Updated 12-19-22
This week’s update to our 2022-23 Florida high school boys basketball 4A-7A rankings features one new team entering the mix for the first time this season. DME Academy, an independent team in Daytona Beach, debuts at No. 25. Having begun the week with an 11-3 record, DME Academy owns multiple noteworthy wins, with their lone losses coming to Combine Academy (NC), Miami Columbus, and North Florida Educational. Olympia rises a spot into the Top-5, while the following teams rose at least four spots: Winter Haven, Lake Worth, Wharton, Cypress Bay, and Dwyer.
- Montverde Academy (Independent) E
- IMG Academy (Independent) E
- Miami Columbus (7A) E
- Calvary Christian (Independent) E
- Olympia (7A) +1
- Oak Ridge (7A) +1
- Pembroke Pines Charter (6A) +1
- Martin County (6A) -3
- Ponte Vedra (6A) +3
- The Rock (Independent) +1
- Winter Haven (6A) +4
- Lake Worth (7A) +4
- Wharton (6A) +4
- Stranahan (5A) -5
- North Broward Prep (Independent) -5
- Windermere (7A) +2
- Gibbs (4A) +3
- Cypress Bay (7A) +5
- St. Petersburg (5A) E
- Dwyer (6A) +5
- West Oaks Academy (Independent) -8
- Andrew Jackson (4A) -8
- Fleming Island (6A) +1
- Pine Forest (5A) -2
- DME Academy (Independent) NR
Updated 12/5/22
With the 2022-23 season fully underway, here is the first update to our Florida high school boys basketball rankings for Classes 4A-7A. The top-5 remains unchanged, although two teams from Class 7A, Olympia and Oak Ridge, are knocking on the door there. Three teams – Lake Worth, Wharton, and Gibbs – rise five spots, and another three enter the Top 25 at Nos. 23-25: Cypress Bay, Fleming Island, and Dwyer.
- Montverde Academy (Independent) E
- IMG Academy (Independent) E
- Miami Columbus (7A) E
- Calvary Christian (Independent) E
- Martin County (6A) E
- Olympia (7A) +4
- Oak Ridge (7A) +4
- Pembroke Pines Charter (6A) -1
- Stranahan (5A) -3
- North Broward Prep (Independent) -2
- The Rock (Independent) +1
- Ponte Vedra (6A) +1
- West Oaks Academy (Independent) +1
- Andrew Jackson (4A) +1
- Winter Haven (6A) +1
- Lake Worth (7A) +5
- Wharton (6A) +5
- Windermere (7A) -1
- St. Petersburg (5A) E
- Gibbs (4A) +5
- Jones (5A) +2
- Pine Forest (5A) +2
- Cypress Bay (7A) NR
- Fleming Island (6A) NR
- Dwyer (6A) NR
Updated 11/21/22
With the 2022-23 Florida high school boys basketball season set to begin in the coming weeks, we look at Classes 4A-7A and present our preseason power rankings. (NOTE: Independent teams will be included in the 4A-7A rankings this season. Classes 1A-3A will be released next week.)
1 – Montverde Academy (Independent)
Coming off a 22-4 season, as well as back-to-back GEICO national championships, Montverde Academy holds the No. 1 ranking entering the 2022-23 Florida high school basketball season. As is the case every year, the Eagles are tasked with replacing numerous key names from the previous season, but they also return others such as Kwame Evans Jr., Dra Gibbs-Lawhorn, and Derik Queen, and they have added impact transfers including Sean Stewart, Chris Johnson and Marvel Allen.
2 – IMG Academy (Independent)
The lone team to defeat Montverde Academy twice a year ago, IMG Academy, which finished 21-5, begins the season at No. 2. The Ascenders also lost a notable amount of production from last season. Their 2022-23 roster includes returnees Eric Dailey and Jacoi Hutchinson, as well as transfer additions including Jamie Kaiser, Bryson Tucker, Amier Ali and Jayden Hastings.
3 – Miami Columbus (7A)
After finishing with a 29-2 overall record a year ago, defending Class 7A state champion Miami Columbus enters the 2022-23 Florida high school basketball season not only at the No. 3 spot, but also as the likely preseason favorite to go back-to-back in Florida high school basketball’s top classification. Headlining the Explorers’ returning names is the sophomore duo of Cameron and Cayden Boozer. Garyn Bess, Benny Fragela and Malik Abdullahi also are back.
4 – Calvary Christian (Independent)
Calvary Christian captured the Class 4A state title a year ago with a 26-2 overall record. Similar to both the Eagles and Ascenders above, Calvary Christian lost a significant amount of production from last season, but should be one of the state’s best once again in 2022-23. Carl Cherenfant is back and transfer Jaylen Curry should play a key role.
5 – Martin County (6A)
Rounding out the top 5 is defending Class 6A state champion Martin County; the Tigers are coming off an impressive 27-4 season. Headlining their 2022-23 roster is Elijah Duval, a junior who led Martin County with 18 PPG a year ago, while others such as seniors Cam Insalaco and Kamari Haston also return for a team that should be among the best in Class 6A this season.
6 – Stranahan (5A)
7 – Pembroke Pines Charter (6A)
8 – North Broward Prep (4A)
9 – Dr. Phillips (7A)
10 – Olympia (7A)
With leading scorer Hykeem Williams returning, defending Class 5A state champion Stranahan begins the 2022-23 season at No. 6, while Pembroke Pines Charter, which fell to Martin County by five points in a 6A regional final a year ago, comes in at No. 7.
North Broward Prep comes in at No. 8 as one of the likely preseason favorites in Class 4A, while a pair of 7A teams, Dr. Phillips and Olympia, sit at Nos. 9 and 10, respectively. Dr. Phillips will have to replace a significant amount of production from a team that was the 7A runner up a year ago. Olympia returns one of the state’s top guards, senior Jizzle James.
11 – Oak Ridge (7A)
12 – The Rock (Independent)
13 – Ponte Vedra (6A)
14 – West Oaks Academy (Independent)
15 – Andrew Jackson (4A)
Coming off a 21-8 season, as well as a 7A regional final appearance, Oak Ridge begins the 2022-23 campaign ranked at No. 11 with three double-digit scorers all returning from a year ago. Two independent teams, The Rock and West Oaks Academy, enter the season at No. 12 and No. 14, respectively, with Class 6A runner-up Ponte Vedra between the two at No. 13 after a memorable 27-4 campaign. Andrew Jackson, the 2021-22 Class 4A runner up, enters the season at No. 15, but will have to replace multiple key names off a team that went 29-3 a year ago.
16 – Winter Haven (6A)
17 – Windermere (7A)
18 – Lake Highland Prep (4A)
19 – St. Petersburg (5A)
20 – Seminole (7A)
A team you certainly make an argument for being higher on this list, Winter Haven begins the season ranked at No. 16, with three double-digit scorers – Isaac Celiscar, Dylan James, and Jamie Phillips Jr. – returning for a team that went 23-8 a year ago.
Windermere, which begins the year at No. 17, also has a notable amount of production returning, as does 2021-22 5A runner-up St. Petersburg, which begins the season at No. 19 and is led by guard Tristan Gross. Lake Highland Prep, which was one of the top teams in 4A a year ago, begins the 2022-23 Florida high school basketball season at No. 18, while Seminole is ranked at No. 20 after a Class 7A state semifinal appearance last season.
21 – Lake Worth (7A)
22 – Wharton (6A)
23 – Jones (5A)
24 – Pine Forest (5A)
25 – Gibbs (4A)
Coming off a 21-4 season and a state semifinal appearance, Lake Worth begins the 2022-23 Florida high school basketball season ranked at the No. 21 spot. Class 6A’s Wharton also is coming off a state semifinal appearance. A pair of Class 5A teams, Jones and Pine Forest, are back-to-back at Nos. 23 and 24. Those squads both made the state semifinals, as did No. 25 Gibbs in 4A.
