Iowa boys high school basketball rankings
From the roaring crowd to squeaking sneakers on the hardwood, high school boys basketball is a beloved American pastime.
The sport's school roots date back to its 19th-century beginnings. After all, James Naismith invented basketball as a physical education activity. The concept of a state championship for high school basketball soon followed. Illinois, for example, held a state championship as early as 1908. Other states with early high school basketball championships include Indiana (first championship in 1911) and Wisconsin (1916).
Now, the sport is etched into the ethos of the American high school. Over half a million boys play on their high school basketball team, according to 2021-22 school year data compiled by the National Federation of State High School Associations. That figure represents over 18,000 teams competing across all 50 states, grinding out games in high school gyms on dark winter nights.
But when not every team plays one another, how do you separate the wheat from the chaff? Luckily, the data-driven nature of sports means there are plenty of avenues for rating and ranking basketball teams.
Stacker compiled boys high school basketball rankings in Iowa using MaxPreps. MaxPreps' rankings factor in win-loss record, win quality, and strength of schedule. Read on through to find out the best boys basketball schools in Iowa.
Class 1A
1. Grand View Christian (Des Moines): 25-0 (0-0 in Bluegrass), 26.8 rating, 25 straight wins
2. North Linn (Troy Mills): 27-2 (18-0 in Tri-Rivers), 16.6 rating
3. St. Mary's (Remsen): 25-3 (19-1 in War Eagle), 16.5 rating
4. West Harrison (Mondamin): 23-2 (7-0 in Conference), 16.3 rating
5. Gladbrook-Reinbeck (Reinbeck): 24-3 (6-1 in Conference), 14.2 rating
Class 2A
1. Western Christian (Hull): 24-5 (4-0 in Lakes), 24.8 rating
2. Central Lyon (Rock Rapids): 22-1 (16-1 in Siouxland), 24.0 rating, 11 straight wins
3. Aplington-Parkersburg (Parkersburg): 21-3 (8-0 in Conference), 18.5 rating
4. Roland-Story (Story City): 25-3 (12-0 in Conference), 18.3 rating
5. Sioux Central (Sioux Rapids): 24-1 (14-0 in Twin Lakes), 18.2 rating
6. West Burlington: 15-2 (8-0 in SEI - South), 16.0 rating
7. Pella Christian (Pella): 15-9 (6-7 in Little Hawkeye), 15.8 rating
8. West Lyon (Inwood): 16-6 (14-5 in Siouxland), 15.2 rating
9. AHSTW (Avoca): 21-4, 15.2 rating
10. Kuemper (Carroll): 16-8 (8-3 in Hawkeye Ten), 13.2 rating, 2 straight losses
Class 3A
1. Bondurant-Farrar (Bondurant): 24-0 (15-0 in Raccoon River), 29.0 rating, 24 straight wins
2. Newton: 17-7 (10-4 in Little Hawkeye), 20.9 rating
3. North Polk (Alleman): 19-7 (12-4 in Raccoon River), 20.6 rating
4. Xavier (Cedar Rapids): 21-8 (11-4 in Mississippi Valley), 20.5 rating
5. Bishop Heelan Catholic (Sioux City): 18-7 (10-5 in Missouri River), 18.4 rating
6. Winterset: 15-7 (11-5 in Raccoon River), 17.4 rating
7. MOC-Floyd Valley (Orange City): 19-4 (16-2 in Siouxland), 17.2 rating
8. Clear Lake: 21-5 (11-1 in North Central), 15.5 rating
9. Pella: 13-10 (5-7 in Little Hawkeye), 15.0 rating
10. Denison-Schleswig (Denison): 16-6 (11-2 in Hawkeye Ten), 14.4 rating
Class 4A
1. Northwest (Waukee): 23-3, 32.1 rating
2. Waukee: 25-3 (14-2 in Conference), 31.7 rating
3. Valley (West Des Moines): 17-5 (4-2 in Conference), 29.4 rating, 5 straight wins
4. Kennedy (Cedar Rapids): 22-1 (16-0 in Mississippi Valley), 26.7 rating
5. Norwalk: 18-3 (9-2 in Little Hawkeye), 26.2 rating
6. Indianola: 18-3 (9-1 in Little Hawkeye), 25.1 rating
7. Sioux City East (Sioux City): 23-3 (15-1 in Missouri River), 22.3 rating
8. Dubuque Senior (Dubuque): 22-5 (15-3 in Mississippi Valley), 20.2 rating
9. Ankeny Centennial (Ankeny): 13-8 (4-2 in Conference), 19.9 rating
10. Cedar Falls/Valley Lutheran (Cedar Falls): 14-5, 19.7 rating
11. Johnston: 10-10 (2-5 in Conference), 18.2 rating
12. Waterloo West (Waterloo): 18-6 (14-4 in Mississippi Valley), 17.3 rating, 2 straight wins
13. Lincoln (Council Bluffs): 15-7 (11-3 in Missouri River), 17.3 rating
14. Dallas Center-Grimes (Dallas Center): 10-8 (5-4 in Little Hawkeye), 16.8 rating
15. Pleasant Valley: 20-6 (16-2 in Mississippi), 16.4 rating
16. Ames: 16-8 (3-0 in Conference), 15.9 rating
17. Southeast Polk (Pleasant Hill): 9-12 (0-5 in Conference), 14.4 rating
18. Dowling Catholic (West Des Moines): 8-11 (2-4 in Conference), 14.0 rating
19. Urbandale: 10-16 (1-7 in Conference), 13.2 rating
20. Ankeny: 15-15 (2-3 in Conference), 12.4 rating
