but Johnson is already considered the state’s most prodigious talent. The A.P. State Player of the Year averaged 19.7 ppg, 11.7 rpg and 5.9 apg for the WIAA D2 state champs and also led the team in steals while recording seven triple doubles. The versatile forward was at his best in the big games, as he went for 20 points, 20 rebounds and four assists in the 67-52 state title game over Milwaukee Washington and averaged 15.5 rpg in two state tournament games.

F — Matt Hurt, John Marshall (Rochester, Minn.) 6-9 Sr.
It was an honored-filled season for a player who will join third five member Vernon Carey and fellow fourth five selection Cassius Stanley at Duke in the fall. He rates with Carey and first team choices Isaiah Stewart and James Wiseman as the nations’ top-rated interior prospects and he was as productive as any big man in the country, averaging 36.8 ppg, 12.5 rpg, and 4.8 apg for a 22-7 club. For his efforts, Hurt was named both the Associated Press and Gatorade State Player of the Year. The McDonald’s All-American finished his season with 1,072 points and his decorated high school career with a Minnesota Large Schools record 3,812 points.

C — Evan Mobley, Rancho Christian (Temecula, Calif.) 7-0 Jr.
For a portion of the season, this talented seven-footer was in the thick of the Mr. Basketball USA race along with Isaiah Stewart and Cole Anthony, but his candidacy suffered when the Eagles underachieved in sectional and regional play. Still, it’s impossible to ignore his vast potential, production and slew of local honors. After some injuries and growing pains slowed him down during his first two seasons, he had a breakout season for a club that played a terrific national schedule and finished No. 39 in the FAB 50 at 25-6. The agile center with great patience and a high skill level averaged 19.2 ppg, 10.4 rpg, 4.7 bpg, and 3.3 apg and bolstered his All-American candidacy with a 13-point, 3-block performance in a win over Memphis East and first five choice James Wiseman. The younger brother of USC-bound and McDonald’s All-American Isaiah Mobley, Evan beat out his older brother for player of the year honors by the Riverside Press Enterprise and was named state junior player of the year over second teamer Jalen Green.

2018-19 All-American Second Team

F — Armando Bacot, IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.) 6-10 Sr.
F — Patrick Baldwin Jr., Hamilton (Sussex, Wis.) 6-8 Soph.
F — Emoni Bates, Lincoln (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 6-8 Fr.
G — Christian Braun, Blue Valley Northwest (Overland Park, Kan.) 6-5 Sr.
G — Cade Cunningham, Montverde Academy (Montverde, Fla.) 6-5 Jr.
F — Eric Dixon, Abington (Pa.) 6-8 Sr.
G — Jalen Green, San Joaquin Memorial (Fresno, Calif.) 6-5 Jr.
G — R.J. Hampton, Little Elm (Texas) 6-5 Jr.
G — Jaelen House, Shadow Mountain (Phoenix, Ariz.) 6-1 Sr.
G — Josiah James, Porter-Gaud (Charleston, S.C.) 6-7 Sr.
F — D.J. Jeffries, Olive Branch (Miss.) 6-7 Sr.
G — Rylon Jones, Olympus (Salt Lake City, Utah) 6-0 Sr.
G — Keyshaun Langley, Southwest Guilford (High Point, N.C.) 6-1 Sr.
F — Chris Ledlum, Northfield Mt. Hermon (Gill, Mass.) 6-7 Sr.
G — Tyrese Maxey, South Garland (South Garland, Texas) 6-3 Sr.
F — Jaden McDaniels, Federal Way (Federal Way, Wash.) 6-10 Sr.
G — Justin Moore, DeMatha Catholic (Hyattsville, Md.) 6-4 Sr.
F — Wendell Moore Jr., Cox Mill (Concord, N.C.) 6-6 Sr.
G — Casey Morsell, St. John’s College (Washington, D.C.) 6-5 Sr.
G — Paul Mulcahy, Gill St. Bernard’s (Gladstone, N.J.) 6-5 Sr.
C — Zeke Nnaji, Hopkins (Minnetonka, Minn.) 6-11 Sr.
G — Isaac Okoro, McEachern (Powder Springs, Ga.) 6-5 Sr.
F — Donta Scott, Imhotep Charter (Philadelphia, Pa.) 6-7 Sr.
G — Jalen Suggs, Minnehaha Academy (Minneapolis, Minn.) 6-3 Jr.
C — Oscar Tshiebwe, Kennedy Catholic (Hermitage, Pa.) 6-8 Sr.
F — C.J. Walker, Oak Ridge (Orlando, Fla.) 6-8 Sr.
F — Anton Watson, Gonzaga Prep (Spokane, Wash.) 6-7 Sr.
F — Romeo Weems, New Haven (Mich.) 6-7 Sr.
F — Kahlil Whitney, Roselle Catholic (Roselle, N.J.) 6-7 Sr.
F — Samuell Williamson, Rockwall (Texas) 6-6 Sr.

National Coach of the Year: Carl Kremer, Moeller (Cincinnati, Ohio)

Related: 2018-19 Underclass All-American Team | 2018-19 Mr. Basketball USA: Isaiah Stewart

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

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

The post 2018-19 Elite All-American Team Announced! appeared first on www.ebooksnet.com.

Seven juniors named to the 25th Annual All-American Elite Team headline a group of 67 elite players selected to the 2018-19 Underclass All-American team powered by www.ebooksnet.com.

Point guard Sharife Cooper of FAB 50 No. 2 McEachern (Power Springs, Ga.), this year’s National Junior of the Year, was named to the overall All-American first team. Cooper was a first five selection and last year the top junior was also a first five choice off the nation’s No. 2 ranked team. That player is Vernon Carey Jr. of University School (Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.), who made third five on our performance-based club this season. Prior to Cooper and Carey, DeAndre Ayton of Hillcrest Academy (Phoenix, Ariz.) in 2015-16 was the last junior to be considered among the nation’s five best players.

Two juniors were honored as fourth five selections: Forward Jalen Johnson of FAB 50 No. 24 Nicolet (Glendale, Wis.) and big man Evan Mobley of FAB 50 No. 39 Rancho Christian (Temecula, Calif.). Johnson was the Wisconsin A.P. State Player of the Year for the WIAA D2 state champs. Mobley had a breakout junior season and was a finalist for Cal-Hi Sports Mr. Basketball along with second team All-American choice Jalen Green of San Joaquin Memorial (Fresno, Calif.), fellow fourth teamer Cassius Stanley of FAB 50 No. 9 Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth, Calif.) and eventual honoree and third five choice Onyeka Okongwu of Chino Hills (Calif.), a two-time Elite All-American choice.

No sophomore or freshman was named to the overall first team. The only sophomore to earn first five honors in the last 25 years under the current selection format is NBA superstar LeBron James while at St. Vincent-St. Mary (Akron, Ohio) in 2000-01.

Patrick Baldwin Jr., this year’s National Sophomore of the Year, was the only tenth-grader on the Elite All-American second team. The unofficial runner-up for National Freshman of the Year in 2017-18 to fellow Wisconsin player and Underclass All-American Michael Foster Jr. of Washington (Milwaukee), this year Baldwin earned the nod after improving his production and game to the point where some feel he’s the best prospect in the national 2021 class. Baldwin joined Foster and Johnson (his travel team running mate on Phenom University) on the A.P. all-state first team and Baldwin is the first ever Wisconsin tenth-grader to earn top billing dating back to the 1974-75 season.

In 25 years of publishing our annual All-American teams and including our retroactive teams dating back to the 1954-55 season, no freshman has ever been a first team Al-American selection. Emoni Bates, a prodigal 6-foot-8 forward with incredible offensive skill from Lincoln (Ypsilanti, Mich.) is this year’s National Freshman of the Year. Bates, who is quickly turning into the poser child as leading the next prep-to-pro generation of talent once the NBA rids of its one-and-done rule, is the third freshman ever to earn All-American acclaim and was given consideration for first team. Marvin Bagley of the NBA’s Sacramento Kings made the second team as a freshman in 2014-15 while at Corona Del Sol (Tempe, Ariz.). The first ninth-grader to receive All-American acclaim was 6-foot-8, 215-pound man child Wayne McKoy of Long Island Lutheran (Brookville, N.Y.) back in 1973-74. McKoy remains high school basketball’s only four-time All-American, as Bagley left for college early after his junior season at Sierra Canyon (Calif.) and played one season at Duke before joining the NBA.

The nine All-Americans and 58 other underclass honorees all had standout campaigns for their respective high school teams, while others are sure to emerge this summer as bona fide 2019-20 All-America candidates. Nearly every summer on the grassroots circuit, lesser-known commodities eclipse well-known players.

It’s a yearly ritual for some underclass All-Americans to change programs and each year, more players are classifying up in order to speed up the recruiting process or join a class that will be more advantageous to their development.

Green will spend his senior season at Prolific Prep (Napa, Calif.) after three seasons at San Joaquin Memorial. Expect more player movement and some more reclassification as the summer rolls on.

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

Our national coach of the year is Carl Kremer of Moeller (Cincinnati, Ohio).

Juniors to Watch (2020)

G — Adrian “Ace” Baldwin, St. Frances (Baltimore, Md.) 5-11
F — Scottie Barnes, University (Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.) 6-7
G — Reece Beekman, Scotlandville (Baton, Rouge, La.) 6-2
F — Brandon Boston, Norcross (Ga.) 6-6
F — Greg Brown III, Vandegrift (Austin, Texas) 6-7
F — Jaemyn Brakefield, Huntington Prep (Huntington, W.V.) 6-8
G — Josh Christopher, Mayfair (Lakewood, Calif.) 6-4
G — Jalen Cook, Landry Walker (New Orleans, La.) 6-0
G — Sharife Cooper, McEachern (Powder Springs, Ga.) 5-10
G — Cade Cunningham, Montverde Academy (Montverde, Fla.) 6-5
G — Andre Curbelo, Long Island Lutheran (Glen Head N. Y.) 6-0
C — N’Faly Dante, Sunrise Christian Academy (Bel Air, Kan.) 6-11
G — Jyare Davis, Sanford School (Hockessin, Del.) 6-7
G — Jalen Green, San Joaquin Memorial (Fresno, Calif.) 6-4
G — R.J. Hampton, Little Elm (Texas) 6-5
F — Jalen Johnson, Nicolet (Glendale, Wis.) 6-7
F — Keon Johnson, The Webb School (Bell Buckle, Tenn.) 6-5
F — Adam Miller, Morgan Park (Chicago, Ill.) 6-4
C — Evan Mobley, Rancho Christian (Temecula, Calif.) 7-0
G — Ethan Morton, Butler Area (Butler, Pa.) 6-5
C — Day’Ron Sharpe, South Central (Winterville, N.C.) 6-9
G — Jaden Springer, IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.) 6-3
G — D.J. Steward, Whitney Young (Chicago, Ill.) 6-4
F — Julian Strawther, Liberty (Henderson, Nev.) 6-7
G — Jalen Suggs, Minnehaha Academy (Minneapolis, Minn.) 6-3
G — Cam Thomas, Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.) 6-3
G — Bryce Thompson, Booker T. Washington (Tulsa, Okla.) 6-5
F — Earl Timberlake, DeMatha Catholic (Hyattsville, Md.) 6-5
F — Kyree Walker, Hillcrest Prep (Phoenix, Ariz.) 6-5
F — Terrence Williams, Gonzaga (Washington, D. C.) 6-6

2019 National Junior of the Year: Sharife Cooper
Wasn’t a difficult choice as this dynamic point guard was the only junior named to the first five on the overall Elite All-American team and was one of four All-Americans to appear on nine of the 10 ballots in the final Mr. Basketball USA Tracker. It’s quite remarkable that Cooper was seriously considered for national player of the year as only three of the game’s all-time greats (LeBron James, Lew Alcindor, Jerry Lucas) have been selected the nation’s best as eleventh-graders. McEachern was simply on a mission this season after coming up short in the playoffs the previous two seasons and Cooper was the catalyst, averaging 28.1 ppg, 6.0 rpg, 8.2 apg and 4.spg and scoring over 40 points four times for a team that won its first ever GHSA Class 7A crown. He put up those numbers against one of the best schedules in the country while leading McEachern to a 32-0 record and nine wins over FAB 50 ranked clubs and three more against teams that were ranked at the time of the contest. Cooper is the third junior honoree from Georgia dating back to the 1969-70 season, joining Lithonia Miller Grove’s Tony Parker (2011) and Snellville South Gwinnett’s Lou Williams (2004).

Sophomores to Watch (2021)

F — Trey Alexander, Heritage Hall (Oklahoma City, Okla.) 6-4
G — Devin Askew, Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.) 6-4
F — Patrick Baldwin Jr., Hamilton (Sussex, Wis.) 6-8
C — Nate Bittle, Crater (Central Point, Ore.) 6-11
G — Kennedy Chandler, Briarcrest Christian (Eads, Tenn.) 6-1
F — Paolo Banchero, O’Dea (Seattle, Wash.) 6-9
F — Max Christie, Rolling Meadows (Rolling Meadows, Ill.) 6-6
F — Terrence Clarke, Brewster Academy (Wolfeboro, N. H.) 6-6
G — Zaon Collins, Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas, Nev.) 6-1
G — Rashool Diggins, Archbishop Wood (Warminster, Pa.) 6-1
C — Michael Foster Jr., Washington (Milwaukee, Wis.) 6-9
G — Adrian Griffin Jr., Archbishop Stepinac (White Plains, N.Y.) 6-4
G — Jaden Hardy, Coronado (Henderson, Nev.) 6-4
G — Chucky Hepburn, Bellevue West (Bellevue, Neb.) 6-1
F — Daron Holmes, Millennium (Goodyear, Ariz.) 6-9
F — Will Jeffress, McDowell (Erie, Pa.) 6-6
G — Jackie Johnson, Wichita Southeast (Wichita, Kan.) 5-10
G — Trevor Keels, Paul VI (Fairfax, Va.) 6-5
F — Harrison Ingram, St. Mark’s (Dallas, Texas) 6-6
G — Langston Love, Steele (Cibolo, Texas) 6-4
G — Carson McCorkle, Greensboro Day (Greensboro, N. C.) 6-4
F — Aminu Mohammed, Greenwood Laboratory (Springfield, Mo.) 6-5
F — Jonathan Kuminga, Our Savior New American (Centereach, N.Y.) 6-8
F — Trey Patterson, Rutgers Prep (Somerset, N.J.) 6-7
G — Daeshon Ruffin, Callaway (Jackson, Miss.) 5-9

2019 National Sophomore of the Year: Patrick Baldwin Jr.
Last season Michael Foster Jr. edged Baldwin as the honoree among freshmen, but this time around the skilled wing forward gets the nod. Both are considered among the top prospects nationally in the 2021 class and are part of a terrific group of talented underclassmen in Wisconsin. In fact, some recruiting experts consider Baldwin the nation’s No. 1 recruit in the class. He followed up a terrific freshman campaign where he averaged 16 ppg and 5.4 rpg with averages of 18.4 ppg, 7.7 rpg and 3.1 apg for a 24-5 club that advanced to the WIAA D1 quarterfinals. Along the way, Foster was named a first team A.P. all-state selection, which only had one senior chosen among the first five. In 2017-18, Foster was the first freshman ever from Wisconsin to earn top billing among first-year players and this season the son of UW-Milwaukee coach Patrick Baldwin is the first ever among tenth-graders dating back to the 1974-1975 season.

Freshmen to Watch (2022)

F — Emoni Bates, Lincoln (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 6-8
G — Jameel “Milzy” Brown, Haverford School (Haverford, Pa.) 6-1
G — Zion Cruz, Hudson Catholic (Hudson, N.J.) 6-3
C — Jalen Duren, Roman Catholic (Philadelphia, Pa.) 6-9
G — Bryce Griggs, Fort Bend Hightower (Missouri City, Texas) 6-1
G — Ricky “Pop Pop” Isaacs Jr., Coronado (Henderson, Nev.) 6-1
G — Chris Livingston, Buchtel (Akron, Ohio) 6-5
G — Knasir “Dug” McDaniel, Paul VI (Fairfax, Va.) 5-9
F — Tai Manning, Grandview (Mo.) 6-6
F — Mark Mitchell, Bishop Miege (Shawnee Mission, Kan.) 6-6
G — M.J. Rice, Durham Academy (Durham, N.C.) 6-5
F — Jarace Walker, IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.) 6-6

2019 National Freshman of the Year: Emoni Bates
This year produced another bumper crop of first-year players, but it didn’t take long to peg the 6-foot-8 forward with a sweet shooting touch as the best of the lot. In fact, Bates was so impressive in leading Lincoln to the MHSAA D1 state title he was named D1 state player of the year by the Associated Press and Gatorade State Player of the Year. Bates led Lincoln to the D1 state crown by scoring 23 points in a 64-62 victory over University of Detroit Jesuit, but it was senior Jalen Fisher that hit the game-winning jumper at the buzzer. It’s pretty safe to say Lincoln wouldn’t have been in position to win a state crown without its top shelf first-year player, as Bates had 31 points and 14 rebounds in a 72-56 state semifinal win over Howell and hit two game-winning post-season shots. For the season, Bates averaged 28.7 points and 10.2 rebounds. He’s not only considered the best player in the class of 2022 at this stage, he’s already considered one of the best long-term prospects in all of high school basketball and a candidate to turn pro out of high school should the NBA end the one-and-done era that has been in place since 2006. Bates is Michigan’s first freshman honoree since Marcus Taylor of Waverly (Lansing, Mich.) for the 1996-97 season and rivals 1988 honoree Chris Webber (Detroit Country Day) as the best freshman the state of Michigan has ever produced.

National Coach of the Year: Carl Kremer, Moeller (Cincinnati, Ohio)

Related: 2018-19 All-American Elite Team | 2018-19 Mr. Basketball USA: Isaiah Stewart

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

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

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RELATED: All-Time Mr. Basketball USA Winners | GEICO Nationals Breakdown | Latest FAB 50 National Rankings | GEICO Nationals All-Time Records  | GEICO Nationals Bracket/TV Listings

As the season winds down, the elite performers have separated themselves from the pack in the latest 2018-19 Mr. Basketball USA Tracker powered by www.ebooksnet.com. The race for the prestigious national honor was wide open in the preseason and during the regular season, but with only GEICO Nationals and the national all-star game circuit to complete, the list of legitimate national player of the year candidates has trimmed down and the top candidates are now in focus.

In the last go-around, 22 candidates received recognition from the 10-man Mr. Basketball USA Tracker panel, but in the latest voting results, 17 players made the cut as legitimate candidates. While no candidate appeared on all 10 ballots in the previous tracker, the top two candidates heading down the stretch are on the radar of the entire panel. Fittingly, their seasons are not complete yet and what transpires in the next few weeks could swing the votes in favor of the eventual winner.

Those two players are point guard, Cole Anthony of FAB 50 No. 17 Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.) and power forward Isaiah Stewart of No. 1 La Lumiere (La Porte, Ind.). Both Anthony and Stewart appeared on 10 ballots (no other player appeared on more than eight) with Anthony leading the way with 84 total points, four points more than the Washington-bound Stewart. Anthony, still undecided for college, garnered four of the 10 first-place votes and two other second-place votes, while Stewart had two first-place and two second place votes among his 80 total points.

Cole Anthony is averaging a triple double this season. 17.8 PPG, 10 RPG, 10 APG ?? Can he lead Oak Hill to #GEICONationals championship next week? @The_ColeAnthony pic.twitter.com/5ARB4Y3e6H

— www.ebooksnet.com (@Ballislife) March 29, 2019

In the previous tracker, Anthony tied with junior center Evan Mobley of FAB 50 No. 39 Rancho Christian (Temecula, Calif.) for first place, but Anthony's performance at the 42nd annual McDonald's All-American Game and the early exit for Mobley's team in the post-season caused changed at the top of the voting results. Mobley appeared on eight ballots and only dropped a single option overall (from 64 to 63), but Anthony and Stewart gained traction and gobbled up many of the points that previously went to fringe candidates to take control of the race.

Mobley might be the top long-term prospect of the entire group, but he's done for the season, while Anthony and Stewart used McDonald's to propel their candidacy. The point guard matchup between the East's Anthony and the West's Nico Mannion of FAB 50 No. 47 Pinnacle (Phoenix, Ariz.) was one of the most highly-anticipated matchups of the prestigious all-star game. Mannion (who was one of five candidates to receive a first-place vote) played well during McDonald's practices, but the East club dominated the scrimmage and when the bright lights came on in the nationally-televised game, Anthony put his stamp on the game from the onset with his explosiveness and pin-point passing and took home the McDonald's Most Valuable Player award. The son of former NBA point guard Greg Anthony finished with 14 points on 7-of-11 shooting, five rebounds, seven assists, two blocks and zero assists.

Stewart, a recruiting gem for Mike Hopkins at Washington, was arguably the most productive and competitive player from start to finish at McDonald's. He had a competitive battle with seven-foot James Wiseman of Memphis East (Memphis, Tenn.), who had one first-place vote and 47 points overall, and was one of the most impressive performers in the game, finishing with 16 points on 8-of-11 shooting and five rebounds in the East's 115-110 victory. Stewart is the ringleader for the nation's No. 1 ranked team, averaging 18.1 ppg, 11.3 rpg and 2.9 bpg and looking to lead the Lakers to a GEICO Nationals championship this week in New York City.

"He's the best low-post player in the country and out played Wiseman at McDonald's," said tracker panelist and McDonald's All-American committee member Frank Burlison of BurlisonOnBasketball.com. "He's certainly a worthy national player of the year candidate and should be an instant 17 ppg guy at Washington. If La Lumiere wins GEICO Nationals and is dominant, it will be hard to pick against him."

The top-seeded Lakers open with FAB 50 No. 25 Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas, Nev.) on April 4 (2 pm ET, ESPNU) while fourth seeded Oak Hill Academy takes on No. 5 seed Wasatch Academy (Mt. Pleasant, Utah) at 6 pm ET (ESPNU). If Stewart leads La Lumiere to the GEICO Nationals title, will that propel him in front of Anthony in the Mr. Basketball USA race? Or if Anthony has a big opening game and leads Oak Hill to the semifinals or title game, will his performances be enough to hold off Stewart and the other top candidates?

"We have only lost one game when our team was at full strength," Oak Hill Academy coach Steve Smith said. "Cole didn't play in two of our four losses. He's healthy now, and I like our chances in the GEICO Nationals. It's obviously, one game at a time, but he's the best player in the tournament. He facilitates for our team, and when he's on his game, we will be an extremely tough out."

Similar to the race for the No. 1 spot in the FAB 50, it looks like the most prestigious individual honor in the country will be decided by what happens on the court all the way until the very end and that's an exciting development because often times the honoree is quite obvious by this time in the season.

Make sure to tune into the ESPN family of networks April 4-6 to catch GEICO Nationals and stay logged in to www.ebooksnet.com to track the progress of the nation's top individual players and the nation’s Top teams.

Editor's Note: Click on the "+" sign next to each player's number to view how many first, second, third or fourth place votes he got and his overall point total.

Rank	Prev.	Name	High School	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	Total
1	1T	Cole Anthony (10)	Oak Hill (VA)	4	2	2	0	84
2	3	Isaiah Stewart (10)	La Lumiere (IN)	2	2	3	2	80
3	1T	Evan Mobley (8)	Rancho Christian (CA)	2	2	1	0	63
4	7	James Wiseman (7)	Memphis East (TN)	1	0	1	2	47
5	4	Anthony Edwards (6)	Holy Spirit (GA)	0	1	0	3	38
6	5	Vernon Carey (5)	University School (FL)	0	1	0	1	31
7	8	Scottie Lewis (3)	Ranney School (NJ)	0	1	0	1	26
8	6	Sharife Cooper (3)	McEachern (GA)	0	1	1	0	23
9	9T	Precious Achiuwa (4)	Montverde Academy (FL)	0	0	1	0	22
10T	12T	Onyeka Okongwu (3)	Chino Hills (CA)	0	0	0	1	16
10T	16	Nico Mannion (2)	Pinnacle (AZ)	1	0	0	0	16
12	9T	Cade Cunningham (2)	Montverde Academy (FL)	0	0	0	0	12
13	11	Jaden McDaniels (2)	Federal Way (WA)	0	0	0	0	11
14	12T	Trendon Watford (1)	Mountain Brook (AL)	0	0	1	0	8
15	14T	Jalen Green (1)	San Joaquin Memorial (CA)	0	0	0	0	5
16T	NR	Dashien Nix (1)	Simply Fundamental (NV)	0	0	0	0	4
16T	18T	Khalil Whitney (1)	Roselle Catholic (NJ)	0	0	0	0	4

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

The post Cole Anthony, Isaiah Stewart 1-2 In POY Race! appeared first on www.ebooksnet.com.

RELATED: Latest FAB 50 Rankings | GEICO Nationals Field

All season long the mantra for the team at McEachern (Powder Springs, Ga.) was "We > Me". In fact, the Indians wore that moniker on the back of their jerseys in their quest to capture a GHSA Class AAAAAAA state title. McEachern had plenty of talent and even more incentive. Event operators of GEICO Nationals, the end-of-the-season tournament scheduled for April 4-6 in New York City which has invited top independent programs and eligible state association champions to compete since 2009, we're eying McEachern for bid in the 2018 tournament.

With an underclass-dominated club, McEachern was riding along at No. 4 in the FAB 50 until it came crashing down in a crushing 75-55 loss in the GSHA Class AAAAAAA quarterfinals to Norcross (Norcross, Ga.). There was to be no state championship and definitely no GEICO National berth, especially after Norcross lost in the state final and considering the fact the event has never invited a state association member program that didn't win a state crown first. No. 4 was also McEachern's preseason ranking in 2017-18.

In 2018-19, there was something different about this McEachern team, even though it lost some key personnel in the off-season. It was definitely focused and missing out on a state crown and a potential GIECO Nationals berth in 2018 played a major role in the team's approach to the season. Putting mundane and individual priorities aside propelled this team to a season for the ages among Georgia teams. Prior to the first game, Omar Cooper, the father of star junior guard Sharife Cooper who coached at least six of the players on McEachern's current roster since third grade at a local recreation league in Powder Springs, told Ballislife things "would be different this season" after the disappointment of last season.

Omar Cooper was spot on in his prediction, as McEachern won nine games versus current FAB 50 ranked clubs (and another three against previously ranked clubs) during the course of the season en route to the state title. McEachern didn't lose and even if it did drop a regular season game playing that level of competition, a GEICO Nationals berth was on the radar because of its success against such a daunting national schedule.

"I think it's always on your radar if your team puts itself in a position to be there," McEachern coach Mike Thompson said of GEICO and it being part of his team's goals this season.

The Indians rose from No. 16 in the preseason FAB 50 to its current No. 2 spot. As we stated in the preseason, had McEachern won the state title last year and/or in 2016-17 (the Indians lost in the state semifinals when they were ranked No. 9), it would have started in the top five this season and with its 32-0 record would in all likelihood be the No. 1 ranked team right now in from of La Lumiere (La Porte, Ind.), which began the season at No. 6. La Lumiere is currently 28-0 as it enters GIECO Nationals along with seven other FAB 50 ranked teams.

McEachern will not be one of those teams.

The 32-0 Indians were invited, but some of the team's starters told USA Today's Jason Jordan they would not be participating in the event. After giving so much focus to the team, some members were going to shift focus to individual goals, including Cooper participating and making a good impression at USA Basketball's Next Generation Sunday as part of NCAA Final Four weekend in Minneapolis, which falls the same weekend at GEICO Nationals. After coach Thompson publicly said his team accepted the invitation following the state title win on March 9, McEachern (not the event operators) withdrew its invitation last Friday.

So what does McEachern's absence mean for GIECO Nationals? For starters, it takes away what would have been without question the strongest field in the event's history. It still arguably could be, as the team replacing McEachern is eight-time defending NIAA champ and FAB 50 No. 25 Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas, Nev.). The eighth-seeded Gaels open with top seed and FAB 50 No. 1 La Lumiere and are confident it can play with the Lakers, which beat them 67-54 during the regular season in a game Gorman coach Grant Rice feels is closer than the final margin indicates.

The event will continue to attract a strong field of independent programs and state champions, and there is a good possibility the 2018-19 mythical FAB 50 national champion will emerge from the event. McEachern has already defeated one team in the current GEICO field, No. 9 Sunrise Christian Academy (Bel Aire, Kan.) in overtime. McEachern will have a strong case to finish No. 1 should Sunrise Christian Academy win three games in New York. Ironically, McEachern was scheduled to face the Buffaloes before deciding to decline its invitation.

If top seed La Lumiere wins the tournament, it will naturally stay No. 1. It's one of our main rankings criteria to not drop a No. 1 that hasn't lost on the court, barring any unusual or unforeseen circumstance. Even in that case, it's not likely to happen. Should No. 3 Montverde Academy win the tournament for the fifth time in seven seasons, it will have avenged its only two losses to La Lumiere or have won a tournament in which La Lumiere participated in. That's a strong resume. As for No. 4 IMG Academy, to defeat three FAB 50 ranked opponents (none of which is likely to be ranked lower than No. 10), in addition to the six it defeated during the regular season, will have to be weighed against its sole loss to No. 6 Mountain Brook (Mountain Brook, Ala.). That's a team McEachern defeated, 50-29, en route to the City of Palms Classic championship, a tournament the Ascenders participated in.

Should any of the bottom five seeds, sans Sunrise Christian Academy, win GEICO Nationals -- Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.), Wasatch Academy (Mt. Pleasant, Utah), University School (Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.) or Bishop Gorman -- the results and the resumes of each team will have to be closely examined before determining which team finishes No. 1 in the FAB 50.

Coach Thompson had an interesting take regarding his team's situation as it relates to the final No. 1 ranking. "I really wouldn’t want that," Thompson told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution in regards to finishing No. 1. "We earned what we did [the current No. 1 rankings] with our production during the year, but if you’re going to be a national champion, you need to go win that tournament."

Two years ago, Nathan Hale (Seattle, Wash.) had an invite to the event after winning a state title and declined to participate. There was a few notable differences between Hale's situation and the current McEachern situation. Nathan Hale never publicly accepted the invitation to participate. Obviously, the event's operators and fans would have loved to see Michael Porter Jr. and company compete in the event that was eventually won by La Lumiere. The other main difference was Hale was No. 1 in the FAB 50 at the time, while La Lumiere was No. 2 entering the tournament with a 25-1 record. The team La Lumiere lost to 76-74 during the regular season, No. 21 Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth, Calif.), was a team Hale defeated, 67-65.

The decision was made not to hop La Lumiere over Hale in the final FAB 50 of the 2016-17 season. The main reason being the common opponent factor was so significant in that case because it involved an opponent in the No. 1 conversation itself for a portion of the season and was ultimately the two results that led to Hale’s ascension to No. 1 in front of La Lumiere’s preseason positioning of No. 2.

This season's ranking scenario is a bit different, as McEachern stated its intentions, then reversed direction, while neither the Indians nor La Lumiere has suffered an on-court loss. Whatever the outcome is at GIECO Nationals, the FAN 50 national champion and the final FAB 50 order will be dictated by first and foremost the factor that matters the most, on-court results. The emotion of off-court moves and scenarios will be removed from the equation once the tournament begins.

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 GEICO Nationals BREAKDOWN: What Happens Now? appeared first on www.ebooksnet.com.

By Ronnie Flores

RELATED:  Subscribe on iTunes to new "In the Paint Show” podcast  | Updated Mr. Basketball USA Tracker 

As the season begins to wind down, more state champions have been crowned across the country and two that won championships last week are not yet done with their season. That's because both teams have been invited to GIECO High School Nationals, set for April 4-6 at Christ the King (Middle Village, N.Y.) with all seven games nationally televised by ESPN.

FAB 50 No. 2 McEachern (Powder Springs, Ga.) won the GHSA Class AAAAAAA state crown with a 62-54 victory over No. 45 Meadowcreek (Norcross, Ga.) to keep its unbeaten season alive. Mr. Basketball USA candidate Sharife Cooper once again led the way for the Indians, scoring 20 points and dishing out four assists. Also having a big game was Auburn-bound Isaac Okoro, who helped the Indians win their first ever state crown with 16 points, four rebounds and four assists.

McEachern played a murderous schedule, went through unscathed and will go down as one of the best teams in GHSA history. Should it win GEICO Nationals, the Indians will likely rival 1979 Southwest (Macon, Ga.) as the GHSA's best team ever. Southwest was crowned national champions by Basketball Weekly and the National Sports News Service, which was morphed into the FAB 50 19 years ago.

The other team securing a berth to the end-of-season event was No. 10 University School (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.), which clinched a second consecutive Class 5A state crown on Thursday with a 72-46 victory over Andrew Jackson (Jacksonville, Fla.). The Sharks, which lost to eventual FAB 50 champ Montverde Academy (Montverde, Fla.) in last year's GIECO final, were led by Jace Howard with 17 points, while standout junior Scottie Barnes and Roger McFarlane had 13 points each. Coach Jimmy Carr's team was able to easily roll to another title despite Duke-bound Vernon Carey Jr. missing the game because of an ankle injury. He expects to play at GEICO Nationals.

Four teams that wrapped up state titles last week move into this week's FAB 50, including No. 46 Booker T. Washington (Tulsa, Okla.) which captured the OSSAA Class 6A state crown with a 82-70 win over Putnam City North (Oklahoma City, Okla.). Washington captured its first state crown since 2011 and its state-record 16th overall behind a terrific 42-point performance from junior guard and Tulsa commit Trey Phipps.

GEICO NATIONALS FIELD ANNOUNCED

With McEachern and University School wrapping up their state championships, state champion and No. 11 Shadow Mountain (Phoenix, Ariz.) and state champion and No. 27 Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas, Nev.) were the bubble teams not selected. The field is completed by six independent programs. The top four seeds in the tournament are also the teams that have been the top four in our rankings for the past month: No. 1 La Lumiere (La Porte, Ind.), No. 2 McEachern, No. 3 Montverde Academy, and No. 4 IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.). The No. 5 seed is Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.), which checks in at No. 18 in the FAB 50. The No. 6 seed is Wasatch Academy (Mt. Pleasant, Utah), which is No. 13 in the FAB 50 and owns a win over No. 7 seed Sunrise Christian Academy (Bel Aire, Kan.), which is No. 9 in the FAB 50. The field is rounded out by No. 8 seed University School, which is No. 10 in the FAB 50.

Below is the television schedule for the first round (April 4th, ESPNU):

No. 9 Sunrise Christian Academy (7) vs. No. 2 McEachern (2), 12 pm ET

No. 13 Wasatch Academy (6) vs. No. 3 Montverde Academy (3), 2 pm ET

No. 10 University School (8) vs. No. 1 La Lumiere (1), 4 pm ET

No. 18 Oak Hill Academy (5) vs. No. 4 IMG Academy (4), 6 pm ET

Quick Analysis: This is the event's strongest field, and if it has its full lineup, McEachern has the best shot of any pubic school to capture the GEICO Nationals title in the event's history. Usually there is a team selected ranked quite low in the FAB 50 or even unranked, but with Oak Hill Academy coming in the lowest ranked at No. 18 after an up-and-down regular season, it has a chance to make a splash versus No. 4 IMG Academy. The two teams played during the regular season and Oak Hill Academy kept it close despite Mr. Basketball USA candidate Cole Anthony not suiting up. Should be be at 100 percent in New York, Oak Hill has got to like its chances to pull off an upset.

A matchup between Carey and Washington-bound Isaiah Stewart highlight the No. 1 vs No. 8 game. University, similar to Oak Hill Academy, has had an inconsistent regular season, but the Sharks have big game experience and could give the top-rated club all it could handle. Wasatch Academy will have to play a complete game versus Montverde Academy, which closed its season strong and will be confident coming in. A couple of shaky wins and a loss to No. 40 Vashon (St. Louis, Mo.) is the reason why Wasatch is currently ranked behind No. 7 seed Sunrise Christian Academy despite owning a regular season win over the Kansas independent school power. Sunrise Christian will attempt to utilize its size against McEachern, which it lost to in overtime during the regular season. Sunrise Christian lost to top-ranked La Lumiere, 65-53, while the Lakers beat Wasatch Academy by a single point. On the other hand, Wasatch Academy was completely blown out by No. 39 Rancho Christian (Temecula, Calif.).

According to a recent report by USA Today's Jason Jordan, some of McEachern's key performers, including Cooper and Okoro, are reportedly skipping the event. Should La Lumiere win three games in New York, it will almost certainly be crowned FAB 50 champions. Should La Lu lose and another team win the event (besides McEachern), its resume will have to be judged against a McEachern team with one loss or an unbeaten one that perhaps decides it will not participate in the event.

Will continue to break down this latest development and the on-court results leading up to the end-of-season event.

RELATED:  Subscribe on iTunes to new "In the Paint Show” podcast   | Updated Mr. Basketball USA Tracker 

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

(Fourteenth poll of 2018-19 regular season; Through games played on Sunday, March 10; *Indicates forfeit wins, forfeit losses not included; **Indicates forfeits and defaults not included; ***Indicates scrimmages and foundation games not included; ****Indicates season complete)

No.	Prev.	High School (City)	Record
1	1	La Lumiere (LaPorte, Ind.)	28-0
2	2	McEachern (Powder Springs, Ga.)	32-0
3	3	Montverde Academy (Montverde, Fla.)	21-2
4	4	IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.)	28-1
5	5	Ranney School (Tinton Falls, N.J.)	29-3
6	6	Mountain Brook (Mountain Brook, Ala.)	31-3****
7	7	Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth, Calif.)	32-3****
8	8	Moeller (Cincinnati, Ohio)	25-0
9	9	Sunrise Christian Academy (Bel Aire, Kan.)	23-5
10	10	University School (Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.)	27-4
11	11	Shadow Mountain (Phoenix, Ariz.)	26-3****
12	12	Curie (Chicago, Ill.)	33-1
13	13	Wasatch Academy (Mt. Pleasant, Utah)	26-3
14	15	DeMatha Catholic (Hyattsville, Md.)	33-5****
15	14	Roselle Catholic (Roselle, N.J.)	28-4****
16	16	South Central (Winterville, N.C.)	29-1
17	17	Abington (Abington, Pa.)	28-1
18	18	Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.)	32-4
19	19	Duncanville (Duncanville, Texas)	32-7****
20	27	Carmel (Carmel, Ind.)	24-1
21	21	Paul VI (Fairfax, Va.)	27-9****
22	22	Nicolet (Glendale, Wis.)	25-1
23	23	Guyer (Denton, Texas)	32-5****
24	36	Pickerington Central (Pickerington, Ohio)	25-1
25	43	St. Frances Academy (Baltimore, Md.)	37-7****
26	20	Gonzaga (Washington, D.C.)	28-9****
27	24	Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas, Nev.)	28-4****
28	25	Gonzaga Prep (Spokane, Wash.)	25-2****
29	26	Long Island Lutheran (Glen Head, N.Y.)	23-2
30	30	Federal Way (Federal Way, Wash.)	26-3***
31	33	Hamilton Heights Christian Academy (Chattanooga, Tenn.)	34-4****
32	34	Legacy Early College (Greenville, S.C.)	34-5****
33	38	Belleville West (Belleville, Ill.)	31-4
34	29	Gill St. Bernard's (Gladstone, N.J.)	26-5****
35	35	Roman Catholic (Philadelphia, Pa.)	25-4
36	28	Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.)	29-5****
37	37	Imhotep Charter (Philadelphia, Pa.)	23-6
38	31	Salesian (Richmond, Calif.)	31-1****
39	NR	Rancho Christian (Temecula, Calif.)	25-6****
40	39	Vashon (St. Louis, Mo.)	25-5****
41	NR	Southwest Guilford (High Point, N.C.)	31-0
42	40	Haverford School (Haverford, Pa.)	28-0****
43	NR	Mansfield Timberview (Arlington, Texas)	38-2****
44	NR	Starkville (Starkville, Miss.)	30-1****
45	45	Meadowcreek (Norcross, Ga.)	26-6****
46	NR	Booker T. Washington (Tulsa, Okla.)	26-2****
47	49	Dorman (Roebuck, S.C.)	28-3****
48	NR	Scotlandville (Baton Rouge, La.)	35-2****
49	32	Millbrook (Raleigh, N.C.)	27-2****
50	NR	South Shore (Brooklyn, N.Y.)	26-4

Dropped Out: Previous No. 41 John Hardin (Elizabethtown, Ky.), No. 42 Olive Branch (Olive Branch, Miss.), No. 44 Bartlett (Bartlett, Tenn.), No. 46 Benton Harbor (Benton Harbor, Mich.), No. 47 Cox Mill (Concord, N.C.), No. 48 Edmond Memorial (Edmond, Okla.), No. 50 Sheldon (Sacramento, Calif.).

Bubble Teams:  American Fork (American Fork, Utah) 24-3****; Beecher (Flint, Mich.) 23-2; Ben Davis (Indianapolis, Ind.) 19-7; Bergen Catholic (Oradell, N.J.) 26-3; Bishop Montgomery (Torrance, Calif.) 24-7****; Blue Valley Northwest (Overland Park, Kan.) 23-2****; Bogan (Chicago, Ill.) 28-3; Briarcrest Christian (Eads, Tenn.) 28-2****; Buford (Buford, Ga.) 29-2****; Carmel Christian (Matthews, N.C.) 31-3****; Cedar Falls (Cedar Falls, Iowa) 21-3****; Centennial (Corona, Calif.) 27-6****; Center Hill (Olive Branch, Miss.) 31-3****; Central Plains (Claflin, Kan.) 28-0****; Christ the King (Middle Village, N.Y.) 19-10; Clark (Las Vegas, Nev.) 25-6****; Cox Mill (Concord, N.C.) 28-3****; East St. Louis (East St. Louis, Ill.) 27-6; Evanston (Evanston, Ill.) 30-4; Fairfax (Los Angeles, Calif.) 27-2****; Gilbert (Gilbert, Ariz.) 29-1****; Grandview (Grandview, Mo.) 26-2; Greensboro Day (Greensboro, N.C.) 30-5****; Hopkins (Minnetonka, Minn.) 25-4; Jefferson (Brooklyn, N.Y.) 23-7; Keenan (Columbia, S.C.) 30-1****; Kennedy Catholic (Hermitage, Pa.) 22-3; Las Cruces (Las Cruces, N.M.) 28-1****; Lawrence Central (Indianapolis, Ind.) 22-4****; Lewis-Palmer (Monument, Col.) 28-0****; Memorial (Tulsa, Okla.) 25-3****; Memphis East (Memphis, Tenn.) 23-8; Minnehaha Academy (Minneapolis, Ky.) 23-2; Morgan Park (Chicago, Ill.) 29-5****; New Haven (New Haven, Mich.) 24-1; Norcross (Norcross, Ga.) 22-9****; North Scott (Eldridge, Iowa) 23-2****; Olive Branch (Olive Branch, Miss.) 26-8****; Omaha South (Omaha, Neb.) 21-6****; Park Center (Brooklyn Park, Minn.) 26-1; Patterson (Baltimore, Md.) 23-3; Pinnacle (Phoenix, Ariz.) 28-3****; Pleasant Grove (Pleasant Grove, Utah) 24-3****; Poly (Baltimore, Md.) 20-4; Rangeview (Aurora, Col.) 26-2****; River Rouge (River Rouge, Mich.) 21-2; Scott County (Georgetown, Ky.) 35-4****; Sheldon (Sacramento, Calif.) 28-7****; Springfield Southeast (Springfield, Ill.) 30-2; Teays Valley Christian Prep (Scott Depot, W. Va.) 24-5****; Trinity (Louisville, Ky.) 30-8****; Trinity Catholic (St. Louis, Mo.) 25-4****; Unity Christian (Hudsonville, Mich.) 23-2; University of Detroit Jesuit (Detroit, Mich.) 23-2; Volcano Vista (Albuquerque, N.M.) 22-4; Wagner (San Antonio, Texas) 33-6****; Warren Central (Indianapolis, Ind.) 23-3****; Westchester (Los Angeles, Calif.) 24-5****.

Note: The FAB 50 powered by www.ebooksnet.com is a continuation of the National Sports News Service ratings that began in 1952. These were the first national high school rankings and the late Art Johlfs of Minnesota compiled them. They were compiled for many years by the late Barry Sollenberger of Phoenix, who merged them into the FAB 50 19 years ago.

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

The post NEW FAB 50: GIECO Nationals Field ANNOUNCED! appeared first on www.ebooksnet.com.

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RELATED: All-Time Mr. Basketball USA Winners | 2018-19 Preseason Tracker Results | Anthony Edwards Reclassifies To 2019 Class  | "In The Paint" Podcast Breaks Down Top Candidates 

Just as was the case in the preseason, 22 elite players received recognition as legitimate national player of the year candidates in the updated 2018-19 Mr. Basketball USA Tracker powered by www.ebooksnet.com. The results, however, show plenty of difference in terms of whom may win the prestigious honor and reflect just how wide open the race is. As many as seven players have a legitimate chance to join a Who's Who list in basketball as the nation's best high school basketball player for several reasons.

First, there is not one elite senior who is having monster season that is head and shoulders above the field such as NBA All-Star Ben Simmons did in 2015 for Montverde Academy (Montverde, Fla.). There is varying opinions on whom is the most talented player in the national 2019 class and that is clearly reflected in the 10-man tracker panel's voting results. Six players received first place votes with one, 7-foot junior Evan Mobley of FAB 50 No. 10 Rancho Christian (Temecula, Calif.), receiving three of them.

It also means the overall point totals for the top vote-getters are much lower overall. Over the years, the top vote-getter usually appeared on nine or all 10 ballots and hovered in the high 80s or low 90s (out of a possible 100 points). This time, however, the two players in first place received a total of 64 points and appeared on eight ballots. As a sign of the varying opinions of the elite players this season, 7-foot James Wiseman of Memphis East (Tenn.) received two first-place votes, but only appeared on one other ballot (seventh place) to tally 24 points. That combination of first place votes and total points has never been seen in the 12-year history of the Mr. Basketball USA Tracker.

"It's a tough vote since there aren't no brainer guys like (R.J.) Barrett, (Zion) Williamson, (DeAndre) Ayton, and (Marvin) Bagley that separate from the rest," said Van Coleman, COO of Global Sports Television, a long-time McDonalds All-American voter and tracker panelist. "This will need at least two more votes to get it right. Cole Anthony is trending downward and Evan Mobley upward and I'm not sure that before this is done, the juniors may be 1-2."

Coleman's comments regarding Anthony reflect the thinking of dominant stats and winning at a high level   are required to earn an honor such as this (Listen to "In The Paint" Podcast about factors that make top candidates). Anthony, arguably the nation's top point guard for Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson Va.), tied Mobley for first place in the voting with 64 points, down from his preseason positioning of 81 points. In the preseason, Anthony was the only candidate to appear on all ten ballots, but this time around he's on seven ballots. Anthony is averaging 18.7 ppg, 9.6 rpg and 10.1 apg, but the Warriors are not having the season quite expected of them and it will be interesting to see where Anthony falls in the next go around after FAB 50 No. 16 Oak Hill was shocked 80-72 by unranked Teays Valley Christian (Scott Depot, W. Va.) after the ballots were sent out and compiled.

The juniors Coleman was referring to that could surpass all the 2019 players with strong closings are Mobley, who is averaging 19.2 ppg, 11.5 rpg, 2.5 apg, and 5.5 bpg, and junior point guard Sharife Cooper, who has McEachern (Powder Springs, Ga.) sitting at No. 2 FAB 50 rankings with averages of 28 ppg, 6.0 rpg, 9.2 apg, and 4 spg while shooting at a 50-40-90 clip for an unbeaten club. Cooper's production on a team exceeding expectations is reflected in the voting, as he went from appearing on one ballot (seventh place) in the preseason to garnering 36 points and appearing on five ballots, including three third place votes.

Will Cooper and Mobley, one of three players to appear on eight ballots along with Anthony Edwards of Holy Spirit Prep (Atlanta, Ga.) and Isaiah Stewart of FAB 50 No. 1 La Lumiere (La Porte, Ind.), continue to gain traction as the season concludes? Or will a player from the 2019 class stand up and take charge of the race? (Listen to our podcast on this topic)

It will be interesting to follow since only a few of the game's immortals (Jerry Lucas, Lew Alcindor, LeBron James) have been Mr. Baketball USA honorees as juniors.

Stay logged in to www.ebooksnet.com to track the progress of the nation's top individual players and the nation’s Top teams.

Editor's Note: Click on the "+" sign next to each player's number to view how many first, second, third or fourth place votes he got and his overall point total.

Rank	Prev.	Name	High School	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	Total
1T	3	Evan Mobley (8)	Rancho Christian (CA)	3	0	1	1	64
1T	1	Cole Anthony (8)	Oak Hill (VA)	2	4	1	0	64
3	5	Isaiah Stewart (8)	La Lumiere (IN)	1	2	0	1	59
4	4	Anthony Edwards (8)	Holy Spirit (GA)	1	1	1	2	56
5	2	Vernon Carey (6)	University School (FL)	0	1	2	2	44
6	20T	Sharife Cooper (5)	McEachern (GA)	0	0	3	0	36
7	6	James Wiseman (3)	Memphis East (TN)	2	0	0	0	24
8	14T	Scottie Lewis (3)	Ranney School (NJ)	1	0	0	2	19
9T	19	Cade Cunningham (3)	Montverde Academy (FL)	0	0	0	2	18
9T	10T	Precious Achiuwa (2)	Montverde Academy (FL)	0	2	0	0	18
11	7	Jaden McDaniels (2)	Federal Way (WA)	0	0	0	1	12
12T	9	Onyeka Okongwu (2)	Chino Hills (CA)	0	0	0	0	11
12T	NR	Trendon Watford (2)	Mountain Brook (AL)	0	0	0	1	11
14T	8	Jalen Green (2)	San Joaquin Memorial (CA)	0	0	0	0	9
14T	20T	Matthew Hurt (2)	Marshall (MN)	0	0	0	0	9
16	12T	Nico Mannion (1)	Pinnacle (AZ)	0	0	1	0	8
17	14T	Patrick Baldwin (1)	Hamilton (WI)	0	0	0	0	6
18T	NR	Greg Brown (1)	Vandergrift (TX)	0	0	0	0	5
18T	20T	Khalil Whitney (1)	Roselle Catholic (NJ)	0	0	0	0	5
20T	17T	R.J. Hampton (1)	Little Elm (TX)	0	0	0	0	4
20T	12T	Jonathan Kuminga (1)	Our Savior New American (NY)	0	0	0	0	4
20T	NR	Cassius Stanley (1)	Sierra Canyon (CA)	0	0	0	0	4

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

The post Cole Anthony, Evan Mobley Lead Pack in WIDE OPEN POY Race! appeared first on www.ebooksnet.com.

In the eleventh episode of our all-new In The Paint Show," hosts Ronnie Flores and Devin Ugland give their take on the NBA All-Star Game and the event format changes, break down the top candidates for Mr. Basketball USA, which honors the national player of the year at season's end and predict and preview the CIF Southern Section Open Division title game set for February 23.

The NBA has now done away with a East vs. West format, has gone to drafting two teams and has four participants in its dunk contest. The fellas talk about if these format changes are good for the NBA and its fans and if the league's marquee players not appearing in the dunk contest has hurt the event.

Ron and Dev go Hard in the Paint on Ballislife's National Player of the Year Award, Mr. Basketball USA. The end-of-season honor began in 1996 and is retroactive back to when Wilt Chamberlain was kicking ass at Overbook High School in Philadelphia. All but two of the all-timer winners eventually played in the NBA. Should this prestigious honor be just about who is the best talent? Should it be more reflective of who is the top prospect for college and the NBA? Or should it be about which elite player has the best season statistics on a winning team, regardless of what kind of prospect he is?

The fellas give their inside take and talk about the selection process, what they learned about the game from past winners, such as Mike Bibby being selected over Kobe Bryant in 1996, and the ridiculousness of Skal Labissière being the top prospect in some mainstream national player rankings even though Ben Simmons was the first unanimous vote-getter in the Mr. Basketball USA Tracker and a cinch Mr. Basketball USA honoree back in 2015.

Dev and Ron also update the CIF Southern Section playoffs and give their predictions on which two teams will make it out of pool play to earn the right to play for the section title. The guys also talk about if the pool play format has been good for SoCal high school basketball and why the CIF needs unbeaten and FAB 50 No. 8 Salesian (Richmond, Calif.) to represent NorCal in the CIF Open state championship game March 9.

The fellas hit on high school, college recruiting and the NBA this week, so make sure to give our Pod a listen below and share it with friends!

To learn more about our hosts, Ronnie Flores and Devin Ugland, and to get more information about what "In The Paint" is all about, check out our intro below!

Subscribe to our new Podcast on iTunes here

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By Ronnie Flores

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Martin Luther King Jr. Weekend has turned into a hoopfest around the country, and though many events do little but attach his name or initials to its showcase, there is little doubt those events have a big impact on the FAB 50 National Team Rankings powered by www.ebooksnet.com each MLK weekend. About 15 years ago, we started the tradition of waiting until all the MLK Monday results are in from all over the country to update our rankings that most of the other credible polls now emulate.

Despite more big games and an extra delay in compiling the weekly rankings, the two most impressive teams were the two top-ranked teams in the country. No. 1 La Lumiere (La Porte, Ind.) was in Springfield, Mass., for the Spalding Hoophall Classic where it took on previous No. 6 DeMatha Catholic (Hyattsville, Md.) on MLK Monday. The Stags hung around for a half, trailing 32-24 at the break, but the Lakers' superior quickness to the ball and various scoring threats turned out to be the difference as La Lumiere recorded a 73-50 victory. Fast-rising junior point guard Wendell Green had 21 points and senior small forward Keion Brooks had 25 points. Even though Mr. Basketball USA candidate Isaiah Stewart didn't have a vintage game (14 points, 11 rebounds), the Lakers have more than enough weapons that their best player doesn't need a monster game in order to beat another top-ranked team. Stewart committed to the University of Washington of Sunday.

No. 3 Montverde Academy (Montverde, Fla.) crushed previous No. 4 Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth, Calif.), 77-58, at the Hoophall Classic in a game that wasn't as competitive as the La Lumiere-DeMatha contest. It was the Eagles' second victory over the Trailblazers this season, as Harlond Beverly netted 22 points. That result makes La Lumiere's resume look even that much more impressive since the Lakers handed Montverde Academy both of its losses so far this season. In fact, La Lumiere is putting together such an impressive resume that based on all the results from around the country, DeMatha Catholic actually moved up to No. 5 this week, as its only other loss is to No. 4 IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.). IMG Academy defeated No. 7 Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson Va.) on Sunday, 72-67.

As impressive as La Lumiere was, the results for No. 2 McEachern were just as spectacular, as the Indians defeated then No. 19 Rancho Christian (Temecula, Calif.), 66-55, behind 27 points from spectacular junior point guard Sharife Cooper on Monday in Massachusetts. McEachern actually defeated three FAB 50-ranked foes in four days, as it captured the Bass Pro Tournament of Champions in Springfield, Mo., on Saturday night with a 50-46 overtime victory over No. 6 Sunrise Christian Academy (Bel Aire, Kan.). Cooper was named tourney MVP after scoring 20 points in the championship game, while Auburn-bound Isaac Okoro chipped in 13 points, 10 rebounds, and four assists. In the bass Pro TOC semifinals, the Indians downed No. 17 Shadow Mountain (Phoenix, Ariz.), 73-61, as Cooper went for 31 points, seven rebounds, and three assists.

So far this season, McEachern has defeated 10 previous or current FAB 50 ranked opponents and could conceivably play La Lumiere at Geico Nationals provided it captures the GHSA Class AAAAAAA state crown.

Shadow Mountain remained it the same rankings position this week, as it defeated previous No. 18 Paul VI (Fairfax, Va.), 45-41, on MLK Monday in Springfield, Mass. Memphis East (Memphis, Tenn.) rebounded from its Bass Pro semifinal loss to Sunrise Christian Academy to easily down Shadow Mountain in the third place game, 74-53. That caused Rancho Christian to move up four spots this week because the Eagles own a win over Memphis East. The big win for Shadow Mountain was its 74-57 first round TOC victory over previous No. 9 Belleville West (Belleville, Ill.), which fell to No. 20. Memphis East takes on No. 12 Mountain Brook (Mountain Brook, Ala.) this weekend at the Hot Bed Classic in Mississippi.

While some of the teams that attended the Hoophall Classic had trouble getting into and leaving New England, Rancho Christian will remain back East and head down to the Montverde Academy Invitational without returning to California. The MIAT begins on Thursday and includes the host Eagles, the California version of the Eagles, No. 9 Wasatch Academy (Mt. Pleasant, Utah), No. 36 Long Island Lutheran (Glen Head, N.Y.) and previously ranked Vashon (St. Louis, Mo.).

Long Island Lutheran opens with Vashon and the winner will likely meet Montverde Academy in a Friday semifinal. Should the rankings and seedings hold up, Rancho Christian will likely meet Wasatch Academy in the opposite semifinal contest.

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Updated FAB 50 National Team Rankings
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(Seventh poll of 2018-19 regular season; Through games played on Monday, January 21; *Indicates forfeit wins, forfeit losses not included; **Indicates forfeits and defaults not included; ***Indicates scrimmages and foundation games not included; ****Indicates season not complete)

No.	Prev.	High School (City)	Record
1	1	La Lumiere (LaPorte, Ind.)	21-0
2	2	McEachern (Powder Springs, Ga.)	19-0
3	3	Montverde Academy (Montverde, Fla.)	14-2
4	5	IMG Academy (Brandenton, Fla.)	22-1
5	6	DeMatha Catholic (Hyattsville, Md.)	16-2
6	10	Sunrise Christian Academy (Bel Aire, Kan.)	14-3
7	8	Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.)	17-2
8	4	Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth, Calif.)	21-2
9	7	Wasatch Academy (Mt. Pleasant, Utah)	20-0
10	11	Ranney School (Tinton Falls, N.J.)	13-1
11	14	Imhotep Charter (Philadelphia, Pa.)	11-4
12	15	Mountain Brook (Mountain Brook, Ala.)	21-3
13	23	St. Frances Academy (Baltimore, Md.)	21-3
14	16	University School (Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.)	14-3
15	19	Rancho Christian (Temecula, Calif.)	18-3
16	29	Memphis East (Memphis, Tenn.)	14-5
17	17	Shadow Mountain (Phoenix, Ariz.)	17-3
18	30	Hamilton Heights Christian Academy (Chattanooga, Tenn.)	22-3
19	18	Paul VI (Fairfax, Va.)	12-4
20	9	Belleville West (Belleville, Ill.)	19-1
21	12	Warren Central (Indianapolis, Ind.)	15-1
22	21	Nicolet (Glendale, Wis.)	13-1
23	22	Westchester (Los Angeles, Calif.)	18-1
24	28	Scott County (Georgetown, Ky.)	21-1
25	34	Salesian (Richmond, Calif.)	21-0
26	13	Roselle Catholic (Roselle, N.J.)	14-1
27	35	Curie (Chicago, Ill.)	21-1
28	32	Guyer (Denton, Texas)	22-4
29	38	Cox Mill (Concord, N.C.)	15-1
30	36	Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas, Nev.)	16-3
31	37	Gonzaga Prep (Spokane, Wash.)	14-2
32	20	Federal Way (Federal Way, Wash.)	16-2
33	47	Moeller (Cincinnati, Ohio)	13-0
34	39	Lancaster (Lancaster, Texas)	21-2
35	45	Charlotte Christian (Charlotte, N.C.)	20-1
36	46	Long Island Lutheran (Glen Head, N.Y.)	13-1
37	NR	Millbrook (Raleigh, N.C.)	17-0
38	NR	St. Benedict's (Newark, N.J.)	18-2
39	NR	Abington (Abington, Pa.)	14-1
40	31	Olive Branch (Olive Branch, Miss.)	15-6
41	43	Bartlett (Barlett, Tenn.)	20-2
42	NR	Hilliard Bradley (Hilliard, Ohio)	13-0
43	49	Benton Harbor (Benton Harbor, Mich.)	14-0
44	48	South Central (Winterville, N.C.)	15-1
45	NR	Don Bosco Prep (Ramsey, N.J.)	9-1
46	NR	Duncanville (Duncanville, Texas)	18-7
47	24	Pickerington Central (Pickerington, Ohio)	13-1
48	NR	Rockhurst (Kansas City, Mo.)	15-0
49	42	Findlay Prep (Henderson, Nev.)	15-5
50	NR	Centennial (Corona, Calif.)	21-3

Dropped Out: Previous No. 25 Vashon (St. Louis, Mo.), No. 26 Bishop Loughlin (Brooklyn, N.Y.), No. 27 Bergen Catholic (Oradell, N.J.), No. 33 Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.), No. 40 Carmel (Carmel, Ind.), No. 41 Carmel Christian (Matthews, N.C.), No. 44 Oak Ridge (Orlando, Fla.), No. 50 Clark (Las Vegas, Nev.).

Bubble Teams:  Allen (Allen, Texas) 26-2; Baylor (Chattanooga, Tenn.) 16-1; Bellevue West (Bellevue, Neb.) 15-1; Bergen Catholic (Oradell, N.J.) 10-3; Biloxi (Biloxi, Miss.) 22-0; Bishop Loughlin (Brooklyn, N.Y.) 15-1; Bloom (Chicago Heights, Ill.) 18-1; Bogan (Chicago, Ill.) 19-2; Bonner-Prendergast (Drexel Hill, Pa.) 13-1; Booker T. Washington (Tulsa, Okla.) 11-1; Brentwood (Brentwood, N.Y.) 14-0; Blue Valley Northwest (Overland Park, Kan.) 10-1; Cardinal Hayes (Bronx, N.Y.) 14-4; Carmel (Carmel, Ind.) 11-1; Carmel Christian (Matthews, N.C.) 24-2; Center Hill (Olive Branch, Miss.) 21-1; Central Plains (Claflin, Kan.) 12-0; Clark (Las Vegas, Nev.) 17-2; Discovery (Lawrenceville, Ga.) 18-3; Dorman (Roebuck, S.C.) 17-3; East Coweta (East Coweta, Ga.) 21-1; Edmond Memorial (Edmond, Okla.) 13-1; Edmond Santa Fe (Edmond, Okla.) 13-1; Etiwanda (Etiwanda, Calif.) 20-2; Fairfax (Los Angeles, Calif.) 17-1; Gonzaga (Washington, D.C.) 13-5; Grandview (Grandview, Mo.) 14-2; Grayson (Loganville, Ga.) 20-2; Haverford School (Haverford, Pa.) 15-0; Hopkins (Minnetonka, Minn.) 17-2; Independence (Charlotte, N.C.) 12-3; John Hardin (Elizabethtown, Ky.) 21-0; Keenan (Columbia, S.C.) 21-1; Kennedy Catholic (Hermitage, Pa.) 11-3; Las Cruces (Las Cruces, N.M.) 17-0; Lawrence (Lawrence, Kan.) 9-1; Lewis-Palmer (Monument, Col.) 14-0; Mansfield Timberview (Arlington, Texas) 24-2; Maria Goretti (Hagerstown, Md.) 16-3; Maryville (Maryville, Tenn.) 21-1; Meadowcreek (Norcross, Ga.) 18-4; Memorial (Tulsa, Okla.) 14-3; Minnehaha Academy (Minneapolis, Ky.) 11-2; Morgan Park (Chicago, Ill.) 18-3; New Haven (New Haven, Mich.) 11-1; Norcross (Norcross, Ga.) 15-7; North Scott (Eldridge, Iowa) 14-0; Oak Ridge (Orlando, Fla.) 12-4; Pinnacle (Phoenix, Ariz.) 19-3; Pleasant Grove (Pleasant Grove, Utah) 14-2; River Rouge (River Rouge, Mich.) 10-1; Roman Catholic (Philadelphia, Pa.) 14-4; Scotlandville (Baton Rouge, La.) 25-1; South Shore (Brooklyn, N.Y.) 15-3; Springfield Southeast (Springfield, Ill.) 17-1; Starkville (Starkville, Miss.) 19-1; Trinity (Louisville, Ky.) 15-5; Trinity Catholic (St. Louis, Mo.) 14-1; Upson-Lee (Thomaston, Ga.) 19-1; Vashon (St. Louis, Mo.) 11-4; Wagner (San Antonio, Texas) 21-5; Webster Groves (Webster Groves, Mo.) 13-0; Wright (New Orleans, La.) 25-4.

Note: The FAB 50 powered by www.ebooksnet.com is a continuation of the National Sports News Service ratings that began in 1952. These were the first national high school rankings and the late Art Johlfs of Minnesota compiled them. They were compiled for many years by the late Barry Sollenberger of Phoenix, who merged them into the FAB 50 19 years ago.

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

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By Ronnie Flores

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Sierra Canyon's Missed Opportunity

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

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

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

Looking Ahead

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

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

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Updated FAB 50 National Team Rankings
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(Fourth poll of 2018-19 regular season; Through games played on Monday, December 31; Previous ranking in parentheses; *Indicates forfeit wins, forfeit losses not included; **Indicates forfeits and defaults not included; ***Indicates scrimmages and foundation games not included; ****Indicates season not complete)

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

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

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

Note: The FAB 50 powered by www.ebooksnet.com is a continuation of the National Sports News Service ratings that began in 1952. These were the first national high school rankings and the late Art Johlfs of Minnesota compiled them. They were compiled for many years by the late Barry Sollenberger of Phoenix, who merged them into the FAB 50 19 years ago.

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

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