Here are The Dallas Morning News’ high school boys basketball teams to watch and preseason rankings of the top teams in the Dallas area for the 2024-25 season.
1. Allen: Allen was one of the best teams in the state last season, but it happened to run into Plano East in the third round of the 2023-24 playoffs. Plano East went 40-0 en route to winning the 6A state championship, thanks in part to its veteran roster that had been playing together for years. This season, it’s Allen that has the experienced roster. A district champion last year, Allen returns seven players — six seniors and a junior — in 2024. Among the key returners are 6-8 senior forward DeAndre Thomas, who averaged 12 points per game last year, and 6-0 senior guard Trent Pane. Pane averaged 14 points per game during his junior campaign.
2. Duncanville: The five-time state champion, coming off a mythical national title season in 2023, started District 11-6A play 1–2 before going on an 11-0 run to close out last year. But Duncanville exited the playoffs in the second round after a loss to Wylie East. Duncanville lost four-star forward BJ Davis-Ray to JSerra Catholic in the offseason, but the basketball powerhouse returns all-state shooting guard Kayden “Bugg” Edwards. Edwards, a 6-3 senior, is a four-star TCU commit who averaged 22.1 points per game and shot 36% from three last season. He will be flanked by 6-7 senior forward Cameron Smith (6.7 points per game) and sophomore point guard Beckham Black (5.3 points per game).
3. Keller: Being without its star player in Brooks Bahr for the entirety of last year’s playoffs didn’t stop Keller from making a deep run. Keller finished 30–6 last season and advanced to the regional finals, where it lost to eventual state champion Plano East. Northern Colorado pledge Steven Ramirez, then a junior, played a pivotal role in Keller’s run. The 6-5 guard averaged 20 points, 7.5 rebounds, two steals and two assists per game last year and returns for another season. Keller has won a district championship the last three years.
4. DeSoto: After a run to the state semifinals in 2022-23, DeSoto missed the playoffs last season but looks like it could be a contender this year. The program boasts three-star senior Cameren Paul, a 6-6 forward committed to Mississippi State. He’s just one of several players on DeSoto’s roster with size. Paul will be joined this season by 6-6 senior forward Tymere Singleton and 6-9 junior forward Mike Banks. DeSoto, a three-time state champion, will be led by coach Rob Wright, who is in his second year with the program.
5. Lancaster: A newcomer to Class 6A this season, Lancaster won the Class 5A state championship last year. It was Lancaster’s third state title in school history. As a 5A team in 2023, Lancaster held its own against several 6A teams including future districtmates DeSoto and Waxhahchie. Lancaster beat the former 46-36 and the latter 77-57. The program also performed well against Humble Atascocita in a 77-73 overtime loss. While Lancaster lost Dillon Battie, the MVP of the 5A state title game, to graduation, 10 seniors are on this year’s roster.
6. North Crowley: North Crowley has won 10 straight district titles and consistently makes runs in the playoffs. That run of success should continue this year for the one-time state champion that earned its 750th win in program history in February. Among North Crowley’s returners this year is sophomore Isaak Hayes, who holds four college offers. Hayes averaged 10.3 points per game and shot 41.6% from three as a freshman last season.
7. South Grand Prairie: In 2023, South Grand Prairie made leaps, securing the District 8-6A title and winning 29 games. But it was upset by Jesuit in the first round of last year’s playoffs. South Grand Prairie boasts a veteran roster with 10 seniors, including 6-4 guard/forward Markece Young and 6-2 senior point guard Cameron Carroll. Young was a first-team all-district selection last year and Carroll was the District 8-6A Offensive MVP.
8. Plano East: After completing a 40-0 season and winning the last undisputed 6A state championship, Plano East finished as the nation’s eighth best team, according to MaxPreps. The program credited much of its history-making success to its experienced roster and team chemistry, but Plano East graduated several of the players who made last year’s run what it was. Expect Plano East to still have a solid showing this year with the return of 6-7 senior forward DJ Hall, the MVP of the 6A state championship game, along with 6-6 junior Moustafa Abualneel and 6-4 senior Izan Qazi. Hall is a three-star prospect committed to Texas State.
9. Mansfield Lake Ridge: Lake Ridge made history last season, advancing to the state tournament for the first time since the school opened in 2012. The program finished 11-3 n District 11-6A last season and graduated nine seniors, including three-star guard Amir McMillian. But the roster includes five seniors this season, among them 6-8 senior forward Eze Nwakamma.
10. Denton Guyer: Guyer’s roster features 14 upperclassmen and eight seniors. Junior Silas Rodriguez, a 6-4 guard, averaged 18 points, four rebounds and three assists last season. Senior Mason White, a 6-2 guard, posted 17 points, four rebounds and two assists per game. The program finished third in District 5-6A behind Allen and McKinney before losing to Lewisville in the first round of the playoffs. It ranks 20th in the state’s 6A poll.
1. Faith Family: The four-time UIL state champion has dominated Class 4A and will move up to Class 5A this season after winning its third straight state title last season. It returns 6-8 junior center Davion Adkins, a four-star prospect. He is the state’s third-ranked player in the Class of 2026. The Oak Cliff-based charter school added four-star senior guard King Grace, a 6-4 transfer from Waxahachie, where he averaged 22 points, 2.1 assists, 4.3 rebounds and 1.5 steals as a junior. Faith Family will play a national schedule this year.
2. The Colony: Thanks in part to the play of four-star guard Dakari Spear, the state’s second-ranked player in the Class of 2026, The Colony made a run to the 5A regional finals, where it lost 42-39 to eventual state champion Lancaster. Spear returns this year for his junior season, along with 13 other upperclassmen. Spear averaged 17.2 points, six rebounds, 2.2 assists,1.7 steals and a block last season.
3. Mansfield Summit: Summit finished 27–9 and 15–0 in district play last season, reaching the fourth round of the playoffs. It also won a district title in 2022. The program is the state’s third-ranked 5A team.
4. Kimball: Winning its most recent state title in 2023, Kimball is a seven-time state champion. The storied program moved down to Class 4A from Class 5A this season after finishing 13–3 in district play and advancing the second round of the playoffs last year. Kimball’s roster includes three-star senior Lance Carr, a 6-7 forward. It ranks first in the state’s 4A poll.
5. Frisco Lone Star: Lone Star lost four-star forward Trent Perry to Missouri prep school Link Academy, but will consist of at least five upperclassmen, including junior Josh Weems, who had a breakout season last year and was under consideration for The News’ Newcomer of the Year. In 2023-24, Lone Star advanced to the regional semifinals, where it lost to eventual state champion Lancaster.
6. Carter: Carter has a younger team this year after its run to the fifth round of last season’s playoffs, where it lost to eventual 4A state champion Faith Family. Despite Carter’s youth, it has size with 6-9 freshman Terrell Jackson, 6-7 sophomore Shaqere Kizzee and 6-6 senior Ian Nevels on the roster.
7. Argyle: Two Argyle players — Francis Chukwudebelu and Kash Polk — rank among the best players in the state in 2025. Chukwudebelu , a 6-10 center, is a three-star Santa Clara commit. Three-star Polk is a 6-8 forward with offers from Oklohama, Colorado State, Cal Poly and others. Argyle went 28–8 last season and went two rounds deep in the playoffs.
8. Parish Episcopal: The private school made a historic run to the TAPPS 6A state tournament and beat John Paul II for the state title after winning a district championship for the first time in school history. Parish did not win a district game two seasons prior but finished 28–10 overall in 2023-24. Key returners include juniors Armon and Antoine Almuttar and 6-8 junior forward Hudson Lucas. Parish is the state’s top-ranked large private school team.
9. Highland Park: Highland Park finished 13–3 in District 7-6A last season and advanced to the second round of the playoffs, where it lost to 6A state champion Plano East. The program moved down from Class 6A to Class 5A after UIL realignment and ranks 13th in the state among 5A teams.
10. Mansfield Timberview: Timberview finished second in district play behind Mansfield Summit last season, posting a 26–9 overall record. The program, ranked 21st in the state’s 5A poll, was eliminated in the first round of the playoffs.
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