Following a turbulent week of newcomers , there are much less (four) this time around after all the results pour in, but plenty of movement among top teams in this special MLK edition of the FAB 50 National Team Rankings powered by Ballislife.com. All MLK Monday results are included and when the dust settled, the big winner over MLK weekend was new No. 2 Columbus (Miami, Fla.). Leading the way among four newcomers is No. 35 Camden (Camden, N.J.).
By Ronnie Flores
The Martin Luther King Jr. holiday was first officially observed in 1986 (15 years after his assassination) and 20 years later, high-level high school basketball showcases across the country became a staple of the MLK holiday weekend. The MLK weekend eventually involved so many good national level matchups, it was decided the FAB 50 National Team Rankings powered by Ballislife.com should include all the MLK Monday results and it was a policy other national polls now emulate.
It's ironic that after MLK Monday results poured in, it's a school named after another famous individual who also has an observed federal holiday in his namesake that is the big winner in this week's special MLK edition of the rankings. That school is Christopher Columbus, and it was the Roman Catholic preparatory school located in the Westchester region of Miami, Dade County that defeated two of the top three schools in the FAB 50 at the Spalding Hoophall Classic in Springfield, Mass., which has developed into the best MLK showcase over the past 15 years.
On Saturday, the Explorers of coach Andrew Moran took on then No. 2 Long Island Lutheran (Glen Head, N.Y.), which had only lost to season-long No. 1 Montverde Academy (Montverde, Fla.) 73-59 in the title game of the City of Palms Classic in Florida. Columbus trialed 39-36 at halftime and the third quarter was a stalemate, with both clubs scoring 16 points. In the fourth quarter, however, it was all Columbus, as the Explorers outscored LuHi, 29-7, to pull away with a 81-62 victory. Cameron Boozer, last year's Mr. Basketball USA choice as a mere sophomore and still only 16 years old, had a big impact on the contest with 26 points on 9-of-12 shooting from the field, seven rebounds, four assists, and five blocked shots. Michigan St.-bound guard Jase Richardson also made a big impact with 20 points of 8-of-12 shooting, six rebounds, nine assists, two blocks and four steals.
In our latest edition of the "In The Paint" Podcast, we predicted Boozer was due for a breakout performance and that an upset could be brewing, and the power forward deluxe put his stamp on the holiday weekend by leading the Explorers to their second big win of the weekend on MLK Monday. Once again Columbus closed strong, outscoring then No. 3 Paul VI (Chantilly, Va.), 45-35, in the second half to record a 70-61 victory. Boozer didn't shoot well from the outside (0-4 FG 3-PT), but his looming presence was felt in a major way and he finished with 14 points, 13 rebounds, five assists, four blocks and four steals. Richardson once again, made all the difference, netting a game-high 21 points, six rebounds and four assists.
What made Columbus' second victory of the Hoophall Classic even more meaningful was the fact Paul VI was attempting to capture the "Springfield Double" after capturing the Bass Pro Tournament of Champions in Missouri with a 71-53 championship victory over then No. 46 St. John Bosco (Bellflower, Calif.). Duke-bound Darren Harris led the way for the Panthers with four 3-pointers and a game-high 23 points. Paul VI knocked off then No. 27 McEachern (Powder Springs, Ga.) in the semifinals, 48-37, as Harris scored 20 points. It looked good for Columbus that McEachern nearly came back to beat then No. 10 Harvard-Westlake (North Hollywood, Calif.), taking that club into overtime after trialing by 18 points and coming up just short, 60-59. McEachern defeated then No. 25 Edmond North (Edmond, Okla.) in the Bass Pro TOC third place game, 61-59, on a game-winning jumper by Mr. Basketball USA candidate Ace Bailey, who had 23 points, 14 rebounds and three blocks in the loss to the Wolverines.
Another result that broke Columbus' way was No. 1 Montverde's 76-71 Sunday win at Hoophall Classic over then No. 8 Prolific Prep (Napa, Calif.), the Eagles' closest margin of victory to date so far in an unbeaten slate. Indiana-bound Liam McNeeley led four MVA players in double figures with 22 points, including 4-of-5 3-pointers. When the game was on the line, however, the Eagles smartly went inside to power forward Derik Queen, who scored a bucket and also got fouled on MVA's next possession and went to the free throw line to keep Prolific Prep at bay. The Crew's effort versus MVA looks good for the Explorers because they defeated Prolific Prep in overtime. With their own tough schedule, Paul VI's quality of wins, Prolific Prep's showing and Long Island Lutheran's loss to then No. 11 AZ Compass Prep (Chandler, Ariz.), Columbus ia able to move up six spots this week to No. 2 with Prolific Prep checking it at No. 3.
No. 4 Paul VI has only lost to No. 1 Montverde Academy and No. 2 Columbus. No. 5 Link has lost to No. 1 MVA, No. 3 Prolific Prep, No. 4 Paul VI and to No. 7 LuHi, which has to drop five spots to account for the upset loss to AZ Compass Prep.
Columbus' showing is also a swoon for new No. 6 Harvard-Westlake (North Hollywood, Calif.), which lost its only game in an ultra-tight contest to Columbus in the title game of the Les Schwab Invitational in Oregon on Dec. 30. What wasn't mentioned during the national telecast of the Harvard-Westlake-McEachern contest (instead Bailey's NBA prospectus was mentioned every other time he touched the ball) is Harvard-Westlake has a tough turnaround on the way back from the Spalding Hoophall Classic, not just on the way there as McEachern and Paul VI did. The Wolverines traveled back to the West Coast in inclement weather and are gearing up to host No. 21 Notre Dame (Sherman Oaks, Calif.) on Wednesday and travel to face No. 26 Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth, Calif.) on January 19.
There are only four newcomers this week as teams that play national schedules are rewarded and don't fall all the way out after a showcase loss.
Notre Dame is one of the still unbeaten clubs that gets a noticable and sizable bump up this week. Among those still unbeaten clubs are No. 8 Plano East (Plano, Texas), No. 9 Fishers (Fishers, Ind.), No. 11 Ridge View (Columbia, S.C.), No. 13 Lawrence North (Indianapolis, Ind.), No. 22 Central Cabarrus (Concord, N.C.) and No. 28 Neumann-Goretti (Philadelphia, Pa.). For those that don't venture far from home or test themselves on a regional or national level, a loss could mean a big drop that following week.
RELATED: Preseason 2023-24 Mr. Basketball USA Tracker | "In The Paint" Podcast (Spotify) | "In The Paint" Podcast (YouTube)
Updated FAB 50 National Team Rankings
Powered by Ballislife.com
(4th poll of 2023-24 regular season; Through games played on Monday, January 15; *Indicates forfeit wins, forfeit losses not included; **Indicates forfeits and defaults not included)
| No. | Prev. | High School (City) | Record |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | Montverde Academy (Montverde, Fla.) | 18-0 |
| 2 | 8 | Columbus (Miami, Fla.) | 16-4 |
| 3 | 9 | Prolific Prep (Napa, Calif.) | 20-3 |
| 4 | 3 | Paul VI (Chantilly, Va.) | 14-2 |
| 5 | 4 | Link Academy (Branson, Mo.) | 15-4 |
| 6 | 10 | Harvard-Westlake (North Hollywood, Calif.) | 20-1 |
| 7 | 2 | Long Island Lutheran (Glen Head, N.Y.) | 11-3 |
| 8 | 13 | Plano East (Plano, Texas) | 24-0 |
| 9 | 15 | Fishers (Fishers, Ind.) | 13-0 |
| 10 | 16 | Stony Point (Round Rock, Texas) | 23-1 |
| 11 | 17 | Ridge View (Columbia, S.C.) | 16-0 |
| 12 | 6 | Patrick School (Elizabeth, N.J.) | 14-1 |
| 13 | 22 | Lawrence North (Indianapolis, Ind.) | 14-0 |
| 14 | 14 | Myers Park (Charlotte, N.C.) | 13-2 |
| 15 | 18 | St. Rose (Belmar, N.J.) | 12-1 |
| 16 | 11 | AZ Compass Prep (Chandler, Ariz.) | 17-5 |
| 17 | 41 | Archbishop Stepinac (White Plains, N.Y.) | 10-3 |
| 18 | 7 | Don Bosco Prep (Ramsey, N.J.) | 10-3 |
| 19 | 21 | Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.) | 19-1 |
| 20 | 26 | Gonzaga (Washington, D.C.) | 14-2 |
| 21 | 28 | Notre Dame (Sherman Oaks, Calif.) | 20-0 |
| 22 | 42 | Central Cabarrus (Concord, N.C.) | 14-0 |
| 23 | 31 | Huntsville (Huntsville, Ala.) | 23-1 |
| 24 | 32 | Combine Academy (Lincolnton, N.C.) | 19-2 |
| 25 | 27 | McEachern (Powder Springs, Ga.) | 13-5 |
| 26 | 33 | Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth, Calif.) | 19-1 |
| 27 | 35 | Wayzata (Plymouth, Minn.) | 12-0 |
| 28 | 47 | Neumann-Goretti (Philadelphia, Pa.) | 13-0 |
| 29 | 19 | Roosevelt (Eastvale, Calif.) | 20-2 |
| 30 | 24 | Bishop O’Connell (Arlington, Va.) | 14-3 |
| 31 | 30 | Great Crossing (Georgetown, Ky.) | 17-1 |
| 32 | 44 | Oak Ridge (Orlando, Fla.) | 17-2 |
| 33 | 45 | Christ the King (Middle, Village, N.Y.) | 11-1 |
| 34 | 46 | St. John Bosco (Bellflower, Calif.) | 18-4 |
| 35 | NR | Camden (Camden, N.J.) | 11-1 |
| 36 | 29 | North Mecklenburg (Huntersville, N.C.) | 13-3 |
| 37 | 34 | Millennium (Goodyear, Ariz.) | 14-3 |
| 38 | NR | Perry (Gilbert, Ariz.) | 14-4 |
| 39 | 20 | Grayson (Loganville, Ga.) | 15-2 |
| 40 | NR | Salesian (Richmond, Calif.) | 18-1 |
| 41 | 25 | Edmond North (Edmond, Okla.) | 10-2 |
| 42 | 36 | Kell (Marietta, Ga.) | 14-3 |
| 43 | 37 | Jackson-Reed (Washington, D.C.) | 19-2 |
| 44 | 38 | Bullis (Potomac, Md.) | 12-2 |
| 45 | 5 | Wasatch Academy (Mt. Pleasant, Utah) | 10-3 |
| 46 | NR | La Lumiere (La Porte, Ind.) | 11-3 |
| 47 | 40 | IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.) | 8-7 |
| 48 | 48 | Sidwell Friends (Washington, D.C.) | 11-4 |
| 49 | 49 | Curie (Chicago, Ill.) | 17-1 |
| 50 | 50 | Roman Catholic (Philadelphia, Pa.) | 14-0 |
Dropped Out: Previous No. 12 De Pere (De Pere, Wis.), No. 23 Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.), No. 39 Mt. St. Joseph (Baltimore, Md.), No. 43 Westminster Academy (Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.).
Bubble Teams: Alexander (Douglasville, Ga.) 16-2; Allen (Allen, Texas) 22-4; Alta (Sandy, Utah) 15-1; Atascocita (Humble, Texas) 25-2**;Bartlett (Bartlett, Tenn.) 18-2;Beaumont United (Beaumont, Texas) 22-1; Bellevue West (Bellevue, Neb.) 11-1; Benet Academy (Lisle, Ill.) 14-2; Berkmar (Lilburn, Ga.) 14-4; Blue Valley Northwest (Overland Park, Kan.) 9-0; Brennan (San Antonio, Texas) 20-4; Brewster Academy (Wolfeboro, N.H.) 13-3; Cordova (Cordova, Tenn.) 16-1; Dakota Valley (North Sioux City, S.D.) 7-0; DeMatha Catholic (Hyattsville, Md.) 15-4; De Pere (De Pere, Wis.) 12-1; East Lansing (East Lansing, Mich.) 9-0; Eastside Catholic (Sammamish, Wash.) 13-1; Fort Bend Clements (Sugar Land, Texas) 22-0; Garfield Heights (Garfield Heights, Ohio) 11-0; Homewood Flossmor (Flossmor, Ill.) 16-1; Imhotep Charter (Philadelphia, Pa.) 10-2; John Marshall (Richmond, Va.) 11-3; Lake Ridge (Mansfield, Texas) 21-3; Lake Taylor (Norfolk, Va.) 14-0; Lake Travis (Austin, Texas) 23-3; Lexington Catholic (Lexington, Ky.) 17-1; Liberty Magnet (Baton Rouge, La.) 19-2; Lyon County (Eddyville, Ky.) 18-1; Madison Prep (Baton Rouge, La.) 15-2; Millard North (Omaha, Neb.) 10-1; Mt. Carmel (Chicago, Ill.) 19-2; Mt. St. Joseph (Baltimore, Md.) 19-2; North Crowley (Ft. Worth, Texas) 21-3; North Farmington (Farmington Hills, Mich.) 9-0; Northwest (Shawnee Mission, Kan.) 8-0; Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.) 14-3; Oak Park (Kansas City, Mo.) 11-1; Park Center (Brooklyn Park, Minn.) 13-1; Pascagoula (Pascagoula, Miss.) 17-1; Raymond (Raymond, Miss.) 18-3; Roosevelt (Portland, Ore.) 11-1; Southern Guilford (Greensboro, N.C.) 14-1; Southridge (Beaverton, Ore.) 13-1; St. Joseph (Santa Maria, Calif.) 16-2; St. Mary’s (St. Louis, Mo.) 19-1; St. Mary Prep (Orchard Lake, Mich.) 9-1; Thornton (Harvey, Ill.) 15-2; Totino-Grace (Fridley, Minn.) 9-3; Vashon (St. Louis, Mo.) 10-4; Volcano Vista (Albuquerque, N.M.) 15-1; Westfield (Westfield, Ind.) 10-0; Winter Haven (Winter Haven, Fla.) 16-1; Wisconsin Lutheran (Milwaukee, Wis.) 13-0.
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 24 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