Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.) has started as preseason No. 1 five times and finished as Top 50 champ in three of those years.
The Warriors went wire-to-wire in the National Prep Poll (precursor to FAB 50) in 1992-93, likely fielding their strongest team ever that season. Three seniors off that team played at North Carolina, including Jerry Stackhouse and Jeff McGinnis.
Greg Oden, the No. 1 pick of the 2007 NBA Draft, is the only Mr. Basketball USA to lead a team to a wire-to-wire FAB 50 No. 1 ranking. He was national player of the year and led Lawrence North to a 29-0 mark during the 2005-06 season.
Naismith Hall of Fame coach Bob Hurley’s club at St. Anthony (Jersey City, N.J.) ran into injury problems during the 2004-05 season and was unranked in the final poll that season.
All other preseason No. 1 ranked teams have finished no lower than No. 14 in the final rankings.
All-Time Preseason Top 50 No. 1 Teams
(Teams’ finishes in parentheses)
1987-88: Tolentine (Bronx, N.Y.) 30-1 (No. 1)
1988-89: St. Anthony (Jersey City, N.J.) 32-0 (No. 1)
1989-90: King (Chicago, Ill.) 30-0 (No. 1)
1990-91: Simon Gratz (Philadelphia, Pa.) 27-1 (No. 1)
1991-92: Dunbar (Baltimore, Md.) 29-0 (No. 1)
1992-93: Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.) 30-0 (No. 1)
1993-94: Crenshaw (Los Angeles, Calif.) 29-2 (No. 2)
1994-95: St. John’s at Prospect Hall (Frederick, Md.) 22-1 (No. 2)
1995-96: St. Anthony, 31-0 (No. 1)
1996-97: Dominguez (Compton, Calif.) 29-5 (No. 11)
1997-98: St. John’s at Prospect Hall, 25-0 (No. 1)
1998-99: DeMatha Catholic (Hyattsville, Md.) 28-4 (No. 8)
1999-00: Oak Hill Academy, 30-2 (No. 2)
2000-01: Oak Hill Academy, 33-0 (No. 1)
2001-02: Oak Hill Academy, 32-1 (No. 2)
2002-03: St. Patrick (Elizabeth, N.J.) 27-4 (No. 9)
2003-04: Oak Hill Academy, 38-0 (No. 1)
2004-05: St. Anthony, 21-6 (Not Ranked)
2005-06: Lawrence North (Indianapolis, Ind.) 29-0 (No. 1)
2006-07: Oak Hill Academy, 40-1 (No. 1)
2007-08: Duncanville (Duncanville, Texas) 36-2 (No.10)
2008-09: St. Patrick (Elizabeth, N.J.) 30-3 (No. 4)
2009-10: Findlay Prep (Henderson, Nev.) 32-2 (No. 3)
2010-11: Findlay Prep (Henderson, Nev.) 28-4 (No. 14)
2011-12: Simeon (Chicago, Ill.) 33-1 (No. 6)
2012-13: Montverde Academy (Montverde, Fla.) 26-2 (No. 1)
2013-14: Montverde Academy (Montverde, Fla.) 27-1* (No. 1)
Ronnie Flores is the Publisher and Editor of GrassrootsHoops.net. He can be reached at ronlocc1977@yahoo.com. Don’t forget to follow him on Twitter: @RonMFlores
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