SN's High School Boys Basketball Way Too Early Top 25

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It's way too early to be thinking about the 2026-27 national high school basketball campaign – unless, of course, you are tasked with assembling a "way-too-early" top 25 for a season that is still more than six months away from kicking into high gear.

Nevertheless, we've taken a look at how the top teams from the season that just concluded in April stack up against each other heading into the offseason when accounting for losses and rising stars. Of course, there are always off-season moves involving some of the games biggest stars, and we don't know all those destinations, yet.

We'll account for those moves in the fall when we issue the 2026-27 edition of The Sporting News High School Boys Basketball Preseason Top 25. For now, we'll take a look at how the top teams are impacted by graduating seniors, and put them in an order that might reflect their changing fortunes as we head into the 2026 summer league season.

The Sporting News "Way Too Early" High School Boys Basketball Top 25

1. CIA-Bella Vista [Phoenix, AZ] Bears

2025-26 Record — 23-4
2025-26 Final Ranking — No. 1 (SN National Champions)
2026-27 Top-ranked Returning Players — C Paul Osaruyi, SF Jalen White, SG Lyris Robinson, CG Liam Mitakaro

Sure, the Bears will launch their national title defense next fall without PG Miles Sadler (West Virginia) and Vaughn Karvala (Indiana). But don't feel too sorry for them – they've still got three of the top seniors-to-be returning, including the Class of 2027's No. 1-ranked center Paul Osaruyi along with SF Jalen White and SG Lyris Robinson. Translation? These Bears should be in the thick of the EYBL title chase again, and another trip to the Chipotle Nationals almost feels like a formality even at this way-too-early stage of prognostication.

2. Dynamic Prep [Dallas, TX]

2025-26 Record — 17-2
2025-26 Final Ranking — No. 3
2026-27 Top-ranked Returning Players — PF Marcus Spears Jr., SF Howard Williams, C David Baliraine, PF Benjamin Berrouet

Dynamic Prep bids senior guards Austin Goosby (Texas) and DaKari Spear (Texas Tech) adieu, but they've still got the No. 1 player in the country in the upcoming senior Class of 2027 in Marcus Spears Jr. Spears is, of course, the son of former NFL DE Marcus Spears, and he's part of an imposing front court that includes two more seniors in SF Howard Williams and C David Baliraine. PF Benjamin Berrouet is a junior who can provide quality minutes as well.

3. AZ Compass Prep National [Chandler, AZ] Dragons

2025-26 Record — 25-2
2025-26 Final Ranking — No. 7
2026-27 Top-ranked Returning Players — SF Demarcus Henry, SG Jimmie Haywood

The House twins have left the building with CG Kaden House signing with Maryland while SG Kalek House chose Xavier. The back court also loses SG Quincy Wadley, but SG Jimmie Haywood is a high-ranked senior in the Class of 2027. SF Demarcus Henry is also set to return.

4. Prolific Prep [Fort Lauderdale, FL] Crew

2025-26 Record — 37-3
2025-26 Final Ranking — No. 8
2026-27 Top-ranked Returning Players — PG Nasir Anderson, C Lewis Uvwo

Prolific Prep loses SG Caleb Holt (Arizona), Bruce Branch III (BYU), and C Davion Adkins (Kansas), but they should still look, well, prolific once again with production coming from PG Nasir Anderson and C Lewis Uvwo.

5. SPIRE Academy National [Geneva, OH]

2025-26 Record — 28-4
2025-26 Final Ranking — No. 9
2026-27 Top-ranked Returning Players — CG King Gibson, PG Darrell Davis

SPIRE won't have SF Tarris Bouie (Alabama), C Aiden Derkack (Dayton), or SF Alex Constanza, but perhaps more importantly, they'll still have the king ... King Gibson, that is. He and his backcourt mate, PG Darrell Davis, are both set to return, and they'll be looking to compete for the Chipotle Nationals crown once again.

6. Southeastern Prep Academy National [Orlando, FL] Falcons

2025-26 Record — 41-9
2025-26 Final Ranking — Unranked
2026-27 Top-ranked Returning Players — PF CJ Rosser, PG Beckham Black, SF Marri Wesley

SF Jaxon Richardson (Alabama) and PF Toni Bryant (Missouri) have both moved on, but don't shed any tears for these Falcons – they have the No. 2 and No. 3 seniors in the Class of 2027 according to MaxPreps. The two five-star recruits – PF CJ Rosser and PG Beckham Black – give Southeastern Prep the top 1-2 punch in the entire country, and SF Marri Wesley is also a Top 100 talent. If they can put the other pieces of the puzzle in place, they could easily make a run at the national title.

7. Montverde [FL] Academy Eagles

2025-26 Record — 21-5
2025-26 Final Ranking — No. 4
2026-27 Top-ranked Returning Players — CG Oneal Delancy, C Derek Daniels

Montverde came on strong late last year as they always seem to do heading into the Chipotle Nationals, and they ended up nearly winning the whole thing, falling just short in a 69-65 loss to the national champions from CIA-Bella Vista in the finale. SF Lincoln Cosby (Michigan), PF Joe Philon (UCLA), and SF Jayden Hodge (Northwestern) are all moving on, but if there's one thing the Eagles no how to do, it's reload quickly. They have a couple of pieces already in place with CG Oneal Delancy and C Derek Daniels set to return.

8. Link Academy [Branson, MO] Lions

2025-26 Record — 25-4
2025-26 Final Ranking — No. 11
2026-27 Top-ranked Returning Players — PG Davion Thompson and PF Cameron Barnes

Nobody in the early Top 10 here was hit harder by graduation than Link Academy. The Lions lose C Ethan Taylor (Michigan State), SF Tajh Ariza (Oregon), SF Luca Foster (Gonzaga), PG Carlos Medlock Jr. (Michigan State), C Tristan Reed (Mississippi State), and SF Trent Perry (Kansas) to the NCAA Division I ranks next fall, but amazingly, they've still got a couple of big pieces to build around in PG Davion Thompson and PF Cameron Barnes. They'll have to find a few more bodies to rebuild with, but last year's roster suggests that these Lions know how to find and develop talent at the highest level.

9. Sierra Canyon [Chatsworth, CA] Trailblazers

2025-26 Record — 30-1
2025-26 Final Ranking — No. 2
2026-27 Top-ranked Returning Players — G/F Jordan Mize, G/F Josh Lowery

If anybody is ranked too high here, it could turn out to be these Sierra Canyon Trailblazers. SG Brandon McCoy Jr. (Michigan) and SF Maximo Adams (North Carolina) have both moved on, and heading into the summer, Sierra Canyon will have to hit the trail to find some worthy replacements as they don't currently have any players listed in the 247sports rankings for the Classes of 2027 or 2028. Still, the Trailblazers are the defending California CIF Open Division champions, and their No. 2 finish in the national rankings warrants a Top 10 position until proven otherwise.

10. Paul VI [Chantilly, VA] Panthers

2025-26 Record — 33-2
2025-26 Final Ranking — No. 5
2026-27 Top-ranked Returning Players — SF Brian Mitchell Jr.

CG Jordan Smith Jr. was The Sporting News 2026 High School Boys Basketball Player of the Year, but he'll be at Arkansas in the fall, leaving a giant hole in the Panthers' starting lineup. They do have a highly-ranked small forward returning in Brian Mitchell Jr., and recent history suggests that Paul VI will quickly restock and remain a force in Virginia and on the national scene.

11. Columbus [Miami, FL] Explorers

2025-26 Record — 26-6
2025-26 Final Ranking — No. 10
2026-27 Top-ranked Returning Players — F Cayden Gaskins

PF Caleb Gaskins will still be hooping in Miami this coming fall, but it won't be in a Columbus uniform. Gaskins will instead be playing for the Miami Hurricanes, and he's the biggest piece the Explorers will be missing as they look to extend their record streak of five straight state championships in Florida's highest classification. Fortunately for the Explorers, there's another Gaskins ready to step into a bigger role this fall as a sophomore – Cayden who is the younger brother of Caleb. He picked up valuable experience on the Explorers' run to the title in both the FHSAA Class 7A playoffs and then in The Throne national tournament where Columbus captured the crown.

12. Calvary Christian Academy [Fort Lauderdale, FL] Eagles

2025-26 Record — 24-1
2025-26 Final Ranking — No. 18
2026-27 Top-ranked Returning Players — PG Cayden Daughtry

SF Collin Paul is off to Florida State when the fall semester begins, but PG Cayden Daughtry is a national Top 20 prospect who will still be in the fold. If the Eagles can surround him with the right pieces, then they just might find themselves in the hunt for a third straight Florida FHSAA Class 3A state championship.

13. Dream City Christian National [Glendale, AZ] Eagles

2025-26 Record — 8-7
2025-26 Final Ranking — Unranked
2026-27 Top-ranked Returning Players — SF Malachi Jordan, PG Keaundre Morris, C Chris Brown, SG Mateen Cleaves Jr.

Dream City loses CG Ikenna Alozie (Houston), and that could be a problem for a team that finished just above .500 in the rugged Nike EYBL scholastic league. But there's plenty of talent still on hand, including Top 20 national recruit Malachi Jordan at small forward along with PG Keaundre Morris and C Chris Brown. Throw in junior SG Mateen Cleaves Jr., son of the former Michigan State All-American and NCAA Final Four Most Outstanding Player (2000), and the Eagles still have an incredible nucleus of talent assembled in Glendale.

14. Sunnyslope [Phoenix, AZ] Vikings

2025-26 Record — 29-2
2025-26 Final Ranking — No. 19
2026-27 Top-ranked Returning Players — C Darius Webbington

SF Rider Portela (Colorado) has completed his career, but returning C Darius Webbington is a national Top 20 caliber player. Sunnyslope is the fourth Arizona program ranked in the Top 25, but the No. 1-ranked public school in the state where Webbington's presence promises to be a huge factor in helping the Vikings make another run at the AIA Open Division state championship.

15. Notre Dame SO [Sherman Oaks, CA] Knights

2025-26 Record — 22-8
2025-26 Final Ranking — Unranked
2026-27 Top-ranked Returning Players — CG NaVorro Bowman Jr. and CG Josiah Nance

Combo guards NaVorro Bowman Jr. and Josiah Nance live up to their position as one of the best one-two combinations in the Golden State. They should have the Knights back in position to challenge for California's CIF Open Division state championship yet again in 2026-27.

16. Logan-Rogersville [MO] Wildcats

2025-26 Record — 29-3
2025-26 Final Ranking — No. 23
2026-27 Top-ranked Returning Players — PG Chase Branham

PG Chase Branham is one of the nation's top point guards in the Class of 2027, and he's an early commit to Indiana. He helped lead Logan-Rogersville to Missouri's MSHSAA Class 4 state title, and his presence alone is enough to lift the Wildcats into the national Top 25.

17. Wasatch Academy [Mt. Pleasant, UT] Tigers

2025-26 Record — 24-6
2025-26 Final Ranking — No. 15
2026-27 Top-ranked Returning Players — C Stra Zelic

Wasatch Academy will move forward without SG Junior County (UConn) and CG Katrelle Harmon (Creighton), but rising junior C Stra Zelic is a fundamental piece to build around. The Tigers will need to reload to keep pace in the Nike EYBL scholastic league, but they're coming off an appearance in the Chipotle Nationals so the foundation is solid.

18. Archbishop Stepinac [White Plains, NY] Crusaders

2025-26 Record — 25-4
2025-26 Final Ranking — No. 16
2026-27 Top-ranked Returning Players — SG Joshua Rivera

The Ratliff twins – PF Adonis and C Darius Ratliff – are off to USC while SG Jasiah Jervis will take his services to Michigan State in the fall. Replacing the Ratliffs isn't possible so the Crusaders will have to go in a different direction, and senior SG Joshua Rivera is a potential mismatch nightmare at 6-foot-7. He'll be key to Archbishop Stepinac's ability to maintain a spot in the national Top 25 this coming winter.

19. Principia [St. Louis, MO] Panthers

2025-26 Record — 29-2
2025-26 Final Ranking — No. 6
2026-27 Top-ranked Returning Players — C Sekou Cisse, SG Kingston Money, Wyatt Slay, Nour Toure, Colton Walters

Principia has gone a combined 59-3 the past two seasons while collecting two Missouri MSHSAA Class 3 state championship trophies. SG Quentin Coleman is off to Illinois, however, and staying on top won't be easy. For now, a quintet of seniors led C Sekou Cisse, SG Kingston Money, and CG Wyatt Slay will lead the way forward.

20. La Lumiere [La Porte, IN] Lakers

2025-26 Record — 13-5
2025-26 Final Ranking — Unranked
2026-27 Top-ranked Returning Players — PG Devin Cleveland, PF Ferlandes Wright

The loss of PG Jonathan Sanderson (Notre Dame) and SF Jacob Webber (Purdue) stings, but the Lakers will lean on PG Devin Cleveland and PF Ferlandes Wright to carry the team while some of the younger talent develops. Both are national Top 75 recruits in the Class of 2027.

21. Wheeler [Marietta, GA] Wildcats

2025-26 Record — 27-6
2025-26 Final Ranking — Unranked
2026-27 Top-ranked Returning Players — PG Kevin Savage

The return of PG Kevin Savage to direct the Wheeler attack will help soften the blow of losing SF Colben Landrew (UConn) to graduation. The Wildcats will need some of their youngsters to quickly grow up and compete at a high level in the highly-competitive Georgia GHSA Class 6A ranks next season.

22. Brewster Academy National [Wolfeboro, NH] Bobcats

2025-26 Record — 30-6
2025-26 Final Ranking — Unranked
2026-27 Top-ranked Returning Players — PG Antonio Pemberton, SG Markus Kerr

Brewster Academy started 18-1 last year with only a loss to AZ Compass Prep which finished No. 4 in the country. But the Bobcats' sizzle turned to fizzle down the stretch as they stumbled to a 5-3 finish over the final eight games. CG Darien Moore (Seton Hall) has moved on, but Brewster has a couple of national Top 70 senior prospects to lead the way in PG Antonio Pemberton and SG Markus Kerr who comprise one of the nation's top backcourt tandems. Two Top 30 juniors provide depth at those positions in SG Kevin Wheatley Jr. and PG Michai White, and if the guard-heavy Bobcats can develop a strong front court, then they could prove to be ranked way too low here.

23. Bartlett [TN] Panthers

2025-26 Record — 36-4
2025-26 Final Ranking — No. 12
2026-27 Top-ranked Returning Players — SF Dylan Jones

With Top 50 national recruit Dylan Jones still prowling the court, the Panthers should be in pretty good shape to make some noise in Tennessee's TSSAA Division I Class 4A ranks. They'll be tested by running the Memphis regional gauntlet as usual, and if they can survive the inevitable early season clashes against highly-ranked out-of-state opponents, then they could make a bigger impression on the national scene as well.

24. Oak Hill Academy [Mouth of Wilson, VA] Warriors

2025-26 Record — 19-10
2025-26 Final Ranking — Unranked
2026-27 Top-ranked Returning Players — CG LJ Smith

Las year's edition of the Warriors wasn't anything to write home about with the team losing seven out of eight games, including five in a row, as the calendar turned from 2025 to 2026. It all added up to a 19-10 finish by season's end, and next year's team won't even have SF Ethan Mgbako (Vanderbilt) to build around. But Oak Hill is never devoid of talent, and Ohio State commit LJ Smith is back to man one of the guard positions. Still, the Warriors' record was the worst in at least 20 years according to MaxPreps, and the upcoming season will be a test of whether Oak Hill can continue to maintain its perennial elite national Top 25 status. In an era where top-tier basketball academies have taken root across the country, the Warriors have taken a few steps back in the national pecking order, and it could be hard to re-establish themselves as a national title contender in the current environment.

25. The Villages [FL] Charter Buffalo

2025-26 Record — 24-8
2025-26 Final Ranking — Unranked
2026-27 Top-ranked Returning Players — PG Aaron Britt Jr., SF Jomar Bernard

This could prove to be an insightful pick or an overreach if the Buffalo can't withstand the loss of SF Herly Brutus (Butler). But two Top 60-caliber seniors return in PG Aaron Britt Jr. and SF Jomar Bernard, and that's enough, for now, to consider the Buffalo among Florida's top programs heading into the 2026-27 season. And that fact alone is enough to warrant consideration for the national Top 25.

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