Monday's new-look national rankings likely to feature Marauders in top spot following impressive win at Thanksgiving Hoopfest.
Phil Forte's 21 points helped Marcus get past Yates at the Thanksgiving Hoopfest.
Photo by Jim Redman
Barring an upset Saturday,
Marcus (Flower Mound, Texas) will debut at No. 1 in MaxPreps.com's
new-look national rankings following an 80-67 win over
Yates (Houston) Friday night at the Thanksgiving Hoopfest.
The Marauders (7-0) followed last weekend's tournament victory at the McDonald's Texas Invitational with a win over the 2010 national champions, who were ranked No. 17 in the preseason Xcellent 25. Yates led heading into the final quarter, but became the latest victim of Marcus' one-two punch in the backcourt.
Marcus Smart piled up 15 points, 10 assists and eight rebounds, while running mate
Phil Forte tied a team-high with 21 points. Both are committed to Oklahoma State.
Future New Mexico Lobo
Nick Banyard also had 21 for the defending Class 5A state champions.
Marcus will face five-star guard
Rodney Purvis and
Upper Room Christian Academy (Raleigh, N.C.) at the same event Saturday.
In other action from the Hoopfest, No. 15
Grace Prep (Arlington, Texas) rolled to a surprisingly-easy 75-43 win over
Wheeler (Marietta, Ga.). Grace Prep will meet
Fort Bend Travis (Richmond, Texas) in Saturday's featured matchup at the event.
Prestonwood Christian (Plano, Texas) hammered aforementioned Upper Room Christian 81-58 and
Booker T. Washington (Tulsa, Okla.) knocked off
Douglass (Oklahoma City, Okla.) 68-59 in a battle of defending champions from the Sooner State.
The Thanksgiving Hoopfest is being played held at Sandra Meadows Arena in Duncanville.
