There are solely two new groups capable of crack the most recent version of the FAB 50 Nationwide Crew Rankings powered by Ballislife.com, however there’s motion as groups look to keep away from being upset proper earlier than the competitors heats up within the playoffs. It seems to be like No. 1 Dawn Christian Academy (Bel Aire, Kan.) would be the prime seed at GEICO Nationals, whose discipline shall be introduced on March 12.
By Ronnie Flores
RELATED: “In The Paint” Podcast | Ballislife Podcast Community | How To Create A Excessive Faculty March Insanity | The Way forward for Huge-Time Excessive Faculty Basketball | State Champions Invitational Introduced | Historical past of Excessive Faculty Crew Rankings | All-Time No. 1’s
Solely two groups have a powerful sufficient resume to crack the FAB 50 Nationwide Crew Rankings powered by Ballislife.com this week, as a overwhelming majority of the nation’s elite groups received video games final week. The playoffs have began in some chosen states, will start this week in others, whereas some look to keep away from a late-season upset that may trigger unfavorable seeding or playoff positioning.
The 2 new ranked groups this week are No. 44 North Hills (Pittsburgh, Pa.) and No. 50 Catholic Central (Grand Rapids, Mich.). North Hills is rewarded as an unbeaten membership and because the Keystone State’s top-rated group in Class 6A. The Cougars had been beforehand ranked and have carried out sufficient to warrant a return within the nation’s longest-running weekly ballot in entrance of King (Detroit, Mich.) as Michigan’s top-rated group by the Detroit Free Press.
Earlier No. 37 Gonzaga (Washington, D.C.) needed to drop out after dropping 57-56 to unranked St. John’s (Washington, D.C.) in Washington Catholic Athletic Convention (WCAC) play. It was Gonzaga’s second shut loss to the Cadets, as coach Steve Turner’s membership now must be behind bubble membership DeMatha Catholic (Hyattsville, Md.) within the WCAC pecking order. FAB 50 No. 29 Bishop McNamara (Forrestville, Md.) sits at 11-1 in WCAC play, whereas No. 21 Paul VI (Fairfax, Va.) is 10-2, one sport forward within the loss column of DeMatha Catholic (10-3) and two video games forward of Gonzaga (9-4). Bishop McNamara’s solely convention loss is to DeMatha, who will host Gonzaga on senior evening this Friday in a key sport.
St. Francis Prep (Recent Meadows, N.Y.) misplaced in first sport in New York Catholic Excessive Faculty Athletic Affiliation (CHSAA) play to unranked Christ the King (Center Village, N.Y.), 59-56. The Terriers ran right into a CTK membership that struggled with accidents early within the season, however is now rounding into kind and is a formidable foe. St. Francis Prep drops 5 spots this week to No. 34 and its loss final week means successful for different New York membership. The Terriers have carried out sufficient to stay in entrance of Cardinal Hayes (Bronx, N.Y.) due to the head-to-head outcome and Archbishop Stepinac (White Plains, N.Y.), which has a break up with Cardinal Hayes.
One other membership that joins Cardinal Hayes and Archbishop Stepinac in dropping 4 spots this week is No. 22 Dr. Phillips (Orlando, Fla.), which fell to Olympia (Orlando, Fla.), 69-65, in its district championship sport. E.J. “Jizzle” James, a 6-foot-1 2023 guard and the son of NFL Corridor of Fame operating again Edgerrin James, had 31 factors.
Coach Ben Witherspoon’s membership can’t fall any additional within the FAB 50 due to its total resume and since it performed the district title sport with out McDonald’s All-American middle Ernest Udeh Jr., however the outcome does have an effect on what might occur down the highway. Though Dr. Phillips stays the highest ranked group within the FHSAA energy rankings system, it drops to No. 5 in its area behind 4 district champions and should journey to play any district champion it meets in regional play. In accordance with Witherspoon, Udeh shall be able to play on Thursday and in a probable contest at dwelling subsequent Tuesday in opposition to No. 6 ranked area group Windemere Prep (Windermere, Fla.) and Duke commit Sean Stewart.
Dawn Christian Academy (Bel Aire, Kan.) solidified its standing because the No. 1 group within the nation with a 74-65 victory over No. 4 Hyperlink Academy (Branson, Mo.) final Friday night in a showcase sport on the Heartland Hoops Basic in Grand Island, Neb. With the victory, the Buffaloes, this season’s Nationwide Interscholastic Basketball Convention (NIBC) champion, all however secured the highest seed at GEICO Nationals, which is able to happen in Ft. Myers, Fla., March 31-April 2. Your complete eight-team discipline shall be introduced on March 12. Regardless of the loss, Hyperlink Academy didn’t drop within the FAB 50 this week and must be one of many groups invited for the end-of-season match for impartial golf equipment.
Dawn Christian bought out to a quick begin and led 21-13 after one interval of play. The Buffaloes prolonged their result in 12 within the second interval, however when the sport bought sloppy within the third interval, Hyperlink Academy capitalized. The primary-year program closed its deficit to 48-44 in the beginning of the fourth quarter.
That’s when Dawn Christian’s expertise in huge showcase video games versus different highly-ranked foes made a distinction, because the Buffaloes transformed some clutch pictures and restricted the quantity of errors down the stretch. Layden Blocker, a 2023 level guard who completed with 11 factors, made essential performs for the victors, whereas a 3-pointer with three minutes remaining by Kansas-bound Gradey Dick (16 factors) gave the Buffaloes some respiration room. Dawn Christian additionally hit its late free throws to seal the victory.
Duke-bound Mark Mitchell netted a game-high 23 factors, whereas 2023 wing Scotty Middleton (13 factors) additionally got here up huge. Tarris Reed Jr., sure for Michigan, led Hyperlink Academy with 22 factors, whereas Arkansas-bound McDonald’s All-American Jordan Walsh added 16.
