National Prep Poll
March 31, 2008
*****
National Prep Basketball Poll - Final 2007-08
By Jamie DeMoney
By Jamie DeMoney
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National Prep Poll: The FIRST national rankings released each week during the season. Legendary coach Bob Hurley's club went 32-0, defeating two Top 25 teams along the way, and never had a margin of victory less than 11 points. St. Anthony is the 11th champion in 20 seasons of the Poll to finish the season unbeaten. St. Anthony is the fourth team from an Atlantic Ocean border state to win the Prep Poll title in the last five years. Fourteen of the 20 Prep Poll champions crowned since 1987-88 have been East Coast squads. Dominguez (Compton, Calif.) in 2000 and Lincoln (Dallas) in 2002 are the only teams located west of the Mississippi River to ever win a National Prep Poll title. That does not include St. Augustine (New Orleans), which is technically west of the Mississippi, which won it in 1995. The only question that remains is what would have been had St. Anthony played nearby No. 2 St. Benedict's (Newark) during the season -- a game that would have pitted the coaching wits of Hurley against his son Dan Hurley -- for all the marbles. Click here for the the National Prep Poll archive. The National Prep Basketball Poll is compiled by high school sports journalist Jamie DeMoney with input from sportswriters, experts, and coaches. The national Top 25 with regional Top 10's follow with won-loss records:
Northeast Region East Coast Region Southeast Region Midwest Region Midlands Region Southwest Region West Coast Region Dropped out: Northeast: No. 10 Lawrence, Mass., Central Catholic. Midlands: No. 10 Mendota Heights, Minn., Sibley. FEATS OF THE WEEK: One of the nation's most successful and storied prep basketball programs added its third National Prep Poll title. Jersey City, N.J., St. Anthony finished the season ranked No. 1 after defeating 32 consecutive opponents (including two Top 25 foes), all by double-digit margins. The Friars won their 25th group state championship and 10th state Tournament of Champions title. For coach Bob Hurley, who has a 934-101 record through 36 seasons, this was one of his most talented teams. Six seniors, led by McDonald's All-American guard Mike Rosario (Rutgers), will sign with Division I colleges. Six-foot-six guard Dominic Cheek, still uncommitted, is rated among the top 15 juniors in the country. St. Anthony's previous Prep Poll titles came in 1989 -- a team featuring future first-round NBA draft picks Bobby Hurley and Terry Dehere -- and in 1996 . . . Meanwhile, No. 25 Minnetonka, Minn., captured its first 4A state title since 1998. The Skippers battled back from an early 22-point deficit to defeat Mendota Heights, Sibley, 68-59, at the Target Center in Minneapolis. Twin Cities player of the year Anthony Tucker (Iowa) scored 27 points . . . No. 6 Brooklyn, Lincoln captured its second consecutive New York State Federation title. The Railsplitters hammered regionally ranked Flushing, Holy Cross, 86-67, at the Glens Falls Civic Center. Junior standout Lance Stephenson scored 16 points with 14 rebounds and was named tournament MVP. Previous National Prep Poll champions with records and coaches: Copyright 2008 World Features Syndicate, Inc...endit *Note: The National Prep Poll was authored by hall of fame high school sports journalist and historian Doug Huff (now with Student Sports) from 1987-1999. Have something to say about this week's rankings? Leave your comments and interact with other readers by clicking here.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- It's official. The Friars of St. Anthony (Jersey City, N.J.) are National Prep Poll champions for third time since 1989.
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#
School
Record
Note
LW
1.
Jersey City, N.J., St. Anthony
32-0
won 10th state T of C title
1
2.
Newark, N.J., St. Benedict's
24-1
10 wins over current or formerly ranked teams
2
3.
Fort Worth, Texas, North Crowley
38-1
5A champ, won last 35 games
3
4.
Chester, Pa.
33-1
4A titlist, only loss to No. 2 St. Benedict's
4
5.
Oakland, Calif., McClymonds
32-0
Division I state champ
5
6.
Brooklyn, N.Y., Lincoln
30-4
repeat state Federation champion
6
7.
Norcross, Ga.
29-2
third consecutive 5A crown
7
8.
Washington, D.C., Gonzaga
34-1
won DC city and Alhambra Catholic titles
8
9.
Compton, Calif., Dominguez
32-3
SoCal Division I champion
9
10.
Santa Ana, Calif., Mater Dei
35-1
repeat Division II state titlist
10
11.
Saginaw, Mich.
27-1
back-to-back Class A champion
11
12.
Memphis, Tenn., Ridgeway
34-3
won 3A state title
12
13.
Elizabeth, N.J., St. Patrick
25-5
all losses to current or former Top 25 teams
13
14.
Mouth of Wilson, Va., Oak Hill
34-4
20th straight Top 25 finish
14
15.
Fort Lauderdale, Fla., Dillard
29-2
5A state champion
15
16.
Duncanville, Texas
35-2
both losses to Top 15 teams
16
17.
Chicago, Ill., Marshall
32-4
state 3A and Chicago Public League champ
17
18.
Maysville, Ky., Mason County
34-4
won second state crown since '03
18
19.
Highland, Utah, Lone Peak
22-2
back-to-back 5A titlist
19
20.
Spokane, Wash., Ferris
29-0
repeat 4A champ, 58 straight wins
20
21.
Marietta, Ga., Wheeler
30-3
only in-state loss to No. 7 Norcross
21
22.
Riverside, Calif., King
32-3
SoCal Division I runner-up
24
23.
Minnetonka, Minn.
28-3
erased 22-point deficit to win 4A crown
25
24.
New York, N.Y., Rice
23-3
2-2 against Top 25 teams
23
25.
Brownsburg, Ind.
22-5
4A state champion
NR
1.
Jersey City, N.J., St. Anthony (32-0) (1)
2.
Newark, N.J., St. Benedict's (24-1) (2)
3.
Chester, Pa. (33-1) (3)
4.
Brooklyn, N.Y., Lincoln (30-4) (4)
5.
Elizabeth, N.J., St. Patrick (25-5) (5)
6.
New York, N.Y., Rice (23-3) (7)
7.
Middle Village, N.Y., Christ the King (22-6) (8)
8.
Bryn Athyn, Pa., Academy of the New Church (26-2) (9)
9.
Albany, N.Y., Maginn (25-2) --
10.
Flushing, N.Y., Holy Cross (22-9) (6)
1.
Washington, D.C., Gonzaga (34-1) (1)
2.
Mouth of Wilson, Va., Oak Hill (34-4) (2)
3.
Alexandria, Va., Williams (29-3) (4)
4.
Silver Spring, Md., Springbrook (25-2) (5)
5.
Summerville, S.C. (25-3) (6)
6.
Richmond, Va., Benedictine (28-7) (7)
7.
Arlington, Va., O'Connell (30-7) (8)
8.
Kinston, N.C. (28-4) (3)
9.
Baltimore, Md., St. Frances (29-9) (9)
10.
Rockville, Md., Montrose Christian (21-4) (10)
1.
Norcross, Ga. (29-2) (1)
2.
Memphis, Tenn., Ridgeway (34-3) (2)
3.
Fort Lauderdale, Fla., Dillard (29-2) (3)
4.
Marietta, Ga., Wheeler (30-3) (4)
5.
Harvey, La., Cox (36-7) (5)
6.
Jackson, Miss., Provine (30-7) (6)
7.
Miami, Fla., Norland (26-6) (7)
8.
Tuscaloosa, Ala., Hillcrest (33-3) (8)
9.
Opa Locka, Fla., Pace (23-9) (9)
10.
Fort Lauderdale, Fla., Pine Crest (28-4) (10)
1.
Saginaw, Mich. (27-1) (1)
2.
Chicago, Ill., Marshall (32-4) (2)
3.
Maysville, Ky., Mason County (34-4) (3)
4.
Brownsburg, Ind. (22-5) (4)
5.
Wauwatosa, Wis., East (26-1) (5)
6.
Chicago, Ill., Simeon (29-4) (6)
7.
Marion, Ind. (24-5) (7)
8.
Oak Lawn, Ill., Richards (30-4) (8)
9.
Newark, Ohio (24-4) (9)
10.
Covington, Ky., Holmes (34-3) (10)
1.
Highland, Utah, Lone Peak (22-2) (1)
2.
Minnetonka, Minn. (28-3) (2)
3.
Minnetonka, Minn., Hopkins (27-2) (3)
4.
Iowa City, Iowa, City High (25-1) (4)
5.
Webster Groves, Mo. (29-3) (5)
6.
Omaha, Neb., Central (25-3) (6)
7.
Kaysville, Utah, Davis (21-1) (7)
8.
Florissant, Mo., McCluer North (25-5) (8)
9.
Denver, Colo., East (23-5) (9)
10.
Topeka, Kan., Highland Park (23-1) --
1.
Fort Worth, Texas, North Crowley (38-1) (1)
2.
Duncanville, Texas (35-2) (2)
3.
Little Rock, Ark., Hall (29-2) (3)
4.
Phoenix, Ariz., Desert Vista (26-5) (4)
5.
Sugar Land, Texas, Dulles (34-5) (5)
6.
Tulsa, Okla., Memorial (24-5) (6)
7.
Dallas, Texas, South Oak Cliff (25-8) (7)
8.
Oklahoma City, Okla., Putnam City (25-2) (8)
9.
Reno, Nev. (26-6) (9)
10.
Hobbs, N.M. (28-4) (10)
1.
Oakland, Calif., McClymonds (32-0) (1)
2.
Compton, Calif., Dominguez (32-3) (2)
3.
Santa Ana, Calif., Mater Dei (35-1) (3)
4.
Spokane, Wash., Ferris (29-0) (4)
5.
Riverside, Calif., King (32-3) (5)
6.
Woodland Hills, Calif., Taft (27-4) (6)
7.
San Jose, Calif., Mitty (32-2) (8)
8.
Los Angeles, Calif., Fairfax (27-6) (7)
9.
Los Angeles, Calif., Westchester (29-5) (9)
10.
Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif., Santa Margarita (30-5) (10)
1988--Bronx, N.Y., Tolentine (30-1), John Sarandrea
1989--Jersey City, N.J., St. Anthony (32-0), Bob Hurley
1990--Chicago, King (32-0), Landon Cox
1991--Philadelphia, Simon Gratz (27-1), Bill Ellerbee
1992--Baltimore, Dunbar (29-0), Pete Pompey
1993--Mouth of Wilson, Va., Oak Hill (30-0), Steve Smith
1994--Mouth of Wilson, Va., Oak Hill (30-1), Steve Smith
1995--New Orleans, St. Augustine (37-1), Bernard Griffith
1996--Jersey City, N.J., St. Anthony (31-0), Bob Hurley
1997--Peoria, Ill., Manual (31-1), Wayne McClain
1998--Frederick, Md., St. John's at Prospect Hall (25-0), Stu Vetter
1999--Mouth of Wilson, Va., Oak Hill (31-0), Steve Smith
2000--Compton, Calif., Dominguez (35-2), Russell Otis
2001--Mouth of Wilson, Va., Oak Hill (32-1), Steve Smith
2002--Dallas, Lincoln (40-0), Leonard Bishop
2003--Akron, Ohio, St. Vincent-St. Mary (25-1), Dru Joyce II
2004--Mouth of Wilson, Va., Oak Hill (38-0), Steve Smith
2005--Niagara Falls, N.Y. (28-1), Dan Bazzani
2006--Indianapolis, Lawrence North (29-0), Jack Keefer
2007--Mouth of Wilson, Va., Oak Hill (40-1), Steve Smith
2008--Jersey, City, N.J., St. Anthony (32-0), Bob Hurley.
About the National Prep Poll: Compiled weekly since 1987 and a property of World Features Syndicate, the National Prep Poll is the nation's second longest running weekly high school sports rankings and are the only high school rankings distributed to newspapers and Web sites around the United States by the Associated Press national wire service. The National Prep Poll is the first high school football and boys basketball poll to released in the preseason and during each week of the regular season. Criteria considered for the National Prep Poll rankings are strength of schedule, the ability to accomplish the ultimate goal on a team's schedule (i.e. winning a championship), impact players and performers, a team's coaching and recent tradition.
Jamie DeMoney has covered high school sports and been involved with prep recruiting and evaluation for 15 years. He has compiled the National Prep Poll for World Features Syndicate and the Associated Press since 1999. DeMoney is a 1994 graduate of the University of Iowa School of Journalism, a member of the Football Writers Association of America and the United States Basketball Writers Association.
