Virginia 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 Virginia 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 Virginia.
Division 1
1. Lancaster: 29-0 (10-0 in Northern Neck), 20.7 rating, 29 straight wins
2. George Wythe (Wytheville): 26-4 (11-1 in Mountain Empire), 12.6 rating
3. Altavista: 21-5 (13-0 in Dogwood), 10.9 rating
4. Franklin: 24-4 (15-0 in Tri-Rivers), 8.7 rating, 2 straight losses
5. Auburn (Riner): 23-9 (11-1 in Mountain Empire), 8.1 rating
Division 2
1. John Marshall (Richmond): 28-0 (7-0 in Colonial), 33.8 rating, 28 straight wins, #1 national rank
2. Radford: 23-5 (9-1 in Three Rivers), 21.1 rating
3. Floyd County (Floyd): 21-6 (8-2 in Three Rivers), 17.6 rating
4. Virginia High (Bristol): 21-6 (10-0 in Southwest), 10.4 rating
5. Brunswick (Lawrenceville): 22-7 (13-2 in Tri-Rivers), 8.1 rating
Division 3
1. Northside (Roanoke): 29-1 (11-0 in Blue Ridge), 27.6 rating, 3 straight wins
2. Cave Spring (Roanoke): 23-6 (11-3 in River Ridge), 20.6 rating
3. Hopewell: 24-4 (14-0 in Central), 19.7 rating
4. Spotswood (Penn Laird): 24-3 (9-0 in Valley), 19.6 rating
5. Skyline (Front Royal): 26-1 (14-0 in Northwestern), 15.8 rating
6. Tunstall (Dry Fork): 24-3 (12-2 in Piedmont), 15.5 rating
7. Lake Taylor (Norfolk): 16-9 (10-3 in Eastern), 14.2 rating, 2 straight losses
8. Lord Botetourt (Daleville): 15-11 (6-6 in Blue Ridge), 12.3 rating, 2 straight losses
9. Petersburg: 17-8 (10-4 in Central), 11.2 rating
10. Abingdon: 20-7 (11-2 in Mountain), 11.1 rating
Division 4
1. Glass (Lynchburg): 25-3 (14-0 in Seminole), 24.8 rating
2. King's Fork (Suffolk): 22-4 (13-0 in Southeastern), 23.4 rating
3. Varina (Richmond): 23-4 (14-0 in Capital), 22.0 rating, 15 straight wins
4. Tuscarora (Leesburg): 24-5 (16-2 in Dulles), 17.5 rating
5. Western Albemarle (Crozet): 23-5 (12-2 in Jefferson), 16.1 rating, 2 straight losses
6. Jefferson Forest (Forest): 19-5 (12-2 in Seminole), 15.0 rating
7. Matoaca (Chesterfield): 16-9 (10-5 in Central), 12.5 rating, 2 straight losses
8. Loudoun County (Leesburg): 19-7 (15-3 in Dulles), 12.2 rating
9. Broad Run (Ashburn): 16-8 (11-5 in Dulles), 11.2 rating
10. Churchland (Portsmouth): 13-7 (6-5 in Eastern), 10.3 rating
Division 5
1. Woodside (Newport News): 23-5 (15-3 in Peninsula), 25.0 rating, 10 straight wins
2. Menchville (Newport News): 22-1 (18-0 in Peninsula), 22.7 rating
3. Patrick Henry (Roanoke): 31-3 (14-0 in River Ridge), 21.2 rating
4. Kecoughtan (Hampton): 20-4 (15-3 in Peninsula), 18.3 rating
5. Albemarle (Charlottesville): 22-5 (13-1 in Jefferson), 17.3 rating, 2 straight losses
6. Maury (Norfolk): 16-6 (9-1 in Eastern), 17.1 rating
7. Highland Springs: 20-7 (7-2 in Capital), 16.6 rating
8. L.C. Bird (Chesterfield): 15-8 (12-1 in Dominion), 15.5 rating
9. Fleming (Roanoke): 17-8 (8-3 in Blue Ridge), 15.1 rating, 2 straight losses
10. Potomac Falls (Sterling): 20-6 (9-1 in Potomac), 15.1 rating
Division 6
1. Hayfield (Alexandria): 30-1 (16-0 in District 3), 28.2 rating, 22 straight wins
2. Patriot (Nokesville): 27-4 (13-1 in Cedar Run), 27.4 rating
3. South Lakes (Reston): 25-4 (12-0 in District 1), 22.0 rating
4. Battlefield (Haymarket): 22-4 (12-1 in Cedar Run), 20.7 rating, 2 straight losses
5. Oscar Smith (Chesapeake): 25-2 (12-1 in Southeastern), 19.9 rating
6. Manchester (Midlothian): 22-2 (17-1 in Dominion), 19.7 rating
7. George C. Marshall (Falls Church): 19-3 (6-1 in District 2), 18.2 rating
8. Alexandria City (Alexandria): 20-6 (12-4 in District 4), 16.6 rating
9. Potomac Senior (Dumfries): 19-7 (10-2 in Eastern), 16.1 rating
10. Landstown (Virginia Beach): 19-7 (16-0 in Beach), 16.0 rating, 2 straight losses
11. James River Midlothian (Midlothian): 18-5 (14-4 in Dominion), 15.6 rating
12. South County (Lorton): 17-10 (11-5 in District 4), 15.2 rating
13. Edison (Alexandria): 21-8 (12-4 in District 3), 14.3 rating, 2 straight losses
14. James Madison (Vienna): 18-9 (8-3 in District 1), 14.3 rating, 2 straight losses
15. Washington-Liberty (Arlington): 17-8 (9-1 in District 2), 14.0 rating
Division VC
1. Roanoke Valley Christian (Roanoke): 25-3 (8-0 in Region), 2.4 rating
2. Regents (Charlottesville): 22-3 (7-0 in Region), 2.2 rating, 5 straight wins
3. Smith Mountain Lake Christian Academy (Moneta): 13-11 (5-5 in Region), -6.3 rating, 2 straight wins
4. Temple Christian (Madison Heights): 12-11 (3-3 in Region), -8.4 rating
5. Blue Ridge Christian (Bridgewater): 10-13 (4-4 in Region), -14.9 rating
Division VHS
1. Harrisonburg HomeSchool (Harrisonburg): 21-7 (7-1 in Virginia HomeSchool), 9.4 rating, 6 straight wins
2. Capital City HomeSchool (Mechanicsville): 23-7 (5-3 in Virginia HomeSchool), 6.4 rating, 2 straight wins
3. Fairfax HomeSchool (Fairfax): 24-13 (7-4 in Virginia HomeSchool), 3.0 rating
4. Loudoun County HomeSchool (Lovettsville): 15-8 (9-5 in Virginia HomeSchool), 2.5 rating, 4 straight losses
5. Northern Virginia HomeSchool (Manassas): 14-7 (7-5 in Virginia HomeSchool), -0.4 rating
Division VISAA I
1. Paul VI (Chantilly): 31-3 (15-0 in VISAA Division I), 40.8 rating, 3 straight wins, #6 national rank
2. St. Anne's-Belfield (Charlottesville): 27-4 (12-1 in VISAA Division I), 31.2 rating
3. Bishop O'Connell (Arlington): 16-14 (6-6 in VISAA Division I), 24.7 rating
4. Catholic (Virginia Beach): 34-6 (9-0 in VISAA Division I), 24.6 rating, 4 straight losses
5. Blue Ridge (St. George): 24-11 (6-0 in VISAA Division I), 23.7 rating
6. Woodberry Forest: 24-7 (7-3 in VISAA Division I), 21.0 rating
7. Bishop Ireton (Alexandria): 16-15 (5-9 in VISAA Division I), 20.8 rating
8. St. Stephen's & St. Agnes (Alexandria): 14-12 (5-4 in VISAA Division I), 19.5 rating
9. St. Christopher's (Richmond): 19-11 (10-5 in VISAA Division I), 17.5 rating, 2 straight losses
10. Trinity Episcopal (Richmond): 16-11 (8-6 in VISAA Division I), 14.8 rating, 2 straight losses
Division VISAA II
1. Highland (Warrenton): 30-3 (9-1 in VISAA Division II), 29.6 rating, 4 straight wins
2. Peninsula Catholic (Newport News): 27-8 (7-2 in VISAA Division II), 20.3 rating
3. Miller School of Albemarle (Charlottesville): 20-13 (10-1 in VISAA Division II), 19.5 rating
4. Steward (Richmond): 21-8 (7-2 in VISAA Division II), 18.0 rating
5. Hargrave Military Academy (Chatham): 24-7 (14-2 in VISAA Division II), 17.4 rating
Division VISAA III
1. Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson): 22-15 (0-11 in VISAA Division III), 22.9 rating, 2 straight losses
2. Fairfax Christian (Dulles): 25-12 (9-0 in VISAA Division III), 18.2 rating, 6 straight wins
3. Word of Life Christian Academy (Springfield): 13-10 (0-0 in VISAA Division III), 12.3 rating
4. Life Christian Academy (Chester): 14-12 (5-4 in VISAA Division III), 11.8 rating
5. Roanoke Catholic (Roanoke): 17-13 (7-4 in VISAA Division III), 11.4 rating
Division VISAA IV
1. Banner Christian (Chesterfield): 26-6 (16-0 in VISAA Division IV), 6.5 rating, 13 straight wins
2. New Covenant (Lynchburg): 18-10 (3-5 in VISAA Division IV), 4.8 rating
3. Hampton Christian Academy (Hampton): 23-12 (13-1 in VISAA Division IV), 2.8 rating
4. Carlisle (Axton): 14-15 (5-6 in VISAA Division IV), 0.6 rating
5. Williamsburg Christian Academy (Williamsburg): 17-12 (4-4 in VISAA Division IV), -1.9 rating