Final PrepNation National Prep Basketball Poll

WAUKEE, Iowa -- Nathan Hale (Seattle) capped one of the best rags-to-riches seasons in high school sports history with the No. 1 ranking in the final PrepNation National Prep Basketball Poll.

A year after going just 3-18, the top-ranked Raiders won their first 3A state championship and went 29-0 with out-of-state wins over then-No. 1 Sierra Canyon (Calif.) and No. 9 Oak Hill Academy (Va.) along the way. 

The key to the remarkable turnaround was the incoming transfer of five-star senior forward Michael Porter Jr. (a Missouri commit) and arrival of head coach Brandon Roy.

Porter Jr. averaged over 36 points, 14 rebounds and five assists this season and was named MVP of last week’s McDonald’s All-American Game.

Roy, a former All-American at the University of Washington and first-round NBA draft pick, attracted Porter Jr. and a handful of other high-profile players to play at Nathan Hale.

Nathan Hale is the first team from Washington to ever finish No. 1 in the National Prep Poll in either basketball or football. Nathan Hale is the second consecutive public school to win the Prep Poll title but only the 12^th overall in the 30-year history of the rankings.

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

NATIONAL TOP 25

1. Nathan Hale HS (Seattle), 29-0

2. Bishop Montgomery HS (Torrance, Calif.), 31-2

3. La Lumiere School (La Porte, Ind.), 29-1

4. Memphis East HS (Tenn.), 35-3

5. Montverde Academy (Fla.), 26-5

6. Findlay Prep (Henderson, Nev.), 34-4

7. IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.), 26-2

8. Chino Hills HS (Calif.), 30-3

9. Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.), 39-5

10. Mater Dei HS (Santa Ana, Calif.), 33-3

11. Imhotep Charter (Philadelphia), 31-2-x

12. Jonesboro HS (Ark.), 32-0

13. Greensboro Day School (N.C.), 34-4

14. Patrick School (Elizabeth, N.J.), 29-4

15. Cypress Falls HS (Houston), 35-3

16. Shadow Mountain HS (Phoenix), 27-1

17. Webster Groves HS (Mo.), 29-2

18. Apple Valley HS (Minn.), 30-2

19. Prolific Prep (Napa, Calif.), 29-2

20. Westtown School (West Chester, Pa.), 33-2

21. Gonzaga HS (Washington), 32-5

22. Lincoln HS (Brooklyn), 31-3

23. Brentwood Academy (Tenn.), 30-2

24. Tift County HS (Tifton, Ga.), 29-2

25. Jackson HS (Massillon, Ohio), 27-2

x-Includes one loss by forfeit for using an ineligible player

NORTHEAST

1. Imhotep Charter HS (Philadelphia), 31-2-x

2. Patrick School (Elizabeth, N.J), 29-4

3. Westtown School (West Chester, Pa.), 33-2

4. Lincoln HS (Brooklyn), 31-3

5. St. Benedict’s Prep (Newark, N.J.), 29-4

6. Don Bosco Prep (Ramsey, N.J.), 30-2

7. Cambridge, Rindge and Latin School (Cambridge, Mass.), 24-0

8. Long Island Lutheran HS (Brookville, N.Y.), 23-4

9. Linden HS (N.J.), 26-5

10. Hudson Catholic HS (Jersey City, N.J.), 26-4

x-Includes one loss by forfeit for using an ineligible player

EAST COAST

1. Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.), 39-5

2. Greensboro Day School (N.C.), 34-4

3. Gonzaga College HS (Washington), 32-5

4. Trinity Episcopal HS (Richmond, Va.), 35-1

5. Mount St. Joseph (Baltimore), 36-3

6. Huntington St. Joseph Prep (W.Va.), 26-4

7. Blue Ridge School (St. George, Va.), 30-3

8. Wesleyan Christian HS (High Point, N.C.), 28-5

9. The Burlington School (N.C.), 31-0

10. Bird HS (Chesterfield, Va.), 27-1

SOUTHEAST

1. Montverde Academy (Fla.), 26-5

2. Memphis East HS (Tenn.), 35-3

3. IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.), 26-2

4. Brentwood Academy (Tenn.), 30-2

5. Tift County HS (Tifton, Ga.), 29-2

6. Mae Jemison HS (Huntsville, Ala.), 34-4

7. Meridian HS (Miss.), 30-2

8. Scotlandville HS (Baton Rouge, La.), 31-4

9. Norcross HS (Ga.), 26-6

10. Dillard HS (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.), 28-4

MIDWEST

1. La Lumiere School (La Porte, Ind.), 29-1

2. Jackson HS (Massillon, Ohio), 27-2

3. Clarkston HS (Mich.), 27-1

4. Bowling Green HS (Ky.), 36-2

5. Whitney Young (Chicago), 27-7

6. Ben Davis HS (Indianapolis), 23-5

7. Simeon HS (Chicago), 30-4

8. La Crosse Central HS (Wis.), 26-2

9. Morgan Park HS (Chicago), 26-6

10. Moeller (Cincinnati), 27-1

MIDLANDS

1. Webster Groves HS (Mo.), 29-2

2. Apple Valley HS (Minn.), 30-2

3. Champlin Park HS (Champlin, Minn.), 31-1

4. Wasatch Academy (Mount Pleasant, Utah), 24-5

5. Vashon HS (St. Louis), 27-3

6. Iowa City West HS (Iowa), 23-3

7. DeLaSalle HS (Minneapolis), 30-2

8. Blue Valley Northwest HS (Overland Park, Kan.), 23-3

9. Eaglecrest HS (Centennial, Colo.), 24-4

10. Bingham HS (South Jordan, Utah), 24-3

SOUTHWEST

1. Findlay Prep (Henderson, Nev.), 34-4

2. Jonesboro HS (Ark.), 32-0

3. Cypress Falls HS (Houston), 35-3

4. Shadow Mountain HS (Phoenix), 27-1

5. Skyline HS (Dallas), 35-2

6. Edmond North HS (Okla.), 27-2

7. Basha HS (Chandler, Ariz.), 31-1

8. Wagner HS (San Antonio), 36-3

9. Mansfield Timberview HS (Arlington, Texas), 32-7

10. Bishop Gorman HS (Las Vegas), 22-9

WEST COAST

1. Nathan Hale HS (Seattle), 29-0

2. Bishop Montgomery HS (Torrance, Calif.), 31-2

3. Chino Hills HS (Calif.), 30-3

4. Mater Dei HS (Santa Ana, Calif.), 33-3

5. Prolific Prep (Napa, Calif.), 29-2

6. Sierra Canyon HS (Chatsworth, Calif.), 27-3

7. Jefferson HS (Portland, Ore.), 27-1

8. Woodcreek HS (Roseville, Calif.), 32-3

9. Kentwood HS (Covington, Wash.), 27-3

10. Sheldon HS (Sacramento, Calif.), 30-4

Team of the Week

No. 3 La Lumiere (Ind.) captured its first Dicks Sporting Goods High School Nationals crown in Queens, N.Y., with a convincing 70-52 win against three-time champion and fifth-ranked Montverde Academy (Fla.). The Lakers (29-1), who were runners-up in last year’s tournament, were led by its McDonald’s All-American senior duo Jaren Jackson (a Michigan State recruit) who had 17 points and Brian Bowen (uncommitted) who chipped in 15.

Past National Prep Poll Champions

The National Prep Poll was originated and published by World Features Syndicate from the 1987 football season through the end of basketball season in 2015. 

National High School Sports Hall of Fame journalist Doug Huff authored the National Prep Poll before he joined Student Sports in 1999. Current poll chiefs Jamie DeMoney and Jeremy Plowman took over at the start of the 1999-2000 basketball season. 

Here is a listing of the 30 National Prep Poll champion teams and their coaches, including those published by World Features Syndicate between 1988-2015.

All-time National Prep Poll champions with records and coaches:

1988--Bronx, N.Y., Tolentine (30-1), John Sarandrea

1989--Jersey City, N.J., St. Anthony (32-0), Bob Hurley

1990--Chicago, King (32-0), Landon Cox

1991--Philadelphia, Simon Gratz (27-1), Bill Ellerbee

1992--Baltimore, Dunbar (29-0), Pete Pompey

1993--Mouth of Wilson, Va., Oak Hill (30-0), Steve Smith

1994--Mouth of Wilson, Va., Oak Hill (30-1), Steve Smith

1995--New Orleans, St. Augustine (37-1), Bernard Griffith

1996--Jersey City, N.J., St. Anthony (31-0), Bob Hurley

1997--Peoria, Ill., Manual (31-1), Wayne McClain

1998--Frederick, Md., St. John's at Prospect Hall (25-0), Stu Vetter

1999--Mouth of Wilson, Va., Oak Hill (31-0), Steve Smith

2000--Compton, Calif., Dominguez (35-2), Russell Otis

2001--Mouth of Wilson, Va., Oak Hill (32-1), Steve Smith

2002--Dallas, Lincoln (40-0), Leonard Bishop

2003--Akron, Ohio, St. Vincent-St. Mary (25-1), Dru Joyce II

2004--Mouth of Wilson, Va., Oak Hill (38-0), Steve Smith

2005--Niagara Falls, N.Y. (28-1), Dan Bazzani

2006--Indianapolis, Lawrence North (29-0), Jack Keefer

2007--Mouth of Wilson, Va., Oak Hill (40-1), Steve Smith

2008--Jersey City, N.J., St. Anthony (32-0), Bob Hurley

2009--Henderson, Nev., Findlay (33-0), Michael Peck

2010--Houston, Yates (34-0), Greg Wise

2011--Jersey City, N.J., St. Anthony (33-0), Bob Hurley

2012--Mouth of Wilson, Va., Oak Hill (44-0), Steve Smith

2013--Montverde, Fla., Montverde Academy (26-2), Kevin Boyle

2014--Montverde, Fla., Montverde Academy (28-0), Kevin Boyle

2015--Montverde, Fla., Montverde Academy (31-1), Kevin Boyle

2016--Chino Hills, Calif. (35-0), Steve Baik

2017--Seattle, Nathan Hale (29-0), Brandon Roy

All content Copyright 2017 Jamie DeMoney/PrepNation.com

About the PrepNation National Prep Poll

The PrepNation National Prep Poll is a continuation of World Feature Syndicate’s National Prep Poll, which was published and distributed to the Associated Press and other news organizations from 1987 to 2015.

The National Prep Poll is second only to the USA Today Super 25 as the longest continually published weekly high school rankings. While a product of World Features Syndicate (1987-2015), the National Prep Poll was the only high school poll distributed to newspapers and websites around the United States by the Associated Press.

Before authoring rankings for Student Sports and ESPN, National High School Sports Hall of Fame journalist Doug Huff compiled the National Prep Poll rankings from 1987 until 1999. Current author Jamie DeMoney has compiled the poll since the start of the 1999 basketball season to the present.

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.