Preseason National Prep Basketball Poll - 2013-14

^National Prep Basketball Poll – Preseason=

^By Jamie DeMoney & Dr. Jeremy Plowman=

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     The National Prep Basketball Poll is compiled by Jamie DeMoney of XOS Digital and high school basketball expert Dr. Jeremy Plowman with input from sportswriters, experts, and coaches. The national Top 25 and regional Top 10's follow with last season’s won-loss records:

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#1. Santa Ana, Calif., Mater Dei (34-2), three-time defending state champ

#2. Montverde, Fla., Montverde Academy (26-2), finished No. 1 last year’s Prep Poll

#3. Henderson, Nev., Findlay (35-1), Prep Poll titlist in 2009

#4. Fairfax, Va., Paul VI (23-8), four returning starters including Georgetown-bound jr. F Marcus Derrickson

#5. Huntington, W.Va., Huntington Prep, (30-3), four seniors are Top-100 recruits

#6. Chicago, Whitney Young (27-4), C Jahlil Okafor (uncommitted) a consensus Top 10 sr.

#7. Las Vegas, Bishop Gorman (29-3), led by blue-chip jr. 7-footer Stephen Zimmerman (uncommitted)

#8. Dallas, Prime Prep (37-2), features highly-touted sr. G Emmanuel Mudiay (SMU) 

#9. Mouth of Wilson, Va., Oak Hill (33-6), record seven-time Prep Poll champ

#10. Bellflower, Calif., St. John Bosco (24-7), Top-10 in Prep Poll football rankings, too

#11. Marietta, Ga., Wheeler (21-9), four starters back from state semifinal team 

#12. Overland Park, Kan., Blue Valley Northwest (25-0), defending 6A champ with five returning starters

#13. Louisville, Ky., Ballard (32-5), sr. G Quentin Snider headed to Illinois

#14. Apple Valley, Minn. (31-1), sr. Tyus Jones (uncommitted) nation’s top-rated PG

#15. Arlington, Va., Bishop O’Connell (30-7), sr. Romelo Trimble a Maryland recruit

#16. Jacksonville, Fla., Providence (31-1), sr. G Grayson Allen will play at Duke

#17. Seattle, Rainier Beach (25-4), two-time defending 3A state champ

#18. Germantown, Wis. (28-0), owns 56-game winning streak

#19. Philadelphia, Neumann-Goretti (23-6), led by Miami-bound sr. G Ja’Quan Newton

#20. Brooklyn, Lincoln (26-6), NYC public school champ last year

#21. Plano, Texas, West (19-14), high-impact transfers include jr. F Mickey Mitchell (Ohio St.)

#22. Orlando, Fla., Lake Highland Prep (24-5), led by sr. G Joel Berry (North Carolina)

#23. High Point, N.C., Wesleyan Christian (23-5), defending 3A state private school titlist

#24. Minneapolis, De La Salle (30-1), seeks third straight 3A state crown

#25. Lithonia, Ga., Miller Grove (30-3), gunning for 5^th straight state title

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^Northeast=

#1. Philadelphia, Neumann-Goretti, 23-6

#2. Brooklyn, Lincoln, 26-6

#3. Brooklyn, Bishop Loughlin, 22-8

#4. Metuchen, N.J., St. Joseph, 27-5

#5. Newark, N.J., St. Benedict’s, 31-2

#6. Middle Village, N.Y., Christ the King, 28-3

#7. Roselle, N.J., Roselle Catholic, 25-5

#8. Philadelphia, Roman Catholic, 19-6

#9. Jersey City, N.J., St. Anthony, 28-2

#10. Mount Vernon, N.Y., 19-2

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^East Coast=

#1. Fairfax, Va., Paul VI, 23-8

#2. Huntington, W.Va., Huntington Prep, 30-3

#3. Mouth of Wilson, Va., Oak Hill, 33-6

#4. Arlington, Va., Bishop O’Connell, 30-7

#5. High Point, N.C., Wesleyan Christian, 23-5

#6. Washington, Gonzaga, 27-5

#7. Cornelius, N.C., Hough, 23-6

#8. Washington, St. John’s, 20-9

#9. Oxon Hill, Md., Potomac, 22-4

#10. Gaffney, S.C., 14-10

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^Southeast=

#1. Montverde, Fla., Montverde Academy, 26-2

#2. Marietta, Ga., Wheeler, 21-9

#3. Jacksonville, Fla., Providence, 31-1

#4. Orlando, Fla., Lake Highland Prep, 24-5

#5. Lithonia, Ga., Miller Grove, 30-3

#6. Birmingham, Ala., Wenonah, 34-2

#7. Memphis, Tenn., White Station, 22-6

#8. Miami, Norland, 26-5

#9. Jackson, Miss., Callaway, 27-7

#10. Norcross, Ga., 27-6

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^Midwest=

#1. Chicago, Whitney Young, 27-4

#2. Louisville, Ky., Ballard, 32-5

#3. Germantown, Wis., 28-0

#4. Chicago, Curie, 19-8

#5. Saginaw, Mich., Arthur Hill, 21-4

#6. Columbus, Ohio, Northland, 28-1

#7. La Porte, Ind., La Lumiere, 25-6

#8. Chicago, St. Rita, 19-8

#9. Hindman, Ky., Knott County, 30-6

#10. Indianapolis, Arsenal Tech, 21-5

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^Midlands=

#1. Overland Park, Kan., Blue Valley Northwest, 25-0

#2. Apple Valley, Minn., 31-1

#3. Minneapolis, De La Salle, 30-1

#4. Highland, Utah, Lone Peak, 26-1

#5. Denver, East, 25-3

#6. St. Louis, Chaminade, 19-9

#7. Osseo, Minn., 25-4

#8. Bel Aire, Kan., Sunrise Christian, 29-1

#9. Iowa City, Iowa, West, 26-0

#10. Omaha, Neb., Central, 26-4

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^Southwest=

#1. Henderson, Nev., Findlay, 35-1

#2. Las Vegas, Bishop Gorman, 29-3

#3. Dallas, Prime Prep, 37-2

#4. Plano, Texas, West, 19-14

#5. North Little Rock, Ark., 32-2

#6. Tempe, Ariz., Corona del Sol, 29-5

#7. DeSoto, Texas, 33-3

#8. Richmond, Texas, Bush, 33-6

#9. Phoenix, Pinnacle, 26-7

#10. Dallas, Madison, 32-4

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^West Coast=

#1. Santa Ana, Calif., Mater Dei, 34-2

#2. Bellflower, Calif., St. John Bosco, 24-7

#3. Seattle, Rainier Beach, 25-4

#4. Etiwanda, Calif., 28-3

#5. West Linn, Ore., 23-6

#6. Los Angeles, Westchester, 29-7

#7. Compton, Calif., 20-11

#8. Portland, Ore., Central Catholic, 24-5

#9. Los Angeles, Loyola, 25-8

#10. Mill Creek, Wash., Jackson, 26-1

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     FEATS OF THE WEEK: For the second time in school history, the National Prep Poll’s preseason No. 1 ranking belongs to Santa Ana, Calif., Mater Dei. The Monarchs also began 2002-03 in the top spot before finishing that season ranked No. 2. Gary McKnight – the winningest coach in California history (960-85 in 31 seasons) -- is shooting for an unprecedented fourth consecutive state title -- and 11^th overall -- in California’s largest division. At the forefront for each of the past three championship teams was Stanley Johnson. The highly-rated 6-foot-7 guard/forward is back for his senior season after averaging over 19 points per game last year. His supporting cast includes fellow senior guard/forward Mario Soto; promising 6-10 sophomore center M.J. Cage (son of former NBA player Michael Cage); and junior transfer guard Rex Pflueger, a superb outside shooter who averaged double figures for league rival San Juan Capistrano, Calif., JSerra last season. With several other talent-stacked teams listed just behind them in the rankings, Mater Dei probably must go undefeated through a tough regular and postseason gauntlet to become the first California squad to finish the year No. 1 since Compton, Calif., Dominguez in 2000. The Monarchs’ schedule includes at least three preseason Top 25 teams (No. 6 Chicago, Whitney Young; No. 10 Bellflower, Calif., St. John Bosco; and No. 19 Philadelphia, Neumann-Goretti) and potentially another at the Jerry Tarkanian Classic against host No. 7 Las Vegas, Bishop Gorman. ... Here are the previous preseason No. 1 teams with their final records and rankings for that season: 1987--Bronx, N.Y., Tolentine (30-1) 1st; 1988--Jersey City, N.J., St. Anthony (32-0) 1st; 1989--Chicago, King (30-0) 1st; 1990--Philadelphia, Simon Gratz (27-1) 1st; 1991--Baltimore, Dunbar (29-0) 1st; 1992--Mouth of Wilson, Va., Oak Hill (30-0) 1st; 1993--Los Angeles, Crenshaw (29-2) 2nd; 1994--Frederick, Md., St. John's at Prospect Hall (22-1) 2nd; 1995--Jersey City, N.J., St. Anthony (31-0) 1st; 1996--Miami, Senior (36-1) 2nd; 1997--Frederick, Md., St. John's at Prospect Hall (25-0) 1st; 1998--Hyattsville, Md., DeMatha (28-4) 8th; 1999--Mouth of Wilson, Va., Oak Hill (30-2) 2nd; 2000--Mouth of Wilson, Va., Oak Hill (33-0) 1st; 2001--Los Angeles, Westchester (32-2) 5th; 2002--Santa Ana, Calif., Mater Dei (25-2) 2nd; 2003--Orlando, Fla., Edgewater (30-2) 4th; 2004--Jersey City, N.J., St. Anthony (21-6) not ranked; 2005--Indianapolis, Lawrence North (29-0) 1st; 2006--Mouth of Wilson, Va., Oak Hill (40-1) 1st; 2007--Mouth of Wilson, Va., Oak Hill (34-4) 14th; 2008--Duncanville, Texas (27-10) regionally-ranked; 2009--Henderson, Nev., Findlay (32-2) 3rd; 2010--Alpharetta, Ga., Milton (29-3) 16th; 2011--Flower Mound, Texas, Marcus (39-2) 5th; and 2012--Chicago, Simeon (30-3) 5th.

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Copyright 2013 World Features Syndicate, Inc...endit

About the National Prep Poll: Compiled weekly weekly since 1987 and distributed by World Features Syndicate and the Associated Press, the National Prep Poll is the nation's second oldest weekly high school sports rankings. Doug Huff compiled the rankings from 1987 until 1999. Jamie DeMoney has compiled the poll since the start of the 1999 basketball season to the present.

The National Prep Poll is the only high school poll distributed to newspapers and websites around the United States by the Associated Press national wire service.

Among the criteria used in the weekly compilation of the National Prep Poll rankings are strength of schedule, the ability to accomplish the ultimate goal on a team's schedule (i.e. winning a championship), impact players and performers, a team's coaching and recent tradition.

About PrepNation.com: PrepNation.com was originally launched August 1, 2001 by Jamie DeMoney for the purpose of creating a permanent online home for the National Prep Poll football and boys basketball rankings.