The Sporting News High School Boys Basketball Final Top 25 — April 8: CIA-Bella Vista wins its first national title

The Sporting News High School Boys Basketball Final Top 25 — April 8: CIA-Bella Vista wins its first national title originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The national high school boys basketball season has concluded with the Chipotle Nationals championship putting a bow on an exciting season that ended with the CIA-Bella Vista [Phoenix, AZ] Bears winning the crown.

The winner of the Chipotle Nationals is considered a national champion, and by virtue of their win, CIA-Bella Vista automatically clinched a share of the crown. That led to further accolades when USA Today named the Bears their national champions as well.

Then it was our turn at The Sporting News to make a decision, and we laid out our case for CIA-Bella Vista's title as The Sporting News High School Boys Basketball National Champion here.

CIA-Bella Vista also finished atop the MaxPreps Prep School rankings although MaxPreps also separates prep academies from traditional schools where the Paul VI [Chantilly, VA] Panthers finished at the top of the list.

Here at The Sporting News, CIA-Bella Vista entered the season ranked No. 14 in The Sporting News High School Boys Basketball Preseason Top 25 before moving into the Top 5 when our weekly rankings began in January. After a one-sided loss to Wasatch Academy, they slipped back out of the Top 10 in our February rankings where they spent the rest of the season trying to find their way back in.

It finally happened when they won the Nike EYBL Championships, and they were ranked No. 7 headed in our pentultimate rankings released on March 31 just prior to the start of last weekend's Chipotle Nationals. The top four ranked teams in that event all failed to advance to the title game where CIA-Bella Vista face the seven-time champions from Montverde [FL] Academy, ultimately beating the Eagles, 69-65, in a game that was more one-sided than the final score would indicate.

MORE HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL:The final Sporting News girls basketball Top 25

The Sporting News High School Boys Basketball Top 25 rankings

1. CIA-Bella Vista Prep [Scottsdale, AZ] Bears

2025-26 record: 26-4
Previous ranking: No. 7

Upcoming games: Season has concluded

CIA-Bella Vista won SN's high school boys basketball national championship after claiming the title at the Chipotle Nationals last week.

2. Sierra Canyon [Chatsworth, CA] Trailblazers

2025-26 record: 30-1
Previous ranking: No. 5

Upcoming games: Season has concluded

Sierra Canyon won California's CIF Open Division state championship last weekend, finishing the season at 30-1.

3. Dynamic Prep [Irving, TX]

2025-26 record: 17-2
Previous ranking: No. 1

Upcoming games: Season has concluded

Dynamic Prep didn't play a single game between January 22 and last week's Chipotle Nationals where they lost to the eventual national-champion CIA-Bella Vista in the semifinals.

4. Montverde [FL] Academy Eagles

2025-26 record: 23-6
Previous ranking: No. 11

Upcoming games: Season has concluded

Montverde Academy went on an exciting run to the finals of the Chipotle Nationals losing to the eventual national champions from CIA-Bella Vista in the title game.

5. Paul VI [Chantilly, VA] Panthers

2025-26 record: 33-3
Previous ranking: No. 4

Upcoming games: Season has concluded

Virginia's VISAA Division I state champions clinched the No. 6 seed in the Chipotle Nationals where they were promptly dispatched by the eventual national champions from CIA-Bella Vista in the quarterfinals.

6. Principia [St. Louis, MO] Panthers

2025-26 record: 29-2
Previous ranking: No. 6

Upcoming games: Season has concluded

Principia won Missouri's MSHSAA Class 3 state championship.

7. AZ Compass Prep National [Chandler, AZ] Dragons

2025-26 record: 27-4
Previous ranking: No. 2

Upcoming games: Season has concluded

AZ Compass Prep was ranked No. 2 as the top seed at last week's Chipotle Nationals where they were upset in the semifinals by Montverde Academy.

8. Prolific Prep [Fort Lauderdale, FL] Crew

2025-26 record: 37-4
Previous ranking: No. 3

Upcoming games: Season has concluded

Prolific Prep was the Grind Session champions, but the Crew were ousted in their opening game at the Chipotle Nationals in a quarterfinal loss to Montverde Academy.

9. SPIRE Academy National [Geneva, OH]

2025-26 record: 29-5
Previous ranking: No. 8

Upcoming games: Season has concluded

SPIRE Academy defeated Archbishop Stepinac in last week's opening round at the Chipotle Nationals before losing to top seed AZ Compass Prep in the quarterfinals.

10. Columbus [Miami, FL] Explorers

2025-26 record: 26-6 (3-0 at The Throne tournament)
Previous ranking: No. 16

Upcoming games: Season has concluded

The defending SN high school boys basketball national champions won The Throne tournament, adding some major hardware to a trophy case that also includes the 2026 Florida FHSAA Class 7A state championship trophy.

STREAM: High school boys basketball, live on NFHS Network

11. Link Academy [Branson, MO] Lions

2025-26 record — 26-5
Previous ranking — No. 10

Upcoming games: Season has concluded

Link Academy defeated Wasatch Academy in the opening round of the Chipotle Nationals before losing to #2 seed Dynamic Prep in the quarterfinals.

12. Bartlett [TN] Panthers

2025-26 record: 35-4
Previous ranking: No. 13

Upcoming games: Season has concluded

Bartlett finished the season as the state champions of Tennessee's TSSAA Division I Class 4A ranks.

13. Wisconsin Lutheran [Milwaukee, WI] Vikings

2025-26 record: 30-0
Previous ranking: No. 14

Upcoming games: Season has concluded

Wisconsin Lutheran captured Wisconsin's WIAA Division 1 crown to conclude the 2025-26 season as the undefeated state champions.

14. Rainier Beach [Seattle, WA] Vikings

2025-26 record: 29-1
Previous ranking: No. 15

Upcoming games: Season has concluded

Rainier Beach finished the season as the state of Washington's WIAA Class 3A state champions.

15. Wasatch Academy [Mt. Pleasant, UT] Tigers

2025-26 record: 24-7
Previous ranking: No. 9

Upcoming games: Season has concluded

Wasatch Academy fell to Link Academy in the opening round of the Chipotle Nationals bringing their 2025-26 campaign to a close.

16. Archbishop Stepinac [White Plains, NY] Crusaders

2025-26 record: 26-5
Previous ranking: No. 12

Upcoming games: Season has concluded

Archbishop Stepinac lost an opening-round game to SPIRE Academy at last week's Chipotle Nationals to conclude the 2025-26 season.

17. Greensboro [NC] Day Bengals

2025-26 record: 36-2
Previous ranking: No. 17

Upcoming games: Season has concluded

Greensboro Day School won North Carolina's NCISAA Class 3A state championship on February 27 in a 62-34 win over Concord Academy.

18. Calvary Christian Academy [Fort Lauderdale, FL] Eagles

2025-26 record: 24-1 (1-1 at The Throne tournament)
Previous ranking: No. 18

Upcoming games: Season has concluded

The Eagles' loss to LuHi at The Throne cost them a shot at the national championship, but they still finished as the Florida FHSAA Class 3A state champions.

19. Sunnyslope [Phoenix, AZ] Vikings

2025-26 record: 28-2 (0-1 at The Throne tournament)
Previous ranking: No. 19

Upcoming games: Season has concluded

Sunnyslope lost its only game at The Throne tournament, resting on their laurels at that point as Arizona's AIA Open Division state champions.

20. Richland [WA] Bombers

2025-26 record: 28-0
Previous ranking: No. 20

Upcoming games: Season has concluded

Richland wrapped up its season with an unbeaten 28-0 record, including a 63-49 win over Gonzaga Prep in Washington's WIAA Class 4A state championship game.

21. North Crowley [Fort Worth, TX] Panthers

2025-26 record: 35-3
Previous ranking: No. 21

Upcoming games: Season has concluded

North Crowley defeated Brennan to win the Texas UIL Class 6A Division I state championship.

22. Little Elm [TX] Lobos

2025-26 record: 37-2
Previous ranking: No. 22

Upcoming games: Season has concluded

Little Elm concluded its 2025-26 campaign as the Texas UIL Class 6A Division II state champions.

23. Logan-Rogersville [MO] Wildcats

2025-26 record: 37-1
Previous ranking: No. 24

Upcoming games: Season has concluded

Logan-Rogersville won Missouri's MSHSAA Class 4 state championship, doubling up the Clayton [St. Louis, MO] Greyhounds, 72-36, in the finale.

24. Salesian College Prep [Richmond, CA] Pride

2025-26 record: 29-4
Previous ranking: No. 25

Upcoming games: Season has concluded

Salesian College Prep won Northern California's Open Division championship before losing to Sierra Canyon in the California's CIF Open Division state championship game.

25. Seven Lakes [Katy, TX] Spartans

2025-26 record: 35-1
Previous ranking: Unranked

Upcoming games: Season has concluded

Crown Point's loss in the Indiana state championships along with Tartan's stumble in the Minnesota state title game opened up a slot for Seven Lakes to slide back into the Top 25.

The next 25 teams on the "bubble"

Here are the best of the rest — teams that were under consideration for the SN Top 25 when the season ended.

Alexander [Douglasville, GA] Cougars — 30-2

Archbishop Riordan [San Francisco, CA] Crusaders — 28-2

Bearden [Knoxville, TN] Bulldogs — 37-2

Benet Academy [Lisle, IL] Redwings — 36-2

Christian Brothers Academy [Albany, NY] Brothers — 25-0

Crown Point [IN] Bulldogs — 25-2

Fishers [IN] Tigers — 24-1

Gainesville [GA] Red Elephants — 30-1

Harvard-Westlake [Studio City, CA] Wolverines — 27-7

Heritage [Frisco, TX] Coyotes — 34-2 (0-1 in The Throne)

IMG Academy [Bradenton, FL] Ascenders — 20-9

La Lumiere [La Porte, IN] Lakers — 21-4

Lakota West [West Chester, OH] Firebirds — 24-2

Marist [Chicago, IL] RedHawks — 33-5

Millenium [Goodyear, AZ] Tigers — 24-4

Millwood [Oklahoma City, OK] Falcons — 27-2

Mt. Vernon [Fortville, IN] Marauders — 29-3

Ridge View [Columbia, SC] Blazers – 27-3

St. Frances Academy [Baltimore, MD] Panthers — 34-7

St. John's [Washington, DC] Cadets — 27-8

St. Joseph [Santa Maria, CA] Knights — 31-3

St. Mary's [Phoenix, AZ] Knights — 23-7

St. Thomas Aquinas [Fort Lauderdale, FL] Raiders — 28-4

Southeastern School of Energy and Sustainability [Durham, NC] Spartans — 28-3

Westhill [Syracuse, NY] Wolf Pack — 26-0

MORE HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL

• Five takeaways from the Chipotle Nationals girls basketball tournament
• CIA-Bella Vista wins the Chipotle Nationals boys basketball championship
• CIA-Bella Vista upsets Dynamic Prep in the Chipotle Nationals boys basketball semifinals
• Montverde Academy outlasts AZ Compass Prep in the Chipotle Nationals boys basketball semifinals