NEW FAB 50: EPIC Weekend!

Lots of the nation’s energy states concluded their state championships over the weekend, and it brought on loads of change to the most recent version of the FAB 50 Nationwide Crew Rankings powered by Ballislife.com. There are three newcomers this week, together with state champions from Illinois and Kansas. We break down why on-court outcomes are paramount.

By Ronnie Flores

The weekend of March 8-10 was an epic one for highschool basketball throughout the nation. That is as a result of many energy states conclude their state championship occasions, and it brought on loads of change to the brand new FAB 50 Nationwide Crew Rankings powered by Ballislife.com. Let’s run down the important thing outcomes:

* Plano East (Plano, Texas) made historical past by capturing a College Interscholastic League (UIL) state title within the highest classification (Class 6A) by going undefeated. Within the closing, the Panthers downed then FAB No. 6 Stony Level (Spherical Rock, Texas), 53-41, earlier than 8,812 at The Alamodome in San Antonio. Main the best way was junior ahead D.J. Corridor with 18 factors in a recreation Plano East was in command of all through. Becoming a member of Corridor on the all-tournament workforce was Plano East’s Jordan Mizell, a 6-foot-2 senior guard.

With the victory, No. 5 Plano East (40-0) assured itself a high 5 end within the closing 2023-24 FAB 50, which might be printed on April 8. Stony Level, which downed No. 49 Beaumont United (Beaumont, Texas) within the semifinals, 54-46, dropped seven spots this week to No. 13, though its closing rating is not going to be decided till all the outcomes throughout the nation play out. Stony Level’s solely two losses in 40 video games have been to the Panthers.

* Within the Georgia Excessive College Affiliation (GHSA) Class AAAAAAA title recreation, No. 35 Grayson (Loganville, Ga.) captured its first-ever state crown with a 51-41 victory over then No. 20. McEachern (Powder Springs, Ga.). Junior ahead Jacob Wilkins, already dedicated to Georgia, led the best way for the Rams with some large performs down the stretch after McEachern was threatening with one closing push. Wilkins completed with 14 factors and 12 rebounds, whereas Purdue signee Gicarri Harris, a 6-foot-4 senior, added 9 factors and 5 rebounds for the victorious Rams. Grayson (which beat McEachern twice this season), held Indians star ahead and Mr. Basketball USA candidate Ace Bailey to 4 factors within the second half, as he netted 18 factors on 8-of-20 pictures from the sector.

McEachern got here into the sport ranked increased within the FAB 50 as a result of a few of its earlier nationwide outcomes, together with a victory over new No. 25 North Mecklenburg (Huntersville, N.C.) and an additional time loss to No. 7 Harvard-Westlake (North Hollywood, Calif.). Benefitting from Grayson’s title recreation victory probably the most is new No. 23 Perry (Gilbert, Ariz.), which strikes up 11 spots this week as a result of it handed the Rams one in every of its solely two losses with the opposite coming to No. 22 Ridge View (Columbia, S.C.). Perry was in a position to avenge two of its in-state losses with the out-of-state losses coming in opposition to Harvard-Westlake (twice) and No. 16 Archbishop Stepinac (White Plains, N.Y.).

“It’s one thing these children will take with them without end,” Grayson coach Geoffrey Pierce advised Ballislife.com. “They are going to without end be know as state champions within the largest classification in Georgia. I can assure there are a whole lot of former gamers and coaches from Grayson which are celebrating with us.”

*On the Golden One Heart in Sacramento, Calif., Harvard-Westlake downed No. 37 Salesian (Richmond, Calif.) within the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) Open Division title recreation, 50-45, in a hard-fought recreation earlier than roughly 5,000 followers. The sport was shut for the ultimate three quarters after the Wolves took a 21-11 lead after one interval. Salesian took its closing lead (45-44) with 1:31 to go on a lay-up by sophomore Elias Obenyah, however Harvard-Westlake’s McDonalds’ All-American, USC-bound Trent Perry, scored the sport’s closing six factors and got here up with a steal with slightly below a minute remaining to place his workforce in place to win its second consecutive CIF open state crown, the third program to try this for the reason that creation of the open division in 2013. Perry, who completed with 17 factors, hit an elbow soar shot with 26 seconds remaining and two free throws with underneath 10 seconds remaining to seal the victory.

Harvard-bound Robert Hinton scored a team-high 19 factors for Harvard-Westlake, which defeated No. 21 Roosevelt (Eastvale, Calif.) in Tuesday’s SoCal open closing, 63-59, behind 28 factors from Perry. It was the identical workforce the Wolverines defeated for the CIF Southern Part open title. Harvard-Westlake not solely beat Roosevelt and Perry twice, it additionally defeated McEachern and No. 36 St. John Bosco (Bellflower, Calif.), which captured the CIF D1 crown on Friday evening and handed Salesian its solely common season loss in additional time. The out-of-state loss for Harvard-Westlake got here in a one possession recreation to No. 2 Columbus (Miami, Fla.).

* Columbus grew to become eligible for the Chipotle Excessive College Basketball Nationals (April 4-6) by capturing the Florida Excessive College Athletic Affiliation (FHSAA) Class 7A title, the Explorers’ third consecutive state crown. The Explorers wanted additional time to show again then No. 31 Oak Ridge (Orlando, Fla.), 72-67, after giving up a 13-point lead within the third interval. Battle-tested Oak Ridge, which downed No. 46 Winter Haven (Winter Haven, Fla.) within the semifinals, 85-74, used a 13-0 run late within the third quarter to get again within the recreation.

Cameron Boozer, final season’s Mr. Basketball USA as a sophomore, got here up with a thunderous slam dunk with 5 seconds remaining to ship the sport into additional time. Boozer completed with 24 factors, 11 rebounds, 5 assists and three steals within the large victory. His brother Cayden Boozer added 16 factors, whereas Michigan St.-bound Jase Richardson added 14 factors.

Along with defeating Harvard-Westlake, which strikes up three spots to No. 7 this week, the Explorers personal victories over No. 3 Paul VI (Chantilly, Va.), No. 4 Lengthy Island Lutheran (Glen Head, N.Y.) and No. 6 Prolific Prep (Napa, Calif.).

Anticipate the FAB 50’s No. 2, No. 3, No. 4 and No. 6 groups to hitch top-ranked Montverde Academy at Chipotle Excessive College Basketball Nationals. The eight-team subject for the occasion is predicted to be introduced this week and all its video games might be broadcast stay on ESPN platforms.

There might be extra motion within the coming weeks primarily based on the leads to the states the place the playoffs are nonetheless going corresponding to Indiana and Pennsylvania, plus Chipotle Nationals. For most of the nation’s greatest groups, nonetheless, this previous weekend was large and capturing state titles on-the-court is one thing that may by no means be taken away, no matter their closing place within the FAB 50.

We’ll give our tackle the massive off-court happenings in New Jersey later this week.

RELATED:  Preseason 2023-24 Mr. Basketball USA Tracker | “In The Paint” Podcast (Spotify) |  “In The Paint” Podcast (YouTube) 

Up to date FAB 50 Nationwide Crew RankingsPowered by Ballislife.com

(twelfth ballot of 2023-24 common season; Via video games performed on Sunday, March 10; *Signifies forfeit wins, forfeit losses not included; **Signifies forfeits and defaults not included; ***Signifies season full.)

No. Prev. Excessive College (Metropolis)File

11Montverde Academy (Montverde, Fla.)29-0

22Columbus (Miami, Fla.)27–4

33Paul VI (Chantilly, Va.)33-2

44Long Island Lutheran (Glen Head, N.Y.)21-4

55Plano East (Plano, Texas)40-0***

68Prolific Prep (Napa, Calif.)31-5

710Harvard-Westlake (North Hollywood, Calif.)33-3***

89Link Academy (Branson, Mo.)22-6

911Central Cabarrus (Harmony, N.C.)31-0

1014Wisconsin Lutheran (Milwaukee, Wis.)28-0

1112AZ Compass Prep (Chandler, Ariz.)27-5

1215Fishers (Fishers, Ind.)26-1

136Stony Level (Spherical Rock, Texas)38-2***

1413IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.)17-8

1517St. Rose (Belmar, N.J.)29-2***

1618Archbishop Stepinac (White Plains, N.Y.)25-4

1719Don Bosco Prep (Ramsey, N.J.)29-3***

1821Roman Catholic (Philadelphia, Pa.)25-2

1922St. Mary Prep (Orchard Lake, Mich.)24-1

2023Combine Academy (Lincolnton, N.C.) 21-2

2124Roosevelt (Eastvale, Calif.)31-4***

2225Ridge View (Columbia, S.C.)27-2***

2334Perry (Gilbert, Ariz.)24-6***

2435Grayson (Loganville, Ga.)30-2***

2541North Mecklenburg (Huntersville, N.C.)28-3

2620McEachern (Powder Springs, Ga.)26-6***

277Myers Park (Charlotte, N.C.)27-4***

2827John Marshall (Richmond, Va.)25-3***

2926Bullis (Potomac, Md.)27-3***

3028Sidwell Associates (Washington, D.C.) 27-4***

3129Gonzaga (Washington, D.C.)28-6***

3230Great Crossing (Georgetown, Ky.)33-1

3331Oak Ridge (Orlando, Fla.)27-4***

3432La Lumiere (La Porte, Ind.)23-5

3533Brewster Academy (Wolfeboro, N.H.)27-7

3636St. John Bosco (Bellflower, Calif.)28-7***

3737Salesian (Richmond, Calif.)31-2***

3839Bartlett (Bartlett, Tenn.)31-4

3939Patrick College (Elizabeth, N.J.)28-4

4040Camden (Camden, N.J.)30-2***

4144Kell (Marietta, Ga.)28-3***

4248Wayzata (Plymouth, Minn.)26-1

4350Moeller (Cincinnati, Ohio)25-1

4443Millennium (Goodyear, Ariz.)25-5***

45NRHomewood Flossmor (Flossmor, In poor health.)33-4***

4646Winter Haven (Winter Haven, Fla.)27-2***

4747Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.)29-6***

48NRReidsville (Reidsville, N.C.)27-0

4949Beaumont United (Beaumont, Texas)34-4***

50NRNorthwest (Shawnee Mission, Kan.)25-0***

Dropped Out: Earlier No. 16 De Pere (De Pere, Wis.), No. 42 Curie (Chicago, In poor health.), No. 45 Cordova (Cordova, Tenn.).

Bubble Groups: Arrowhead (Heartland, Wis.) 26-2; Bay Shore (Bay Shore, N.Y.) 23-0; Bellevue West (Bellevue, Neb.) 27-1***; Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas, Nev.) 24-5***; Brennan (San Antonio, Texas) 31-5***; Central Catholic (Portland, Ore.) 28-3***; Christian (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 23-2; Curie (Chicago, In poor health.) 31-3***; Dale (Dale, Okla.) 30-2***; De Paul Prep (Chicago, In poor health.) 35-2***; De Pere (De Pere, Wis.) 26-2***; East Lansing (East Lansing, Mich.) 24-2; Edmond North (Edmond, Okla.) 24-4***; Fort Bend Clements (Sugar Land, Texas) 32-1***; Garfield Heights (Garfield Heights, Ohio) 24-1; Hickory (Hickory, N.C.) 31-0; Hoover (Hoover, Ala.) 30-3***; Imhotep Constitution (Philadelphia, Pa.) 25-3; Jackson-Reed (Washington, D.C.) 33-3; Kennedy (Cedar Rapids, Iowa) 25-1***; Kokomo (Kokomo, Ind.) 25-4***; Lawrence North (Indianapolis, Ind.) 25-3; Lehi (Lehi, Utah) 24-4***; Lexington (Lexington, S.C.) 28-2***; Lexington Catholic (Lexington, Ky.) 32-2; Liberty Magnet (Baton Rouge, La.) 33-4***; Lincoln Park (Midland, Pa.) 23-3; Millard North (Omaha, Neb.) 23-3***; Mt. St. Joseph (Baltimore, Md.) 36-5***; Neumann-Goretti (Philadelphia, Pa.) 23-3; Newport (Newport, Ky.) 31-3; Noblesville (Noblesville, Ind.) 22-3***; Northwest (Shawnee Mission, Kan.) 25-0***; Notre Dame (Sherman Oaks, Calif.) 31-4***; Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.) 21-6; Pewaukee (Pewaukee, Wis.) 24-4; Raymond (Raymond, Miss.) 31-4***; Seven Lakes (Katy, Texas) 35-4**; Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth, Calif.) 26-4***; St. Anne’s-Bellfield (Charlottesville, Va.) 26-4***; St. Ignatius (Cleveland, Ohio) 22-3; St. Peter’s Prep (Jersey Metropolis, N.J.) 26-3***; Valley (West Des Moines, Iowa) 21-5***; Vashon (St. Louis, Mo.) 24-6; Volcano Vista (Albuquerque, N.M.) 27-1; Wasatch Academy (Mt. Nice, Utah) 15-7; Westfield (Westfield, Ind.) 19-3***; Woodside (Newport Information, Va.) 27-1***.

Be aware: The FAB 50 powered by Ballislife.com is a continuation of the Nationwide Sports activities Information Service scores that started in 1952. These have been the primary nationwide highschool rankings and the late Artwork Johlfs of Minnesota compiled them. They have been compiled for a few years by the late Barry Sollenberger of Phoenix, who merged them into the FAB 50 24 years in the past.

Ronnie Flores is the nationwide Grassroots editor of Ballislife.com. He will be reached at [email protected]. Remember to comply with him on Twitter: @RonMFlores