High school basketball hotbeds New Jersey and Texas have produced the past three MaxPreps Top 25 national champions.
The 2012-13 preseason rankings included squads from Chicago, Philadelphia, Southern California and the suburbs of Dallas and Houston. Again, all prep hoops hot spots.
But thanks to an ambitious schedule and a series of statement victories, Lone Peak emerged as the clear No. 1, becoming the first Utah team in any sport to be recognized as a national champion by MaxPreps. The Knights finished 26-1 and won their fifth Class 5A state title in six years under head coach Quincy Lewis.
The average margin of victory in Lone Peak's four state tournament victories was 32.5 points, but it was what the Knights accomplished against non-Utah competition that really set them apart.
The tour de force began in early December at the Chicago Elite Classic with a 38-point win over eventual Illinois 4A semifinalist Proviso East (Maywood). A week later, the Knights blasted Colorado 5A runner-up Denver East by 19.
Next came the prestigious City of Palms Classic in Fort Myers, Fla., where the Utah dynasty recorded impressive wins over Callaway (Jackson, Miss.), Chester (Pa.) and Southwind (Memphis, Tenn.) before falling to Montverde Academy (Fla.) in the final. The win over Chester ended a 61-game win streak for the Keystone State powerhouse.
After Christmas the Knights beat eventual North Carolina private school state champ Wesleyan Christian Academy (High Point) and then recorded perhaps the most impressive win on their 2012-13 resume – a 35-point drubbing of California Open Division runner-up Archbishop Mitty (San Jose).
For the season, Lone Peak averaged 72.7 points per game while allowing just 46.4.
The Knights' balance was on display as postseason awards began to roll out in the Beehive State. BYU-bound (following a two-year mission) senior guard
Nick Emery was named Mr. Basketball by the
Deseret News. Junior guard
T.J. Haws (also committed to BYU) earned Class 5A MVP honors. Two other future BYU Cougars in 6-foot-9 senior
Eric Mika and football recruit
Talon Shumway earned first team Class 5A All-State honors. Senior guard
Connor Toolson was named to the second team.
Past MaxPreps Top 25 National Champions2012 –
St. Anthony (Jersey City, N.J.)2011 –
St. Anthony (Jersey City, N.J.)2010 –
Yates (Houston)2009 –
Findlay Prep (Henderson, Nev.)Read on for a complete look at the final MaxPreps MaxPreps Top 25 National Boys Basketball Rankings.
No. 5 Olympic celebrates a win over Broughton in the North Carolina Class 4A state title game.
Photo by Fabian Radulescu
Class 5A state champions.
2. Germantown (Wis.), 28-0Division 1 state champions.
3. Simeon (Chicago), 30-3Class 4A state champions.
4. Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.), 34-2Open Division champions.
5. Olympic (Charlotte, N.C.), 30-0Class 4A state champions.
6. Iowa City West (Iowa), 26-0Class 4A state champions.
7. Romulus (Mich.), 27-1Class A state champions.
8. Blanche Ely (Pompano Beach, Fla.), 27-2Class 7A state champions. National High School Invitational participant.
9. North Little Rock (Ark.), 30-1Class 7A state champions.
10. Whitney Young (Chicago), 27-411. Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas), 29-3Division I state champions.
12. Irmo (Columbia, S.C.), 29-0Class AAAA state champions.
13. Etiwanda (Calif.), 28-3Southern Section Division 1-AA champions.
14. Blue Valley Northwest (Overland Park, Kan.), 25-0Class 6A state champions.
15. Carmel (Ind.), 25-2Class 4A state champions.
16. Morgan Park (Chicago), 33-3Class 3A state champions.
17. Wenonah (Birmingham, Ala.), 34-2Class 5A state champions.
18. Fort Bend Travis (Richmond, Texas), 33-5Class 5A state champions.
19. Miller Grove (Lithonia, Ga.), 30-3Class AAAAA state champions.
20. Long Beach Poly (Calif.), 28-4
21. Lower Merion (Ardmore, Pa.), 30-3
Class AAAA state champions.
22. DeLaSalle (Minneapolis), 30-1
Class AAA state champions.
23. Bishop O'Connell (Arlington, Va.), 30-7
WCAC tournament champions. Alhambra Catholic Invitational champions.
24. Omaha Central (Neb.), 26-4
Class A state champions.
25. Mentor (Ohio), 25-5
Division I state champions.
