{"id":131920,"date":"2016-11-01T12:55:30","date_gmt":"2016-11-01T19:55:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bilcomprd.wpengine.com\/?p=131920"},"modified":"2023-03-21T14:32:41","modified_gmt":"2023-03-21T21:32:41","slug":"preseason-2016-17-fab-50-top-15-teams","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ballislife.com\/preseason-2016-17-fab-50-top-15-teams\/","title":{"rendered":"Preseason 2016-17 FAB 50: Top 15 Teams!"},"content":{"rendered":"

We conclude our 2016-17 preseason FAB 50 National Team Rankings powered by Ballislife.com with an in-depth look at the nation\u2019s top 15 teams. We began with teams No. 31-50 on October 30, continued with teams No. 16-30 on November 1 and now have published an in-depth look at the nation\u2019s 50 best teams. Oak Hill Academy of Virginia is the nation\u2019s preseason No. 1 team as it seeks its eighth FAB 50 title in the past 25 seasons.<\/strong><\/p>\n

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All 50 teams are written up with explanations for why they were placed in these positions. Top-ranked Oak Hill Academy was the nation\u2019s No. 1 team in 1993, 1994, 1999, 2001, 2004, 2007 and 2012 and is seeking its eighth FAB 50 mythical national title. No. 2 La Lumiere lost to Oak Hill by two points in last year\u2019s Dick\u2019s Sporting Goods National High School Tournament championship game. Oak Hill Academy captured the prestigious tournament title for the first time ever and finished No. 2 in the FAB 50 behind undefeated Chino Hills (Calif.). CLICK HERE<\/a> to view the all-time list of mythical national champions.<\/em><\/p>\n

RELATED:<\/strong> Preseason 2016-17 FAB 50 (1-15)<\/a> | Preseason 2016-17 FAB 50 (16-30)<\/a> | Preseason 2016-17 FAB 50 (31-50)<\/a> | Preseason East Region Top 20<\/a> | Preseason Southeast Region Top 20<\/a> | Preseason Midwest Region Top 20<\/a> | Preseason Southwest Region Top 20<\/a> | Preseason West Region Top 20<\/a><\/p>\n

La Lumiere or Oak Hill Academy: Who\u2019s More Deserving To Begin The 2016-17 Season No. 1?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Oak Hill Academy of Virginia has been a major player on the national high school basketball landscape for nearly 40 years. The program earned its first national ranking in 1979-80. Coach Steve Smith<\/strong> took over the reigns from Larry Davis<\/strong> for the 1985-86 season and quickly took the program to the next level.<\/p>\n

The Warriors went 24-1 and 25-1 in Smith\u2019s first two seasons with top five finishes both years before capturing its first mythical national title in 1992-93<\/a> with one of the best teams in the annals of high school basketball. Since that first No. 1 finish in 1993, the Warriors have captured six more FAB 50 national titles and eight overall mythical national titles.<\/p>\n

From a team perspective, Oak Hill Academy has accomplished just about everything there is to do in high school basketball after winning its first Dick\u2019s Nationals tournament last year with an exciting 62-60 overtime victory over La Lumiere (La Porte, Ind.). It was the Warriors\u2019 first Dicks Nationals since the event\u2019s inception at the conclusion of the 2009 season. That win, combined with other factors we\u2019ll discuss, allows Oak Hill Academy to open the 2016-17 season as the preseason No. 1 team in the FAB 50 National Team Rankings<\/strong> powered by Ballislife.com<\/em>.<\/p>\n

It is the second consecutive season the Warriors will open as the No. 1 team in the FAB 50. Oak Hill has began as preseason No. 1 a record eight times<\/a> since the FAB 50\/National Prep Poll\u2019s inception for the 1987-88 season, including that magical 30-0 season in 1992-93. A preseason No. 1 tag has been a good omen for Smith\u2019s program, with a No. 1 or No. 2 finish in each of those seven seasons (1993, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2007, 2016), including last year\u2019s 45-1 mark that landed Oak Hill No. 2 in the final FAB 50 poll behind 35-0 Chino Hills (Calif.).<\/p>\n

In addition to winning Dick\u2019s Nationals over La Lumiere, Oak Hill\u2019s overall talent level and some player movement involving both teams tipped the scales in favor of the Warriors. Smith has at his disposal three returning starters and the nation\u2019s best backcourt in 6-foot-2 Matt Coleman<\/strong> (who he compares favorably to the best true point guards he\u2019s had over the years and likens to the Sacramento Kings\u2019 Ty Lawson), Lindell Wiggington<\/strong> (a Ballislife Underclass All-American selection<\/a> last season who stepped up in a big way), and Ole Miss commit Devontae Shuler<\/strong> (who is much improved according to his coach).<\/p>\n

Creighton commit Ty-Shon Alexander<\/strong> would be an All-American candidate at nearly any other program and gives Oak Hill a two-deep backcourt that has no peer across the country. This season, Oak Hill can realistically split into two teams that would each be ranked in the FAB 50. Talent alone, however, doesn\u2019t determine success at the highest levels of high school basketball.<\/p>\n

\u201cTy-Shon is better when he starts while Devontae is the perfect sixth man,\u201d Smith said. \u201cI know they both want to start, but they\u2019re sacrificing by being on this team; they all know that. Plus all four of them will play 20 plus minutes a game.\u201d<\/p>\n

La Lumiere\u2019s Shane Heirman<\/strong> has done an excellent job taking the Lakers from a national program to a one with realistic mythical national title aspirations in just two seasons. Not only did the Lakers take Oak Hill to the brink in last year\u2019s Dick\u2019s Nationals final, they actually won their first game at the event after three previous unsuccessful trips to the end-of-the-season tournament.<\/p>\n

Similar to Oak Hill, La Lumiere has three starters returning, but it\u2019s the fourth who left that made it easier to give the No. 1 nod to Oak Hill. Jeremiah Tilmon<\/strong> is now back at East St. Louis (Ill.) High School and the top 50 national prospect would have been the anchor in the middle with big-game experience and familiarity with Heirman\u2019s system. Ironically, Tilmon hurt his shoulder early in the Oak Hill game and the Lakers lost at the overtime buzzer on a tip-in by 6-foot-9 Khadim Sy<\/strong>. Would the game\u2019s ending transpired as it did if Tilmon didn\u2019t get hurt?<\/p>\n

Park Tudor (Indianapolis) transfer Jaren Jackson Jr.<\/strong> is La Lumiere\u2019s new cog in the middle and the Michigan St. recruit gives La Lumiere the inside presence it needs in order to compete with Oak Hill on a national level and capture the 2017 Dick\u2019s Nationals title.<\/p>\n

The next milestone for Oak Hill Academy to conquer would be an unbeaten season with a Dick\u2019s Nationals title in tow. The last time Oak Hill won a FAB 50 National title (2012) it finished 44-0 but did not compete in the event. Can Oak Hill join 2008-09 Findlay Prep (Henderson, Nev.) as only the second unbeaten Dick\u2019s National title-winning mythical national champion? It certainly has the talent and opportunity to, but may need a bit of lady luck on its side. Coach Smith believes this year\u2019s Oak Hill team is better than last year\u2019s, the one that played without Duke freshman Harry Giles<\/a>, that is. Oak Hill lost its potential Mr. Basketball USA<\/em> candidate for the season to injury minutes into its first game.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have more talent and are deeper than last year,\u201d Smith said. \u201cThe chemistry has to be right and we have to have luck on our side. Hopefully we\u2019re all on the same page.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe know we\u2019re going to take everyone\u2019s best shot. Last year, it took us about four or five games to adjust without Harry, then we won 42 straight. At this same stage in the preseason, we\u2019re probably a little further along to be honest.\u201d<\/p>\n

Preseason 2016-17 FAB 50 National <\/strong>
\nTeam Rankings Powered by Ballislife.com<\/strong><\/p>\n

By Ronnie Flores<\/em><\/p>\n

(Final 2015-16 ranking in parentheses; *Indicates forfeit wins, forfeit losses not included; **Indicates forfeits and defaults not included; Look for preseason Region-By-Region Top 20 Rankings on Thursday, November 10 and for the preseason Mr. Basketball USA Tracker on Tuesday, November 22.)<\/p>\n

RELATED:<\/strong> Preseason 2016-17 FAB 50 (1-15)<\/a> | Preseason 2016-17 FAB 50 (16-30)<\/a> | Preseason 2016-17 FAB 50 (31-50)<\/a><\/p>\n

1. (2) Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.) 45-1<\/strong>
\nKey Players:<\/strong> PF Billy Preston 6-10 2017 (No. 5 247Sports.com), PG Lindell Wiggington 6-2 2017 (No. 40 Rivals.com, Ballislife Underclass All-American), PG Matt Coleman 6-2 2017 (No. 27 ESPN.com), SG Devontae Shuler 6-2 2017 (No. 100 Scout.com, Ole Miss commit), SG Ty-Shon Alexander 6-4 2017 (No. 64 ESPN.com, Creighton commit).
\nWhy This Ranking:<\/strong> The Warriors have the deepest and most talented team with a combination of size and experience among ranked teams, in addition to the nation\u2019s best backcourt. Preston is a versatile talent who can handle the ball and face the basket. At times, it will seem like Oak Hill has five guards on the floor. Smith, who enters the season with an all-time 1,026-65 win-loss mark, is a traditionalist in the terms of always wanting to play with a post and won\u2019t two-platoon no matter how talented his roster is. When he goes big, 6-foot-10, 280-pound David McCormack (2018) will see the floor plenty since he moves well and can score. Kenneth Nwuba (6-9, 210, 2018) will also play often and gives the lineup a nice change of pace should McCormack play up to par. Sophomore Prince Toyambi (6-5, 2019) of the Congo is a bit short on experience, but he\u2019s long on versatility with the ability to spell the guards or play a traditional wing spot. There is not a real weakness you can point to as long as Preston and McCormack don\u2019t slack on the boards.
\nThe Skinny:<\/strong> Oak Hill has all the ingredients to capture the FAB 50 national title with an unbeaten mark, and can survive better than most ranked teams should an injury occur. Shuler has All-American potential even though he may come off the bench, while Wiggington stepped up big-time after Giles went down last year, averaging 15 ppg at Dick\u2019s Nationals. Preston\u2019s production and consistency will be key to how the season unfolds for this team. Smith is counting on him to produce and he could go down as Oak Hill\u2019s most talented forward of the last 10 years and be a Mr. Basketball USA candidate if he fulfills expectations. \u201cI think in his mind and heart, he feels underrated nationally because he\u2019s moved around,\u201d Smith said. \u201cHe is buying in to the way we do things and he wants to play on a championship team.\u201d In order to get that championship, Oak Hill will need to fare well at the Marshall County Hoopfest and defeat No. 9 Sierra Canyon on December 15 before flying out to the Iolani Classic in Hawaii on December 17. \u201cIt will be a long flight if we lose that game,\u201d Smith said.<\/p>\n