Following the intense high-level contests in the first month and a half of the season, the second edition of the FAB 50 National Team Rankings powered by Ballislife.com for the 2024-25 season shows significant movement. The latest rankings include 12 new teams, with traditional powerhouse DeMatha Catholic (Hyattsville, Md.) making an entry at No. 17. The high school basketball landscape is experiencing a lot of change due to parity across the nation. There seems to be no dominant team this year, but top-ranked Columbus (Miami, Fla.) will have a chance to prove itself in upcoming holiday tournaments that are likely to impact the rankings going into 2025!
By Ronnie Flores
Teams across the country are now getting some games under their belt, and it’s evident that on any given night, a ranked team can be upset or cause an upset. As mentioned by Chelsea Hopkins, host of the “In The Paint” podcast and former WNBA player, in our pre-season FAB 50 Show for the 2024-25 season, this year is wide open, echoing her statement from late October.
The latest regular season FAB 50 National Team Rankings powered by Ballislife.com show a dozen new teams this week, the highest number of newcomers in recent years, along with significant movement within the rankings. Notably, DeMatha Catholic (Hyattsville, Md.) is among the new entrants at No. 17, representing one of the most consistently ranked programs in high school basketball over the past 50 years in the competitive Washington Catholic Athletic Conference (WCAC). The WCAC has four teams ranked in the Top 17, showcasing the strength of the DMV area this season.
St. John’s (Washington, D. C.) has jumped 13 spots to No. 15, while top-ranked team from Texas, Brennan (San Antonio, Texas), suffered losses to both DeMatha and the Cadets at the D.C. Hoopfest. The results so far have seen DeMatha lose to Sidwell Friends (Washington, D.C.) and Sidwell Friends defeat Paul VI (Chantilly, Va.), who in turn handed IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.) its only loss. Similarly, Montverde Academy (Montverde, Fla.) lost to Brewster Academy (Wolfeboro, N.H.), causing a shift in the rankings.
Gonzaga (Washington, D.C.) is now ranked No. 2, moving up based on strong performances by DMV clubs and a tough game against No. 1 Columbus, which they took to triple overtime before falling. Cameron Boozer, a Duke-bound player and top contender for Mr. Basketball USA, led the way with a stellar performance for Columbus in that game.
