This week's MaxPreps Top 25 high school basketball rankings feature a new entry as
Heritage (Frisco, Texas) debuts at No. 25.
Heritage joins fellow Texas powers No. 8
Seven Lakes (Katy) and No. 22
North Crowley (Fort Worth) in the MaxPreps Top 25. The Lone Star State joins California and Illinois as the only states with three teams in the national rankings. Arizona, Florida, Georgia and Tennessee each have two teams in the rankings.
The biggest shake-up this week came as a result of a showdown in Arizona as
Millennium (Goodyear) bumps up two spots to No. 6 after edging No. 5
Sunnyslope (Phoenix) in an overtime thriller. The game was a rematch of a Sunnyslope win last month.
Top-ranked
Paul VI (Chantilly, Va.) closed out regular season in the Washington Catholic Athletic Conference undefeated for the third time in the past four seasons. Next up for the Panthers is the WCAC tournament followed by the VISAA Division 1 state tournament.
Duke signee Bryson Howard is averaging 23.1 points, 8.6 rebounds and 3.1 assists per game for new MaxPreps Top 25 entry Heritage. (PHOTO: Michael Horbovetz)
Record: 27-2 | Last week: 1
Five-star Arkansas pledge
Jordan Smith will end his career with a record of 55-1 in WCAC regular season play after helping Paul VI close out the season with five wins in an eight-day stretch. The Panthers overcame a five-point halftime deficit to blow past Bishop O'Connell (Arlington, Va.) 82-65 in their final game of the regular season.
Record: 20-1 | Last week: 2
Began their Class 3A title defense with a 78-22 drubbing of Bishop Verot (Fort Myers) in the first round of the state tournament. The Eagles face Cardinal Newman (West Palm Beach) in the second round Saturday.
Record: 23-1 | Last week: 4
Tipped off Southern Section Open Division pool play with a 71-54 triumph against Crespi (Encino) behind 16 points from sophomore
Jordan Mize and 15 apiece from seniors
Brannon Martinsen and
Brandon McCoy. Complete pool play with a matchup against Corona del Mar (Newport Beach) tonight.
Record: 22-2 | Last week: 5
Top 50 Wake Forest signee
Quentin Coleman led the way with 20 points, 11 rebounds and six assists while connecting on 4 of 6 3-point attempts in a 67-53 win versus Westminster Christian (St. Louis, Mo.). The Panthers wrap up regular season action against Burroughs (St. Louis) on Friday.
Record: 23-2 | Last week: 3
Fell to No. 6 Millennium 77-71 in overtime to split a pair of regular season meetings despite Colorado signee
Rider Portela,
Darius Wabbington and
Delton Prescott combining for 56 points. The Open Division state tournament runs through the two teams.
Record: 21-3 | Last week: 8
Avenged its only in-state loss of the season in the overtime win over No. 5 Sunnyslope behind 27 points from four-star Arizona signee
Cameron Holmes and 22 points from top five sophomore
Adan Diggs. Conclude regular season play against Canyon View (Wendell) tomorrow.
Record: 20-4 | Last week: 6
Completed the regular season with a 64-38 blowout of Christ the King (Middle Village) powered by 25 points and six rebounds from top 100 junior
Josh Rivera.
Record: 33-0 | Last week: 7
Three-star junior
Isaiah Santos continued his strong junior campaign with a career-high 38 points, 17 rebounds and six steals in a 79-62 win over Morton Ranch (Katy). The Spartans enter state tournament action with an average margin of victory of over 20 points per game.
Record: 24-4 | Last week: 9
After escaping with a 78-76 overtime victory in their first meeting this season, the Panthers left no doubt in the rematch against Houston (Germantown) with a 66-41 shellacking to close out the regular season.
Record: 21-0 | Last week: 10
Top 100 junior
Kager Knueppel led the way with 22 points, seven rebounds and five assists in a 90-47 blowout of Greendale. The Vikings are three games away from completing their second unbeaten regular season in three years.
Record: 28-2 | Last week: 11
Finished the regular season with a 78-53 rout of Alcoa (Knoxville). The Spartans look to repeat as Division II Class AA state champions.
Record: 26-3 | Last week: 12
Began Southern Section Open Division pool play with a 74-31 romp of Etiwanda led by a game-high 20 points from Nevada signee
S.J. Madison. Conclude pool play with a showdown against Centennial (Corona) tonight.
Record: 33-2 | Last week: 13
Blew past top 100 opponent Forsyth Country Day (Lewisville) 73-55 powered by 27 points, four assists and four rebounds from three-star sophomore
Micah Gunter.
Record: 28-1 | Last week: 14
Following a pair of lopsided wins last week, the Redwings have outscored opponents by an average of 24.6 points per contest heading into their final game of the season against Marist (Chicago) tonight.
Record: 19-1 | Last week: 15
The Firebirds have two games remaining in the regular season culminating with a rematch against a Mason squad they knocked off by 12 earlier in the year.
Record: 21-5 | Last week: 16
Following an unbeaten regular season against in-state opponents, the Wildcats face Walton (Marietta) in the opening round of the region tournament.
Record: 22-1 | Last week: 17
Top-ranked senior
Tyran Stokes tallied a game-high 31 points in a 62-49 triumph over O'Dea (Seattle) in the Metro League championship game. The Vikings open district play against Garfield (Seattle) tonight.
Record: 21-0 | Last week: 18
Over the past three seasons, the Tigers have compiled a record of 80-2.
Record: 25-0 | Last week: 19
Completed a dominant regular season with an average margin of victory of 18.1 points per contest. The Red Elephants are favorites to capture the program's first state title since 1984.
Record: 21-2 | Last week: 20
Have a first-round bye before opening Class 5A state tournament action against the winner of Hillcrest (Midvale) vs. Alta (Sandy) on Friday.
Record: 27-3 | Last week: 21
Took down Damien (La Verne) 81-72 in their first game of Southern Section Open Division pool play behind 21 points and six rebounds from Georgia Tech signee
Kaiden Bailey.
Record: 28-3 | Last week: 22
After outscoring their last three opponents by an average of 47.7 points per contest, the Panthers close out regular season action against Crowley (Texas) tonight.
Record: 24-3 | Last week: 23
Took down Christ the King (Chicago) 57-38 paced by a team-high 14 points from Brown signee
Rykan Woo. An anticipated showdown with Warren Township (Gurnee) awaits Thursday.
Record: 25-1 | Last week: 25
Three-star senior
Lincoln Williams led the way with 20 points, five rebounds and three assists while Indiana State signee
E.J. Hazelett contributed 19 points and nine rebounds in a 63-47 triumph over Waubonsie Valley (Aurora). The Kays conclude regular season action against Joliet West (Joliet) tomorrow.
Record: 27-2 | Last week: NR
Break into the national rankings for the first time this season with 22 consecutive wins heading into the final game of the season. Three-star SMU signee
Cameron Lomax and five-star Duke signee
Bryson Howard have each had strong senior campaigns for the Coyotes.
Next 25
Record: 30-2
Record: 24-1
Record: 24-4
Record: 30-1
Record: 22-6
Record: 20-6
Record: 27-1
Record: 27-2
Record: 17-1
Record: 22-7
Record: 21-6
Record: 21-3
Record: 27-2
Record: 25-3
Record: 20-3
Record: 20-2
Record: 20-1
Record: 17-3
Record: 19-1
Record: 27-3
Record: 22-1
