Top 25 Arkansas high school boys basketball rankings (1/20/2025)

Bryant enters the top five of our Arkansas boys basketball Top 25

Springdale Har-Ber's Courtland Muldrew / Nick Wenger Designs

While this is only the third edition of the High School on SI Arkansas boys basketball rankings of the 2024-2025 season, this week saw the most movement yet. There were some shifts in the Top 10, and most of the remaining 15 spots look much different as some teams dropped due to no fault of their own, but due to the drastic movement.

For the second week in a row, there are a host of teams that could make their case for slots 20 through 25, as there is still a lot more to figure out.

Top-ranked Jonesboro refused to lose on a night the program celebrated a century's worth of basketball, and Springdale continues to show why it is the favorite in the 6A-West. The Maumelle vs. Little Rock Christian matchup takes center stage as the most intriguing Class 5A matchup of the week, and Mills and Forrest City continue to roll along in Class 4A.

See the full Top 25 below. 

ARKANSAS BOYS BASKETBALL POWER RANKINGS

January 20, 2025

1. Jonesboro (17-1)

Last week: 1

On a night former Hurricane players over the past century were honored between games at Don Riggs Gymnasium, Jonesboro staved off a North Little Rock rally to add another win to the already impressive resume. They are back at Riggs on Tuesday for another huge game against No. 5 Bryant.

2. Springdale (17-3)

Last week: 2

A three-game slate was no problem for the Bulldogs as the win streak now sits at eight after 6A-West wins over Rogers, Rogers Heritage and Bentonville West. Only one game is on the schedule for this week and it is a huge one with familiar rival and ninth-ranked Fayetteville. 

3. Benton (15-3)

Last week: 3

The Panthers started the week by getting some redemption from last March’s 5A state final in a win over a struggling Pine Bluff squad and then handled business against Lake Hamilton. This week begins a three-game road stretch with matchups against Sheridan and Hot Springs Lakeside. 

4. Mills (20-1)

Last week: 4

The Comets had to knock off some rust after being off for a week and slipped past Little Rock Hall on Tuesday, but they left no doubt in Friday’s contest against eStem to extend their win streak to 14.

5. Bryant (12-7)

Last week: 6

Bryant has bounced back nicely since the turn of the calendar to 2025 as the Hornets have won their past three contests after dropping three of four to end 2024. The start of this week presents a huge challenge as they travel to northeast Arkansas for a Top 5 matchup with No. 1 Jonesboro. 

6. Maumelle (14-5)

Last week: 7

The Hornets have dominated the first three games of 5A-Central play and now set their full sights on a Top 10 showdown against No. 7 Little Rock Christian. They will finish the week against Vilonia, a matchup that is always looked forward to regardless of win-loss records. 

7. Little Rock Christian (15-4)

Last week: 8

Little Rock Catholic gave the Warriors everything they could handle as the Rockets were down only two points at halftime, but five-star junior JJ Andrews took over and finished with 27 points to set up the top Class 5A boys matchup at Warrior Arena against No. 6 Maumelle.

8. Springdale Har-Ber (10-8) 

Last week: 24

The Har-Ber team that showed up last week is the one many thought it could be, despite a previous losing record. The Wildcats battled through a gauntlet of a nonconference schedule, but they also notched consecutive Top 10 victories over Fayetteville and Bentonville last week. 

9. Fayetteville (13-5) 

Last week: 5

A hot shooting night from a continuously improving Springdale Har-Ber squad was too much for the Purple Dogs to overcome early in the week at home, but they bounced back strong in a convincing road win over Fort Smith Northside and then against Rogers to close the week. They had a stellar shooting night of their own against Rogers, connecting on a season-high 17 three-pointers.  

10. Harrison (16-4)

Last week: 16

If you saw this team dating back to even last summer, it is no surprise Harrison is starting to really click. The Goblins dropped their final two contests of 2024 by a combined six points, but they have dug deep in two of three matchups of the current win streak with thrilling triumphs over Mountain Home and Alma by a combined three points, plus the lights-out shooting display against Farmington sandwiched between in which the Goblins connected on 14 three-pointers.

11. Bentonville (11-6)

Last week: 9

The Tigers fell for the first time since mid-December on Tuesday to Springdale Har-Ber, but this is still a quality squad that has won seven of its past eight contests after a 4-5 start in which four of those defeats were to out-of-state opposition. The rest of January is extra crucial with matchups against Rogers and No. 19 Bentonville West, which precedes back-to-back contests against Top 10 squads Springdale and Fayetteville to close the month. 

12. Forrest City (15-2)

Last week: 12

Despite not playing until Friday, which was the Mustangs' first game in 13 days, they showed no signs of rust in a convincing win over Southside (Batesville) as Forrest City held the Southerners to 36 points. Now back to their regularly scheduled rotation, they take on Wynne and Lonoke this week. 

13. Valley View (15-2)

Last week: 13

A one-point triumph over a well-improved West Memphis squad kept the Blazers’ win streak, which is currently at six, intact and they aim to remain focused this week against Searcy and Greene County Tech, as the final slate to close January features them in contests against No. 15 Marion and No. 14 Nettleton. 

14. Nettleton (16-2)

Last week: 15

Consecutive baskets from TJ Whitney in the final three seconds sealed a four-point victory for the Raiders over previously No. 10 Marion and then Nettleton avoided a loss to Greene County Tech on Friday. A favorable matchup against Batesville is on the slate for Tuesday before taking on No. 20 West Memphis to cap the week. 

15. Marion (14-5)

Last week: 10

It is well-known how competitive the 5A-East is night in and night out, and the Patriots were unable to hold off Nettleton after the previous week’s crucial two-point victory over rival West Memphis. They did, however, salvage the week with a 27-point triumph over Searcy. 

16. North Little Rock (9-5)

Last week: 11

There have been plenty of flashes from this season's Charging Wildcats squad, and they showed plenty of it last Friday night on the road against top-ranked Jonesboro, even in a loss. Though it has been to very quality opponents, the fact remains NLR has dropped five of its past eight contests after a 6-0 start and looks to get a win streak going starting against No. 17 Conway on Tuesday. 

17. Conway (12-6)

Last week: 17

They got Friday off, but the Wampus Cats won their lone game against Cabot to extend their win streak to eight. They face a gauntlet to close January that starts with No. 16 North Little Rock and Little Rock Central this week.

18. Farmington (16-4)

Last week: 14

After a week off, the Cardinals were not able to match shots with a red-hot Harrison squad. They bounced back well against Greenwood and will travel to always-rowdy Mountain Home on Tuesday with hopes of getting another win streak going. 

19. Bentonville West (12-5)

Last week: 19

The Wolverines’ five-game win streak ended mercifully at the hands of No. 2 Springdale, but in their defense, Springdale is going to beat, and already has beaten, a lot of teams. This week is their most crucial of the season thus far as the Wolverines try to stay within the Top 3 of the 6A-West standings with home matchups against No. 9 Fayetteville and No. 11 Bentonville. 

20. West Memphis (12-6) 

Last week: 20

Even though the Blue Devils have dropped two of their first three 5A-East games, the next step is closing out contests as the defeats have been by a combined three points to Marion and Valley View. Two big opportunities are on the table this week, starting with Greene County Tech followed by No. 14 Nettleton. 

21. Little Rock Central (8-11)  

Last week: 22

The Tigers dropped their first two 6A-Central games to Top 20 opponents North Little Rock and Bryant, but they have prime opportunities over the next three games to, at the very least, prove they are one of the state’s best 25 before the next huge test arises when top-ranked Jonesboro comes to town on the final day of January. 

22. Russellville (14-4)

Last week: 25

The Cyclones responded to a frustrating one-point loss in the 5A-West opener to Alma with convincing wins over Van Buren and Siloam Springs. This week begins with hopeful redemption against Greenwood at home from last February’s defeat before heading to play No. 18 Farmington on Friday.

23. Hot Springs 10-6

Last week: 18

An overall decent resume took a hit with a four-point loss to a struggling El Dorado team, but Hot Springs did respond with a win over Arkansas High. The goal by the end of this week is to be riding a three-game win streak starting with White Hall, which is head coach Josh Hayes' former team, followed by Pine Bluff.

24. Alma (11-8)

Last week: 24

This is a very tough team to figure out right now as the Airdales were a layup from knocking off Harrison last Friday, three days removed from being held to 32 points by an improved Greenwood team. Two prime opportunties to rebound are on deck with Van Buren and Mountain Home before hosting No. 18 Farmington early next week.

25. Joe T. Robinson (15-5)

Last week: NR

The Senators' schedule was front-loaded in the nonconference slate when their full team was not intact, but after a 2-5 start, they have handled their business and won 13 consecutive contests. There is still a ton to prove, but if everyone stays healthy, they should be very dangerous come postseason time.

Dropped out

Mountain Home

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