Top 25 national high school boys basketball rankings: No. 1 Montverde dominating (12/12/2023)

The 2023-24 high school basketball season is in full swing for most of the country.

That means it’s time to update the SBLive/Sports Illustrated Power 25 national boys basketball rankings.

Montverde Academy (Florida) has strengthened the grip on its preseason No. 1 ranking with multiple signature wins. Through three weeks, the Eagles have made it clear they are as dangerous as advertised.

The top three remained the same, but there was plenty of movement throughout the rest of the top 25. Dream City Christian (Arizona) made the biggest leap, moving up nine spots into the top 10.

Four teams fell out of the rankings, opening the way for Archbishop Stepinac (New York), Stony Point (Texas), John Marshall (Virginia) and Don Bosco Prep (New Jersey) to join the club.

Find the complete breakdown of the first update to the SBLive/SI Power 25 below:

PREVIOUS RANKINGS: WAY-TOO-EARLY | PRESEASON

SBLIVE/SI POWER 25 NATIONAL BOYS BASKETBALL RANKINGS

December 12, 2023

1. Montverde Academy (Montverde, Fla.) (9-0)

Previous rank: 1 Up next: Dec. 18 vs. Cannon (N.C.) at City of Palms Classic (Fla.)

Montverde just looks different from the rest of the top teams in the country. Behind the stellar frontcourt play of five-stars Cooper Flagg, Asa Newell and Derik Queen, the Eagles have already taken down six ranked opponents, including No. 3 Link Academy and No. 5 Columbus. Discussion is building on where this Montverde team could end up ranking among the program’s many great squads.

2. Prolific Prep (Napa, Calif.) (12-1)

Previous rank: 2 Up next: Dec. 16 vs. No. 12 AZ Compass Prep at Tarkanian Classic (Nev.)

Other than an overtime loss on the road against No. 5 Columbus, it’s been a strong start to the season for Prolific Prep. AJ Dybantsa has looked every bit like the nation’s top-ranked junior, and the nation’s top-ranked sophomore Tyran Stokes recently returned from a preseason injury to help the Crew take down No. 3 Link Academy, 77-76.

3. Link Academy (Branson, Mo.) (9-2)

Previous rank: 3 Up next: Dec. 15-16 vs. TBD at Hoopfest in Paradise (Bahamas)

The Lions lost hard fought games to the top two teams in the country, but they’ve dominated every other time they have taken the court. The five-star trio of Tre Johnson, Labaron Philon and Jasper Johnson in the backcourt led Link to wins over No. 12 AZ Compass Prep in Utah and Duncanville (Texas) on the road.

4. St. Paul VI (Chantilly, Va.) (5-0)

Previous rank: 5 Up next: Dec. 18 vs. Millenium (Ariz.) at City of Palms Classic (Fla.)

It’s been smooth sailing for St. Paul VI in the season’s opening weeks. The Panthers scored 100-plus points in each of their first three games, and they followed that up with wins over No. 20 Myers Park and No. 24 Sidwell Friends at National Hoopfest in the D.C. area.

5. Columbus (Miami, Fla.) (3-2)

Previous rank: 4 Up next: Dec. 15 at Norland (Fla.)

It’s tough finding the perfect spot for Columbus in the rankings. The Explorers opened the season with an 81-78 home win over No. 2 Prolific Prep after Michigan State signee Jase Richardson hit a three-pointer at the buzzer to send the game to overtime, and they followed that up with a win against No. 23 McEachern in Atlanta. Since then, they have lost two of their last three games to No. 1 Montverde Academy and No. 8 Wasatch Academy.

6. Long Island Lutheran (Brookville, N.Y.) (3-0)

Previous rank: 6 Up next: Dec. 15-16 vs. TBD at Hoopfest in Paradise (Bahamas)

Of all the top 10 teams, we know the least so far about LuHi, but that will change soon enough. The Crusaders started the year with dominant wins over No. 9 Oak Hill Academy and Chaminade (New York), and they outlasted Sunrise Christian (Kansas) in an EYBL scholastic league game their last time out.

7. Dream City Christian (Glendale, Ari.) (9-2)

Previous rank: 16 Up next: Dec. 13 vs. PHH Prep

Dream City Christian might have been ranked too low at the start of the year, but to be fair, that was before Jamari Phillips joined the team and became the second Arizona Wildcats signee on the roster. The Eagles get a deserved bump following wins over No. 8 Wasatch Academy, but losses to No. 2 Prolific Prep and Bella Vista (Arizona) prevent them moving up any higher for now.

8. Wasatch Academy (Wasatch, Utah) (5-2)

Previous rank: 10 Up next: Dec. 16 vs. Bella Vista (AZ) at Tarkanian Classic (NV)

The season started off on a sour note for Wasatch, going 2-2 with a 35 point loss to No. 1 Montverde Academy and an 11 point loss to No. 7 Dream City Christian. Since then, the Tigers have won three in a row with back-to-back wins over No. 5 Columbus and No. 12 AZ Compass Prep.

9. Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.) (11-1)

Previous rank: 9 Up next: Dec. 12 vs. New Faith Christian (Ga.)

Oak Hill remains exactly where it started the season in the Power 25 rankings, but not because it hasn't impressed. The Warriors fell to No. 6 Long Island Lutheran in their first big test of the season, but they followed it up with an overtime win against No. 13 La Lumiere their next time out.

10. Harvard-Westlake (Studio City, Calif.) (9-0)

Previous rank: 11 Up next: Dec. 13 vs. Campbell Hall (Calif.)

The Wolverines have gone 8-0 against in-state competition, and they took down preseason No. 23 Perry (Arizona) at Hoophall West. USC signee Trent Perry and company will have a few more in-state contests before heading to Oregon for the Les Schwab Invitational later this month.

11. Bishop O’Connell (Arlington, Va.) (5-0)

Previous rank: 13 Up next: Dec. 14 vs. No. 16 Brewster Academy (N.H.) at Western Maryland Classic

The new-look Bishop O’Connell has passed all of its tests in the early season, including a win over preseason No. 18 Oak Ridge (Florida) in Atlanta. The Knights are set to take on No. 16 Brewster Academy this week before heading to Las Vegas next week for the Tarkanian Classic.

12. AZ Compass Prep (Chandler, Ari.) (9-3)

Previous rank: 8 Up next: Dec. 11 vs. Paragon Academy (Nev.)

AZ Compass Prep remains in the top 15 despite three early-season losses due largely to who those losses came against. The Dragons fell to No. 1 Montverde Academy, No. 3 Link Academy and No. 8 Wasatch Academy, but they have notched wins over No. 15 IMG Academy and Sunrise Christian.

13. La Lumiere (La Porte, Ind.) (6-1)

Previous rank: 12 Up next: Dec. 14 vs. Canyon International (Ariz.) at Western Maryland Classic

La Lumiere nearly beat No. 9 Oak Hill Academy in Kentucky but lost in overtime to the Warriors. Still looking for a signature win, the Lakers are scheduled to play Canyon International (Arizona) and Legacy Early College (South Carolina), a pair of EYBL scholastic league opponents, along with Covington Catholic (Kentucky) this week.

14. St. John Bosco (Bellflower, Calif.) (6-0)

Previous rank: 14 Up next: Dec. 18 vs. St. Louis (HI) at 'Iolani Classic

St. John Bosco went 4-0 last week to win the championship at its Braves Varsity Winter Classic. The Braves also went to Hoophall West last weekend and defeated an on-the-bubble Sunnyslope (Arizona) team that has wins over preseason No. 23 Perry and Corona Centennial (Calif.).

15. IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.) (2-3)

Previous rank: 7 Up next: Dec. 14 vs. NBA Global

A 67-63 victory against No. 16 Brewster Academy is keeping IMG afloat in the rankings after a shaky start to the season. The Ascenders have losses to No. 1 Montverde Academy, No. 12 AZ Compass Prep and unranked Bullis (Maryland), but they'll have plenty more chances to bolster their resume.

16. Brewster Academy (Wolfeboro, N.H.) (8-1)

Previous rank: 19 Up next: Dec. 11 vs. Rivers School (Mass.)

Brewster looks like a team that could make serious noise in its first year in the new-look NIBC, now called the EYBL scholastic league. The Bobcats lost a close one to No. 15 IMG Academy without head coach Jason Smith (illness), but they’ve come out on top of every other contest, including a win against Sunrise Christian.

17. Grayson (Loganville, Ga.) (8-0)

Previous rank: 21 Up next: Dec. 15 at Parkview (Ga.)

Grayson hasn’t played at home through eight games, but it hasn’t mattered for the Rams. They went on the road and beat No. 23 McEachern and have already notched wins over several other of the Peach State's top squads.

18. Archbishop Stepinac (White Plains, N.Y.) (3-0)

Previous rank: Unranked Up next: Dec. 12 at Holy Cross (NY)

Archbishop Stepinac is off the preseason bubble and into the top 25 with the first update to the rankings. Led by five-star Kentucky signee Boogie Fland at point guard, the Crusaders went to Arizona for Hoophall West and opened the season with wins over former No. 23 Perry and Corona Centennial (California).

19. Gonzaga College (Washington, D.C.) (5-0)

Previous rank: 20 Up next: Dec. 13 vs. St. John's (D.C.)

Gonzaga is taking care of business. The Eagles defeated four-star guard Bryce Heard and Homewood-Flossmoor (Illinois) at the Chicago Elite Classic, then they returned home and went 3-0 to win the Gonzaga D.C. Classic.

20. Myers Park (Charlotte, N.C.) (3-2)

Previous rank: 15 Up next: Dec. 12 at Palisades (N.C.)

Myers Park lost to Combine Academy in a season opener matchup of North Carolina powerhouses, but it bounced back with wins over No. 22 John Marshall and Word of God (N.C.). In their most recent game, the Mustangs went to Maryland and nearly took down No. 4 St. Paul VI but lost in overtime.

21. Stony Point (Round Rock, Tex.) (15-0)

Previous rank: Unranked Up next: Dec. 15 vs. Vandegrift (Tex.)

The season is young, but Stony Point is emerging as the team to beat in the Lone Star State. During the Tigers’ 15-0 start, they defeated bubble team Millenium (Arizona) and in-state powers Duncanville and Lake Travis.

22. John Marshall (Richmond, Va.) (4-1)

Previous rank: Unranked Up next: Dec. 11 at Richmond City School of the Arts (Va.)

Following a perfect 2022-23 season and No. 11 finish in the Power 25, the win streak ended early this season with a loss to No. 20 Myers Park. The Justices started a new win streak since then, including a win over No. 24 Sidwell Friends.

23. McEachern (Powder Springs, Ga.) (5-2)

Previous rank: 22 Up next: Dec. 18 vs. No. 25 Don Bosco Prep (N.J.) at City of Palms Classic (Fla.)

McEachern helped balance out losses to No. 5 Columbus and No. 17 Grayson with quality wins over defending Georgia 6A state champion Kell in addition to five-star forward Caleb Wilson’s Holy Innocents’ (Ga.) squad. Their road ahead won’t be easier with games against No. 25 Don Bosco and No. 10 Harvard-Westlake — and possibly more depending on their success at the City of Palms Classic — all coming up over the next month.

24. Sidwell Friends (Washington, D.C.) (2-2)

Previous rank: 17 Up next: Dec. 13 at Georgetown Prep (MD)

Sidwell Friends started the season with wins over Curie (Illinois) at the Chicago Elite Classic and Landon (Maryland) at home, but it’s been rough since then for the Quakers. They lost in overtime to No. 22 John Marshall in a game without Georgetown signee Caleb Williams, then they fell to No. 4 St. Paul VI in Williams’ return.

25. Don Bosco Prep (Ramsey, N.J.) (0-0)

Previous rank: Unranked Up next: Dec. 14 vs. Eastside (N.J.)

Don Bosco just missed the cut for the preseason top 25 rankings, but it jumps in now with a few spots opening up. The Ironmen — led by five-star Rutgers commit Dylan Harper, the nation’s No. 2 overall player in the class of 2024 — will have an early test against fellow five-star Rutgers commit Ace Bailey and No. 23 McEachern later this month at the City of Palms Classic.

DROPPED OUT

Perry (Gilbert, Ari.) (5-3)

Richmond Heights (Richmond Heights, Ohio) (0-2)

Oak Ridge (Orlando, Fla.) (4-2)

Oak Cliff Faith Family Academy (Dallas, Tex.) (5-5)

ON THE BUBBLE

Bullis (Potomac, Md.) (3-0)

JSerra Catholic (San Juan Capistrano, Calif.) (11-0)

Millennium (Goodyear, Ari.) (8-1)

Lincoln Park Performing Arts (Midland, Pa.) (3-0)

Sunnyslope (Phoenix, Ari.) (3-2)

Owyhee (Meridian, Ida.) (1-0)

Normal (Normal, Illinois) (6-0)

Wayzata (Plymouth, Minn.) (3-0)

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