High school basketball: Huntington Prep debuts at No. 9 in National Top 10 following Chick-fil-A Classic title

The National Top 10 continues to take shape as upset shake-up the independent hoops scene entering the New Year with an eye toward GEICO Nationals.

No. 1 Link Academy (Branson, Mo.) and No. 2 Prolific Prep (Napa, Calif.) are positioning themselves for favorable seeding in the national championship tournament as the powerhouse programs remain the only two unbeaten teams in the National Top 10.

Montverde Academy (Montverde, Fla.) ascends into the No. 3 spot after a controversial mid-season result for No. 5 AZ Compass Prep (Chandler, Ariz.) and a pair of losses from previous No. 3 IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.). Sunrise Christian Academy (Bel Aire, Kan.) bumps up to No. 4 ahead of their pivotal NIBC showdown on Thursday with Montverde.

Although AZ Compass Prep was not given a loss on their official regular season tally, research is still being done around a recent result that saw them fall 67-60 to Red Rock Academy (Las Vegas). Representatives from AZ Compass Prep claim the game was a midseason exhibition, while Red Rock Academy representatives argue the game was a regular-season contest. No official determination has been made from MaxPreps to this point, but the Dragons drop two spots in the rankings due to the circumstances surrounding the result.

No. 9 Huntington Prep (Huntington, W. Va.) makes its season debut in the national rankings after capturing the Chick-fil-A Classic National Division title with a blowout victory over previous No. 3 IMG Academy. A talented roster appears to be gelling after three impressive wins in the Palmetto State.

The La Porte Invitational takes center stage this weekend as numerous big-time NIBC showdowns headline the three-day event on the campus of No. 7 La Lumiere. 1. Link Academy (Branson, Mo.)

Record: 14-0 | Last week: 1

Maintains the top spot after picking up wins over Our Saviour Lutheran (Bronx, N.Y.) 61-55 and George School (Newtown, Pa.) 73-58 at the Jordan Holiday Classic. Recent North Carolina commit Elliot Cadeau led the way with 16 points and 12 assists in the win over George School.

Record: 17-0 | Last week: 2

Captured the John Wall Holiday Invitational T.J. Warren Bracket title with wins over Cannon (Concord, N.C.) 83-65, Combine Academy (Lincolnton, N.C.) 81-69 and Word of God Christian Academy (Raleigh, N.C.) 81-74. Auburn signee Aden Holloway was tournament MVP, while Xavier commit Trey Green and freshman sensation Tyran Stokes were named to the all-tournament team.

Record: 9-2 | Last week: 5

Following a 14-day layoff for the holiday season, the Eagles return to the court this week with a showdown against No. 4 Sunrise Christian Academy (Bel Aire, Kan.) on Thursday and No. 8 Wasatch Academy (Mt. Pleasant, Utah) on Friday at the La Porte Invitational.

Record: 9-2 | Last week: 6

Return to the hardwood for the first time since Dec. 17 with matchups against No. 3 Montverde Academy on Thursday and No. 6 IMG Academy on Saturday at the La Porte Invitational. The Buffaloes have a daunting upcoming schedule that includes a trip to the Bass Pro Tournament of Champions over Martin Luther King Jr. weekend and a rematch with Montverde Academy at the Spalding Hoophall Classic.

Record: 10-2 | Last week: 4

Take on Legacy Early College (Greenville, S.C.) on Friday and Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.) on Saturday at the La Porte Invitational following their controversial mid-season result.

Record: 7-3 | Last week: 3

Drops three spots after consecutive defeats to ranked opponents. The Ascenders were stunned by No. 9 Huntington Prep 67-46 in a lopsided title contest in the Chick-fil-A Classic National Division title game before falling to MaxPreps Top 25 No. 10 St. John's (Washington, D.C.) 80-73 in overtime at the Behan Strong Invitational.

Record: 7-3 | Last week: 7

A tough upcoming stretch sees the Lakers face four ranked opponents over the next 12 days. La Lumiere takes on No. 8 Wasatch Academy on Thursday and MaxPreps Top 25 No. 7 Long Island Lutheran (Brookville, N.Y.) on Saturday before facing No. 3 Montverde Academy on Jan. 14 at the Spalding Hoophall Classic and No. 10 Huntington Prep at the Flyin' to the Hoop Invitational on Jan. 16.

Record: 8-4 | Last week: 8

Looks to bounce back from an unexpected loss to South Shore (Brooklyn, N.Y.) on Dec. 19 with a pair of matchups against ranked teams at the La Porte Invitational. The Tigers face No. 7 La Lumiere on Thursday and No. 3 Montverde Academy on Friday.

Record: 10-5 | Last week: NR

Carries momentum into 2023 after defeating Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.) 67-54, Calvary Christian Academy (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) 79-67 and No. 6 IMG Academy 67-46 to capture the Chick-fil-A Classic National Division title. Three-star senior Maki Johnson was tournament Most Valuable Player, while junior Larry Johnson Jr. earned Most Outstanding Player of the National Division.