High school basketball rankings: Defending Tennessee state champion Bartlett headlines Preseason MaxPreps Top 25

Sierra Canyon, Columbus, Rainier Beach and Calvary Christian Academy among contenders to challenge head coach Dion Real's Panthers this season.

Thumbnail image of this articles writer: Jordan Divens
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Nov 4, 2026, 10:45am
The No. 1 spot in the Preseason MaxPreps Top 25 high school basketball rankings belongs to Bartlett (Tenn.). Led by Texas A&M commit Dylan Jones and star juniors D.J. Okoth and Braylon Williams, the Panthers went 36-4 in 2025-26 while capturing their first state championship in over 20 years.

Bartlett brings back each of its top three scorers from last season in Jones (16.1), Williams (14.0) and Okoth (13.3). Sophomore Malachi Hill looks to step into a more prominent role with the program after an unbeaten run to the Nike EYBL Peach Jam title with Mokan Elite over the summer. 

Key additions to the lineup for the Tennessee program include senior wing Antonio McGaughey, senior guard Makel Boyd, junior forward Rod Lucas and promising freshman guard Kolby Shaw.

Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth, Calif.), Columbus (Miami, Fla.), Rainier Beach (Seattle, Wash.) and Calvary Christian Academy (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.), who all finished ranked in the MaxPreps Top 25 last season, are among other programs with eyes on being crowned national champion.

The MaxPreps Top 25 is limited to schools that compete for a state championship sanctioned by a NFHS-recognized governing body. Post-graduate or non-scholastic programs are not eligible for inclusion.

Read on for a complete look at the Preseason MaxPreps Top 25. Click on school names for in-depth previews of each team.

2025-26: 36-4, No. 7 in final MaxPreps Top 25
Breakdown: Won 18 consecutive games to close out the 2025-26 season following back-to-back losses to top five opponents. Bartlett has challenged itself with a brutal national schedule that includes trips to the Bass Pro Shops Tournament of Champions, City of Palms Classic and The Classic at Tennessee high school.

2025-26: 30-1, No. 3
Breakdown: Defending Open Division state champions have their eyes set on their first national championship. A trio of top 50 juniors return as Josh Lowery, Jordan Mize and J.J. Sati-Grier anchor the backcourt. Four-star junior wing Houston Rolle and three-star senior forward Carson Butler are key additions.

2025-26: 26-6, No. 16
Breakdown: Five-time defending Class 7A state champions and 2024-25 national champions look to capture the inaugural Open Division state title. Three 7-footers are expected to make up the frontcourt as Marquette commit Akol Nyok is joined by top 40 junior international transfers Martin Sibal and Martin Simko. Top 20 junior Tai Bell and top 100 junior Jordan Fisher round out the expected starting five.

2025-26: 29-1, No. 12
Breakdown: Eleven-time state champions are in search of a three-peat. Top-ranked sophomore J.J. Crawford leads the charge while seniors Micah Ili-Meneese, K.J. Hightower and Kam Babbs are expected to be joined by sophomore forward Louis Harris in the starting rotation for the Vikings.

2025-26: 24-1, No. 2
Breakdown: Following their best season in program history, the Eagles look to capture their third consecutive state championship and first Open Division state championship. The lineup is centered around top 10 senior Cayden Daughtry — who took home MaxPreps National Junior of the Year honors last season. A talented crop of newcomers includes juniors David Arefev, Rukai Bethel and Alex Jenkins along with North Florida commit James Nowells.

2025-26: 28-2, No. 5
Breakdown: Reigning Open Division state champions return centerpieces Delton Prescott and five-star Indiana commit Darius Wabbington. Key additions include junior guards Carter Bagley and Noah Ondoua along with junior High Point commit Donovan Palmer. Palmer and Bagley are expected to be ineligible until Dec. 28 due to AIA transfer rules.

2025-26: 36-2, No. 9
Breakdown: Head coach Freddy Johnson enters his 50th season with a career record of 1,257-335 — fifth most wins all-time — and 14 state championships. The two-time defending state champions return the majority of their production from last season with top 10 sophomore Grant Duggins and Charlotte pledge Mason Robinson forming a dynamic frontcourt. Juniors Andrew Juergens and Micah Gunter are expected to be joined by Winston-Salem State pledge Jagger Emerson as starters

8. Paul VI (Chantilly, Va.)
2025-26: 33-3, No. 1
Breakdown: Defending national champions and three-time defending WCAC title winners are in line to compete for their third No. 1 ranking in the past four seasons. Key returners include seniors Dylan Harsanyi, Matthew Mena and Elon commit Brian Mitchell Jr. along with junior glue guy Ryan Bahr. MaxPreps Sophomore All-America selection Damien Robinson is a crucial newcomer in the starting lineup for the Virginia powerhouse.

2025-26: 30-0, No. 8
Breakdown: Three-time defending state champions boast a record of 88-2 over the past three seasons with two unbeaten runs during that span. Top 20 Duke commit Kager Knueppel is expected to lead the charge while seniors Jamail Sewell and Riley Walz return to the starting lineup alongside top 70 junior Kinston Knueppel. Transfer Tyler Treder is expected to round out the starters for head coach Ryan Walz in his final season.

2025-26: 24-4, No. 19
Breakdown: In search of the program's first state title since 2008 and second overall, the Tigers are led by top five senior prospect Adan Diggs. Other top returners include seniors Adrian Higuera and Antanga Akah along with four-star junior Trey McKinney. Top 150 junior Maurice Carter II is a key transfer expected to join the starting five for a program that will compete in Hoophall West, the City of Palms Classic and the Les Schwab Invitational before the New Year.

2025-26: 22-8
Breakdown: Look to capture their first Open Division state championship and second overall behind top 100 seniors Connecticut commit Navorro Bowman Jr., Utah State pledge King Rachal and SMU-bound Josiah Nance. Senior Ilan Nikolov and junior Zion Lanier are expected to return to the first five for the Knights as they compete with No. 2 Sierra Canyon, No. 16 St. Francis and No. 25 Crespi in a stacked Mission League.

2025-26: 29-2, No. 4
Breakdown: Following the best season in school history, top 60 Virginia Tech commit Tyran Frazier joins a strong returning frontcourt that includes top 20 sophomore Majok Ater and top 175 senior Sekou Cisse. Other top returning seniors Kingston Money, Eastern Illinois pledge Wyatt Slay and Gassim Toure will compete for minutes in the backcourt for the two-time defending state champions.

2025-26: 27-8
Breakdown: The Cadets are the top contender to knock off three-time defending WCAC champion Paul VI. Three starters are back in three-star Old Dominion commit Jymin Veney, top 100 junior Kareem Smith-Bey and senior forward Jordan Taylor. Senior center James DiBitetto returns in line for an increased role while junior newcomer Kyle Brown is expected to complete the starting lineup.

2025-26: 19-10
Breakdown: Following three consecutive state titles, the Bulldogs fell in the Class 2A state quarterfinals last season to finish with double-digit losses in back-to-back seasons. Prep has a reloaded roster looking to compete for a berth in the inaugural Open Division state tournament behind four-star Wake Forest commit Quincy Douby Jr. Newcomers include top 20 sophomore Cayden Gaskins, top 70 senior Jeremy Jenkins Jr., 7-foot-1 senior Garang Kuol and senior guard C.J. Westbrook.

2025-26: 26-3
Breakdown: Eight-time defending region champions look to add another state title to the trophy case after winning one in 2024. Top 100 George Mason commit M.J. Curry and top 10 sophomore Austin Leonard guide a strong first unit that includes three-star sophomore Jacori Thompson, senior forward Xavier Butler and sophomore guard Jeremiah Anderson.

2025-26: 21-9
Breakdown: The Golden Knights showed promise last season but lost four of their final five games. St. Francis features the most imposing front line in high school basketball as 7-foot-5 top 25 senior Cherif Millogo is joined by top-ranked junior Yann Kamagate, also a 7-footer. Hermann Kone, a 6-10 sophomore, senior guard Jaylin Conard and junior guard Luke Paulus are expected to round out the opening lineup.

2025-26: 33-4
Breakdown: Reigning Sweet 16 state champions return three starters. Eastern Kentucky commit Montez Gay, senior guard JaMylyn Johnson and three-star junior Ryder Akins each averaged double-figures in 2025-26. Junior center C.J. Thomas is expected to have an elevated role for the Cardinals while key newcomer Andrew Terry will provide an additional scoring punch to the program.

2025-26: 31-4
Breakdown: Two-time defending TAPPS state champions begin the season as the No. 1 team in Texas anchored by top 10 LSU commit Reese Alston. Fellow seniors Will Goolsby, Cason Hall and Kaiden Smith return to the first unit while Eastern Michigan pledge Brodrick Wyatt is the lone key addition for the Eagles. Second Baptist will play three ranked teams in its first 10 games.

2025-26: 28-5, No. 10
Breakdown: Perennial powerhouse is coming off back-to-back state title runs in the Georgia's highest classification, bringing its total to 11. Top 40 Purdue commit Kevin Savage III is the catalyst flanked by three-star junior Shamar Madden and senior forward C.J. Tillis. The additions of senior guard Tyce Curtis and top 150 junior Shane Goines are expected to boost the first unit.

2025-26: 28-4
Breakdown: After a 3-4 start in 2025-26, the Hawks won 25 consecutive games en route to the Class AAAA state championship. Chaska returns its top five scorers from last season as South Dakota State commit Tyler Forrest, junior Chase Maetzold, sophomore Jed Keenan and seniors Eli Herzog and Kalin Jochum headline a balanced rotation.

2025-26: 24-1
Breakdown: First-year head coach Miles Wayer looks to continue the success of the past three years for a group that has gone 83-3 during that span with a state championship victory in 2024. A pair of four-year starters anchor the backcourt as three-star Florida Gulf Coast pledge Cooper Zachary and top 70 Auburn-bound Jason Gardner Jr. return for their final season alongside sophomore forward Max Hopkins and fellow senior guards Micaiah Baker and Levi Walker.

2025-26: 27-3
Breakdown: Three-time defending state champions bring back four starters from last season as top 100 junior R.J. Davis, Wofford pledge D.J. Wylie, junior wing C.J. Moore and senior guard J.T. Vankallen are expected to provide the firepower for this group. Senior guard Christopher Horton is the projected fifth starter. Ridge View has won all seven of its state championships since 2018.

2025-26: 23-4
Breakdown: Former NBA All-Star Jeff Teague returns for another year in charge of the program as he looks to guide Pike to its first state championship since 2003 and fourth overall. Three returning starters lead the way as top 20 Purdue commit Isaiah Hill, three-star Ball State pledge Kenneth Lampley and top 40 junior Landon Lampley. Senior forward Vanden Garner and sophomore guard Ryan Gold Jr. strengthen the starting five.

2025-26: 25-3
Breakdown: The Vikings left no doubt in their first state championship run last season, outscoring state tournament opponents by an average of just under 30 points per game including a 59-28 title-game triumph. Although they only return two starters in top 60 Cincinnati commit Kameron Mercer and senior guard Amir Phillips, the additions of junior guards Rocco DiSanto and LeShawn Hill along with sophomore forward Kyran Lee put them in the mix to go back-to-back.

2025-26: 21-14
Breakdown: Despite an up-and-down 2025-26 season, the Celts showed their potential over the summer as they captured the Section 7 title in the top division and also won the top bracket at Nevada Live. Head coach Derek Fisher's group returns all five starters as seniors Carter Barnes, Isaiah Barnes, Nickon Daei, Rodney Mukendi and Jasiah Williams have plenty of experience to compete against a loaded schedule.

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