Missouri 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 Missouri 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 Missouri.
Class 1
1. South Iron (Annapolis): 22-4 (1-0 in Black River), 16.7 rating, 6 straight wins
2. Platte Valley co-op [South Nodaway/Jefferson] (Barnard): 14-2 (0-0 in Highway 275), 14.9 rating
3. Leeton: 15-5 (0-0 in Mid-State), 9.4 rating
4. Green City: 25-5 (7-1 in District), 9.0 rating
5. Bunker: 15-4 (6-0 in Big Springs), 8.7 rating
Class 2
1. Plattsburg: 31-1 (7-0 in KCI), 18.6 rating
2. Salisbury: 23-3 (6-0 in Lewis & Clark), 17.9 rating, 8 straight wins
3. Hartville: 24-7 (4-2 in Summit), 14.8 rating, 2 straight losses
4. Greenville: 18-2 (4-0 in Ozark Foothills), 14.2 rating
5. Lincoln: 27-1 (10-0 in Kaysinger), 13.3 rating
Class 3
1. New Madrid County Central (New Madrid): 24-7 (6-2 in Southeast Missouri), 24.6 rating, 12 straight wins
2. Charleston: 22-7 (6-2 in Southeast Missouri), 19.3 rating
3. Thayer: 25-5 (7-0 in South Central), 18.8 rating
4. Mansfield: 26-2 (7-0 in Summit), 18.5 rating
5. Lafayette County (Higginsville): 28-4 (10-0 in District), 16.8 rating, 2 straight losses
Class 4
1. Vashon (St. Louis): 20-7 (2-0 in Public), 34.2 rating, 15 straight wins
2. Central (Park Hills): 28-4 (6-0 in Mineral Area - Large), 23.3 rating, 2 straight losses
3. Father Tolton (Columbia): 15-8 (3-2 in AAA - Large), 22.9 rating
4. Logan-Rogersville (Rogersville): 26-4 (7-0 in Big 8), 21.6 rating
5. MICDS (St. Louis): 14-6 (4-1 in ABC), 18.7 rating
6. Burroughs (St. Louis): 17-4 (6-1 in ABC), 18.5 rating, 8 straight wins
7. Maryville: 22-4 (8-1 in Midland Empire), 17.9 rating, 10 straight wins
8. St. Charles: 17-4 (5-1 in Gateway - North), 17.1 rating, 4 straight wins
9. Miller Career Academy (St. Louis): 16-11 (2-2 in Public), 17.0 rating
10. Fatima (Westphalia): 17-6 (6-0 in ShowMe), 16.9 rating
11. Lafayette (St. Joseph): 18-7 (7-1 in Midland Empire), 16.8 rating
12. Potosi: 15-5 (3-3 in Mineral Area - Large), 14.9 rating
13. Fulton: 19-3 (6-0 in District), 14.6 rating, 7 straight wins
14. Richmond: 20-4 (7-2 in District), 13.8 rating
15. Macon: 17-3 (6-1 in Clarence Cannon), 13.7 rating
Class 5
1. Cardinal Ritter College Prep (St. Louis): 19-4 (5-0 in AAA - Large), 28.2 rating, 3 straight wins
2. Central (Cape Girardeau): 26-3 (8-0 in Southeast Missouri), 26.6 rating
3. Pembroke Hill (Kansas City): 21-6, 23.8 rating
4. Jefferson City: 23-7 (3-1 in Central Missouri), 23.0 rating
5. De Smet Jesuit (St. Louis): 16-7 (5-3 in Metro Catholic), 21.8 rating
6. Ladue Horton Watkins (St. Louis): 18-5 (5-1 in Suburban - Red), 21.6 rating
7. Sikeston: 22-8 (4-4 in Southeast Missouri), 20.4 rating
8. St. Francis Borgia (Washington): 16-5 (4-1 in AAA - Large), 19.6 rating
9. Bolivar: 17-8 (7-2 in Ozarks), 19.2 rating
10. Parkview (Springfield): 14-8 (7-3 in Ozarks), 18.0 rating, 4 straight wins
11. Ruskin (Kansas City): 17-7, 17.8 rating
12. Westminster Christian (St. Louis): 16-9 (7-1 in ABC), 17.7 rating, 2 straight losses
13. Glendale (Springfield): 19-8 (6-4 in Ozarks), 17.0 rating, 2 straight wins
14. Hogan Prep Charter (Kansas City): 15-6, 16.4 rating
15. Rolla: 17-10 (5-5 in Ozarks), 14.7 rating, 2 straight losses
Class 6
1. Staley (Kansas City): 28-2 (0-0 in Suburban - Red), 35.4 rating, 13 straight wins
2. Nixa: 28-0 (10-0 in Central Ozarks), 30.0 rating, 28 straight wins
3. Oak Park (Kansas City): 22-2, 29.3 rating
4. Lee's Summit West (Lee's Summit): 23-4, 26.5 rating
5. Kickapoo (Springfield): 17-8 (9-0 in Ozarks), 26.3 rating
6. Republic: 18-3 (6-2 in Central Ozarks), 24.8 rating, 3 straight wins
7. Chaminade (St. Louis): 16-9 (4-3 in Metro Catholic), 23.9 rating
8. Kirkwood: 22-3 (5-1 in Suburban - Yellow), 22.4 rating
9. Christian Brothers (St. Louis): 18-11 (5-3 in Metro Catholic), 21.5 rating
10. Battle (Columbia): 11-5 (4-2 in Central Missouri), 21.2 rating
11. Hickman (Columbia): 18-8 (3-2 in Central Missouri), 21.0 rating, 2 straight wins
12. North Kansas City: 17-8, 21.0 rating
13. Troy-Buchanan (Troy): 17-6 (7-2 in Gateway - South), 19.6 rating
14. Park Hill South (Riverside): 14-10, 19.4 rating
15. Park Hill (Kansas City): 15-11, 19.4 rating, 3 straight losses
16. Parkway West (Ballwin): 17-4 (5-1 in Suburban - Red), 19.2 rating, 8 straight wins
17. Jackson: 21-9 (5-3 in Southeast Missouri), 18.9 rating
18. Rock Bridge (Columbia): 21-7 (4-2 in Central Missouri), 18.7 rating
19. Joplin: 12-8 (7-2 in Central Ozarks), 17.1 rating
20. Central (Springfield): 15-10 (6-4 in Ozarks), 17.1 rating
