Winning a high school basketball state championship is always a challenge regardless of the state, classification or matchups along the way. Today, we examine the toughest hardwood state tournament brackets in 2023-24. Hundreds of classifications across 50 states and the District of Columbia were narrowed down to the 10 most daunting.
Determining factors include MaxPreps Top 25 teams in the field, quality of favorites and top contenders, depth and quality of the tournament field and overall difficulty of capturing the championship.
Although Division 1 in California is likely one of the top 10 toughest brackets, the field won't begin to shape up until various section open division tournaments are decided. No. 17
Notre Dame (Sherman Oaks) is likely to be among those vying for the Division 1 crown.
Other state classifications that just missed the cut include Class 6A in Pennsylvania, Class AAAA in South Carolina, Class 5A in Texas and Division I in Ohio.
Read on for a full rundown of the top 10 state tournaments in high school basketball below.
Three-star junior D.J. Hall looks to guide Plano East to UIL Class 6A state title against loaded field. (Photo: Michael Horbovetz)
Rundown: Winning the highest classification in the Lone Star State is always a demanding task with seven victories required against quality in-state opponents. This year it is ranked as the toughest state tournament bracket in the nation with nine teams ranked within the top 100 headlined by No. 3 Plano East and No. 6 Stony Point. Plano East looks to become the first unbeaten state champion in the highest classification in Texas since Duncanville ran the table in 2007 behind a balanced roster that is led by three-star junior
D.J. Hall.
2. CIF Open Division
State: California
Rundown: Winning the coveted CIF Open Division State championship will be a tall task with four teams ranked within the MaxPreps Top 25. No. 7 Harvard-Westlake are favorites to repeat as state champions but No. 10 Sierra Canyon and No. 15 Roosevelt are among serious contenders to emerge from a loaded SoCal bracket. No. 23 Salesian and St. Joseph are the teams to beat out of NorCal as both have the pieces to compete with the best in the state.
3. FHSAA Class 7A
Rundown: Columbus is an overwhelming favorite to capture its third consecutive state title in the highest classification of the Sunshine State. The star-studded Explorers enter state tournament action with a 16-game winning streak against a challenging national schedule led by top 5 junior
Cameron Boozer, top 20 junior
Cayden Boozer and top 40 senior
Jase Richardson. Oak Ridge and Winter Haven both have the talent to challenge the two-time defending state champions in a tough state tournament bracket. Oak Ridge captured the 'Iolani Classic title earlier in the season and Winter Haven is riding a 24-game win streak following a season-opening loss.
Rundown: Despite the state tournament field in the District of Columbia not being as deep as some of the brackets below on the list, four teams have a legitimate opportunity to capture the Class AA title this season. No. 8 Gonzaga is the slight favorite to capture the championship behind its trio of four-star juniors in
Nykolas Lewis,
Christian Gurdak and
Derek Dixon. Jackson-Reed and MaxPreps Top 25 bubble team Sidwell Friends are also serious contenders to emerge with the crown.
5. GHSA Class AAAAAAA
Rundown: Although Grayson and McEachern appear to be overwhelming favorites to capture the state title in the highest classification of the Peach State, recent history has proven things can be unpredictable. Defending state champion Wheeler cannot be discounted in postseason action as a revamped roster enters postseason play with just five losses. MaxPreps National Player of the Year candidate
Ace Bailey will have his last chance to make a significant impression as he looks to help the Indians avenge a 79-62 loss to Grayson in their season opener.
6. NCHSAA Class 4A
Rundown: Although everyone is looking forward to a grudge match between No. 4 Myers Park and North Mecklenburg in the state tournament, it's more than a two-horse race. New Hanover and Green Level both enter postseason play unbeaten, but Richmond may be the favorite to emerge from the east side of the bracket behind four-star North Carolina State signee
Paul McNeil Jr., who set the state record for points in a single game with 71 points earlier this season. Myers Park features a trio of high-major prospects in top 100 Tennessee signee
Bishop Boswell, top 40 Notre Dame signee
Sir Mohammed and top 30 junior
Sadiq White Jr.
7. KHSAA Sweet 16
Rundown: Kentucky is the only remaining state that crowns just one champion each season as teams ascend on Rupp Arena over a four-day event in late March. Great Crossing is led by top 30 junior
Malachi Moreno and under-the-radar junior guard
Vince Dawson. The all-time leading scorer in the state of Kentucky,
Travis Perry enters the state tournament with over 5,000 career points as he looks to guide a talented Lyon County team to its first state title.
8. AIA Open Division
Rundown: Three teams appear to be ahead of the pack as Millennium, Perry and Sunnyslope each appear to have the pieces to compete of the state title in the Open Division. Defending champion Perry hasn't quite lived up to lofty preseason expectations but remain among the favorites to capture the coveted crown behind top 10 junior prospect
Koa Peat. Millennium is unbeaten against in-state competition led by top 20 sophomore
Cameron Holmes. After reaching the state title game last season, Sunnyslope is a serious contender again.
9. IHSAA Class 4A
Rundown: Although no team has clearly emerged from the pack, the highest classification in the Hoosier State features five teams ranked within the top 100. Fishers appears to be the slight favorite at this point in the season, however Lawrence North, Westfield, Kokomo and defending state champion Ben Davis have all proven themselves capable of capturing the crown this season. Top 10 Kansas signee
Flory Bidunga is the player to watch in the state as he looks to guide Kokomo to its first state title. Under-the-radar senior
Keenan Garner is another name to know as he has emerged as the catalyst for Fishers.
10. IHSA Class 4A
State: Illinois
Rundown: Although the state of Illinois doesn't have a team ranked in the top 50 of the national rankings, Curie sits just outside and appears to be primed for a significant jump if it can capture the Class 4A state title. The Condors recently won the Chicago Public League championship and possess a senior-laden core that has strong balance. Bolingbrook recently knocked off Homewood-Flossmoor by two points for a key victory while Quincy secured a big win over Imhotep Charter (Philadelphia, Pa.) earlier in the year.
