The high school basketball landscape has experienced unprecedented
change over the past decade with an increasing number of prospective
college and pro players gravitating toward programs outside the realm of
state governing bodies and prep hoops in a traditional sense. In
response to those changes comes a shift in the way MaxPreps is
approaching national rankings heading into the 2021-22 season.
With
roughly half of the 247Sports Composite Top 100 players in the Class of
2022 attending independent or academy programs, it is no longer
reasonable to compare side-by-side traditional high schools with teams
comprised solely of high-level prospects. Reverting back to an approach
tried in 2012, 2013 and again in 2017, we are making a distinction
between the levels of competition and offering two sets of rankings
moving forward.
In April 2022, we will proudly crown a national champion for each set of rankings – the Independent Top 20 and MaxPreps Top 25.
Today, we unveil the Preseason Independent Top 20 with upstart AZ Compass Prep (Chandler, Ariz.) beginning the season as the team to beat after earning its first GEICO Nationals berth in 2020-21 and finishing 28-2. The Dragons hope to elevate one spot ahead of where they finished last year with a deep and talented roster headlined by key transfers
Dylan Andrews,
Kylan Boswell,
Mookie Cook,
Colin Smith and
Lamar Washington.
That leaves two-time defending national champion Montverde Academy (Montverde, Fla.) in unfamiliar territory after holding the No. 1 spot wire-to-wire each of the past two seasons. The Eagles still have an overpowering lineup and are favored repeat as National Interscholastic Basketball Conference (NIBC) champions.
IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.) and Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.) will be Montverde's biggest challengers for the NIBC crown this season, as both perennial powerhouse programs feature a plethora of top 100 talent.
Joining these programs in the powerful NIBC are No. 5 Sunrise Christian Academy (Bel Aire, Kan.), No. 9 La Lumiere (La Porte, Ind.), No. 11 Wasatch Academy (Mt. Pleasant, Utah), No. 18 Legacy Early College (Greenville, S.C.) and Bishop Walsh (Cumberland, Md.).
Another program of note this season is newly-formed Donda Academy (Simi Valley, Calif.), backed by hip-hop artist Kanye West. Donda Academy is expected to compete in the Grind Session along with top-ranked AZ Compass Prep, No. 6 Prolific Prep (Napa, Calif.), No. 16 Our Saviour Lutheran (Bronx, N.Y.), No. 17 Denver Prep Academy (Denver, Colo.), Central Pointe Christian Academy (Kissimmee, Fla.), 22 West Oaks Academy (Orlando, Fla.), Minnesota Prep (Brooklyn Park, Minn.) and PHH Prep (Phoenix).
2020-21: 28-2, No. 2 in final MaxPreps Top 25
Breakdown: Begins the season ranked No. 1 for the first time behind five-star juniors Kylan Boswell and Mookie Cook along with UCLA commit Dylan Andrews.
2020-21: 24-1, No. 1 in final MaxPreps Top 25
Breakdown: Two-time reigning national champions have won 49 of their last 50 games and come into the season with seven five-star prospects headlined by Top 5 senior prospect
Dariq Whitehead.
2020-21: 21-3, No. 5 in final MaxPreps Top 25
2020-21: 20-9, No. 24 in final MaxPreps Top 25
Breakdown: Enter the season with high expectations behind five-star prospects
Chris Livingston and
Caleb Foster. Head coach Steve Smith sits third on the all-time wins list with 1,199.
2020-21: 21-3, No. 3 in final MaxPreps Top 25
Breakdown: Kansas commit
Gradey Dick is the only returning starter but the Buffaloes rebuilt their roster in the offseason headlined by the addition of five-star senior
Mark Mitchell.
2020-21: 31-4, No. 10 in final MaxPreps Top 25
Breakdown: This program has established itself as a mainstay in the national rankings after consecutive top 10 national finishes. This year the Crew are led by top 25 senior prospects
Adem Bona,
Dior Johnson and
M.J. Rice.
2020-21: First season
Breakdown: First-year program has the talent to establish itself as a contender for a GEICO Nationals berth this season. Highly-ranked prospects include
Omaha Biliew,
Julian Phillips and
Jordan Walsh.
2020-21: 33-3
Breakdown: Four-star senior wing
Kamari Lands looks to lead the Bruins to their first GEICO Nationals berth this season.
2020-21: 10-10
Breakdown: After struggling to string together wins against a tough schedule last season, the Lakers hope to turn it around behind top 50 guard prospects
J.J. Starling and
Jeremy Fears.
2020-21: 28-3, No. 15 in final MaxPreps Top 25
Breakdown: Despite losing their best player to a transfer just weeks before the season, the Goats remain one of the top independent programs in the nation guided by seniors
Jayden Epps and
Patrick Wessler.
2020-21: 18-7, No. 12 in final MaxPreps Top 25
Breakdown: Lose six of their top seven scorers from last season but saw a strong influx of talent surround top 100 senior
Roddy Gayle.
2020-21: 27-2
Breakdown: The Griffins come into the season with high hopes to repeat the success of their inaugural campaign behind top 30 junior prospect
Dravyn Gibbs-Lawhorn.
2020-21: 10-1
Breakdown: Following a COVID-19 shortened season, the Gray Bees are in search of their first GEICO Nationals appearance since 2016 behind top 150 junior
Ty-Laur Johnson.
2020-21: First season
2020-21: 0-0
Breakdown: Once a perennial powerhouse, expectations are for Huntington Prep to re-establish itself on the national hoops scene after a one-year hiatus.
2020-21: 17-11
Breakdown: Reigning MaxPreps New York Player of the Year
Jaquan Sanders leads the way for the Falcons.
2020-21: First season
Breakdown: Upstart first-year program features one of the most formidable frontcourt duos in high school basketball featuring highly-regarded juniors
Baye Fall and
Assane Diop.
2020-21: 14-7
Breakdown: The Lions struggled in NIBC play last season, going just 1-6 at the St. James NIBC Invitational. This season the youthful group has depth at every position.
2020-21: 16-16
Breakdown: Following a .500 finish last season under first-year head coach Stephen Cook, the Hawks hope to return to form after compiling a 62-7 record from 2018 to 2020.
2020-21: 19-14
Breakdown: Antonio Lowe takes over for the Lions after a successful stint at Moravian Prep (Hudson, N.C.). Three-star seniors
Quante Berry and
Christ Essandoko are both committed to Providence.
