MaxPreps 2015-16 Alaska preseason high school boys basketball Fab 5, presented by the Army National Guard

1. Barrow
Head coach: Jeremy Arnhart
2014-15 record: 26-3

Led by a pair of freshmen, the Whalers won 18 in a row down the stretch last season en route to the Class 3A state title. The duo of Kamaka Hepa (6-foot-7, So., F) and Travis Adams (5-9, So., G) should remain tough to beat for the next three years. Hepa averaged 17.3 points, 10 rebounds and 2.5 blocks per game as a freshman and is already garnering high major college attention. Adams added 11.1 points, 3.9 assists and 3.8 rebounds per game in 2014-15.

See last season's Alaska boys basketball computer rankings

2. East (Anchorage)
Head coach: Jason Jno-Lewis
2014-15 record: 22-8



The Thunderbirds will miss all-stater Desmond Johnson but return a solid nucleus to build around. Marquis White (6-3, Sr., F) will assume the starring role after putting up 16.2 points, 7.1 rebounds and 2.9 steals per game as a junior. Moses Miller (6-0, Jr., G) and Alec Canete-Hall (5-10, Sr., G) both averaged just under 10 points per game in 2014-15.

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3. West (Anchorage)
Head coach: Antonio Wyche
2014-15 record: 21-3

After winning the Class 4A state title in 2014-15, the Eagles should remain flying high this winter. Coach's kid Dazhon Wyche (5-11, Sr., G) earned all-state accolades as a junior. Darion Lawson (5-8, Sr., G) and Noah Christy (6-7, Jr., F/C) were also major contributors to West's state championship run. Unconfirmed reports says that Christy has transferred to a school in Georgia, though. Things could have looked even better had 6-foot-9 Brandon Huffman not transferred to a prep school in North Carolina.

See last season's Alaska boys basketball playoff brackets

4. Colony (Palmer)
Head coach: Tom Berg
2014-15 record: 22-8



Bailey West (6-3, Sr., G) was one of the top backcourt players in the state last year and he will be joined by Bartlett transfer Tyler Boyer (6-5, Sr., F). The Knights took on teams from California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii and Mississippi in 2014-15. There are rumblings, however, that West has transferred to Texas.

See last season's Alaska boys basketball stat leaders

5. Eagle River Christian Academy
Head coach: Kimani Shotwell
2014-15 record: N/A

ERCA is a new national prep program that is not affiliated with the ASAA and will not compete for a state title. Shotwell has loaded up the roster with players from all over Alaska, the Lower 48 and even Nigeria. Wallace Ungwiluk (5-9, Jr., G) is the only real known commodity but he will be joined by five players over 6-foot-6, including 7-1 freshman Khalif Chaffin.