Arkansas 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 Arkansas 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 Arkansas.
Class 1A
1. County Line (Branch): 39-0 (13-0 in 1A Region 1 West), 21.9 rating, 39 straight wins
2. Marked Tree: 26-3 (14-0 in 1A Region 3), 13.3 rating
3. Shirley: 30-6 (13-1 in 1A Region 2), 11.6 rating
4. Wonderview (Hattieville): 21-5 (10-0 in 1A Region 4), 11.6 rating
5. The New School (Fayetteville): 20-3 (8-2 in 1A Region 1 West), 10.6 rating
Class 2A
1. Bigelow: 26-2 (15-0 in 2A Region 5), 15.6 rating, 14 straight wins
2. Marshall: 25-7 (11-2 in 2A Region 2), 15.4 rating
3. Sloan-Hendrix (Imboden): 27-4 (12-0 in 2A Region 2), 14.8 rating, 2 straight losses
4. Rector: 23-6 (11-3 in 2A Region 3), 13.6 rating
5. Lavaca: 24-5 (12-1 in 2A Region 4), 12.0 rating
Class 3A
1. Manila: 22-3 (10-1 in 3A Region 3), 20.3 rating, 11 straight wins
2. Bergman: 25-3 (11-0 in 3A Region 1), 19.6 rating
3. Episcopal (Little Rock): 26-7 (13-1 in 3A Region 6), 16.6 rating
4. Riverview (Searcy): 23-4 (10-4 in 3A Region 6), 15.7 rating, 6 straight wins
5. Dumas: 23-7 (13-0 in 3A Region 8), 15.6 rating
Class 4A
1. Blytheville: 30-2 (16-0 in 4A Region 3), 27.8 rating
2. Little Rock Christian Academy (Little Rock): 27-7 (16-1 in 4A Region 5), 25.0 rating, 10 straight wins
3. Farmington: 21-1 (12-0 in 4A Region 1), 24.2 rating
4. Brookland: 21-5 (13-2 in 4A Region 3), 20.1 rating
5. Dardanelle: 18-4 (12-1 in 4A Region 4), 19.8 rating
6. Magnolia: 10-1 (7-0 in 4A Region 7), 18.8 rating
7. Robinson (Little Rock): 19-8 (13-2 in 4A Region 5), 17.0 rating
8. Watson Chapel (Pine Bluff): 24-8 (14-0 in 4A Region 8), 16.3 rating
9. Morrilton: 22-9 (13-3 in 4A Region 4), 15.6 rating
10. Mills University Studies (Little Rock): 16-13 (9-3 in 4A Region 8), 15.0 rating
Class 5A
1. Pine Bluff: 25-7 (15-1 in 5A South), 27.9 rating, 6 straight wins
2. Lake Hamilton (Pearcy): 17-4 (7-3 in 5A South), 24.9 rating
3. Marion: 24-8 (13-1 in 5A East), 24.2 rating
4. Nettleton (Jonesboro): 22-7 (11-2 in 5A East), 20.0 rating
5. Vilonia: 18-8 (8-3 in 5A Central), 20.0 rating, 2 straight losses
6. Hot Springs: 15-6 (13-2 in 5A South), 19.8 rating
7. Maumelle: 16-9 (9-3 in 5A Central), 18.3 rating
8. Parkview (Little Rock): 15-14 (10-4 in 5A Central), 17.5 rating
9. Greene County Tech (Paragould): 26-9 (7-7 in 5A East), 15.8 rating
10. Harrison: 22-11 (10-4 in 5A West), 15.6 rating
Class 6A
1. Jonesboro: 31-3 (11-1 in 6A Central), 37.0 rating, 16 straight wins
2. Bentonville West (Centerton): 26-4 (14-2 in 6A West), 31.8 rating
3. Central (Little Rock): 24-7 (9-3 in 6A Central), 31.3 rating, 2 straight losses
4. Springdale: 20-9 (9-4 in 6A West), 27.2 rating, 2 straight losses
5. Cabot: 16-7 (7-4 in 6A Central), 26.2 rating
6. Bentonville: 15-9 (6-6 in 6A West), 25.2 rating
7. Fayetteville: 19-11 (9-6 in 6A West), 23.9 rating
8. Har-Ber (Springdale): 16-7 (12-4 in 6A West), 23.2 rating, 2 straight losses
9. North Little Rock: 15-10 (6-6 in 6A Central), 22.8 rating, 3 straight losses
10. Northside (Fort Smith): 18-13 (9-7 in 6A West), 21.1 rating
11. Bryant: 11-10 (2-7 in 6A Central), 21.1 rating, 3 straight losses
12. Conway: 10-13 (3-7 in 6A Central), 17.8 rating, 5 straight losses
13. Rogers: 5-15 (0-11 in 6A West), 9.1 rating, 11 straight losses
14. Rogers Heritage (Rogers): 5-19 (2-13 in 6A West), 8.4 rating, 3 straight losses
15. Southwest Christian Academy (Little Rock): 17-3 (2-1 in 6A Central), 6.6 rating
Class AC
1. Columbia Christian (Magnolia): 16-13 (10-7 in Arkansas Christian), -7.6 rating
2. Valley Christian (Russellville): 3-8 (3-6 in Arkansas Christian), -9.4 rating
3. Gospel Light Christian (Hot Springs): 11-15 (6-4 in Arkansas Christian), -9.7 rating
4. West Side Christian (El Dorado): 8-8 (5-1 in Arkansas Christian), -10.9 rating, 4 straight losses
5. Arkansas Christian Academy (Bryant): 3-18 (2-12 in Arkansas Christian), -19.5 rating
