UPDATED FAB 50: Showdowns Await!

There are many playoff showdowns arising amongst groups within the newest version of the FAB 50 Nationwide Staff Rankings powered by Ballislife.com. There are additionally two newcomers this week, led by new No. 32 Notre Dame (Sherman Oaks, Calif.). Learn on to see why the Knights soar again in whereas leap-frogging 18 others groups.

By Ronnie Flores

This weekend some large matchups will happen that may crown league or part titles for highly-regarded groups within the newest FAB 50 Nationwide Staff Rankings powered by Ballislife.com. Within the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) Southern Part Open Division title recreation, No. 10 Harvard-Westlake (North Hollywood, Calif.) will tackle No. 21 Roosevelt (Eastvale, Calif.), as regardless of the end result there will likely be a first-time winner for the celebrated sectional crown.

Groups advance to the CIFSS open championship recreation by profitable their respective pool of 4 groups every among the many eight groups chosen by the part’s open playoff committee. It is solely proper the Wolverines and Mustangs face one another Friday evening at Cal Baptist College in Riverside after every going 3-0 in pool play the previous two weeks.

For Roosevelt, which strikes up one spot on this week’s FAB 50, it clinched a spot within the part title recreation after its second of three pool video games, a 64-59 victory over bubble membership St. Pius X-St. Matthias (Downey, Calif.). Roosevelt trailed by eight factors within the third interval and didn’t take management of the sport till the ultimate six and a half minutes of the sport. Junior guard and All-American candidate Brayden Burries scored a game-high 21 factors for Roosevelt. Regardless that a visit to the part title recreation was already safe, the Mustangs pulled out a 80-76 time beyond regulation victory over 11-time CIF state champ Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.) after junior guard Isaac Williamson despatched the sport in an additional stanza with a clutch 3-pointer.

We gave some thought of shifting up Roosevelt a couple of extra spots, however for now it could’t be in entrance of No. 20 McEachern (Powder Springs, Ga.). The Indians took Harvard-Westlake to time beyond regulation earlier than bowing to the CIF’s top-ranked group in a showcase recreation on the Spalding Hoophall Basic on MLK Monday, 60-59. Clearly, that comparative rating standards between Roosevelt and McEachern may change subsequent week.

McEachern, the Area 3-AAAAAAA champions, will enter the Georgia Excessive College Affiliation (GHSA) Class AAAAAAA state event as one in every of its favorites together with No. 40 Grayson (Loganville, Ga.), which has misplaced to No. 39 Ridge View (Columbia, S.C.) and to highly-regarded Perry (Gilbert, Ariz.). Ought to our rankings maintain up, McEachern would meet Grayson within the GHSA’s highest classification state title recreation on March 9.

After getting back from Springfield, Mass., Harvard-Westlake had a tricky week, dropping to each Mission League foes Notre Dame (Sherman Oaks, Calif.) and Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth, Calif.). Harvard-Westlake is ready to transfer up two spots this week after avenging the loss to Sierra Canyon in resounding vogue in its second pool play recreation, 72-38. The Wolverines protection was stifling final week and function gamers Christian Horry and Amir Jones had been hitting their exterior pictures to make this group the favourite to seize the CIF state open title on March 9 on the Golden One Heart in Sacramento.

It is no secret Harvard-Westlake is extraordinarily motivated to win each the part and state open titles after profitable final 12 months’s CIF open crown in Sacramento after failing to advance to the CIFSS open closing two weeks prior. Harvard-Westlake, which avenged the sooner loss to Notre Dame this season with a 60-56 victory within the Mission League Match semifinals, punched its ticket for this 12 months’s CIFSS title recreation with a 64-40 victory over No. 34 St. John Bosco (Bellflower, Calif.) in its third pool recreation. McDonalds’ All-American Trent Perry had 24 factors and the protection as soon as once more was the difference-maker, as Bosco transformed a mere three subject targets within the first half and trialed 29-9 at halftime in a recreation that wasn’t actually as shut as the ultimate rating indicated.

This week’s prime newcomer is Notre Dame, which was not chosen for the CIFSS open playoffs although it break up with Harvard-Westlake, the highest seed. Notre Dame is the highest seed within the CIFSS D1 playoffs and superior to Saturday’s title recreation on the Toyota Enviornment in Ontario vs. No. 2 seed Windward (Los Angeles) courtesy of victories over state ranked golf equipment Santa Margarita of Orange County (63-50) and Redondo Union of Los Angeles County (67-60).

Notre Dame was in a position to leapfrog St. John Bosco and No. 35 Salesian (Richmond, Calif.), which has solely misplaced to Bosco in time beyond regulation, due to Harvard-Westlake’s dominance in its pool recreation victories over St. John Bosco and Sierra Canyon. The Wolverines dominated these two groups and for now, Notre Dame proudly owning a victory over the CIF’s prime ranked group and enjoying them shut in one other recreation carries loads of weight in our rankings standards. Clearly, that would change going into subsequent week after we as soon as once more replace the FAB 50.

We’ll look to get it out as quickly as we will, as a result of subsequent Monday night the Philadelphia Catholic League closing will happen at The Palestra. Wednesday’s semifinals will pit No. 24 Roman Catholic (Philadelphia) vs. Father Choose (Philadelphia) and No. 38 Neumann-Goretti (Philadelphia) vs. Archbishop Ryan (Philadelphia). Roman Catholic may avenge on of its two losses within the semifinals vs. Father Choose, which additionally owns a win over Neumann-Goretti.

Additionally happening on Feb. 26 is the championship recreation of the Washington Catholic Athletic Convention (WCAC) event at American College. WCAC common season champion and FAB 50 No. 3 Paul VI is the highest seed and has solely misplaced to the 2 groups ranked forward of it within the nation’s longest operating weekly nationwide ballot.

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

(ninth ballot of 2023-24 common season; By way of video games performed on Sunday, February 18; *Signifies forfeit wins, forfeit losses not included; **Signifies forfeits and defaults not included)

Dropped Out: Earlier No. 46 Wasatch Academy (Mt. Nice, Utah), No. 49 Homewood Flossmor (Flossmor, Unwell.).

Bubble Groups: Alexander (Douglasville, Ga.) 25-2; Atascocita (Humble, Texas) 32-3**; Bellevue West (Bellevue, Neb.) 22-1; Bishop O’Connell (Arlington, Va.) 21-7; Bolingbrook (Bolingbrook, Unwell.) 24-4; Brennan (San Antonio, Texas) 28-4; Camden (Camden, N.J.) 24-2; Christian (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 18-2; Christ the King (Center Village, N.Y.) 20-4; Dale (Dale, Okla.) 24-2; Dearborn (Dearborn, Mich.) 20-0; De Paul Prep (Chicago, Unwell.) 28-2; East Lansing (East Lansing, Mich.) 18-2; Edmond North (Edmond, Okla.) 18-3; Fort Bend Clements (Sugar Land, Texas) 30-0; Garfield Heights (Garfield Heights, Ohio) 20-1; Homewood Flossmor (Flossmor, Unwell.) 26-4; Hoover (Hoover, Ala.) 31-4; Imhotep Constitution (Philadelphia, Pa.) 21-3; Kennedy (Cedar Rapids, Iowa) 21-0; Kokomo (Kokomo, Ind.) 21-3; Ladue (St. Louis, Mo.) 23-1; Lake Taylor (Norfolk, Va.) 20-1; Lawrence North (Indianapolis, Ind.) 20-3; Lexington (Lexington, S.C.) 25-2; Lexington Catholic (Lexington, Ky.) 26-2; Liberty Magnet (Baton Rouge, La.) 29-4; Lincoln Park (Midland, Pa.) 19-3; Madison Prep (Baton Rouge, La.) 27-3; Millard North (Omaha, Neb.) 19-2; Mt. St. Joseph (Baltimore, Md.) 32-4; Newport (Newport, Ky.) 26-3; Noblesville (Noblesville, Ind.) 19-2; North Crowley (Ft. Price, Texas) 30-3; Northwest (Shawnee Mission, Kan.) 18-0; Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.) 18-4; Pascagoula (Pascagoula, Miss.) 28-1; Pewaukee (Pewaukee, Wis.) 18-4; Reidsville (Reidsville, N.C.) 21-0; Southern Guilford (Greensboro, N.C.) 23-1; St. Ignatius (Cleveland, Ohio) 18-3; St. John’s (Washington, D.C.) 22-6; St. Joseph (Santa Maria, Calif.) 29-2; St. Peter’s Prep (Jersey Metropolis, N.J.) 24-2; St. Pius X-St. Matthias (Downey, Calif.) 24-6; Thornton (Harvey, Unwell.) 25-4; Union (Tulsa, Okla.) 21-2; Varina (Richmond, Va.) 18-1; Veterans Memorial (San Antonio, Texas) 35-1; Volcano Vista (Albuquerque, N.M.) 23-1; Wasatch Academy (Mt. Nice, Utah) 13-4; Wayzata (Plymouth, Minn.) 22-1.

Word: 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 24 years in the past.

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