Several preseason nationally-ranked teams would like a do-over on the first big week of high school basketball around the country.
Four of the top 10 teams in MaxPreps.com's preseason Xcellent 25 fell over Thanksgiving weekend. One went down twice. Here's a look at how the nation's elite were shaken;
- Preseason No. 3 Findlay Prep (Henderson, Nev.) was tripped up at the State Farm Tournament of Champions in Illinois by Academy of the New Church (Bryn Athyn, Pa.), who likely would have ended up in this week's rankings had it not lost to Brehm Prep (Carbondale, Ill.) at the same event.
- Then-No. 4 Melrose (Memphis, Tenn.) was handed a 13-point loss by rival White Station (Memphis, Tenn.) in an early-season tournament. White Station would have been a strong candidate for a spot in the Xcellent 25 had it not been knocked off the following night by Memphis Central (Memphis, Tenn.).
- Then-No. 7 Winter Park (Winter Park, Fla.) piled up the points in a 102-92 win over then-No. 24 Montverde Academy (Montverde, Fla.), but got smoked the following night by Dr. Krop (Miami, Fla.), 77-56.
- Then-No. 8 Norcross (Norcross, Ga.) was dropped twice at the Iverify Invitational in Charlotte. Oldsmar Christian (Oldsmar, Fla.) and Arlington Country Day (Jacksonville, Fla.) both got the best of the Blue Devils in advance of their matchup with No. 2 Milton on Tuesday.
Expect all these teams to rebound and carve out a spot in the rankings down the line. The Xcellent 25 isn't a projection, however, simply a judgment on what teams have done to this point in the season.
Xcellent 25 High School Basketball Rankings presented by the Army National Guard
1. (Preseason No. 1) Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.) (6-0)
The Warriors haven't been tested yet, averaging 105.5 points per game and allowing just 59.1. That should change Friday at the Battle of the Best in Nashville, Tenn., as OHA faces a humbled Melrose bunch.
2. (2) Milton (Ga.) (2-0)
Head coach David Boyd's squad started slow in wins against Huffman of Birmingham, Ala., and McEachern, but picked up steam to win by margins of 35 and 26, respectively. Unheralded transfer Shaquille Roberts led the way against McEachern with 27 points. A showdown with what will likely be a hungry Norcross team looms Tuesday.
3. (5) St. Patrick (Elizabeth, N.J.) (0-0)
4. (6) St. Anthony (Jersey City, N.J.) (0-0)
Marcus Smart, No. 5 Marcus
Photo by Jim Redman
The Marauders had a big weekend at the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex Thanksgiving Hoopfest, beating Huntington of Shreveport, La., and then-No. 17 Douglass of Oklahoma City. Against Douglass, Phil Forte, Josh Innman and
Marcus Smart combined for 60 points in an 81-73 win over Oklahoma's defending 4A state champions.
6. (10) Simeon (Chicago, Ill.) (1-0)
The Wolverines lived up to expectations in their opener, beating defending Indiana 2A state champion Bowman Academy 61-46 on Saturday night. Sophomore Jabari Parker led the way with 19 points and seven rebounds.
7. (11) Penn Wood (Lansdowne, Pa.) (0-0)
8. (12) Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas, Nev.) (0-0)
9. (13) North Central (Indianapolis, Ind.) (1-0)
Indiana's defending 4A state champions ran away from Kentucky signee Marquis Teague and Pike on Wednesday night, 87-69. Panther junior guard D'Vauntes Smith-Rivera stole the show with 36 points. Ronnie Johnson (14 points), Dedric Griffin (14) and Patrick Ingram (12) also reached double figures in the scoring column.
10. (14) Hopkins (Minnetonka, Minn.) (0-0)
11. (15) Whitney Young (Chicago, Ill.) (1-0)
Like Chicago rival Simeon, the Dolphins opened the season with an impressive win over a Gary, Ind., opponent at the Lakeshore Classic. Whitney Young used its deep roster to smother Michigan State signee Branden Dawson and Lew Wallace, 53-38. Seniors Luke Hager and Ohio State-bound Samuel Thompson combined for 23 points in the victory.
12. (16) Miller Grove (Lithonia, Ga.) (1-0)
The Wolverines flexed in their opener Nov. 20, pummeling Tennessee-bound Kevin Ware and Rockdale County, 79-57.
13. (17) Long Beach Poly (Long Beach, Calif.) (0-0)
14. (19) Lincoln (San Diego, Calif.) (0-0)
15. (20) St. Benedict's Prep (Newark, N.J.) (0-0)
16. (21) DeMatha (Hyattsville, Md.) (0-0)
17. (22) Wichita Heights (Wichita, Kan.) (0-0)
18. (23) Norcom (Portsmouth, Va.) (0-0)
19. (NR) Yates (Houston, Texas) (5-0)
The defending national champions have extended their win streak to 63 games and are averaging 113 points per game. The Lions battered Kashmere on Friday 115-50, getting 20 points apiece from Damyeon Dotson and Shai Fields. Head coach Greg Wise's squad followed by crushing North Forest the next night 105-78 behind 22 points from Ronnie Lewis.
LeBryan Nash, No. 20 Lincoln
Photo by Jim Redman
Oklahoma State signee
LeBryan Nash is out to a monster start to his senior season, averaging 25.2 points per game during Lincoln's 5-0 start. The Tigers were particularly impressive over the weekend at the DFW Thanksgiving Hoopfest, blasting Dallas-area private school powerhouse Prestonwood Christian by 20 and Kimball by 16.
21. (NR) Memphis Central (Memphis, Tenn.) (4-0)
Given the strength of Memphis' high school basketball scene, the city's top team is likely going to have a spot in the Xcellent 25 all year. After beating White Station in the finals of the Martin Luther King Jr. Tournament, Central looks like the best team. White Station beat Melrose – ranked No. 1 nationally in the preseason by a number of media outlets – by 13 the night before.
22. (3) Findlay Prep (Henderson, Nev.) (8-1)
The Pilots rolled into Illinois for the State Farm Tournament of Champions averaging 121.3 points per game and winning by an average margin of 49.1 points per outing. Academy of the New Church wasn't impressed and handed the two-time defending National High School Invitational champions a 56-50 setback. Coach Michael Peck's crew won't have much time to sulk as it heads to Memphis for a dangerous double-dip against local powers White Station and Ridgeway.
23. (NR) Arlington Country Day (Jacksonville, Fla.) (5-0)
No longer a member of the Florida High School Athletic Association, ACD is a mystery team with a lot of mystery players, including recent addition Jordan Goodman, a 6-9 wing/forward committed to Rutgers. But the Apaches are off to an impressive start, including a 74-60 thumping of then-No. 7 Norcross at the Iverify Invitational Saturday night in Charlotte.
24. (17) Douglass (Oklahoma City, Okla.) (1-1)
No shame in losing to new No. 5 Marcus. The Trojans stay in this week's rankings. Douglass beat Berkner of Richardson, Texas, on the opening night of the DFW Thanksgiving Hoopfest behind 18 points from super sophomore Stephen Clark.
25. (NR) Butler (Huntsville, Ala.) (5-0)
Looking for an early National Player of the Year candidate? Butler's Trevor Lacey is averaging 46.0 points and 7.6 rebounds per game during the Rebels' early action, including games of 54 and 50 points. Butler hasn't been too bad collectively, beating opponents by an average of 21.4 points per game.
Dropped out (last week's rankings): No. 4 Melrose (Memphis, Tenn.); No. 7 Winter Park (Winter Park, Fla.); No. 8 Norcross (Norcross, Ga.); No. 24 Montverde Academy (Montverde, Fla.); No. 25 Fort Bend Bush (Richmond, Texas)
