Bouncing back from back-to-back losses,
Link Academy (Branson, Mo.) is beginning to look like the team that was pegged No. 1 in the preseason National Top 10. A win over then-MaxPreps Top 25 No. 1
Columbus (Miami, Fla.) over the weekend at the Jordan Holiday Classic helped the Lions jump from No. 8 to No. 2 in this week's rankings.
Bella Vista College Prep (Scottsdale, Ariz.) debuts at No. 6 after a tournament title at the Beach Ball Classic. The Bears are 10-1 overall and 3-0 in Nike EYBL Scholastic action with the lone loss coming against Columbus.
Major tournaments and events will continue to shape the National Top 10 throughout the month of January. The Spalding Hoophall Classic in Springfield, Mass., will feature seven of the top 10 teams in the rankings.
Four-star USC signee Jerry Easter has Link Academy right back where it started the 2024-25, season --- contending for No. 1 in the National Top 10. (Photo: Terry Cullop)
National Top 10 basketball rankings
Record: 10-2 | Last week: 1
After a third-place finish at the City of Palms Classic, the Ascenders remain in the top spot. IMG Academy picked up wins over Oak Cliff Faith Family Academy (Dallas, Texas), La Lumiere (La Porte, Ind.) and Oak Ridge (Orlando, Fla.) but fell to Columbus (Miami, Fla.) in the semifinals of the event. Five-star Arkansas signee
Darius Acuff earned co-MVP honors at the COP after averaging 31.5 points and 6.3 assists per game.
Record: 10-2 | Last week: 8
Following back-to-back losses to No. 7 Utah Prep and No. 8 Dynamic Prep, the Lions have hit their stride with wins over La Lumiere (La Porte, Ind.), Long Island Lutheran (Brookville, N.Y.) and MaxPreps Top 25 No. 3 Columbus (Miami, Fla.). Up next is No. 10 Wasatch Academy on Friday before taking on No. 1 IMG Academy next week.
Record: 12-2 | Last week: 2
Advanced to the 'Iolani Classic championship game with wins over MaxPreps Top 25 No. 14 Wheeler (Marietta, Ga.) in the quarterfinals and Veritas Academy (Ontario, Calif.) in the semifinals before falling to No. 7 Utah Prep in the title game. The Bobcats return to the floor after an 18-day layoff to face Legacy Early College (Greenville, S.C.) on Jan. 9.
Record: 8-2 | Last week: 3
A strong showing at the City of Palms Classic saw the Eagles advance to the championship game before falling to MaxPreps Top 25 No. 3 Columbus by two points. Montverde Academy knocked off Archbishop Carroll (Radnor, Pa.), Millennium (Goodyear, Ariz.) and Oak Ridge (Orlando, Fla.) to advance to the title game. Four-star Villanova signee
Dante Allen and four-star Creighton signee
Hudson Greer were named to the all-tournament team.
Record: 16-3 | Last week: 4
Things ramp up for the Crew over their next four games as they face DME Academy (Daytona Beach, Fla.) on Jan. 10, Dream City Christian (Glendale, Ariz.) on Jan. 11, AZ Compass Prep (Chandler, Ariz.) at Flyin' to the Hoop and Highland (Warrenton, Va.) at the Spalding Hoophall Classic over Martin Luther King Jr. weekend.
Record: 10-1 | Last week: NR
Took home the Beach Ball Classic Traditional Bracket championship with wins over Pace Academy (McKinney, Texas) in the first round, Winston-Salem Christian (Winston-Salem, N.C.) in the semifinals and 1 of 1 Prep (Indian Trail, N.C.) in the title game. Top 40 junior
Miles Sadler was named tournament MVP after averaging 16.7 points, 5.3 rebounds and 3.0 rebounds per outing.
Record: 12-4 | Last week: NR
Captured the 'Iolani Classic championship with victories over No. 9 Oak Hill Academy in the semifinals and No. 3 Brewster Academy in the championship game. Top-ranked BYU signee
A.J. Dybantsa was named tournament MVP after an impressive showing on the island.
Record: 17-3 | Last week: 7
Claimed the City of Palms Classic four-team Signature Series championship with wins over DME Academy (Daytona Beach, Fla.) in the semifinals and Bullis (Potomac, Md.) in the title game. Four-star SMU signee
Jaden Toombs led the way with averages of 20.5 points, 6.0 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 2.5 steals per game.
9. Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.)
Record: 13-3 | Last week: 5
The Warriors drop four spots after a sub-par showing at the 'Iolani Classic. The Warriors picked up a quality win over Imhotep Charter (Philadelphia, Pa.) but fell to No. 7 Utah Prep (Hurricane, Utah) and Veritas Academy (Ontario, Calif.) in the semifinals and third-place games, respectively.
10. Wasatch Academy (Mt. Pleasant, Utah)Record: 12-3 | Last week: 6
Despite suffering a bad loss to Orangeville Prep (Canada) prior to Christmas, the Tigers cling to the final spot in the National Top 10 because of quality early-season wins over MaxPreps Top 25 No. 20 Bishop O'Connell (Arlington, Va.), St. John's (Washington, D.C.), St Raymond, (Bronx, N.Y.), Layton Christian Academy (Layton, Utah) and Georgetown Prep (North Bethesda, Md.).
