{"id":150730,"date":"2017-11-07T13:00:23","date_gmt":"2017-11-07T21:00:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bilcomprd.wpengine.com\/?p=150730"},"modified":"2023-12-16T19:59:00","modified_gmt":"2023-12-17T03:59:00","slug":"preseason-2017-18-fab-50-top-15-teams","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ballislife.com\/preseason-2017-18-fab-50-top-15-teams\/","title":{"rendered":"Preseason 2017-18 FAB 50: Top 15 Teams!"},"content":{"rendered":"

We conclude our 2017-18 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 November 5, continued with teams No. 16-30 on November 6 and now have published an in-depth look at the nation\u2019s 50 best teams. Montverde Academy of Florida is the nation\u2019s preseason No. 1 team as it seeks its fourth FAB 50 title in the past six years.<\/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 Montverde Academy was the nation\u2019s No. 1 team for three consecutive seasons (2013-2015) and begins as preseason No. 1 for the fourth time (2013-15) in program history. Last season, Montverde Academy started the season ranked No. 5 and finished in that spot after falling to preseason No. 2 La Lumiere of Indiana in the Dick\u2019s Sporting Goods National High School Tournament championship game. La Lumiere captured the prestigious tournament title for the first time ever and finished No. 2 in the FAB 50 behind undefeated Nathan Hale (Seattle). CLICK HERE<\/a> to view the all-time list of mythical national champions.<\/em><\/p>\n

RELATED:<\/strong> Preseason 2017-18 FAB 50 (16-30)<\/a> | Preseason 2016-17 FAB 50 (31-50)<\/a> | Preseason Regional Top 20 Rankings<\/a> | BIL Weekly HS Basketball Showcase<\/a><\/p>\n

Memphis East or Montverde Academy:
\nWho\u2019s More Deserving To Begin The 2017-18 Season No. 1?<\/strong><\/p>\n

The high school basketball landscape has become big business in recent years. With so many elite players attending basketball academy-type programs, it\u2019s nice to see public high schools still having a big impact on the credible high school team rankings published each year. In light of that, how awesome is it that one of the most recognizable and perennial strong academies has a brewing mini-rivalry with a public school in Tennessee?<\/p>\n

That\u2019s the case this season as Montverde Academy of Montverde, Fla., and Memphis East High School in Tenn., battle for national supremacy and bragging rights. Montverde Academy has long been a national power, first under current University of Pittsburgh assistant Kevin Sutton<\/strong> and the last six years under Kevin Boyle<\/strong>, who coached the Eagles to three consecutive mythical FAB 50 national titles<\/a> between 2013-2015. Memphis East, meanwhile, burst onto the national scene in 2016 when it went 32-2 and finished No. 11 in the FAB 50 and followed that up with a second consecutive TSSAA Class AAA state crown and a No. 3 FAB 50 finish, the highest ranking ever for a Tennessee program<\/a> in the FAB 50 era (since 1987-88 season).<\/p>\n

On the way to their 33-3 season, the underclass-dominated Mustangs defeated Montverde Academy two out of three games and might even be better this season as they look to become the first TSSAA program to finish No. 1 nationally dating back to the 1951-52<\/a> when the National Sports News Service (FAB 50 precursor) began naming mythical national champions. Montverde only has two players returning, but it\u2019s a supremely talented duo and Boyle has reloaded the roster for another championship run.<\/p>\n

\u201cPenny Hardaway is a legend in Memphis,\u201d said Boyle. \u201cHe\u2019s done a good job with that program and he\u2019s got a good team.\u201d<\/p>\n

So which team will be better in 2017-18? If it can\u2019t be decided on the court between the two clubs (and it likely won\u2019t be) we\u2019re going with Montverde Academy to open the 2017-18 season as the preseason No. 1 team in the FAB 50 National Team Rankings powered by Ballislife.com<\/em><\/strong> by the slimmest of margins over Memphis East.<\/p>\n

The three main reasons are the personnel on Montverde\u2019s roster, the changes on the Mustangs\u2019 roster and the simple fact it\u2019s a different season with a different outlook in terms of what results may transpire from preseason FAB 50 positioning to determine the rankings as the season progresses.<\/p>\n

Boyle has 10 players on his roster that will contribute and only one isn\u2019t considered a high major recruit. Even though only two players return, Canadians R.J. Barrett<\/a> and Andrew Nembhard<\/strong> in the backcourt, Montverde\u2019s proven track record and national schedule make it attractive to like its chances to finish No. 1. Trevin Wade<\/strong>, a 5-foot-10 senior and low to mid-major D1 prospect, is the only player on the roster under 6-foot-4. This Montverde team has the depth, size and versatility to challenge the 2012-13 Montverde FAB 50 title team as the most gifted (so far) in Boyle\u2019s time at the Florida program.<\/p>\n

\u201cObviously there are new faces, so we have to work on chemistry, but this is such a versatile team,\u201d said Montverde Academy assistant Rae Miller<\/strong>. \u201cAll of them can do so many different things offensively and we shouldn\u2019t have a problem putting the ball in the basket.\u201d<\/p>\n

Memphis East has a host of returnees off last year\u2019s back-to-back state championship team and its most talented player might be newcomer James Wiseman<\/strong>. The 6-foot-10 power forward is arguably the best junior in the country and he relocated to Memphis after playing last season at The Ensworth School of Nashville. TSSAA transfer rules may force him to sit out the season, but until Memphis East submits its roster for the season to Tennessee\u2019s governing body for athletics, it\u2019s all speculation with regards to Wiseman\u2019s eligibility. If we knew for certain Wiseman, along with 6-foot-5 senior transfer Ryan Boyce<\/strong> from Houston of Germantown, were eligible to play the entire season, Hardaway\u2019s club would be preseason No. 1.<\/p>\n

It was really difficult to ignore the fact Memphis East defeated Montverde Academy twice in three tries last season. The results of the games (by far the most important factor in determining in-season ranking position) from the previous season does factor into the preseason FAB 50 and Memphis East does have to personnel to play with and defeat any team in the country. The facts are the Eagles beat Memphis East 63-54 in the title game of the City of Palms Classic in Florida and lost on two buzzer-beaters in the January meetings. Those two games came down to the last possession and could have gone either way.<\/p>\n

Which brings us to our final point: This is a new season, and although both coaching staffs are motivated by past results, this year\u2019s Montverde team has a different makeup and the results of those games have little meaning to the individual players on the Eagles\u2019 roster.<\/p>\n

Memphis East has arrived and is now a national name on the high school basketball scene. The Mustangs will take everyone\u2019s best shot on a difficult schedule, something Montverde Academy has grown accustomed to over the past decade. Memphis East has the ability to get it done, but will results and other factors fall in its favor for the second consecutive season?<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s hard enough to beat those teams on the way up, but it\u2019s super hard to be the one teams are coming after,\u201d Miller said. \u201cHopefully they\u2019ll do well.\u201d<\/p>\n

Preseason 2017-18 FAB 50 National <\/strong>
\nTeam Rankings Powered by Ballislife.com<\/strong><\/p>\n

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

(Final 2016-17 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 Friday, November 10 and for the preseason Mr. Basketball USA Tracker on Tuesday, November 21.)<\/em><\/p>\n

RELATED:<\/strong> Preseason 2017-18 FAB 50 (16-30)<\/a> | Preseason 2016-17 FAB 50 (31-50)<\/a> | BIL Weekly HS Basketball Showcase<\/a> | Preseason Regional Top 20 Rankings<\/a><\/p>\n

1. (5) Montverde Academy (Montverde, Fla.) 26-5<\/strong>
\nKey Players:<\/strong> SG R.J. Barrett 6-7 2018 (No. 1 Hoop Scoop, Ballislife First Team All-American, Ballislife National Sophomore of the Year), PG Andrew Nembhard 6-3 2018 (No. 23 247Sports.com, Florida commit), PF Makhi Mitchell 6-10 2019 (No. 28 ESPN.com, Maryland commit), PF Filip Petrusev 6-11 2018 (No. 77 Rivals.com), PG Mike Devoe 6-3 2018 (No. 56 ESPN.com, Georgia Tech commit).
\nWhy This Ranking:<\/strong> Another big factor in giving the No. 1 nod to the Eagles is having an elite, game-changing talent in the lineup. Having that player was the difference in recent years for FAB 50 champs Nathan Hale (Michael Porter Jr.) in 2017, California\u2019s Chino Hills (Lonzo Ball) in 2016 and the Eagles in 2015 and 2014 (Ben Simmons). That player for Montverde Academy is Barrett, named National Sophomore of the Year after averaging 22 points and seven rebounds for last year\u2019s club. Over the summer, Barrett led Canada to the FIBA 19U World Cup title, including a 38-point, 13-rebound, 5-assists performance in a semifinals win over the United States. Barrett re-classed to 2018 and is now considered the No. 1 prospect in that class. \u201cThis is now his third year here, and every year he\u2019s grown as a person, student and player,\u201d Miller said. \u201cHe\u2019s wants to win a national championship and he understands he\u2019s the leader of this team and has that opportunity.\u201d Nembhard has also reclassified from 2019 to 2018. The Florida commit can create scoring opportunities for others or him self and is eager to help this team after missing the end of last season with a stomach injury. Even though Carrington Davis (6-6, 2018) is not yet up to speed because of hip surgery, the Eagles won\u2019t miss a beat with talents such as Devoe (a talented combo guard) and Wade (a terrific defender) ready to step up. Up front, there is terrific talent and skill with the likes of Petrusev (a top international prospect from Serbia) and Mitchell (who had great feet and hands according to Boyle). The pleasant surprise so far has been the improvement of Kevin Zhang (6-9, 2018), who played on last year\u2019s La Lumiere team that defeated Montverde Academy in the Dick\u2019s Nationals title game.
\nThe Skinny:<\/strong> There is so much depth and talent, future high major players such as Makhel Mitchell (6-9, 2019), Makhi\u2019s brother and a fellow Maryland commit, and Jordan Mitchell (6-7, 2019, no relation to the Mitchell brothers) will fight to see quality minutes. Outside of Barrett, Montverde might be the only team that can withstand an injury or misfortune to an elite player and not miss a beat. Montverde will be extremely tough to stop offensively and has different ways to slow down teams defensively, whether going big in the backcourt or allowing Wade to harass the ball-handler. The Eagles will play FAB 50 No. 29 Trinity Episcopal at the Hoopsgiving in Atlanta, travel to China in early December, participate in the Iolani Classic in Hawaii with the likes of No. 30 Jefferson and No. 40 Rainier Beach, will participate in the Beach Ball Classic along with No. 14 Moeller, No. 26 Imhotep Charter, No. 35 Long Island Lutheran and four other FAB 50-ranked teams, play No. 10 La Lumiere at the Cancer Research Classic, face No. 16 Simeon and No. 6 Mater Dei at the Hoophall Classic and take on No. 17 Roselle Catholic near the end of the regular season. In late January, No. 9 Findlay Prep and No. 12 Shadow Mountain will participate in the Montverde Academy Invitational. With that schedule, plus Dick\u2019s Nationals, this program controls its own destiny to win a fourth FAB 50 crown in the Boyle era.<\/p>\n