Video: R.J. Barrett highlights
Former Montverde star in action during senior season.
As the focus shifts to a new decade and the 2020-21 high school basketball season, we decided to look back on the last 10 years to identify the most successful programs in the nation during that time period.
Developing a program into a consistent winner on a national level is a daunting task in the current landscape as roster turnover, coaching changes and many other factors contribute to inconsistencies across a 10-year period.
Win-loss records and national rankings were the primary factors considered with postseason success (at the state and national level) also part of the equation. Read on for our take on the decade's best.
1. Montverde Academy (Montverde, Fla.)Overall record: 262-20 (92.9 percent)
National Top 25: 2012 (4), 2013 (1), 2014 (2), 2015 (1), 2016 (7), 2017 (2), 2018 (1), 2019 (4), 2020 (1)
Summary: Since hiring head coach Kevin Boyle prior to the 2011-2012 season, the Eagles have held down a spot in the Top 10 of the national rankings each of the past nine years. The perennial powerhouse has distanced itself from the other teams on this list in recent years, capturing national titles four times over the past eight seasons. Notable players produced include Ben Simmons, D'Angelo Russell, R.J. Barrett and reigning MaxPreps National Player of the Year Cade Cunningham.
Overall record: 388-31 (92.6 percent)
National Top 25: 2011 (7), 2012 (1), 2013 (8), 2014 (4), 2015 (2), 2016 (2), 2017 (6), 2018 (3), 2019 (12), 2020 (6)
Summary: Home to high school basketball's winningest active head coach, the Warriors are the only team in the nation to finish the season ranked in the national Top 25 in each of the past 10 seasons. Head coach Steve Smith sits at 1,188 wins, 145 away from the all-time record of 1,333 victories set by Robert Hughes of Texas in 2005. Oak Hill Academy won a national title in 2011-2012 after finishing the year a perfect 44-0. They also captured a title at Dick's Nationals in 2015-2016 to finish second in the rankings in consecutive years.
Overall record: 235-36 (86.3 percent)
National Top 25: 2012 (7), 2013 (7), 2014 (14), 2016 (6), 2017 (1), 2018 (17), 2019 (3), 2020 (8)
Summary: La Lumiere qualified for GEICO Nationals in each of the past five seasons, capturing the program's first national title in 2016-2017. Although the Lakers have featured three different head coaches over the past 10 seasons, the standard of excellence has remained the same as they have finished the year ranked in the Top 25 eight times since the program's first appearance in 2011-2012. Current head coach Pat Holmes is 76-8 since taking over in 2017-2018.
Overall record: 263-31 (89.5 percent)
National Top 25: 2011 (20), 2012 (2), 2013 (3), 2014 (13), 2015 (6), 2016 (16), 2017 (3), 2018 (8)
Summary: The Findlay Prep basketball program was discontinued prior to the 2019-2020 season after a successful 14-year existence that included an all-time program record of 381-43 and three National High School Invitational championships. Over the past 10 seasons, the Pilots captured one National High School Invitational Title and were ranked among the Top 25 team nationally eight times. Findlay Prep produced 10 NBA players since 2011, including Christian Wood, Kelly Oubre, Dillon Brooks, Alonzo Trier and P.J. Washington.
Overall record: 301-40 (88.3 percent)
National Top 25: 2011 (10), 2012 (6), 2013 (4), 2014 (1), 2017 (9)
Summary: The Monarchs had the most successful decade of any team that competes for a state championship, finishing in the Top 10 nationally five times with a national title in 2013-2014 behind MaxPreps National Player of the Year Stanley Johnson. Mater Dei is home to the second winningest active head coach, Gary McKnight, who has a career record of 1,161-117. The Monarchs captured four consecutive state championships to open the decade from 2010-2011 through 2013-2014 and have won nearly 90 percent of their games against a tough national schedule.
6. St. Anthony (Jersey City, N.J.)
Overall record: 200-15 (93 percent)
National Top 25: 2011 (1), 2012 (1), 2016 (3)
Summary: St. Anthony opened the decade in dominant fashion, capturing back-to-back national titles in 2010-2011 and 2011-2012. There was also an 83-game win streak that wasn't snapped until February 2013. Leading the way was Kyle Anderson, who won MaxPreps National Player of the Year honors in 2011-2012. Unfortunately the school closed its doors prior to the 2017-2018 season, ending the illustrious career of Bob Hurley Sr., who compiled a career record of 1,184-125 with 28 state titles in 45 seasons.
Overall record: 272-50 (84.5 percent)
National Top 25: 2012 (7), 2013 (11), 2014 (10), 2018 (23), 2019 (21), 2020 (14)
Summary: The Gaels tied the national record with their ninth consecutive state championship in 2019-2020, closing out a dominant decade with another impressive season. Bishop Gorman has also established itself on the national scene, finishing the year ranked in the Top 25 six of the past 10 seasons.
Overall record: 284-68 (80.7 percent)
National Top 25: 2012 (13), 2015 (19), 2016 (13), 2018 (6), 2019 (10), 2020 (5)
Summary: The DeMatha basketball program continued its rich history with another dominant decade of basketball in the nation's toughest conference. The Stags captured three Washington Catholic Athletic Conference titles and have been ranked in the Top 25 six times over the past decade. In recent seasons, DeMatha has established itself as one of the elite programs in high school basketball with a Top 10 finished in each of the past three seasons. The Stags also produced the No. 1 pick in the 2017 NBA Draft in Markelle Fultz.
Overall record: 276-48 (85 percent)
National Top 25: 2012 (5), 2013 (2), 2016 (17), 2017 (5), 2018 (10), 2020 (23)
Summary: Following a 13-12 season to start the decade in 2010-2011, St. Benedict's Prep went in a new direction by hiring current head coach Mark Taylor. Under Taylor, the Gray Bees made appearances in the National High School Invitational in both 2011-2012 and 2012-2013, reaching the final and losing to Montverde Academy at the buzzer in 2013.
Overall record: 254-50 (83.6 percent)
National Top 25: 2011 (9), 2012 (4), 2013 (3), 2018 (22)
Summary: Led by Jabari Parker,
the 2013 MaxPreps National Player of the Year, the Wolverines finished
ranked in the Top 10 nationally each of the first three years of the
decade. Although the Chicago powerhouse hasn't captured a state title
since 2012-13, it has remained relevant on a state and national level. Simeon recently topped our list of the Top 25 public schools over the past decade.
Honorable Mention (listed alphabetically):
Overall record: 239-80 (74.9 percent)
National Top 25: 2016 (1), 2017 (17)
Overall record: 304-49 (86.1 percent)
National Top 25: 2015 (11), 2017 (6)
Overall record: 254-51 (83.3 percent)
National Top 25: 2012 (3), 2013 (5), 2014 (11), 2015 (4), 2017 (10)
Imhotep Charter (Philadelphia, Pa.)Overall record: 253-56 (81.9 percent)
National Top 25: 2017 (3), 2018 (11), 2019 (23)
Overall record: 204-50 (80.3 percent)
National Top 25: 2012 (24), 2013 (1)
Overall record: 255-48 (84.2 percent)
National Top 25: 2012 (20), 2014 (22)
Overall record: 330-33 (90.9 percent)
National Top 25: 2012 (2), 2020 (14)
Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth, Calif.)Overall record: 255-59 (81.2 percent)
National Top 25: 2017 (18), 2018 (18), 2019 (6), 2020 (15)
