We did not have to interrupt up the rankings and begin recent, however there’s practically a whole new order in the midst of the pack within the third version of the FAB 50 Nationwide Workforce Rankings powered by Ballislife.com for the 2025-26 season. The primary rankings of calendar yr 2026 present explosive motion and 10 newcomers, led by No. 14 Calvary Christian Academy (Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.) and No. 17 Redondo Union (Redondo Seaside, Calif.). We have reached the purpose within the season the place some groups must be ranked in entrance of a workforce it misplaced to.
By Ronnie Flores
There has by no means been extra main vacation match and showcases than now, and fairly frankly a few of the occasion administrators are hoping to make a fast buck in these unsure instances. What is definite is one of the best groups get invited to a plethora of vacation occasions and it all the time creates a dizzying quantity of analysis to provide you with the primary set of recent rankings of the brand new calendar yr after the highest groups and gamers made it again hime to organize for convention play.
The principle rankings standards will all the time be wins and losses, however coming closely into play this week is energy of schedule and the timing of these wins and losses. With so many prime groups assembly one another, we have reached the purpose within the season the place some groups must be ranked in entrance of a workforce it misplaced to.
That occurs proper on the prime with new No. 2 Paul VI (Chantilly, Va.). Led by Mr. Basketball USA candidate Jordan Smith Jr., the Panthers have finished sufficient to beat their double additional time loss to No. 6 Prolific Prep (Southwest Ranches, Fla.). Paul VI completed this by capturing the distinguished Metropolis of Palms Basic with a 57-53 victory over No. 28 Archbishop Stepinac (White Plains, N.Y.), the Panthers’ second victory of the season over that membership.
Smith netted 31 factors and performed his common hellish protection for Paul VI, which defeated new No. 10 Principia (St. Louis, Mo.) within the semifinals behind Smith’s 34 factors, 78-68, and No. 14 Calvary Christian Academy (Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.) within the quarterfinals, 71-54. For these two golf equipment, they’ve solely misplaced to Paul VI up to now and Calvary Christian Academy is the best ranked of 10 newcomers this week.
Calvary Christian Academy owns a win over No. 18 Wheeler (Marietta, Ga.) whereas Principia strikes up 38 spots from No. 48 with victories over No. 16 Columbus (Miami, Fla.), Wheeler and No. 29 Bartlett (Bartlett, Tenn.), which simply knocked off earlier No. 7 Southeastern Prep Academy (Orlando, Fla.), 68-62.
“I am actually happy with how our guys competed within the Metropolis of Palms Basic!” Principia head coach Jay Blossom advised Ballislife. “It was our first alternative to play in opposition to the nation’s finest and I feel we confirmed that we’re prepared for the massive stage.”
Spire Academy Makes It Case
New No. 3 Spire Academy (Geneva, Ohio) is in the identical boat because the Panthers. Spire Academy has misplaced to No. 7 CIA Bella Vista (Phoenix, Ariz.), however at Hoophall West in Arizona, coach Kevin Boyle’s membership got here up with two key victories. The primary was a 59-45 victory over No. 22 Oak Cliff Religion Household (Dallas, Texas), as junior guard King Gibson led the way in which with 19 factors and 4 steals. Spire Academy additionally downed No. 4 AZ Compass Prep (Chandler, Ariz.), 72-50, handy that membership its first lack of the season. Darrell Davis had 21 factors, 5 assists and 4 steals, whereas Gibson had 15 factors, six assists and three steals.
Boyle, in his first season with Spire Academy after main Montverde Academy to seven FAB 50 nationwide titles, advised Ballislife his workforce’s protection has set the tone and put his new workforce in place to compete for a FAB 50 title in his first season with this system.
AZ Compass Prep bounced again from the loss the subsequent afternoon at Hoophall West with a 63-59 victory over CIA Bella Vista (Phoenix, Ariz.). For now CIA Bella Vista (Phoenix, Ariz.) can’t be ranked any increased due to a 80-58 loss to No. 6 Prolific Prep (Southwest Ranches, Fla.) on the Metropolis of Palms.
Spire misplaced to CIA Bella Vista by three factors (71-68).
Massive Vacation Deal with For Sunnyslope
Sunnyslope (Phoenix, Ariz.) misplaced to Redondo Union (Redondo Seaside, Calif.) early within the season and hoped to get a rematch with the Sea Hawks, particularly after that membership captured the Platinum Division crown of the distinguished Tarkanian Basic in Las Vegas with a 70-56 win over then No. 26 Timpview (Provo, Utah). Sunnyslope coach Ray Portela and crew acquired a late Christmas reward when the Vikings certainly met Redondo Union for the match title at The Basic at Damien in Southern California on Dec. 30.
Behind match MVP Delton Prescott, a junior guard, and junior huge man Darius Wabbignton, Sunnyslope avenged the early loss to the Sea Hawks with a 71-63 victory. Wabbington completed with 22 factors and a game-high 12 rebounds, making 10-of 12 free throws. Prescott’s ball-handling and clutch play made an enormous distinction all through Sunnyslope’s 4 victories.
For the match, Prescott averaged 17.5 ppg, whereas Wabbington averaged 19.5 ppg and 10.8 rpg.
Lower than 48 hours later, Sunnyslope was again on the court docket on New Yr’s Day at Hoophall West in its conventional eight-team bracket. It beat Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas, Nev.) 65-51, knocked off earlier No. 32 DeMatha Catholic (Hyattsville, Md.), 60-49, the subsequent night within the semifinals and downed No. 18 Wheeler (Marietta, Ga.) within the title sport, 61-59, to maneuver up 31 spots to No. 15 on this week’s FAB 50. Sunnyslope’s victory over Wheeler was additionally a swoon for Redondo Union, which checks in because the second highest-ranked newcomer at No. 17.
Wabbington was named Hoophall West MVP with 23 factors, 9 rebounds and three assists within the title sport. For the match, the fast-rising junior averaged 21.0 ppg, 9.7 rpg and a pair of.7 apg. Colorado-bound senior Rider Portela, the son of the Sunnyslope coach, hit 4 straight free throws down the stretch to carry Wheeler off.
Wheeler’s different two losses are to Principia and Calvary Christian.
Up to date FAB 50 Nationwide Workforce RankingsPowered by Ballislife.com
(third ballot of 2025-26 common season; By means of video games performed on Sunday, January 4; *Signifies forfeit wins, forfeit losses not included; **Signifies forfeits and defaults not included)
No. Prev. Excessive College (Metropolis)File
11Link Academy (Branson, Mo.) 12-0
25Paul VI (Chantilly, Va.)11-1
39Spire Academy (Geneva, Ohio)14-1
43AZ Compass Prep (Chandler, Ariz.)11-1
58Brewster Academy (Wolfeboro, N.H.)13-1
64Prolific Prep (Southwest Ranches, Fla.) 14-2
72CIA Bella Vista (Phoenix, Ariz.)9-2
821Seven Lakes (Katy, Texas) 22-0
912La Lumiere (La Porte, Ind.)11-0
1048Principia (St. Louis, Mo.)10-1
1117Fishers (Fishers, Ind.)10-0
1214Sunrise Christian Academy (Bel Aire, Kan.)8-2
1320Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth, Calif.)13-1
14NRCalvary Christian Academy (Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.)10-1
1546Sunnyslope (Phoenix, Ariz.)16-1
166Columbus (Miami, Fla.)12-3
17NRRedondo Union (Redondo Seaside, Calif.)16-3
1810Wheeler (Marietta, Ga.)11-3
1936Forsyth Nation Day (Lewisville, N.C.)18-0
2026Timpview (Provo, Utah)12-1
217Southeastern Prep Academy (Orlando, Fla.)23-6
2213Oak Cliff Religion Household (Dallas, Texas)15-5
2329Santa Margarita (Rancho SM, Calif.)19-2
2424Dream Metropolis Christian (Glendale, Ariz.)12-4
2525Salesian (Richmond, Calif.)11-2
2615Wasatch Academy (Mt. Nice, Utah)9-4
27NRMontverde Academy (Montverde, Fla.)5-5
2835Archbishop Stepinac (White Plains, N.Y.)7-4
2942Bartlett (Bartlett, Tenn.)13-2
3037Greensboro Day (Greensboro, N.C.)22-2
3127Webb (Knoxville, Tenn.)17-2
3211Bishop O’Connell (Arlington, Va.)12-2
3316IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.)11-4
3428Millennium (Goodyear, Ariz.)14-2
35NRWisconsin Lutheran (Milwaukee, Wis.)9-0
3618Long Island Lutheran (Glen Head, N.Y.) 4-5
3730The Villages Constitution (The Villages, Fla.)10-4
3838St. John Bosco (Bellflower, Calif.)11-4
39NRBenet Academy (Lisle, Ailing.)17-1
40NRThe Rock (Gainesville, Fla.)14-4
4141Concord Academy (Harmony, N.C.)16-2
42NRNotre Dame (Sherman Oaks, Calif.)13-4
4331DePaul School Prep (Chicago, Ailing.)14-2
4433Our Woman of Mt. Carmel (Baltimore, Md.)15-3
4539Harvard-Westlake (Bellflower, Calif.)16-2
4634St. Frances Academy (Baltimore, Md.)17-3
4747East Lansing (East Lansing, Mich.)8-0
48NRBooker T. Washington (Tulsa, Okla.)9-0
49NRLakota West (West Chester, Ohio)10-0
50NRNorth Crowley (Ft. Price, Texas)18-3
Dropped Out: Earlier No. 19 Bishop McNamara (Forestville, Md.), No. 22 Petersburg (Petersburg, Va.), No. 23 Bergen Catholic (Oradell, N.J.), No. 32 DeMatha Catholic (Hyattsville, Md.), No. 40 Rainier Seaside (Seattle, Wash.), No. 43 Notre Dame (West Haven, Conn.), No. 44 Gaston Christian (Gastonia, N.C.), No. 45 McEachern (Powder Springs, Ga.), No. 49 Vashon (St. Louis, Mo.), No. 50 Owasso (Owasso, Okla.).
Bubble Groups: Archbishop Riordan (San Francisco, Calif.) 7-1; Atascocita (Humble, Texas) 13-6; Bartow (Bartow, Fla.) 14-1; Bergen Catholic (Oradell, N.J.) 6-1; Brennan (San Antonio, Texas) 16-3; Bryant (Bryant, Ark.) 14-3; Bullis (Potomac, Md.) 10-3; Cathedral Prep (Erie, Pa.) 13-0; Chaparral (Parker, Col.) 7-2; Crean Lutheran (Irvine, Calif.) 14-5; Crespi (Encino, Calif.) 13-6; Crown Level (Crown Level, Ind.) 8-0; Curie (Chicago, Ailing.) 12-1; Decatur (Decatur, Ga.) 13-2; DeMatha Catholic (Hyattsville, Md.) 9-4; DME Academy (Daytona Seaside, Fla.) 13-4; Duncanville (Duncanville, Texas) 10-5; East St. Louis (East St. Louis, Ailing.) 13-1; Fairfax Christian (Dulles, Va.) 14-0; Gainesville (Gainesville, Ga.) 16-0; Gillion Academy (Springfield, Va.) 13-6; Grayson (Loganville, Ga.) 13-1; Greenfield (Wilson, N.C.) 15-2; Houston (Germantown, Tenn.) 10-4; Kankakee (Kankakee, Ailing.) 11-1; Layton Christian (Layton, Utah) 13-2; Little Elm (Little Elm, Texas) 18-2; Lutheran East (Cleveland Heights, Ohio) 8-0; MacArthur (Decatur, Ailing.) 11-0; Male (Louisville, Ky.) 10-2; McEachern (Powder Springs, Ga.) 9-3; Mt. Vernon (Fortville, Ind.) 10-2; Notre Dame (West Haven, Conn.) 6-2; North Broward Prep (Conocut Creek, Fla.) 15-0; North Mecklenburg (Huntersville, N.C.) 10-1; Neumann-Goretti (Philadelphia, Pa.) 7-1; Owasso (Owasso, Okla.) 7-3; Patrick College (Hackettstown, N.J.) 7-4; Petersburg (Petersburg, Va.) 6-4; Pike (Indianapolis, Ind.) 8-1; Plainfield (Plainfield, N.J.) 7-1; Rainier Seaside (Seattle, Wash.) 10-1; Ralston Valley (Arvada, Col.) 7-0; Rangeview (Aurora, Col.) 6-3; Ridge View (Columbia, S.C.) 10-2; Riviera Prep (Miami, Fla.) 9-6; Rockford (Rockford, Mich.) 8-0; South (Shawnee Mission, Kan.) 4-0; Starkville (Starkville, Miss.) 15-1; St. Ignatius (Chicago, Ailing.) 15-2; St. John’s (Washington, D.C.) 10-4; St. Joseph (Santa Maria, Calif.) 16-2; St. Thomas Aquinas (Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.) 14-3; St. Xavier (Louisville, Ky.) 9-4; Tartan (Oakdale, Minn.) 7-0; Tennessee Collegiate Academy (Millington, Tenn.) 10-5; Warren Township (Gurnee, Ailing.) 11-1; Waukee Northwest (Waukee, Iowa) 6-0; Wayzata (Plymouth, Minn.) 10-1; West Allis Central (West Allis, Wis.) 7-0; Zephyrhills Christian Academy (Zephyrhills, Fla.) 17-5.
Notice: The FAB 50 powered by Ballislife.com is a continuation of the Nationwide Sports activities Information Service rankings 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 26 years in the past.
Ronnie Flores is the nationwide Grassroots editor of Ballislife.com. He may be reached at [email protected]. Do not forget to observe him on Twitter: @RonMFlores

















