With so many high level contests in the first month and a half of the season, we have explosive movement in the second edition of the FAB 50 National Team Rankings powered by Ballislife.com for the 2024-25 season. Even more than the 12 newcomers this week led by traditional FAB 50 power DeMatha Catholic (Hyattsville, Md.) at No. 17, there is tons of movement as parity has hit the high school game nationwide. Is there a great team this year? No. 1 Columbus (Miami, Fla.) will have a shot to prove it, as holiday tournaments over the next two weeks figure to shake up the rankings once again going into 2025!
By Ronnie Flores
A vast majority of the country now has a few games under its belt while the great state of Texas is rapidly approaching 20 and what's clear is that on given night a ranked team can be knocked off, or knock off another one. As "In The Paint" podcast host and former WNBA player Chelsea Hopkins stated in our 2024-25 Preseason FAB 50 Show (WATCH REPLAY HERE), it's a wide open season and her statement in late October is ringing true now.
Taking a look at the second regular season FAB 50 National Team Rankings powered by Ballislife.com, we have a dozen newcomers this week, the highest single amount of newcomers in any single poll in recent years, not to mention plenty of movement. The newcomers are led by No. 17 DeMatha Catholic (Hyattsville, Md.), the most consistently ranked program in high school basketball over the last 50 years as part of the powerful Washington Catholic Athletic Conference (WCAC). The WCAC has four of its teams ranked in the Top 17, as the results so far have shown the greater DMV has plenty of terrific clubs this season.
St. John's (Washington, D. C.) is up 13 spots to No. 15, as Texas' top-ranked club, No. 18 Brennan (San Antonio, Texas), easily fell to both the Cadets (77-61) and DeMatha (77-61) at the D.C. Hoopfest two weekends ago. DeMatha has only fell to No. 16 Sidwell Friends (Washington, D.C.), which does have two losses but also defeated WCAC club and current No. 5 Paul VI (Chantilly, Va.). Paul VI handed No. 6 IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.) its only loss so far and currently the Ascenders are the highest ranked of 10 Elite Youth Basketball League Scholastic teams after previous No. 2 Montverde Academy (Montverde, Fla.) lost its first game since March 30, 2023 when it fell to new No. 7 Brewster Academy (Wolfeboro, N.H.), 59-47, Sunday afternoon at Dolby Live in Las Vegas.
The highest ranked WCAC club is new No. 2 Gonzaga (Washington, D.C.), which moves up four spots on the strength of the results of the top DMV clubs so far and for taking No. 1 Columbus into triple overtime before falling, 85-79. Mr. Basketball USA candidate and Duke-bound Cameron Boozer netted 20 of his game-high 31 points in the fourth quarter and overtime periods. He also tied the game in regulation at 55-55 with 16 seconds remaining on a 3-pointer. His brother and Duke signee Cayden Boozer added 22 points and eight assists for the Explorers.
Top-ranked Columbus will look to capture the City of Palms Classic in Ft. Myers, Fla. (Dec. 18-23). The Explorers open with No. 46 Great Crossing (Georgetown, Ky.), could face No. 4 Grayson (Loganville, Ga.) in a monster quarterfinal showdown and the winner of that game could meet No. 6 IMG Academy in the semifinals. No. 8 and defending champion Montverde Academy could face No. 11 Oak Ridge (Orlando, Fla.), a team that lost to Columbus beat in the FHSAA Class 7A state semifinals last season, or No. 23 Long Island Lutheran (Glen Head, N.Y.) in the other semifinal contest. The COP championship game is set for Monday, Dec. 23 at 7:30 pm ET.
Yes, No. 18 Brennan has defeated No. 9 Roosevelt (Eastvale, Calif.), but the Mustangs of California's Inland Empire were without New Mexico-bound guard Issac Williamson for a majority of the game (he did not score) after injuring himself running into a baseline social media cameraman and later needing stitches to close a gash after a collision. Roosevelt will have a chance to prove its rankings worth when it sets to participate in the Tarkanian Classic, set for Bishop Gorman High School in Las Vegas (Dec. 18-21).
Roosevelt could meet bubble club Riviera Prep (Miami, Fla.) in the second round, provided that club gets by defending tourney champion St. Pius X-Matthias (Downey, Calif.) in a terrific first round matchup. A potential semifinal date could come against still unbeaten Redondo Union (Redondo Beach, Calif.) with a potential championship date with No. 32 Notre Dame (Sherman Oaks, Calif.) a possibility. Utah clubs Layton Christian (Layton, Utah) and Timpview (Provo, Utah) are two of the top clubs on Notre Dame's side of the bracket.
No. 48 Orem (Provo, Utah), has lost to bubble club and four-loss Duncanville (Texas), but has beaten Layton Christian and Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth Calif.) to deserve a ranking spot. Timpview handed No. 31 Harvard-Westlake (North Hollywood, Calif.) its first loss, but fell to Layton Christian. Timpview opens Tark on Dec. 19 with an attractive first round matchup with St. Joseph's Prep (Philadelphia, Pa.). The championship of the Platinum Bracket is set for December 21 at 7:30 pm ET.
Tarkanian also has a Prep School Division with a three-day slate of games that began on Sunday Dec. 15. On Monday afternoon, Long Island Lutheran and No. 35 Sunrise Christian Academy (Bel Aire, Kan.), which started at No. 41 in the preseason and fell out in the previous rankings update but is now back in, played in a EYBLS contest at Bishop Gorman. No. 4 Prolific Prep (Napa, Calif.) is scheduled to play twice at Tarkanian in showcase games, with No. 20 Link Academy (Branson, Mo.) scheduled to play on Tuesday evening.
The next FAB 50 update is scheduled for Monday, January 6.
RELATED: Preseason 2024-25 Mr. Basketball USA Tracker | "In The Paint" Podcast (Spotify) | "In The Paint" Podcast (YouTube)
Updated FAB 50 National Team Rankings
Powered by Ballislife.com
(2nd poll of 2024-25 regular season; Through games played on Sunday, December 15; *Indicates forfeit wins, forfeit losses not included; **Indicates forfeits and defaults not included)
| No. | Prev. | High School (City) | Record |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | Columbus (Miami, Fla.) | 8-1 |
| 2 | 6 | Gonzaga (Washington, D.C.) | 5-1 |
| 3 | 4 | Prolific Prep (Napa, Calif.) | 11-3 |
| 4 | 7 | Grayson (Loganville, Ga.) | 8-0 |
| 5 | 23 | Paul VI (Chantilly, Va.) | 4-1 |
| 6 | 3 | IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.) | 5-1 |
| 7 | 17 | Brewster Academy (Wolfeboro, N.H.) | 9-1 |
| 8 | 2 | Montverde Academy (Montverde, Fla.) | 5-1 |
| 9 | 12 | Roosevelt (Eastvale, Calif.) | 7-1 |
| 10 | 13 | St. John Bosco (Bellflower, Calif.) | 10-0 |
| 11 | 21 | Oak Ridge (Orlando, Fla.) | 5-1 |
| 12 | 17 | Perry (Gilbert, Ariz.) | 9-0 |
| 13 | 22 | Christ School (Arden, N.C.) | 10-0 |
| 14 | 43 | Wasatch Academy (Mt. Pleasant, Utah) | 6-1 |
| 15 | 28 | St. John’s (Washington, D.C.) | 6-1 |
| 16 | 16 | Sidwell Friends (Washington, D.C.) | 4-2 |
| 17 | NR | DeMatha Catholic (Hyattsville, Md.) | 6-1 |
| 18 | 8 | Brennan (San Antonio, Texas) | 12-2 |
| 19 | 9 | Allen (Allen, Texas) | 13-1 |
| 20 | 14 | Link Academy (Branson, Mo.) | 8-2 |
| 21 | 20 | John Marshall (Richmond, Va.) | 4-0 |
| 22 | 25 | Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.) | 11-1 |
| 23 | 5 | Long Island Lutheran (Glen Head, N.Y.) | 4-3 |
| 24 | 15 | La Lumiere (La Porte, Ind.) | 8-2 |
| 25 | 27 | Bergen Catholic (Oradell, N.J.) | 0-0 |
| 26 | 29 | DME Academy (Daytona Beach, Fla.) | 10-4 |
| 27 | 30 | Dream City Christian (Glendale, Ariz.) | 15-1 |
| 28 | 11 | Utah Prep (Hurricane, Utah) | 8-4 |
| 29 | 32 | St. Joseph (Santa Maria, Calif.) | 7-0 |
| 30 | 24 | Wheeler (Marietta, Ga.) | 7-2 |
| 31 | 19 | Harvard-Westlake (North Hollywood, Calif.) | 9-1 |
| 32 | 36 | Notre Dame (Sherman Oaks, Calif.) | 9-0 |
| 33 | 33 | Combine Academy (Lincolnton, N.C.) | 15-4 |
| 34 | 34 | Winston-Salem Christian (Winston-Salem, N.C.) | 12-3 |
| 35 | NR | Sunrise Christian Academy (Bel Aire, Kan.) | 5-1 |
| 36 | 26 | AZ Compass Prep (Chandler, Ariz.) | 6-4 |
| 37 | 45 | Hoover (Hoover, Ala.) | 13-0 |
| 38 | 46 | Reidsville (Reidsville, N.C.) | 3-0 |
| 39 | 47 | Fishers (Fishers, Ind.) | 5-0 |
| 40 | NR | Huntsville (Huntsville, Ala.) | 14-0 |
| 41 | NR | Archbishop Riordan (San Francisco, Calif.) | 6-0 |
| 42 | NR | Calvary Christian Academy (Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.) | 6-0 |
| 43 | NR | Kenwood (Chicago, Ill.) | 7-0 |
| 44 | NR | U of D Jesuit (Detroit, Mich.) | 4-0 |
| 45 | NR | St. Xavier (Louisville, Ky.) | 6-0 |
| 46 | 35 | Great Crossing (Georgetown, Ky.) | 6-1 |
| 47 | NR | Father Judge (Philadelphia, Pa.) | 2-0 |
| 48 | NR | Orem (Provo, Utah) | 8-1 |
| 49 | NR | De La Salle (Concord, Calif.) | 7-0 |
| 50 | NR | Olentangy Orange (Lewis Center, Ohio) | 5-0 |
Dropped Out: Previous No. 10 Mt. Zion Prep (Lanham, Md.), No. 31 Roman Catholic (Philadelphia, Pa.), No. 37 Owasso (Owasso, Okla.), No. 38 Sagemont (Weston, Fla.), No. 39 Oak Cliff Faith Family (Dallas, Texas), No. 40 Archbishop Stepinac (White Plains, N.Y.), No. 41 Imhotep Charter (Philadelphia, Pa.), No. 42 St. Mary Prep (Orchard Lake, Mich.), No. 44 St. Raymond (Bronx, N.Y.), No. 48 Northwest (Shawnee Mission, Kan.), No. 49 Sandra Day O’Connor (Phoenix, Ariz.), No. 50 Totino-Grace (Fridley, Minn.).
Bubble Teams: Archbishop Stepinac (White Plains, N.Y.) 1-2;Bartlett (Bartlett, Tenn.) 8-2; Bolingbrook (Bolingbrook, Ill.) 7-1; Booker T. Washington (Tulsa, Okla.) 5-1; Central Catholic (Portland, Ore.) 1-1; Central York (York, Pa.) 2-0; Chaminade (St. Louis, Mo.) 4-2; College Achieve Charter (Ashbury, N.J.) 3-1; DePaul College Prep (Chicago, Ill.) 8-1; De Pere (De Pere, Wis.) 2-0; DeSmet (St. Louis, Mo.) 4-1; Duncanville (Duncanville, Texas) 5-4; East Lansing (East Lansing, Mich.) 3-0**; Ft. Bend Marshall (Missouri City, Texas) 19-2; Georgetown Prep (North Bethesda, Md.) 2-3; Imhotep Charter (Philadelphia, Pa.) 5-1; Jordan (Fulshear, Texas) 15-1; JSerra (San Juan Capistrano, Calif.) 10-2; Lake Norman (Mooresville, N.C.) 8-0; Lawrence North (Indianapolis, Ind.) 3-1; Lincoln (Warren, Mich.) 3-1; Millennium (Goodyear, Ariz.) 3-3; Milton (Milton, Ga.) 6-1; North Crowley (Ft. Worth, Texas) 15-2; Northwest (Shawnee Mission, Kan.) 1-1; Notre Dame (West Haven, Conn.) 0-0; Oak Cliff Faith Family (Dallas, Texas) 9-3; Oak Park (Kansas City, Mo.) 6-1; Owasso (Owasso, Okla.) 3-1; Pace Academy (Atlanta, Ga.) 10-0; Parish Episcopal (Dallas, Texas) 17-1; Patrick School (Hackettstown, N.J.) 6-2; Plano East (Plano, Texas) 12-1**; Redondo Union (Redondo Beach, Calif.) 6-0; Riviera Prep (Miami, Fla.) 6-0; Rockford (Rockford, Mich.) 4-0; Roman Catholic (Philadelphia, Pa.) 3-1; Sagemont (Weston, Fla.) 8-2; Salesian (Richmond, Calif.) 6-1; Sandra Day O’Connor (Phoenix, Ariz.) 7-1; Shadow Creek (Pearland, Texas) 13-1; Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth, Calif.) 8-2; St. Frances Academy (Baltimore, Md.) 6-1; St. Ignatius (Cleveland, Ohio) 5-1; St. Mary Prep (Orchard Lake, Mich.) 2-2; St. Michael’s (Austin, Texas) 16-2; St. Raymond (Bronx, N.Y.) 4-2; Sunnyslope (Phoenix, Ariz.) 4-2; Vashon (St. Louis, Mo.) 7-1; Volcano Vista (Albuquerque, N.M.) 4-0; Walton (Marietta, Ga.) 9-1; Woodward Academy (College Park, Ga.) 7-2.
Note: The FAB 50 powered by Ballislife.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 25 years ago.
Ronnie Flores is the national Grassroots editor of Ballislife.com. He can be reached at [email protected]. Don't forget to follow him on Twitter: @RonMFlores
