The greatest high school basketball teams of all time (non-prep school)

Trying to select 20 of the greatest high school basketball teams in the history of the sport can be brutal. Sure, it's subjective in many ways, but we feel this is a pretty good list.

But, hoops fans won't find the likes of Oak Hill Academy or Monteverde, or their ilk here. Those prep schools that welcome talent from all over the country are in a different world.

So, high school basketball fans, get ready to agree — and certainly disagree — with what we have here. Enjoy.

20. 1996-97 Manual (31-1), Peoria, Ill (1 of 20)

A special team that capped one of the most special runs in the history of high school basketball — in any state. Led by the University of Illinois-bound trio of Sergio McClain, Marcus Griffin and Frank Williams, the Rams rallied to beat both an uber-talented Thornton (Harvey, Ill) squad in the semifinals and West Aurora in the Class AA championship game to win the program's fourth consecutive state title. McClain — who scored 65 points in four tournament games — and Griffin finished first and second, respectively, for Illinois' Mr. Basketball that season, and Williams took home the honor one year later.

19. 1989-90 Southwestern (30-1), Detroit (2 of 20)

Perry Watson produced some great teams at this Detroit mecca of prep basketball, but the 1989-90 group was the one that brought the legendary coach his first state championship. This particular group was led by Fab Fiver Jalen Rose (18 ppg, 6 apg and 8 rpg), fellow junior Voshon Leonard and senior standout Howard Eisley — all of whom enjoyed successful time in the NBA at various points in their careers. Southwestern topped Saginaw 67-54 to secure Watson that long-awaited state title , which Rose and Leonard helped the program successfully defend one season later.

18. 2009-10 Ames (27-0), Ames, Iowa (3 of 20)

The second of Ames High's back-to-back state championship teams, which won a combined 53 games. The Little Cyclones were paced by Harrison Barnes and Doug McDermott, a pair of college stars who have also enjoyed sustained success in the NBA. Barnes averaged 27.1 points, 10.4 rebounds, 4.0 steals and 4.0 assists, while McDermott poured in 20.1 points per contest and secured 7.8 boards. One it comes to 1-2 high school punches, it might not get much better than those two. Sadly for Iowa State fans, both were too good to stay in town and star for the Cyclones, with Barnes going to North Carolina and McDermott to Creighton.

17. 1989-90 Martin Luther King (32-0), Chicago (4 of 20)

Back in the mid-to-late 1980s and early '90s, prep basketball in the city of Chicago was something special, producing such future NCAA and NBA standouts like Nick Anderson, Marcus Liberty and Eric Anderson. Perhaps the greatest high school squad in city history closed out the decade — and ushered in a new one — when King finished 32-0 and was crowned national champions by USA Today . The Jaguars, a state power during the second half of the '80s and first half of the '90s and guided by colorful head coach Landon "Sonny" Cox , were led by LSU-recruit Jamie Brandon , Illinois' Mr. Basketball, who scored more than 3,100 points for his prep career. Teammate Johnny Selvie played one season at New Mexico State and 7-1 Rashard Griffith spent two seasons at Wisconsin.

16. 1953-54 Milan (28-2), Milan, Ind. (5 of 20)

The team that inspired the beloved movie Hoosiers . From a school with an enrollment of a little more than 160, Milan had a good team that finished the regular season 19-2. Amid the one-class state tournament, however, the Indians were not given much of a chance. But, Milan proved heart isn't measured by size. Prior to the state-title game tilt with mighty Muncie Central, Milan won seven of its eight tournament games by at least 10 points, including a 13-point decision over Oscar Robertson's Crispus Attucks squad in the semi-state. In the championship game. Bobby Plump became an Indiana high school basketball legend when he sank a 14-footer as time expired to give Milan an improbable 32-30 victory.

15. 1972-73 DeMatha Catholic (30-1), Hyattsville, Mary. (6 of 20)

Coached by the legendary Morgan Wooten , DeMatha is an icon when it comes to college basketball greatness. So, it's not easy selecting one team to highlight from the storied program. However, this Stags' group was truly something special. It was led by future NBA first-round picks in 6-6 Adrian Dantley (who posted 38 points and 17 rebounds in his final high school game that season) and 6-7 Kenny Carr. However, the backcourt of Virginia-bound Billy Langloh and Buzzy O’Connell weren't too shabby, either. DeMatha's only loss came to Baltimore's mighty Dunbar High, which snapped the Stags' 43-game winning streak.

14. 2000-01 Willowridge (39-0), Houston (7 of 20)

As we'll see, the 2000-01 basketball season was pretty good for the state of Texas. In the case of Willowridge, the focus tended to be on the McDonald's All-American backcourt of Daniel Ewing and T.J. Ford. Ewing, who averaged 16 points, ended up at Duke, while Ford, behind his 12 points, 9.4 assists and 7.8 steals per game averages, stayed in state to star for the Longhorns. However, Willowridge was more than a two-man team. Six-foot-9 Curtis Walker was a force to be reckoned with in the paint as the Eagles claimed a second straight Class 5A state title and extended the program's winning streak to 62 games.

13. 1954-55 Crispus Attucks (30-1), Indianapolis (8 of 20)

We noted how the 1953-54 Crispus Attucks lost to tiny Milan. but the next season it would be the great Oscar Robertson who wore the mythical crown bestowed upon a state champion. However, in the case of this talented squad, its victory 97-74 over Gary Roosevelt on March 19, 1955 in the state championship game was one of massive historical significance, with Attucks becoming the first all-black high school to win a state tournament that was not segregated.

12. 2016-17 Nathan Hale (29-0), Seattle (9 of 20)

One season removed from a three-win campaign, Seattle's Nathan Hale High produced perhaps the greatest turnaround in state history by winning all 29 games and a state title in 2016-17. Led by 6-foot-9 star and recent NBA champion Michael Porter Jr. (36.2 ppg, 13.6 rpg, 5.0 apg, 3.2 spg and 2.7 bpg) — who transferred to Hale for his senior season along with brother Jontay — coach Brandon Roy's Raiders' won the program's first state title. The combination of Michael Porter's dominance and former NBA star Roy's knowledge of the game proved to be the perfect combination for one remarkable season.

11. 2000-01 Lincoln (40-0), Dallas (10 of 20)

Led by 11-time NBA All-Star Chris Bosh, who averaged 20 points and 9 rebounds during his senior season, Lincoln rolled to the Class 4A state championship with an amazing 40-0 record. Though Bosh was the obvious star of the squad, teammate Bryan Hopkins was a versatile standout, who also ranked among the top players in the nation during the 2000-01 campaign and was a McDonald's All-American nominee. Not to mention Lincoln was a deep team that featured many interchangeable parts.

10. 2002-03 St. Vincent-St. Mary (32-0), Akron, Ohio (11 of 20)

For those hoops fans of a certain age that might have been living in a hole at the time, this was LeBron James ' senior season. The Fighting Irish were practically everywhere on television, darlings within the ESPN family of networks while taking some on of the nation's other top prep teams. This squad won the program's third state championship in four seasons. James averaged 31.6 points, 9.6 rebounds, 4.6 assists, and 3.4 steals per game to win Gatorade Player of the Year for the second time. Teammates Romeo Travis (15 ppg and 10 rpg for his prep career) and Dru Joyce (11.0 ppg, 8 apg for his prep career) also enjoyed strong seasons and went on to enjoy more basketball success at the University of Akron.

9. 2005-06 Lawrence North (29-0), Indianapolis (12 of 20)

Just one year before Greg Oden and Mike Conley Jr. helped Ohio State reach the championship game of the 2007 NCAA Tournament, this talented duo led the Indiana prep power to a third consecutive state Class 4A title. The 7-foot Oden was the undisputed star of the Wildcats show, and eventually went on to be the No. 1 overall pick in the 2007 NBA Draft. He totaled 1,873 points, 1,058 rebounds and 341 blocked shots during his school career, and was twice named Gatorade Player of the Year. Conley, meanwhile, wasn't too shabby himself, averaging 16.4 points, 4.0 assists and 3.8 rebounds during the undefeated 2005-06 season. Conley was selected fourth overall by the Memphis Grizzlies in 2007.

8. 1970-71 Washington (29-0), East Chicago, Ind. (13 of 20)

When it came to a dominant starting five, these E.C. Washington Senators could go toe-to-toe with anybody . The team featured seven players who played college basketball, highlighted by UCLA-bound Pete Trgovich (22.4 ppg) and 6-7 Tim Stoddard (12.9 ppg), who enjoyed success at North Carolina State before a 13-year Major League Baseball career as a pitcher. Both also won NCAA national championships, while teammate Junior Bridgeman (17.3 ppg) was a key piece to Louisville's 1975 Final Four squad. Rounding out the starting five were Darnell Adell (13.7 ppg, 7.4 apg) and Ruben Bailey (13.7 ppg, 5.1 apg), who also each played Division I basketball.

7. 1968-69 Washington, (31-0), Indianapolis (14 of 20)

Obviously, it's not an easy task trying to pick the greatest high school basketball team in the history of a state like Indiana, where the sport is a way of life for many. However, this Washington group, led by dominant 6-7 stud George McGinnis (28 ppg, 20 rpg), c onsistently resides at the top of the list when the conversation comes about . These Continentals also had another star in 6-9 Steve Downing and future ABA performer in point guard Wayne Pack, and were guided by 34-year-old coach Bill Green. McGinnis and Downing combined for 55 points in Washington's 79-76 state-title game victory over Gary Tolleston.

6. 1971-72 Thornridge (33-0), Dolton, Ill (15 of 20)

When it comes to the gold standard of Illinois high school boys' basketball, there is still no topping these Falcons from south suburban Chicago. One season after winning the state's AA title with a 31-1 record, Thornridge ran the table for a 33-0 mark (the two teams won a combined 54 straight contests). Led by Indiana star and 10-year NBA veteran Quinn Buckner (22.7 ppg), the Falcons averaged 87.5 points and allowed just 55.5 per contest, according to the Basketball Museum of Illinois. In addition to Buckner, the Falcons boasted standouts in Boyd Batts (19.1 ppg), who played at UNLV and was drafted by the New York Knicks, Greg Rose (18.1 ppg), Ernie Dunn (10.4 ppg) and Mike Bonczyk (6.1 ppg, 8.2 apg).

5. 1963-64 Power Memorial (30-0), New York, N.Y. (16 of 20)

Led by New York City phenom Lew Alcindor (who became known as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar), this particular Power Memorial squad was dubbed "The #1 High School Team of The Century." The group dominated while in the middle of the school's remarkable 71-game winning streak. In '63-'64, the Manhattan basketball powerhouse won its second straight CHSAA championship. The season was highlighted by Power's 65-62 win over DeMatha, during which Alcindor dropped 35 points.

4. 1978-79 Southwest (28-0), Macon, Ga (17 of 20)

With hard-nosed, master disciplinarian coach Don "Duck" Richardson in charge, and led on the court by the stellar trio of future NBA star Jeff Malone, McDonald's All-American Terry Fair and gritty Michael Hunt, this Southwest team continued the program's tradition of basketball excellence . In a day when high school basketball teams typically stuck to local competition, Southwest scoured the southern and eastern portions of the United States to play some of the best prep teams around. Fair recorded 26 points and 20 rebounds as Southwest laid an 80-59 whooping against mighty Oak Hill Academy. In the end, Southwest rolled to its second straight state championship.

3. 2015-2016 Chino Hills (35-0), Chino Hills, Calif. (18 of 20)

This team can boast about being the first to produce three NBA Draft lottery picks: Lonzo Ball (No. 2 overall in 2017), LaMelo Ball (No. 3 overall in 2020) and Onyeka Okongwu (No. 6 overall in 2020). That's quite the trio, and one that helped Chino Hills beat its opponents by an average margin of 28.4 points in '15-'16. Lonzo Ball was named Naismith High School Player of the Year for averaging 23.9 points, 11, 5 assists, 11.3 rebounds, 5.1 steals and almost two blocks per contest. This squad beat the likes of prep-/private-school powers Montverde Academy, Sierra Canyon and Nevada's Bishop Gorman.

2. 1988-89 St. Anthony (32-0), Jersey City, N.J. (19 of 20)

There have been great teams to come and go at this tiny Jersey City basketball powerhouse under legendary coach Bob Hurley. However, the '88-'89 squad remains one of the country's best to ever take the court. After going a combined 59-2 the previous two seasons, St. Anthony was unstoppable tin '88-'89. These Friars were led by the backcourt of soon-to-be college stars Bobby Hurley (Duke) and Terry Dehere (Seton Hall), plus power forward Jerry Walker (Seton Hall) and 6-9 freshman Rodrick Rhodes, who would make his way to Kentucky and then become a first-round NBA pick. Not to mention, this was a seriously deep team that honed and hardened its collective talent on the blacktop amid Jersey pick-up games. St. Anthony won all but two of its games by double-digit points, beat teams from 10 states and won three national tournaments.

1. 1981-82/1982-83 Dunbar, Baltimore (29-0/31-0) (20 of 20)

This two-season run at Dunbar is the stuff true legends are made of. Yes, there are several teams on the list that won back-to-back state titles, but not many did so in such dominating fashion as the Poets, nor with some of the greatest prep star power of the time. These Dunbar squads featured college and NBA standouts Tyrone “Muggsy” Bogues, Reggie Lewis, and Reggie Williams. Meanwhile, fellow Dunbar stars Gary Graham and David Wingate, both '82 graduates, played at UNLV and Georgetown, respectively; Wingate helped the Hoyas win the 1982 national championship. The '81-'82 team won games by an average of nearly 37 points, while the '82-'83 group was crowned mythical national champions. These teams have been the subjects of books and documentaries — and, after all this time, still can't be topped.