The first few weeks of the high school basketball season have yielded a lot of surprises, but at least one team has lived up to its preseason billing.
The No. 1 Link Academy [Branson, MO] Lions have beaten all comers so far, and they continue to sit atop the first 2026 edition of AllSportsPeople High School Boys Basketball Top 25 rankings with a sparkling 13-0 record. The Lions are back in action this week with games on Friday and Saturday against Iowa United and Brewster Academy in the LaPorte Invitational where they will once again be tested by some of the top prep hardwood teams in the nation.
The rest of the Top 25 has changed a bit as only five teams originally ranked in the preseason Top 10 still occupy positions in that range. The Prolific Prep [Fort Lauderdale, FL] Crew are up a spot from No. 3 to No. 2 after fashioning an 18-2 record so far, and preseason No. 10 Dynamic Prep [Irving, TX] is up four spots to No. 6.
MORE: AllSportsPeople High School Boys Basketball Preseason Top 25
The Sierra Canyon [Chatsworth, CA] Trailblazers have moved up a notch from No. 8 to No. 7 while the defending national champion Columbus [Miami, FL] Explorers are still clinging to the No. 9 position after falling from No. 2.
Three of the other preseason Top 10 teams are still ranked with the preseason No. 6 Montverde [FL] Academy Eagles checking in at No. 15 while the preseason No. 7 Archbishop Stepinac [White Plains, NY] Crusaders and the preseason No. 5 Long Island Lutheran [Brookville, NY] Crusaders are currently listed at No. 17 and No. 19, respectively.
Finally, the preseason No. 4 IMG Academy [Bradenton, FL] Ascenders have slipped out of the Top 25 altogether but are still listed among our "bubble" teams below along with preseason No. 9 SPIRE Academy [Geneva, OH].
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AllSportsPeople High School Boys Basketball Top 25 rankings
1. Link Academy [Branson, MO] Lions
2025-26 record — 13-0
Previous ranking — No. 1
Upcoming games: 1/9 — vs. Iowa United; 1/11 — vs. Brewster Academy (both games at LaPorte [IN] Invitational)
Link Academy entered the season at No. 1, and the Lions have justified their lofty preseason ranking by rolling off 13 straight wins to start the season. In fact, they are the only team from SN's preseason list that has yet to lose a single game, and they've picked up Top 25 wins against Wasatch Academy (70-66 on November 24), Long Island Lutheran (75-53 on December 12), and Bishop McNamara (72-50 on December 27) along the3 way. They are currently 3-0 in the Nike EYBL-West Division, but before they return to league play, they'll take a detour through Indiana this weekend at the LaPorte Invitational with games against the highly-regarded Iowa United squad and Top 25 Brewster Academy from New Hampshire.
2. Prolific Prep [Fort Lauderdale, FL] Crew
2025-26 record: 18-2
Previous ranking: No. 3
Upcoming games: 1/9 — vs. Huntington Expression Prep; 1/10 — vs. Hamilton Heights Christian Academy
Prolific Prep heads into 2026 with just two losses to date – a surprising 65-64 loss to Tennessee Collegiate Academy back on November 28 and a 78-73 setback to Top 25 Montverde Academy on December 21. They return to action later this week on back-to-back nights against Huntington Expression Prep of West Virginia and Hamilton Heights Christian Academy of Tennessee where they should add two more W's to the win column.
3. Paul VI [Chantilly, VA] Panthers
2025-26 record: 11-1
Previous ranking: No. 19
Upcoming games: 1/6 — vs. Bishop McNamara; 1/9 — vs. Bishop Ireton; 1/10 — vs. Davidson Day
Paul VI rockets up the rankings from their preseason No. 19 position with only a 74-70 double overtime loss to Prolific Prep marring an otherwise perfect start to the season. Their 11 wins include five against teams that have been ranked in SN's Top 25 this season, including two victories against Archbishop Stepinac along with wins over Calvary Christian Academy, Principia, and Long Island Lutheran. A Tuesday night tussle with previously-ranked Bishop McNamara will provide another opportunity for a quality win.
4. AZ Compass Prep [Chandler, AZ] Dragons
2025-26 record: 11-1
Previous ranking: No. 15
Upcoming games: 1/10 — vs. The Wilson Academy
A 72-50 loss to SPIRE Academy on January 2, admittedly, wasn't a good look, but the Dragons bounced back a day later with a hard-fought 63-59 win over CIA-Bella Vista which, in turn, is responsible for Dynamic Prep's only loss in 2025-26. So, that's how we line them up this week with the big loss after an 18-day layoff against SPIRE looking more like an anomaly. The Dragons have another long stretch now with just a single game in two weeks, but then things will heat back up, starting just after mid-January with games against Long Island Lutheran and Link Academy.
5. CIA-Bella Vista Prep [Scottsdale, AZ] Bears
2025-26 record: 10-2
Previous ranking: No. 14
Upcoming games: 1/10 — vs. Tennessee Collegiate Academy; 1/11 — vs. Long Island Lutheran
Bella Vista's two losses have both come in their past four games dating back to an 80--58 blowout loss to Prolific Prep back on December 19. Their 63-59 loss to AZ Compass Prep last Saturday means those two losses have both come to teams currently ranked in the national Top 4 so there's no reason to push any panic buttons, yet. The coming days should give us a better understanding of where this team truly stands on the national scene starting with a Saturday afternoon contest against a Tennessee Collegiate Academy squad that owns a head-to-head win over that same Prolific Prep team. That's followed by a Sunday tip against Top 25 Long Island Lutheran.
6. Dynamic Prep [Irving, TX]
2025-26 record: 14-1
Previous ranking: No. 10
Upcoming games: 1/8 — vs. ISchool of Lewisville
Wins over defending national champion Columbus, Southeastern Prep, Wasatch Academy, Montverde Academy, and Dream City Christian National give Dynamic Prep one of the best resumes in the country to date. Their only loss is to CIA-Bella Vista Prep, and they have more opportunities coming down the pike to continue making their own case for SN's national championship, including a January 19 date with Prolific Prep.
7. Sierra Canyon [Chatsworth, CA] Trailblazers
2025-26 record: 13-1
Previous ranking: No. 8
Upcoming games: 1/7 — vs. St. Francis; 1/9 — vs. Notre Dame (SO)
Sierra Canyon's only loss so far came in a 57-52 setback to Bishop McNamara on December 7. They've avoided any other slip-ups, but a Friday night meeting with Notre Dame (SO) looms large this week as the Trailblazers' schedule gets a little more challenging over the coming weeks.
8. Principia [St. Louis, MO] Panthers
2025-26 record: 10-1
Previous ranking: Unranked
Upcoming games: 1/6 — vs. St. Louis Homeschool; 1/9 — vs. Lutheran South; 1/10 — vs. East St. Louis
Principia entered the 2025-26 season unranked, but the Panthers made a lot of noise in December with back-to-back wins over Columbus and Wheeler before fighting Paul VI valiantly in a 78-68 loss on December 22. Another solid win over Bartlett got the Panthers back on track, and they enter the new year as one of the fastest-rising teams in the entire country.
9. Columbus [Miami, FL] Explorers
2025-26 record: 12-3
Previous ranking: No. 2
Upcoming games: 1/6 — vs. St. Thomas Aquinas; 1/9 — vs. Stranahan
The defending national champions have been solid if unspectacular with solid wins over Southeastern Prep, St. John Bosco, and Long Island Lutheran. Losses to Dynamic Prep, Principia, and Sierra Canyon – all ranked ahead of the Explorers – cost them their No. 2 preseason ranking, but opportunities exist for the Miami powerhouse to climb back up the rankings, starting Tuesday night against St. Thomas Aquinas.
10. Southeastern Prep Academy [Orlando, FL] Falcons
2025-26 record: 22-6
Previous ranking: No. 11
Upcoming games: 1/6 — vs. Potter's House Academy; 1/11 — vs. IMG Academy
With 28 games under their belt already, Southeastern Prep should consider trading names with Prolific Prep as nobody in the Top 25 has been as prolific as the Falcons when it comes to action on the hardwood. They've mostly come out on top with close losses to Columbus, Dynamic Prep, and the aforementioned Prolific Prep accounting for half of the blemishes on their record. The last three losses, however, have come to teams the Falcons were expected to beat, including two currently unranked teams in West Oaks Academy and SPIRE Academy National. Most recently, they lost to Bartlett, an outcome that propelled the latter into the Top 25, and Southeastern Prep will try to get back on track Tuesday night against Potter's House Academy.
11. Dream City Christian National [Glendale, AZ] Eagles
2025-26 record: 5-1
Previous ranking: Unranked
Upcoming games: No games scheduled this week
While Southeastern Prep never met a game they couldn't schedule, Dream City Christian has taken a more measured approach with just six games under their belt so far. That includes a loss to Dynamic Prep last Saturday in their most recent outing, but the results in their five wins have propelled them to the edge of the Top 10 "bubble." That includes a win over a Tennessee Collegiate Academy squad that beat No. 2 Prolific Prep along with a win over Montverde Academy. Consistent with their light schedule so far, the Eagles won't be in action again until January 17 when they take on CATS Academy.
12. Brewster Academy National [Wolfeboro, NH] Bobcats
2025-26 record: 13-1
Previous ranking: No. 24
Upcoming games: 1/9 — vs. Tennessee Collegiate Academy; 1/11 — Link Academy
Brewster Academy's only loss to date is a 67-55 defeat against AZ Compass Prep, but the Bobcats have some quality wins of their own including a 61-54 win over Top 25 Sunrise Christian Academy. This week the Bobcats have two opportunities to boost their profile even further against Tennessee Collegiate Academy and No. 1 Link Academy on Sunday afternoon.
13. Sunrise Christian Academy [Bel Aire, KS] Buffaloes
2025-26 record: 6-2
Previous ranking: Unranked
Upcoming games: 1/9 — vs. La Lumiere
Sunrise Christian is another unranked team in the preseason that has climbed the Top 25 list here quickly. Wins over Wasatch Academy and Long Island Lutheran have boosted their profile along with a close 61-54 loss to Brewster Academy. A 79-47 blowout loss at the hands of AZ Compass Prep looks more like an anomaly at this point, but a big game Friday night against La Lumiere should tell us more about where this Buffaloes' squad stands heading into the new year.
14. Wasatch Academy [Mt. Pleasant, UT] Tigers
2025-26 record: 10-5
Previous ranking: No. 16
Upcoming games: No scheduled games this week
Wasatch Academy has been a little up and down in 2025-26, and a couple of recent losses are truly head-scratchers, particularly a 53-44 loss to a 6-6 Buckeye squad on December 23. The Tigers looked dominant in a 74-41 win over a solid Roman Catholic team on December 29 in their most recent action, however, and they get a week off to prepare for their next date with Layton Christian Academy on January 13.
15. Montverde [FL] Academy Eagles
2025-26 record: 5-4
Previous ranking: No. 6
Upcoming games: 1/7 — IMG Academy; 1/9 — The Villages Charter
Montverde Academy checked in at No. 6 in SN's preseason rankings before promptly losing its first three games to Southeastern Prep, Wasatch Academy, and Dream City Christian National. All of those teams are currently ranked in the Top 11 here, and the Eagles also own wins against No. 2 Prolific Prep and No. 17 Archbishop Stepinac. A respectable 69-59 loss to Dynamic Prep in their most recent outing on December 28 finds the Eagles sitting at just 5-4 with a big game on deck Wednesday night against IMG Academy. Consider that a "must-win" game for Montverde if they want to make a serious push to climb back into the Top 10, especially with a string of five more games against Top 50 opponents over the next three weeks.
16. St. Frances Academy [Baltimore, MD] Panthers
2025-26 record: 17-3
Previous ranking: Unranked
Upcoming games: 1/6 — vs. St. Mary's; 1/7 — Glenelg Country; 1/9 — McDonogh; 1/11 — vs. Archbishop Carroll
St. Frances Academy has marquee wins over Archbishop Stepinac and Webb among their 17 wins headed into the new year. They've got four more scheduled games this week alone and should hit the 20-win mark by the time next week's Top 25 is released. Opportunities to make a big splash on the national scene are limited, however, so the Panthers can't afford any stumbles against a lineup of mostly local Maryland and DC opponents prior to a big game against IMG Academy on January 24.
17. Archbishop Stepinac [White Plains, NY] Crusaders
2025-26 record: 7-4
Previous ranking: No. 7
Upcoming games: 1/10 — vs. Nazareth; 1/11 — vs. Bishop Loughlin
With two losses to Paul VI and additional setbacks vs. St. Frances Academy and Montverde Academy, the Crusaders haven't exactly set the world on fire after entering the season ranked No. 7. Those games represented Archbishop Stepinac's best opportunities to make noise on the national scene, and now the remaining schedule is comprised entirely of New York opponents in games that the Crusaders can't afford to lose. Translation? Archbishop Stepinac likely has to win out in the regular season to avoid falling completely out of the Top 25.
18. Bartlett [TN] Panthers
2025-26 record: 13-2
Previous ranking: Unranked
Upcoming games: 1/6 — vs. Houston; 1/9 — vs. Cordova
Bartlett played several national-level opponents during the non-conference portion of their scheduled, registering big wins over Long Island Lutheran and Southeastern Prep along the way. Their only two losses came against Top 25 opponents in Archbishop Stepinac and Principia, and their performance against that schedule propelled them into the Top 25. It's mostly Tennessee competition from here out so the Panthers will have to keep winning to hang onto their position here.
19. Long Island Lutheran [Brookville, NY] Crusaders
2025-26 record: 4-5
Previous ranking: No. 5
Upcoming games: 1/9 — vs. La Lumiere; 1/11 — vs. CIA-Bella Vista
Long Island Lutheran's shaky 4-5 start cost them their elite position in the preseason Top 5, and the schedule doesn't get any easier heading into 2026. The Crusaders might be able to hold onto their spot in the Top 25 next week if they can earn a split with La Lumiere and CIA-Bella Vista this weekend, but two more losses would almost certainly result in them sliding out of the Top 25 with an equally challenging schedule looming in the weeks to come.
20. Calvary Christian Academy [Fort Lauderdale, FL] Eagles
2025-26 record: 10-1
Previous ranking: Unranked
Upcoming games: 1/8 — vs. Sagemont Prep; 1/10 — vs. Riviera Prep
Calvary Christian Academy's big 10-1 start includes a win over preseason No. 13 Wheeler, and the Eagles enter the SN Top 25 just before returning to action Thursday night against Sagemont Prep. It's Saturday's matchup with Riviera Prep, however, that stands as a resume builder that could keep the Eagles here in the Top 25 heading into next weeks' Bass Pro Tournament of Champions in Springfield, Missouri.
21. Sunnyslope [Phoenix, AZ] Vikings
2025-26 record: 16-1
Previous ranking: Unranked
Upcoming games: 1/9 — vs. Brophy College Prep
In terms of overall record, not many teams nationally can match Sunnyslope's blazing 16-1 start, and they have some marquee wins boosting their profile, too. The Vikings have an overtime victory over preseason Top 25 St. John Bosco to go along with quality wins vs. Redondo Union, Bishop Gorman, DeMatha, and Wheeler. Only an early 68-64 loss back on November 22 to that same Redondo Union squad keeps Sunnyslope from being undefeated heading into Friday's matchup against Brophy College Prep.
22. Wheeler [Marietta, GA] Wildcats
2025-26 record: 11-3
Previous ranking: No. 13
Upcoming games: 1/6 — vs. Cherokee; 1/9 — vs. North Paulding
After roaring out of the gate to an 8-0 start, Wheeler has split its last six games to settle into the new year at 11-3. Big wins include victories over Webb, Bishop McNamara, The Villages Charter, and Millennium while the setbacks have all come against Top 25 competition in losses to Principia, Calvary Christian Academy, and Sunnyslope. The Wildcats should get through this week unscathed before heading into next weekend's Bass Pro Tournament of Champions in Springfield, Missouri.
23. Salesian College Prep [Richmond, CA] Pride
2025-26 record: 11-2
Previous ranking: Unranked
Upcoming games: 1/7 — vs. Albany; 1/10 — vs. Saint Mary's
A big win over previous Top 25 St. John Bosco on December 29 has boosted the Pride's early profile, and a close 60-53 loss to Wheeler suggested they can, indeed, consistently run with the big dogs at the national level. There are only limited opportunities to build on their early resume from here out, though, and the Pride might have to be flawless down the stretch to hang onto their position here in the Top 25.
24. Webb [Knoxville, TN] Spartans
2025-26 record: 17-2
Previous ranking: Unranked
Upcoming games: 1/9 — vs. Tennessee Heat
Webb has played well enough in 2025-26 to warrant a position here in the Top 25, winning big games over Houston and Bishop O'Connell with only two close losses to Wheeler and St. Frances Academy by a combined seven points. Both of those teams are also ranked here in the Top 25, but Webb's remaining schedule includes only opponents from the Volunteer State. That means they might not be able to hold onto this position – especially if they stumble somewhere along the way.
25. Bishop O'Connell [Arlington, VA] Knights
2025-26 record: 12-2
Previous ranking: Unranked
Upcoming games: 1/6 — vs. Archbishop Carroll; 1/10 — DePaul College Prep
Bishop O'Connell is propped up by wins over IMG Academy and St. Thomas Aquinas, while their two losses to Milton and Webb came against teams that are both ranked in the national Top 50 here. Opportunities to raise their profile are plentiful in the coming weeks with games scheduled against Paul VI, Bishop McNamara, and Wasatch Academy among others.
The next 25 teams on the "bubble"
Here are the best of the rest — teams under consideration for the SN Top 25.
Bartow [FL] Yellow Jackets — 14-1
Bishop McNamara [Forestville, MD] Mustangs — 7-6
East Lansing [MI] Trojans — 8-0
Fishers [IN] — 10-0
Grayson [Loganville, GA] Rams — 13-1
Greensboro [NC] Day School Bengals — 22-2
Harvard-Westlake [Studio City, CA] Wolverines — 17-2
IMG Academy [Bradenton, FL] Ascenders — 9-4
La Lumiere [La Porte, IN] Lakers — 4-1
Millenium [Goodyear, AZ] Tigers — 14-2
Milton [GA] Eagles — 10-2
Notre Dame SO [Sherman Oaks, CA] Knights — 13-4
Oak Cliff Faith Family Academy [Dallas, TX] Eagles — 15-4
Oak Hill Academy [Mouth of Wilson, VA] Warriors — 13-4
Redondo Union [Redondo Beach, CA] Sea Hawks — 16-3
Santa Margarita [Rancho Santa Margarita, CA] Eagles — 19-2
Seven Lakes [Katy, TX] Spartans — 22-0
SPIRE Academy [Geneva, OH] — 2-3
St. John Bosco [Bellflower, CA] Braves — 11-4
St. Thomas Aquinas [Fort Lauderdale, FL] Raiders — 14-3
St. Thomas More [Oakdale, CT] Chancellors — 10-3
Tennessee Collegiate Academy [Millington, TN] Spartans — 9-5
Timpview [Provo, UT] Thunderbirds — 12-1
The Villages [FL] Charter Buffalo — 11-4
Wisconsin Lutheran [Milwaukee, WI] Vikings — 9-0
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