FAB 50: The Good & Bad!

The preseason FAB 50 rankings set the tone for the following season. We put alot of effort into our preseason rankings as a result of it makes it alot simpler to justify strikes because the season wears on. We gained’t give away all our rankings secrets and techniques, however two guidelines we stay by are one, we gained’t ever drop the No. 1 staff if it wins its ultimate sport, and two, the No. 1 staff can by no means lose its ultimate sport. We’ve been compiling weekly rankings for the reason that fall of 1987 when Miami Senior (Miami, Fla.) opened up as preseason No. 1 within the first Nationwide Prep Ballot (FAB 50 precursor). Rankings have come and gone since then, or stopped and tried to re-start. We’ve been doing them ever since and clearly we’re going to maintain the FAB 50 going so long as potential. Our preseason No. 1 staff has completed No. 1 14 occasions, so we’re fairly pleased with the rankings job we’ve finished through the years. On the flip aspect, nobody is ideal and there are some preseason rankings we want we had again. We check out three of our greatest moments, and three of the preseason choices we’d like to take again.

RELATED: Preseason 2023-24 FAB 50 (16-30) | Preseason 2023-24 FAB 50 (31-50) | Preseason East Region Top 20 | Preseason Southeast Region Top 20  | Preseason Midwest Region Top 20 | Preseason Southwest Region Top 20 | Preseason West Region Top 20 | Preseason FAB 50 Show (REPLAY) |  Ballislife Podcast Network | FAB 50 Rankings Criteria | History of High School Team Rankings

Rankings To Be Proud Of

Montverde Academy (Fla.) at No. 1 in 2012-13
When issues go flawed, extra issues seemingly go dangerous, and when issues are going effectively in basketball, the breaks appear to go a program’s method for a very long time. On the finish of the 2011-12 season, it appears as if issues have been going proper for Findlay Prep (Henderson, Nev.). After a miraculous fourth-quarter comeback within the Nationwide Excessive College Invitational (now GEICO Nationals) title sport led by Arizona recruit Brandon Ashley, it regarded just like the Pilots would dominate highschool hoops within the close to future. They’d simply gained their third NHSI title in 4 years and this system seemingly was in good palms with Mike Peck and Todd Simon. Had Montverde Academy or Findlay Prep gained convincingly it might have had a robust case for No. 1 over Oak Hill Academy of Virginia, which selected to not take part within the occasion. What was much more apparent watching that sport was how good the Eagles have been going to be in 2012-13. Level guard Kasey Hill was dynamic, the staff added strongman Devin Williams (West Virginia) and heart Dakari Johnson, who sat out the 2011-12 season after incomes nationwide freshman of the yr honors in 2010-11 at St. Patrick (Elizabeth, N.J.). They have been a cinch preseason No. 1 and that’s earlier than this system added Ben Simmons afterward through the season. Montverde went on to seize GEICO Nationals on the finish of the season, and this system was preseason No. 1 for the following two seasons and gained three consecutive FAB 50 titles. Extra, importantly that 2012-13 staff set the tone for what was to return for this system over the following 10 years, and no different credible rankings service had the Eagles preseason No. 1.

Bishop Montgomery (Torrance, Calif.) at No. 7 in 2016-17
Regardless that this staff was a bit short-handed in its first sport, it nonetheless didn’t look something like a preseason No. 1 staff from California and a prime 10 staff after it misplaced that opener on the NorCal Tip-Off Basic to unranked Bishop O’Dowd (Oakland, Calif.), 79-63. It actually didn’t look higher than preseason No. 9 Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth, Calif.) in its early season video games. No less than one ballot had that staff preseason No. 1 within the nation. If something, the Trailblazers have been a kind of bodily dominant groups, much like the 2012-13 Montverde Academy staff, that we evaluated in recent times. After we witness star forwards Marvin Bagley (Duke) and Cody Riley (UCLA) dislodge a backboard, we mentioned to ourselves, “what on this planet have been we pondering” as Bishop Montgomery had nobody taller than 6-foot-5. We knew the Knights would get higher, and the massive payoff got here within the CIF Southern Part open semifinals on the Galen Heart in Los Angeles, when coach Doug Mitchell’s membership took down Sierra Canyon, 70-63, in a memorable contest performed in entrance of 12,000 followers as a part of the double-header involving Chino Hills and Mater Dei. Some pollsters nonetheless hadn’t study their lesson, as the following week Mater Dei got here in to the CIFSS open ultimate as the upper ranked staff each nationally and regionally by everybody anticipate one ballot. Bishop Montgomery had a memorable fourth quarter run to tug out a 70-55 win to seize its second CIFSS open crown in three seasons. The Knights went on to beat Chino Hills and Mater Dei a second time en path to their first and solely CIF open state crown. They completed No. 6 within the FAB 50, however extra importantly served as a stark reminder that typically nice highschool groups don’t want NBA-type measurement, or the very best rated particular person recruits, to be thought-about among the best within the nation. Typically nice highschool groups have nice chemistry and nice highschool gamers, regardless of what’s anticipated of them on the collegiate or NBA ranges.

Glenbard West (Glen Ellyn, Ailing.) at No. 29 in 2021-22
We all the time prefer it once we’re forward of the curve on a staff with out alot of fan-fare that has the potential to be an incredible staff. That was the case with the Hilltoppers, who finally received the nationwide acclaim they deserved after a 13-1 season shortened by COVID-19 in 2020-21. Glenbard West captured the IHSA Class 4A state title with a dominant 56-34 win over Whitney Younger (Chicago) with a gaggle of seniors that received little to zero nationwide acclaim till it stored profitable. We want we had positioned them contained in the Prime 25 and it might have been much more attention-grabbing to see what would have occurred had this membership completed 38-0 as a substitute of 37-1. This well-oiled unit led by heart Braden Huff and Paxten Warden goes down as among the best groups in Illinois historical past, however from a FAB 50 perspective it couldn’t end increased than No. 13 within the ultimate rankings. That’s as a result of the Warriors misplaced to No. 32 Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth, Calif.) on a buzzer-beating 3-pointer, whereas No. 12 Camden (N.J.) defeated the Trailblazers, 66-62. Huff (16.8 ppg, 6 rpg, 3 apg, 1.5 spg and 1.5 bpg) was named the Chicago Solar-Occasions Participant of the 12 months and earned a scholarship to Gonzaga, whereas three different teammates have been D1 sure. Glenbard West constructed a nationwide following in three months and its story is what highschool basketball is all about.

Rankings We Want We Had Again

St. Anthony (Jersey Metropolis, N.J.) at No. 1 in 2004-05
By this time, Bob Hurley Sr.’s program at St. Anthony was a perennial contender and had already gained two FAB 50 nationwide titles (in 1989 and 1996). This membership regarded prefer it had the makings of 1 that would give the eventual Naismith Corridor of Fame coach his third crown, so it was pegged as preseason No. 1 in an in depth name over Oak Hill Academy of Virginia, the defending FAB 50 nationwide champs. We knew the Friars may begin off gradual due to accidents, however we by no means anticipated them to complete 21-6. The Friars ventured all the way down to San Diego, Calif., for the Torrey Pines Vacation Basic and have been upset within the semifinals by Steve Canyon (Spring Valley, Calif.), 67-65, behind a terrific efficiency by future San Diego St. guard Richie Williams (24 factors). Hurley’s membership by no means appeared to get better and the damage issues mounted. St. Anthony is the one preseason No. 1 staff to complete unranked. Solely two different preseason No. 1 groups have even completed exterior the highest 10, with the bottom being Findlay Prep (28-4) at No. 14 in 2010-11. Oak Hill Academy, led by senior Jamont Gordon (Mississippi St.) and juniors Kevin Durant and Ty Lawson, each future NBA gamers, was positively the extra gifted staff and doubtless ought to have been No. 1. The one returning starter from the 2003-04 staff, Ok.C. Rivers (Clemson), missed all the season and Oak Hill misplaced two video games and completed No. 2. Oak Hill misplaced to South Gwinnett of Georgia and to Homewood-Flossmorr of Illinois, neither of which gained state titles. The FAB 50 No. 1 staff that season was Niagara Falls (N.Y.), which started at No. 48 within the preseason.

Flint Hill Prep (Roanoke, Va.) at No. 1 in 1988-89
Simply as we had one St. Anthony membership too excessive, we want we had one other increased again in our second yr of doing a Nationwide Prep Ballot. St. Anthony (which is now closed) completed No. 2 in 1987-88 and was the one staff to defeat No. 1 St. Nicolas of Tolentine (Bronx, N.Y.). We tabbed gifted Flint Hill Prep (Oakton, Va.) as preseason No. 1 in an in depth name over the Friars, as coach Stu Vetter had two authentic McDonald’s All-People in Aaron Bain (Villanova) and George Lynch (North Carolina) and got here into the season having gained 74 of its earlier 76 video games. Flint Hill Prep completed 23-3 and No. 9, however the Friars have been even higher than marketed. That St. Ants unit is taken into account among the best in highschool basketball historical past regardless that Danny Hurley, the highest participant on the junior varsity staff as a freshman who was anticipated to be the highest guard off the bench as a sophomore, shattered his finger and missed the season and 6-foot-7 Sean Rooney, the staff’s prime rebounder, tore ligaments in his ankle after the season started. Regardless, this staff didn’t miss a beat, capturing the Nice Florida Shootout, defeating Flint Hill Prep within the finals of the King Cotton Basic in Pine Bluff, Arkansas, defeating groups from 10 states and capturing the primary state Event of Champions title with a 62-55 victory over regionally-ranked Elizabeth to complete 32-0. The mainstays on the staff have been level guard Bob Hurley Jr. (Duke), capturing guard Terry DeHere and energy ahead Jerry Walker (each Seton Corridor), whereas 6-foot-5 freshman Rodrick Rhodes rounded out the beginning lineup. The New Jersey TOC was discontinued after the 2021-22 season.

Montverde Academy (Fla.) at No. 2 in 2019-20
If a defending FAB 50 champ has the elements to defend its nationwide title, we virtually actually give it the good thing about the doubt within the preseason pecking order over one other gifted membership. That’s what occurred after IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.) captured the 2019 GEICO Nationals title. It was an in depth name, however we gave it the good thing about the doubt over Montverde Academy, the membership it took down within the event semifinals, 74-73. Has MVA gained that sport, it most actually would have started No. 1 in 2019-20 and with the late addition of Scottie Barnes (FSU), it most likely ought to have been anyway. It’s not as if IMG Academy was a nasty alternative; in any case it completed No. 5 within the FAB 50 at 19-6. It’s a alternative we wish again as a result of Montverde Academy ended up being the very best staff for the reason that flip of the century. The Eagles defeated 12 FAB 50 ranked groups en path to one of many largest profitable margins (39.0 ppg) amongst elite highschool groups we’ve ever uncovered. Just one staff performed coach Kevin Boyle’s staff in single digits and that, in fact, was IMG Academy within the title sport of the Metropolis of Palms Basic (63-55). Led by Mr. Basketball USA Cade Cunningham (13.9 ppg), Barnes (11.6 ppg) and a 3rd McDonald’s All-American in Day’Ron Sharpe (12.1 ppg), MVA handed the Ascenders three of their six losses and no different staff got here inside 20 factors. IMG Academy performed the Eagles inside 20 factors (76-64) and 10 so there may be all the time that preseason nod that we’ll need to stay with. Two different components that make that preseason order much more poignant is the actual fact MVA didn’t have the posh of closing out with a GEICO Nationals title, because the occasion was canceled due to COVID-19, and the actual fact IMG Academy didn’t have its most gifted participant, returning All-America Jalen Johnson, on the roster after Thanksgiving. Had Johnson not been on the membership in any respect, or had MVA not blown that 16-point lead the yr earlier than in opposition to IMG, it might have been a wire-to-wire No. 1 membership much like its 2017-18 unit. May IMG have pulled off an upset in one of many video games with Johnson within the lineup?

Ronnie Flores is the nationwide Grassroots editor of Ballislife.com. He may be reached at [email protected]. Do not forget to comply with him on Twitter: @RonMFlores