Dwyer, Lake Worth in race for Palm Beach's top boys basketball team in first FHSAA rankings

The Florida High School Athletic Association has dropped its first power rankings of the 2023-24 basketball season.

Here's how Palm Beach County's boys teams fared in the inaugural release.

Lake Worth takes top spot among Palm Beach County teams

The Trojans, robbed of their favored return to the Class 7A final four in 2022-23, are on a revenge tour this winter.

That's why "L-Dub," 10-3 on the year, is taking the top spot among Palm Beach County teams, ranking No. 15 out of 662 teams throughout the state.

Even without last year's senior studs, Calvin Sirmans and Marvin Golf, who laid the foundation, returning members Jeremy Innocent and Hedrens Bartelus have seen Lake Worth to a No. 5 ranking in 7A, No. 3 in Region 2 behind No. 3 overall Oak Ridge and No. 10 overall Olympia, and No. 1 in District 8, expected to go back-to-back as district champions.

Reigning 6A state champion Dwyer next in line

If 2023 taught the state anything, it's not to doubt Dwyer and four-time state champion coach Fred Ross, who saw the Panthers to a coveted trophy win at RP Funding Center despite a string of injuries throughout the season for such top seniors as Mason Brown and Kyle McNeal.

As anticipated, returning senior starters Amari Nealy and Jaelen Nelson are repaving the path to Lakeland.

Touting a record of 11-1 on the season, its only loss to Western in an early season tournament, Dwyer is No. 19 overall, No. 3 in Class 6A behind No. 7 overall St. Thomas Aquinas and No. 11 Edgewater, second in Region 4 behind STA, and first in District 13.

Why did Wellington come in at No. 51?

Simply put, the Wolverines have the second-lowest schedule strength among the top 15 teams in Class 7A.

That being said, the Wolverines are 10-2, and certainly have the talent in such returning seniors as 6-foot-6 power forward Elyjah Freeman and guard Reggie Reinhardt.

In Class 7A, Wellington stands at No. 11 while ranking fifth in Region 2, with a district championship rematch set, currently seeded second in District 8 behind Lake Worth, which now hosts former Wolverine Shawn Standifer.

Coach J.D. DePasquale's efforts at Jupiter see the Warriors emerge in top 60

Coming in at No. 55 overall is quite the accomplishment for Jupiter, which has been rising since the takeover by coach J.D. Depasquale ahead of the 2020-21 season.

The Warriors didn't make the playoff in 2023 despite finishing 20-7, bounced from contention in districts with a 4-point loss to champion Centennial. This year, things look more than a little different, as Jupiter boasts a record of 9-2 that's earned not only a No. 13 ranking in Class 7A and No. 7 in Region 2 but a top-seed placement in District 7.

Winning start for Palm Beach Lakes could mean tight race for district championship

Right behind Jupiter isn't Centennial, now a member of District 8. Instead, it's Palm Beach Lakes.

After a 12-11 finish in 2023, the Rams are charging into 2024 with a record of 7-3. Among teams throughout Florida, Lakes ranks No. 59 overall, No. 14 in Class 7A, and No. 8 in Region 2. Although a second-seed placement in District 7 now, a schedule strength of 7.80 compared with No. 1 Jupiter's 4.85 could see a surprise in the tentative district championship matchup.

More local teams in the top 100

No. 73 overall: Palm Beach Central − No. 18 in 7A, No. 11 in Region 2, No. 3 in District 8 behind Lake Worth and Wellington

No. 96 overall: American Heritage-Delray − No. 16 in 4A, No. 6 in Region 4, No. 3 in District 13 behind No. 5 overall Calvary Christian Academy and No. 20 overall North Broward Prep

Which 2023 playoff contenders are missing?

No. 157 overall: Atlantic Christian (9-1)

But the Sharks more than likely will be back. There are top 100 contenders like state runner-up No. 6 overall Orlando Christian Prep or reigning champion Sagemont, ranked 12th overall. Yet, missing the cream of the crop tends to be the bane of being in a class like 2A.

Atlantic Christian ranks No. 9 in its division and fifth in Region 4, which also hosts third-in-class Sagemont. What's working for the Sharks right now is they're seeded first in District 14 with just one loss. What's hurting is a schedule strength of -3.61, when the average schedule strength for teams that fall into the top 10 of 2A comes to 7.26.

No. 297 overall: Benjamin (5-7)

After leading Benjamin to 3A region semifinals last winter, the contributions of now-graduated stars Sanjae Moncrieffe and Gavin Aydelotte have been greatly missed by the Buccaneers.

No. 497 overall: Jupiter Christian (3-5)

It's a year of transition for the Eagles. Jupiter Christian has an uncharacteristic losing record, but it's not without cause.

The team fell victim to the hemorrhage of Palm Beach County players who transferred to Broward County powerhouse Calvary Christian, losing Collin Paul, the big-body guard who was set to keep the team afloat as it navigated a return to Class 3A playoffs without multisport studs Matthew James and Jeremiah Augustin, as well as former coach Tavarus Harris.

No. 186 overall: King's Academy (11-2)

A softer schedule, grading out at -3.30, is what's seeing the Lions start out 34th among teams in a stacked Class 3A. Don't forget that King's didn't have the strongest schedule last year either and still managed to make a 27-2 run to the region championship, where they fell 84-68 to state runner-up Windermere Prep.

No. 269 overall: Lake Worth Christian (7-5)

Without two recent holiday tournament losses, the Defenders would be sitting at 7-3. The losses that they've taken to squads like at Atlantic Christian, falling by just 3 points — plus star player Landen Harwood who's averaging 27 points per game, eight rebounds, five assists and four steals on the season — signal that Lake Worth Christian will be back in the 2A playoff.

So long as when district tournaments begin, the current three-seed makes it past a Grandview Prep team, ranked No. 217 behind Atlantic Christian, that's been unstoppable. The Pride dropped a 20-point deficit on LWC in December, winning 88-68.

No. 153 overall: St. Andrew's (8-3)

The Scots came back pretty fully loaded with pieces like stud point guard Brooklyn Vick. However, the curse of schedule strength strikes again. Ranking 27th in Class 3A and 10th in Region 4, the road ahead looks long for St. Andrew's at first glance. Fortunately for the returning region quarterfinalists, the crew is first in District 13 and bound to go back-to-back as champions.

No. 176 overall: Somerset Canyons (7-2)

A winning start for the Cougars looks good on paper. A tournament appearance at Boyd Anderson High on Saturday against 7A competitor Wellington will indicate what the Cougars are capable of when it comes to going the distance without Power Five point guard prospect Cayden Daughtry, who made the move along with Collin Paul to spend his freshman year at Calvary Christian.

The Cougars are eighth in Region 4 and fourth in the race for District 13.

No. 209 overall: Suncoast (7-6)

Suncoast's big three who led the Chargers to three consecutive playoff appearances in Class 5A has been dispatched by the graduation of Nate Sasser and the transfer of Stone Bureau to, you guessed it, Calvary Christian.

Three-star and 6-foot-8 Tulsa signee Ian Smikle remains, but whether he'll go out with one last run for Lakeland remains unknown. Suncoast ranks 37th in its classification, 15th in Region 4, and third in District 14 behind No. 45 overall Northeast and No. 46 overall Stranahan.

Emilee Smarr is a sports reporter for The Palm Beach Post. She can be reached via email at esmarr@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: How did local teams fare in FHSAA's first power rankings? Who's missing?