Final 2019-20 MaxPreps Top 25 high school boys basketball rankings

MaxPreps National Basketball editor Jordan Divens walks through the final rankings of the 2020 season. This year a clear No. 1 distanced themselves from the rest of the nation as Montverde Academy left no doubt they were the best team in high school basketball in 2019-20.

Final top 25 high school basketball rankings 80,500 views 1:45

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Montverde earns No. 1 ranking for second time in three years.

The 2019-20 high school basketball will be remembered in part for being cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic. State championships in more than 20 states and GEICO Nationals were wiped off the schedule as the country took measures to slow the spread of coronavirus.

Despite the incomplete postseason, Montverde Academy (Montverde, Fla.) clearly established itself as this year's best team and earned a fourth MaxPreps final No. 1 ranking since 2013..

Montverde Academy was consistently dominant from start to finish, winning by an average of 39 points per contest and securing seven wins over Top 25 opponents — defeating No. 5 DeMatha (Hyattsville, Md.), No. 10 Long Island Lutheran (Brookville, N.Y.), No. 12 Scotlandville (Baton Rouge, La.), No. 19 IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.) three times and No. 20 Duncanville (Texas).

The Eagles were never really on the ropes all year with their closest game being an eight-point December victory over IMG Academy in the City of Palms Classic championship game.

In addition to the City of Palms Classic title, the Sunshine State powerhouse captured tournament crowns at the John Wall Invitational, Montverde Academy Invitational Tournament and St. James Invitational.

This Montverde Academy squad featured nine Top 100 prospects, three McDonald's All-Americans and the top-ranked senior prospect in Cade Cunningham.

The Eagles were balanced, deep and unselfish as seven players averaged 8.3 or more points per game: Cade Cunningham (13.9), Day'Ron Sharpe (12.1), Scott Barnes (11.6), Moses Moody (10.9), Caleb Houstan (10), Langston Love (9.1) and Dariq Whitehead (8.3). No player averaged more than 22 minutes played per contest

Despite not having an opportunity to capture a fifth GEICO Nationals title, head coach Kevin Boyle produced a team that will go down as one of the best in high school basketball history, if not the best.

Past MaxPreps National Champions

2009 — Findlay Prep (Henderson, Nev.)

2010 — Yates (Houston)

2011 — St. Anthony (Jersey City, N.J.)

2012 — St. Anthony (Jersey City, N.J.); Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.) *

2013 — Lone Peak (Highland, Utah); Montverde Academy (Montverde, Fla.) *

2014 — Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.)
2015 — Montverde Academy (Montverde, Fla.)

2016 — Chino Hills (Chino Hills, Calif.)

2017 — Nathan Hale (Seattle)

2018 — Montverde Academy (Montverde, Fla.)

2019 — IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.)

* Recognized separate high school and independent national champions

MaxPreps Top 25 National High School Basketball Rankings

1. (Last week No. 1) Montverde Academy (Montverde, Fla.), 25-0
City of Palms Classic, John Wall Invitational, Montverde Academy Invitational Tournament and St. James Invitational champions.

2. (2) Dorman (Roebuck, S.C.), 30-1

SCHSL Class 5A state champions.

3. (3) Wasatch Academy (Mt. Pleasant, Utah), 27-2
'Iolani Classic finalist.

4. (4) Sunrise Christian Academy (Bel Aire, Kan.), 22-3

City of Palms Classic Signature Series finalist.

5. (5) DeMatha (Hyattsville, Md.), 30-3

Washington Catholic Athletic Conference regular season, tournament champions.

6. (6) Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.), 37-3
Bass Pro Shops Tournament of Champions winner, 'Iolani Classic champions.

7. (7) Prolific Prep (Napa, Calif.), 31-3

Grind Session champions.

8. (8) La Lumiere (LaPorte, Ind.), 23-3

Chick-fil-A Classic finalist, Bob Kirk Invitational champions.

9. (9) Eden Prairie (Minn.), 28-0**

Advanced to the Section 2 Class 4A title game.

10. (10) Long Island Lutheran (Brookville, N.Y.), 22-3**

Qualified for New York State Federation Tournament of Champions.

11. (11) Hamilton Heights Christian Academy (Chattanooga, Tenn.), 28-3
City of Palms Classic, NACA champions.

12. (12) Scotlandville (Baton Rouge, La.), 33-3

LSHAA Division I state champions.

13. (13) Minnehaha Academy (Minneapolis), 25-3**

Advanced to the Section 5 Class 3A title game.

14. (14) Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas), 29-3

NIAA Class 4A state champions.

15. (15) Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth, Calif.), 30-4**

Advanced to the CIF Open Division title game.

16. (16) Camden (N.J.), 29-1**

Advanced to the NJSIAA Group 2 tournament semifinals.

17. (17) St. Frances Academy (Baltimore), 38-4

Baltimore Catholic League regular season, tournament champions. MIAA Conference A finalist.

18. (18) Poly (Baltimore), 24-2

Advanced to the MPSSAA Class 3A semifinals.

19. (19) IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.), 19-6
City of Palms Classic, St. James Invitational finalist.

20. (20) Duncanville (Texas), 31-3**

Advanced to the UIL Class 6A state semifinals.

21. (21) Lancaster (Texas), 35-2**

Advanced to the UIL Class 5A state semifinals.

22. (22) Bloomington South (Bloomington, Ind.), 27-0**

Qualified for the IHSAA Class 4A state tournament.

23. (23) St. Benedict's Prep (Newark, N.J.), 30-4

New Jersey Prep A state champions.

24. (24) Wheeler (Marietta, Ga.), 24-7

GHSA Class AAAAAAA state champions.

25. (25) Lee (Montgomery, Ala.), 33-1

AHSAA Class 7A state champions.

Next Five

26. Grayson (Loganville, Ga.), 30-2

27. North Mecklenburg (Huntersville, N.C.), 30-1**

28. Archbishop Moeller (Cincinnati), 25-1**

29. Paul VI (Fairfax, Va.), 27-8

30. Curie (Chicago), 28-2**

** Season cut short due to coronavirus pandemic.

Final 2019-20 MaxPreps Top 25 high school boys basketball rankings

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