Final, Expanded 2023-24 FAB 50 Rankings!

All 50 ranked teams written up with explanations for why they were placed in these positions with comparisons to preseason ranking. The FAB 50 National Team Rankings powered by Ballislife.com is the official rankings of the National Sports News Service, which date back to the 1952 season. Montverde Academy of Florida is the 2023-24 mythical national champion, as the program captured its seventh FAB 50 title since 2013, tying Oak Hill Academy of Virginia for most all-time No. 1 finishes.

Compiled by Ronnie Flores

(Preseason ranking in parentheses; *Indicates forfeit wins, forfeit losses not included; **Indicates forfeits and defaults not included.)

1. (1) Montverde Academy (Montverde, Fla.) 33-0
This team made history for a variety of reasons, as it became the third team under coach Kevin Boyle (344-26 at MVA, 854-158 overall) to claim a FAB 50 title with an unbeaten record. The 2020 team didn’t get an opportunity to compete in Chipotle Nationals because of the COVID-19 pandemic, but this year’s team was able to match the 2018 team by going wire-to-wire as the FAB 50 No. 1 team. The 2021 MVA team also went wire-to-wire No. 1 but was not unbeaten. The Eagles closed out their season with a Chipotle Nationals crown, courtesy of a 79-63 win over No. 3 Paul VI (Chantilly, Va.) in the championship game, their second victory over that same club. Curtis Givens came off the bench to nail 6-of-9 3-pointers and score 24 points while All-Americans Cooper Flagg and Derik Queen added 16 and 19 points, respectively, as the program upped its record to 29-6 all-time at the end-of-season tournament. Between those three players, there was only nine shots missed while Flagg (16.1 ppg, 7.6 rpg, 3.9 apg, 2.7 bpg, 1.6 spg) blocked six shots. Flagg averaged 20.0 ppg and 7.0 rpg in three Chipotle Nationals victories, as the Eagles recorded a whopping 24 victories over teams that were FAB 50 ranked at some point during the 2023-24 season. Queen was the Eagles’ leading scorer (16.4 ppg) and shot 68.3 percent from the field while attempting only three 3-pointers, as this club had uncanny balance and thrived by taking quality shots from the field. Montverde Academy’s other three starters averaged double figures for a team that played as tough a schedule as any MVA team ever and only had three games decided by single-digits. For its dominance, this club will ultimately be compared to its 2020 unit and by living up to expectations was able to claim the program’s seventh Chipotle Nationals crown and seventh No. 1 FAB 50 crown. The No. 1 finish means MVA ties Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.) for the most all-time FAB 50 national titles. Regardless of where it stands on the list of most dominant teams the program has ever produced, it will be remembered for playing up to expectations against one of the toughest schedules ever seen among FAB 50 ranked teams.

2. (3) Columbus (Miami, Fla.) 28-5
Similar to No. 3 Paul VI and No. 5 Long Island Lutheran, the Explorers lost to No. 1 Montverde Academy twice, but are able to finish one spot ahead of Paul VI because of their 70-61 victory over the Panthers at the Spalding Hoophall Classic. Columbus lost to Montverde Academy in the semifinals of Chipotle Nationals after falling behind big just as it did in its first matchup with the eventual FAB 50 champions. Junior Cameron Boozer finished with 29 points and seven rebounds in Columbus’ final game of the season and was remarkably consistent throughout the year for a team that lived up to expectations, averaging 22.2 ppg, 11.4 rpg, 2.7 apg and 2.1 bpg. Columbus qualified for Chipotle Nationals by defeating No. 15 Oak Ridge (Orlando, Fla.) in overtime, 72-67, in the Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA) Class 7A championship game. Boozer’s slam dunk with five seconds remaining sent the game into overtime and he finished it with 24 points, 11 rebounds, five assists and three steals. Columbus also got strong seasons from Cam’s brother, Cayden Boozer (12.0 ppg, 2.7 rpg, 7.6 apg) and Michigan St.-bound Jase Richardson (15.3 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 3.7 apg, 2.3 spg). In addition to defeating No. 3 Paul VI, the Explorers also downed No. 4 No. 4 Long Island Lutheran (Glen Head, N.Y.), No. 6 Prolific Prep (Napa, Calif.) and No. 8 Harvard-Westlake (North Hollywood, Calif.), the latter in the title game of the Les Schwab Invitational in Portland, Ore.

3. (5) Paul VI (Chantilly, Va.) 35-3
As the season came to a close, the big ranking decision involved placing the Washington Catholic Athletic Conference (WCAC) champs at No. 2 or leaving them behind Columbus of Florida, which lost in Chipotle Nationals semifinals to the same Montverde Academy team the Panthers fell to in the event’s title game, 79-63. The Panthers did have two fewer losses than the Explorers, but MVA’s victory margins over Paul VI in comparison to the margins vs. Columbus are in similar range that a rankings flip to go against a head-to-head result (Columbus defeated Paul VI) was unwarranted. Although that decision was a close call, what cannot be disputed was the expectation for Paul VI to be in the thick of the FAB 50 title race for the second consecutive season and being able to live up to that. Although this year’s club wasn’t able to ascent to the No. 1 spot as the 2022-23 club did, coach Glen Farello’s club was able to capture its second WCAC title in there years with a 63-51 win over No. 30 Gonzaga (Washington, D.C.) at American University. Duke-bound Darren Harris, the WCAC MVP, led the way with 20 points and seven rebounds. Harris (17.2 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 3.1 apg, 2.0 spg) scored 36 points in Paul VI’s first round win at Chipotle Nationals over No. 17 IMG Academy (101-89), netted 20 points in the semifinal victory over No. 7 Link Academy (58-44) and averaged 24.0 ppg in three games at the event. Also playing key roles on a deep team that won its third consecutive VISAA D1 state crown and finished 15-0 in WCAC regular and tourney play were sophomore guard Jordan Smith Jr., a third team All-Met selection by the Washington Post, and honorable mention choice Isaiah Abraham, a senior forward. An unbeaten WCAC run like Paul VI’s last occurred in 2011-12 when the Panthers finished No. 12 in the FAB 50.

4. (BB) Plano East (Plano, Texas) 40-0
The Panthers were the definition of team, and check in as the highest rated public school team for 2023-24. Plano East started out No. 14 in Southwest Regional Rankings, but exceeded expectations by capturing a University Interscholastic League (UIL) state title in the highest classification (Class 6A). Coach Matt Wester’s team steadily climbed in the rankings and turned heads with a 55-50 win over Stony Point (Round Rock, Texas) in the championship game of the long-running Whataburger Tournament. That was Stony Point’s only loss of the season until the two teams once again locked horns in the state title game at the The Alamodome in front of 8,812. Plano East was in control and posted a historic 53-41 victory over the then No. 6 ranked team in the FAB 50. D.J. Hall led the way for Plano East with 18 points, while Rachard Angton, a 5-foot-10 senior, came on the bench to score 13 crucial points. Stony Point led by two points early in the game momentarily, as Plano East not only won its first UIL state crown, but the first state title in school history in any sport. Hall (15.7 ppg, 7.0 rpg) was named Class 6A Tourney MVP and TABC all-state, while Jordan Mizell, a 6-foot-2 senior guard, was a TABC all-Region 1 choice.

5. (4) Long Island Lutheran (Glen Head, N.Y.) 21-5
The Crusaders were expected to challenge Montverde Academy for the EYBL Scholastic (formerly NIBC) League title and they played up to par all season long. They finished 10-2 in league play, losing once to the top-ranked Eagles and dropping a game to No. 16 AZ Compass Prep. LuHi was able to overcome that loss with two victories over No. 6 Link Academy, a win over No. 17 IMG Academy and one over No. 19 Don Bosco Prep. LuHi qualified for Chipotle Nationals, where it saw its season come to an end with a 71-58 setback to No. 2 Columbus in the quarterfinals. Leading the way for coach John Buck’s successful program for the second consecutive season was Baylor-bound shooting guard V.J. Edgecomb (17.3 ppg, 6.0 rpg, 4.0 apg, 2.3 spg), who made many big plays on both sides of the ball and was named all-league for the second consecutive year. Also putting forth a terrific season was junior point guard Kayden Mingo, a third team all-EYBL Scholastic choice. Mingo averaged 15.2 ppg in league play for a team whose four of its five losses were to the two top-ranked teams in the country.

6. (2) Link Academy (Branson, Mo.) 26-7
After capturing the 2023 FAB 50 national crown in only its second season eligible for the national rankings, Link Academy was expected to be a main challenger to Montverde Academy for a chance at back-to-back No. 1 finishes. That didn’t materialize, although the Lions had only one loss that can be pointed to that was to a team out of their rankings range. That was a loss in EYBL Scholastic play to No. 34 Brewster Academy, as Link Academy fell twice to No. 5 Long Island Lutheran and to No. 3 Paul VI. Coach Billy Armstrong’s club was able to avenge its regular season loss to No. 7 Prolific Prep with a 80-76 double overtime victory in the opening round of Chipotle Nationals before falling in the semifinals to Paul VI, 58-44. Link Academy, which finished in third place in the EYBL Scholastic standings one game behind (9-3) No. 5 Long Island Lutheran, were led by All-American and first team all-league choice Tre Johnson. The Texas-bound shooting guard averaged 15.5 ppg, 3.3 rpg and 3.6 apg. Alabama-bound guard Jasper Johnson earned third team all-league honors while averaging 11.9 ppg, while LaBaron Philon, also bound for Alabama, scored 24 points in the avenging win over Prolific Prep and sported norms of 10.0 ppg and a team-high 4.3 apg.

7. (6) Prolific Prep (Napa, Calif.) 31-6
The Crew played right in the range expected of them in the preseason and earned a Chipotle Nationals berth for the fifth consecutive season. On a team built to challenge for the FAB 50 title, the big problem was health, as the team went 13-0 heading into Chipotle Nationals with its top seven players healthy. In the first game of the season for sophomore forward Tyran Stokes, The Crew upped their record to 9-1 with a 77-76 win over Link Academy when that club was No. 2 in the FAB 50. In the rematch with all top seven players available, Prolific Prep fell in double overtime, 80-76. There were three McDonald’s All-Americans on the team (Washington-bound point guard Zoom Diallo, Alabama-bound forward Derrion Reid and Alabama-bound center Aidan Sherrell), but the top player was junior A.J,. Dybansta. He helped Prolific Prep win its second consecutive Grind Session regular season and tourney title by finishing with team highs in points (21.2 ppg) and rebounds (9.4 rpg), while adding 3.5 apg.

8. (11) Harvard-Westlake (North Hollywood, Calif.) 33-3
The Wolverines lived up to expectations and then some, as No. 2 Columbus was the only team it didn’t beat on a tough schedule, falling to the Explorers on a controversial call in the waning moments of the Les Schwab Invitational championship game, 55-54. Coach Dave Rebibo’s club lost back-to-back Mission League games the same week after a MLK Monday victory over No. 24 McEachern, but the Wolverines avenged those losses by beating Notre Dame (Sherman Oaks, Calif.) by four points in the Mission League Tournament semifinals and by defeating Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth, Calif.), 72-38, in the CIF Southern Section open playoffs. By going on to defeat No. 13 Roosevelt in the CIFSS open title game and CIF open final, Harvard-Westlake became the first team since Sierra Canyon in 2019-20 to start as preseason No. 1 in California and officially finish as the Cal-Hi Sports State Team of the Year. It was a preseason goal of Harvard-Westlake to win both section and state open crowns, after winning only at the state level in 2022-23 and behind the play of Trent Perry, basically refused to lose down the stretch. The McDonald’s All-American closed his senior strong, scoring 42 points in Harvard-Westlake’s 73-72 SoCal open semifinal win over Carlsbad (Calif.), netting 28 points in a come-from-behind win over Roosevelt in the SoCal open final, and scoring the last six points of the game and coming up with a clutch steal down the stretch in a 17-point performance in a 50-45 win over No. 32 Salesian in the CIF open title game at the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento. Senior Robert Hinton and junior Nik Khamenia also stepped up in the playoffs with the team’s role players knowing exactly what was expected of them.

9. (NR) Fishers (Fishers, Ind.) 29-1
The Tigers didn’t crack the preseason Midwest regional rankings, but served notice they were a force to be reckoned with by defeating preseason No. 8 Ben Davis (Indianapolis, Ind.), 74-61, and preseason No. 3 Kokomo (Ind.), 77-55, early in the season. Ben Davis was the defending Indiana High School Athletic Association (IHSAA) Class 4A state champs and Kokomo the defending runner-up, but Fishers proved to be the class of the Hoosier field in 2023-24. Fishers avenged its only loss to Carmel (Ind.) with a 54-41 victory and beat Kokomo once again in the IHSAA Class 4A playoffs. Coach Garrett Winegar’s club went on to face Ben Davis for a second time in the Class 4A state final and with the stakes at their highest, came away with a 65-56 victory at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. The defending champions led Fishers heading into the final period, 48-47, but the Tigers scored the first six points of the final period to take control of the game. Fishers junior guard JonAnthony Hall and senior forward Keenan Gardner led the way down the stretch, as Hall finished with 23 points and 10 rebounds while Gardner had 19 points, 10 rebounds and five assists. Garner, a 6-foot-6 senior bound for IUPUI, was the ringleader all-season long and was named to the first team A.P. all-state team. Taden Metzger, a 6-foot-2 senior guard who scored 10 points in the state title game, and Hall, a Grid-Hoop standout, were honorable mention choices. Ben Davis was coming off a 33-0 season in which it finished ranked No. 4 and had the Tigers not dropped the one contest, it would have finished in that range, too.

10. (NR) Wisconsin Lutheran (Milwaukee, Wis.) 30-0
Another team we didn’t have on our preseason Midwest Region radar was the Vikings, who ran roughshod through their Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association (WIAA) competition en route to a D2 state crown. Wisconsin Lutheran was able to defeat preseason FAB 50 No. 17 De Pere, 70-68, during the regular season to snap that team’s 42-game winning streak, as Duke-bound Kon Knueppel racked up 38 points in the big win. De Pere was the defending D1 state champs and the Vikings went on to defeat three-time defending D2 state champ Pewaukee three times during the season, including a 83-62 victory in the D2 state title game. Pewaukee came into that contest a FAB 50 bubble club, but was no match for Wisconsin Lutheran as Knueppel shared the sugar with 11 points and 11 assists. In the state semifinals, Wisconsin Lutheran downed Nicolet (Glendale, Wis.), 56-54, on a lay-up right before the buzzer by junior Alex Greene (7.6 ppg) off a pretty feed from sophomore Zavier Zens (9.9 ppg, 4.7 rpg, 2.7 apg). Knueppel (25.9 ppg, 8.6 rpg, 5.3 apg) was named WBCA state Mr. Basketball and was a three-time all-state choice, while senior Logan Rindfleisch, a 6-foot-5 wing headed to UW-Oshkosh, also earned all-state mention while averaging 13.9 ppg.

 11. (BB) Stony Point (Round Rock, Texas) 38-2
This team had a season to be proud of even though the results came up one game short of their desired goal of a UIL Class 6A state crown. Similar to eventual champ Plano East, Stony Point started a bit too low in our regional rankings forecast at No. 12 in the Southwest (two spots higher than the Panthers), but steadily climbed after rebounding from its 55-50 loss to Plano East in the Whataburger Tourney title game. Stony Point’s big win in the postseason came in the regional semifinals when it defeated preseason FAB 50 No. 30 Brennan (San Antonio, Texas), 69-68, and secured a high FAB 50 ranking with its 54-46 state semifinal victory over No. 48 Beaumont United. Stony Point had a chance to avenge its only loss in the highly-anticipated final but came up short, 53-41. Josiah Moseley was Stony Point’s only double-digit scorer in the game, finishing with 18 points, 12 rebounds and four assists for a club that was outscored in each quarter. The Villanova-bound Moseley (22.8 ppg, 8.9 rpg, 1.8 bpg) earned second team All-American Elite team honors and was a TABC all-state choice, while junior Uzziah Bunton (12.2 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 5.1 apg, 1.8 spg) and senior Junior Goodlet (10.9 ppg) were named TABC all-Region 4.

12. (BB) Central Cabarrus (Concord, N.C.) 33-0
In 2022-23, the Vikings began as the No. 2 North Carolina High School Athletic Association (NCHSAA) team in our Southeast Region pecking order behind Myers Park of Charlotte, but ended up as the state’s best team. This season, Central Cabarrus actually opened up at No. 18 in the Southeast Regional Rankings behind NCHSAA schools Myers Park and Chambers of Charlotte, but exceeded expectations en route to a second consecutive Class 3A state title. Central Cabarrus did have some key graduation losses, but coach Jim Baker’s club was able to run the table for the second consecutive season, downing 71st of Fayetteville, 90-62, in the state title game. Lees-McRae commit Desmond Kent Jr. (19.8 ppg, 9.0 rpg) had 20 points in the first half and added nine rebounds, five steals, two assists and two blocks, while senior forward Josh Dalton (15.6 ppg, 6.1 rpg) scored a game-high 22 points. The Vikings also recorded a key semifinal win by downing previously unbeaten Hickory (N.C.), 87-78, as Kent went for 25 points. Baker had three other double-digit scorers at his disposal in junior Emari Russell (10.3 ppg), and Catawba College-bound twin brothers Carson Daniel (11.7 ppg, 8.1 apg, 4.5 spg) and Chase Daniel (11.2 ppg, 4.3 rpg, 7.2 apg, 3.2 spg). With their success the past two seasons, the Vikings enter 2024-25 with the nation’s longest winning streak at 65 games. The program has won 95 of its last 96 contests.

13. (44) Roosevelt (Eastvale, Calif.) 31-4
It was a successful season for Mustangs coach Steve Singleton, who coached Roosevelt to a California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) D1 state title in 2017 and a Tyson Chandler-led Dominguez (Compton, Calif.) team to a D2 state title and No. 17 FAB 50 ranking. Despite not winning a section or state title, this team is actually ranked higher than that Dominguez club led by a 7-footer a few months from being the No. 2 pick in the 2001 NBA Draft. Roosevelt fell to No. 8 Harvard-Westlake in both the CIFSS open title game and SoCal D1 title game and split with the other two teams it lost two, including Big VIII League rival Centennial (Corona,. Calif.). In the preseason, we knew Roosevelt was going to be dynamic with the eligibility of junior guards Brayden Burries and Isaac Williamson restored after sitting out the 2022-23 season, but the Mustangs were even better than expected, as they beat Centennial in the league title game and avenged the loss to JSerra (San Juan Capistrano, Calif.) with a 64-51 victory in CIFSS open pool play. With Burries (24.8 ppg, 7.9 rpg, 3.5 apg and 2.7) and Williamson back next season along with point guard Myles Walker and glue player Dom Copenhagen, this team should begin next season much higher than its 2023-24 preseason spot.

14. (BB) St. Rose (Belmar, N.J.) 29-2
After advancing to the NJSIAA Non-Public Group B title game in 2022-23, we got tipped off the Purple Roses would be terrific in 2023-24 by an event operator, and he turned out to be spot on. St. Rose started out at No. 14 in the East Region Top 20, one spot outside of the FAB 50 and that tuned out to be too low. After losing their first game to Patrick School (Elizabeth, N.J.), 62-59, the Purple Roses were too cohesive and talented for any other team to handle expect No. 1 Montverde Academy (beat them 84-55). The Purple Roses defeated No. 18 Archbishop Stepinac at the Jordan Holiday Classic and went on to capture the Non-Public B state crown with a 73-29 whitewashing of Immaculate Conception (Montclair, N.J.). That win cemented their status as New Jersey’s No. 1 team, as Villanova-bound Matt Hodge finished his career with 14 points, 13 rebounds, six assists and three blocks. St. Rose relied on defense the entire season, and it came up with 10 blocks in the title game, including five from 6-foot-6 Gio Panzini, who netted a game-high 16 points and nine rebounds. The third senior in the eight-man rotation, Maryland-bound Jayden Hodge (12.5 ppg, 5.2 rpg, 2.6 apg), was the team’s top overall talent and helped this program win its first state title since 1977.

 15. (28) Oak Ridge (Orlando, Fla.) 27-4
Similar to No. 14 St. Rose, the Pioneers lost big to No. 1 Montverde Academy (97-66), but it’s losses to Bishop O’Connell of Virginia (preseason No. 44 in FAB 50) and to unranked Westminster Academy of Florida that keep them behind that New Jersey state champion. Oak Ridge certainly showed what type of team it was when it gave No. 2 Columbus all it could handle in the Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA) Class 7A championship game, going into overtime before falling, 72-67. After a slam dunk tied the game near the end of regulation, Oak Ridge junior guard Jalen Reece’s 3-point attempt at the buzzer rimmed out. The Pioneers were down 16 at one juncture, but made a huge comeback behind the efforts of junior Jamier Jones, who canned three 3-pointers in the third period and finished with 16 points and six rebounds. Senior Jordan Tillery (16 points, 13 rebounds, five assists) also played well in his final game for coach Steve Reece. His club was able to down then No. 46 Winter Haven (Fla.) in the semifinals, 85-74, to snap that team’s 27-game winning streak as Jones (19.2 ppg) went bonkers from the field (12-of-15) and finished with 29 points. With Jones and Reece (15.4 ppg), the coach’s son, back in the fold along with the rapidly improving Tim Winkler (4.8 ppg, 5.0 rpg), the Pioneers could start next season higher than this ending position.

 16. (16) AZ Compass Prep (Chandler, Ariz.) 27-6
The Dragons finished exactly in the spot forecasted for them in the preseason and qualified for Chipotle Nationals for the fourth consecutive season. Coach Pete Caffey’s club was the No. 8 seed and fell to top seed and season-long FAB 50 No. 1 Montverde Academy, 64-49. The Dragons finished the EYBL Scholastic League in fourth place (9-4) behind No. 6 Link Academy (9-3). AZ Compass Prep was able to record a victory over No. 5 Long Island Lutheran (10-2), but also fell to unranked Wasatch Academy of Utah in league play. Outside of Wasatch Academy, Caffey’s crew lost only to teams ranked ahead of it, with two of the losses coming to Montverde Academy. Junior guard Jeremiah Fears led the way, averaging 13.8 ppg and earning third team all league honors. The Dragons will have a fine team once agains next season, but must replace the grit and rim protection of Grand Canyon-bound Sammy Yeanay and VCU-bound Luke Bamgboye.

17. (7) IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.) 18-9
The Ascenders weren’t quite as good as forecasted in the preseason, but they were formidable and could compete with the nation’s best teams. The high overall loss count means a 10-spot drop from the preseason, but a victory over No. 7 Prolific Prep offsets its 96-92 loss to No. 19 Don Bosco Prep and a loss to No. 28 Bullis. The Ascenders were the No. 7 seed at Chipotle Nationals and fell to No. 2 seed Paul VI, 101-89, and now sport a 6-5 all-time mark at the event. Point guard Darius Acuff, a junior, was the leading scorer in EYBL Scholastic games (21.3 ppg) and averaged 20.4 ppg and 5.5 assists to earn first team all-league honors. Donnie Freeman (16.5 ppg, 8.3 rpg) had 21 points and seven rebounds in his final game for the Ascenders and the third team all-leaguer is now headed to Syracuse, while bookend forward Khani Rooths is bound for Louisville.

18. (13) Archbishop Stepinac (White Plains, N.Y.) 26-4
The Crusaders won their second straight Catholic High School Athletic Association AA crown and were one of the nation’s best teams throughout the season. In 2022-23, they were FAB 50 ranked until losing in the New York State Federation Tournament of Champions AA final, an event that was discontinued. Before last season, Stepinac last captured the Catholic League title in 2018, as it was the favorite in 2020 before COVID-19 abruptly stopped the post-season in New York, while there wasn’t much of a 2020-21 season. Patrick Massaroni (169-80) coached a unit that only lost one game to an unranked team it had already beaten twice, St. Raymond (Bronx, N.Y.), in the New York Archdiocesan Class AA title game. The Crusaders other three losses are to higher ranked teams (including No. 1 Montverde Academy) and they own victories over No. 19 Don Bosco Prep and No. 21 Perry. They defeated Nazareth (Brooklyn, N.Y.), 66-51, in the state title game as three-time all-CHSAA pick Boogie Fland (19.2 ppg, 6.6 rpg, 3.6 apg and 2.4 spg) scored 18 points, while sophomores Jasiah Jervis and Hassan Koureissi added 15 points each. Stepinac downed PSAL champ Eagle Academy (Brooklyn, N.Y.), 75-64, to close its season as Fland (Alabama) and Quinnipiac-bound Braylan Ritvo (14.2 ppg) netted 22 and 21 points, respectively, in the inaugural Catholic vs. Public League AA title game at Long Island University.

19. (18) Don Bosco Prep (Ramsey, N.J.) 29-3
With the New Jersey Tournament of Champions discontinued after the 2021-22 season, the Ironmen were not able to take on NJSIAA Non-Public Group B champ No. 14 St. Rose after capturing its own state title in Group A. Similar to that club, Don Bosco Prep lost to Patrick School, but must remain behind St. Rose since its second loss is to No. 5 Long Island Lutheran with the third loss a 74-67 setback to No. 18 Archbishop Stepinac. Led by Rutgers recruit Dylan Harper, the Ironmen captured the New Jersey Non-Public A title with a 56-29 victory over Paul VI (Haddonfield, N.J.). Harper produced as well as any player in America down the stretch, nearly outscoring Paul VI by himself (26 points) and going for 38 points and eight rebounds in the prior game versus highly-regarded St. Peters Prep in the North Jersey Non-Public A title game. Harper, the son of former NBA guard Ron Harper who averaged 22.4 ppg, 5.7 rpg and 2.7 apg, also led his team to a win over No. 24 McEachern.

20. (35) St. Mary Prep (Orchard Lake, Mich.) 27-1
Coach Todd Colvert’s club was preseason FAB 50 ranked in three of the last four seasons and more than lived up to expectations with this year’s unit, capturing the Michigan High School Athletic Association (MHSAA) D1 state crown. St. Mary Prep had its top seven returnees back from a mildly surprising semifinalist unit in 2022-23, so it wasn’t a big surprise the Eaglets only dropped one game in the Catholic League to University of Detroit-Jesuit in December. The Eaglets came back to avenge that loss with a 76-68 victory, as All-American Trey McKenney and junior power forward Jayden Savoury combined for 48 points. McKenney (22.6 ppg, 10.1 rpg, 2.5 apg) scored 21 points in the first half and finished with 32 points in the state D1 title game victory over North Farmington (63-52) to give the program its first state title since 2000, when the program finished 28-0 and was ranked No. 10 in the FAB 50. McKenney proved to be one of the most difficult checks in the country and yet another junior honors candidate for Colvert was 6-foot-3 Sharod Barnes, who averaged 12.5 ppg, 3.1 rpg and 4.4 apg.

21. (NR) Ridge View (Columbia, S.C.) 27-2
Dorman of Roebuck opened up as the top-ranked team from the Palmetto State at No. 20 in the Southeast Region Top 20, but when the dust cleared it was evident the Blazers should have been regionally ranked. Ridgeview did drop two in-state contests to Westwood of Blythewood and cross-town A.C. Flora, but were able to avenge both losses. Coach Joshua Staley’s club also defeated No. 23 Grayson (58-53) and No. 27 John Marshall (also 58-53). The Blazers downed Riverside, 58-52, in the South Carolina High School League (SCHSL) AAAA title game after jumping out to a 20-6 lead and holding on to capture their fifth state title. Ridge View was led by Korie Corbett with 18 points and Jayden Pretty with 15 points. Corbett, a sophomore wing, was named all-state after averaging 16.0 ppg, 7.3 rpg, 2.1 apg and 2.3 spg.

22. (33) Perry (Gilbert, Ariz.) 24-6
For a while, it looked like the Pumas would finish ranked in the range of their preseason forecast or even a bit lower after they lost twice to Arizona Interscholastic Association (AIA) teams. Perry, however, closed strong and so did the out-of-state teams they lost to. No. 18 Archbishop Stepinac won a New York state title and No. 8 Harvard-Westlake, which beat the Pumas twice, won California’s open state title. After losing to Sunnyslope (Phoenix, Ariz.), the team it beat in the first AIA open title game in 2022-23, the Pumas actually dropped out of the nation’s longest-running weekly national rankings but returned at No. 34 after downing then No. 38 Millennium (Goodyear, Ariz.), 71-67, to repeat as AIA open division state champs. Incredibly, Perry was down 17 points but chipped away at its deficit behind some big shots by guard Barron Silsby and the clutch play of Koa Peat, already a two-time All-American with his senior season to go. Silsby had 10 second half points to help Perry overcome a 41-32 halftime deficit and Peat finished with 21 points, 13 rebounds and four assists. Perry won the Class 6A crown in 2021-22 and is 14-0 in the playoffs the past three seasons with Peat (20.5 ppg, 10.6 rpg, 3.4 apg, 2.2 bpg) in the lineup. Arizona high school hoops fans are already anticipating his quest for an unbeaten career postseason run.

23. (29) Grayson (Loganville, Ga.) 30-2
The Rams opened the season as the No. 2 Georgia High School Association (GHSA) team behind McEachern (Powder Springs, Ga.) and in front of Wheeler (Marietta, Ga.), the team it fell to in the 2022-23 GHSA Class AAAAAAA semifinals. Grayson got over the hump and erased some demons by capturing its first-ever state crown with a 51-41 victory over then No. 20 McEachern, the same team it beat 79-62 in a true road game at the Georgia Elite 8 Tip-Off Classic. Junior Georgia commit Jacob Wilkins made some big plays down the stretch after McEachern made one final push, finishing with 14 points and 12 rebounds. Purdue signee Gicarri Harris, a 6-foot-4 senior, added nine points and five rebounds for the victorious Rams, who also defeated No. 37 Kell (70-54), the Class AAAAA champion. In 2019-20, Grayson got all the way up to No. 4 in the FAB 50 before falling in the AAAAAAA title game, but this year’s ranking cake is baked, so to speak, because of its two out-of-state losses. Grayson fell to No. 21 Ridge View and No. 22 Perry.

24. (21) McEachern (Powder Springs, Ga.) 26-6
McEachern started the season ranked higher in the FAB 50 than Grayson by eight spots and came into the GHSA Class AAAAAAA title game ranked higher in the FAB 50 than that club because of its previous national results, including a win over No. 25 North Mecklenburg and an overtime loss to No. 8 Harvard-Westlake. McEachern played the Rams better than it did in their first game, but eventually fell 51-41 after making one final push in the fourth quarter. The Indians’ other losses were to No. 2 Columbus, No. 3 Paul VI and to No. 19 Don Bosco Prep, so it’s only natural they finish one spot behind their in-state nemesis. National player of the year (Mr. Basketball USA) finalist Ace Bailey had 18 points in his final game, but only four in the second half. Against national competition, Georgia’s Mr. Basketball finished with norms of 32.5 ppg, 15.5 rpg, 3.5 apg and 2.4 bpg.

25. (26) North Mecklenburg (Huntersville, N.C.) 30-3
The Vikings moved down one spot after capturing the NCHSAA Class 4A state crown to make room for a McEachern of Georgia club that had to drop, too, after losing in its respective state title game. On the flip side, North Meck also finish one spot higher than forecasted in the preseason when it opened as the NCHSAA’s No. 2 team behind the Myers Park of Charlotte club it lost to in the 2023 Class 4A Western Regional Final. McEachern was one of the three losses for North Mecklenburg, with the others coming against No. 36 Camden and No. 6 Link Academy. North Meck downed No. 26 Myers Park in the state quarterfinals, 79-63, as Duke-bound All-American Isaiah Evans went bonkers with a season-high 48 points, including 21 consecutive in the third period. In the semifinals, it took North Meck overtime to down Lake Norman, 65-61, as Evans scored four points in the final 40 seconds to force overtime. His jumper with 40 seconds remaining in OT gave his team the lead and his two free throws down the stretched sealed the victory. New Hanover came into the state title game unbeaten, but Evans’ 23 points and eight rebounds propelled North Meck to a 57-47 victory. For the season, the N.C.B.C.A. State Player of the Year led the program to its third state crown by averaging 27.4 ppg, 6.1 rpg, 3.2 apg and 2.3 spg.

 26. (15) Myers Park (Charlotte, N.C.) 27-3
The Mustangs were the preseason No. 1 NCHSAA for the second consecutive season and were coming off a year in which they captured the Class 4A title. With their three big guns back, Myers Park had its eyes on a FAB 50 title run, but ran into a North Mecklenburg team that wouldn’t be denied in the Class 4A state quarterfinals. Myers Park led until late in the second quarter, but the wheels fell off in the third, as it trialed by 20 points (56-36) heading into the final period of an eventual 79-63 loss. Notre Dame-bound Sir Mohammed (13.1 ppg, 6.0 rpg, 3.8 apg, 2.3 spg) led the way in a losing effort with 20 points, while Tennessee-bound Bishop Boswell (11.5 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 5.9 apg) and junior Ashton King added 14. The Mustangs showed they were a serious FAB 50 threat when they took No. 3 Paul VI into overtime before losing, with the other loss coming versus in-state Combine Academy. In addition to King (7.4 ppg), Myers Park (which beat No. 27 John Marshall), return highly-regarded Sadiq White Jr. (16.9 ppg, 5.6 rpg) next season.

27. (8) John Marshall (Richmond, Va.) 25-3
Similar to No. 26 Myers Park, the Jayem Justices had FAB 50 title aspirations in the preseason, but came up just short of that level. Unlike Myers Park (which beat John Marshall), the Justices were able to capture a third consecutive Virginia High School League (VHSL) Class 2A state crown. Their 2020-21 club might have been the most talented on paper, but didn’t play any games because of the COVID-19 Pandemic so technically its a fourth consecutive title after wining it all in 2020. John Marshall’s FAB 50 ranking is easily laid out, as it lost to No. 21 Ridge View, while its loss to St. Christopher’s of Richmond is offset by a win over No. 29 Sidwell Friends. Led by VHSL Class 2A Player of the Year Damon “Redd” Thompson (18.0 ppg, 2.1 rpg, 4.1 apg), John Marshall easily downed Virginia High, 89-32, in the state title game with its James Madison signee going for 12 points, four rebounds, six assists and two steals in a game that went to a running clock early. Without a VHSL Tournament of Champions or open division, the Justices’ dominance in its division is nearly counter productive to its greatness. The program’s average margin of victory in its six playoff games was 60 points, while its 2023 post-season winning margin was 65.5 ppg. Under coach Ty White, the program has now won five state titles in the past seven seasons and six since 2014. In all, the Justices enter 2024-25 having won 24 consecutive playoff games and have all-state talents Latrell Allmond (6-9 sophomore) and Aiden Argabright (5-11 junior) returning, along with 6-foot-9 junior Marcus Jackson and 6-foot-6 junior Desmon Rose.

28. (38) Bullis (Potomac, Md.) 27-3
The Bulldogs started out as our No. 4 team for the DMV and there could have been six or seven ranked teams, as the region is that talented. For the second consecutive season, coach Bruce Kelley’s club captured the Interstate Athletic Conference (IAC) title, defeating Georgetown Prep (Bethesda, Md.), 70-52, behind a balanced offensive attack and good rebounding. Junior Adrien Stevens led the way with 14 points, while junior center Eric Reibe added 13 points with senior Caden Diggs chipping in 12 points. After a short-handed Bullis club was upset in the first round of the 2023 Maryland Private School State Tournament, this year the Bulldogs fared much better, advancing to the title game before falling in double overtime to DeMatha Catholic, 74-68. Bullis’ also lost another overtime game to No. 44 Jackson-Reed and a third game to Moravian Prep of North Carolina, but those losses are offset by victories over No. 17 IMG Academy and No. 29 Sidwell Friends. Stevens (14 ppg, 43 percent 3-point) was the top honors candidate and will be back along with the highly-regarded Reibe, but the club will miss Diggs (Old Dominion) and two-time All-Met choice Tyler Boston (Holy Cross).

 29. (9) Sidwell Friends (Washington, D.C.) 27-4
The Quakers didn’t fare quite as well as they wanted to versus FAB 50 title contenders, but it was another terrific season for coach Eric Singletary (279-133). His club lost to No. 28 Bullis (60-56), in overtime to No. 27 John Marshall (63-55), to No. 6 Link Academy and to No. 3 Paul VI. Sidwell Friends did finish strong, however, capturing the District of Columbia State Athletic Association (DCSAA) Class AA title with a 47-37 victory over St. John’s (Washington, D.C.). From a rankings standpoint, the big playoff victory was a 52-52 semifinal victory over then No. 16 Gonzaga (Washington, D.C.), which finishes right behind the Quakers in the rankings. Acaden Lewis, a play-making point guard, had 16 points vs. St. John’s and was the difference-maker vs. Gonzaga with 21 points, five rebounds and three assists. Georgetown-bound forward Caleb Williams had another terrific season on both ends of the floor. He joined Lewis (14.5 ppg) on the Washington Post All-Met team, with junior forward Jalen Rougier-Roane also earning post-season acclaim. Sidwell Friends has now won three consecutive DCSAA state titles and four in the past five seasons heading into 2024-25 with Lewis, Rougier-Roane and guard Caleb Gillus all returning.

30. (12) Gonzaga (Washington, D.C.) 28-6
The Purple Eagles opened as the No. 2 team in the Washington Catholic Athletic Conference (WCAC) and finish as its No. 2 ranked team behind FAB 50 No. 3 Paul VI, the preseason favorite. The one-point (53-52) loss to No. 29 Sidwell Friends in the DCSAA semifinals dropped the Purple Eagles 13 spots the week after the game and prevents them from finishing in the range expected in the preseason. Sidwell Friends was the only non-WCAC or EYBL Scholastic member coach Stephen Turner’s club lost to, as it also fell to No. 1 Montverde Academy and No. 5 Long Island Lutheran. Gonzaga split with Bishop O’Connell and the loss to Paul VI in the WCAC title game was actually it second setback to the Panthers. Nyk Lewis (13 ppg, 6 rpg, 4.5 apg) was first team All-Met for the second consecutive season with his senior year two go. Turner (468-171) also has second team All-Met selection Derek Dixon (6-3) and honorable mention choice Christian Gurdak (6-10) returning.

31. (19) St. John Bosco (Bellflower, Calif.) 28-7
The Braves rebounded from failing to advance to the CIF Southern Section open title game and losing the Trinity League title to No. 46 Mater Dei by capturing the CIF D1 state crown. Coach Matt Dunn’s club defeated San Ramon Valley (Danville, Calif.) in the state final, as Loyola-Chicago-bound Jack Turner led the way with 20 points, including 4-of-6 3-pointers. After losing to Trinity League champ Mater Dei twice in league play, Bosco got its avenging victory with a 71-68 overtime win in the SoCal D1 final. Junior point guard Elzie Harrington had 22 points in the win over Mater Dei and sophomore Brandon McCoy had 18 points, eight rebounds and three blocks and averaged 19.7 ppg and 11 rpg in the regional playoffs. St. John Bosco lost to then FAB 50 ranked Sierra Canyon and to No. 8 Harvard-Westlake in CIFSS open pool play, to No. 13 Roosevelt (the team that played Harvard-Westlake for the section title), to No. 3 Paul VI and to Chris The King of New York in the semifinals of the Iolani Tournament in Hawaii.

32. (BB) Salesian (Richmond, Calif.) 31-2
The Pride began No. 19 in West Region Top 20, but they were much better than that and were one game away from finishing in the Top 15. It got over its demons in the NorCal open regionals (0-5 between 2013-23) to advance to the CIF open championship game, where it gave No. 8 Harvard-Westlake all it could handle before falling, 50-45. Two late turnovers doomed any chance Salesian had to pull off the mild upset and allowed the Pride to hop the No. 31 St. John Bosco team it lost to in overtime at The Classic at Damien. Salesian might have been the most balanced NorCal team we’ve ever evaluated, as six players averaged between 6.3 and 9.0 ppg. The ringleader was Hawaii-bound point guard Aaron Hunklin-Claytor, the Tri-County Rock League Player of the Year for the second consecutive season who averaged 8.4 ppg (tied for second on the team with fellow all-stater De’Undrae Perteete), 3.9 rpg and 3.8 apg.

33. (25) La Lumiere (La Porte, Ind.) 23-5
After going 5-7 in the National Interscholastic Basketball Conference (now EYBL Scholastic) in 2022-23, LaLu had a more talented team, closed games better and was able to finish in a four-way tie for fifth place in the conference standings. At 7-5, the Lakers tied with No. 17 IMG Academy (which they lost to), No. 34 Brewster Academy (which they beat) and with unranked Wasatch Academy. Coach Patrick Holmes’ team key conference win came against fourth place and No. 16 AZ Compass Prep to help offset the above mentioned losses and those to conference foes Oak Hill Academy and No. 1 Montverde Academy. Junior Jalen Haralson and Jerry Easter received the most post-season acclaim, while fellow junior Chuck Love was another standout.

34. (BB) Brewster Academy (Wolfeboro, N.H.) 27-7
In its first season being eligible for the FAB 50 after joining the EYBL Scholastic League, the longtime New England Preparatory School Athletic Council (NEPSAC) power (which now has a prep and a national high school team) started No. 16 in the East Regional Rankings. That was only three spots outside the FAB 50, but coach Jason Smith’s club started a tad bit low after ended up finishing in a four-way tie for fifth place in the conference standings. Brewster not only lost to No. 33 La Lumiere head-to-head in two overtimes (74-66), it lost to No. 17 IMG Academy and to Veritas Prep of California, two EYBLS clubs La Lumiere defeated. Brewster Academy, competitive in every game outside its loss to No. 1 Montverde Academy, was led by third team all-EYBLS choice and Gatorade State Player of the Year Nojus Indrusaitis (14.5 ppg, 4.6 rpg, 2.3 apg), whose headed for Iowa State, and BYU-bound point guard Elijah Crawford (13.5 ppg, 4.0 rpg, 5.1 apg).

35. (NR) Patrick School (Elizabeth, N.J.) 28-4
The Celtics quietly had a terrific campaign as an independent program. Yes, the Patrick School did lose games to Bridgton Academy of Maine, Phelps School of Pennsylvania, and to Our Savior Lutheran of New York, but the Celtics deserve rankings credit for the quality of their wins. They downed No. 14 St. Rose and No. 19 Don Bosco Prep, the two highest ranked New Jersey state champions. Patrick School’s top talents were St. John’s-bound guard Jaden Glover, junior guard Brandon Lee and Manhattan College-bound forward William Sydnor.

36. (BB) Camden (Camden, N.J.) 30-2
The High had a team not quite as talented nor acclaimed as its 2022-23 unit, but became embroiled in a major playoff controversy for the second straight year. The ’23 unit led by D.J. Wagner wasn’t able to defend its ’22 state title after a melee in the first-ever Camden County Tournament led to the team being booted from the playoffs. In this year’s NJSIAA Group 2 state semifinal, it appeared Manasquan defeated The High on a buzzer-beating field goal as time expired before a game official waived off the basket to give Camden the 46-45 victory. Manasquan filed a lawsuit before Camden met Arts of Newark for the state crown to overturn the result, but the NJSIAA stuck to its bylaws that the game was over the moment the referees left the gym despite admitting the mistake. Led by Louisville recruit Billy Richmond (17.6 ppg, 7.4 rpg, 2.6 apg), Camden went on to win the state crown and only lost to St. Frances Academy of Maryland and to No. 24 McEachern. Our rankings are always results based and from a national perspective based on our criteria it wouldn’t have made sense to penalize Camden, as controversies, blown calls and off-court rulings have been part of the high school landscape for decades.

37. (NR) Kell (Marietta, Ga.) 28-3
The Longhorns missed the Southeast Regional Top 20 in the preseason and got off to a slow 1-3 start. One of the teams they lost to, Newton, ended up only losing to No. 24 McEachern by only three points (67-64) in the playoffs and Kell’s other early losses were to that same McEachern team and to No. 23 Grayson, the two teams that ended up playing in the Georgia High School Association (GHSA) Class AAAAAAA title game. Kell went on to end the season on a 27-game winning steak that culminated with a 62-51 victory over Eagle’s landing in the AAAAA title game. Coach Jermaine Sellers’ club won its second consecutive state crown behind the play of AAAAA Player of the Year C.J. Brown, a University of South Florida recruit, and his backcourt mate and Alabama A&M recruit Jaylen Colon, a second team all-state choice by sandysspeil.com.

38. (NR) Homewood Flossmor (Flossmor, Ill.) 33-4
The Vikings have a proud history and for the first time ever won the Illinois High School Association’s top prize by defeating a talented Normal Community unit, 60-48, in the Class 4A state title game. Junior Bryce Heard led the way with 21 points, 10 rebounds and three assists, while Jayden Taylor, a 5-foot-11 sophomore, added 15 points for a club that only lost two games in-state. The Vikings lost to Bradley-Bourbannis, split with Bolingbrook, defeated Bloom, Chicago Public League champ Curie and a Thorton of Harvey team that spent plenty of time FAB 50 ranked twice. As Illinois’ top-ranked team, the Vikings cannot be ranked any higher because of the defeat margins vs. No. 30 Gonzaga (77-47) and Fishers of Indiana (78-57).

39. (NR) Reidsville (Reidsville, N.C.) 29-0 
After going 26-1 and losing in the NCHSAA Class 2A state title game in 2022-23, this season the Rams upped the ante by a game, capturing the Class 2A crown with a perfect mark. The Rams defeated Farmville Central (Farmville, N.C.), 78-77, in overtime, in a terrific title game. Reidsville junior Johnniyus Sharpe Jr. made all 10 of his free throw attempts, as the Rams went 13-of-13 from the line in the hostly contested contest. Sharpe Jr. finished with a game-high 29 points, including 3-of-6 3-pointers, while Grid-Hoop dynamo Kendre Harrison finished with 19 points, 17 rebounds and blocked five shots. Harrison, a sophomore, was the ringleader all season long by recording 25 double-doubles and averaging 19.4 ppg, 15.1 rpg, and 3.7 bpg while shooting 67 percent from the field.

40. (NR) Roman Catholic (Philadelphia, Pa.) 26-3
The Cahillites captured their 34th Philadelphia Catholic League title in dramatic fashion, as they defeated Archbishop Ryan, 46-45, in overtime. It looked like Archbishop Ryan was going to claim the crown when Ryan Everett hit a 3-pointer to give his team a 45-44 lead with 8.5 seconds remaining, but Roman’s Kabe Gass hit the game-winner on a pull-up 17-footer as the clock hit 0.00 after he dribbled the length of the court without the Cahillites calling a timeout. Yes, Roman Catholic did lose to Parkland in the PIAA Class 6A quarterfinals, but that doesn’t change the fact the Cahillites avenged their loss to Father Judge in the PCL semifinals, 65-57, while the dramatic win over Archbishop Ryan also avenged another of their three losses. Junior Shareef Jackson (17.3 ppg) earned first team all-PCL honors, while senior Travis Reed (Chestnut Hill) earned second team laurels for a club that won its second consecutive league title.

 41. (37) St. Ignatius (Cleveland, Ohio) 26-3
Some Midwest prognosticators felt we had the Wildcats a bit too high as our No. 6 team from the region, but that spot ended up being in the range for a club that won the Ohio High School Athletic Association (OHSAA) D1 crown. Coach Cam Joyce’s club defeated Centerville, 66-56, before 5,189 at University of Dayton Arena as four players scored in double figures led by 6-foot senior guard Jack Zapolnick with 14 points, plus seven assists, and 6-foot-1 senior guard Matt Ellis’ 12 points. The difference in the game was St. Ignatius’ 3-point shooting, as it made 7-of-15 3-pointers, including a 3-for-3 performance by senior forward Michael Lamirand. This is a natural spot for the Wildcats as they only suffered one in-state loss with the others coming against No. 15 Oak Ridge and St. Joseph’s Prep (Philadelphia, Pa.), which lost to No. 40 Roman Catholic. The Wildcats won their first state title since 2001 when they finished No. 40 in the FAB 50 after capturing St. Ignatius’ first D1 state crown.

42. (BB) Millennium (Goodyear, Ariz.) 25-5
The Tigers started out at No. 17 in West Region Top 20, as the fourth highest rated Arizona Interscholastic Association (AIA) team behind Desert Mountain, Sunnyslope and top-rated Perry. It was a terrific regular season in which coach Ty Amundsen’s club defeated Desert Mountain and Sunnyslope twice. The Tigers look like they were going all the way after opening up a big lead on Perry in the AIA open title game. Millennium’s Sabien Cain knocked down seven 3-pointers in the first 10 minutes of the title game, as then No. 38 Millennium built an early 17-point lead. In the end, Perry stormed back and won, 71-67, as Millennium dropped its first game to an AIA foe at the most inopportune time. Cain, who had 33 points in the title game, sophomore Cameron Holmes and junior Kingston Tosi led a team that only lost to teams ranked ahead of it: No. 11 Stony Point, No. 3 Paul VI and No. 25 North Mecklenburg at the City of Palms, and to No. 32 Salesian.

43. (NR) Winter Haven (Winter Haven, Fla.) 27-2
The Blue Devils played a national level schedule and beat qualify FHSAA teams, including six that made the final four in their respective classifications. They lost their first game of the season to Burlington School of North Carolina, then rattled off 27 consecutive victories, including one over two-time Alabama Class 7A state champ hoover, before running into No. 15 Oak Ridge in the Class 7A state semifinals. Winter Haven was looking to capture its first state crown since the Otis Birdsong-led 1973 team, but came up two games short after falling to the Pioneers, 85-74. Yale-bound Isaac Celiscar (21.5 ppg, 9.2 rpg, 5.0 apg, 2.0 spg) and Stetson-bound Jamie Phillips Jr. (15.9 ppg, 7.0 rpg, 6.3 apg) led a team with four double-digit scorers.

44. (NR) Jackson-Reed (Washington, D.C.) 33-3
The Tigers lost to St. John’s in the District of Columbia State Athletic Association (DCSAA) Class AA semifinals, but their overall resume was just too strong to keep them out of the FAB 50. Jackson-Reed defeated No. 28 Bullis in overtime, 61-58, defeated Philly Catholic League finalist Archbishop Ryan, South Shore (Brooklyn, N.Y.) and Wasatch Academy (Mt. Pleasant, Utah). We considered Chicago Public League champ Curie, Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association (PIAA) Class 6A state champ Imhotep Charter and Independence (Thompson’s Station, Tenn.) for the FAB 50, but all three lost to South Shore. Jackson-Reed, whose other losses are to No. 30 Gonzaga and No. 37 Kell, had a balanced attack led by second team All-Met selection Jayden Fort (11.6 ppg, 6.5 rpg), a junior, and senior guard Scottie Hubbard (8.7 ppg, 4.8 rpg).

 45. (48) Bellevue West (Bellevue, Neb.) 27-1
We figured the Nebraska School Activities Association (NSAA) Class A state championship would come down to Millard North and the Thunderbirds. After all, the two clubs had met in the previous four state title games. Sure enough, the two clubs met again for all the marbles and it was Bellevue West defeating its rival, 57-48. The win gave Bellevue West its second straight state crown, avenged the club’s only regular season loss and allowed it to finish in the range expected in the preseason. South Dakota St-bound Jaden Jackson led the way in the state final with 21 points, seven rebounds and three steals. For the season, the state player of the year averaged 17.2 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 2.9 apg and 2.0 spg and helped the Thunderbirds go 106-8 in his four-year career.

46. (42) Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.) 29-6
Good offensive execution and terrific outside shooting allowed the Monarchs to advance to the SoCal D1 final, where they fell in overtime to Trinity League rival and No. 31 St. John Bosco, 71-68. Gary McKnight (1,272-140) had a club that won its 40th league crown in his 42nd season as head coach by defeating Bosco twice during the regular season. After losing sophomore Brannon Martinsen for the post-season to injury, Mater De went 0-2 in CIFSS open play, but bounced back to beat a Notre Dame of Sherman Oaks club that spent some time FAB 50 ranked in the regional semifinals. Martinsen will return along with sharpshooters Owen Verna and Luke Barnett, the latter whom McKnight feels might be the best shooter in program history.

47. (BB) Lyon County (Eddyville, Ky.) 36-3
The Lyons, a program with 277 students, opened up No. 14 in Midwest Region Top 20, but ended up breaking in the FAB 50 by capturing the Kentucky High School Athletics Association (KHSAA) Sweet 16. Lyon County downed Harlan County (Rosspoint, Ky.) in the Sweet 16 final, 67-58, before 13,568 at historic Rupp Arena. Travis Perry, Kentucky’s Mr. Basketball, hit 5-of-9 3-pointers en route to 27 points, along with five assists and two steals vs. Harlan County. Jack Riddick and Brady Shoulders added 15 points each for the Lyons, who downed then No. 25 Great Crossing (Georgetown, Ky.) 58-49 in the semifinals a few hours before taking on Harlan County behind Perry’s 24 points. Lyon County also beat state champions from Alabama (Buckhorn) and South Carolina (Lexington). Kentucky still employs the one-class system (as does Delaware) and because of Eddyville’s and Harlan’s size, Perry (29.5 ppg, 5.4 rpg, 5.0 apg, 3.9 spg) is now a state folk hero after leading his team to its first state title.

48. (BB) Beaumont United (Beaumont, Texas) 34-4
The Timberwolves began No. 17 in Southwest Regional Rankings, but for the second consecutive year exceeded national expectations. After winning back-to-back University Interscholastic League (UIL) Class 5A state crowns in 2021 and 2022, Beaumont United was moved up to Class 6A last season and advanced to the state title game. This season, TABC All-State picks Kayde Dotson (18.0 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 3.2 apg) and Clarence Payia III (17.6 ppg, 7.4 rpg) led a Timberwolves club that advanced to the Class 6A semifinals before falling to No. 11 Stony Point, 54-46. The program has now finished FAB 50 ranked for four consecutive seasons.

49. (NR) Northwest (Shawnee Mission, Kan.) 25-0
Blue Valley Northwest (Overland Park, Kan.) was our top-ranked Kansas team in the preseason, two spot behind Beaumont United at No. 19 in the Southwest Region, but it was Northwest that emerged as the state’s best team. The Cougars culminated their perfect run to the KSHSAA Class 6A state title with a 47-38 victory over Wichita Heights. Northwest defeated Sunflower League foe Mill Valley in the semifinals and captured its first state title on its 14th trip to state since 1973 using an all-underclass starting lineup led by all-staters Keaton Wagler, a junior, and Ethan Taylor, a sophomore. The Cougars are the sixth and final team from the Southwest to earn a ranking, edging out Oklahoma’s top team, Owasso, and New Mexico’s best club, Volcano Vista, the latter which started at No. 18 in the region sandwiched between Beaumont United and Blue Valley Northwest.

50. (NR) Great Crossing (Georgetown, Ky.) 36-2
The Warhawks are the eighth and final Midwest club to crack the FAB 50, beating out Chicago Public League champ Curie, St. Joseph of California from the West Region, Imhotep Charter of Philadelphia from the East Region and Lexington of South Carolina from the Southeast Region. Great Crossing’s season ended in the KHSAA Sweet 16 semifinals with a 58-49 loss to eventual champ No. 47 Lyon County, with its only regular season loss coming in double overtime to Washington Catholic Athletic Conference (WCAC) member Bishop O’Connell of Virginia. Helping the Warhawks earn the final spot in the final rankings despite falling in the semis is O’Connell defeating two FAB 50 ranked teams and similar to Lyon County, owning a win over Lexington of South Carolina. After losing in the Beach Ball Classic final to O’Connell, Great Crossing downed Chaminade of Missouri, 72-46, and before the Beach Ball won the King of the Bluegrass Tournament with a win over Central of Little Rock, Ark.

Ronnie Flores is the national Grassroots editor of Ballislife.com. He can be reached at ronnie@ballislife.com. Don’t forget to follow him on Twitter: @RonMFlores

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