Top 25 national high school boys basketball preseason rankings: Montverde Academy No. 1 entering 2023-24

Led by superstar forward Cooper Flagg, the Eagles open the season ranked No. 1 for the third year in a row

It was a three-horse race for the top spot in the national high school boys basketball preseason rankings, and one team ever-so-slightly edged out the others.

Montverde Academy (Florida) sits atop this season’s opening edition of the SBLive/Sports Illustrated Power 25, marking the third year in a row the Eagles have begun the season ranked No. 1 in the country.

The preseason rankings were published Oct. 23 and will be updated once seasons are in full swing.

With do-it-all sensation Cooper Flagg as the headliner, Montverde boasts an immensely talented roster that has a ton of experience together. 

Prolific Prep (California) and defending national champion Link Academy (Missouri) round out the top three to start the 2023-24 season.

Including No. 1 Montverde Academy, eight of the top 25 teams come from the National Interscholastic Basketball Conference (NIBC), the loaded super-league with teams from around the country.

Other leagues with strong representation in the preseason Power 25 include California’s CIF-Southern Section and the Washington Catholic Athletic Conference (WCAC), which both have multiple nationally-ranked squads.

With only 11 teams that finished last season in the top 25 also starting out this year ranked, there are plenty of new faces making their way into the national conversation.

PRESEASON SBLIVE/SPORTS ILLUSTRATED POWER 25 

1. Montverde Academy (Montverde, Fla.)

Last season: 23-3
Final 2022-23 ranking: 2
Head coach: Kevin Boyle

Led by Cooper Flagg, ranked the nation’s No. 1 player in the class of 2024, Montverde’s senior class features four five-star recruits, and all of them played together for the Eagles last year. This Montverde squad has the chance to bring home a national title and be remembered as one of the most talented teams in the program’s rich history. 

• TEAM PAGE

2. Prolific Prep (Napa, Calif.)

Last season: 35-2
Final 2022-23 ranking: 4
Head coach: Ryan Bernardi

A.J. Dybantsa is the nation’s top-ranked junior, and Tyran Strokes is the nation’s top-ranked sophomore. Both of them will suit up for Prolific Prep this season, and with five-star seniors Zoom Diallo, Aiden Sherrell and Derrion Reid also in the picture, the Crew could roll out a fearsome starting lineup full of five-stars. 

3. Link Academy (Branson, Mo.)

Last season: 27-1
Final 2022-23 ranking: 1
Head coach: Bill Armstrong

Last year’s national champion will look brand new this season, but they’re still one of the preseason favorites to win it all. None of last year’s starters are back for the Lions, whose only returning player is five-star junior Aaron Rowe, but they hauled in a loaded transfer class featuring top-five senior Tre Johnson, Kansas commit Labaron Philon, North Carolina commit James Brown and more.

4. Columbus (Miami, Fla.)

Last season: 27-4
Final 2022-23 ranking: 7
Head coach: Andrew Moran

Led by four highly-talented sons of former NBA stars Carlos Boozer and Jason Richardson, the Explorers might (somehow) be much improved from last year’s squad which finished in the top 10 nationally. The trio of five-star juniors Cameron Boozer and Cayden Boozer plus Princeton commit Malik Abdullahi led Columbus to back-to-back state titles and top 25 finishes nationally 

5. St. Paul VI (Chantilly, Va.)

Last season: 31-4
Final 2022-23 ranking: 9
Head coach: Glenn Farello

Coming off an incredible season capped off with a trip to GEICO Nationals last year, St. Paul Vi brought back nearly its entire squad, including four of five starters. The Panthers’ senior class features Duke commit Darren Harris, UConn commit Isaiah Abraham, Notre Dame commit Garrett Sundra, Rhode Island commit Ben Hammond and uncommitted five-star Patrick Ngongba, and all of them have experience playing together.

6. Long Island Lutheran (Brookville, N.Y)

Last season: 23-3
Final 2022-23 ranking: 5
Head coach: John Buck

Five-star senior VJ Edgecombe leads a deep bunch of returning Crusaders after being named SBLive’s National Player of the Year in 2022-23. Long Island Lutheran (LuHi, for short) also added multiple four-star juniors in Florida State commit, Alier Maluk, Nigel James and Kiyan Anthony, the son of Carmelo Anthony.

7. IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.)

Last season: 18-8
Final 2022-23 ranking: 17
Head coach: Sean McAloon

Top-30 senior Khani Rooths is back for IMG Academy at power forward, but the Ascenders will rely heavily on talented transfers to make a national title run. Along with five-star junior Darius Acuff, Syracuse commit Donnie Freeman, Houston commit Chase McCarty and Notre Dame commit Cole Certa all made the move to Florida and teamed up for the Ascenders.

8. AZ Compass Prep (Chandler, Ari.)

Last season: 24-7
Final 2022-23 ranking: 8
Head coach: Pete Kaffey

Arizona commit Jamari Phillips is the only returning player for AZ Compass Prep, which hauled in a loaded transfer class under new head coach Pete Kaffey. The Dragons go ten deep with Division 1 prospects and have a great mix of size and skill across the board.

9. Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.)

Last season: 24-16
Final 2022-23 ranking: Unranked
Head coach: Yerrick Stoneman

Coming off a 1-11 season in NIBC play, expect Oak Hill to be much improved in its second year led by head coach Yerrick Stoneman. The Warriors returned players like TCU commit Micah Robinson and four-star junior Kaden Magwood, and they added big-time transfers such as Michigan commit Christian Anderson and four-star junior Francis Chukwudebelu.

10. Wasatch Academy (Wasatch, Utah)

Last season: 14-10
Final 2022-23 ranking: Unranked
Head coach: Paul Peterson

Ohio State commit John Mobley and five-star junior Isiah Harwell give the Tigers one of the top backcourts in the country, and they’re also strong in the frontcourt with San Diego State commit Taj Degourville, TCU commit Malick Diallo and four-star junior Chris Nwuli. 

11. Harvard-Westlake (Studio City, Calif.)

Last season: 33-2
Final 2022-23 ranking: 9
Head coach: David Rebibo

After capturing the CIF Open Division state championship last season, Harvard-Westlake will look to run it back with several returning starters in one of the nation’s toughest leagues. USC commit Trent Perry is back after an All-American junior season, and the Wolverines also retained Harvard commit Robert Hinton and four-star junior Nikolas Khamenia.

12. La Lumiere (La Porte, Ind.)

Last season: 18-10
Final 2022-23 ranking: Unranked
Head coach: Patrick Holmes

La Lumiere reloaded after a lackluster 2022-23 season and put together a brand new roster capable of making some noise in the NIBC. Five-star forward Jalen Harlason is one of three Lakers ranked in the top 30 nationally for the junior class, so the future looks undeniably bright for the program over the next couple years. 

13. Bishop O’Connell (Arlington, Va.)

Last season: 16-14
Final 2022-23 ranking: Unranked
Head coach: Joe Wootten

Only a handful of teams in the country have multiple five-star prospects, and Bishop O’Connell is one of them. Senior forward Bryson Tucker and sophomore guard Quincy Wadley lead the charge for the Knights, and they’re joined by a talented bunch that includes Florida State commit AJ Swinton and three-star senior Jadyn Harris, among others.

14. St. John Bosco (Bellflower, Calif.)

Last season: 26-8
Final 2022-23 ranking: Unranked
Head coach: Matt Dunn

This is largely the same St. John Bosco team which finished fourth in the final SBLive California top 25 rankings last season. Point guard Brandon McCoy is the nation’s No. 2 sophomore and one of the top players regardless of class, and he’s joined in the backcourt by top-25 junior Elzie Harrington.

15. Myers Park (Charlotte, N.C.)

Last season: 28-4
Final 2022-23 ranking: Unranked
Head coach: Scott Taylor

The Mustangs have a fearsome big three consisting of Tennessee commit Bishop Boswell, Notre Dame commit Sir Mohammed and top-30 junior Sadiq White. The trio led the team to a NCHSAA 4A state championship last season, and they enter this season deservedly on the national radar.

16. Dream City Christian (Glendale, Ari.)

Last season: 33-5
Final 2022-23 ranking: On the bubble
Head coach: Kyle Weaver

With Arizona commit Emmanuel Stephen and four-star juniors Alejandro Aviles and Ifaola Fawaz, Dream City Christian has one of the best (and biggest) frontcourts in the country. The Eagles, who spent some time in the national rankings last season, also added five-star sophomore Ikenna Alozie in the backcourt for good measure.

17. Sidwell Friends (Washington, D.C.)

Last season: 29-4
Final 2022-23 ranking: 22
Head coach: Eric Singletary

Sidwell Friends won the State Champions Invitational after capturing the DCSAA 2A state title last year, and most of the key pieces from that team are back this year. Led by Georgetown commit Caleb Williams, the Quakers can also expect strong contributions from four-star junior Acaden Lewis and three-star junior Jalen Rougier-Roane.

18. Oak Ridge (Orlando, Fla.)

Last season: 19-10
Final 2022-23 ranking: Unranked
Head coach: Steven Reece

Oak Ridge boasts a pair of highly-touted juniors in forward Jamier Jones (top 15 nationally) and point guard Jalen Reece (top 100 nationally). With Virginia Tech commit Tyler Johnson, UCF commit Cameron Simpson and Georgia Southern commit Jordan Tillery also in the fold, the Pioneers have some serious firepower across the board.

19. Brewster Academy (Wolfeboro, N.H.)

Last season: 35-2
Final 2022-23 ranking: Unranked
Head coach: Jason Smith

Junior forward Dwayne Aristode moved to Brewster Academy from the Netherlands, and he’s already receiving interest from the likes of Duke, Kentucky, Kansas and more. The Bobcats, who will make their NIBC debut this season, also added four-star Iowa State commit Nojus Indrusaitis and several three-star seniors.

20. Gonzaga (Washington, D.C.)

Last season: 26-12
Final 2022-23 ranking: Unranked
Head coach: Steve Turner

Gonzaga has the pieces to make a run in the WCAC and make some noise on the national stage. The Eagles feature two returning starters and top-100 juniors in the backcourt with Nyk Lewis and Derek Dixon, and three-star center Christian Gurdak made an in-conference transfer from St. Paul VI.

21. Grayson (Loganville, Ga.)

Last season: 24-6
Final 2022-23 ranking: Unranked
Head coach: Geoffrey Pierce

Top-40 junior Jacob Wilkins transferred in, joining a Rams squad which brought back four-star senior guard Gicarri Harris, Appalachian State commit Anthony Alston and Western Carolina commit CJ Hyland after falling one game short of the state championship last season.

22. McEachern (Powder Springs, Ga.)

Last season: 23-7
Final 2022-23 ranking: Unranked
Head coach: Tremayne Anchrum

McEachern is led by Rutgers commit Ace Bailey, the nation’s No. 2 overall recruit in the class of 2024. With three-star seniors Jaye Nash and Moses Hipps in the backcourt, the Indians have an elite backcourt to go with the five-star forward.

23. Perry (Gilbert, Ari.)

Last season: 30-1
Final 2022-23 ranking: 18
Head coach: Sam Duane

SBLive All-American and top-five junior Koa Peat led the Pumas to a state championship last season, and he’s back with key pieces like D’Andre Harrison and Barron Silsby to make another title run. With Perry set to play in several national events like the Les Schwab Invitational, the team will have plenty of opportunities to earn signature wins.

24. Richmond Heights (Richmond Heights, Ohio)

Last season: 29-0
Final 2022-23 ranking: Unranked
Head coach: Quentin Rogers

Coming off an undefeated season, Richmond Heights brought back its entire starting five and added five-star sophomore TJ Crumble. The elite 6-foot-7 forward joined a squad which already featured top-50 junior Dorian Jones, giving the Spartans a dangerous duo to watch for the next couple of years. 

25. Oak Cliff Faith Family Academy (Dallas, Tex.)

Last season: 32-3
Final 2022-23 ranking: Unranked
Head coach: Brandon Thomas

The Eagles feature 6-foot-10 Colorado commit Doryan Onwuchekwa, who’s back for his senior year after helping them win their third consecutive UIL state championship last season. Also returning for the Eagles are senior guards Jazz Henderson and Isaac Williams, plus emerging sophomore Davion Adkins.

ON THE BUBBLE

Don Bosco (Ramsey, N.J.)
Corona Centennial (Corona, Calif.)
Archbishop Stepinac (White Plains, N.Y.)
Sunrise Christian (Bel Aire, Kan.)
Notre Dame (Sherman Oaks, Calif.)
Owyhee (Owyhee, Ida.)
Lincoln Park Performing Arts (Midland, Pa.)
Kokomo (Kokomo, Ind.)
Eastvale Roosevelt (Eastvale, Calif.)
Winter Haven (Winter Haven, Fla.)

-- Zach Shugan | zshugan@gmail.com | @SBLiveSports