Report card: Revisiting preseason boys basketball rankings

MaxPreps.com's preseason basketball rankings debuted Nov. 10. After nearly four months of play, it's report card time.

Help us revisit our preseason picks and see which formerly-ranked squads may have a chance to squeeze back in before the 2012-13 campaign comes to a close.

Teams appear in the order they were ranked back in November along with current records and Xcellent 25 national ranking. Grades were assigned based on our success in forecasting each team's season.

1. Simeon (Chicago), 24-3
Current ranking: No. 13
Source of preseason optimism: Returnees Jabari Parker, Kendrick Nunn, Jaylon Tate and Kendall Pollard entered the season with a target on their back after leading the Wolverines to their third Illinois Class 4A state title in a row. Simeon bolstered its roster with transfers Russell Woods and Sean Moore Jr. and expected sophomore D.J. Williams to ease into a substantial role.
How it's played out: Red flags went up when Simeon released its schedule in the fall. It didn't take long for the tough slate to deflate massive preseason expectations as the Wolverines lost their second game of the season on a quick road trip to preseason No. 19 DeSoto (Texas) for a ESPN broadcast. There have been some major disappointments along the way for Simeon but that could all be wiped away by winning a fourth 4A title in as many years.
Grading the pick: C+

2. Fort Bend Travis (Richmond, Texas), 29-5
Current ranking: NR
Source of preseason optimism: Kentucky-bound twins Aaron and Andrew Harrison comprise the nation's top 1-2 punch in the backcourt and took Travis to the Texas Class 5A state title game as juniors.
How it's played out: Andrew Harrison's hamstring injury, a daunting schedule and the lack of firepower outside of the twins have been issues for the Tigers. But Travis is still in the hunt for the Class 5A state title and a return to the rankings isn't out of the question if they make it to Austin and return home with the trophy.
Grading the pick: C-

3. Prestonwood Christian (Plano, Texas), 13-19
Current ranking: NR
Source of preseason optimism: Elite prospects in the senior (Julius Randle) and sophomore class (Mickey Mitchell) returned after going 27-4 and winning the prestigious City of Palms Class a year ago.
How it's played out: Injuries ravaged what could have been a special season for the Lions. Mitchell never played a game with a torn ACL and Randle fractured his right foot in November and has only recently returned to the lineup.
Grading the pick: Incomplete

4. Long Beach Poly (Long Beach), 27-3
Current ranking: No. 8
Source of preseason optimism: One of California's most successful programs in recent seasons boasted a pair of senior stars in Roschon Prince and Jordan Bell. Junior Kameron Chatman, a transfer from Oregon, was expected to be another weapon but lost an appeal to gain eligibility.
How it's played out: Though the Jackrabbits lost Tuesday night to Etiwanda in the Southern Section Division 1AA semifinals, their season isn't over and a state championship is still a possibility. Poly's other two losses came against Montverde Academy and Whitney Young.
Grading the pick: A

5. Chester (Pa.), 23-3
Current ranking: No. 16
Source of preseason optimism: Pennsylvania's most storied basketball school brought back one of its all-time greats in Rondae Jefferson and several other key contributors from a 34-0 state championship team.
How it's played out: Following a loss to unheralded Brookfield Central (Brookfield, Wis.) at the Brandon Jennings Invitational in January, things looked like they could be headed in the wrong direction for the Clippers. Instead, Chester has won 14 games in a row – including an impressive 58-41 win on ESPN2 over Neumann-Goretti (Philadelphia).
Grading the pick: B+

6. Lone Peak (Highland, Utah), 24-1
Current ranking: No. 1
Source of preseason optimism: The Knights finished the 2011-12 season ranked No. 24 nationally, returned virtually everybody plus added 6-foot-8 post man Eric Mika.
How it's played out: The expectations were enormous for Lone Peak and head coach Quincy Lewis and crew have surpassed them. The Knights could end the national championship debate this weekend by winning Utah's Class 5A state title.
Grading the pick: A+

7. Rainier Beach (Seattle), 22-4
Current ranking: NR
Source of preseason optimism: Washington's defending Class 3A state champs returned three starters and added SoCal transfer Shaqquan Aaron, a five-star 6-8 shooting guard.
How it's played out: The Vikings suffered a couple of disappointing losses in December at the MaxPreps Holiday Classic but will be favored to repeat as state champ this week at the Tacoma Dome.
Grading the pick: C-

8. Whitney Young (Chicago), 24-3
Current ranking: No. 7
Source of preseason optimism: Jahlil Okafor established himself as one of the world's top young prospects over the summer by earning MVP honors at the FIBA U18 Championship in Lithuania as the United States won the gold medal. L.J. Peak, coming of a state championship sophomore season at Gaffney (S.C.), made a long-distance transfer to join the program.
How it's played out: As expected. Whitney Young has thrived against one of the nation's toughest schedules, spending time as the top-ranked team and winning the Chicago Public Schools League tournament title.
Grading the pick: A+

9. Southwind (Memphis, Tenn.), 28-6
Current ranking: NR
Source of preseason optimism: Head coach Paul Edwards welcomed back a pair of high major recruits in Johnathan Williams III and JaJuan Johnson that received plenty of seasoning as juniors in one of the nation's most competitive cities for high school basketball.
How it's played out: Six losses seems like a lot for a nationally-ranked squad, but the Jaguars could return to the Xcellent 25 if they can close things out with a state title.
Grading the pick: B

10. Salesian (Richmond, Calif.), 28-3
Current ranking: NR
Source of preseason optimism: Loaded returning roster led by California-bound Jabari Bird and enhanced by some talented young transfers.
How it's played out: Salesian has won 18 in a row and is on the verge of re-entering the rankings for the first time since December.
Grading the pick: B

11. Neumann-Goretti (Philadelphia), 18-5
Current ranking: NR
Source of preseason optimism: Lots of key components – including star junior guard Ja'Quan Newton – back from a 29-3 team that won a state title.
How it's played out: After a 6-0 start, the Saints lost four out of five games in late December and early January against elite competition.
Grading the pick: C-

12. St. Anthony (Jersey City, N.J.), 25-1
Current ranking: No. 5
Source of preseason optimism: Besides having the best coach in America (Bob Hurley), St. Anthony also returned Division I-bound guards Josh Brown and Hallice Cooke.
How it's played out: The Friars are who we thought they were. Good enough to manhandle just about everybody on the schedule but a step below where they were the past two seasons with guys like Myles Mack and Kyle Anderson on the roster.
Grading the pick: A

13. Proviso East (Maywood, Ill.), 25-3
Current ranking: NR
Source of preseason optimism: Head coach Donnie Boyce is a star on the rise on the sideline and returned plenty of firepower from a team that went 32-1 in 2012.
How it's played out: This pick looked like a horrendous one early on as the Pirates were dropped by Oswego in their second game then suffered a 40-point thrashing at the hands of Lone Peak. But Proviso East has responded by going undefeated since the calendar turned and heads into the 4A tournament with as much momentum as anybody in the state.
Grading the pick: C+

14. Archbishop Mitty (San Jose, Calif.), 23-5
Current ranking: NR
Source of preseason optimism: Though the Monarchs lost several key pieces from last season's Division II state championship team, versatile five-star forward Aaron Gordon is a good place to start in the rebuilding process.
How it's played out: Mitty has struggled getting over the hump against top-notch competition, including a low point 81-46 loss to Lone Peak at the Spalding Hoophall Classic.
Grading the pick: C-

15. Indianapolis Cathedral (Indianapolis, Ind.), 20-5
Current ranking: NR
Source of preseason optimism: Future Indiana Hoosier Collin Hartman and super sophomore Jalen Coleman helped the Fighting Irish draw wide praise as the preseason favorite in Indiana's Class 4A.
How it's played out: Cathedral struggled out of the gate, falling to 6-5 overall after an early January loss to Michigan power Romulus. Hartman and Coleman have stepped up big since, leading the Fighting Irish to 14 wins in a row – including an impressive 70-59 thumping of independent power La Lumiere (La Porte).
Grading the pick: C+

16. Sheldon (Sacramento, Calif.), 23-5
Current ranking: NR
Source of preseason optimism: The Huskies returned the bulk of their contributors from a 2011-12 team that reached California's Division I state title game. Transfer Darin Johnson – a Washington signee – also joined the mix as a transfer.
How it's played out: A 2-3 start that included a lopsided loss to Morgan Park (Chicago) left Sheldon on the outside looking in. The Huskies are playing their best basketball at the right time, however, winning 14 of their last 15 games.
Grading the pick: C-

17. Lake Highland Prep (Orlando, Fla.), 23-5
Current ranking: NR
Source of preseason optimism: State player of the year Joel Berry led a veteran cast that fell one game short of Florida's Class 4A state title last season.
How it's played out: An injury to Berry is all that has kept the Highlanders from living up to lofty expectations. All five losses came with Berry on the sideline and Prep will meet St. Andrew's (Boca Raton) in the 4A state championship game Thursday.
Grading the pick: B+

18. Paul VI (Fairfax, Va.), 23-7
Current ranking: NR
Source of preseason optimism: There would have been even more optimism coming off a magical 2011-12 season had Indiana-bound wing Stanford Robinson not departed for Findlay Prep (Henderson, Nev.). Still, senior Jamall Robinson and young studs like Franklin Howard, Kevin Dorsey and Marcus Derrickson made the Panthers a popular preseason choice.
How it's played out: Hard to believe a team that has beat both Montverde Academy and Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.) is considered a bit of disappointment from a national perspective. Watch out for Paul VI next winter, however.
Grading the pick: C

19. DeSoto (Texas), 33-3
Current ranking: No. 6
Source of preseason optimism: Duke-bound guard Matt Jones and one of the state's best coaches made the Eagles a preseason favorite along with Fort Bend Travis in the Texas 5A race.
How it's played out: DeSoto's season ended in heartbreak Tuesday night with a loss in the regional quarterfinals to Hebron (Carrollton). The Eagles finished 33-3 with a win over preseason No. 1 Simeon along the way.
Grading the pick: B+

20. White Station (Memphis, Tenn.), 22-7
Current ranking: NR
Source of preseason optimism: Juniors LeRon Black, Davell Roby and Chris Chiozza and sophomore Nych Smith highlighted a young Spartan team that looked poised to challenge Southwind for city supremacy.
How it's played out: After beginning the season 14-1, White Station went 3-5 during a stretch in January and was knocked out of the postseason Friday by Germantown.
Grading the pick: D

21. Tift County (Tifton, Ga.), 26-4
Current ranking: NR
Source of preseason optimism: Transfer Brannen Greene – a Kansas signee – joined promising junior guard Tadric Jackson and a handful of other key contributors from a 17-win team a year ago.
How it's played out: The Blue Devils dropped out of the Xcellent 25 following their trip to the City of Palms Classic in December. Tift County was on a run of 11 straight wins since a loss to St. Anthony in January at the Spalding Hoophall Classic, but saw its season come to an end Wednesday night with a loss to North Cobb (Kennesaw).
Grading the pick: C

22. St. John Bosco (Bellflower, Calif.), 23-6
Current ranking: NR
Source of preseason optimism: Brothers Isaac and Daniel Hamilton and Tyler Dorsey gave Bosco one of the most impressive perimeter trios in America.
How it's played out: After a 10-1 start that included a tournament victory at the Chick-fil-A Classic in South Carolina, the Braves' brutal schedule caught up with them in January. Bosco plays Chaminade (West Hills) in the Southern Section Division 3A tournament final Saturday. A win there and significant push in the state playoffs could give the Braves a top 25-worthy resume considering they played nine games against teams that were nationally ranked at some point in the season.
Grading the pick: B

23. Callaway (Jackson, Miss.), 25-7
Current ranking: NR
Source of preseason optimism: Mississippi's defending Class 5A state champs brought back arguably the nation's top sophomore in Malik Newman along with 6-8 senior forward TreShawn Bolden.
How it's played out: The Chargers dropped their season opener and were just 8-6 following a December trip to the City of Palms Classic. Callaway has caught fire since going 17-1 but it's too little, too late to get back in the top 25 picture.
Grading the pick: D

24. Omaha Central (Neb.), 23-4
Current ranking: NR
Source of preseason optimism: The Eagles have won six of the last seven Class A state titles in Nebraska and entered the 2012-13 campaign with its most talented squad during that span.
How it's played out: Central is unranked but could slip back into the Xcellent 25 with another state title. The Omaha powerhouse turned in a solid showing at the City of Palms Classic but returned home to lose back-to-back games against local foes in late January. A victory over Oak Hill Academy may have been the signature moment of Central's run of dominance in Nebraska.
Grading the pick: B

25. Gill St. Bernard's (Gladstone, N.J.), 16-7
Current ranking: NR
Source of preseason optimism: Adding 6-8 Illinois signee Austin Colbert and fab frosh Tyus Battle to a lineup that already included Jaren Sina and Chris Jenkins gave the Knights a lineup that looked to be on par with anybody in the state – including two-time defending national champ St. Anthony.
How it's played out: GSB was out of the national rankings conversation before Christmas, losing three of its first four games.
Grading the pick: D-