by Alex Schwartz

The 2010-11 high school basketball season is right around the corner! So, what does that mean? Well, for one it means that it is time for Northstar Basketball release its National Preseason High School Top 100.

The top 100 list will be released in five segments, plus a comprehensive list at the end with some notes on the rankings. For each team, I will provide an overview of the squad. With each segment, the size of the overview will increase and be filled with more information.

The rankings include both public and private schools, but not prep schools. For these purposes, prep schools are defined as schools that have fifth-year players and/or post-grads, as well as all schools that play in the NEPSAC. That means that teams such as Christian Life Center (TX), Oak Ridge Military Academy (NC), Westwind Prep (AZ), and Winchendon School (MA) are ineligible.

Without further ado, here is the fourth segment of Northstar Basketball's National Preseason High School Top 100. This segment will include the teams ranked 11 through 30. Segment one (teams 76-100) can be seen by clicking Here, segment two (51-75) can be seen by clicking Here, and segment three (31-50) can be seen by clicking Here.

11. Word of God Academy (NC): Absolutely loaded from top to bottom is the best way to describe the alma mater of John Wall, as Word of God enters the season as the top team in North Carolina. WOG, which added a bevy of transfers, is one of just 14 schools with multiple players ranked in the NBE Post-Summer Class of 2011 Top 150. North Carolina State-bound center Joseph Uchebo (pictured) and Miami-pledge Bishop Daniels, both seniors, will lead the team. Small forward TJ Warren and two-guard Torian Graham, both juniors, form a dynamic wing duo and give WOG four major go-to guys. Josh Newkirk is a superb sophomore guard. Talented senior bigs Yemi Makanjuola and Abdul Kasim will aid Uchebo. Senior Stacy Caroway provides frontcourt depth while Mark Blackmon '12 and Daryl Davender '13 do so in the backcourt.

12. Yates (TX): After winning the mythical national championship in 2009-10, Yates will once again be one of the top teams in the nation. Although a number of talented players have moved on to the next level, there is still a good core to work with, headlined by junior forward Clyde Santee (pictured) and Weber State-bound senior guard Shai Fields. Charles "Tre" Bennett and Trey Dickerson, both senior guards, will likely be counted upon to run Yates' fast-paced offensive attack that regularly produces high-scoring affairs and blowout victories. The other key player for the best team in the Lone Star State is forward Charles Lewis, who is yet another class of 2011 player.

13. DeMatha (MD): The best team in the state of Maryland, DeMatha is led by a senior big man and a bevy of skilled underclassmen. Georgetown-bound Mikael Hopkins is one of the top bigs in the senior class and he will need to step up this year for one of the nation's storied basketball programs. Point guard James Robinson is coming off of a fantastic summer and will be the leader of the team's offense. Jerami Grant, the younger brother of two high-major DI players, is the main option on the wing. With Robinson and Grant, DeMatha is one of just five schools with multiple players ranked in the NBE Post-Summer Class of 2012 Top 50. Power forward BeeJay Anya should have a major impact, but is not the only sophomore who could make some noise. Kelvin Howard, Eric Levenberry, and Jairus Lyles provide support at the wing, post, and guard spots, respectively.

14. Melrose (TN): The Golden Wildcats are led by the best player in the state of Tennessee and the #7 ranked player in the NBE Post-Summer Class of 2011 Top 150 in Memphis-bound small forward Adonis Thomas (pictured). Melrose is one of seven schools with multiple players ranked in the top 100 of the list. The other top 100 player is Auburn-pledge Cedrick McAfee, a combo guard who teams with Thomas to form a big-time duo for the top team in the Volunteer State. Those two are not the only 2011 talents on the team's roster though, as Telvin Wilkerson is also committed to a Division I school in Southeast Missouri State. A pair of sophomore guards, Markel Crawford and Kenny Goodwin, are the other main players for one of the top five public school teams in the country.

15. Oakland (CA): The Wildcats enter the season as the top team in California, but there are nine others in the top 100 as well as two Honorable Mentions, so Oakland will certainly be pushed for the spot. The team features the best senior on the West Coast in Oregon-bound shooting guard Jabari Brown (pictured), the #11 ranked player in the NBE Post-Summer Class of 2011 Top 150. Brown is one of three senior guards committed to Division I schools, as TJ Taylor is headed to UC-Santa Barbara and Dominique Taplin recently selected UC-Riverside. The class of 2011 talent in the backcourt does not stop there, as Miles Gordon, Jalen Headspeth, Trevawn Taylor, and Andrew Nash are senior guards as well. The team also has a trio of juniors who can get the job done in wing Jamil Brown, guard Charles Smith, and wing Delvon Nisby.

16. Norcross (GA): Entering the season as the second best team in the state of Norcross, this powerful program will likely be in contention for the top spot when all is said and done. Charlotte-bound senior forward E. Victor Nickerson is the main man in a quartet of Division I commits. The long and athletic Nickerson is one of three seniors who have pledged to DI schools along with Nebraska-bound wing Josiah Moore and Richmond-bound power forward Alonzo Nelson-Ododa. Junior shooting guard Chris Bolden (pictured) is headed to Miami and provides a lethal threat from beyond the arc. Senior Rod Booker is a force in the paint and Cameron Neysmith provides senior leadership in the backcourt. Juniors Jason Croom and Nate Sims as well as sophomore Shamus Goss give the team depth at the three, two, and one respectively.

17. White Station (TN): This is the second team from Memphis ranked in the top 20, following #14 Melrose. White Station is amongst the 14 schools with multiple players ranked in the NBE Post-Summer Class of 2011 Top 150. Those two ranked players are Southeast Missouri State-bound power forward Nino Johnson and Minnesota-pledge Andre Hollins (pictured), a skilled combo guard. While that duo alone is superb, there is another senior who has committed to a Division I school on the team in Marvin Williams, who is headed to Lipscomb. Johnson, Williams, and ultra-talented freshman star Leron Black form an extremely strong frontcourt that will be hard for anyone to stop. Assuming Black lives up to his big-time billing, White Station will provide some Melrose with some major competition for both city and state bragging rights.

18. Westchester Country Day (NC): As one of just four schools with multiple players ranked in the top 45 of the NBE Post-Summer Class of 2011 Top 150, Westchester Country Day has one of the top tandems in the nation. Baylor-commit Quincy Miller (pictured) checks in at #2 on the list, showing that he is one of the very best basketball players in the nation. Fellow Baylor-pledge Deuce Bello is another fantastic talent and that pair is the best backcourt-frontcourt high school duo in the nation. Miller and Bello are not alone for the Tar Heel State squad, as fellow senior Ike Nwamu is verbally committed to Cleveland State. Nwamu and Bello make up an outstanding backcourt and with Miller in the fold this year—he transferred in—there is no telling just how good this team can be if some other players step up.

19. Pike (IN): Kentucky-bound point guard Marquis Teague (pictured), the #6 ranked player in the NBE Post-Summer Class of 2011 Top 150, the go-to guy and the heart and soul for the top team in the state of Indiana. The best point guard in the senior class, Teague is an elite talent more than capable of carrying his team, but Pike has some other quality players as well. Shooting guard RJ Hunter is a talented junior who will help ease the burden on Teague in the backcourt. Senior Chandler Thomas is one of the few non-guards on the team so he will be counted upon to produce in the frontcourt. Joshua Gentry and Deion'dre Starks are seniors who provide experience at the guard spot. The Hoosier State team also has three non-seniors who can contribute in the backcourt in Zavier Turner '13, Johntae Alexander '12, and Jordan Pickett '13.

20. Travis (TX): What Travis lacks in depth, the Tigers make up in pure talent. The headliners for the Lone Star State squad are sophomore twins Andrew Harrison (pictured) and Aaron Harrison. Two of the elite players in the class of 2012 on a national level, the Harrisons form a dynamic backcourt that will be difficult for any team to contain. Needless to say, the pair are quite familiar with one another and that should help out on the court. To make things even tougher for the competition, the Tigers also have Iowa State-bound Anthony Odunsi in the backcourt with the twins. As a senior, Odunsi will likely be the leader of a team that will be in the running for the top spot in the state. Although Travis lacks a well-known big man, there is enough talent in the backcourt to carry the team.

21. Lincoln (TX): In order for Lincoln to live up to this lofty ranking, its two high-major Division I commits will need to play at the level they are capable of and the role players will need to be efficient too. The main man for the team is Oklahoma State-bound wing LeBryan Nash (pictured), the #10 ranked player in the NBE Post-Summer Class of 2011 Top 150. An elite athlete with big-time hops, Nash must play hard at all times. The other senior who has already committed is Keaton Miles, a forward who is headed to West Virginia. Nash and Miles form a terrific frontcourt duo and if the guards can get them the ball enough they will have the chance to dominate. The guard who will likely be running the show for Lincoln and getting them the ball is Xavier Dade, a fellow senior. The other vital player for Lincoln is junior shooting guard Courtney Hooper.

22. Norfolk Christian (VA): Featuring North Carolina-commit James McAdoo (pictured), the #9 ranked player in the NBE Post-Summer Class of 2011 Top 150, Norfolk Christian may well explode onto the national scene this year. An elite talent, McAdoo is a power forward who can do damage around the cup and also on the perimeter at times. Although McAdoo is far and away the best player on the Old Dominion State squad, there are some other superb players on the roster. Diminutive, speedy junior point guard Michael Murray is a quality floor general who can get to the basket. Fellow junior Mario Nixon is a wing with good size who can really put the ball in the basket. Senior Dontrell Silver will team with Murray in the backcourt and both of them will able to run the point for the Ambassadors.

23. Miller Grove (GA): Even though a good amount of talent is gone from last year's superb season, Miller Grove will once again be one of the best teams in the nation and in the race for the top spot in Georgia. There is no question that the best player on the team is large interior presence Tony Parker (pictured), one of the elite junior bigs in the country. Parker will team with senior Henry Brooks to form a low post duo that will be amongst the best America. Junior forward Brandon Morris is coming off of a fantastic summer and is a skilled athlete on the wing. Senior point guard Thomas Marshall will run the show for Miller Grove and fellow 2011 prospect Devon Prevost will be another one of the team's options on the wing. Tony Evans and Justin Colvin, both juniors, will have a chance to be key role players.

24. Long Beach Poly (CA): On a team that is quite guard heavy, it is power forward Ryan Anderson (pictured), a senior who has committed to Boston College, who will be the main man. A skilled interior player with a high motor, Anderson has a good basketball IQ and will likely be the leader of this Long Beach Poly team. The top long-term talent on the squad is sophomore wing Roschon Prince, one of the better 2013 players in the country. He will have a huge impact for Poly this season. USC-bound senior point guard Alexis Moore will have the ball in his hands as the floor general for one of California's top teams. Fellow senior guard Alex Carmen will make his noise off the ball. Juniors Chris Croom and Jaffar Holmes provide quality backcourt depth. Sophomore big man Jordan Bell may need to step up and help Anderson out down low.

25. Jesuit (OR): Kentucky-pledge Kyle Wiltjer (pictured), the #17 ranked player in the NBE Post-Summer Class of 2011 Top 150, will determine just how this season goes for Jesuit, easily the best team in the state of Oregon. Wiltjer, a skilled power forward who does his damage both on the low blocks and beyond the arc, will be counted upon to carry the squad, though he is not the lone talent on the roster. The other key senior for Jesuit is Jordan Akwenuke, a small forward. The rest of the standouts are all in the class of 2012 in point guards Drew DeMarco and Rickie Maddock, small forward Adam Winterling, and shooting guard Eric Williams. Winterling is a dual-sport star as he is also a talented wide receiver on the football field. All said, as goes Wiltjer goes Jesuit.

26. Taft (CA): A great deal of talent is gone from a team that underachieved last year, but Taft still has the look of one of the top teams in America this season. A fantastic inside-outside duo of seniors will lead the way for the Golden State squad. Kevin Johnson (pictured) is a large interior presence who can score, rebound, and defend. Fellow 2011 standout Colorado-bound point guard Spencer Dinwiddie is an intelligent floor general. CJ Blackwell, a transfer from Georgia, and Stephon Maxwell, two more seniors, will be the main men on the wing for the Toreadors. Junior point guard Landon Drew is the younger brother of North Carolina's Larry Drew and he will assist Dinwiddie in the backcourt. The talent is in place for Taft to compete for the top spot in the state of California this season.

27. Wichita Heights (KS): By far the elite team in the state of Kansas, Heights is led by Perry Ellis (pictured), one of the best juniors in the country. Ellis, who has been honored as the state's Gatorade Player of the Year in each of his first two years of high school, is unquestionably the best player in the Jayhawk State. A versatile combo forward with a well-rounded game, Ellis can do it all on the court and will be the go-to guy for Heights. The other key player for this squad is Wichita State-bound senior guard Evan Wessel. The future Shocker is a combo guard who will likely have the ball in his hands a lot. The pairing of Ellis in the frontcourt and Wessel in the backcourt will be hard for any team on Heights' schedule to handle. This squad has a legitimate shot at running the table this year and should not be overlooked.

28. Northland (OH): After being ranked #1 in the nation for much of the 09-10 season, Northland was dominated in the state semifinals in a major upset. The top two players from that team are gone, but the boys from Columbus should be the top team in the Buckeye State anyway. Michigan-pledge Trey Burke (pictured), a senior point guard who gets teammates involved and can also score, will be the best player for the Vikings this season. Burke is not the only quality point guard on the roster though, as junior Jordan Potts is more than capable of running the one. Fellow junior Ke'Chaun Lewis is a talented shooting guard who can put the ball in the basket. Ex-West Virginia commit Jalen Robinson is the second best player on the team and the main option down low. He will be aided in the paint by another junior, Devon Scott, as well as sophomore Jaylen Benton.

29. Montverde Academy (FL): A great deal of talent is gone from last year's outstanding team, but head coach Kevin Sutton does a great job of reloading and this year is no different. Harvard-commit Steve Moundou-Missi '11 is the key returnee and best player, but there are a number of talented newcomers. Kasey Hill (pictured) is a big-time sophomore who has come over from another schol in Florida and Chris Davenport is another talented 2013 player who has joined the fold from Georgia. Joey De La Rosa, Old Dominion-commit Jason Pimentel, Jose Rodriguez, Colgate-bound Paul Gombwer, and Kyle Simmons are all seniors who are in their first year at Montverde. Each one of them may well have an impact for a squad that has what it takes to contend for the top spot in the state of Florida.

30. St. Benedict's (NJ): First year head coach Roshown McLeod was able to rebuild the roster for the Gray Bees, almost the whole team from last year is gone. The biggest name of the bunch for this year's team is recent North Carolina State commitment Tyler Harris, a senior combo forward. The versatile Harris will be joined in the frontcourt by a fellow senior in 7-footer Alex Johnston and sophomore star Mike Young, an intriguing young post player. George Mason-bound senior Vaughn Gray (pictured) can do it all on the wing and will be a key cog at both ends of the floor. Senior guard Andris Misters and sophomore guard Stephon McNair are the top returnees from last year's team that finished top five in the nation. The Garden State team lost a quartet of players to transfer before the season started, or else the ranking would be higher.

Note- photo on the top left is of Deuce Bello; all photos are from http://scouthoops.scout.com/
Note- ESPN, MaxPreps, Rivals, and Scout used as sources for information