NEW FAB 50: Preparing for Action!

Two fresh faces join this week’s version of the FAB 50 National Team Rankings powered by Ballislife.com. There has also been some shifting, with teams competing in challenging leagues receiving more favor than those facing a loss at an inopportune time.

The majority of the top teams across the country are currently engaged in league, conference, or district action and most are emerging victorious as they prepare to secure advantageous positions in the postseason. This is reflected in the most recent release of the FAB 50 National Team Rankings powered by Ballislife.com.

There are merely two new additions to the mix: Westfield (Westfield, Ind.) at No. 28 and Alta (Sandy, Utah) at No. 50. Westfield now holds the second position in Indiana after the prior state leader, Fishers (Ind.), succumbed to the perennially formidable Carmel (Ind.) with a score of 54-46.

Junior guard Alex Couto produced an impressive 26 points. Fishers consistently struggles against Carmel on the road, and this win represents the 22nd consecutive victory for the Greyhounds at home. Consequently, Fishers has now dropped to the third spot in the state and plummeted 40 positions in the FAB 50 to No. 48.

The highest-ranked team to fall out following a loss last week was the former No. 22, Wayzata (Plymouth, Minn.), which was defeated by the perennially strong Hopkins (Minnetonka, Minn.) with a score of 80-69 in a Lake Conference confrontation between traditional state powerhouses.

Junior Anthony Smith III led the charge for Hopkins with 22 points, including four 3-pointers, while sophomore Jayden Moore contributed 12 points, 12 rebounds, 11 assists, and four steals.

Stepping in for Wayzata is Alta (Sandy, Utah), the top-ranked team in Utah and the frontrunner to clinch the Class 5A state title. The Hawks have done enough to counterbalance their 81-69 loss to unranked St. Pius X-Matthias (Downey, Calif.) in the quarterfinals of the Tarkanian Classic in December, an event where that team ultimately emerged as the champion.

It would bode well for Alta if St. Pius X were to be chosen to participate in the upcoming CIF Southern Section open division playoffs, where the Warriors are among approximately 10 teams being considered to compete in one of the two groups of four teams each, with the victor of each group meeting in the CIF Southern Section championship game.

This illustrates the significance of participating in a formidable league or conference in the FAB 50 evaluation. For the first time in over 40 years of weekly state rankings, the top three teams according to Cal-Hi Sports are from the same league: the Mission League in the San Fernando Valley.

This week, No. 15 Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth, Calif.), No. 20 Notre Dame (Sherman Oaks, Calif.), and No. 22 Harvard-Westlake (North Hollywood, Calif.) will all be vying in the Mission League Tournament. One of the teams will emerge victorious in the tournament on February 2 and secure a top-two seed in the CIFSS open playoffs.

Either Notre Dame or Harvard-Westlake is destined to suffer a defeat in the semifinals, and that team will subsequently slide down the rankings. However, this decline will not occur until next week as these teams are currently being acknowledged for competing in challenging conferences.

For example, Notre Dame incurred losses to Sierra Canyon and Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas, Nev.) in the preceding week, but only dropped one spot in the state rankings and nine in the FAB 50.

The Trinity League, primarily composed of parochial schools in Orange County, might also witness the participation of three teams in the CIFSS open playoffs.

No. 25 Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.) now has a split with unranked JSerra (San Juan Capistrano, Calif.) following the Monarch’s loss in the return match last week, with a score of 68-62, even though JSerra coach Keith Wilkinson was still serving a six-game suspension for protesting the officiating in the initial round of league play by tossing his shoes.

JSerra has suffered losses against No. 33 St. John Bosco (Bellflower, Calif.) twice, but also secured a victory in double overtime against No. 26 Roosevelt (Eastvale, Calif.).

The most favorable scenario for St. Pius X would entail securing the Del Rey League title with an undefeated record, witnessing unranked Centennial (Corona, Calif.) secure a second victory over Roosevelt in the Big VIII League title game, and observing JSerra succumb to an unranked team in the Trinity League.

The demanding league schedules will inevitably create shifts in the FAB 50 rankings next week, as the Mission League teams will no longer occupy the top three spots in California. We are already aware of certain results from Monday that will also impact the next week’s FAB 50.

In a Border Battle, bubble club Bartlett (Bartlett, Tenn.) defeated No. 18 Huntsville (Huntsville, Ala.) with a score of 58-53. Prior to this encounter, Huntsville had only suffered defeat at the hands of No. 1 Montverde Academy, which secured victory at its own Montverde Academy Invitational Tournament (MAIT) with a 78-72 win over No. 3 Prolific Prep (Napa, Calif.).

This marked the second win of the season for the Eagles over The Crew. In additional Monday fixtures, St. John’s (Washington, D.C.) triumphed over No. 30 Bishop O’Connell (Arlington, Va.) in a match that was a rescheduled game from the Capitol Hoops Challenge on January 20, which contributes to the Washington Catholic Athletic Conference (WCAC) standings.

Recently Updated FAB 50 National Team Rankings Powered by Ballislife.com

(6th poll of 2023-24 regular season; As of games played on Sunday, January 28; *Denotes forfeit wins, forfeit losses not included; **Denotes forfeits and defaults not included)

No.	Prev.	High School (City)	Record
1	1	Montverde Academy (Montverde, Fla.)	22-0
2	2	Columbus (Miami, Fla.)	19-4
3	3	Prolific Prep (Napa, Calif.)	23-4
4	4	Paul VI (Chantilly, Va.)	18-2
5	5	Link Academy (Branson, Mo.)	17-4
6	6	Long Island Lutheran (Glen Head, N.Y.)	12-3
7	7	Plano East (Plano, Texas)	28-0
8	10	Stony Point (Round Rock, Texas)	27-1
9	9	Lawrence North (Indianapolis, Ind.)	17-0
10	13	Myers Park (Charlotte, N.C.)	17-2
11	12	Patrick School (Elizabeth, N.J.)	23-0
12	14	St. Rose (Belmar, N.J.)	18-1
13	19	Central Cabarrus (Concord, N.C.)	19-0
14	15	AZ Compass Prep (Chandler, Ariz.)	18-5
15	18	Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth, Calif.)	24-1
16	16	Archbishop Stepinac (White Plains, N.Y.)	14-3
17	17	Don Bosco Prep (Ramsey, N.J.)	16-3
18	25	Huntsville (Huntsville (Ala.)	26-1
19	26	Combine Academy (Lincolnton, N.C.)	19-2
20	11	Notre Dame (Sherman Oaks, Calif.)	24-2
21	21	Gonzaga (Washington, D.C.)	18-3
22	23	Harvard-Westlake (North Hollywood, Calif.)	23-3
23	33	Roman Catholic (Philadelphia, Pa.)	17-1
24	27	McEachern (Powder Springs, Ga.)	17-5
25	20	Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.)	24-2
26	28	Roosevelt (Eastvale, Calif.)	25-2
27	48	Wisconsin Lutheran (Milwaukee, Wis.)	16-0
28	NR	Westfield (Westfield, Ind.)	14-1
29	50	De Pere (De Pere, Wis.)	15-1
30	29	Bishop O’Connell (Arlington, Va.)	15-4
31	30	Great Crossing (Georgetown, Ky.)	22-1
32	31	Oak Ridge (Orlando, Fla.)	21-3
33	32	St. John Bosco (Bellflower, Calif.)	22-4
34	34	Salesian (Richmond, Calif.)	23-1
35	35	Edmond North (Edmond, Okla.)	12-2
36	36	North Mecklenburg (Huntersville, N.C.)	15-3
37	37	Ridge View (Columbia, S.C.)	19-1
38	38	Millennium (Goodyear, Ariz.)	17-4
39	39	Grayson (Loganville, Ga.)	19-2
40	40	Kell (Marietta, Ga.)	18-3
41	41	Jackson-Reed (Washington, D.C.)	23-2
42	42	Bullis (Potomac, Md.)	17-2
43	43	Wasatch Academy (Mt. Pleasant, Utah)	12-3
44	44	La Lumiere (La Porte, Ind.)	14-3
45	45	IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.)	11-7
46	46	Sidwell Friends (Washington, D.C.)	15-4
47	24	Neumann-Goretti (Philadelphia, Pa.)	16-1
48	8	Fishers (Fishers, Ind.)	16-1
49	49	Homewood Flossmor (Flossmor, Ill.)	21-2
50	NR	Alta (Sandy, Utah)	18-1

Dropped Out: Formerly Ranked 22 Wayzata (Plymouth, Minn.), 47 Curie (Chicago, Ill.).

Bubble Teams: Alexander (Douglasville, Ga.) 19-2; Allen (Allen, Texas) 26-4; Atascocita (Humble, Texas) 29-2**; Bartlett (Bartlett, Tenn.) 20-2; Bellevue West (Bellevue, Neb.) 15-1; Benet Academy (Lisle, Ill.) 19-3; Blue Valley Northwest (Overland Park, Kan.) 12-1; Brennan(San Antonio, Texas) 23-4; Brewster Academy (Wolfeboro, N.H.) 17-5; Christ the King (Middle Village, N.Y.) 16-2; Cordova (Cordova, Tenn.) 20-1; Curie (Chicago, Ill.) 22-2; De Paul Prep (Chicago, Ill.) 21-2; East Lansing (East Lansing, Mich.) 13-1; Fort Bend Clements (Sugar Land, Texas) 25-0; Garfield Heights (Garfield Heights, Ohio) 17-0; Imhotep Charter (Philadelphia, Pa.) 14-3; John Marshall (Richmond, Va.) 15-3; Lake Taylor (Norfolk, Va.) 16-0; Lexington (Lexington, S.C.) 20-2; Lexington Catholic (Lexington, Ky.) 20-2; Liberty (Henderson, Nev.) 15-1; Lincoln (Warren, Mich.) 12-2; Lyon County (Eddyville, Ky.) 20-2; Madison Prep (Baton Rouge, La.) 19-2; Millard North (Omaha, Neb.) 14-2; Muskegon (Muskegon, Mich.) 9-0; Newport (Newport, Ky.) 21-3; North Crowley (Ft. Worth, Texas) 25-3; Northwest (Shawnee Mission, Kan.) 12-0; Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.) 16-3; Oak Park (Kansas City, Mo.) 16-1; Olentangy Orange (Lewis Center, Ohio) 16-0; Owasso (Owasso, Okla.) 15-2; Park Center (Brooklyn Park, Minn.) 18-1; Pascagoula (Pascagoula, Miss.) 23-1; Pewaukee (Pewaukee, Wis.) 13-2; Reidsville (Reidsville, N.C.) 15-0; Roosevelt (Portland, Ore.) 13-1; Southern Guilford (Greensboro, N.C.) 17-1; St. Ignatius (Cleveland, Ohio) 14-3; St. Joseph (Santa Maria, Calif.) 21-2; St. Mary’s (St. Louis, Mo.) 21-1; St. Mary Prep (Orchard Lake, Mich.) 12-1; St. Peter’s Prep (Jersey City, N.J.) 16-1; St. Raymond’s (Bronx, N.Y.) 15-3; Thornton (Harvey, Ill.) 20-3; Totino-Grace (Fridley, Minn.) 14-3; Volcano Vista (Albuquerque, N.M.) 19-1; Waubonsie Valley (Aurora, Ill.) 22-0; Wayzata (Plymouth, Minn.) 15-1; Winter Haven (Winter Haven, Fla.) 20-1.

Observation: The FAB 50 powered by Ballislife.com is a continuation of the National Sports News Service ratings that began in 1952. These were the first national high school rankings and the late Art Johlfs of Minnesota compiled them. They were compiled for many years by the late Barry Sollenberger of Phoenix, who merged them into the FAB 50 24 years ago.

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High School Sports
Section 7: Millennium & Owyhee Make History
For the first time in the five-year history of the Section 7 Team Camp, an Arizona club won one of the top two divisions, as Millennium (Goodyear, Ariz.) went 4-0 during the prestigious June Scholastic Live Period event. Owyhee (Meridian, Idaho) also makes history capturing a team championship at the 2024 edition of the event held over the weekend at State Farm Arena in Glendale, Ariz.
The Section 7 Team Camp is a staple on the NCAA’s June Scholastic Live Period calendar and sets the bar for how June live period events should be executed. When it comes to setting the bar for individual play, Cameron Boozer of Columbus (Miami, Fla.) set the bar extremely high in 2023 when he put on a virtuoso performance in leading his team to a major division title at the event and further cementing his status as one of the most productive high school players to come down the pike in recent memory.
The 2024 edition of the must stop June event for college coaches, national scouts and high school teams in the West Region was a more wide open affair without a dominant top five type player leading a prohibitive favorite. With 160 teams from 12 states and well over 500 prospects who could garner some NCAA or NAIA interest at State Farm Stadium for the event put on by the Arizona Basketball Coaches Association, somebody was bound to step up and lead his team and help his recruiting stock in the process.
The player who foot the bill in those areas was 6-foot-7 2025 (rising senior) Kingston Tosi of Millennium (Goodyear, Ariz.), who turned in a spectacular performance in leading the Tigers to a 69-58 victory over Archbishop Riordan (San Francisco, Calif.) in the title game of the Legacy Foundation Bracket. Tosi, who helped the Tigers reach the 2024 Arizona Interscholastic Association (AIA) open division title game, netted 31 points on 12-of-15 shooting from the field against a talented Riordan team. The talented scoring wing who excels with a variety of mid-range shots in Millennium’s offense, had 19 points at halftime as the Tigers held a 42-31 lead.
Riordan cut its deficit to six points (56-50) when Tosi went to the bench with foul trouble, but Millennium quickly re-gained its form when he re-entered the game. Riordan, which defeated Redondo Union (Redondo Beach, Calif.) in its semifinal contest, 69-57, and defeated Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth, Calif.), 68-52, earlier in its Saturday quarterfinal game, started hunting jump shots down the stretch to get back in the game and they didn’t fall, as Millennium maintained their lead.
Jasir Rencher, a 6-foot-6 2025 wing with a mature game who helped his stock immensely at this event, led three Riordan players in double figures with 16 points. Riordan finished the game 1-of-15 from 3-point range, while Millennium went through its offense and got its main players good looks from the field.
“We work on our offense alot and work to get each other open,” said Tosi, who averaged 26.8 ppg and was credited with 12 blocks in four Section 7 games. Not only did Tosi average 26.8 ppg, he might have been the most efficient offensive player in the event in terms of taking quality shots.
“With shooters like Cam (Holmes) and Quincy (Everson), it opens up looks for me and with the guys giving me confidence, it feels like no one can guard me. We’ll see if my phone blows up (with schools calling me.)”
Tosi definitely will see an uptick in his recruitment after his Section 7 performance and for his teammate Cameron Holmes, the 6-foot-6 2026 (rising junior) who was an underclass All-American for a 25-6 club in 2023-24, this event solidified his status as one of the best 2026 wing prospects in the national junior class. He finished the title game with 22 points, including 2-of-3 3-pointers, and shined in high profile matchups earlier in the event.
Holmes finished with 28 points, 10 rebounds and five assists in a 75-65 quarterfinal victory over Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.) and its highly-regarded 2026 wing Brannon Martinsen. In the semifinals, the Tigers downed Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas, Nev.), a program that won major Section 7 division titles in both 2019 and 2022, 83-57, as Tosi made 7-of-12 field goals and 8-of-10 free throws en route to 23 points. Holmes and 6-foot-1 2025 Quincy Everson, finished with 18 and 15 points, respectively. Tosi got Millennium’s successful weekend off on the right foot on Friday when he made 15-of-21 shots from the field in a 38-point performance, as the Tigers downed St. Joseph (Santa Maria, Calif.), 84-79, in their first round matchup. Holmes finished with 18 points, eight rebounds, four assists, four blocks and four steals in his showdown with probable 2025 McDonald’s All-American Tounde Yessoufou
With its 4-0 mark, Millennium became the first AIA club to capture a Section 7 championship in one of the two major divisions. Before this year, those divisions have been dominated by Bishop Gorman and Southern Section powers from the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF).
Millennium being the first AIA program to be in the Section 7 spotlight is a fact Holmes did not sell short.
“Oh my God, to go 4-0 it means alot,” said Holmes. “It means alot to have Section 7 here in this stadium, with all the college coaches and everything that is going on.”
Millennium was not the only school to break through and earn a major Section 7 title. Owyhee (Meridian, Idaho) used terrific teamwork and outside shooting to capture the Legacy Foundation Bracket with a 83-64 victory over Oak Ridge (Orlando, Fla.). The visitors from Florida were the same program that lost to Columbus (Miami, Fla.) in the 2024 FHSAA Class 7A state title game and were impressive in making it to Sunday’s title game versus a school that has only been open for four years.
The talent-laden Oak Ridge club carried only seven players, but impressed in its 75-71 semifinal victory over Harvard-Westlake (North Hollywood, Calif.), the defending CIF open champs and a team that lost to Columbus in the 2023 Section 7 top division title game. Perhaps the Pioneers were a bit weary playing their fourth game in three days with a limited bench, but Owyhee being a veteran, cohesive and talent-laden cub in its own right was probably the biggest factor in the outcome.
The Legacy Foundation title tilt went back-and-fourth early and the team from Southwest Idaho that has been around a shorter period of time that Section 7 itself took a 38-33 halftime lead. Eventually, its crisp passing that led to open 3-pointers and bullish shots around the paint from 6-foot-7 2025 power forward Jackson Rasmussen led to Owyhee taking control of the game in the second half.
Owyhee took a 44-33 lead on a conventional 3-point play by the Idaho-bound Rasmussen and never looked back from there. Rasmussen, who covers ground with the ball, has good defensive instincts and broad shoulders and can finish over both of them, had more than one conventional 3-point play and Owyhee was able to get to the spots around the key that is usually the prime real estate for success. Rasmussen finished with 24 points, six rebounds, three assists, two blocks and two steals for the Storm.
While Rasmussen already has made a verbal commit to Idaho and is a terrific pick-up for the Vandals, Owyhee coach Andy Herrington is a bit perplexed (to put it mildly) 6-foot-3 2025 combo guard Boden Howell is not receiving more college interest. Herrington coins Howell a legitimate D1 basketball player and based on his performance in Arizona we whole-heartedly agree. He reports an offer from Portland, but his recruitment should pick up tremendously after Section 7 weekend.
Howell, whose confidence permeates in all his movements on the floor and excels on corner 3-pointers and pull-ups, finished with 21 points, including 3-of-7 from 3-point range, and chipped in three assists versus Oak Ridge. Owyhee also got a big game from Logan Haustveit, a 5-foot-10 2026 guard who also excels on the gridiron. Haustveit, a terrific southpaw shooter, netted 18 points, including 4-of-9 3-pointers.
As a team, Owyhee made 11-of-27 from 3-point range, while Oak Ridge only connected on 2-of-11. This was Owyhee’s fourth trip to Section 7 and to get the opportunity to win a championship in a top division was meaningful for its players and program. Incredibly, Owyhee traveled to Arizona for the first time for the event before the school even opened in the fall of 2021.
“We play terrific team defense,” Howell said. “We definitely came here to let people know Owyhee can play some basketball and to prove we can play with anybody.”
Oak Ridge was led by Providence-bound 6-foot-5 win Jamier Jones with 19 points. Speaking of Grid-Hoopers, C.J. Ingram, a 6-foot-5 2025 specimen who plays quarterback and will likely play another skill position at any college of his choice, might be the nation’s best. He showed at the recent Pangos All-American Camp and at Section 7 he could be a major contributor at a P5 school in hoops if he chose to. He was the most explosive athlete around the rim at this event, even hurdling an opponent for a dunk in its 60-55 quarterfinal win over Damien (La Verne, Calif.). Ingram, who led Hawthorne (Fla.) to state titles in both sports as a junior, finished with 13 points and eight rebounds for Oak Ridge.
Ingram had 12 points, five rebound and three steals versus Damien, while contributing 13 points, six rebounds and three assists in the semifinal win over Harvard-Westlake. Jones and 6-foot 2025 guard Jalen Reece, the son of Oak Ridge head coach Steve Reece, each scored 18 points against Harvard-Westlake.
Owyhee defeated Salesian (Richmond, Calif.), 58-48, in its semifinal contest as Howell led the way with 26 points. That result set up a third place game in the Legacy Foundation bracket that was a rematch of the 2024 CIF open division state title game in California. Some of the cast of characters were different, but it was still a meaningful “rematch”. Havard-Westlake had a 57-51 lead late, but Salesian’s Isaiah Davis, a 5-foot-10 2026 point guard, hit a clutch 3-pointer to tie the game with 10 seconds remaining. Harvard-Westlake’s Dominique Bentho, a 6-foot-8 2026 forward known for his work around the basket, then banked in a 14-footer from straightaway just before the buzzer sounded to give the Wolverines a 61-59 victory.
In other Section 7 title games, St. Piux-St. Matthias (Downey, Calif.) defeated Mojave (North Las Vegas, Nev.), 83-74, in the Coco 5 Bracket. In the AZ Family Bracket, St. Anthony (Long Beach, Calif.) downed Clovis North (Clovis, Calif.), 53-51, as 6-foot 2026 guard Jayshawn Kibble nailed a 16-footer from the right wing right before time expired. In the Willeng Construction Bracket, Rolling Hills Prep (San Pedro, Calif.) defeated Campbell Hall (North Hollywood, Calif.), 67-50. In the Mayo Clinic Bracket, Crespi (Encino, Calif.) defeated Canyon (Anaheim, Calif.), 65-56.
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High School Sports
NBPA Top 100: Teamwork Makes Dream Work!
The 30th annual NBPA Top 100 Camp closed out on Wednesday and a talented and unselfish Houston Rockets team closed out the four-day camp 9-0 after beating a talented New York Knicks team twice, including in the championship game. Camp is loaded with big men and 6-foot-10 Chris Cenac of Newman (New Orleans, La.) is named MVP among 110 campers.
The purpose of the NBPA Top 100 Camp is to help in the development of the world’s elite high school-aged basketball players and give them a taste of what it is like to play in the NBA. The NBA is an exclusive group (there has been less than 5,000 NBA players all-time since the league’s inception) and this exclusive camp, held annual at the Disney Wide World of Sports Complex in Orlando, Fla., has featured some of the biggest names in basketball over the past 30 years, from the likes of Kevin Durant, Anthony Edwards, Jaylen Brunson, Kyrie Irving and James Harden, plus a plethora of other future pros.
There is no doubt plenty from the 2024 crop of 110 campers will one day play in the NBA, but for now it was all about competing, learning and getting better, not to mention performing well in front of scouting representatives of every NBA team and hundreds of college coaches.
There was roughly 11 players on each of the camp’s 10 teams coached by current or just retired NBA players going through a coaching mentorship program put on by the NBPA. The four-day camp was also one of attrition, as the participants play NBA regulation length games with NBA rules and on the last two days of the camp, each team played three games in a seven-hour period.
When the dust settled, the Houston Rockets team used balance and teamwork to post a 9-0 record, the last one a 120-119 championship game victory over a New York Knicks team that came into the contest 6-2. It was actually the Rockets’ second victory over the Knicks, as they beat that team to start off the camp’s final day, 106-101, in a competitive game. Even though the Rockets were no stranger to the attrition themselves, they did a good job of taking quality shots, hitting their free throws in seven of nine games, and making timely 3-pointers, particularly by 6-foot-5 2025 (rising senior) point guard Brayden Burries of Roosevelt (Eastvale, Calif.) and 6-foot-8 2025 wing Shon Abaev of Calvary Christian Academy (Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.).
The Rockets played the first contest versus the Knicks without Burries, who was arguably the top guard in attendance with his strong frame, powerful drives, timely passing, clutch shot-making and presence. Rockets coach Terrance Mann of the L.A. Clippers had others step up in his absence, as five players scored in double figures with two more on the 10-man roster going for nine points. Mike Williams, a 6-foot-1 2025 guard from Jackson Academy (Miss.) and the son of former NBA guard and Jackson State coach Mo Williams, particularly stepped up with 16 points, including 2-of-5 3-pointers and 6-of-6 free throws, to go along with six rebounds and four assists. Williams’ rebounding from the guard position, his instincts on defense and change of pace on offense was a huge lift for Mann all week at camp.
Seven-foot-1 2025 center Malachi Moreno of Great Crossing (Georgetown, Ky.) matched up with all-star selection, 7-foot 2025 Eric Reibe of Bullis School (Washington, D.C.), and came up with a double-double of 16 points and 12 rebounds. The left-handed Reibe was the most effective player on the court with 25 points, including 3-of-6 3-pointers, and added six rebounds and two assists. Reibe has a terrific feel and plays a style similar to former Kansas great Raef LaFrentz but with more shooting range and more ground covering. Six-foot-8, 250-pound 2025 Zymicah Wilkins of Christ School (Arden, N.C.) had a great impact in both games versus the Rockets with his power game, motor and relentlessness in crunch time. Wilkins finished the first contest with 17 points.
Burries returned for the eighth game, one in which Houston jumped out to a 29-10 lead over the Indian Pacers and never looked back in a 106-96 victory. He finished with 17 points, five rebounds and five assists. Moreno led seven in double figures with 19 points and eight rebounds. The center made all five of his free throws, but the rest of the Rockets were 8-of-18 in that second to last game.
After shooting so well from the charity stripe in its first seven games, that performance was an omen for the final game, as weary free throw legs and the never-say-die attitude of the Knicks kept them in the championship contest in the second half after trialing by as many as 19 points early. The Rockets were without Elijah Williams, a 6-foot-6 2026 (rising junior) wing out of Brother Rice (Bloomfield Hills, Mich.) and the son of Detroit Pistons head coach Monty Williams, for the final two games and without Mike Williams in the championship rematch, but gutted out the one-point victory after building a 64-50 halftime lead by coming up with a defensive stop after Burries missed a free throw (worth two points) with under five seconds remaining in the game.
Reibe hurt the Rockets, in the first contest, but was neutralized more in the rematch, finishing with 14 points and five rebounds while not attempting a shot from 3-point range. Moreno matched him with 11 points and 10 rebounds, as he finished the camp with three triple doubles while missing another by just one rebound. Moreno is a team-oriented player with a great pace and understanding of the game and once he gets into his offensive move and makes his decisions on the block quicker, he’s going to be an excellent college player. While Reibe was kept in check, the Rockets simply had no answer for Wilkins in the rematch, as he kept his team in it with relentless offensive rebounding, tough shot making on the move and even hit a key 3-pointer while the Knicks were making their second half run. He finished with 29 points and 14 rebounds and impressed college coaches and the NBPA Top 100 selection committee with his inspired play.
Burries finished the title game with 24 points, including 4-of-6 3-pointers, despite missing six of 10 free throws. As a team, the fatigued Rockets made 14-of-32 free throws, but dug deep to make 10-of-20 3-pointers. The leading scorer for the victors was 6-foot-1 2025 point guard Acaden Lewis of Sidwell Friends (Washington, D.C.), who made 4-of-7 3-pointers and finished the title game with 25 points, five rebounds and eight assists. Lewis impressed college coaches with his crafty offensive package, ability to finish in either direction and dominate in the half court, particularly in pick-n-roll sets. The Rockets don’t go unbeaten without Lewis’ efforts, particularly his 26-point effort in a 117-112 win over a L.A. Lakers team that might have been the camp’s second most talented one. He made 4-of-9 3-pointers in that contest and was dominant enough to over the final two days to be selected to the camp’s 10-man all-star team.
It’s hard to envision the Rockets going unbeaten without the contributions of 6-foot-9 power 2025 forward Sebastian Williams-Adams of St. John’s (Houston, Texas) as well. In the win over the L.A. Lakers, he had an incredible 11 offensive rebounds in a 18-point, 12-rebound performance and sealed the win a pass interception and close-out dunk. Twice he came up with a defensive play, steal and dunk to seal a win for his team and joined Burries and Lewis as Rockets players on the camp all-star team. Williams-Adams literally didn’t take a bad shot all week and had 20 points on 8-of-14 shooting in the championship game win. Williams-Adams is also a complete defender and for the week shot 61-of-94 (.648) from the field in nine camp games.
Jerry Easter II, a 6-foot-4 2025 shooting guard from La Lumiere who was our top rated performer at the recent Pangos All-American Camp, had 12 points, eight rebounds and four assists for the Rockets in the title game. Easter also contributed key defense and steady ball-handling and didn’t force it much when the shots weren’t dropping. Six-foot-8 2026 forward Sebastian Wilkins also provided quality defense and good finishing around the rim for Mann’s team, 6-foot-10 2025 power forward Trent Steinour of Lake Norman (N.C.) showed potential as a rim-runner and flashes of pop around the rim, while 6-foot-9 2026 center Moustapha Diop of the Walker School (Powder Springs, Ga.) is oozing with potential as a shot blocker and long term impact college player with a bit more seasoning.
“It was a great opportunity to be able to coach these guys that are eventually going to be playing against me in a couple years,” said Mann. “It was dope to see the high level of competition, and I was amazed by their skill and intelligence. These kids are special and the game is getting better and better.”
The camp had talent at all positions, but was dominated by its interior play, as teams made it a point to get its pivots involved in its offensive sets. There was some terrific individual battles, as 46 campers were listed as being 6-foot-8 and taller. When it was completed, 6-foot-10 2025 Chris Cenac of Newman (New Orleans, La.) was named NBPA Top 100 Camp Most Valuable Player. Cenac’s combination of fluidity, versatility, size and length made him stand out from a group of highly-regarded campers.
Cenac led the camp in rebounds (11.4) and finished third in blocks (1.6). All-star selection Meleek Thomas of Lincoln Park (Midland, Pa.), the recent Pangos All-American Camp MOP, was third in scoring (22.6) and first in assists (7.3). After winning two state title in Pennsylvania, Thomas recently accounted he’ll be spending his senior campaign with Overtime Elite.
The scoring leaders in front of Thomas were 6-foot-5 wing Tounde Yessoufou of St. Joseph (Santa Maria, Calif.) at 23.1 and 6-foot-4 2025 wing Kiyon Anthony of Long Island Lutheran (Glen Head, N.Y.) at 28.5. Anthony is the son of future NBA Hall of Famer Carmelo Anthony.
NBPA Top 100 Camp Top 5 Stock Risers
Phillip Davis Fogle, AZ Compass Prep (Chandler, Ariz.) 6-8 SF 2025
Acaden Lewis, Sidwell Friends (Washington, D.C.) 6-1 PG 2025
Deron Rippey Jr., Blair Academy (Blairstown, N.J.) 6-1 PG 2026
Zymicah Wilkins, Christ School (Arden, N.C.) 6-8 PF 2025
Mike Williams, Jackson Academy (Jackson, Miss.) 6-1 CG 2025
NBPA Top 100 Top 5 Rising Juniors
Tajh Ariza, Westchester (Los Angeles, Calif.) 6-8 SF 2026
Aliou Dioum, Accelerated Schools (Denver, Col.) 6-10 C 2026
Caleb Holt, Buckhorn (New Market, Ala.) 6-4 PG 2026
Jordan Smith, Paul VI (Chantilly, Va.) 6-3 SG 2026
Qayden Samuels, Bishop McNamara (Forestville, Md.) 6-6 SF 2026
2024 NBPA Top 100 Camp All-Star Team
MVP: Chris Cenac, Newman (New Orleans, La.) 6-10 PF 2025
Darius Adams, La Lumiere (La Porte, Ind.) 6-4 SG 2025
Kiyon Anthony, Long Island Lutheran (Glen Head, N.Y.) 6-4 SG 2025
Brayden Burries, Roosevelt (Eastvale, Calif.) 6-5 PG 2025
Oswin Erhunmwunse, Putnam Science Academy (Putnam, Conn.) 6-10 C 2025
Acaden Lewis, Sidwell Friends (Washington, D.C.) 6-1 PG 2025
Eric Reibe, Bullis School (Washington, D.C.) 7-0 C 2025
Qayden Samuels, Bishop McNamara (Forestville, Md.) 6-6 SF 2026
Meleek Thomas, Lincoln Park (Midland, Pa.) 6-4 SG 2025*
Sebastian Williams-Adams, St. John’s (Houston, Texas) 6-9 PF 2025
Tounde Yessoufou, St. Joseph (Santa Maria, Calif.) 6-5 SG 2025
*Meleek Thomas recently announced he will play at Overtime Elite in Atlanta for his senior season.
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High School Sports
Kiyan Anthony Shines at NBPA Top 100 Camp, Captivating NBA Scouts and Melo!
Kiyan Anthony IMPRESSED NBA Scouts & Melo At NBPA Top100 Camp
Kiyan Anthony is certainly catching attention at the NBPA Top100 Camp, showcasing his skills with a standout performance. In one remarkable outing, he scored an impressive 34 points, leaving a lasting impression on both onlookers and NBA scouts, as well as his father.
As we look forward to more from Kiyan, it’s clear that he is making his mark in the basketball community.
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