All all of the high-powered vacation tournaments are within the books, there’s a new No. 1 within the first FAB 50 Nationwide Group Rankings powered by Ballislife.com in 2025. For the primary time in program historical past, Prolific Prep (Napa, Calif.) sits atop the perch of the nation’s finest groups, nevertheless it has loads of work to do to remain there. Greater than ever, there’s motion on the prime as groups beat up on one another because of nationwide schedules. In a 12 months of parity, there are 9 newcomers, led by No. 7 CIA Bella Vista (Phoenix, Ariz.), however solely two throughout the earlier High 25 drop out. The parity creates pleasure for a number of groups whose fan bases really feel they’ve a shot on the FAB 50 crown.
By Ronnie Flores
Within the 38 years of the FAB 50 Nationwide Group Rankings powered by Ballislife.com, and the 25 years because it took its present format, there has by no means been so many outcomes which have turned the rankings the other way up since its earlier replace.
That may be a good factor.
Why is it an excellent factor you ask? As a result of which means the nation’s ranked groups are competing in opposition to one another on a weekly foundation and are very aggressive. Within the early years of the FAB 50 (and even earlier than that within the early life of the USA At this time and Basketball Weekly rankings), a lot of the prime groups have been unbeaten on the finish of the season. It was straightforward to replace the information and groups have been usually ranked excessive primarily based on popularity or prior success.
That isn’t the case as we enter 2025. There is not a crew within the High 10 in our up to date ballot that hasn’t suffered a loss, as most of the finest packages have competed in opposition to one another over the previous two months. Greater than ever, a head-to-head outcome would not routinely imply the dropping crew is ranked behind the crew it misplaced to, as a result of this 12 months that crew has additionally misplaced to a 3rd crew that got here into their contest ranked decrease.
Greater than ever, components apart from head-to-head outcome come into play, because the analysis accomplished within the preseason and the circumstances surrounding an enormous recreation are extra crucial than ever. With that in thoughts, it is truly not that tough to position Prolific Prep (Napa, Calif.) at No. 1 within the nation, two spots increased than its place once we final up to date our rankings previous to the large Christmas-time tournaments, added in with the outcomes of the Nike Match of Champions that includes Hoophall West in Arizona, Jan. 2-4. That is the primary time Prolific Prep, which performs within the Grind Session Energy Convention, has been on this place after fielding many tremendous groups lately.
The rational is easy. The Crew took three consecutive shut losses when Mr. Basketball USA candidate Daryn Peterson was out with a foot harm. A recreation earlier, Peterson led The Crew to a victory over preseason No. 1 Columbus (Miami, Fla.), 66-54. This week, Columbus is available in at No. 2 after capturing the celebrated Metropolis of Palms Match in Ft. Myers, Fla. Sure, Columbus did undergo back-to-back losses to No. 22 Lengthy Island Lutheran (Glen Head, N.Y.) and No. 21 Hyperlink Academy (Branson, Mo.) on the Madehoops Jordan Vacation Basic after COP, each each these groups have stinker losses on their resume as effectively. If it weren’t for the win over the Explorers, Hyperlink Academy could be decrease than No. 20 and Lengthy Island Lutheran would not have been in a position to transfer up on this week’s rankings, because the Crusaders have misplaced to new No. 25 Owasso (Okla.) and No. 39 Dawn Christian Academy (Bel Aire, Kan.).
After Peterson returned to the lineup, Prolific Prep recorded victories over No. 34 Winston-Salem Christian (Winston-Salem, N.C.), 91-70, and No. 8 Utah Prep (Hurricane, Utah), 76-70. Utah Prep just lately captured the long-running Iolani Basic in Hawaii with a 45-43 victory over No. 9 Brewster Academy (Wolfeboro, N.H.), because the Grind Session Energy Convention member rallied from a nine-point deficit to tug out the victory. BYU-bound Mr. Basketball USA candidate A.J. Dybantsa netted 23 factors and was named tourney MVP after tallying 81 factors in 4 victories.
One more reason Prolific Prep is tabbed No. 1 is due to the groups to personal a victory over Columbus The Crew has one of the best resume, plus we will not drop Columbus a lot if in any respect. On prime that that, each groups nonetheless have main video games looming within the coming weeks that may take a look at their present 1-2 rating place. Columbus solely drops one spot as a result of it owns a win over No. 6 Gonzaga, handed No. 7 CIA Bella Vista (Phoenix, Ariz.) its solely loss thus far, defeated No. 10 Montverde Academy (Montverde, Fla.) to win Metropolis of Palms, and likewise owns decisive wins over No. 12 IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.) and No. 14 Grayson (Loganville, Ga.).
It took three overtimes for Columbus to defeat Gonzaga (Washington, D.C.), which falls to No. 6 this week after taking third place on the Hoophall West occasion in Arizona. Gonzaga fell to new No. 5 Harvard-Westlake (North Hollywood, Calif.), 66-63, within the semifinals of a 8-team bracket. The Wolverines’ victory helped the profile of the California Interscholastic Federation’s (CIF) prime groups, as seven of them seem within the rankings this week.
It is a tight trio on the prime of the Cal-Hello Sports activities State High 25 rankings (which been round even longer than the FAB 50 going again to the 1979-80 season) with Harvard-Westlake proper on the heels of No. 3 Roosevelt (Eastvale, Calif.) and No. 4 St. John Bosco (Bellflower, Calif.). Season-long state No. 1 Roosevelt captured the Tarkanian Basic and beat St. John Bosco in additional time, 56-55, to win The Basic at Damien with uncommitted senior guard Brayden Burries capturing MVP honors at each occasions. The Mustangs are the primary program ever to win the highest division of each prestigious Vacation Tournaments in the identical 12 months and have been with out New Mexico-bound Issac Williamson for a overwhelming majority of the loss to No. 17 Brennan (San Antonio, Texas) on the Thanksgiving Hoopfest in Dallas.
Sure, there’s tons of motion and a few groups ranked increased than groups they misplaced to, however the nation’s finest groups have not modified a lot since earlier than the vacations. In reality, solely two of the earlier High 25 dropped out, as a overwhelming majority of the newcomers break in on the rear of the FAB 50. That is the place the in-depth preseason analysis comes into play.
There have been a myriad of outcomes, however the backside line is, your crew needs to be gifted, it’s a must to play any person and this 12 months you in the end must bounce again from a loss if you wish to be thought of one of many nation’s finest groups.
RELATED: Preseason 2024-25 Mr. Basketball USA Tracker | “In The Paint” Podcast (Spotify) | “In The Paint” Podcast (YouTube)
Up to date FAB 50 Nationwide Group Rankings
Powered by Ballislife.com
(third ballot of 2024-25 common season; By way of video games performed on Sunday, January 5; *Signifies forfeit wins, forfeit losses not included; **Signifies forfeits and defaults not included)
No. Prev. Excessive Faculty (Metropolis)Report
13Prolific Prep (Napa, Calif.)16-3
21Columbus (Miami, Fla.)13-3
39Roosevelt (Eastvale, Calif.)18-1
410St. John Bosco (Bellflower, Calif.)17-1
531Harvard-Westlake (North Hollywood, Calif.)18-1
62Gonzaga (Washington, D.C.)12-2
7NRCIA Bella Vista (Phoenix, Ariz.)12-1
828Utah Prep (Hurricane, Utah)15-4
97Brewster Academy (Wolfeboro, N.H.)12-2
108Montverde Academy (Montverde, Fla.)8-2
1112Perry (Gilbert, Ariz.)13-1
126IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.)11-2
1313Christ Faculty (Arden, N.C.)10-0
144Grayson (Loganville, Ga.)13-1
1517DeMatha Catholic (Hyattsville, Md.)10-2
1615St. John’s (Washington, D.C.)11-3
1718Brennan (San Antonio, Texas)19-2
1819Allen (Allen, Texas)20-1
1921John Marshall (Richmond, Va.)11-0
2014Wasatch Academy (Mt. Nice, Utah)13-4
2120Link Academy (Branson, Mo.)10-4
2223Long Island Lutheran (Glen Head, N.Y.)8-5
2342Calvary Christian Academy (Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.)11-0
2429St. Joseph (Santa Maria, Calif.)13-1
25NROwasso (Owasso, Okla.)8-3
2624La Lumiere (La Porte, Ind.)12-5
2726DME Academy (Daytona Seashore, Fla.)13-5
2827Dream Metropolis Christian (Glendale, Ariz.)16-3
2932Notre Dame (Sherman Oaks, Calif.)15-2
3037Hoover (Hoover, Ala.)19-0
3139Fishers (Fishers, Ind.)12-0
3222Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.)13-3
3333Combine Academy (Lincolnton, N.C.)19-5
3434Winston-Salem Christian (Winston-Salem, N.C.)18-4
35NRBishop O’Connell (Arlington, Va.)12-3
3630Wheeler (Marietta, Ga.)11-3
3716Sidwell Buddies (Washington, D.C.)7-3
385Paul VI (Chantilly, Va.)8-3
3935Sunrise Christian Academy (Bel Aire, Kan.)7-2
4036AZ Compass Prep (Chandler, Ariz.)6-4
4138Reidsville (Reidsville, N.C.)10-0
4244U of D Jesuit (Detroit, Mich.)8-0
4340Huntsville (Huntsville, Ala.)20-1
44NRJSerra (San Juan Capistrano, Calif.)15-3
45NRSt. Frances Academy (Baltimore, Md.)11-1
46NRSt. Thomas Aquinas (Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.)12-1
4749De La Salle (Harmony, Calif.)14-1
48NRLawrence North (Indianapolis, Ind.)8-1
49NRReynoldsburg (Reynoldsburg, Ohio)9-0
50NRDePaul School Prep (Chicago, Sick.)15-1
Dropped Out: Earlier No. 11 Oak Ridge (Orlando, Fla.), No. 25 Bergen Catholic (Oradell, N.J.), No. 41 Archbishop Riordan (San Francisco, Calif.), No. 43 Kenwood (Chicago, Sick.), No. 45 St. Xavier (Louisville, Ky.), No. 46 Nice Crossing (Georgetown, Ky.), No. 47 Father Decide (Philadelphia, Pa.), No. 48 Orem (Provo, Utah), No. 50 Olentangy Orange (Lewis Middle, Ohio).
Bubble Groups: Annie Wright (Tacoma, Wash.) 10-1; Archbishop Riordan (San Francisco, Calif.) 9-1; Archbishop Stepinac (White Plains, N.Y.) 6-3; Bergen Catholic (Oradell, N.J.) 5-2; Bolingbrook (Bolingbrook, Sick.) 15-2; Brother Rice (Bloomfield Hills, Mich.) 9-1; Cathedral (Indianapolis, Ind.) 9-2; Chaminade (St. Louis, Mo.) 6-4; Cretin-Derham Corridor (St. Paul, Minn.) 9-0; De Pere (De Pere, Wis.) 7-1; DeSmet (St. Louis, Mo.) 10-1; East Lansing (East Lansing, Mich.) 6-1**; Father Decide (Philadelphia, Pa.) 7-3; Ft. Bend Marshall (Missouri Metropolis, Texas) 22-2; Gibbs (St. Petersburg, Fla.) 10-4; Hopkins (Minnetonka, Minn.) 10-0; Imhotep Constitution (Philadelphia, Pa.) 8-4; Jordan (Fulshear, Texas) 21-2; Kenwood (Chicago, Sick.) 14-1; Lake Norman (Mooresville, N.C.) 11-1; Lake Ridge (Mansfield, Texas) 22-2; Lawrence North (Indianapolis, Ind.) 8-1; Milton (Milton, Ga.) 9-3; Montgomery (San Diego, Calif.) 16-1; Muskegon (Muskegon, Mich.) 6-0; Northwest (Shawnee Mission, Kan.) 5-1; Notre Dame (West Haven, Conn.) 6-1; Oak Park (Kansas Metropolis, Mo.) 9-1; Oak Ridge (Orlando, Fla.) 7-5; Olentangy Orange (Lewis Middle, Ohio); Patrick Faculty (Hackettstown, N.J.) 11-2; Reynoldsburg (Reynoldsburg, Ohio) 9-0; Richland (Richland, Wash.) 8-0; Rockford (Rockford, Mich.) 7-1; Roman Catholic (Philadelphia, Pa.) 8-2; Salesian (Richmond, Calif.) 12-1; St. Ignatius (Cleveland, Ohio) 9-3; St. Mary Prep (Orchard Lake, Mich.) 6-3; St. Peter’s Prep (Jersey Metropolis, N.J.) 7-2; St. Raymond (Bronx, N.Y.) 7-4; Timpview (Provo, Utah) 9-3; Vashon (St. Louis, Mo.) 12-1; Veterans Memorial (Corpus Christi, Texas) 25-0; Waubonsie Valley (Aurora, Sick.) 14-0; Webb (Knoxville, Tenn.) 17-2; Wisconsin Lutheran (Milwaukee, Wis.) 9-0; Woodward Academy (School Park, Ga.) 10-3.
Observe: The FAB 50 powered by Ballislife.com is a continuation of the Nationwide Sports activities Information Service rankings that started in 1952. These have been the primary nationwide highschool rankings and the late Artwork Johlfs of Minnesota compiled them. They have been compiled for a few years by the late Barry Sollenberger of Phoenix, who merged them into the FAB 50 25 years in the past.
Ronnie Flores is the nationwide Grassroots editor of Ballislife.com. He may be reached at ronnie@ballislife.com. Remember to observe him on Twitter: @RonMFlores
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