2025 Chipotle High School Basketball Nationals preview, prospect rankings
- Chas Post
- 12 hours ago
- 6 min read
Updated: 21 minutes ago
Check out a preview for the 2025 Chipotle High School Basketball Nationals tournament that will take place from April 2-5 at Hamilton Southeastern High School in Indiana! The Columbus High School Explorers are the top seed but the expanded 10-team field is absolutely loaded with the defending national champion Montverde Academy Eagles, Link Academy Lions, Long Island Lutheran Crusaders, Prolific Prep Crew and IMG Academy Ascenders!
Chipotle Nationals team rankings
1. Columbus High School Explorers (27-3)
2. Link Academy Lions (22-8)
3. Long Island Lutheran Crusaders (21-6)
4. Brewster Academy Bobcats (27-4)
5. Bella Vista Prep Bears (21-6)
6. Prolific Prep Crew (34-5)
7. Montverde Academy Eagles (19-7)
8. IMG Academy Ascenders (21-7)
9. Wasatch Academy Tigers (25-4)
10. Dynamic Prep School (31-4)
There are a ton of top ranked recruits set to headline Chipotle Nationals including McDonald's All-Americans and 2025 5-stars Cameron Boozer, Darryn Peterson, Darius Acuff Jr. and Chris Cenac Jr., plus 2026 5-stars Caleb Gaskins and Dylan Mingo. Boozer was recently named the 2025 MaxPreps National Player of the Year and is hoping to cap off his historic career with a national championship before heading to Duke next season.
Chipotle Nationals prospect rankings
1. 2025 5-star PF Cameron Boozer (Duke)
2. 2025 5-star CG Darryn Peterson (Kansas)
3. 2025 5-star PG Darius Acuff Jr. (Arkansas)
4. 2025 5-star C Chris Cenac Jr. (Houston)
5. 2026 5-star PF Caleb Gaskins (Uncommitted)
6. 2026 5-star PG Dylan Mingo (Uncommitted)
7. 2025 5-star SG Isiah Harwell (Houston)
8. 2026 4-star SG Jaxon Richardson (Uncommitted)
9. 2025 4-star SF CJ Ingram (Florida)
10. 2025 4-star SG Kiyan Anthony (Syracuse)
11. 2025 4-star PF Mouhamed Sylla (Georgia Tech)
12. 2026 5-star SF Kayden Allen (Uncommitted)
13. 2025 4-star PG Cayden Boozer (Duke)
14. 2025 4-star PF Sadiq White (Syracuse)
15. 2025 4-star SF Dwayne Aristode (Arizona)
16. 2025 4-star C Jaden Toombs (SMU)
17. 2025 4-star PF Niko Bundalo (Washington)
18. 2025 4-star PG Kayden Mingo (Penn State)
19. 2025 4-star CG Dante Allen (Uncommitted)
20. 2025 4-star CG Jerry Easter (USC)
21. 2025 4-star PF Amare Bynum (Ohio State)
22. 2025 4-star SG Davion Hannah (Alabama)
23. 2025 4-star PG Nigel James (Marquette)
24. 2027 5-star C Obinna Ekezie Jr. (Uncommitted)
25. 2026 4-star PF Sebastian Wilkins (Uncommitted)
26. 2026 4-star PF Chase Foster (Uncommitted)
27. 2025 4-star SG Hudson Greer (Creighton)
28. 2026 4-star PG Miles Sadler (Uncommitted)
29. 2026 4-star CG Felipe Quinones (Uncommitted)
30. 2025 4-star PG Trent Sisley (Indiana)
31. 2025 4-star C Kareem Stagg (Georgia)
32. 2025 4-star SG Mazi Mosley (LSU)
33. 2025 4-star C John Clark (Texas)
34. 2025 4-star SG Winters Grady (Michigan)
35. 2026 4-star CG Jermal Jones Jr. (Uncommitted)
36. 2025 4-star SG Killyan Toure (Iowa State)
37. 2025 4-star PF Jaion Pitt (Uncommitted)
38. 2025 4-star SF Jermaine O'Neal Jr. (SMU)
39. 2025 4-star PF Chris Nwuli (Rutgers)
40. 2025 4-star C Maper Maker (Uncommitted)
41. 2027 4-star PF Marcus Spears Jr. (Uncommitted)
42. 2027 4-star SF Ryan Hampton (Uncommitted)
43. 2027 4-star C Paul Osaruyi (Uncommitted)
44. 2027 4-star CG King Gibson (Uncommitted)
45. 2027 4-star SF Moussa Kamissoko (Uncommitted)
46. 2027 4-star SF Gabe Nesmith (Uncommitted)
47. 2026 4-star CG Keonte Greybear (Uncommitted)
48. 2026 4-star PF MJ Madison (Uncommitted)
49 2026 3-star SF Marcellous Jackson (Uncommitted)
50. 2027 3-star PG Antonio Pemberton (Uncommitted)
1. Columbus High School Explorers (27-3)
The Explorers are the top seed in Chipotle Nationals after clinching a fourth straight Florida state title, led by Duke commits 2025 5-star forward Cameron Boozer and 2025 4-star guard Cayden Boozer, plus 2026 5-star forward Caleb Gaskins and 2026 4-star guard Jaxon Richardson. Columbus is searching for the first national championship in school history after losing to the eventual champion Montverde Academy in the semifinals last year.
2. Link Academy Lions (22-8)
Link Academy is looking to secure the second national championship in program history after climbing to the mountain top in 2023. The Lions are led by Houston commit 2025 5-star center Chris Cenac Jr., USC commit 2025 4-star guard Jerry Easter, Alabama commit 2025 4-star guard Davion Hannah and Ohio State commit 2025 4-star forward Amare Bynum. Link Academy split a pair of regular season meetings with top ranked Columbus.
3. Long Island Lutheran Crusaders (21-6)
The Crusaders are making their third appearance at Chipotle Nationals after falling in the quarterfinals a year ago. Long Island Lutheran is fueled by Syracuse commit 2025 4-star guard Kiyan Anthony, Penn State commit 2025 4-star guard Kayden Mingo, Marquette commit 2025 4-star guard Nigel James and 2026 5-star guard Dylan Mingo. The Crusaders pulled off an upset over top seed Columbus 77-66 during the regular season.
4. Brewster Academy Bobcats (27-4)
Brewster Academy will compete at Chipotle Nationals for the first time ever after rising to one of the top ranked schools in the country this year. The Bobcats are powered by Arizona commit 2025 4-star forward Dwayne Aristode, Iowa State commit 2025 4-star guard Killyan Toure and 2026 4-star forward Sebastian Wilkins. Brewster Academy took down highly-touted opponents Link Academy 49-47 and Montverde Academy 59-47 earlier this year.
5. Bella Vista Prep Bears (21-6)
The Bears are scheduled to make their first-ever appearance in Chipotle Nationals with 2025 4-star forward Jaion Pitt and Georgia Tech commit 2025 4-star forward Mouhamed Sylla leading the way along with 2026 4-star guard Miles Sadler. Bella Vista Prep picked up impressive wins over IMG Academy, Link Academy and Prolific Prep with first-year head coach and former Arizona State assistant Brandon Rosenthal on the sideline.
6. Prolific Prep Crew (34-5)
Prolific Prep is one of the most talented programs in the nation, powered by Kansas commit 2025 5-star guard Darryn Peterson and Washington commit 2025 4-star forward Niko Bundalo, plus 2027 5-star center Obinna Ekezie Jr. and 2027 4-star forward Gabe Nesmith. The Crew beat top seed Columbus 66-54 and are hoping to secure their first national championship as they prepare to play Long Island Lutheran on Thursday afternoon.
7. Montverde Academy Eagles (19-7)
The Eagles captured their record-setting seventh national title last season and are pursuing a second straight championship run behind Florida commit 2025 4-star forward CJ Ingram, 2026 5-star forward Kayden Allen, 2025 4-star guard Dante Allen and Creighton commit 2025 4-star guard Hudson Greer. Montverde Academy is making their 14th appearance at Chipotle Nationals as longtime head coach Kevin Boyle prepares to move on.
8. IMG Academy Ascenders (21-7)
IMG Academy captured their only national championship in 2019 and is slated to make their seventh appearance in the annual event. The Ascenders are fueled by Arkansas commit 2025 5-star guard Darius Acuff Jr., Syracuse commit 2025 4-star forward Sadiq White and Georgia commit 2025 4-star center Kareem Stagg. IMG Academy outlasted Link Academy 79-73 in overtime and took down in-state rival Montverde Academy 68-62 this season.
9. Wasatch Academy Tigers (25-4)
The Tigers are making their fifth appearance in program history and the first appearance since being eliminated in the quarterfinals in 2021. Wasatch Academy is charged by Houston commit 2025 5-star guard Isiah Harwell and 2026 4-star guard Junior County. The Tigers secured a series of notable wins this season including beating Bella Vista Prep and Link Academy, as well as IMG Academy, who they will face in the first round on Wednesday.
10. Dynamic Prep School (31-4)
Dynamic Prep School is in their third year of existence and is set to make their first appearance at Chipotle Nationals, coached by former NBA All-Star center Jermaine O'Neal. SMU commits 2025 4-star center Jaden Toombs and 2025 4-star forward Jermaine O'Neal Jr. lead Dynamic Prep School alongside 2027 4-star forward Ryan Hampton. Dynamic Prep School is slated to meet the defending champion Montverde Academy in the opening round.
"Since we got here, striving to win Chipotle Nationals has been our goal. Every time I step on the court, I'm taking it serious. There's always a target on my back and there's always critics so I don't get to play around. Every game that I play, I feel like I'm going to win. We're not trying to go home so we're going to have to bring our A-game," Peterson told SportsCenter Next in a recent interview as he continues to gear up for Chipotle Nationals.
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