It’s the calm before the storm as holiday tournaments are in full force the next two weeks. There is plenty of movement in the second edition of the FAB 50 National Team Rankings powered by Ballislife.com for the 2025-26 season. The latest edition of the nation’s longest-running rankings shows five newcomers led by No. 32 DeMatha Catholic (Hyattsville, Md.) and No. 36 Forsyth Country Day (Lewisville, N.C.). EYBL Scholastic play and teams just starting their seasons will cause movement in coming weeks as major holiday tournaments get set to tip off!
By Ronnie Flores
A vast majority of the country has now recorded some key high school basketball results, while some programs from power states such as Texas and California have played nearly half of its regular season slate. The amount of games teams have played when the rankings are compiled is a key factor, but by the turn of the new year it should level out for the rest of the country.
The current national rankings definitely favor teams that have more games under their belt.
It’s not just about playing games, but winning them and once again the powerful Washington Catholic Athletic Conference (WCAC) has shown its top teams can compete with any club in the country. The second regular season FAB 50 National Team Rankings powered by Ballislife.com, includes four WCAC teams, including the most consistently ranked program in high school basketball over the last 50 years: DeMatha Catholic (Hyattsville, Md.). The Stags jump in at No. 32, as its season opening victory over No. 33 Our Lady of Mt. Carmel (Baltimore, Md.) and the strength of the WCAC comes into focus.
The WCAC also has a fast-riser in No. 11 Bishop O’Connell (Arlington, Va.). The Knights defeated No. 16 IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.), 67-65, own a conference victory over Gonzaga (Washington, D.C.) and a victory over bubble club Imhotep Charter (Philadelphia, Pa.). WCAC favorite Paul VI (Chantilly, Va.) is now up to No. 5, as the Panthers defeated previous No. 11 Archbishop Stepinac (White Plains, N.Y.) on national television, 66-56, as leading Mr. Basketball USA candidate and still undecided power guard Jordan Smith Jr. led the way with 26 points.
Paul VI also shellacked preseason No. 38 Father Judge (Philadelphia, Pa.), 90-40, and it took two overtimes for preseason No. 1 and current No. 4 Prolific Prep (Southwest Ranches, Fla.) to defeat the Panthers, 74-70, at the D.C. Hoopfest. Mr. Basketball USA candidate Caleb Holt led the crew with 24 points, 10 rebounds, three assists and five steals, while Bruce Branch III added 19 points, seven rebounds and five assists. Smith went for 19 points, six rebounds and five assists and hit a clutch shot to send the game into overtime, while fast-rising junior Brian Mitchell Jr. had 31 points and eight rebounds for the Panthers.
DeMatha’s and the WCAC’s resume is a swoon for Santa Margarita (Rancho SM, Calif.), which moves up 17 spots to No. 29 after a 71-54 victory over The Stags at the Xaverian Classic in Washington, D.C., as Washington St.-bound Brayden Kyman had 32 points and Georgia Tech-bound point guard and all-tourney selection Kaiden Bailey added 23 points. Santa Margarita’s only loss is by a 71-67 score to No. 19 and WCAC club Bishop McNamara (Forestville, Md.). That club also owns a 57-52 win over California’s top-ranked club, No. 20 Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth, Calif.).
While Qayden Samuels and the rest of the Mustangs were able to take down SoCal’s two best clubs, they were no match for No. 16 IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.), 80-63, or for Prolific Prep, which beat them 68-37. That’s why Paul VI moved up four spots while the Mustangs dropped six spots in the FAB 50’s latest edition.
Holiday Tourneys Will Shake Up Rankings
A plethora of holiday tournaments the next two weeks surrounding the Christmas holiday will shape the FAB 50 as we head into 2026. Look for plenty of movement in the first set of rankings in 2026, but keep in mind much fewer teams fell out of this edition of the FAB 50 this season compared to last (five as opposed to 12). Perhaps the top teams have already established themselves, but more than likely a few teams will move up or break into the rankings in the next update.
As for Santa Margarita, it has a chance to establish itself as one of the nation’s top teams by capturing the top high school division bracket at the Tarkanian Classic, set for Bishop Gorman High School in Las Vegas (Dec. 19-23). The Eagles could face No. 26 Timpview (Provo, Utah) in a monster semifinal showdown on Dec. 22 at the Orleans Arena just off the Las Vegas strip.
On the other side of the bracket, a key first round game involves battle-tested Riviera Prep (Miami, Fla.) and Notre Dame (Sherman Oaks, Calif.). Notre Dame is just outside the FAB 50 with close losses to Santa Margarita (77-73) and to No. 28 Millennium (Goodyear, Ariz.) by a 62-60 margin. Another team that could emerge from that side of the bracket is Redondo Union (Redondo Beach, Calif.), one of the five teams to fall out of the FAB 50 this week.
The Platinum Division final is set for Dec. 23 at 4:30 pm at Bishop Gorman High School.
The best first round matchup at the City of Palms Classic in Ft. Myers, Fla. (Dec. 18-23) involves Bishop McNamara vs. No. 10 Wheeler (Marietta, Ga.). The winner is likely to face defending FAB 50 and tournament champ Columbus (Miami, Fla.) in the quarterfinals. Another intriguing first round matchup on the opposite side of the bracket is No. 30 The Villages Charter (The Villages, Fla.) vs. No. 38 St. John Bosco (Bellflower, Calif.). The winner likely has a quarterfinal date with No. 35 Archbishop Stepinac (White Plains, N.Y.), which now must drop behind No. 34 St. Frances Academy (Baltimore, Md.) because of a head-to-head result, but remains a dangerous club.
Also on the same side of the City of Palms bracket as St. John Bosco and The Villages Charter is Paul VI and No. 18 Long Island Lutheran (Glen Head, N.Y.). Long Island Lutheran is one of 10 EYBL Scholastic League teams that dot the FAB 50, including No. 1-2-3 at the top of the rankings.
The COP championship game is set for Tuesday, Dec. 23 at 9 pm ET and will be televised on ESPN2.
The next FAB 50 update is scheduled for Monday, January 5, 2026
Updated FAB 50 National Team Rankings
Powered by Ballislife.com
(2nd poll of 2025-26 regular season; Through games played on Sunday, December 14; *Indicates forfeit wins, forfeit losses not included; **Indicates forfeits and defaults not included)
| No. | Prev. | High School (City) | Record |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | Link Academy (Branson, Mo.) | 8-0 |
| 2 | 2 | CIA Bella Vista (Phoenix, Ariz.) | 6-0 |
| 3 | 4 | AZ Compass Prep (Chandler, Ariz.) | 9-0 |
| 4 | 5 | Prolific Prep (Southwest Ranches, Fla.) | 12-1 |
| 5 | 9 | Paul VI (Chantilly, Va.) | 5-1 |
| 6 | 6 | Columbus (Miami, Fla.) | 6-1 |
| 7 | 7 | Southeastern Prep Academy (Orlando, Fla.) | 12-4 |
| 8 | 8 | Brewster Academy (Wolfeboro, N.H.) | 12-1 |
| 9 | 12 | Spire Academy (Geneva, Ohio) | 6-1 |
| 10 | 14 | Wheeler (Marietta, Ga.) | 7-0 |
| 11 | 28 | Bishop O’Connell (Arlington, Va.) | 7-0 |
| 12 | 16 | La Lumiere (La Porte, Ind.) | 9-0 |
| 13 | 18 | Oak Cliff Faith Family (Dallas, Texas) | 10-2 |
| 14 | 32 | Sunrise Christian Academy (Bel Aire, Kan.) | 7-2 |
| 15 | 33 | Wasatch Academy (Mt. Pleasant,, Utah) | 6-2 |
| 16 | 10 | IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.) | 7-2 |
| 17 | 17 | Fishers (Fishers, Ind.) | 5-0 |
| 18 | 3 | Long Island Lutheran (Glen Head, N.Y.) | 2-2 |
| 19 | 13 | Bishop McNamara (Forestville, Md.) | 5-2 |
| 20 | 15 | Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth, Calif.) | 7-1 |
| 21 | 35 | Seven Lakes (Katy, Texas) | 15-0 |
| 22 | 19 | Petersburg (Petersburg, Va.) | 2-0 |
| 23 | 21 | Bergen Catholic (Oradell, N.J.) | 2-0 |
| 24 | 31 | Dream City Christian (Glendale, Ariz.) | 3-2 |
| 25 | 22 | Salesian (Richmond, Calif.) | 5-0 |
| 26 | 29 | Timpview (Provo, Utah) | 8-0 |
| 27 | 36 | Webb (Knoxville, Tenn.) | 10-1 |
| 28 | 30 | Millennium (Goodyear, Ariz.) | 8-1 |
| 29 | 46 | Santa Margarita (Rancho SM, Calif.) | 11-1 |
| 30 | 34 | The Villages Charter (The Villages, Fla.) | 7-1 |
| 31 | 37 | DePaul College Prep (Chicago, Ill.) | 8-1 |
| 32 | NR | DeMatha Catholic (Hyattsville, Md.) | 5-1 |
| 33 | 26 | Our Lady of Mt. Carmel (Baltimore, Md.) | 10-1 |
| 34 | 27 | St. Frances Academy (Baltimore, Md.) | 11-1 |
| 35 | 11 | Archbishop Stepinac (White Plains, N.Y.) | 3-2 |
| 36 | NR | Forsyth Country Day (Lewisville, N.C.) | 12-0 |
| 37 | 24 | Greensboro Day (Greensboro, N.C.) | 15-1 |
| 38 | 40 | St. John Bosco (Bellflower, Calif.) | 8-0 |
| 39 | 41 | Harvard-Westlake (North Hollywood, Calif.) | 9-1 |
| 40 | NR | Rainier Beach (Seattle, Wash.) | 3-0 |
| 41 | NR | Concord Academy (Concord, N.C.) | 13-1 |
| 42 | 45 | Bartlett (Bartlett, Tenn.) | 6-0 |
| 43 | 42 | Notre Dame (West Haven, Conn.) | 0-0 |
| 44 | 23 | Gaston Christian (Gastonia, N.C.) | 15-1 |
| 45 | 43 | McEachern (Powder Springs, Fla.) | 8-2 |
| 46 | 44 | Sunnyslope (Phoenix, Ariz.) | 7-1 |
| 47 | 47 | East Lansing (East Lansing, Mich.) | 4-0 |
| 48 | 48 | Principia (St. Louis, Mo.) | 1-0 |
| 49 | NR | Vashon (St. Louis, Mo.) | 5-0 |
| 50 | 49 | Owasso (Owasso, Okla.) | 3-0 |
Dropped Out: Previous No. 20 Christ School (Arden, N.C.), No. 25 Tennessee Collegiate Academy (Millington, Tenn.), No. 38 Redondo Union (Redondo Beach, Calif.), No. 39 St. Thomas Aquinas (Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.), No. 50 Brennan (San Antonio, Texas).
Bubble Teams: Archbishop Riordan (San Francisco, Calif.) 6-1; Atascocita (Humble, Texas) 10-2; Benet Academy (Lisle, Ill.) 8-1; Brother Rice (Bloomfield Hills, Mich.) 5-0; Bryant (Bryant, Ark.) 9-1; Calvary Christian Academy (Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.) 7-0; Carter (Dallas, Texas) 7-2; Chaminade (St. Louis, Mo.) 4-2; Chaparral (Parker, Col.) 5-0; Crean Lutheran (Irvine, Calif.) 9-2; Cretin-Derham Hall (St. Paul, Minn.) 3-1; Curie (Chicago, Ill.) 5-0; Duncanville (Duncanville, Texas) 7-2; Father Judge (Philadelphia, Pa.) 2-2; Gainesville (Gainesville, Ga.) 10-0; Gillion Academy (Springfield, Va.) 10-2; Grayson (Loganville, Ga.) 8-0; Hillgrove (Power Springs, Ga.) 8-2; Hopkins (Minnetonka, Minn.) 1-0; Imhotep Charter (Philadelphia, Pa.) 4-1; Kankakee (Kankakee, Ill.) 5-1; Lakota West (West Chester, Ohio) 3-0; Lutheran East (Cleveland Heights, Ohio) 4-0; Male (Louisville, Ky.) 4-1; Montverde Academy (Montverde, Fla.) 2-4; Mt. St. Joseph (Baltimore, Md.) 11-2; Mt. Vernon (Fortville, Ind.) 3-1; North Crowley (Ft. Worth, Texas) 14-2; North Mecklenburg (Huntersville, N.C.) 6-0; Notre Dame (Sherman Oaks, Calif.) 6-2; Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.) 10-2; Patrick School (Hackettstown, N.J.) 4-0; Pike (Indianapolis, Ind.) 5-1; Plainfield (Plainfield, N.J.) 1-0; Rangeview (Aurora, Col.) 4-0; Redondo Union (Redondo Beach, Calif.) 6-2; Ridge View (Columbia, S.C.) 4-2; Riviera Prep (Miami, Fla.) 5-4; Rockford (Rockford, Mich.) 4-0; South (Shawnee Mission, Kan.) 2-0; St. Ignatius (Chicago, Ill.) 8-1; St. John’s (Washington, D.C.) 4-2; St. Joseph (Santa Maria, Calif.) 10-0; St. Thomas Aquinas (Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.) 7-1; St. Xavier (Louisville, Ky.) 3-1; Tennessee Collegiate Academy (Millington, Tenn.) 9-4; Thomas Jefferson (Brooklyn, N.Y.) 6-2; Warren Township (Gurnee, Ill.) 5-1; Waukee Northwest (Waukee, Iowa) 3-0; Wayzata (Plymouth, Minn.) 5-0; Webster Groves (Webster Groves, Mo.) 4-0; Wisconsin Lutheran (Milwaukee, Wis.) 4-0; Zephyrhills Christian Academy (Zephyrhills, Fla.) 11-1.
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 26 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
Editor's Pick
1st Regular Season FAB 50: Major Upsets!