High school basketball: Digging into history to crown national champions all the way back to 1910

Sometime in the next month, MaxPreps will crown its national champion for the 2022 high school basketball season. The history of high school basketball rankings involves a number of different media outlets, but they didn't really begin until the 1960s with retroactive selections chosen back to the 1950s. MaxPreps aims to expand on the list of national champions by naming the nation's best all the way back to 1910.

High school basketball rankings began in the 1960s when Minnesota resident Art Johlfs decided to begin ranking high school basketball teams. He had been doing national high school football rankings since 1959 and the first national lists for basketball appeared in the late 1960s. The rankings were not done during the season, but after the season was complete.

Johlfs, under his business name of National Sports News Service, continued doing the rankings until the late 1980s when Barry Sollenberger of Arizona took over. He continued until the late 1990s. Johlfs also retroactively selected national champions back to 1952.

USA Today sports writer Dave Krider began doing weekly national rankings in the early 1980s. He had previously done them in the 1970s with Basketball Weekly. USA Today continues to do national rankings and has been joined by MaxPreps in 2009, the National Prep Poll with Doug Huff in the 1990s, and BallisLife in the late 2010s. The latter rankings are done by Ronnie Flores, who worked with Mark Tennis to do national rankings with various organizations during the 2000s, including Student Sports, ESPN, FOX, Rivals and Grassroots. Flores has also done an in-depth look at national champions since the late 1980s here.

No media outlets have chosen national champions prior to 1952, until now. MaxPreps has selected teams it feels most worthy of the designation of national champion dating back to 1910. Sources include the Cal-Hi Sports Record Book and Almanac by Mark Tennis and Nelson Tennis, state association state championships, and winners of the National Interscholastic Invitational Tournament and the National Catholic Invitational Tournament during the 1920s and 30s. The NIIT was a national tournament featuring state champions from all over the country. Organized by Amos Alonzo Stagg, the tournament was held in Chicago from 1917 to 1930.

It should be noted that a number of schools from black high schools during the segregation era were not considered, due mainly to a lack of information. There are a number of teams that could have been considered, however, including Booker T. Washington (Tulsa, Okla.) and Roosevelt (Gary, Ind.).

High school basketball national champions from 1910

1910
Stockton (California)
Record: 10-2
Coach: unknown
Ranking: MaxPreps (MP)
Note: The Tarzans were a powerhouse in California during the 1920s, but they had their first success in 1910 when they beat Fresno for bragging rights in the Sacramento/San Joaquin Valley. A game against the top team in Southern California for the state championship never materialized, however.

1911
Lodi (Calif.)
Record: 40-7
Coach: unknown
Ranking: MaxPreps
Top Players: Posy, all-league; Prentice, all-league; Wilkinson, all-league
Note: Lodi played all comers during the season including YMCA teams and military units. Lodi beat Oakland Poly 59-23 for the state championship.

1912
Batavia (Ill.)
Record: 27-2
Coach: K.C. Merrick
Ranking: MaxPreps
Top Players: Ray McDermott, all-state; Walter Trantow, all-state second team; Dwight Emigh, all-state second team.
Note: After the season was over, Batavia reportedly went on tour and defeated a group of college teams.

1913
Reno County (Kan.)
Record: 26-1
Coach: H. Streilbech
Ranking: MaxPreps
Note: Reno County won the state's first official state championship in 1912 and finished second in the Kansas University Open in 1911. One of the fans in the stands during the 1913 finals was none other than the game's inventor, Dr. James Naismith.

1914
San Mateo (Calif.)
Record: 16-0
Coach: unknown
Ranking: MaxPreps
Top Players: Sheldon Perham, team captain.
Note: The Bearcats won the All-American League for the second time in its history and reportedly beat teams by as many as 46 points.

1915
Lincoln High (Neb.)
Record: 21-1
Coach: Harold Mulligan
Ranking: MaxPreps
Top Players: Thurston Morris, all-state
Note: Lincoln was a powerhouse during the first decade of the state tournament, winning the title in 1914, 1915, 1917, 1918 and 1920. The 1915 team posted its highest win total during the decade.

1916
Whittier (Calif.)
Record: 21-1
Coach: Prof. John Wilson
Ranking: MaxPreps
Top Players: Stew Beam, Cal-Hi Sports state player of the year for 1917; Vestal Stanley, Cal-Hi Sports state player of the year for 1918.
Note: The Poets defeated Berkeley for the first official state championship in California. Under Wilson, Whittier won seven straight Southern Section championships.

1917
Fremont (Oakland, Calif.)
Record: Undefeated
Coach: Chales Blesse
Ranking: MaxPreps
Top Players: John Talt, captain; Ed Dearborn, captain.
Note: Due to the Spanish Flu epidemic, Fremont was not able to play Fresno for the state championship until May, winning 36-12.

1918
Central (Little Rock, Ark.)
Record: 25-0
Coach: Earl Quigley
Ranking: MaxPreps
Top Players: Skinny McCarron, all-state
Note: The Tigers outscored opponents 1,601 to 443 on the season, including a 99-7 over Stuttgart in the finals.

1919
Winfield (Kan.)
Record: 23-0
Coach: Will French
Ranking: MaxPreps
Top Players: Wilbur Johnson, all-state; Boyd Smith, all-state.
Note: Winfield scored 1,172 points on the season and averaged 58 points per game. The most lopsided game was a 90-18 win over Kingman.

1920
Passaic (N.J.)
Record: 26-0
Coach: Prof. Ernest Blood
Ranking: MaxPreps
Top Players: Herb Rumsey, all-state; Charley Lent, all-state; Johnny Roosma, all-state.
Note: The Indians began a win streak that eventually reached 159 straight games by winning the 1920 state championship over Trenton.

1921
Passaic (N.J.)
Record: 31-0
Coach: Prof. Ernest Blood
Ranking: MaxPreps
Top Players: Bobby Thompson, all-state; Johnny Roosma, all-state.
Note: The Indians continued their win streak, running it to 57 games in a row with another championship win over Trenton. A game against Ohio state champion Dayton Stivers was scheduled, but ended up being cancelled.

1922
Passaic (N.J.)
Record: 33-0
Coach: Prof. Ernest Blood
Ranking: MaxPreps
Top Players: Bobby Thompson, all-state
Note: Named "The Wonder Team," Passaic went 33-0 with wins over undefeated Binghamton (NY) and Reading (Pa.) after winning a third straight state championship. Passaic scored over 100 points eight times and Thompson became the first high school player to score over 1,000 points in a season.

1923
Wyandotte (Kansas City, Kan.)
Record: 31-0
Coach: C.W. Corsant
Ranking: NIT
Top Players: Herb Proudfit, leading scorer
Note: Known as Kansas City High School at the time, Wyandotte won the National Interscholastic Tournament (NIT) with a victory over Rockford (Ill.) in the finals. During the season, Kansas City set a national record with a 234-2 win over the Rainbow Athletic Club.

1924
Windsor (Colo.)
Record: Undefeated
Coach: Joseph E. Ryan
Ranking: NIT
Top Players: Fred Van Matre; Art Law
Note: Windsor was one of the smaller schools in Colorado, but it won back-to-back state championships in 1923 and 1924, going on to win the NIT with a victory over Yankton (S.D.).

1925
Lafayette (Buffalo, N.Y.)
Record: 20-0
Coach: Art Whaley
Ranking: MaxPreps
Note: Winners of back-to-back state championships in New York, finishing undefeated in 1925.

1926
Fitchburg (Mass.)
Record: 29-1
Coach: Clarence Amiott
Ranking: NIT
Top Players: Lauri Myllykangas, Anasto Fanos, John Oliva.
Note: Although Fitchburg lost to Brockton in the New England states championship tournament, it bounced back to win the NIT in Chicago with a victory over Fargo (N.D.) in the final.

1927
De La Salle (Joliet, Ill.), now Joliet Catholic (Joliet, Ill.)
Record: 25-0
Coach: John Carroll
Ranking: NICT
Top Players: John Waesco, captain.
Note: After winning the Chicago Catholic League, De La Salle (later to be known as Joliet Catholic) swept the competition at the National Invitational Catholic Tournament (NICT) with a win over Roman Catholic of Philadelphia.

1928
Blazer (Ashland, Ky.)
Record: 37-0
Coach: Paul Jenkins
Ranking: NIT
Top Players: Ellis Johnson, all-state.
Note: Blazer had to beat Carr Creek in four overtimes for the state championship. Ashland then traveled to the NIT in Chicago and topped Canton (Ill.) for the championship. Blazer is one of only two teams in Kentucky state history to finish a season undefeated.

1929
Athens (Texas)
Record: 38-1
Coach: Jimmy Kitts
Ranking: NIT
Top Players: John Thompkins, All-American
Note: Athens dominated Texas basketball during the 1920s and 1930s, despite being a town of 3,000 people. Athens became the only school to win the NIT twice as it returned to win the title in the final NIT in 1930.

1930
Stivers School for the Arts (Dayton, Ohio)
Record: 30-0
Coach: Floyd Stahl
Ranking: MaxPreps
Top Players: Bill Hosket, three-time all-state
Note: Stivers dominate basketball in Ohio during the 1920s, winning four crowns during the decade including three in a row from 1928 to 1930. Coach Stahl took a job with Ohio State at the conclusion of the season.

1931
Central (Tulsa, Okla.)
Record: 25-0
Coach: Grady Skillern
Ranking: MaxPreps
Top Players: Carl Bowen, all-state
Note: Central went undefeated in 1930 and won a state championship and then turned the trick again in 1931.

1932
Trenton Central (Trenton, N.J.)
Record: 29-1
Coach:  Red Smith
Ranking: MaxPreps
Top Players: Meyer Bloom (Soph)
Note: Trenton won four straight state championships behind the play of Bloom, who was the star on three of those teams. Bloom went on to play for the Boston Celtics.

1933
Wyandotte (Kansas City, Kan.)
Record: 25-0
Coach: P.H. Percy Parks
Ranking: MaxPreps
Top Players: Joe Michaels, all-state; Larry Trickett, all-state
Note: For the second time, Wyandotte earns national champion honors after winning the school's third state championship while finishing undefeated.

1934
Trenton Central (N.J.)
Record: undefeated
Coach: Red Smith
Ranking: MaxPreps
Top Players: Meyer Bloom
Note: Bloom finished out his career in fine fashion with a third straight state championship. During his three years on the varsity, Trenton went 71-2 including an undefeated 1934 season.

1935
Lansing Central (Mich.), now closed
Record: 19-0
Coach: John Middlesworth
Ranking: MaxPreps
Top Players: William Carpenter, leading scorer
Note: A football powerhouse in the early part of the century, Lansing Central won its first state championship in basketball behind the play of future Michigan State standout Carpenter.

1936
Northern (Flint, Mich.)
Record: 19-0
Coach: Jim Barclay
Ranking: MaxPreps
Top Players: Grady Truss, Andy Sabota
Note: Northern dominated the latter half of the 1930s in Michigan, falling to Lansing Central in the 1935 finals, but winning the 1936, 1939 and 1940 championships.

1937
Hamilton (Ohio)
Record: 24-0
Coach:  Lewis Hirt
Ranking: MaxPreps
Top Players: Garland Munz, all-state; Carl Ott, all-state
Note: In seven years under Hirt, Hamilton had a .748 winning percentage, capped by the undefeated 1937 season. Hirt defeated another Ohio coaching legend in the state finals when Hamilton topped Massillon, coached by future Cleveland Browns coach Paul Brown.

1938
Wilson (Dallas)
Record: 27-0
Coach: Howard Kitchen
Ranking: MaxPreps
Top Players: Malcolm Kuttner, all-tournament; Kelley Simpson, all-tournament
Note: After defeating favored John Reagan of Houston in the semifinals, Wilson won its first state championship with a win over Abilene.

1939
Madison (Brooklyn, N.Y.)
Record: 23-0
Coach: Jammy Moskowitz
Ranking: MaxPreps
Top Players: Stan Waxman, leading scorer; Fuzzy Levane, leading scorer
Note: Madison ended Franklin's 29-game win streak during the PSAL tournament and then topped Jamaica for the school's first championship under Moskowitz.

1940
San Marcos (Texas)
Record: 48-0
Coach: Milton Jowers
Ranking: MaxPreps
Top Players: Jimmie Lumpkin, all-state; Addison Coers, all-state
Note: San Marcos held off Crowell 38-36 in the finals to complete one of the best season records in state history.

1941
Benjamin Franklin (Manhattan, N.Y.), now closed
Record: 18-0
Coach: Bill Spiegel
Ranking: MaxPreps
Top Players: Bobby Wanzer, Johnny Wilson
Note: After finishing 19-0 in 1940 and winning the PSAL championship, Franklin went undefeated again in 1941 and lengthened its winning streak to 37 games in a row. Wanzer, a future member of the Basketball Hall of Fame, was a member of the team, but Johnny Wilson was usually the leading scorer.

1942
Washington (Ind.)
Record: 32-1
Coach: Marion Crawley
Ranking: MaxPreps
Top Players: Charles Harmon, all-state; John DeJernett, all-state; James Riffey, all-state
Note: Washington won the state championship in 1941 and then repeated in 1942. Washington became the fourth team to repeat as state champions.

1943
Lower Merion (Ardmore, Pa.)
Record: 24-0
Coach:  Bill Anderson
Ranking: MaxPreps
Top Players: Greer Heindel, all-state; Don Evans, all-state.
Note: Long before Kobe Bryant arrived at Lower Merion, the Aces won three straight state championships, capped by the undefeated season of 1943.

1944
Taylorville (Ill.)
Record: 45-0
Coach: Dolph Stanley
Ranking: MaxPreps
Top Players: Ron Bontemps, all-state; Johnny Orr, all-state
Note: Taylorville produced the first undefeated state champion team in Illinois history behind the play of Bontemps and Orr, both of whom went on to outstanding careers. Bontemps played in the 1952 Olympics and Orr went on to twice earn Big 10 Coach of the Year honors.

1945
St. John's Prep (Astoria, N.Y.)
Record: 26-0
Coach: Herb Hess
Ranking: MaxPreps
Top Players: Joe Della Monica, leading scorer; Al McGuire, leading rebounder
Note: St. John's Prep won the CHSAA championship four times under Hess. McGuire went on to win an NCAA championship as coach at Marquette in 1977.

1946
Middletown (Ohio)
Record: 26-0
Coach: George Houck
Ranking: MaxPreps
Top Players: Paul Lansaw, all-state
Note: The Middies won their second state championship in three years and reached the finals for the third consecutive season.

1947
Grand Island (Neb.)
Record: 23-0
Coach: Aubrey Givens
Ranking: MaxPreps
Top Players: Ray Lucht, all-state; Dale Toft, all-state; Bob Knickrehm, all-state second team.
Note: The undefeated 1947 basketball season was the start of a strong run by Grand Island as it went undefeated in football in 1947 and won the state championship in basketball again in 1948.

1948
Brewers (Ky.)
Record: 36-0
Coach: McCoy Tarry
Ranking: MaxPreps
Top Players: Coy Creason, all-state; Van Mathis, all-state
Note: When Brewers went undefeated in winning the state championship in 1948, no one probably thought it would be the last Kentucky team to finish the season undefeated, but that's been the case for the past 73 years.

1949
Miami (Fla.)
Record: 26-0
Coach: Vincent Schaefer
Ranking: MaxPreps
Top Players: Pete Silas, all-state; Red Wetherington, all-state; Chuck Griffin, all-state.
Note: The Stingarees were known for their outstanding football program, but the basketball team wasn't too shabby either. Miami won seven state champions by 1949 and won back-to-back crowns in 1948 and 1949.

1950
Mt. Vernon (Ill.)
Record: 33-0
Coach: Stan Changnon
Ranking: MaxPreps
Top Players: Max Hooper, all-state; Walter Moore, all-state; Eddie King, all-state.
Note: Mt. Vernon won a second straight state championship and became the third team in state history to go undefeated. It finished the year with 41 straight wins.

1951
Jefferson (Los Angeles)
Record: 27-0
Coach: Larry Hanson
Ranking: MaxPreps
Top Players: J.C. Gipson (6-6, soph), Los Angeles City Section Player of the Year
Note: Jefferson began its reign as one of the top programs in the Los Angeles City Section with the title in 1951. Jefferson reached the section finals nine times between 1951 and 1972, winning five times.

1952
Compton (Calif.)
Record: 32-0
Coach: Ken Fagans
Ranking: NSNS
Top Players: George Selleck, Southern Section Player of the Year; Al Waner, All-Southern Section second team.
Note: Compton  won its first Southern Section title in 1951 and repeated with an undefeated season. Compton went on to win seven Southern Section crowns between 1951 and 1969.

1953
Pampa (Texas)
Record: 26-0
Coach: Clifton McNeely
Ranking: NSNS
Top Players: Jimmy Bond, all-state; Fred Woods, all-state; Bill Webb, all-state second team; John Oden, all-state second team.
Note: Despite having only two returning players from the previous year, the Harvesters finished undefeated and beat Austin in the state finals.

1954
Pampa (Texas)
Record: 28-0
Coach: Clifton McNeely
Ranking: NSNS
Top Players: Jimmy Bond, all-state; Gary Griffin, all-state; EJ McIlvain, all-state.
Note: Pampa defeated a Crozier Tech (Dallas) team in overtime for a second straight title. The game marked the first time in state history that two undefeated teams had met in the state finals.

1955
Indianapolis Crispus Attucks (Ind.)
Record: 31-1
Coach: Ray Crowe
Ranking: NSNS
Top Players: Oscar Robertson, Scholastic Coach All-American
Note: The Tigers became the first all-black school to win a non-segregated state championship behind the play of future Hall of Famer Robertson

1956
Middletown (Ohio) and Indianapolis Crispus Attucks (Ind.)
Record: 25-0, 31-0
Coach: Paul Walker; Ray Crowe
Ranking: NSNS
Top Players: Middletown: Jerry Lucas, Scholastic Coach All-American; Crispus Attucks: Robertson, Scholastic Coach All-American.
Note: The National Sports News Service finished with two teams tied as national champions. Crispus Attucks became the first Indiana school to finish a season undefeated. Middletown won the first of two state titles behind the play of three-time All-American Jerry Lucas.

1957
Middletown (Ohio)
Record: 27-0
Coach: Paul Walker
Ranking: NSNS
Top Players: Lucas, Parade All-American
Note: The Middies ran their win streak to 52 games in a row with Lucas winning All-American honors for a second time.

1958
McClymonds (Oakland, Calif.)
Record: 21-0
Coach: Paul Harless
Ranking: NSNS
Top Players: Jim Hadnot, (6-10, C), All-North State; Ed Thomas (F), Paul Silas (6-4, Soph)
Note: With Middletown suffering an upset in the state semifinals, McClymonds got the nod for national champion in 1958 after winning the Northern California Tournament of Champions.

1959
McClymonds (Oakland, Calif.)
Record: 22-0
Coach: Paul Harless
Ranking: NSNS
Top Players: Ed Thomas (F), All-Northern California; Paul Silas (6-5, C, Jr.), All-NorCal third team
Note: Featuring the post play of future NBA all-star Silas, McClymonds won the Tournament of Champions again and stretched its win streak to 43 games.

1960
McClymonds (Oakland, Calif.)
Record: 22-0
Coach: Paul Harless
Ranking: NSNS
Top Players: Paul Silas (6-6, C), Parade All-American second team; Fritz Pointer (F), All-NorCal third team.
Note: The Warriors won their third straight TOC with Silas earning All-American honors. McClymonds also stretched its win streak to 65 games.

1961
Collinsville (Ill.)
Record: 32-0
Coach: Vergil Fletcher
Ranking: NSNS
Top Players: Bogie Redmon (6-6, C), all-state; Fred Riddle, all-state.
Note: The Kahoks reportedly became the first school in high school history to win 1,000 games, which it accomplished during the 1961 season.

1962
DeMatha (Hyattsville, Md.)
Record: 29-3
Coach: Morgan Wootten
Ranking: NSNS
Top Players: John Austin, Parade All-American first team
Note: The Stags won the prestigious ESCIT tournament in Rhode Island by beating Trenton Catholic. The national title was the first of Wootten's four crowns in his career.

1963
Power Memorial (New York), now closed
Record: 27-0
Coach: Jack Donahue
Ranking: NSNS
Top Players: Lew Alcindor (7-0, C, Soph), Parade All-American first team
Note: Led by Alcindor, who became the first sophomore to earn Parade All-American honors, Power Memorial won the CHSAA city championship.

1964
Power Memorial (New York)
Record: 30-0
Coach: Jack Donahue
Ranking: NSNS
Top Players: Lew Alcindor (7-0, C, Jr), Parade All-American first team
Note: Power Memorial stretched its win streak to 57 games in a row with a second straight city championship.

1965
DeMatha (Hyattsville, Md.)
Record: 28-1
Coach: Morgan Wootten
Ranking: NSNS
Top Players: Bernie Williams, Parade All-American third team; Sid Catlett, Parade All-American third team (in 1966)
Note: The Stags knocked off Alcindor and Power Memorial 46-43 in the "game of the century," ending Power Memorial's 71-game win streak and setting itself up for a national championship.

1966
DeWitt Clinton (Bronx, N.Y.)
Record: 21-0
Coach: Robert Buckner
Ranking: NSNS
Top Players: Mike Switzer, All-City; Nat "Tiny" Archibald.
Note: Switzer was the star on he PSAL city championship team, but Archibald went on to the better career, eventually earning All-NBA honors.

1967
Ambridge (Pa.) and Weequahic (Newark, N.J.)
Record: Ambridge - 27-0; Weequahic - 26-0
Coach: Ambridge - Charles DeVenzio; Weequahic - Les Fein
Ranking: Ambridge - NSNS; Weequahic - SM
Note: The NSNS picked Ambridge, which won the PIAA and is considered one of the greatest teams in PIAA history. Weequahic was chosen as national champion by Scholastic Magazine.

1968
Compton (Calif.)
Record: 32-0
Coach: Bill Armstrong
Ranking: NSNS
Top Players: Mike Hopwood (6-6, C), All-Southern Section; Larry Morris, All-Southern Section; Dwight Taylor, All-Southern Section second team; Larry Hollyfield, All-Southern Section third team.
Note: Armstrong's crew began on a 66-game win streak in 1968 with a Southern Section championship that included four players who earned all-section honors by the Helms Foundation.

1969
Compton (Calif.)
Record: 30-0
Coach: Bill Armstrong
Ranking: NSNS
Top Players: Larry Hollyfield, Southern Section Player of the Year; Lewis Nelson, All-Southern Section; Donald Womack, All-Southern Section second team,
Note: The Tarbabes completed one of the more dominant runs in California basketball history with a second straight undefeated season. Hollyfield earned section MVP honors before heading to UCLA where he played on several NCAA championship teams.

1970
Wheatley (Houston)
Record: 39-0
Coach: Jackie Carr
Ranking: NSNS
Top Players: Dwight Jones, Parade All-American second team
Note: A powerhouse in the Prairie View Interscholastic League for decades, Wheatley won its third straight UIL championship in 1970 behind the play of Jones, who ranks as one of the nation's all-time great high school rebounders and went on to play in the 1972 Olympics.

1971
Washington (East Chicago), now closed; Schenley (Pittsburgh, Pa.), now closed
Record: Washington - 29-0; Schenley - 25-3
Coach: Washington - John Molodet; Schenley - Spencer Watkins
Ranking: NSNS
Top Players: Washington - Junior Bridgeman, all-state; Pete Trgovich, all-state; Schenley - Ricky Coleman, Parade All-American; Maurice Lucas, all-state
Note: The NSNS lists Washington and Schenley as co-national champions, although Schenley had three losses in the regular season. Washington is considered one of the great teams in Indiana history behind the play of future NBA player Junior Bridgeman and Trgovich, who played at UCLA.

1972
Thornridge (Dolton, Ill.)
Record: 33-0
Coach: Ron Ferguson
Ranking: NSNS
Top Players: Quinn Buckner, Parade All-American
Note: Thornridge won state championships in football and basketball and were led by Buckner, who was All-American in both sports.

1973
Wheatley (Houston) and Verbum Dei (Los Angeles)
Record: Wheatley - 43-1; Verbum Dei - 29-2
Coach: Wheatley - Jackie Carr, Verbum Dei - George McQuarn
Ranking: NSNS
Top Players: Wheatley - Eddie Houston, Parade All-American second team; Verbum Dei - Lewis Brown, Parade All-American second team.
Note: Known as the Wizard of Wheatley, Carr led the Wildcats to four state championships. The NSNS crowned Wheatley co-national champions with Verbum Dei, which won four straight Southern Section championships.

1974
Verbum Dei (Los Angeles)
Record: 30-2
Coach: George McQuarn
Ranking: NSNS
Top Players: David Greenwood
Note: Verbum Dei earned its final Southern Section championship and second national title behind the play of future UCLA great David Greenwood.

1975
Kashmere (Houston) and Verbum Dei (Los Angeles)
Record: 46-0; 28-1
Coach: Kashmere - Weldon Drew, Verbum Dei - George McQuarn
Ranking: Kashmere - NSNS; Verbum Dei - BW
Top Players: Kashmere - Karl Godine, all-state; Jarvis Williams, all-state; Verbum Dei - David Greenwood, Parade All-American
Note: Kashmere posted one of the best overall records in state history in winning the state title. Verbum Dei did not win a section championship, but was still named a national champion by Basketball Weekly due to selecting the national champion prior to the end of the season. Grassroots Hoops chronicles the snafu here. Kashmere won 78 games in a row over the 1974 and 1975 seasons.

1976
Dunbar (Washington, D.C.) and Canarsie (Brooklyn, N.Y.)
Record: Dunbar - 29-0; Canarsie - 24-0
Coach: Joe Dean Davidson, Mark Reiner
Ranking: Dunbar - NSNS; Canarsie - BW
Top Players: Dunbar - John Duren, All-Metro; Canarsie - Tyrone Ladsdon, Parade All-American;
Note: The two media outlets, the National News Service and Basketball Weekly, split on naming a national champion. Dunbar beat DeMatha for the city championship. The 24-0 season was the second for Canarsie, which also won the PSAL in 1972.

1977
West Philadelphia (Philadelphia)
Record: 30-0
Coach: Joey Goldenberg
Ranking: NSNS, BW
Top Players: Gene Banks, Parade All-American
Note: Behind the play of Banks, a three-time high school All-American, West Philadelphia won 68 straight games.

1978
DeMatha (Hyattsville, Md.)
Record: 28-0
Coach: Morgan Wootten
Ranking: NSNS, BW
Top Players: Sidney Lowe, Derrek Whittenburg
Note: Wootten's fourth national championship team was known for having plenty of great players but no stars. Lowe and Whittenburg later went on to lead North Carolina State to an NCAA championship.

1979
Southwest (Macon, Ga.)
Record: 28-0
Coach: Don Richardson
Ranking: NSNS, BW
Top Players: Terry Fair, all-state; Jeff Malone, all-state; Michael Hunt, all-state
Note: The Patriots won the state championship in 1978 and then claimed the national title in 1979.

1980
Inglewood (Calif.)
Record: 29-0
Coach: Vince Combs
Ranking: NSNS, BW
Top Players: Ralph Jackson, Parade All-American
Note: Jackson led Inglewood over Long Beach Poly for the Southern Section championship (California did not have state championships in 1980) and was named the Southern Section player of the year.

1981
Quincy (Ill.)
Record: 33-0
Coach: Jerry Leggett
Ranking: NSNS, BW
Top Players: Michael Payne (6-10, C), Parade All-American second team; Bruce Douglas, Parade All-American  (1982).
Note: Won all but three games by at least nine points. Got the nod for national champions over the likes of Cambridge Rindge & Latin with Patrick Ewing.

1982
Calvert Hall (Baltimore)
Record: 34-0
Coach: Mark Amatucci
Ranking: NSNS, BW
Top Players: Duane Farrell, All-American
Note: The Baltimore Sun recognized the 1982 Calvert Hall team as the Baltimore Catholic League's all-time greatest team. It defeated DeMatha for the championship.

1983
Dunbar (Baltimore)
Record: 31-0
Coach: Bob Wade
Ranking: NSNS, USA
Top Players: Reggie Williams, All-American; Mugsy  Bogues, Reggie Lewis.
Note: Generally regarded as the greatest high school team of all-time. Williams was named the national player of the year.

1984
Long Beach Poly (Calif.) and DeMatha (Hyattsville, Md.)
Record: Poly - 31-2; DeMatha - 39-2
Coach: Poly - Ron Palmer; DeMatha - Morgan Wootten
Ranking: Long Beach Poly, NSNS; DeMatha, USA
Top Players: Poly - Chris Sandle, Parade All-American second team; DeMatha - Danny Ferry, Parade All-American second team.
Note: Wootten got his fifth national championship behind the play of future Duke star Danny Ferry. The National Sports News Service went with California state champion Long Beach Poly.

1985
Springarn (Washington D.C.) and Dunbar (Baltimore)
Record: Springarn - 31-0; Dunbar - 28-1
Coach: Springarn - John Wood; Dunbar - Bob Wade
Ranking: Springarn - NSNS; Dunbar - USA
Top Players: Springarn - Sherman Douglas, All-Metro; Dunbar - Terry Dozier, Parade All-American fourth team; Darryl Prue, Parade All-American fourth team.
Note: Despite the close proximity, Springarn and Dunbar did not play in 1985. Dunbar's loss came against Benjamin Franklin of Philadelphia.

1986
Camden (N.J.)
Record: 30-0
Coach: Clarence Turner
Ranking: NSNS, USA
Top Players: Louis Banks, leading scorer.
Note: Ranked by the Philadelphia Inquirer as the school's greatest team. Four players on the team, led by Banks, scored over 1,000 points in their career.

1987
Flint Hill (Oakton, Va.)
Record: 23-0
Coach: Stu Vetter
Ranking: NSNS, USA
Top Players: Dennis Scott, Parade All-American.
Note: Vetter's first national championship team (see St. John's 1998), eventually won 59 straight games behind the play of future NBA all-star Scott.

1988
Tolentine (Brooklyn), now closed
Record: 30-1
Coach: John Sarandrea
Ranking: NPP, USA, NSNS
Top Players: Malik Sealy, Parade All-American; Adrian Autry (soph), Brian Reese (soph)
Note: Tournament MVP Sealy led Tolentine past Archbishop Molloy for the city championship.

1989
St. Anthony (Jersey City, N.J.), now closed
Record: 32-0
Coach: Bob Hurley
Ranking: NPP, USA, NSNS
Top Players: Bobby Hurley, Parade All-American;
Note: Hurley won his first national championship with his son leading the way. Considered the school's greatest team.

1990
King (Chicago)
Record: 32-0
Coach: Landon "Sonny" Cox
Ranking: NPP, USA, NSNS
Top Players: Jamie Brandon, Parade All-American second team; Rashard Griffith, All-American
Note: Cox coached some of the greatest teams in Chicago history, but the 1990 team was the best. Besides coaching, Cox was also an accomplished Jazz saxophonist.

1991
Simon Gratz (Philadelphia) and Southwestern (Detroit), now closed
Record: Simon Gratz - 27-1, Southwestern - 26-1
Coach: Simont Gratz - Bill Ellerbee; Southwestern - Perry Watson
Ranking: Simon Gratz - NPP; Southwestern - USA, NSNS
Top Players: Simon Gratz - Rasheed Wallace (Soph), All-City first team; Levan Alston, All-City second team; Southwestern - Jalen Rose, Parade All-American second team; Voshon Lenard, Parade All-American second team.
Note: The National Prep Poll chose Simon Gratz while the other media outlets went with Detroit Southwestern. The Southwestern team won back-to-back championships in 1990 and 1991.

1992
Dunbar (Baltimore)
Record: 29-0
Coach: Pete Pompey
Ranking: NPP, USA, NSNS
Top Players: Donta Bright, Parade All-American;
Note: Pompey took over for Bob Wade when he left for the University of Maryland. He led Dunbar to a 57-game winning streak and a national championship.

1993
Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.) and Simon Gratz (Philadelphia)
Record: Oak Hill Academy - 30-0; Simon Gratz - 31-0
Coach: Oak Hill Academy - Steve Smith; Simon Gratz - Bill Ellerbee
Ranking: Oak Hill Academy - NSNS, NPP; Simon Gratz - USA
Top Players: Oak Hill - Jerry Stackhouse, Parade All-American; Jeff McInnis, Parade All-American; Simon - Gratz; Rasheed Wallace, Parade All-American.
Note: The media outlets split on this one even though Smith's Oak Hill Academy team is generally considered to be one of his greatest. Rasheed Wallace and Jerry Stackhouse later became teammates at North Carolina.

1994
Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.)
Record: 30-1
Coach: Steve Smith
Ranking: NPP, USA, NSNS
Top Players: Ron Mercer, Parade All-American; Curtis Staples, Parade All-American third team; Mark Blount, Parade All-American fourth team.
Note: Oak Hill Academy's first consensus national championship team with Mercer winning national player of the year honors.

1995
St. Augustine (New Orleans)
Record: 37-1
Coach: Bernard Griffith
Ranking: NPP, USA, NSNS
Top Players: Maurice Robertson, all-state first team; Eugene Edgerson, all-state second team.
Note: The Purple Knights became the first team to earn a national championship from the state of Louisiana.

1996
St. Anthony (Jersey City, N.J.)
Record: 31-0
Coach: Bob Hurley
Ranking: NPP, USA, NSNS
Top Players: Anthony Perry, all-state.
Note: The Star Ledger ranked this Friar team as the second best in school history.

1997
Manual (Peoria, Ill.)
Record: 31-1
Coach: Wayne McClain
Ranking: NPP, USA, NSNS
Top Players: Marcus Griffin, Parade All-American second team; Sergio McClain, Illinois Mr. Basketball
Note: Manual won four straight state championships culminating with the 1997 national championship team.

1998
St. John's (Frederick, Md.), now closed
Record: 25-0
Coach: Stu Vetter
Ranking: NPP, USA, NSNS
Top Players: Jason Capel, Parade All-American second team.
Note: Vetter, who won a national championship with Flint Hill, is the only coach to earn a national championship with two different teams.

1999
Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.)
Record: 31-0
Coach: Steve Smith
Ranking: NPP, USA, NSNS
Top Players: Travis Watson, Parade All-American third team.
Note: Smith's third national championship team and the second to finish undefeated.

2000
Dominguez (Compton, Calif.)
Record: 35-2
Coach: Russell Otis
Ranking: NPP, USA, NSNS, FOX
Top Players: Tyson Chandler, Parade All-American second team.
Note: Dominguez won seven straight Southern Section championships between 1995 and 2001. Future NBA All-Star Chandler played on four of those teams and three state championship teams.

2001
Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.)
Record: 33-0
Coach: Steve Smith
Ranking: USA, NPP, SS
Top Players: DeSagana Diop, Parade All-American; Rashaad Carruth, Parade All-American third team; Billy Edelin, Parade All-American third team.
Note: According to Ball Is Life, Oak Hill Academy defeated five state champions in winning the program's fourth national championship.

2002
Lincoln (Dallas)
Record: 40-0
Coach: Leonard Bishop
Ranking: USA, NPP, SS
Top Players: Chris Bosh, Parade All-American.
Note: Bosh led Lincoln to the Class 4A state championship, beating a Kendrick Perkins-led Ozen team in the finals.

2003
St. Vincent-St. Mary (Akron, Ohio)
Record: 26-0
Coach: Dru Joyce
Ranking: SS, NPP, USA
Top Players: LeBron James, Parade National Player of the Year.
Note: Paced by three-time Parade All-American James, the Fighting Irish played a national schedule en route to the national title.

2004
Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.)
Record: 38-0
Coach: Steve Smith
Ranking: SS, NPP, USA
Top Players: Josh Smith, Parade All-American; Rajon Rondo, Parade All-American second team
Note: Student Sports had Oak Hill Academy ranked No. 1 from Day One as Steve Smith won his fifth national championship.

2005
Niagara Falls (N.Y.) and Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.)
Record: Niagara Falls - 28-1; Oak Hill Academy - 34-2
Coach: Niagara Falls - Dan Bazzani; Oak Hill Academy - Steve Smith
Ranking: Niagara Falls - SS, NPP; Oak Hill Academy - USA
Top Players: Niagara Falls - Paul Harris, USA Today All-America second team (in 2006); Johnny Flynn (Soph, G), Parade All-American (in 2007). Oak Hill - Jamont Gordon, Parade All-American second team; Eric Devendorf, Parade All-American third team.
Note: Student Sports and the National Prep Poll both had Niagara Falls at No. 1 while USA Today chose Oak Hill Academy.

2006
Lawrence North (Indianapolis)
Record: 29-0
Coach: Jack Keefer
Ranking: SS, NPP, USA
Top Players: Greg Oden, MaxPreps All-American; Michael Conley, Parade All-American third team.
Note: The Wildcats won three straight Class 4A state championships behind the play of Oden and Conley. The duo went to Ohio State and led the Buckeyes to the NCAA finals as freshmen.

2007
Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.)
Record: 40-1
Coach: Steve Smith
Ranking: SS, NPP, USA
Top Players: Brandon Jennings, MaxPreps All-American; Nolan Smith, MaxPreps All-American.
Note: The title was the sixth for coach Steve Smith, whose team was 80-2 over the 2007 and 2008 seasons.

2008
St. Anthony (Jersey City, N.J.)
Record: 32-0
Coach: Bob Hurley
Ranking: RIVALS, NPP, USA
Top Players: Mike Rosario, MaxPreps All-American.
Note: The Friars held off No. 2 St. Benedict's, which was coached by Hurley's son Danny, for the national championship.

2009
Findlay Prep (Henderson, Nev.)
Record: 33-0
Coach: Michael Peck
Ranking: MaxPreps, ESPN, USA, NPP
Top Players: Avery Bradley, MaxPreps All-American.
Note: In its second full season, the Pilots won a national championship behind the play of future NBA defensive standout Avery Bradley.

2010
Yates (Houston)
Record: 32-0
Coach: Greg Wise
Ranking: MaxPreps, ESPN, USA, NPP
Top Players: Brandon Peters, MaxPreps All-American; Joseph Young, MaxPreps All-American.
Note: The Lions scored over 100 points 26 times and set a new national record for scoring average at 116 points per game.

2011
St. Anthony (Jersey City, N.J.)
Record: 33-0
Coach: Bob Hurley
Ranking: MaxPreps, ESPN, USA, NPP
Top Players: Myles Mack, MaxPreps All-American; Kyle Anderson, MaxPreps All-American.
Note: The Friars were the unanimous choice despite not playing in the National High School Invitational. St. Anthony had a win over Linden (NJ), which had a win over Montrose Christian, which finished at No. 2 in most rankings.

2012
St. Anthony (Jersey City, N.J.) and Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.)
Record: St. Anthony - 32-0; Oak Hill Academy - 44-0
Coach: St. Anthony - Bob Hurley; Oak Hill Academy - Steve Smith
Ranking: St. Anthony - MaxPreps; Oak Hill Academy - MaxPreps, ESPN, USA, NPP
Top Players: Oak Hill - Tyler Lewis, MaxPreps All-American; D'Vauntes Smith-Rivera, MaxPreps All-American; St. Anthony - Kyle Anderson, MaxPreps All-American.
Note: Hurley and St. Anthony went undefeated again as part of an eventual 83-game win streak. The Friars won the state association national championship by MaxPreps. Oak Hill Academy got the nod from three other media outlets and was the "academy" national champion by MaxPreps.

2013
Lone Peak (Highland, Utah) and Montverde Academy (Montverde, Fla.)
Record: 26-1; 26-2
Coach: Quincy Lewis; Kevin Boyle
Ranking: Lone Peak - MP; Montverde Academy - SS, USA, NPP
Top Players: Lone Peak - Nick Emery, MaxPreps All-American; TJ Haws, MaxPreps All-American; Montverde - Kasey Hill, MaxPreps All-American; Dakari Johnson, MaxPreps All-American.
Note: For the second year, MaxPreps separated its national rankings into state association schools and academy schools. Lone Peak's only loss was to Montverde. Meanwhile, the Eagles lost to Findlay Prep and Paul VI, but ended the year with a win at the GEICO Nationals.

2014
Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.) and Montverde Academy (Montverde, Fla.)
Record: 35-0; 28-0
Coach: Gary McKnight; Kevin Boyle
Ranking: Mater Dei - MaxPreps; Montverde Academy - SS, USA, NPP
Top Players: Mater Dei - Stanley Johnson, MaxPreps All-American; Montverde - D'Angelo Russell, MaxPreps National Player of the Year; Ben Simmons, MaxPreps All-American.
Note: MaxPreps went with undefeated California state champion Mater Dei while three other media outlets chose the undefeated Montverde Academy Eagles. Mater Dei's Stanley Johnson was the California state player of the year while Montverde's Russell was the national player of the year.

2015
Montverde Academy (Montverde, Fla.)
Record: 31-1
Coach: Kevin Boyle
Ranking: MaxPreps, GR, USA, NPP
Top Players: Ben Simmons (6-9, F), MaxPreps National Player of the Year.
Note: The Eagles suffered a loss to Wheeler in mid-season, but ended the year with a GEICO Nationals championship against Oak Hill Academy.

2016
Chino Hills (Calif.)
Coach: Steve Baik
Ranking: MaxPreps, BIL, USA, NPP
Top Players: Lonzo Ball (6-6, G), MaxPreps National Player of the Year; LiAngelo Ball (6-5, Jr, G), MaxPreps All-American honorable mention; LaMelo Ball, MaxPreps Freshman Co-Player of the Year; Onyeka Okongwu, MaxPreps Freshman Co-Player of the Year.
Note: A win over Montverde Academy in late December propelled Chino Hills into the spotlight. Lonzo and LaMelo Ball are both now in the NBA along with Okongwu.

2017
Nathan Hale (Seattle)
Record: 29-0
Coach: Brandon Roy
Ranking: MaxPreps, BIL, USA, NPP
Top Players: Michael Porter (6-9, F), MaxPreps National Player of the Year.
Note: Porter moved from Missouri to Washington and former NBA all-star Brandon Roy took over as coach to turn around Nathan Hale into a national champion. In the five years since Hale won the mythical title, it has won a total of 29 games combined - the same number it won during the 2017 season.

2018
Montverde Academy (Montverde, Fla.)
Record: 36-1
Coach: Kevin Boyle
Ranking: MaxPreps, BIL, USA, NPP
Top Players: RJ Barrett (6-6, F), MaxPreps National Player of the Year.
Note: The Eagles won their fourth Geico Nationals championship with a win over No. 2 University (Fort Lauderdale). Barrett went No. 3 in the 2019 NBA draft.

2019
IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.)
Record: 31-1
Coach: Sean McAloon
Ranking: BIL, USA, MaxPreps
Top Players: Josh Green (6-6, G), MaxPreps All-American honorable mention; Jaden Springer (6-4, G, Jr),  MaxPreps All-American honorable mention; Jeremiah Robinson-Earl (F), MaxPreps All-American; Armando Bacot (C), MaxPreps All-American.
Note: The Ascenders suffered a stunning loss to Mountain Brook in midseason, but rebounded to win the GEICO Nationals.

2020
Montverde Academy (Montverde, Fla.)
Record: 25-0
Coach: Kevin Boyle
Ranking: BIL, MaxPreps
Top Players: Scottie Barnes (6-8, F), MaxPreps All-American; Cade Cunningham (6-6, G), MaxPreps All-American; Day'Ron Sharpe (6-10, C), MaxPreps All-American fifth team; Moses Moody (6-5, G), MaxPreps All-American honorable mention.
Note: Considered one of the greatest teams in high school history, Barnes, Cunningham, Sharpe and Moody were all taken in the first round of the NBA draft in 2021 with Cunningham going first overall.

2021
Montverde Academy (Montverde, Fla.)
Record: 24-1
Coach: Kevin Boyle
Ranking: BIL, MaxPreps
Top Players: Jalen Duran (6-10, Jr, C), MaxPreps All-American; Caleb Houstan (6-8, F), MaxPreps All-American honorable mention.
Note: Boyle and the Eagles extended their dominance with a sixth national championship. Only loss was to Sunrise Christian, but Montverde avenged that loss twice later in the season including the finals of the GEICO Invitational.