NEW FAB 50: State Champions Crowned!

This was the week within the playoffs that prompted main change within the new FAB 50 Nationwide Group Rankings powered by Ballislife.com. Powerful foes within the deep playoff rounds and championship video games prompted some groups prime drop after being upset or discovering out maybe they weren’t as highly-touted as final week’s rating indicated. There’s a whopping seven newcomers this week and all had been not too long ago topped state champs. Some state champs will play on and what groups these are is turning into clearer.

A majority of the states across the nation are actually accomplished for the 2022-23 season, as a plethora of state champions had been topped over the previous week. The outcomes of these video games created a lot change on this week’s FAB 50 Nationwide Group Rankings powered by Ballislife.com.

Maybe essentially the most anticipated state title recreation was the College Intersholastic League’s (UIL) Class 6A title recreation between then No. 8 Lake Highlands (Dallas, Texas) and No. 13 Beaumont United (Beaumont, Texas) Saturday night on the Alamodome in San Antonio. It was a detailed affair that Lake Highlands took management of with a 13-1 run to shut the third interval with the Wildcats holding a 42-37 lead.

Beaumont United, which was seeking to seize a 3rd consecutive UIL state crown after profitable in Class 5A in 2022 and 2021, put collectively a fast 5-0 run to chop its deficit to 44-42 with 5 minutes remaining within the recreation. The Timberwolves, nonetheless, didn’t rating a area purpose within the ultimate 4:54 of the competition, as Lake Highlands went on to document a 55-44 victory to seize its first UIL state crown since 1968.

Tre Johnson, a proficient 6-foot-5 junior who many revered analysts really feel is the highest 2024 prospect within the nation, completed with 29 factors on 8-of-17 taking pictures and added eight rebounds for Lake Highlands. Johnson made robust area purpose makes an attempt look simple and definitely has the look of a two-time All-American. One other key was the defensive presence of 6-foot-10 Yale sure Samson Aletan. His play within the pivot down the stretch was key in limiting Beaumont United’s skill to make a purpose, as he completed with 10 factors, 10 rebounds and set a Class 6A state title recreation document with seven blocked photographs.

Beaumont United, which was led by All-American candidate Wesley Yates III with 21 factors, didn’t drop within the up to date rankings. The Timberwolves owns wins over No. 14 Sidwell Pals (Washington, D.C.), No. 44 Jonesboro (Jonesboro, Ark.) and No. 47 Nook Canyon (Draper, Utah) with its first loss coming within the second recreation of the season.

Lake Highlands is ready to transfer up one spot this week to No. 7 after the earlier workforce in that spot, Centennial (Corona, Calif.), noticed its two-year reign as California’s finest workforce finish with a 80-61 dwelling loss to Harvard-Westlake (North Hollywood, Calif.) within the CIF SoCal open ultimate on Tuesday. The margin of defeat in that recreation and the very fact it was at dwelling drops the Huskies 14 spots to No. 21 this week. They’re now behind New Jersey Non-Public B state champ Roselle Catholic (Roselle, N.J.), a workforce that beat the Don Bosco Prep (Ramsey, N.J.) membership Centennial misplaced to.

Harvard-Westlake is likely one of the huge risers this week after capturing the CIF open crown on the Golden One Middle in Sacramento with a 76-65 victory over St. Joseph (Santa Maria, Calif.), which turned the primary ever workforce from Santa Barbara County to seem in a CIF main division title recreation. Harvard Westlake was in a position to avenge its part pool play loss to No. 32 St. John Bosco (Bellflower, Calif.) within the SoCal open semifinals, 69-64. Harvard-Westlake’s workforce, that includes senior ahead Brady Dunlap and junior level guard Trent Perry, was probably the most balanced and well-rounded on each ends of the ground that we’ve been in CIF play over the previous 40 years and certain will find yourself because the second highest-rated workforce ever in program historical past. In 1996-97, a Harvard-Westlake membership led by the Collins twins (future NBA gamers Jason and Jarron) received the CIF D3 state title (there was no open division then) and completed No. 5 within the Nationwide Prep Ballot (FAB 50 precursor) after shedding one recreation to a Tracy McGrady-led Mt. Zion membership from North Carolina by 4 factors within the Las Vegas Vacation Invitational Match title recreation.

Talking of St. John Bosco, West Linn (Ore.) should stay in entrance of the Braves after an upset loss to Tualatin (Ore.) within the Oregon Colleges Actions Affiliation (OSAA) Class 6A title recreation on the Chiles Middle becasue of a head-to-head consequence. The Timberwolves, who had three prior losses to their Three Rivers League opponent earlier within the season, got here out on prime of a 60-47 recreation behind a stellar defensive efficiency and 20 factors from senior level guard Josiah Lake. Tualatin held West Linn to at least one area purpose within the first quarter and out-rebounded the highest seed, 37-23.

Junior ahead Jaden Steppe had 19 factors and 10 rebounds, whereas junior pivot Jayden Fortier added 9 factors and 15 rebounds for a membership that breaks into the FAB 50 at No. 30, one spot forward of West Linn and two spots forward of St. John Bosco. Veteran FAB 50 observers would possibly really feel it’s too excessive a bounce for the Timberwolves, however upon additional inspection Tualatin deserves loads of rankings credit score. Three of its losses had been to West Linn and within the quarterfinals of the Lew Schwab Invitational in December, Tualatin may have beat the Lions in regulation, however missed some free throws and misplaced in extra time. Tualatin’s core has performed collectively since center college and that is really its second consecutive Class 6A state crown.

On the Les Schwab, West Linn defeated FAB 50 No. 4 Duncanville (Texas), so Tualatin acquired the large win it wanted on the proper time over a workforce that had constructed a terrific resume. Duncanville will end as the best ranked UIL membership after beating Class 6A champ Lake Highlands, 53-52, in November. Duncanville, the 2022 FAB 50 National Champions, opted to not take part on this 12 months’s UIL playoffs after it was stripped of final 12 months’s state crown for violation of UIL bylaws.

The workforce proper in entrance of Duncanville within the FAB 50, No. 3 John Marshall (Richmond, Va.), closed out its season in dominant style and is within the operating for the FAB 50 nationwide title. Its Virginia Excessive College League (VHSL) Class 2A state title recreation win over Radford (Va.) was extra like a coronation than a contest. Within the 91-34 domination, the Justices acquired out to a 16-0 lead and had been up 51-13 at halftime. If there was ever a state affiliation that wanted an open division or Match of Champions, it’s the VSHL.

John Marshall, which owns wins over No. 6 Columbus (Miami, Fla.) and No. 33 Wheeler (Marietta, Ga.), had a mean playoff recreation profitable margin of a whopping 65.5 factors in six contests. To ensure that the Justices to have a shot on the FAB 50 crown, it can want some assist from a number of the six groups ranked behind No. 1 Montverde Academy (Montverde, Fla.) and No. 2 Hyperlink Academy (Branson, Mo.) who’re a part of the eight-team 2023 GEICO Nationals area. CLICK HERE for the announcement of the collaborating groups within the occasion set for March 30 by means of April 1.

Groups nonetheless alive of their respective state playoffs or these projected to take part within the second annual State Champions Invitational set for April 6-8 within the DMV area shouldn’t have an asterisk by their won-loss document.

RELATED:  2023 GEICO Nationals Field Announced |  Updated 2022-23 Mr. Basketball USA Tracker | “In The Paint” Podcast (Spotify) |  “In The Paint” Podcast (YouTube) 

Up to date FAB 50 Nationwide Group Rankings
Powered by Ballislife.com

(thirteenth ballot of 2022-23 common season; Via video games performed on Sunday, March 12; *Signifies forfeit wins, forfeit losses not included; **Signifies forfeits and defaults not included; ***Signifies season full)

Dropped Out: Earlier No. 27 Brother Rice (Bloomfield Hills, Mich.), No. 35 Simeon (Chicago, Unwell.), No. 36 Christ the King (Center Village, N.Y.), No. 37 Benet Academy (Lisle, Unwell.), No. 38 Carter (Dallas, Texas), No. 41 Damaged Arrow (Damaged Arrow, Okla.), No. 45 St. Edward (Lakewood, Ohio).

Bubble Groups:  Andover (Andover, Kan.) 23-2***; Archbishop Stepinac (White Plains, N.Y.) 21-9; Benet Academy (Lisle, Unwell.) 35-2***; Blue Valley Northwest (Overland Park, Kan.) 21-4***; Bondurant-Farrar (Bondurant, Iowa) 24-0***; Brentwood Academy (Brentwood, Tenn.) 29-3***; Briarcrest Christian (Eads, Tenn.) 32-3**; Damaged Arrow (Damaged Arrow, Okla.) 27-2***; Carmel Christian (Matthews, N.C.) 28-4***; Carter (Dallas, Texas) 31-4***; Catholic B.R. (Baton Rouge, La.) 28-6***; Centerville (Centerville, Ohio) 25-3; Cherokee (Canton, Ga.) 25-7***; Christ the King (Center Village, N.Y.) 23-5***; East (Denver, Col.) 26-2***; DME Academy (Daytona Seaside, Fla.) 26-8**; Dwyer (Palm Seaside Gardens, Fla.) 29-1***; Eagle’s Touchdown (McDonough, Ga.) 29-2***; Ellison (Killeen, Texas) 38-4***; Farmville Central (Farmville, N.C.) 30-1***; Garfield (Seattle, Wash.) 25-2***; Grand Blanc (Grand Blanc, Mich.) 22-2; Grayson (Loganville, Ga.) 24-6***; Greensboro Day (Greensboro, N.C.) 30-5***; Hammond Central (Hammond, Ind.) 26-1; Hayfield (Alexandria, Va.) 30-1***; Highland (Warrenton, Va.) 30-3***; Highland Park (Topeka Kan.) 21-0**; Hoover (Hoover, Ala.) 31-4***; Isidore Newman (New Orleans, La.) 32-6***; Kapun Mt. Carmel (Wichita, Kan.) 23-2***; Liberty (Henderson, Nev.) 21-10***; McEachern (Powder Springs, Ga.) 23-7***; Metamora (Metamora, Unwell.) 34-2***; Muskegon (Muskegon, Mich.) 22-2; Myers Park (Charlotte, N.C.) 28-4***; Norcross (Norcross, Ga.) 26-5***; North Farmington (Farmington Hills, Mich.) 21-1; North Mecklenburg (Huntersville, N.C.) 29-3***; Northside (Roanoke, Va.) 27-1***; Park Middle (Brooklyn Park, Minn.) 24-2; Reidsville (Reidesville, N.C.) 26-1***; Scotlandville (Baton Rouge, La.) 33-4***; Simeon (Chicago, Unwell.) 32-4***; Staley (Kansas Metropolis, Mo.) 28-2; St. Augustine (San Diego, Calif.) 28-5***; St. Maria Goretti (Hagerstown, Md.) 27-7***; UOD Jesuit (Detroit, Mich.) 20-4; Vashon (St. Louis, Mo.) 22-7; Valley (West Des Moines, Iowa) 21-5***; Volcano Vista (Albuquerque, N.M.) 29-1***; Wasatch Academy (Mt. Nice, Utah) 19-10***; West Oaks (Orlando, Fla.) 21-8; West Ranch (Valencia, Calif.) 29-3***; Yazoo Metropolis (Yazoo Metropolis, Miss.) 30-5.

Observe: The FAB 50 powered by Ballislife.com is a continuation of the Nationwide Sports activities Information Service scores that started in 1952. These had been the primary nationwide highschool rankings and the late Artwork Johlfs of Minnesota compiled them. They had been compiled for a few years by the late Barry Sollenberger of Phoenix, who merged them into the FAB 50 23 years in the past.

Ronnie Flores is the nationwide Grassroots editor of Ballislife.com. He might be reached at [email protected]. Don’t overlook to observe him on Twitter: @RonMFlores