Preseason National Prep Basketball Poll released

WAUKEE, Iowa -- The first National Prep Basketball Poll of the season features a familiar name at the top. Montverde (Fla.) Academy is the preseason No. 1 team. The Eagles have finished in the top spot in each of the last two seasons. They are looking to become the first team in the 28-year history of the Prep Poll to win three consecutive national championships. 

^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. Montverde, Fla., Montverde Academy (28-0), seeks third straight Prep Poll title-x

#2. Oakland, Calif., Bishop O’Dowd (28-5), led by consensus Top 10 prospect sr. F Ivan Rabb

#3. Las Vegas, Bishop Gorman (30-3), has three starters 6-11 or taller-x

#4. Santa Ana, Calif., Mater Dei (35-0), four-time defending state titlist

#5. Lincolnshire, Ill., Stevenson (32-2), returns four starters from state third-place team

#6. Henderson, Nev., Findlay (31-5), six alums drafted by NBA since 2010

#7. La Porte, Ind., La Lumiere (23-3), standout jr. 7-foot Isaac Humphries an Australia native

#8. Mouth of Wilson, Va., Oak Hill (41-4), only seven-time Prep Poll champ

#9. Marietta, Ga., Wheeler (24-9), returns 6A state player of the year sr. F Jaylen Brown    

#10. Huntington, W.Va., Huntington St. Joseph Prep (28-5), first overall 2014 NBA draft pick Andrew Wiggins played here

#11. Roselle, N.J., Roselle Catholic (21-10), big things expected from 6-9 fr. F Nazreon Reid

#12. Centereach, N.Y., Our Savior New American (28-3), sr. G Damon Wilson a Pittsburgh commit

#13. Houston, North Shore (35-3), defending 5A state champ

#14. Corona, Calif., Centennial (29-4), SMU-bound sr. G Sedrick Barefield runs the point

#15. Seattle, Rainier Beach (29-1), seeks fourth 3A state title in a row

#16. North Little Rock, Ark. (26-2), features Florida-committed sr. G KeVaughn Allen

#17. Muskegon, Mich. (28-0), 6-9 sr. Deyonta Davis headed to Michigan St.

#18. Radnor, Pa., Archbishop Carroll (23-5), favored to win tough Philadelphia Catholic League

#19. Virginia Beach, Va., Cape Henry Collegiate (26-1), sr. F Chris Clarke headed to Virginia Tech

#20. Lakewood, Ohio, St. Edward (26-2), reigning Division I state champ

#21. Newark, N.J., St. Benedict’s (23-8), G Trevon Duval one of nation’s top-rated sophs

#22. Fairfax, Va., Paul VI (31-6), three postseason titles last season

#23. Chicago, Simeon (24-5), three Big Ten-committed seniors-xx

#24. Alpharetta, Ga., St. Francis (24-7), four starters back from Class A-Private state championship

#25. Jackson, Miss., Callaway (31-1), favored to collect fourth straight 5A state crown

x-Record includes one win by forfeit

xx-Record includes two wins by forfeit

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^Northeast=

#1. Roselle, N.J., Roselle Catholic, 21-10

#2. Centereach, N.Y., Our Savior New American, 28-3

#3. Radnor, Pa., Archbishop Carroll, 23-5

#4. Newark, N.J., St. Benedict’s, 23-8,

#5. Brookville, N.Y., Long Island Lutheran, 22-5

#6. Middle Village, N.Y., Christ the King, 25-6

#7. Philadelphia, Constitution, 28-5

#8. Bayside, N.Y., Cardozo, 30-3

#9. Philadelphia, Roman Catholic, 22-5

#10. Paterson, N.J., Eastside, 27-2

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^East Coast=

#1. Mouth of Wilson, Va., Oak Hill, 41-4

#2. Huntington, W.Va., Huntington St. Joseph Prep, 28-5

#3. Virginia Beach, Va., Cape Henry Collegiate, 26-1

#4. Fairfax, Va., Paul VI, 31-6

#5. Mooresville, N.C., Lake Norman, 28-2

#6. Mount Pleasant, S.C., Wando, 25-4

#7. Washington, Gonzaga, 12-17

#8. Hyattsville, Md., DeMatha, 29-6

#9. High Point, N.C., Wesleyan Christian, 29-5

#10. Bel Air, Md., John Carroll, 25-15

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^Southeast=

#1. Montverde, Fla., Montverde Academy, 28-0-x

#2. Marietta, Ga., Wheeler, 24-9

#3. Alpharetta, Ga., St. Francis, 24-7

#4. Jackson, Miss., Callaway, 31-1

#5. Memphis, Tenn., Hamilton, 27-7

#6. Jacksonville, Fla., Arlington Country Day, 30-5-x

#7. Reserve, La., Riverside Academy, 34-3

#8. Jacksonville, Fla., Providence, 28-5

#9. Orlando, Fla., Oak Ridge, 19-9

#10. Weston, Fla., Sagemont, 33-1

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^Midwest=

#1. Lincolnshire, Ill., Stevenson, 32-2

#2. La Porte, Ind., La Lumiere, 23-3

#3. Muskegon, Mich., 28-0

#4. Lakewood, Ohio, St. Edward, 26-2

#5. Chicago, Simeon, 24-5-xx

#6. Louisville, Ky., Trinity, 31-6

#7. Chicago, St. Rita, 21-8

#8. Cleveland, Villa Angela-St. Joseph, 22-8

#9. Neenah, Wis., 26-2

#10. Huber Heights, Ohio, Wayne, 21-5

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^Midlands=

#1. Aurora, Colo., Overland, 20-7

#2. St. Louis, Chaminade, 24-3

#3. St. Paul, Minn., Cretin-Derham Hall, 24-8

#4. Wichita, Kan., East, 22-3

#5. Apple Valley, Minn., 27-2

#6. Highland, Utah, Lone Peak, 22-3

#7. Dubuque, Iowa, Wahlert, 23-4

#8. Bellevue, Neb., West, 22-6

#9. Aurora, Colo., Regis, 20-4

#10. Bountiful, Utah, 26-1

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^Southwest=

#1. Las Vegas, Bishop Gorman, 30-3-x

#2. Henderson, Nev., Findlay, 31-5

#3. Houston, North Shore, 35-3

#4. North Little Rock, Ark., 26-2

#5. Plano, Texas, West, 23-7

#6. Tempe, Ariz., Corona del Sol, 33-1

#7. Oklahoma City, Putnam City West, 26-3

#8. Lancaster, Texas, 31-5

#9. DeSoto, Texas, 31-4

#10. Jonesboro, Ark., 30-3

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^West Coast=

#1. Oakland, Calif., Bishop O’Dowd, 28-5

#2. Santa Ana, Calif., Mater Dei, 35-0

#3. Corona, Calif., Centennial, 29-4

#4. Seattle, Rainier Beach, 29-1

#5. Chatsworth, Calif., Sierra Canyon, 29-4

#6. West Linn, Ore., 24-4

#7. Chino Hills., Calif., 29-6

#8. Bellevue, Wash., 24-5

#9. Sammamish, Wash., Eastside Catholic, 23-6

#10. Etiwanda, Calif., 27-5

x-Record includes one win by forfeit

xx-Record includes two wins by forfeit

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     FEATS OF THE WEEK: If the 2014-15 season holds to form, Montverde, Fla., Montverde Academy could become the first school in history to win three consecutive National Prep Poll titles. The preseason No. 1 Eagles feature five highly-rated seniors who are committed to Division I colleges. The most notable returning player is LSU-committed senior forward Ben Simmons. The 6-foot-8 native of Australia averaged nearly 19 points and 10 rebounds per game while leading his team to 15 wins against ranked teams last season. He is the top-rated Class of 2015 prospect nationally according to most recruiting services. Overall, Montverde’s rotation will include five players who are 6-7 or taller including two 7-footers. The group includes 6-8 Florida recruit Noah Dickerson and 7-0 Wake Forest pledge Doral Moore. Junior Howard Washington, a 6-2 Canadian, is expected to be the Eagles’ top backcourt player. The Eagles will have to prove their mettle against a brutal national schedule that includes the loaded City of Palms Classic in Fort Myers, Fla., plus six non-tournament games against teams that are preseason ranked. They will host preseason No. 2 Oakland, Calif., Bishop O’Dowd on Dec. 12. Montverde is coached by Kevin Boyle, who has a 76-6 record in three seasons at the school. He has coached 10 consecutive teams that finished in the final Top 25 of the Prep Poll, including his final seven seasons at Elizabeth, N.J., St. Patrick. 

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

2012--Chicago, Simeon (30-3) 5th

2013--Santa Ana, Calif., Mater Dei (35-0) 2nd.

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Copyright 2014 World Features Syndicate, Inc...endit

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.

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.

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

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.