NATIONAL — The dust hasn’t even settled in Springfield, but the national hierarchy of high school basketball has already shifted beneath our feet.
This weekend’s slate of games at the Hoophall Classic served as a litmus test for the country’s elite, and several top programs were found wanting. The most significant development is the vulnerability of the traditional powerhouses. With Columbus taking a hard loss to Sierra Canyon and AZ Compass Prep scraping by Long Island Lutheran by a single point (59-58), the gap between the top 5 and the rest of the field has vanished.
MaxPreps and other outlets will have a headache compiling this week’s rankings. Expect Sierra Canyon to make a massive leap into the top 10, rewarding their strength of schedule. Meanwhile, teams like Gonzaga (DC) are quietly building resumes that could rival anyone in the country come March.
As we head into the final stretch of the regular season, one thing is clear: there is no invincible team this year. The road to Geico Nationals is wide open.