Florida High School Basketball Preseason Rankings: Top 25 Teams - Nov. 14

Florida High School Basketball Preseason Rankings: Top 25 Teams – Nov. 14

Posted by Admin November 14, 2024 Basketball

The 2024-25 high school basketball season is right around the corner, and once again, many of the nation’s top programs reside in Florida.

With the preseason set to get underway this week, the Sunshine State has three of the top 11 teams in the nation, according to the On3 Massey Ratings. That includes Montverde Academy, the preseason No. 1 team in the country.

Below are the top 25 teams in the state of Florida entering the 2024-25 basketball season, as of Nov. 14, per the On3 Massey Ratings.

The On3 Massey Ratings, officially used during the BCS era, is a model that ranks sports teams by analyzing game outcomes, strength of schedule, and margin of victory.

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To no surprise, Montverde has once again reloaded following an eight national championship and undefeated 33-0 season in 2023-24. Despite losing Duke phenom Cooper Flagg and others to the college level, the Eagles are getting right back in the saddle and will be a force on the hardwood this season. Dominant shooting guards are abundant on this roster. CJ Ingram (Florida), Hudson Greer (Creighton), Mazi Mosley (LSU), and Dante Allen (Villanova) are top-100 prospects in the senior class, while Kayden Allen is a top-20 prospect in the junior class. In the frontcourt, Trent Sisley (Indiana) and Trent Steinour (Clemson) provide some length. Sisley is also a top-100 senior.

Columbus won the 7A state title last season, checks in at No. 8 nationally ahead of this season and will have all eyes on it as twin Duke commits Cameron and Cayden Boozer look to lead it to supremacy once again. Cameron, a power forward, is the nation’s No. 2 recruit in the 2025 cycle, while Cayden, a point guard, checks in at No. 22. Some talented juniors are also on the roster in four-star SF Caleb Gaskins, the No. 11 recruit in the 2026 class, as well as four-star SF Jaxon Richardson, the No. 28 recruit. The Explorers will feature an explosive offense this season.

In addition to an elite football program, IMG also continues to find success in basketball. The Ascenders are set to be dominant once this season and will be led by the nation’s No. 1 point guard in five-star Arkansas commit Darius Acuff. He’s flanked by a pair of top-100 forwards in Sadiq White (Syracuse) and Kareem Stagg (Georgia). IMG checks in at No. 11 nationally.

Another one of the top offenses in the state this season will reside in Orlando at Oak Ridge High. The Pioneers lost in the 7A state championship last time out and they now have the preseason No. 3 offensive rating in the state, per the Massey Ratings. They’ll be led by four-star SF Jamier Jones (Providence) and four-star PG Jalen Reece (LSU). Jones is a top-40 recruit and a top-10 SF, while Reece is a top-75 recruit and the No. 12 PG in the cycle.

After winning 25 games and a 3A state title last season, Riviera Prep is once again set to be a force in the Sunshine State. Standout sophomore power forward Jeremy Jenkins is a top-20 prospect in his class and will be once to watch in the frontcourt for the Bulldogs this season. Riviera’s offense and defense check in at No. 11 and No. 8 in the state respectively, per the Massey Ratings.

Calvary Christian won 18 games a season ago, competing with some of the state’s best in 4A. The Fort Lauderdale program checks in with a top-five power rating and the No. 7 offense in the state ahead of the new campaign, per the Massey Ratings. Four-star SF Shon Abaev is the nation’s No. 26 recruit and No. 8 SF. Four-star SF Collin Paul is a top-60 recruit in the 2026 cycle.

Winter Haven was a 7A state semifinalist last season, falling to Oak Ridge. The Blue Devils will look to lean on an offense that ranks No. 5 in the state ahead of the 2024-25 campaign, as their defense barely cracks the top 60, per the Massey Ratings. A pair of December matchups against IMG Academy will serve as an early-season test for the top-10 program.

A 23-win season last time out was ended in the 3A state quarterfinals as Westminster fell to eventual champs Riviera Prep. The Lions check in just outside of the top 150 nationally and will bring an effective one-two forward punch via four-star SF Alex Lloyd (Florida) and junior four-star SF Alex Constanza. Lloyd is a top-60 national prospect, while Constanza is the No. 15 recruit in the 2026 cycle. Westminster’s offense ranks No. 6 in the state ahead of the season, per the Massey Ratings.

Another top Fort Lauderdale program with an impressive offensive prowess, Pembroke Pines Charter is the defending 6A state champs and will be the favorites to repeat once again in 2025. The Jaguars won 25 games last season and aren’t scheduled to play a top-25 in-state program until Dec. 12 when they host St. Thomas Aquinas.

Orlando Christian Prep fell in the 2A state championship game last season, losing by 3 points to Sagemont. The Warriors are the only team in the preseason top 10 to not boast an offensive rating inside the top 15, per the Massey Ratings. OCP does posses the No. 2 defensive rating, however, and will look to build on its 25-win campaign from last year.