by Alex Schwartz

It is time to go in depth and talk about the best of the best, some of the elite high school teams in America. I have already released Northstar Basketball's National Preseason High School Top 100 teams ranked 31 and below. These have come out in three parts, starting with 76-100 plus other notables, followed by the teams listed between 51 and 75, and then opened up the top 50 with 31 through 50. In Part Four here I will release the squads ranked 11 to 30 in the nation, which includes some of the country's traditional top programs along with some surprises as well.

Once again, it is important to keep in mind that prep schools such as St. Mark's (MA) and Friends Central (PA) are not eligible to be ranked. Now check out the next portion of Northstar Basketball's ranking of the National Preseason High School Top 100, with the teams who check in between 11 and 30:

11. DeMatha (MD): One of the most storied programs in high school basketball history, some are underrating DeMatha this year because elite guard Josh Selby '10 is now at #43 Lake Clifton. What people are forgetting though, is that this team clicked after Selby transferred last season and that the roster is still loaded with talent, especially in the backcourt. The trio that will lead the way is Notre Dame-signee Jerian Grant '10 (pictured), Indiana-bound Victor Oladipo '10, and Quinn Cook '11. Grant and Oladipo are very smart players and Cook is one of the top juniors in the country. The other elite guard on the roster is James Robinson '12, a big-time talent who might break out this year. Mikael Hopkins '11 is the team's lone standout big man, so he may well be the key to success. DeMatha has a rich tradition and should not be overlooked.


12. Gonzaga (DC): By far the top team in the nation's capital, the Purple Eagles only have one star in Duke-signee Tyler Thornton '10 (pictured), but Steve Turner is an extremely good coach and every player on the squad plays superb defense. In addition, the roster is very deep and there is skill at every position. Richmond-bound combo guard Cedrick Lindsay '10 will team with Thornton to form a backcourt with a very high basketball IQ. The future Blue Devil is more of a distributor is a pure winner, while Lindsay can really score the ball. Robert Morris-signee Malcolm Lemmons '10, a wing, provides more senior leadership. Oliver Ellison '11 is a developing post presence who will have to step it up ths year. Gonzaga also has a trio of ultra-talented freshman in Derrick Fenner, Nate Britt, and Kris Jenkins, all of whom may well have an impact.


13. Whitney Young (IL): The Dolphins are the best team in the Prairie State, but will be pressed by a number of teams throughout the season for that title. Whitney Young features a deep and talented roster that includes three skilled seniors, two of whom are headed to high-major schools. Oregon State-pledge Ahmad Starks '10 (pictured), a 5'7 point guard, has a shot to have a fantastic season as his size will not be all that much of a hindrance in high school ball. Purdue-bound Anthony Johnson '10 makes it an elite backcourt for the school in south Chicago. Future Rice Owl JR Reynolds '10 will provide support from the wing, and is another senior, which you can never have too many of. Sam Thompson '11 is considered to be one of the top junior big men in America, and he will be the go-to man in the post, though Thomas Hamilton, Jr. '13 and Luke Hager '11 are talented as well.


14. Providence School (FL): This is the most underrated team in America, as the Jacksonville school added two big-time transfers and has an elite trio of ballers on the roster. No, the team is not deep and there is certainly a void in the backcourt, but there is a lot of talent in the mix. Kentucky-signee Stacey Poole '10 and Florida-bound Patric Young '10 (pictured) are two of the best players in the country, and both are in their first year at the school. Poole is a skilled, hard-working wing who gets it done on both ends of the floor, while Young is a tough, sturdy post presence who has a high motor. Those two play AAU ball together, so the fact that they are transferring in should not be that much of an issue. Wayne Martin '11 is a quality forward in his own right, and he is a returnee for the team. He will have to take some of the pressure off of Poole and Young against top-notch teams, and a point guard will have to step up, but that group of players will be able to carry the squad a long way.


15. Mater Dei (CA): The Monarchs were ranked #1 in America for much of last season before losing two games late in the year and falling out of the top 10 in some polls. A number of key players are gone from that squad, including Travis Wear '09 (North Carolina), David Wear '09 (North Carolina), and Andy Brown '09 (Stanford), but two starters do return in UCLA-bound Tyler Lamb '10 and Cal-pledge Gary Franklin '10. That means both members of the backcourt are back, and Lamb and Franklin can both really shoot the rock. In addition, Mater Dei added an elite transfer in Arizona State-commit Keala King '10 (pictured), a top-shelf wing who ran with Lamb and Franklin in AAU ball. Yet another senior, Max Hooper '10, will make it a strong possibility that the Golden State team will utilize a four-guard lineup. A post player is needed for the Monarchs, but that quartet, specifically the trio of future Pac-10 ballers, is talented enough to lead the team to some nice accomplishments and the squad should contend for California's top spot.


16. Christ School (NC): The Greenies lost Mason Plumlee '09 (Duke) to graduation, but his brother Marshall Plumlee '11 is still at the school in Arden, NC. Plumlee is around 7-feet tall, so he will have a size advantage in just about every game that Christ School plays, but he has to continue to develop his overall game. Leading the attack for the squad will be South Carolina-signee Eric Smith '10 (pictured). One of the top teams in the Tar Heel State, the group has a nice set of players on the wing in top-notch junior Tony Kimbro, Damarcus Harrison '11, and Sebastian Koch '10. In the paint it's Lucas Troutman '10, who is headed to Elon, who will be providing assistance to Plumlee. That six man rotation may need another player or two to join the fold for the team to retain its high ranking.


17. Yates (TX): Led by a big-time trio of seniors, Yates will challenge for the #1 spot in the state of Texas this year. Providence-bound Joseph Young '10, Stephen F. Austin-pledge Darius Gardner '10, and Brandon Peters '10 (pictured) form a top-level backcourt, that makes up for a lack of size with great speed and quickness. Peters is an elite athlete and may end up being the team's top player. Marshall Lange is yet another class of 2010 undersized guard, so this squad has a four-man rotation of talented backcourt players. Alex Davis is another senior for this Yates team, but he is in the frontcourt. For the Lone Star State school to remain highly ranked, this group of five seniors will need to play well together as a unit.


18. Bloomington South (IN): Gone is the heart and soul of the undefeated Bloomington South team of 08-9 in Jordan Hulls '09 (Indiana), but a solid group of players are still on the roster for the top team in the state of Indiana. Matt Carlino '11, an Arizona native who is committed to Indiana, is the best player on the team and he is one of the top players in his class in the country. He will not be the lone talent in the backcourt though, as Xavier-commit Darwin "Dee" Davis '11 is a skilled, but undersized point guard and another high-profile junior. Spencer Turner '11 makes it a three-man attack from the guard position for the Hoosier State's finest. Erik Fromm '10 (pictured), who is headed to Butler next year, is one of two top-notch big men for Bloomington South. He is the only senior amongst the core group of players, so he is vital to the team's success. TJ Bell, a quality sophomore big man, will help out from in the post while also learning from him. This team is talented and also well-rounded, the mark of any quality squad.


19. Westchester (CA): After a surprise run to a state championship last year that included defeating #15 Mater Dei—these two will be part of the three teams challenging for California's #1 ranking—Westchester returns four key players, all of whom are seniors. USC-bound Dwayne Polee '10 (pictured) is a combo forward with great athleticism who has a chance to be a real difference maker this season. Jordin Mayes '10, an uncommitted combo guard, is an upper-echelon scorer who might end up with the ball in his hands a lot. Reggie Murphy '10 is a huge body in the paint and will team with Polee to form a terrific duo of rebounders that will be hard to deal with. Kareem Jamar '10, a wing, is the other important member of Westchester's quest to repeat as a CIF state champion, but most of the burden will be on Polee and Mayes.


20. Milton (GA): This is the #1 squad in Georgia to start the season, but Milton will have a lot of competition for that post, as there is a lot of talent and many top teams in the Peach State. The school in Alpharetta boasts three of the country's best class of 2011 prospects along with another quality junior. Shannon Scott '11, the son of former North Carolina star and NBA player Charlie Scott, will man the point and he is a top-notch floor general with a good frame. Dai-jon Parker '11 (pictured) is the other elite member of the backcourt and he and Scott will be a deadly duo. Julian Royal '11 is a major threat in the frontcourt and he will received help from less-heralded Alex Walton '11. Milton is not overly deep, but has a boatload of talent, in the form of both guards and big men. The superstar trio of Scott, Parker, and Royal also ran together over the summer on the AAU circuit, so they should have great chemistry.


21. White Station (TN): The amount of talent in the city of Memphis is ridiculous right now, and it is White Station that leads the way. The best team in the state of Tennessee is led by one of the best and most exciting players in America in 5'10 point guard Joe Jackson '10 (pictured), who has signed with Memphis. Although Ferrakohn Hall '09 (Seton Hall) is gone, incoming transfer Nino Johnson '11 will help ease the loss. Although Jackson is by the team's top player, his backcourt mate Andre Hollins '11 is talented in his own right and will provide a lot of help to the future Tiger. Johnson, Hollins, and Marvin Williams '11 played together on the AAU circuit so they should work will as a group along with Jackson. Williams and Johnson form an intimidating, albeit undersized, low post duo, and if Williams can get into better shape he might have a huge year. Eric Richardson '10 is the team's biggest player and he will also provide senior leadership along with Jackson. White Station has a shot to be even better than this lofty ranking.


22. Wheeler (GA): As much as Memphis-signee Jelan Kendrick '10 transferring hurt #57 Westlake, it help Wheeler just as much. The 6'6 small forward/point guard is a versatile baller who can really score the basketball, has great size for a backcourt player, and is one of the top seniors in the country. Wheeler will be amongst the schools challenging #20 Milton for the top ranking in the Peach State, and it might be Florida International-bound Phil Taylor '10 (pictured) who is the X-factor, not Kendrick. It is known what Kendrick will bring to the table, but if Taylor, an undersized scoring point guard, can take some of the weight off Kendrick's shoulders, then Wheeler will be that much better. Elite class of 2012 big man Charles Mitchell will provide an interior presence and will have to be big on the glass. Winthrop-bound Joey Jerome '10 and Karl Cochran '11 are the other key members for the squad.


23. Dudley (NC): This team will live and die by its guard play, and luckily for Dudley, it boasts two upper-echelon players along with a senior with a high basketball IQ in the backcourt. North Carolina-pledge PJ Hairston '11 is regarded as one of the best juniors in the nation, while Reggie Dillard '12 is one of the premier sophomore in America. Both of them are tough, sturdy guards who can shoot the ball and also get to the hole. Although they both have outstanding talent and can really score the basketball, it might be Navy-bound Brennan Wyatt '10 (pictured) who is the key to the team's success. He is a smart player who does a good job of running the offense and will make it very difficult to stop the high-powered guard attack from the North Carolina school. The combination of Hairston, Dillard, and Wyatt is downright scary.


24. Mountain State Academy (WV): The amount of size on the top team from the Mountain State is unbelievable. Leading the way is 7'1 center and West Virginia-signee David Nyarsuk '10 (pictured), a vastly underrated player who might break out this season. Nyarsuk is a quality athlete with a developing offensive game, but he is a standout on the defensive end and rebounds well. Obij Aget '12, is a 7'0 sophomore with a lot of potential. Nyarsuk and Aget may well be the only duo of 7-footers on the same team at the high school level. Although both are relatively raw, you can't teach height. Xavier-bound Justin Martin '10 has great size for a wing and is a knockdown shooter. He is a top-notch player in the senior class. TyQuane Goard '11 is another big wing, though he is not as much of an established player as Martin. Another key member of the West Virginian squad will be Kofi Mensa, a talented senior shooting guard. West Virginia-signee Noah Cottrill '10 has transferred out of the school, so a point guard does need to step up, but there is a lot of talent on the group.


25. Bishop Gorman (NV): This team has a lot of young talent, including Shabazz Muhammed (pictured), who is considered one of the best sophomores in the nation. An undersized small forward, Muhammed and BYU-bound Anson Winder '10 will be the main men for Bishop Gorman this year. Rosco Allen '12, a big wing who is also regarded as a top-flight sophomore, should not be overlooked either as he is a big-time talent. John Loyd '10 is an undersized point guard, but he and Winder will be vital to this inexperienced Silver State group, as they are the lone seniors expected to be a major part of the rotation. The other baller who will be important for Bishop Gorman is Rashad Muhammed '13, the younger brother of the team's best player. This team has a chance to be quite good, but it will need the youngsters to play well beyond their years and up to their full talent levels.


26. Ames (IA): North Carolina-signee Harrison Barnes '10 (pictured), a 6'7 small forward, is far and away the best player in the state of Iowa and Ames is far and away the top team in the Hawkeye State. Barnes, arguably the best player in the country, is an elite talent and he led the Little Cyclones to an undefeated season last year, something that the squad may well be able to achieve again in the upcoming season. The future Tar Heel will not be alone in the quest for perfection, as Northern Iowa-bound Doug McDermott '10 is a nice talent as well. McDermott is the son of Iowa State Head Coach Greg McDermott and is also a 6'7 wing. Ames would be higher on this list if it played in a more competitive state with tougher competition, but that should not take away from just how good the group is.


27. Pine Crest (FL): Led by the best player in the class of 2010, 6'3 point guard Brandon Knight (pictured), Pine Crest is coming off of a state championship run in 08-09, as Knight won Gatorade National Player of the Year. The school in Ft. Lauderdale will challenge for the top ranking in the state of Florida, but start the season off in the three spot. Knight will not be on his own though, as New York native Matt Milk '10 will bring some size and more experience to the squad. Traveon Henry '12 is a young player who has a great deal of talent and will taken some of the burden off of the team's superstar in the backcourt. At the end of the day though, as goes Brandon Knight goes Pine Crest.


28. Melrose (TN): One of four Tennessee squads ranked—all of them are in Memphis—Melrose will give #21 White Station a run for its money for both city and state bragging rights. Led by one of the best players in America regardless of class in hard-working forward Adonis Thomas '11 (pictured), who was an AAU teammate of White Station's star Joe Jackson this summer. Thomas is not the only stud on the roster though, as Chris Jones '11 is one of the top juniors in a the country and is an elite athlete at the point guard position. In addition, Bobby Parks, Jr. '11, a forward, has transferred to the school adding another star to the lineup. Thomas, Jones, and Parks, Jr.—all juniors—will carry Melrose this year, and that is an ultra-talented trio.


29. Cedar Hill (TX): UNC-Wilmington-bound guard Tanner Milson '10 and quality 2011 big man Thomas Gipson (pictured) are the main men for this Lone Star State team, one of the many on this list. Though Milson and Gipson will carry Cedar Hill, Anthony Wilson '10 and Oliver Wells '10 are solid ballers as well. The trio of senior guards along with the junior big man will all have to play to their potential, play smart basketball, and work together, as Cedar Hill cannot matchup talent-wise with some of the other top-notch teams in Texas, but the squad is certainly very good, as shown by the top 30 ranking.


30. Grace Prep (TX): One of the more under the radar teams in the state of Texas, and the nation as a whole, Grace Prep features a fantastic inside/outside tandem. Isaiah Austin '12, a 6'11 center, is considered arguably the best sophomore in the nation. Despite his age, Austin is a big-time talent who will have a major impact. The big man might not even be the best player on the team though, as Texas A&M-commit Jamal Branch '11 (pictured), an elite guard, is regarded as a top-shelf player in the junior class. That pair will carry Grace Prep and should do a very good job of it, but Nick Banyard '12 is another young big man who will play a key role for one of the top teams in the Lone Star State.

Note- photo at the top is of Marshall Plumlee; all photos are from http://scouthoops.scout.com/