Nerlens Noel, Shabazz Muhammad headline final 2012 Top 100

One the eve of the NCAA Tournament, MaxPreps releases its final Class of 2012 Top 100, identifying potential impact freshmen in next year's Big Dance and the survivors of four years under the microscope.

Let's cut straight to the debate at the top. Recently re-classified big man Nerlens Noel has surpassed scorer extraordinaire Shabazz Muhammad as the nation's No. 1 prospect.

Despite a recent New York Times story that shed light on handlers and middle men making a mess of Noel's recruitment, the 6-foot-10 defensive phenom's potential is too great to ignore. An Anthony Davis-type impact is not out of the question at the collegiate level next season.

The decision to elevate Noel over Muhammad didn't come without some agonizing debate. Muhammad can fill it up in a hurry – exploding for 30 points in the first half of his final game at Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas) en route to a third state title in four years. Perhaps most impressive is his maturity and ability to handle the hype that has followed him every step of the way during his high school career.

Both Noel and Muhammad remain unsigned and uncommitted, giving college basketball's spring signing period an element of drama that has been absent in recent years.

Point-forward Kyle Anderson of St. Anthony (Jersey City, N.J.) remains near the top of the list at No. 3 as he looks to cap a legendary high school career with back-to-back NJSIAA Tournament of Champions and national titles. Over the past three seasons, his teams have gone 91-1.

New Zealand import Steven Adams is the biggest wild card in the class. He's a superb athlete for a 7-footer and has progressed at a rapid rate. Handling the spotlight and demands of college and potentially professional basketball are the biggest question marks surrounding Adams.

Rounding out the top five is Isaiah Austin, another tantalizing 7-footer who seems to be headed to the perfect program to employ his skill set in Baylor.

The Top 100 is a composite look at the nation's top prospects based on high school success and production, as well as potential at the collegiate level and beyond. Post-graduates who were included in the final Class of 2011 Top 100 were not considered for inclusion.

MaxPreps Class of 2012 Top 100

Rank	Name	Stars	College
1	Nerlens Noel, CTilton School (Tilton, NH)6-10/215
2	Shabazz Muhammad, SGBishop Gorman (Las Vegas, NV)6-6/215
3	Kyle Anderson, PG/SFSt. Anthony (Jersey City, NJ)6-7/215		UCLA
4	Steven Adams, CNotre Dame Prep (Fitchburg, MA)6-11/240		Pittsburgh
5	Isaiah Austin, C/PFGrace Prep (Arlington, TX)7-0/210		Baylor
6	Marcus Smart, PG/SGMarcus (Flower Mound, TX)6-3/205		Oklahoma State
7	Archie Goodwin, SGSylvan Hills (Sherwood, AR)6-5/185		Kentucky
8	DaJuan Coleman, CJamesville-DeWitt (DeWitt, NY)6-9/285		Syracuse
9	Cameron Ridley, CFort Bend Bush (Richmond, TX)6-10/250		Texas
10	Kaleb Tarczewski, CSt. Mark's (Southborough, MA)7-0/235		Arizona
11	Anthony Bennett, PFFindlay Prep (Henderson, NV)6-7/235
12	Alex Poythress, PF/SFNortheast (Clarksville, TN)6-7/220		Kentucky
13	Gary Harris, SGHamilton Southeastern (Fishers, IN)6-5/195		Michigan State
14	Grant Jerrett, PFLutheran (La Verne, CA)6-10/220		Arizona
15	Mitch McGary, CBrewster Academy (Wolfeboro, NH)6-10/250		Michigan
16	Amile Jefferson, PF/SFFriends' Central (Wynnewoode, PA)6-7/195
17	Brandon Ashley, PFFindlay Prep (Henderson, NV)6-8/220		Arizona
18	Ricardo Ledo, SG/SFSouth Kent School (South Kent, CT)6-6/190		Providence
19	Devonta Pollard, SF/PFKemper County (DeKalb, MS)6-7/190
20	Rasheed Sulaimon, SGStrake Jesuit (Houston, TX)6-3/185		Duke
21	Tony Parker, C/PFMiller Grove (Lithonia, GA)6-9/265
22	Shaquille Cleare, CVillage (Houston, TX)6-9/280		Maryland
23	Rodney Purvis, PGUpper Room Christian Academy (Raleigh, NC)6-3/185		North Carolina State
24	Shaq Goodwin, PFSouthwest DeKalb (Decatur, GA)6-8/240		Memphis
25	Robert Carter, PFShiloh (Snellville, GA)6-8/245		Georgia Tech
26	Winston Shepard, SFFindlay Prep (Henderson, NV)6-8/205		San Diego State
27	Gabe York, PG/SGLutheran (Orange, CA)6-2/180		Arizona
28	Kris Dunn, PGNew London (CT)6-2/175		Providence
29	T.J. Warren, PF/SFBrewster Academy (Wolfeboro, NH)6-8/215		North Carolina State
30	Sam Dekker, SFSheboygan Area Lutheran (Sheboygan, WI)6-7/195		Wisconsin
31	Katin Reinhardt, SGMater Dei (Santa Ana, CA)6-4/195		Nevada-Las Vegas
32	Marcus Paige, PGLinn-Mar (Marion, IA)6-1/160		North Carolina
33	Kevin "Yogi" Ferrell, PGPark Tudor (Indianapolis, IN)5-11/165		Indiana
34	Willie Cauley, CNorthwest (Olathe, KS)6-11/225		Kentucky
35	Brice Johnson, PFEdisto (Cordova, SC)6-8/190		North Carolina
36	Perry Ellis, PFHeights (Wichita, KS)6-8/225		Kansas
37	Danuel House, SFFort Bend Hightower (Missouri City, TX)6-6/190		Houston
38	Jerami Grant, SFDeMatha (Hyattsville, MD)6-8/210		Syracuse
39	Glenn Robinson III, SFLake Central (St. John, IN)6-6/190		Michigan
40	Omar Calhoun, SGChrist the King (Middle Village, NY)6-4/185		Connecticut
41	Josh Scott, PF/CLewis-Palmer (Monument, CO)6-10/220		Colorado
42	Ricardo Gathers, PFRiverside (Reserve, LA)6-7/240		Baylor
43	Xavier Johnson, SFMater Dei (Santa Ana, CA)6-7/210		Colorado
44	D'Vauntes Smith-Rivera, SGOak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, VA)6-2/215		Georgetown
45	Braxton Ogbueze, PGUnited Faith Christian Academy (Charlotte, NC)6-1/185		Florida
46	Justin Anderson, SFMontrose Christian (Rockville, MD)6-6/225		Virginia
47	Andrew White, SG/SFMiller (Charlottesville, VA)6-6/210		Kansas
48	Jeremy Hollowell, SFLawrence Central (Indianapolis, IN)6-7/195		Indiana
49	Cameron Biedscheid, SFCardinal Ritter (St. Louis, MO)6-7/185		Notre Dame
50	Adam Woodbury, CSioux City East (Sioux City, IA)7-0/240		Iowa
51	J-Mychal Reese, PGBryan (TX)6-1/170		Texas A&M
52	Hanner Perea, PFLa Lumiere (LaPorte, IN)6-8/220		Indiana
53	Joel James, CDwyer (Palm Beach Gardens, FL)6-10/280		North Carolina
54	Robert Upshaw, CSan Joaquin Memorial (Fresno, CA)6-11/260		Kansas State
55	Evan Nolte, SFMilton (Alpharetta, GA)6-7/200		Virginia
56	James Robinson, PGDeMatha (Hyattsville, MD)6-2/200		Pittsburgh
57	Jordan Adams, SFOak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, VA)6-5/230		UCLA
58	Jean-Pierre Tokoto, SFMenomonee Falls (WI)6-6/190		North Carolina
59	Semaj Christon, PGBrewster Academy (Wolfeboro, NH)6-2/185		Xavier
60	Matt Costello, PFBay City Western (Auburn, MI)6-9/225		Michigan State
61	Jake Layman, SF/PFKing Philip Regional (Wrentham, MA)6-8/190		Maryland
62	Danrad Knowles, PFHCYA North (Houston, TX)6-10/190		Houston
63	Ryan Arcidiacono, PGNeshaminy (Langhorne, PA)6-3/185		Villanova
64	Daniel Ochefu, CWesttown (PA)6-9/225		Villanova
65	Arnaud Adala Moto, SFEpiscopal (Alexandria, VA)6-6/210		Wake Forest
66	Dominic Artis, PGFindlay Prep (Henderson, NV)6-0/170		Oregon
67	Tyler Lewis, PGOak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, VA)5-11/165		North Carolina State
68	Melvin Johnson, SGSt. Benedicts Prep (Newark, NJ)6-3/185		Miami (Fla.)
69	Alex Caruso, SGA&M Consolidated (College Station, TX)6-4/180		Texas A&M
70	L.J. Rose, PGWestbury Christian (Houston, TX)6-3/180		Baylor
71	Terry Rozier, PGShaker Heights (OH)6-1/160		Louisville
72	Chris Obekpa, COur Savior New American (Centereach, NY)6-8/220
73	Montay Brandon, PG/SGWesleyan Christian Academy (High Point, NC)6-6/195		Florida State
74	A.J. Hammons, COak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, VA)7-0/275		Purdue
75	Georges Niang, PFTilton School (Tilton, NH)6-7/230		Iowa State
76	Michael Frazier, SGMontverde Academy (Montverde, FL)6-3/190		Florida
77	Torian Graham, SGChristian Faith Center Academy (Creedmoor, NC)6-4/185
78	Elijah Macon, PFHuntington Prep (Huntington, WV)6-8/230		West Virginia
79	Denzel Valentine, SGSexton (Lansing, MI)6-5/205		Michigan State
80	Marcus Hunt, SFNorth Clayton (College Park, GA)6-6/215		Georgia Tech
81	Wannah Bail, SFLamar Consolidated (Rosenberg, TX)6-8/205		Texas Tech
82	Kenny Kaminski, SF/PFMedina (OH)6-7/230		Michigan State
83	Jordan Loveridge, SFWest Jordan (UT)6-6/215		Utah
84	Prince Ibeh, CNaaman Forest (Garland, TX)6-11/230		Texas
85	Landen Lucas, CWestview (Portland, OR)6-10/245		Kansas
86	Jordan Price, SG/SFSouthwest DeKalb (Decatur, GA)6-4/215		Auburn
87	Rosco Allen, SFBishop Gorman (Las Vegas, NV)6-8/205		Stanford
88	Javan Felix, PGSt. Augustine (New Orleans, LA)5-11/190		Texas
89	Grant Verhoeven, PFCentral Valley Christian (Visalia, CA)6-8/210		Stanford
90	Ronnie Johnson, PGNorth Central (Indianapolis, IN)5-10/160		Purdue
91	Sherron Dorsey-Walker, SGPershing (Detroit, MI)6-4/170		Iowa State
92	Buddy Hield, SGSunrise Christian Academy (Bel Aire, KS)6-3/175		Oklahoma
93	Zach Peters, PF/CPrestonwood Christian (Plano, TX)6-9/235		Kansas
94	Phil Forte, PG/SGMarcus (Flower Mound, TX)5-11/180		Oklahoma State
95	Tyrone Wallace, PG/SGBakersfield (CA)6-3/170		California
96	Rio Adams, SGRainier Beach (Seattle, WA)6-3/185		Kansas
97	Mike Gesell, PGSouth Sioux City (NE)6-1/175		Iowa
98	Javontae Hawkins, SG/SFHuntington Prep (Huntington, WV)6-5/185		South Florida
99	Nik Stauskas, SG/SFSt. Mark's (Southborough, MA)6-6/200		Michigan
100	Codi Miller-McIntyre, PGHargrave Military Academy (Chatham, VA)6-2/170		Wake Forest

For complete Class of 2012 prospect database click here.