Arkansas high school boys basketball Top 25 rankings (3/15/2024)
The 2023-24 Arkansas prep basketball season came to a close at Bank OZK Arena last weekend with the crowning of 12 state champions.
Little Rock Central came up short last season, despite having one of the state's best teams, but did not allow Bryant to conquer them for a third time this year and it resulted in their first outright state championship in 25 years as they also finished in the top spot.
Benton was well on its way to winning the school's first title, but defending 5A champion Pine Bluff began a rally late in the second quarter and the Z's built off of it to take home their second consecutive trophy, and they come at No. 4.
Finally, the last state champion to claim a spot in the Top 25 is now two-time defending 4A crown winner Little Rock Christian, which finished No. 7. Louisiana Tech signee Landren Blocker threw down multiple highlight dunks and the Warriors held off Farmington despite a stellar performance from North Texas signee Layne Taylor.
Here are the final Top 25 boys basketball rankings of the 2023-24 season.
1. Little Rock Central (27-6)
Head coach Brian Ross acknowledged that his guys were not playing their best basketball at the end of last year, and it resulted in a disappointing end to an overall great season. However, this time around, the Tigers stuck to their 2023-24 motto of "Finish" while playing arguably the state's toughest schedule and it earned the program's first undisputed state championship since 1999.
2. Bryant (29-4)
If the pain on the Hornets' faces did not tell you how bad they wanted to win the 6A state championship, their overall play throughout the season sure did. Included in an incredible 26-game win streak was two close victories by a combined five points over eventual state champion Little Rock Central. A close loss on the biggest stage certainly does not take away from them being one of the best two teams in Arkansas.
3. Har-Ber (28-3)
Adding 2025 four-star prospect Courtland Muldrew took the Wildcats from very good to one of the state's best as they essentially remained in the Top 3 throughout the season and now solidified the No. 3 spot. With Muldrew back, he, along with standout classmate Jaxon Conley, will be primed to take Har-Ber on another deep run.
4. Pine Bluff (24-6)
They did not take many lumps in 2023-24, but when they did the Z's responded. Following back-to-back losses in January, Pine Bluff won 11 of its next 12 games – the lone loss coming to Benton – but the Z's got their redemption for two regular season losses after rallying in the state finals against the Panthers to claim their second consecutive state title and 15th in program history.
5. North Little Rock (21-8)
Opinions varied on whether or not the Charging Wildcats could make a run coming off of a tough season and they showed they could. One major season milestone was snapping Bryant's 26-game win streak at home on Feb. 16, but, as host of the 6A state tournament, they also were one game away from making another trip to Hot Springs.
6. Benton (29-5)
While the ending was the polar opposite of what they envisioned, the Panthers not only should be excited about what they have coming back, but also the turnaround they from last year. After a dreadful second half of the 2022-23 season in which they finished seventh in the 5A-South standings, the Panthers went undefeated through a brutal South league this winter and did not lose in 2024 until falling to Pine Bluff in the 5A championship game.
7. Little Rock Christian (28-7)
It was a safe bet to assume that the two-overtime upset loss to Clinton on Jan. 23 would catapult the Warriors to another dominant state title run – and it did. LRCA won its final 13 contests, mostly in dominant fashion, and the Warriors are now back-to-back defending 4A champions in two years under head coach Kyle Pennington.
8. Farmington (34-3)
One of the state's overall most successful teams throughout the past three seasons (98 combined wins in that span) finally got over the hump and made it to the state finals. While heralded senior guard Layne Taylor put on one final show, it was not enough to conquer a loaded Little Rock Christian squad.
9. Lake Hamilton (26-7)
It is only fitting that the Ty Robinson-led Wolves had one final thrilling showdown with Courtney Crutchfield-led Pine Bluff, and the two superstars added more clips to the highlight reel. Despite Lake Hamilton coming up short in the 5A semifinal loss, not many senior classes can say they went to three consecutive Final Fours, plus a state finals appearance, but this 2024 class can.
10. Fayetteville (25-6)
An overall memorable season ended with plenty to forget as the Purple Dogs dropped their final three contests that ended with a disappointing 6A state quarterfinal loss to North Little Rock. However, they were certainly one of the state's best squads through most of the year, as Fayetteville started 22-0 against in-state competition before losing four of their final seven games.
11. Vilonia (22-8)
While the Eagles would definitely love to reverse time and have another late shot in the 5A quarterfinals, they handled their business last season while competing against some of the state's best. They won the 5A-Central title, while losses were all to teams who clinched a postseason berth – including 6A champion Little Rock Central, plus New Madrid (Mo.) County Central, who just won its second consecutive state championship.
12. Jonesboro (16-14)
Say what you want about some of the bad losses, but there is zero question this Hurricane team is worthy of this spot when they played their best basketball. Excluding a four-point home loss to Little Rock Southwest on Feb. 13, they mostly did that in February, as evidenced by a Top 10 win over North Little Rock, plus going to toe-to-toe with Har-Ber in the 6A quarterfinals before the Wildcats went on a late run.
13. Springdale (19-12)
A frustrating start for the Red Dogs preceded a respectable finish as they fell in the 6A quarterfinals to eventual state champion Little Rock Central, whom Springdale conquered the year prior in the same matchup. The Red Dogs played much better in February once star guard Isaiah Sealy returned from injury, winning six of their final eight games.
14. Maumelle (18-11)
Down three with six seconds to go against Benton in the 5A quarterfinals, Maumelle's season ended in controversy as head coach Michael Shook pleaded for a foul on a shot attempt and did not get it. It is worth noting, though, that the Hornets won 12 of their final 13 games following a 6-9 start to get to that point.
15. Parkview (17-15)
It is hard to find any other team, no matter the classification, statewide that had a more up and down season than the Patriots. They got off to a rough 5-8 start, then got some things figured out. They did hit another slump, but made a run to the semifinals by winning three of their final four games.
16. Alma (21-10)
Considering the Airedales won only five games last season, then started this year 6-8, virtually no one outside of their locker room predicted that they could finish at the top of the 5A-West standings. They got hot once the calendar flipped over to 2024 and won 15 of their final 17 games, that includes an 11-game win streak.
17. Jacksonville (19-12)
Not only did the Titans clinch the 5A-Central's final playoff spot after winning eight of their final ten regular season games, they also earned the state tournament's only four-seed upset over a No. 1 as they conquered Nettleton.
18. Nettleton (21-9)
While it was disappointing being upset in the 5A state tournament's first round as the East conference's No. 1 seed, the Raiders overcame a lot in 2023-24. Between head coach Aaron Deaton being on a leave of absence and a tough 7-7 start, they refused to give in and ended up winning the 5A-East outright.
19. Marion (19-5)
Adversity struck for the Patriots right as the season began as head coach David Clark abruptly resigned and lead assistant Emmanuel Wade took over. Wade guided them to a fast start and finished one game behind Nettleton in the 5A-East standings before falling to Parkview in the first round of the state tournament.
20. Bentonville West (17-14)
Tucker Anderson, who now plays for UCA and was the Atlantic Sun Conference's Freshman of the Year, was heavily missed on this year's team, but the Wolverines restored some pride at the end. West was 8-10 on Jan. 12, but went 9-4 down the stretch and hung tough with Bryant in the 6A quarterfinals.
21. Van Buren (23-8)
A challenging non-conference schedule that included 6A semifinalists North Little Rock and Springdale Har-Ber, plus 6A finalist Bryant, prepped them for a strong 5A-West run in which they finished second in the regular season standings by a single game. The Pointers won their final seven regular season games before falling by three points to state champion Pine Bluff in the state tournament's first round.
22. Mills (24-10)
Certianly a team to pencil in as a favorite in Class 4A next season, the Comets will have a lot of familiar faces. It was pretty apparent that the best is yet to come as they won seventeen of their final nineteen contests after struggling to a 7-8 start.
23. Russellville (23-8)
While the backend of the season was not ideal, the Cyclones overcame a lot in Year One under Greg Chenault, the program's third head coach in as many seasons. Before dropping five of their final eight games, they started the year 17-1 with the lone loss coming to 6A semifinalist North Little Rock.
24. Mountain Home (20-11)
The Bombers claim the final spot despite dropping four of their final six games. Nonetheless, you can not discredit the progress this 2024 senior class made, who went from three wins as sophomores, to 16 as juniors, then hit the 20 mark this year while advancing to the 5A state tournament.
25 Subiaco Academy (28-3)
Back-to-back losses to cap off the season put a damper on an overall successful campaign, as the Trojans somewhat quietly started 12-0 with a convincing win in that span over No. 21 Van Buren.
-- Kyle Sutherland | kyle@scorebooklive.com | @k_sutherlandAR
