SBLive/Sports Illustrated Power 25: No. 2 Duncanville completes 6A Texas boys basketball three-peat
State champions were crowned in California, Texas, Illinois, Georgia and Arkansas this past weekend, resulting in significant movement in the latest SBLive/Sports Illustrated Power 25 national boys basketball rankings.
In total, eight programs make their debut in this week's Power 25 rankings.
No. 2 Duncanville (Texas) won its third consecutive UIL Class 6A championship, No. 12 North Little Rock (Ark.) won the AAA Class 6A title convincingly and No. 8 Corona Centennial (Calif.) — this week's biggest riser — completed its dominant run to a program-first CIF Open Division state championship.
Fields for two high-profile postseason tournaments — GEICO Nationals and the inaugural State Champions Invitational — are expected to be announced this week.
Find the complete breakdown of the SBLive/SI Power 25 below:
The Power 25, sponsored by Discount Tire, is a collaboration between SBLive and Sports Illustrated. Power 25 rankings are compiled by SBLive reporter Andy Buhler and SI Director of Basketball Recruiting Jason Jordan based on observations and conversations with an extensive network of coaching and media sources across the country. Reach Andy on Twitter @AndyBuhler or email him at andy@scorebooklive.com.
Watch their weekly Power 25 breakdowns on Tuesday live on Instagram at 8:30 a.m. Pacific Standard Time @SBLiveSports and @SIAllAmerican.
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SBLIVE/SI POWER 25 NATIONAL BOYS BASKETBALL RANKINGS
March 14, 2022
1. Sunrise Christian Academy (Bel Air, Kan.) (25-1)
Last ranking: No. 1
Did not play.
2. Duncanville (Duncanville, Tex.) (35-1)
Last ranking: No. 2
Three-peated as UIL (Texas) 6A state champions by beating McKinney 69-49 in the title game Saturday behind Anthony Black’s 17. It took a comeback effort against Humble Atascocita, fueled by a late 14-0 run, to even get there.
3. IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.) (21-4)
Last ranking: No. 3
Did not play.
4. Montverde Academy (Montverde, Fla.) (19-4)
Last ranking: No. 4
Did not play.
5. Link Academy (Branson, Mo.) (32-1)
Last ranking: No. 5
Michigan-bound center Tarris Reed Jr. posted two strong showings in the Top Gun Showcase, putting up 17 points in a 59-55 win over AZ Compass Prep (Ariz.) and 26 in a 62-54 win over Huntington Prep (W.V.).
6. Calvary Christian Academy (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) (24-2)
Last ranking: No. 6
Accepted an invite to the inaugural State Champions Invitational after repeating as 4A FHSAA state champions, beating Andrew Jackson, 74-58.
7. La Lumiere School (La Porte, Ind.) (21-4)
Last ranking: No. 8
Did not play.
8. Corona Centennial (Corona, Calif.) (33-1)
Last ranking: No. 14
New Mexico-bound senior guard Donovan Dent played fourth quarter maestro, pulling the Huskies out of a shooting slump with late-game playmaking to help the Huskies pull away from Modesto Christian and win its first CIF State Open Division title, 59-50, to complete a dominant postseason run. Lone loss to No. 2 Duncanville.
9. Camden (Camden, N.J.) (29-2)
Last ranking: No. 9
Monkey is off the back. After losing five in a row, the Panthers thrashed Newark Central 93-52 to win its first NJSIAA Group 2 championship at Rutgers on Sunday behind standout junior DJ Wagner had 20 points and nine boards and Aaron Bradshaw’s 14 and 11. Up next: the Tournament of Champions.
10. Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.) (32-7)
Last ranking: 10
Did not play.
11. Roselle Catholic (Roselle, N.J.) (27-2)
Last ranking: 11
The group stage has been cleared. Nebraska-bound Jamarques Lawrence's 21 points helped the Lions beat Trenton Catholic to win the NJSIAA Non-Public School B championship on Saturday to earn a first round bye in the Tournament of Champions.
12. North Little Rock (Little Rock, Ark.) (27-3)
Last ranking: No. 13
The Charging Wildcats pulled away and beat Bentonville convincingly — 65-47 — to win the AAA 6A state title. Arkansas pledge and McDonald's All-American Nick Smith Jr. named tournament MVP and Oregon-bound Kel'el Ware had eight points, 11 boards and seven blocks.
13. Combine Academy (Lincolnton, N.C.) (23-4)
Last ranking: No. 15
Patrick Wessler and Jayden Epps combined for 49 points to lead the Goats past Moravian Prep 84-70 for its second straight Phenom Hoop State Championship.
14. St. Paul VI (Chantilly, Va. (31-5)
Last ranking: 17
After winning its first WCAC title since 2014 on Jaquan Womack's buzzer beater, then taking home the VISAA Division I state title, the Panthers finished Alhambra Catholic Invitational Tournament runners-up to WCAC foe DeMatha, losing 67-59 on Saturday. Beat Mt. St. Joseph (Md.) and Long Island Lutheran (N.Y.) to reach the title.
15. Glenbard West (Glen Ellyn, Ill.) (37-1)
Last ranking: 19
Gave a final confirmation of its dominance over the state of Illinois Saturday, beating Whitney Young 56-34 in the IHSA Class 4A title behind Paxton Warden's 21 points and Gonzaga-bound Braden Huff's 19 points and five assists.
16. Centerville (Centerville, Oh.) (28-0)
Last ranking: 20
The Elks are on their way to defending their Division I OHSAA state championship, as the top overall seed, beating Fairmont 44-42 and Fairfield 55-39 to book a semifinal matchup with three-seeded St. Ignatius.
17. Sidwell Friends (Washington, D.C.) (29-1)
Last ranking: NR
Knocked off Wilson 46-45 on the strength of sophomore Caleb Williams' buzzer-beater to win the DCSAA Class AA championship on Mar. 6. Lone loss was in overtime to WCAC foe Archbishop Carroll on Dec. 4, then logged multiple wins over members of the vaunted catholic conference, including one over previously ranked Bishop McNamara on Feb. 5.
18. Beaumont United (Beaumont, Tex.) (26-3)
Last ranking: NR
Houston-bound Terrance Arceneaux garnered Class 5A UIL state title MVP honors after leading it to a 62-57 win over Mansfield Timberview on Saturday with 14 points, 10 boards and three assists. The Timberwolves debut after being a Power 25 bubble team all season, with only one in-state loss (Cypress Ranch by two in the season-opener) and losses to Georgia 7A power Newton and nationally ranked North Little Rock.
19. Wasatch Academy (Mount Pleasant, Utah) (14-10)
Last ranking: 22
Did not play.
20. Cardinal Hayes (Bronx, N.Y.) (26-3)
Last ranking: NR
Two weeks after losing to Archbishop Stepinac in the New York Archdiocesan title, the Cardinals snapped its 14-game winning streak in the CHSAA city championship Friday, 79-59, in the teams' fourth matchup of the season.
21. Imhotep Charter (Philadelphia, Pa.) (26-4)
Last ranking: NR
The Panthers debut before facing Marple Newton on Tuesday in the PIAA Class 5A state quarterfinals, enduring a nationally-competitive schedule to get there. Two of its losses are to No. 14 Paul VI (by nine) and to No. 3 IMG Academy (by 19).
22. Columbus (Miami, Fla.) (29-2)
Last ranking: NR
Its emphatic end-of-season stamp could mark the start of a special multi-year run. Led by standout twin freshmen Cayden and Cameron Boozer — sons of former NBA standout Carlos Boozer — the Explorers finished an FHSAA 7A state title run with a win over defending champ over Dr. Phillips, 45-44 on Mar. 5, which had been ranked in the Power 25 since the preseason.
23. Jonesboro (Jonesboro, Ark.) (28-3)
Last ranking: NR
Pokes into the Power 25 after beating Marion by 27 to win the AAA 5A state title on Thursday. Losses to Link Academy (by 31) and previous Power 25 team Dr. Phillips (by 11) in December is offset by a 14-point win over North Little Rock on Dec. 4.
24. Carmel Christian (Matthews, N.C.) (26-3)
Last ranking: NR
Beat previously ranked Greensboro Day 71-66 for its third N.C. Independent Schools Athletic Association 4A state title in five years on Feb. 26 behind Belmont-bound senior Cade Tyson's 31 points.
25. Liberty (Henderson, Nev.) (22-4)
Last ranking: NR
Patriots upended Nevada power and previous Power 25 mainstay Bishop Gorman 63-62 in overtime to win the NIAA Class 5A state championship, ending the Gaels' near-historic run of nine in a row. Consensus four-star point guard Dedan Thomas' 20 points led the way. Gorman even had a shot to win it.
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Who qualifies for the Power 25?
In order to qualify, programs must be either affiliated with the state high school athletic association in the state it resides in or recognized by the association and allowed to play member high schools in its home state.
— Andy Buhler, SBLive – @AndyBuhler
— Jason Jordan, SI – @JasonJordanSI
