The Sporting News High School Boys Basketball Top 25 — February 17: AZ Compass Prep survives a close call to remain No. 1

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The No. 1 AZ Compass Prep National [Chandler, AZ] Dragons were pushed to the limit last Saturday night before defeating the No. 22 Oak Cliff Faith Family Academy [Dallas, TX] Eagles, 64-63, on a last-second free throw.

The win was enough to keep the Dragons at the top of The Sporting News High School Boys Basketball Top 25 for at least another week as the Top 13 teams remain the same as last week.

The highest-ranked team to fall in this week's list are the previous No. 14 Sunnyslope [Phoenix, AZ] Vikings who lost for just the second time this season in a rematch with the Millennium [Goodyear, AZ] Tigers. Their second loss came against the Top 50 Redondo Union [Redondo Beach, CA] Sea Hawks, but Sunnyslope has also beaten both of those teams, allowing the Vikings to maintain a position in the Top 25 at No. 20.

Millennium, meanwhile, rejoins the Top 25 in the final position by virtue of avenging its loss to Sunnyslope. They are the only newcomers to the Top 25 this week, taking the place of the previous No. 21 St. Frances Academy [Baltimore, MD] Panthers who suffered a 62-59 loss to the unranked John Carroll [Bel Air, MD] Patriots.

St. Frances falls back to the Next 25 "bubble" rankings while the St. John Bosco [Bellflower, CA] Braves are the only team to fall completely out of the Top 50 after a 56-53 loss to the unranked La Mirada [CA] Matadores. Rejoining the Top 50 are the Harvard-Westlake [Studio City, CA] Wolverines who will take on fellow Top 50 member, the Santa Margarita [Rancho Santa Margarita, CA] Eagles, on Tuesday night for California's CIF Southern Section Open Division Pool B championship and the right to advance in the state playoffs.

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The Sporting News High School Boys Basketball Top 25 rankings

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

2025-26 record: 18-1
Previous ranking: No. 1

Upcoming games: 2/21 — vs. Wasatch Academy; 2/22 — vs. Dream City Christian National

AZ Compass Prep National survived a close call against No. 22 Oak Cliff Faith Family Academy last week with a last-second free throw giving the Dragons a 64-63 win. They'll get two more highly-respected opponents this week, including a Saturday contest against a No. 8 Wasatch Academy that is currently on a 14-game win streak.

2. Link Academy [Branson, MO] Lions

2025-26 record — 20-2
Previous ranking — No. 2

Upcoming games: 2/21 — vs. Dream City Christian National; 2/22 — vs. Utah Prep

Link Academy continues to chase AZ Compass Prep, attempting to regain the No. 1 position they previously held from November into January. They''ve got a challenging schedule that includes Dream City Christian National and Utah Prep.

3. Dynamic Prep [Irving, TX]

2025-26 record: 16-1
Previous ranking: No. 3

Upcoming games: No games scheduled this week

Dynamic Prep doesn't have any more games showing on their schedule, but we continue to await any updates to the team's postseason schedule.

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

2025-26 record: 19-1
Previous ranking: No. 4

Upcoming games: 2/21 — vs. Cardinal Newman

Calvary Christian Academy is off and running in Florida's Class 3A regional playoffs, and next up is a Saturday date with Cardinal Newman.

5. Prolific Prep [Fort Lauderdale, FL] Crew

2025-26 record: 27-3
Previous ranking: No. 5

Upcoming games: 2/23 — vs. Wesley Christian

Prolific Prep only has one game on the agenda this week against a Wesley Christian squad from Allen, Kentucky, that is just 11-12 in the 2025-26 season.

6. SPIRE Academy National [Geneva, OH]

2025-26 record: 22-2
Previous ranking: No. 6

Upcoming games: 2/20 — vs. CATS Academy; 2/21 — vs. Long Island Lutheran

SPIRE Academy National fell from the top spot a couple of weeks ago, and there's been little opportunity to move back up so far. But big games this week against CATS Academy and Long Island Lutheran represent opportunities to restate their case yet again.

7. Paul VI [Chantilly, VA] Panthers

2025-26 record: 27-2
Previous ranking: No. 7

Upcoming games: TBD

Paul VI's regular season has wrapped up so we await word now on the Panther's postseason schedule.

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

2025-26 record: 20-4
Previous ranking: No. 8

Upcoming games: 2/21 — vs. AZ Compass Prep; TBD — vs. Oak Cliff Faith Family Academy

As noted above, Wasatch Academy has won 14 straight games and enters their contests against No. 1 AZ Compass Prep and No. 22 Oak Cliff Faith Family Academy as one of the hottest teams in the country.

9. Sierra Canyon [Chatsworth, CA] Trailblazers

2025-26 record: 23-1
Previous ranking: No. 9

Upcoming games: 2/17 — vs. Corona del Mar

Sierra Canyon's playoff journey continues Tuesday night with a game against a Corona del Mar squad that will struggle to keep up with the Trailblazers.

10. Principia [St. Louis, MO] Panthers

2025-26 record: 22-2
Previous ranking: No. 10

Upcoming games: 2/20 — vs. Burroughs

Principia's only scheduled game this week is against a Burroughs' squad from St. Louis that is likely to be overwhelmed from the opening tip.

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11. Montverde [FL] Academy Eagles

2025-26 record: 18-5
Previous ranking: No. 11

Upcoming games: 2/20 — vs. The St. James Performance Academy; 2/21 — vs. Christ School

After a rough start to the season, Montverde Academy has come on strong in recent weeks even knocking off the nation's No. 1 SPIRE Academy National at the time in a 66-52 win on February 6. The St. James Performance Academy and Christ School represent quality opponents that the Eagles, nevertheless, should prevail against.

12. CIA-Bella Vista Prep [Scottsdale, AZ] Bears

2025-26 record: 14-4
Previous ranking: No. 12

Upcoming games: 2/20 — vs. Sunrise Christian Academy

CIA-Bella Vista will be looking to recover from last Saturday's loss to No. 2 Link Academy when they take the court Friday against Sunrise Christian Academy of Kansas.

13. Brewster Academy National [Wolfeboro, NH] Bobcats

2025-26 record: 26-4
Previous ranking: No. 13

Upcoming games: 2/20 — vs. Christ School; 2/21 — vs. La Lumiere

Brewster Academy National has lost two of its past five games to the current No. 8 Wasatch Academy and No. 11 Montverde Academy, knocking them from their perch in the No. 3 position on this list. Christ School and La Lumiere are unranked, but they are too good for this struggling Bobcats' squad to overlook.

14. Archbishop Stepinac [White Plains, NY] Crusaders

2025-26 record: 20-4
Previous ranking: No. 15

Upcoming games: 2/17 — vs. Monsignor Scanlan

Archbishop Stepinac's regular season will come to a close Tuesday night against Monsignor Scanlan, and then we'll await the announcement of the Crusaders' first postseason opponent.

15. Bartlett [TN] Panthers 

2025-26 record: 24-4
Previous ranking: No. 16

Upcoming games: TBD

Bartlett's regular season has concluded, and we are waiting for the release or Tennessee's postseason brackets to see who's up next for the Panthers.

16. Seven Lakes [Katy, TX] Spartans

2025-26 record: 33-0
Previous ranking: No. 17

Upcoming games: TBD

Seven Lakes competed the regular season undefeated, and next up is the Texas UIL playoffs. The brackets should be released sometime later this week.

17. Webb [Knoxville, TN] Spartans

2025-26 record: 28-2
Previous ranking: No. 18

Upcoming games: 2/20 — vs. Knoxville Catholic

Next up for the Webb School is a Friday night playoff matchup against Knoxville Catholic.

18. Fishers [IN] Tigers

2025-26 record: 21-0
Previous ranking: No. 19

Upcoming games: 2/20 — vs. Zionsville

Fisher's is closing in on an unbeaten regular season with just two games remaining. This week it's a Friday night date with Zionsville before wrapping things up next Tuesday night.

19. Wisconsin Lutheran [Milwaukee, WI] Vikings

2025-26 record: 21-0
Previous ranking: No. 20

Upcoming games: 2/19 — vs. New Berlin Eisenhower

Wisconsin Lutheran is also undefeated, and the Vikings will take on New Berlin Eisenhower on Thursday.

20. Sunnyslope [Phoenix, AZ] Vikings

2025-26 record: 23-2
Previous ranking: No. 14

Upcoming games: 2/17 — vs. Centennial

Sunnyslope's postseason journey in Arizona's AIA Open Division begins Tuesday night in Round 1 matchup against Centennial of Peoria, Arizona.

21. Benet Academy [Lisle, IL] Redwings

2025-26 record: 28-1
Previous ranking: No. 23

Upcoming games: 2/17 — vs. Marist

Benet Academy's regular-season slate comes to a close Tuesday night against Marist.

22. Oak Cliff Faith Family Academy [Dallas, TX] Eagles

2025-26 record: 24-8
Previous ranking: No. 22

Upcoming games: 2/20 — vs. Veritas Academy; TBD — Wasatch Academy

Oak Cliff Faith Family Academy has been playing some of its best basketball of the season, recently, and that includes a one-point, last-second loss to the nation's No. 1 AZ Compass Prep last Saturday in a 64-63 setback. A big game against No. 8 Wasatch Academy this week gives them another chance to make a statement.

23. Rainier Beach [Seattle, WA] Vikings

2025-26 record: 22-1
Previous ranking: No. 24

Upcoming games: 2/17 — vs. Garfield

Rainier Beach has the Class of 2026's No. 1 overall prospect in Tyran Stokes, and that's good enough to keep the Vikings in the game against just about any opponent on any night. And on Tuesday night, it will be Garfield's turn to figure out a way to stop the high-scoring small forward.

24. Gainesville [GA] Red Elephants

2025-26 record: 25-0
Previous ranking: No. 25

Upcoming games: 2/17 — vs. Lanier

Gainesville is still undefeated headed into the Peach State's GHSA Class 5A playoffs against Lanier on Tuesday night.

25. Millennium [Goodyear, AZ] Tigers

2025-26 record: 21-3
Previous ranking: Unranked

Upcoming games: 2/18 — vs. Canyon View

Millennium avenged its earlier loss to current No. 20 Sunnyslope last week, and now they'll head to Arizona's AIA Open Division playoffs with a first-round game on Wednesday against Canyon View.

The next 25 teams on the "bubble"

Here are the best of the rest — teams under consideration for the SN Top 25.

Andrew Jackson [Jacksonville, FL] Tigers — 26-1

Archbishop Riordan [San Francisco, CA] Crusaders — 22-1

Bearden [Knoxville, TN] Bulldogs — 30-1

Columbus [Miami, FL] Explorers — 22-6

DePaul College Prep [Chicago, IL] Rams — 24-3

East Lansing [MI] Trojans — 19-1

Greensboro [NC] Day School Bengals — 33-2

Harvard-Westlake [Studio City, CA] Wolverines — 23-5

Heritage [Frisco, TX] Coyotes — 27-2

IMG Academy [Bradenton, FL] Ascenders — 17-9

Kankakee [IL] Kays — 25-1

La Lumiere [La Porte, IN] Lakers — 9-5

Lake Highland Prep [Orlando, FL] Highlanders — 27-1

Lakota West [West Chester, OH] Firebirds — 19-1

North Crowley [Fort Worth, TX] Panthers — 28-3

Notre Dame SO [Sherman Oaks, CA] Knights — 20-6

Redondo Union [Redondo Beach, CA] Sea Hawks — 26-3

Salesian College Prep [Richmond, CA] Pride — 25-3

Santa Margarita [Rancho Santa Margarita, CA] Eagles — 27-3

St. Frances Academy [Baltimore, MD] Panthers — 31-6

St. John's [Washington, DC] Cadets — 22-7

St. Joseph [Santa Maria, CA] Knights — 27-2

St. Thomas Aquinas [Fort Lauderdale, FL] Raiders — 24-4

Southeastern Prep Academy National [Orlando, FL] Falcons — 35-8

Wheeler [Marietta, GA] Wildcats — 21-5

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