The National Prep Basketball Poll is compiled by national high school sports experts Jamie DeMoney and Jeremy Plowman and a panel of sportswriters. The preseason national Top 25 and regional Top 10's follow with last season's won-loss records:
#1. Orlando, Fla., Edgewater (34-2), first Florida preseason No. 1 team since 1996
#2. Mouth of Wilson, Va., Oak Hill (31-4), perennial power presents all new starting five
#3. Aurora, Ill., West (25-3), returns top three starters
#4. Mount Vernon, N.Y. (26-1), G Keith Benjamin headed to Villanova
#5. Los Angeles, Fairfax (28-4), G-F Josh Shipp had great summer season
#6. New York, Rice (19-8), Kansas recruit G Russell Robinson a clutch player
#7. Philadelphia, Cardinal Dougherty (24-3), nifty PG Kyle Lowry runs the show
#8. Los Angeles, Westchester (33-3), got key transfer in C Amir Johnson
#9. Santa Ana, Calif., Mater Dei (35-2), returns three of top six players
#10. Birmingham, Ala., John Carroll (36-0), defending 6A state champ
#11. Bronx, N.Y., St. Raymond (26-4), Division I prospects Brian Laing and Gavin Grant are back
#12. Memphis, Tenn., Fairley (27-8), features an imposing frontcourt
#13. Indianapolis, Pike (29-0), seeks fifth state title in past 10 years
#14. Rockville, Md., Montrose Christian (20-1), led by 6-6 G Churchill Odia
#15. Milwaukee, Rufus King (23-0), PG Dupree Fletcher operates most potent offense in Wisconsin
#16. Detroit, Redford (18-3), class of tough Detroit Public League
#17. Arlington, Va., Bishop O'Connell (25-5), captured prestigious Alhambra Catholic Invitational last season
#18. Gaffney, S.C. (28-0), defending Class AAAA state titlist
#19. Fort Worth, Texas, Dunbar (37-1), seeks repeat Class 4A state crown
#20. Jackson, Miss., Lanier (31-4), G Monta Ellis among nation's top juniors
#21. Brooklyn, N.Y., Lincoln (31-4), boasts Louisville recruit G Sebastian Telfair
#22. Peoria, Ill., Central (31-1), defending Class AA state champ
#23. Fort Washington, Md., Friendly (25-1)-x, 2002-03 state 3A titlist
#24. Cedar Hill, Texas (30-3), led by Missouri recruit PG Jason Horton
#25. Lexington, Ky., Catholic (24-8), relies on talented trio of backcourt players
x-only loss a forfeit
NORTHEAST
#1. Mount Vernon, N.Y., 26-1
#2. New York, Rice, 19-8
#3. Philadelphia, Cardinal Dougherty, 24-4
#4. Bronx, N.Y., St. Raymond, 24-4
#5. Brooklyn, N.Y., Lincoln, 31-4
#6. Jersey City, N.J., St. Anthony, 20-5
#7. Elizabeth, N.J., St. Patrick, 27-4
#8. West Orange, N.J., Seton Hall Prep, 24-4
#9. State College, Pa., 25-6
#10. Charlestown, Mass., 22-4
EAST COAST
#1. Mouth of Wilson, Va., Oak Hill, 31-4
#2. Rockville, Md., Montrose Christian, 20-1
#3. Arlington, Va., Bishop O'Connell, 25-5
#4. Gaffney, S.C., 28-0
#5. Fort Washington, Md., Friendly, 25-1-x
#6. Washington, Gonzaga, 27-5
#7. Richmond, Va., George Whythe, 26-3
#8. Severn, Md., Archbishop Spalding, 23-7
#9. Greensboro, N.C., Dudley, 22-6
#10. Mount Ulla, N.C., West Rowan, 31-0
x-only loss a forfeit
SOUTHWEST
#1. Orlando, Fla., Edgewater, 34-2
#2. Birmingham, Ala., John Carroll, 36-0
#3. Memphis, Tenn., Fairly, 27-8
#4. Jackson, Miss., Lanier, 31-4
#5. Lexington, Ky., Catholic, 24-8
#6. Birmingham, Ala., West End, 31-6
#7. Jackson, Ala., Provine, 25-6
#8. Fort Myers, Fla., 28-3
#9. Denham Springs, La., 31-4
#10. Melbourne, Fla., Florida Air, 29-0
MIDWEST
#1. Aurora, Ill., West, 25-3
#2. Indianapolis, Pike, 29-0
#3. Milwaukee, Rufus King, 23-0
#4. Detroit, Redford, 18-3
#5. Peoria, Ill., Central, 31-1
#6. Cincinnati, Moeller, 23-4
#7. Detroit, Renaissance, 21-4
#8. Chicago, Von Steuben, 22-9
#9. Toledo, Ohio, St. John's Jesuit, 21-5
#10. Detroit, Denby, 16-3
MIDLANDS
#1. Minneapolis, Henry, 26-6
#2. Florissant, Mo., Hazelwood Central, 19-8
#3. Poplar Bluff, Mo., 26-4
#4. Roeland Park, Kan., Bishop Miege, 21-4
#5. St. Louis, Vashon, 18-10
#6. Waterloo, Iowa, East, 25-1
#7. Olathe, Kan., South, 24-1
#8. Denver, Lincoln, 15-7
#9. Provo, Utah, Timpview, 23-2
#10. Denver, East, 22-2
SOUTHWEST
#1. Fort Worth, Texas, Dunbar, 37-1
#2. Cedar Hill, Texas, 30-3
#3. Little Rock, Ark., Parkview, 25-6
#4. Midwest City, Okla., 16-11
#5. Houston, Milby, 29-6
#6. Fort Worth, Texas, North Crowley, 29-6
#7. Oklahoma City, Putnam City, 25-3
#8. Missouri City, Texas, Hightower, 36-3
#9. North Las Vegas, Nev., Cheyenne, 31-1
#10. Dallas, Seagoville, 18-16
WEST COAST
#1. Los Angeles, Fairfax, 28-4
#2. Santa Ana, Calif., Mater Dei, 35-2
#3. Los Angeles, Westchester, 33-3
#4. Compton, Calif., Centennial, 19-11
#5. Portland, Ore., Lincoln, 20-5
#6. Seattle, Rainier Beach, 26-3
#7. North Hollywood, Calif., Harvard-Westlake, 29-7
#8. Seattle, Franklin, 25-2
#9. Carson, Calif., 24-4
#10. Honolulu, Iolani, 29-2
FEATS OF THE WEEK: For the first time since 1996 a Florida team begins the season ranked No. 1 in the National Prep Poll. Orlando, Edgewater is No. 1 in the preseason Top 25. Coach Travis Jones' Eagles return four of five starters from a 2002-03 team that won a school-record 34 games. They went on to finish second in the Florida Class 6A state tournament to nationally ranked Fort Lauderdale, Dillard. Six-foot, Memphis-bound point guard Darius Washington is Edgewater's top returner; he'll be joined by unsigned backcourt running mate 6-1 Brandon Johnson, two-sport (football) star 6-6 Kenny Ingram, and 6-8 junior big man Quinton Thornton. Edgewater will face a demanding national schedule that includes a trip to the Beach Ball Classic in Myrtle Beach, S.C., where the field boasts seven Top 25 teams and three additional teams in the regional rankings. The Eagles will also participate in the McDonald's Classic in Erie, Pa., along with fellow Top-10 teams Mount Vernon, N.Y., and Philadelphia, Cardinal Dougherty. They also have a Dec. 11 nationally televised matchup with standout guard Sebastian Telfair and No. 21 Brooklyn, N.Y., Lincoln.
Here are the previous preseason No. 1 teams with their final records and rankings for that season: 1987--Bronx, N.Y., Tolentine (30-1) 1st; 1988--Jersey City, N.J., St. Anthony (32-0) 1st; 1989--Chicago, King (30-0) 1st; 1990--Philadelphia, Simon Gratz (27-1) 1st; 1991--Baltimore, Dunbar (29-0) 1st; 1992--Mouth of Wilson, Va., Oak Hill (30-0) 1st; 1993--Los Angeles, Crenshaw (29-2) 2nd; 1994--Frederick, Md., St. John's at Prospect Hall (22-1) 2nd; 1995--Jersey City, N.J. St. Anthony (31-0) 1st; 1996--Miami, Senior (36-1) 2nd; 1997--Frederick, Md., St. John's at Prospect Hall (25-0) 1st; 1998--Hyattsville, Md., DeMatha (28-4) 8th; 1999--Mouth of Wilson, Va., Oak Hill (30-2) 2nd; 2000--Mouth of Wilson, Va., Oak Hill (33-0) 1st; 2001--Los Angeles, Westchester (32-2) 5th; 2002--Santa Ana, Calif. Mater Dei (25-2) 2nd.
Copyright 2003 World Features Syndicate, Inc.
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