On Sunday evening, No. 1 Link Academy of Missouri fell to No. 5 Brewster Academy (N.H.) and as a result taking over the top spot in the latest edition of the FAB 50 National Team Rankings powered by Ballislife.com for the 2025-26 season is No. 1 Paul VI (Va.). The Panthers play in an ultra-tough conference and will have to successfully complete the “Springfield Double” over MLK Weekend to defend their No. 1 ranking. This week’s rankings show four newcomers led by No. 35 Bartow (Bartów, Fla.).
By Ronnie Flores
Getting to No. 1 is not just about being the best team in the country, it’s about building your program up to the point you can put yourself in position to be No. 1. It’s also scheduling opponents that actually have a chance to knock off that same program.
Unless it’s an overwhelming preseason No. 1, no team ever gets to No. 1 in the FAB 50 National Team Rankings powered by Ballislife.com that doesn’t play opponents with a realistic opportunity to knock it from that perch.
When Link Academy (Branson, Mo.) rose to No. 1 after preseason No. 1 Prolific Prep (Southwest Ranches, Fla.) faltered, it was evident the Lions were a worthy No. 1 with a talented roster and a track record to contend for the FAB 50 national title. By participating in the Nike EYBL Scholastic League, which currently contains 12 FAB 50 ranked clubs, it was evident Link Academy was going to cross many rankings landmines in its quest to remain No. 1 and capture a second FAB 50 crown in four seasons.
A major test took place Sunday evening at the La Porte Invitational played at the La Porte (Ind.) Civic Auditorium. The Lions faced No. 5 Brewster Academy (Wolfeboro, N.H.), a team that had only lost to No. 4 AZ Compass Prep (Chandler, Ariz.) going into the key league matchup. The game was close and came down to the final possessions of the game.
Link trialed by one point until approximately 30 seconds remaining in the game when 6-foot-9 Mississippi St.-bound center Tristen Reed followed up a missed field goal attempt with an offensive rebound putback in front of the rim to give Link Academy a 60-59 lead.
Brewster Academy coach Jason Smith then drew up a play to get the ball in sophomore Michai White’s hands. The mercurial guard drove the baseline, drew a help defender and was able to find open teammate Brayden Jones, a 6-foot-8 Fairfield commit, in the painted area as he rolled to the basket. Jones’ two-hand flushed with approximately six seconds remaining turned out to be the game-winning two points in Brewster’s 61-60 victory.
It was Jones’ only field goal attempt of the game.
Link Academy’s Davion Thompson (13 points) then threw up a straight-away heave from approximately 55 feet that hit the front of the rim and caromed softly off, as Link Acadey dropped its first game of the season. Reed led Link Academy with 18 points and eight rebounds while missing only one field goal try in nine attempts.
Brewster Academy’s backcourt of White and junior Antonio Pemberton was spectacular throughout the game and the duo is a big reason why the Bobcats are a major FAB 50 title contender. White finished with 18 points and three assists, while Pemberton had 17 points and seven assists.
New FAB 50 No. 1: Paul VI of Virginia
With Link Academy losing its first game of the season, Paul VI of the powerful Washington Catholic Athletic Conference (WCAC) takes over the top spot. The Panthers have only lost to No. 6 Prolific Prep (Southwest Ranches, Fla.) in an incredible two overtime contest by a 74-70 margin.
Paul VI is a worthy FAB 50 No. 1, edging out new No. 2 Spire Academy (Geneva, Ohio), which has only lost to No. 7 CIA Bella Vista (Phoenix, Ariz.). It’s a natural pecking order at the top, as Spire Academy handed No. 3 AZ Compass Prep (Chandler, Ariz.) its only loss and that club is the only one to defeat No. 4 Brewster Academy (Wolfeboro, N.H.).
Paul VI is a worthy No. 1 as there are many landmines in the WCAC on a weekly basis in what is the strongest traditional high school league in the country. Not only that, Paul VI would also have to capture the WCAC Tournament title to remain No. 1. It is scheduled for late February at American University.
MLK Weekend: Big Opportunity For Top Teams
Over the past 25 years, the Martin Luther King Holiday Weekend has become an extravaganza of big-time showcases for high school hoops across the country. None is bigger than the Panini Hoophall Classic, slated for Springfield, Mass., January 15-19.
Paul VI, which also reached No. 1 during the 2022-23 season, will surely be putting its new No. 1 ranking to the test as it executes the “Springfield Double” of participating in the 41st Annual Bass Pro Shop Tournament of Champions in Springfield, Mo., Jan. 15-17, and following that up by playing a showcase game on MLK Monday. This year, Paul VI takes on St. Mary’s (Phoenix, Ariz.) in Massachusetts on MLK Monday on ESPN2 one day after traveling from Missouri.
The Bass Pro TOC hosts one of the top 8-team fields in its history. Paul VI takes on local club Logan-Rogersville (Mo.) and likely faces the winner of FAB 50 No. 25 Bartlett (Tenn.) vs. No. 15 Wheeler (Marietta, Ga.) on its side of the bracket in the semifinals. On the opposite side, No. 9 Principia (St. Louis, Mo.) faces Kickapoo (Springfield, Mo.) and No. 13 Calvary Christian Academy (Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.) faces No. 38 St. John Bosco (Bellflower, Calif.).
Pau VI has handed both Principia and Calvary Christian Academy its lone losses of the season, so far.
St. John Bosco is also doing the “Springfield Double” as it battles No. 37 Columbus (Miami, Fla.) on ESPNU following the Paul VI-St. Mary’s tussle. To close out the event, No. 2 Spire Academy (Geneva, Ohio) takes on No. 4 Brewster Academy (Wolfeboro, N.H.) on ESPNU.
The next updated rankings will be published after all the MLK results are compiled on Tuesday, Jan. 20.
Updated FAB 50 National Team Rankings
Powered by Ballislife.com
(4th poll of 2025-26 regular season; Through games played on Sunday, January 11; *Indicates forfeit wins, forfeit losses not included; **Indicates forfeits and defaults not included)
| No. | Prev. | High School (City) | Record |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | Paul VI (Chantilly, Va.) | 14-1 |
| 2 | 3 | Spire Academy (Geneva, Ohio) | 16-1 |
| 3 | 4 | AZ Compass Prep (Chandler, Ariz.) | 12-1 |
| 4 | 5 | Brewster Academy (Wolfeboro, N.H.) | 15-1 |
| 5 | 1 | Link Academy (Branson, Mo.) | 14-1 |
| 6 | 6 | Prolific Prep (Southwest Ranches, Fla.) | 16-2 |
| 7 | 7 | CIA Bella Vista (Phoenix, Ariz.) | 11-2 |
| 8 | 8 | Seven Lakes (Katy, Texas) | 24-0 |
| 9 | 10 | Principia (St. Louis, Mo.) | 12-1 |
| 10 | 11 | Fishers (Fishers, Ind.) | 10-0 |
| 11 | 13 | Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth, Calif.) | 15-1 |
| 12 | 15 | Sunnyslope (Phoenix, Ariz.) | 17-1 |
| 13 | 14 | Calvary Christian Academy (Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.) | 12-1 |
| 14 | 17 | Redondo Union (Redondo Beach, Calif.) | 17-3 |
| 15 | 18 | Wheeler (Marietta, Ga.) | 13-3 |
| 16 | 20 | Timpview (Provo, Utah) | 13-1 |
| 17 | 35 | Wisconsin Lutheran (Milwaukee, Wis.) | 11-0 |
| 18 | 25 | Salesian (Richmond, Calif.) | 13-2 |
| 19 | 31 | Webb (Knoxville, Tenn.) | 18-2 |
| 20 | 22 | Oak Cliff Faith Family (Dallas, Texas) | 17-5 |
| 21 | 30 | Greensboro Day (Greensboro, N.C.) | 24-2 |
| 22 | 26 | Wasatch Academy (Mt. Pleasant, Utah) | 9-4 |
| 23 | 27 | Montverde Academy (Montverde, Fla.) | 7-5 |
| 24 | 28 | Archbishop Stepinac (White Plains, N.Y.) | 9-4 |
| 25 | 29 | Bartlett (Bartlett, Tenn.) | 15-2 |
| 26 | 39 | Benet Academy (Lisle, Ill.) | 19-1 |
| 27 | 36 | Long Island Lutheran (Glen Head, N.Y.) | 5-6 |
| 28 | 9 | La Lumiere (La Porte, Ind.) | 13-1 |
| 29 | 33 | IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.) | 13-5 |
| 30 | 21 | Southeastern Prep Academy (Orlando, Fla.) | 24-7 |
| 31 | 4 | Millennium (Goodyear, Ariz.) | 15-2 |
| 32 | 12 | Sunrise Christian Academy (Bel Aire, Kan.) | 9-4 |
| 33 | 24 | Dream City Christian (Glendale, Ariz.) | 12-4 |
| 34 | 41 | Concord Academy (Concord, N.C.) | 18-2 |
| 35 | NR | Bartow (Bartow, Fla.) | 16-1 |
| 36 | 37 | The Villages Charter (The Villages, Fla.) | 11-5 |
| 37 | 16 | Columbus (Miami, Fla.) | 13-4 |
| 38 | 38 | St. John Bosco (Bellflower, Calif.) | 12-4 |
| 39 | 47 | East Lansing (East Lansing, Mich.) | 11-0 |
| 40 | 45 | Harvard-Westlake (North Hollywood, Calif.) | 19-2 |
| 41 | 32 | Bishop O’Connell (Arlington, Va.) | 13-3 |
| 42 | 43 | DePaul College Prep (Chicago, Ill.) | 15-3 |
| 43 | 23 | Santa Margarita (Rancho SM, Calif.) | 19-3 |
| 44 | 48 | Booker T. Washington (Tulsa, Okla.) | 10-0 |
| 45 | 49 | Lakota West (West Chester, Ohio) | 11-0 |
| 46 | 50 | North Crowley (Ft. Worth, Texas) | 19-3 |
| 47 | NR | Notre Dame (West Haven, Conn.) | 8-2 |
| 48 | NR | St. Thomas Aquinas (Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.) | 16-3 |
| 49 | 44 | Our Lady of Mt. Carmel (Baltimore, Md.) | 17-4 |
| 50 | NR | Gainesville (Gainesville, Ga.) | 17-0 |
Dropped Out: Previous No. 19 Forsyth Country Day (Lewisville, N.C.), No. 40 The Rock (Gainesville, Fla.), No. 42 Notre Dame (Sherman Oaks, Calif.), No. 46 St. Frances Academy (Baltimore, Md.).
Bubble Teams: Atascocita (Humble, Texas) 15-6; Bearden (Knoxville, Tenn.) 20-1; Bergen Catholic (Oradell, N.J.) 9-1; Brennan (San Antonio, Texas) 18-3; Bryant (Bryant, Ark.) 16-3; Bullis (Potomac, Md.) 11-4; Cathedral Prep (Erie, Pa.) 15-1; Cedar Falls (Cedar Fallas, Iowa) 10-0; Chaparral (Parker, Col.) 9-2; Crespi (Encino, Calif.) 14-7; Crown Point (Crown Point, Ind.) 10-0; Curie (Chicago, Ill.) 14-1; Decatur (Decatur, Ga.) 15-2; DeMatha Catholic (Hyattsville, Md.) 12-4; DME Academy (Daytona Beach, Fla.) 14-4; East St. Louis (East St. Louis, Ill.) 15-2; Fairfax Christian (Dulles, Va.) 17-1; Grayson (Loganville, Ga.) 15-1; Greenfield (Wilson, N.C.) 17-2; Houston (Germantown, Tenn.) 10-5; Kankakee (Kankakee, Ill.) 13-1; La Mirada (La Mirada, Calif.) 14-6; Lawrence North (Indianapolis, Ind.) 10-1; Layton Christian (Layton, Utah) 14-2; Little Elm (Little Elm, Texas) 20-2; Lutheran East (Cleveland Heights, Ohio) 9-0; MacArthur (Decatur, Ill.) 14-0; Male (Louisville, Ky.) 11-3; McEachern (Powder Springs, Ga.) 11-3; Mt. Vernon (Fortville, Ind.) 11-2; North Broward Prep (Conocut Creek, Fla.) 18-1; North Mecklenburg (Huntersville, N.C.) 12-2; Neumann-Goretti (Philadelphia, Pa.) 10-1; Notre Dame (Sherman Oaks, Calif.) 13-6; Petersburg (Petersburg, Va.) 7-4; Pike (Indianapolis, Ind.) 9-2; Plainfield (Plainfield, N.J.) 10-1; Rainier Beach (Seattle, Wash.) 12-1; Ralston Valley (Arvada, Col.) 9-0; Rangeview (Aurora, Col.) 7-3; Riviera Prep (Miami, Fla.) 10-7; Rockford (Rockford, Mich.) 9-1; Sidwell Friends (Washington, D.C.) 7-4; South (Shawnee Mission, Kan.) 5-0; Starkville (Starkville, Miss.) 17-1; St. Frances Academy (Baltimore, Md.) 20-4; St. Ignatius (Chicago, Ill.) 17-2; St. John’s (Washington, D.C.) 12-4; St. Joseph (Santa Maria, Calif.) 17-2; St. Xavier (Louisville, Ky.) 11-4; Tartan (Oakdale, Minn.) 9-0; The Rock (Gainesville, Fla.) 15-5; Warren Township (Gurnee, Ill.) 14-1; Waukee Northwest (Waukee, Iowa) 6-1; Wayzata (Plymouth, Minn.) 12-1; West Allis Central (West Allis, Wis.) 9-0.
Note: The FAB 50 powered by Ballislife.com is a continuation of the National Sports News Service ratings that began in 1952. These were the first national high school rankings and the late Art Johlfs of Minnesota compiled them. They were compiled for many years by the late Barry Sollenberger of Phoenix, who merged them into the FAB 50 26 years ago.
Ronnie Flores is the national Grassroots editor of Ballislife.com. He can be reached at ronnie@ballislife.com. Don’t forget to follow him on Twitter: @RonMFlores
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