National Preseason High School Top 100- Part Three: 26-50

by Alex Schwartz

The college basketball season
kicked off for a few teams yesterday evening and the high school basketball season is right around the corner. Thus, it is time for Northstar Basketball to release its preseason rankings of the top 100 high school teams in America.

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, plus all NEPSAC schools. Thus, teams such as
Christ School (NC), New Hampton (NH), Notre Dame Prep (MA), and St. Mark's (MA) are ineligible.

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

26. Hopkins (MN)- It seems each and every year that Hopkins is the best team in the state of Minnesota and this year looks to be no different. Led by Harvard-pledge Siyani Chambers at the point, the Royals will look to continue their recent run of dominance. Chambers is not the only standout for the team, as Lehigh-commit Zach Stahl is a talented player in his own right, while Riley Dearring and Stephon Sharp will look to take some of the pressure off them.

27. Gonzaga (DC)- The Purple Eagles will likely be even better in 2012-13, but the top team in the nation's capital is going to be superb this year too. The unquestioned star of the team is junior Nate Britt, one of the best point guards in the country regardless of class. Undersized power forward  Kris Jenkins is very productive on the high school level, while Binghamton-commit Will Rassman provides height as well as senior leadership and Jordan Abdur-Ra'oof is another option for Steve Turner's squad.

28. Jamesville-DeWitt (NY)- One of the best teams in the Empire State each and every year, J-D is led by a fantastic senior duo that will look to take the team, which begins at No. 1 in New York, to new heights. Syracuse-pledge DaJuan Coleman is the best big man in the 2012 class and is capable of absolutely dominating a game, while skilled Wake Forest-bound forward Tyler Cavanaugh has a great motor and continues to improve. If a point guard can step up for the boys from upstate New York, look out.

29. Park Tudor School (IN)- This looks to be the season that the Hoosier State school takes the next step and makes some noise on a national level. It will be Indiana-commit Kevin "Yogi" Ferrell, one of the best floor generals in the country, who will run the show and be the go-to guy for Park Tudor, but he is not all by himself. Sophomores Trevon Bluiett and New Mexico-bound Troy Spears are talented young players, senior Paul Bayt is a quality player who is headed to Manhattan and JB Rapp is yet another option.

30. Miller Grove (GA)- This team has a deep and talented roster, but at the end of the day, Miller Grove will go as far as five-star big man Tony Parker can take it. A major talent who can carry a team, Parker will have help though, specifically from fellow senior Brandon Morris, a Georgia pledge. In addition to those two, the Peach State squad also features Devante Prevost, Tony Evans, Christian Houston, James Walker, and Justin Colvin in a nice blend of experience and youth.

31. Booker T. Washington (OK)- In 2011-12, BTW rolled to a undefeated season, but did not necessarily get the credit it deserves. Led by junior Juwan Parker, things look to be different this time around, the the best team in the Sooner State begins the season with a lofty ranking. Although Parker is clearly the star of the squad and will be counted upon for a big game on most every night, Branden Brantley will be there to provide some support for him.

32. Riverside Academy (LA)- St. John's-commit Ricardo Gathers is an absolute beast down low and is more than capable of taking over a game, especially at the offensive end. The big-time 2012 power forward is not the only key senior for the top team in the Pelican State, as Donald Thomas and Tulane-pledge Louis Dabney are the squad's other main options and are quality players as well. In addition to those three, Riverside also has a deep roster than includes Lucas Martin-Julien, Zelvin Smith, Charvon Julien, Trevin Woods, and Trevon Woods.

33. Wheeler (GA)- This squad from Georgia is going to be led by a talented trio of players, two of whom are seniors and the other of whom is arguably the top freshman in the nation. Charles Mitchell is a bruising, undersized post player who is quite productive, Utah-commit Justin Seymour is a guard who can run the show and score, while freshman phenom Kejuan Johnson is a big-time athlete with a game well beyond his years. The other players of note for Wheeler are Daniel Giddens, Elijah Staley, Charles Dubose, and Dereck Evans.

34. Lamar Consolidated (TX)- Three talented seniors are going to be counted upon to lead the way for this squad out of Texas and they are more than able to do so effectively. Wannah Bail is a major mismatch in the frontcourt and the team's best player, while Houston-commit Valentine Izundu is one of the best shot blockers in the country and Michael Carey is a big point guard who can run the show. It will be Luke Savoy who will be the other main option for the team.

35. St. Benedict's (NJ)- On its third head coach in as many years, St. Ben's will be much better than it was last year and has a nice group of talented players. Canadian Tyler Ennis is the star for the Gray Bees and the junior point guard is a superb player and he will share the backcourt load with one of the country's top freshmen, Isaiah Briscoe. Head coach Mark Taylor has another talented Canadian, Isaiah Watkins, as his main post player, while Miami-commit Melvin Johnson is a high-level scorer and Kamall Richards and Denzell Taylor are solid too.

36. Christ the King (NY)- As a junior Omar Calhoun was the best player in New York City and now as a senior, the UConn-commit will be the main man on the best team in the city. The five-star guard is one of the top scorers in the nation, but he will not have to shoulder the load himself, as junior guard Isaiah Lewis is a talented player as well. In addition, Jordan Fuchs is a wing who is capable of big games and Joe Arbitello also has Jonathan Severe and Chance Ellis on his roster.

37. Morgan Park (IL)- The best player on the team is undoubtedly Billy Garrett, Jr., a junior guard who is going to attend DePaul. Capable of playing either guard spot, Garrett is a quality talent, but he will be aided on the floor primarily by Xzavier Taylor and Markee Williams who are nice players too. In addition to that trio, Morgan Park also has Lamont Walker, Terrance Quinn, Josh Cunningham, Torrence Johnson, Kalin Harris, and Dreshawn Haywood on the deep roster.

38. Memphis East (TN)- It is a bit of a down year in terms of elite high school teams in Memphis, but East enters the season as the most talented of the bunch. The squad will led by Nick King, a big-time junior wing who is amongst the top players in his class on a national level and is capable of going off for a huge game. He will be aided by Kent State-pledge Earvin Morris and big man Sam Edwards as well as Torrie Thomas, Matthew Butler and Alex Anderson.

39. North Central (IN)- Another team from Indianapolis, North Central features a pair of senior guards headed to Big Ten programs. It will be Purdue-bound Ronnie Johnson, the team's best player, who will be running the show and he is quite adept at it, while Iowa-commit Patrick Ingram is coming off a superb summer and is a quality player as well. In addition to those two, the team also has a couple other nice options in the form of Perry Poindexter and Darius Latham.

40. Hudson Catholic (NJ)- A burgeoning North Jersey power whose top five players include four who transferred in at some point and a big-time freshman, this team is still a year away from its peak. Juniors Reggie Cameron, a versatile forward, and Kavon Stewart, a true point guard, came over when Paterson Catholic closed after the 2009-10 school year and they welcome AAU teammate Mike Young, a superb junior center, to the mix this year. Grant Ellis is the senior leader of the team, while Nassir Barrino is a highly regarded 2015 point guard.

41. Ravenscroft School (NC)- Yet another squad still a year away from its full potential, the Ravens have a nice mix of talent in the backcourt, on the wings and down low. Junior guard Anton Gill is Tar Heel State team's top player and he is a superb two guard who can score and pass, while talented senior Madison Jones is a lead guard who can do the same. Marcus Bryan, a big man who simply produces each time out, joins skilled wing Isaac Copeland and DJ Langley as the other primary pieces for Ravenscroft.

42. Sexton (MI)- This team opens the season ranked second in the state of Michigan, but behind a trio of seniors committed to Division I programs, Sexton definitely has a case for the top spot. The best player on the roster is Michigan State-pledge Denzel Valentine, a hard playing wing with basketball bloodlines, but he will not by any means have to do it all himself. Anthony Clemmons, a solid point guard who will attend Iowa, and skilled Cleveland State-bound Bryn Forbes are the other key players, and if a post player steps up, beware.

43. Columbia (GA)- Yet another Georgia public school in the top five, Columbia has been quite good the past few years and that should not change in 2011-12. The Eagles have an imposing frontline in seniors Jarmal Reid, an Oregon State commit who is the best player on the roster, and Jhaustin Thomas, a chiseled dual-sport star who will attend South Carolina for football. In addition to those two, the roster also includes Chris Horton, Tahj Shamsid-Deen, Damien Goodwin, Nate Mason, and Kaiar Crouch.

44. Gill St. Bernard's (NJ)- GSB is a team whose whole is greater than the sum of its parts, as it features just three DI players, only one of whom will play high-major ball. However, the Knights simply win games and does so with great team play behind the direction of floor general Jaren Sina, a do-it-all player who is one of the best point guards in thejunior class. Rugged Bucknell-bound power forward Dominic Hoffman is very productive and plays his tail off, while fellow senior Alex Mitola, a Dartmouth-commit, is lethal from beyond the arc.

45. Taft (OH)- The boys from Cincinnati were quite good last year and will be one of the top teams in the Buckeye State once again this time around. The top two players on the roster are senior football standouts Adolphus Washington, an undersized post player with a great motor, and talented guard Dwayne Stanford. The team's other key player is Jalean Lowe, a knockdown shooter who also runs with Washington and Stanford on the summer AAU circuit.

46. Archbishop Mitty (CA)- This NorCal squad is basically a one-man team, but that one man is junior forward Aaron Gordon, a freak athlete who is one of the best players in the United States regardless of class. Gordon is more than capable of carrying Mitty on his back and will be counted upon to do that most times the team takes the floor. However, Neil Vranicar is a Monarch player on the team who is capable of taking some of the burden off of Gordon.

47. Neumann-Goretti (PA)- Coming off of a state championship, the Saints return all but one key player and enter the 2011-12 season as the top team in the Keystone State, but they have two squads right behind them. The team will be led by sophomore star Ja'Quan Newton in the backcourt and Rider-bound Derrick Stewart in the frontcourt. In addition, undersized four man John Davis is quite productive, while Jamal Custis is a big-time athlete and there is backcourt depth with Hannif Sutton and Billy Shank.

48. Mount St. Joseph (MD)- This team is somewhat overlooked, but it boasts a superb roster and has the look of a squad that will surprise some people. Junior guard Kameron Williams is a talented scorer who is capable of going off for a big game on any given night, while the athletic Phil Booth is one of the top sophomore guards in America. The team is more than just two players though, as Marist-bound Phillip Lawrence-Ricks is an under the radar big man, while Jaylen Adams, Gavin Stephenson and Eric Ross are quality players as well.

49. St. Augustine (LA)- The Purple Knights certainly have a case as the top team in the state of Louisiana, but open the season at the two spot. The squad features an exceptional inside-outside duo in the form of Texas-bound senior point guard Javan Felix, who can score and distribute, along with sophomore sensation Craig Victor, a talented post presence. The other key players for St. Augustine this season will be Deion Taylor and Sydie London.

50. Westbury Christian (TX)- Featuring a couple of talented transfers to go along with solid senior wing Delvin Dickerson, a South Alabama commitment, this is going to be one of the top teams in Texas. Baylor-pledge LJ Rose is a true floor general who is one of the best point guards in the senior class and is the type of player who knows how to get the job done. The other key player for Westbury Christian is Darin Minniefield, a solid point guard with basketball in his blood.

Note- photo is of Nate Britt and is from http://www.scout.com/
Note- ESPN, MaxPreps and Rivals used as sources for information
 

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