Faster than a speeding bullet! More powerful than a locomotive! Able to bring down quarterbacks in a single bound!

But where will four-star Waggener (Louisville) defensive end Tahj Rice go to college?

Will Rice pick the hometown Louisville Cardinals? The Duke Blue Devils? The Oregon Ducks? The Southern Cal Trojans? Or the Virginia Tech Hokies?

See the video above from the Louisville Courier-Journal to find out.

USA TODAY High School Sports will be unveiling its preseason Super 25 baseball rankings throughout the week. Below is a listing of the teams already announced, with links to analysis and key players from each team.

LOOKBACK: Check out the final 2016 Super 25 rankings

Click on a team below for more information.

The Super 25 Computer Boys Basketball rankings are provided by Ken Massey. The five regions mirror those used in the Expert Rankings — Northeast, Midwest, South, Frontier and Pacific.

The number after each school indicates where it is ranked overall nationally, according to the computer.

MORE: Computer rankings searchable by state

EAST
Maryland, Pennsylvania, Delaware, District of Columbia, New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Vermont, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Massachusetts and Maine

1. Imhotep Charter (Philadelphia), 9
2. Patrick School (Hillside, N.J.), 14
3. Gonzaga (Washington, D.C.), 25
4. St. Benedict’s Prep (Newark, N.J.), 31
5. Archbishop Wood (Philadelphia), 32
6. Linden (N.J.), 39
7. Mount St. Joseph (Baltimore), 51
8. Don Bosco Prep (Ramsey, N.J.), 53
9. Rindge & Latin (Weston, Mass.), 62
10. Fairport (N.Y.), 89

SOUTH
Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Mississippi, Alabama, Florida, Tennessee, and Louisiana

1. IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.), 5
2. Montverde Academy (Fla.), 7
3. Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.), 11
4. Memphis East (Tenn.), 13
5. Greensboro Day (N.C.), 24
6. Brentwood Academy (Tenn.), 27
7. McEachern (Powder Spring, Ga.), 29
8. Tift County (Tifton, Ga.), 36
9. Hamilton Heights Christian (Chattanooga, Tenn.), 41
10. Miami Christian (Fla.), 48

MIDWEST
Ohio, Michigan, Iowa, Indiana, Kentucky, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Illinois, Missouri, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, and South Dakota

1. Champlin Park (Minn.), 3
2. La Lumiere (La Porte, Ind.), 12
3. Grands Rapids Christian (Grand Rapids, Mich.), 15
4. Apple Valley (Minn.), 16
5. Lakeville North (Lakeville, Minn.), 19
6. Evanston (Ill.), 20
7. Maple Grove (Minn.), 21
8. Edwardsville (Ill.), 26
9. Simeon (Chicago), 35
10. De La Salle (Minneapolis), 40

FRONTIER
Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Kansas, New Mexico, Colorado, Utah, Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming

1. Klein Forest (Houston), 18
2. Jonesboro (Ark.), 22
3. Skyline (Dallas), 23
4. Cy Falls (Houston), 28
5. George Washington (Denver), 47
6. Bingham (South Jordan, Utah), 54
7. Norfolk (Neb.), 56
8. Houston Math, Science & Tech (Houston), 63
9. Lone Peak (Highland, Utah), 65
10. Thunder Ridge (Highlands Ranch, Colo.), 70

PACIFIC
California, Arizona, Nevada, Washington, Hawaii, Oregon, Alaska

1. Nathan Hale (Seattle) 1
2. Chino Hills (Calif.), 2
3. Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.), 4
4. Bishop Montgomery (Torrance, Calif.), 6
5. Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth, Calif.), 8
6. Findlay Prep (Henderson, Nev.), 10
7. Damien (LaVerne, Calif.), 17
8. Birmingham (Van Nuys, Calif.), 30
9. Roosevelt (Corona, Calif.), 33
10. Shadow Mountain (Phoenix), 34

Lisa Fernandez won three gold medals with USA Softball. (Photo: Jack Gruber, USA TODAY)

March is Girls Sports Month, and as part of USA TODAY High School Sports’ third-annual Girls Sports Month celebration, we’re speaking with some of the most influential female athletes, coaches and celebrities in the sports world. UCLA assistant softball coach Lisa Fernandez, a three-time gold medal-winner who was recently inducted into the National High School Hall of Fame, discusses growing up in sports and how it shaped her as a person.

USA TODAY: How did you get started playing sports?

Lisa Fernandez: My mom used to play in a women’s slow-pitch softball league every Monday and Wednesday, and she would just take me along. I grew up going to the parks and being around the game. My dad is first-generation Cuban, and to have his support in terms of allowing his daughter to be athletic and to go to the fields and play ball was instrumental.

USAT: So was it your parents who mentored you and got you really interested in sports? Was that who you looked up to?

Fernandez: I think so, absolutely. But when I look back, I think of all those women in the league. They were all role models for me. I started to look at these women and say, ‘look at this lady! She can run and hit and field.’ And here they were, moms, that would get together two times a week and play slow-pitch softball games. I’m sure some of those women probably didn’t realize the influence they had on me, realizing that it was okay to play and be athletic and be aggressive. I really admired those women. I was very blessed and very fortunate.

USAT: Was there ever a time in your life when you realized that perhaps your ability was going to take you places?

Fernandez: I think at least part of my success is that I’ve always had somewhat of an underdog mentality. I never have ever viewed myself as someone who was physically superior to someone else. But I knew early on that I had a different mentality than everybody else. I didn’t recognize at that moment, when I was in it, but now that I’m older and I can understand it a bit more.

GIRLS SPORTS MONTH: See more athlete interviews here

I always wanted to master skills. And I knew early on that my mom recognized that in me. She used to buy puzzles and she would time me. To me, that was normal. I remember playing kickball, and there was a kid that was better at dodging the ball than me. So what did I do? I would get a friend to repeatedly throw the ball at me as I tried to learn how to dodge the ball better.

It even got to the point where my mom would play a game with me and I would try to figure out any way I could to beat her, and she finally had to draw the line and say, ‘if you’re not going to play the right way we’re not playing.’ I would resort to cheating if it meant I would win!

But I had to learn to play the right way. I think, though, it was that mentality that allowed me to become what I would ultimately become. I always felt if someone else could accomplish it, I could too, if not better, and I was going to do everything I could to figure out how. And having role models was huge. If I could see someone else do something, why can’t I?

USAT: What was it specifically about that mindset that allowed you to be so successful?

Fernandez: You know, for some people, they could miss their spot on a pitch by an inch and think, ‘well that’s good enough.’ But for me, not only was it not good enough, but it didn’t deject me from believing that I could do it. That’s probably the biggest thing.

There are two ways that people can look at failure. Some people see failure and run away from it and they ignore it or think it was a fluke, or you can look at failure and think, ‘what am I going to do about it?’ And they can use it as a motivator. I’d be interested in figuring out if that’s the difference. One views failure as a motivator, and one sees it as a helplessness.

USAT: Do you feel a certain responsibility to cultivate this love of competition with your own children?

Fernandez: I think it’s invaluable. You have to have it. I think that’s life. I think it’s important to learn the skills you learn in competition. My mindset may be a little over the top. People will say, ‘Lisa, you’re so competitive’ and I really don’t think I am, that’s just the way it is. Why wouldn’t you want to do something better? I never thought of it like that. It’s just what I do.

With my son, I do try to be more even keeled. It’s not so much about winning as it is about giving your best. Did you do everything you could to be the best you could be on that day? Ultimately, that’s what it’s all about. When I competed, I was always worried about not performing well. It was almost that that fear of not being prepared, with failure as a motivator, is what kept me on my toes.

USAT: You were just inducted into the hall of fame, and your high school ERA was 0.07. What can you tell us about those days?

Fernandez: I was very fortunate. I definitely competed. I can appreciate my career much more now than when I was in it. When I was in it, it was just my job. That’s what I trained for every day, and I had that fear of failure and disappointment. Now, when I look, I think, ‘dang, I was pretty good!’ But the game has changed, and I realize that things probably wouldn’t have been the same. Either that or I’d figure out a way.

In 2000, after we won two gold medals, they decided to move the mound back, and they changed the ball and moved the fences back, all with an attempt to level the playing field for Team USA that they wouldn’t be as dominant. I remember thinking about retiring after 2000, and when they did that, I was like, ‘are they saying I can’t? Screw that, I’m in.’ So I figured out a way. Maybe my strikeouts were down, but the end result was the same. You’ve got to figure out a way. Maybe you’re not going to strike everybody out, but you’re going to jam them up, and learn how to pitch, and learn how to put yourself in situations that are going to give you the best chance to prevent the other team from scoring any runs.

Sierra Canyon’s loss to St. Augustine in the California Open Division playoffs has shuffled the top 10 in the Super 25 Computer rankings for boys basketball.

With the loss Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth, Calif.) moves down from No. 2 to No. 8.

Nathan Hale (Seattle), which completed its perfect season with a Washington state title, remains No. 1.

Chino Hills (Calif.) moves up to No. 2, Champlin Park (Minn.) to No. 3, Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.) to No. 4 and IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.) to No. 5.

MORE: Computer rankings searchable by state

Bishop Montgomery (Torrance, Calif.), which faces Chino Hills on Tuesday night, moved up to No. 6 and continues its rise. The team has moved up in each of the last four weeks during its postseason surge and winning the Southern Section Open Division title.

Montverde Academy (Fla.) is No. 7, followed by Sierra Canyon, Imhotep Charter (Philadelphia) and Findlay Prep (Henderson, Nev.) to round out the top 10.

Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.) starts the second 10, followed by La Lumiere (La Porte, Ind.), Memphis East (Tenn.), Patrick School (Hillside, N.J.) and Grand Rapids Christian (Mich.).

Apple Valley (Minn.) checks in at No. 16, followed by Damien (La Verne, Calif.), Klein Forest (Houston), Lakeville North (Minn.) and Evanston (Ill.).

The final five are Maple Grove (Minn.), Jonesboro (Ark.), Skyline (Dallas), Greensboro Day (N.C.) and Gonzaga (Washington, D.C.).

Kam Brown is an enviable position as a sophomore at Colleyville Heritage in Texas.

The wide receiver prospect has 30 reported offers, among the most in the Class of 2019. He’s received 27 of those offers since the start of the year and has become one of the more coveted receiver recruits in the nation regardless of class.

“It’s been pretty fun to have all the offers come early,” he said. “It gives me time to find what I like.”

Nearly two years before his National Signing Day, Brown has a list that includes Alabama, Florida State, UCLA, Michigan, Tennessee, Miami, Oregon, Nebraska. He spent last weekend on an unofficial visit to UCLA and he visited Alabama for its junior day in late February.

Asked if there were any schools he was still hoping to hear from, he said, “Nope. I have all the schools I want.”

Kam Brown (Photo: 247Sports)

Among the offers he has is one from TCU, the school where his father, Larry, played before he won three Super Bowl with the Dallas Cowboys and was named MVP of Super Bowl XXX.

Brown has spent a lot of time on the TCU campus and seen how it’s transformed over the years, but notes that his dad is not trying to steer him one way or another.

“He has helped a lot,” Kam said. “He tells me what to look for in a school and the reasons to choose a school. You don’t just choose a school just because the stadium is big.”

Brown is coming off a season in which he had 758 receiving yards on 46 catches with 12 touchdowns. He finished with 1,160 all-purpose yards and 14 total touchdowns.

He figures to take on a larger role in the offense on a team that has three-star Ke’von Ahmad on the roster.

“My goal is to be over 1,000 receiving yards and be the best player in the country,” he said.

Brown worked as a wide receiver at The Opening and other events, but he also plays defensive back for his high school team.

“I see myself as a football player,” he said. “I can play both. It’s just wherever the coach needs me.”

He recently impressed with his performance at The Opening Regional in Dallas, but he also has time to grow into his frame. Brown checked in at 5-11 1/2 and 164 pounds at The Opening.

“Technically, he is ahead of the game,” said Scout.com recruiting analyst Greg Powers, who saw Brown at The Opening. “He runs crisp routes, has good hands and has the ability to separation. Those skill sets are coached into him, and that’s not necessarily taking into account all his athletic ability.

“He’s got some time since he’s only a sophomore in high school, but he has a big summer in front of him and another big year of development ahead as a junior.”

Michael Johnson Jr., ranked by Top 247 as the No. 1 dual quarterback in the Class of 2019, has transferred to Sheldon High in Eugene, Ore.

Johnson’s father is the new wide receivers coach at the University of Oregon.

He previously attended The King’s Academy in Sunnyvale, Calif.), where his father was his high school coach. TKA went 24-9 under Johnson Sr., who also is a former San Diego Chargers receivers coach.

“He said he was really excited for me to make the move,” Johnson Jr. told ScoopDuck.com. He left it up to me but he’s happy to have me up there closer to home. He can watch my games and our family can be together so he can see us more. We’re all pretty excited about it.”

Michael Johnson Jr. (Photo: 247Sports)

Johnson, who is 6-3 and 185 pounds, has nine scholarship offers, including Arizona, Cal, Florida State, Louisville, and yes, Oregon.

When his father stepped down at The King’s Academy in February for what initially was a job at Michigan before he was hired as a full-time staffer at Oregon, King’s athletic director Joe Maemone told the Mercury News said:

“As far as Junior is concerned, his heart says he definitely wants to stay. He loves it here. Mike wants him to stay because of his experience here at King’s. But the family needs to work all that out. Whatever they decide, we’re 100 percent behind. Obviously, we’d love to have Mike finish his career here. But family needs to be together. That’s a decision that Mike and his wife and Junior will all come to an agreement on.”

Sheldon might have its quarterback, but it doesn’t have a coach. The school is interviewing finalists and hopes to have a hire made by April 1, according to The Register-Guard.

Josh Moore has more reported scholarship offers than any football recruit in the Class of 2018 with 58. That is nearly half of the 128 FBS schools.

That list got trimmed Tuesday when Moore, a wide receiver for IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.), cut his list to 10 via Twitter.

The 10: Alabama, Texas, Texas A&M, LSU, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Florida State, Georgia, Tennessee and Nebraska.

Colleges can’t send out official offer letters until Aug. 1 before a player’s senior year. The verbal offers are non-binding until then, just as a player’s commitment is non-binding until he inks his name on National Signing Day.

At 6-3 and 175, Moore has the ability to go up and get the ball. He had 27 receptions for 527 yards and eight touchdowns last season as Yoakum (Texas) reached the state title game. He also ran for 324 yards and four TDs. He transferred to IMG for the spring semester after the holidays.

He is ranked as the No. 15 wide receiver and No. 83 player overall, according to the 247Sports Composite.

Moore’s twin brother, Jordan, is remaining at Yoakum for his senior year and is a Texas A&M commit.

TORRANCE, Calif. — LaVar Ball, the now well-known father of the basketball-playing Ball brothers, Lonzo, LiAngelo and LaMelo, can usually be heard loud and clear in any gymnasium.

Tuesday night was a little different for LaVar and current UCLA star Lonzo Ball.

All that could be heard inside El Camino College were the whooping cheers from the Bishop Montgomery fanbase packed to the brim in the venue which held 2,000 people at most.

The No. 9-ranked Knights defeated No. 12 Chino Hills, 87-80, behind 25 points from junior David Singleton and 23 points and 10 rebounds from senior guard Ethan Thompson, in the CIF State Southern Regional semifinals.

Bishop Montgomery advances to face Mater Dei, which beat San Diego St. Augustine in the other semifinal, Saturday at Long Beach State for a chance to reach the state championship game.

“We still haven’t finished our goal,” Thompson said immediately after. “This gives us a lot of momentum and a lot of hype going into the next game.”

It was far from the first time the two teams met as Bishop Montgomery (29-2) lost to the Huskies (30-3) twice a season ago – first mid-season in the Fairfax State Preview and second in the CIF State Southern Regional final, keeping the Knights out of a state championship appearance.

“We have our chemistry down,” Singleton said of the difference between this year and last. “It was special. To come out and beat this team with the same starting five, is almost everything. We still have two more to go.”

Many key members from the Chino Hills and Bishop Montgomery boys basketball teams remained intact for round three Tuesday night, but the Knights prevailed this time around, prompting head coach Doug Mitchell to make his first-ever trip into the stands to celebrate with a rabid student section after 28 years as head coach.

“That was a thank you for them,” Mitchell said of his fans. “They’ve been so good to us all year.”

Another aspect of the game that’s been good to Bishop Montgomery all year is the well-balanced play of its major players.

In addition to Singleton’s 25 points and Thompson’s 23, Jordan Schakel added 16, Gianni Hunt had 13 and Fletcher Tynen scored eight, including a momentum-shifting dunk in the fourth quarter.

“That’s the kind of team we are,” Mitchell said. “We have a lot of guys who can play.”

The Knights jumped out to an early 17-6 advantage through the first four minutes of the contest, before Chino Hills cut its deficit to two, 26-24, at the end of the first.

The Huskies then closed the second quarter with a 10-3 run to take a 40-39 lead into halftime.

There were three lead changes and one tie in a back-and-forth third quarter, before baskets from Schakel and Tynen gave Bishop Montgomery a 60-55 lead heading into the fourth.

The Knights opened kept that five-point cushion after a 3-point play from Thompson at the 6:18 mark of the fourth gave them a 65-60 lead, before LiAngelo Ball, who finished with 25 points in his final high school game, converted a 3-point play of his own and added a bucket in the lane to tie the game at 65 with 5:26 to play.

Bishop Montgomery began to distance itself midway through the final period with a 10-2 run, capped by Tynen’s dunk and free throws from Schakel, taking a 75-67 lead with just over three minutes to play.

Eli Scott, a senior forward for Chino Hills, finished with 24 points and 19 rebounds in his final high school game. LaMelo Ball added 14 points, nine rebounds and nine assists.

The Super 25 Computer Girls Basketball rankings are provided by Ken Massey. The five regions mirror those used in the Expert Rankings — East, South, Midwest, Frontier and Pacific.

The number after each school indicates where it is ranked overall nationally, according to the computer.

SUPER 25 COMPUTER: Full rankings searachable by state

EAST
Maryland, Pennsylvania, Delaware, District of Columbia, New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Vermont, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Massachusetts and Maine

1. Saint John’s (Washington, D.C.), 5
2. St. Frances Academy (Baltimore), 10
3. Rutgers Prep (Somerset, N.J.), 16
4. McDonogh (Owings Mills, Md.), 37
5. Ursuline Academy (Wilmington, Del.), 41
6. National Christian Academy (Fort Washington, Md.), 51
7. Long Island Lutheran (Brookville, N.Y.), 57
8. Saint Rose (Belmar, N.J.), 61
9. Cardinal O’Hara (Philadelphia), 63
10. Manasquan (N.J.), 65

SOUTH
Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Mississippi, Alabama, Florida, Tennessee, and Louisiana

1. Paul VI (Fairfax, Va.), 4
2. Miami Country Day (Fla.), 6
3. Riverdale (Murfreesboro, Tenn.), 9
4. Hamilton Heights Christian (Chattanooga, Tenn.), 14
5. Monacan (Chesterfield, Va.), 20
6. McEachern (Powder Springs, Ga.), 22
7. Norcross (Ga.), 29
8. Holy Innocents (Atlanta), 31
9. Bradley Central (Cleveland, Tenn.), 39
10. Saint Francis (Alpharetta, Ga.), 46

MIDWEST
Ohio, Michigan, Iowa, Indiana, Kentucky, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Illinois, Missouri, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, and South Dakota

1. Hopkins (Minnetonka, Minn.), 12
2. Butler (Louisville, Ky.), 23
3. Newark (Ohio), 25
4. Strafford (Mo.), 26
5. Homestead (Fort Wayne, Ind.), 27
6. Edwardsville (Ill.), 30
7. North Central (Indianapolis), 33
8. Elk River (Minn.), 38
9. Male (Louisville), 40
10. Mercer County (Harrodsburg, Ky.), 44

FRONTIER
Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Kansas, New Mexico, Colorado, Utah, Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming

1. Grandview (Aurora, Colo.), 7
2. Duncanville (Texas), 8
3. Fayetteville (Ark.), 15
4. Timberview (Arlington, Texas), 19
5. Amarillo (Texas), 21
6. Canyon (Texas), 24
7. Argyle (Texas), 34
8. North Little Rock (Ark.), 43
9. Little Rock Central (Ark.), 45
10. Lincoln Christian (Lincoln, Neb.), 50

PACIFIC
California, Arizona, Nevada, Washington, Hawaii, Oregon, Alaska

1. Clovis West (Fresno, Calif.), 1
2. Archbishop Mitty (San Jose, Calif.), 2
3. Centennial (Las Vegas), 3
4. Long Beach Poly (Long Beach, Calif.), 11
5. Mesquite (Gilbert, Ariz.), 13
6. Seton Catholic (Chandler, Ariz.), 17
7. Pinewood (Los Altos Hills, Calif.), 28
8. Windward (Los Angeles), 32
9. Southridge (Beaverton, Ore.), 35
10. Etiwanda (Calif.), 36

Archbishop Mitty (San Jose, Calif.) moved up two spots to No. 2 in the latest Super 25 Computer girls basketball rankings.

RELATED: Full computer rankings searchable by state

Mitty, the top seed in the CIF Open Division state tournament, is now 27-2 after Tuesday night’s 78-61 victory against St. Mary’s (Stockton). Mitty faces Cardinal Newman, the seventh seed, in the regional final on Saturday.

The team has not lost since mid-December, falling to nationaly ranked to St. John’s (Washington, D.C.) at the Nike Tournament of Champions.

Clovis West, which could meet Mitty in the state title game on March 25, remains No. 1, according to the Super 25 Computer.

Centennial (Las Vegas) is No. 3, followed by Paul VI (Fairfax, Va.) and St. John’s.

Miami Country Day (Fla.) comes in at No. 6 with Grandview (Aurora, Colo.), Duncanville (Texas), Riverdale (Murfreesboro, Tenn.) and St. Frances Academy (Baltimore) rounding out the top 10. St. Frances is the lone newcomer to the top 10, having moved up from No. 11.

Long Beach Poly (Calif.) starts the second 10 at No. 11 followed by Hopkins (Minnetonka, Minn.), Mesquite (Gilbert, Ariz.), Hamilton Heights Christian (Chattanooga, Tenn.), and Fayetteville (Ark.).

Rutgers Prep (Somerset, N.J.) checks in at No. 16 with Seton Catholic (Chandler, Ariz.), Mission Hills (San Marcos, Calif.), Timberview (Arlington, Texas) and Monacan (Chesterfield, Va.) round out the top 20.

The final five slots are Amarillo (Texas), McEachern (Powder Springs, Ga.), Butler (Louisville), Canyon (Texas) and Newark (Ohio).

Christopher Cannon (Blair Academy) wrestles Noah Castillo (Lake Higland Prep) during the championship finals. (Photo: Bill Streicher, USA TODAY Sports)

Blair Academy (Blairstown, N.J.) again took the suspense out of which school would be crowned the USA TODAY Sports/National High School Coaches Association Super 25 national wrestling champions.

For the second consecutive year, the Buccaneers are the champs.

RELATED: Full Super 25 final rankings

Blair, which was the preseason No. 1, won its 37th National Prep team championship in late February as six Buccaneers won individual titles. Ohio State-bound Chase Singletary won his second straight National Prep title at 220 pounds and sophomore Chris Cannon at 126 and junior Andrew Merola at 160 also repeated.

Among its other victories, Blair won Ohio’s Walsh Ironman, Delaware’s Beast of the East, the Geary Invitational in Oklahoma and the Who’s No. 1 Duals. Blair suffered one loss in a dual meet against Wyoming Seminary.

Several other top 10 teams closed out the season in high style.

No. 3 St. Edward (Lakewood, Ohio), which won the Division I team dual meet title in February, captured the 80^th annual Division I individual state wrestling championships team title.  The Eagles grabbed one individual gold medal.  In all, eight St. Ed wrestlers placed in the top six.  It was the Eagles’ third consecutive Division I title.

No. 5 Graham (St. Paris, Ohio) ran away with the Division II title with 232.5 points and the state championship.

In Pennsylvania, No. 8 Nazareth won the Class 3A team championship, outscoring No. 10 Bethlehem Catholic (Pennsylvania) 111.5 to 96.  Nazareth had two individual state champs.

Four-star athlete Byron “BJ” Hanspard Jr., son of the former Texas Tech All-American running back, committed to Arkansas on Wednesday, he announced on Twitter.

Hanspard, who plays for state champion DeSoto (Texas), is ranked as the No. 23 athlete in the Class of 2018 by the 247Sports Composite. At 6-foot and 170 pounds, he plays wide receiver and cornerback.

He committed to Arkansas a day after an unofficial campus visit. Many projected him to follow his father to Texas Tech, where the elder Hanspard was a unanimous All-American and the Doak Walker award winner in 1996. He was drafted in the second round by the Atlanta Falcons. Dad also played for DeSoto High.

He is the second commitment in two days for Arkansas, which got a verbal from Cartersville (Ill.) three-star tight end Luke Ford on Monday. He also

Freshmen such as UCLA’s Lonzo Ball, Kentucky’s Malik Monk and Duke’s Jayson Tatum have made it look, at times, very easy to live up to the insane expectations placed upon first-year players.

But it’s never that easy, not to jump into college basketball for one season, excel quickly and frequently and then expect to carry your team on a deep run in the NCAA tournament — which, by the way, you have no experience playing in. It’s a fascinating subplot for a fascinating group of extremely talented players as the tournament begins this week.

Fifteen players were selected to the American Family Insurance ALL-USA Boys Basketball Teams last March. Ten of them will be in the NCAAs. Two were on teams that missed the postseason, one was injured early in his freshman season and two were juniors last year so their shining moment won’t come until this time next year.

UCLA Bruins guard Lonzo Ball (Photo: Richard Mackson, USA TODAY Sports)

FIRST TEAM ALL-USA

Lonzo Ball, Chino Hills (Calif.), UCLA — Nation’s most high-profile freshman and the reigning ALL-USA Player of the Year, the 6-6 forward averaged 14.9 points, 6.2 rebounds, 7.8 assists and two steals.

De’Aaron Fox, Cypress Lakes (Texas), Kentucky — 6-3 guard averaged 15.5 points, 4.2 rebounds and 5.0 assists.

DeAndre Ayton, Hillcrest Prep (Phoenix) — high school senior

Josh Jackson, Prolific Prep (Napa, Calif.), Kansas — 6-8 forward led one of the nation’s best offensive teams, averaged 16.4 points, 7.2 rebounds and 3.1 assists.

Jayson Tatum, Chaminade Prep (St. Louis), Duke — 6-8 forward averaged 16.0 points and 7.3 rebounds.

Washington Huskies guard Markelle Fultz (Photo: Joe Camporeale, USA TODAY Sports)

SECOND TEAM ALL-USA

Miles Bridges, Huntington Prep (WVa.), Michigan State — 6-7 guard/forward has one of college basketball’s most dynamic players and averaged 16.6 points and 8.3 rebounds.

Markelle Fultz, DeMatha (Hyattsville, Md.), Washington — 6-5 point guard who is widely expected to be the No. 1 pick in the NBA Draft has already declared that he is leaving college. He had not played since Feb. 18 with an ankle injury. He averaged 23.3 points, 5.9 assists and 5.7 rebounds.

Alterique Gilbert, Miller Grove (Lithonia, Ga.), UConn —  6-foot point guard suffered a torn labrum in an early season game and missed the rest of the season. He will not lose a year of eligibility.

T.J. Leaf, Foothills Christian (El Cajon, Calif.), UCLA — 6-10 forward averaged 16.3 points, 8.4 rebounds, 2.5 assists and shot 63 percent from the field.

Malik Monk, Bentonville (Ark.), Kentucky — 6-3 guard averaged 21.2 points, 2.6 rebounds, 2.4 assists and shot 41 percent from three. He could be the key to how far Kentucky goes in the tournament.

Duke Blue Devils guard Frank Jackson (Photo: Steve Mitchell, USA TODAY Sports)

THIRD TEAM ALL-USA

Bam Adebayo, High Point Christian (High Point, N.C.), Kentucky — 6-10 forward averaged 13.3 points and 7.6 rebounds)

Mustapha Heron, Sacred Heart (Waterbury, Conn.), Auburn — 6-5 guard averaged 15.2 points and 6.1 rebounds for a Tigers team that is not playing in the postseason.

Frank Jackson,  Lone Peak (Alpine, Utah), Duke — 6-3 guard averaged 10.8 points and 2.5 rebounds.

Josh Langford, Madison Academy (Ala.), Michigan State — 6-5 guard averaged 6.5 points and 2.2 rebounds and has been a consistent starter.

Michael Porter Jr., Nathan Hale (Seattle) — high school senior

As someone who had nearly 50 reported college football scholarship offers and just signed his letter of intent six weeks ago, Jamyest Williams has a first-hand view of the recruiting process.

Williams committed to South Carolina hours before Grayson (Loganville, Ga.) played its season opener on ESPN and then was wooed by other schools for months. On National Signing Day, he stuck with South Carolina, although Georgia fans were hoping he’d switch.

Williams, an Under Armour All-American, took to Twitter on Thursday morning to provide advice to the recruits going through the process.

Williams was ranked as the No. 9 cornerback in the Class of 2018 and No. 74 overall, according to the 247Sports Composite.

Asked by USA TODAY High School Sports, what inspired him to offer that advice, he said:

“Because in the past, I have seen a lot of so-called five-stars get a lot of publicity based of the type of offers they have and some got big-headed and let it get to them. Some didn’t it all,” he said. “The guys who were four- or five-stars that you see now riding the bench in college are the ones who let the publicity get to them. The ones who were five-stars who are now playing above average did what they were supposed to do 100 percent.”

Grayson’s Jamyest Williams (left). (Photo: Dale Zanine, USA TODAY Sports)

A week of honors continued Wednesday night and Thursday for Megan Walker of Monacan High (Richmond, Va.).

Walker was surprised with the Gatorade National Girls Basketball Player of the Year Award from Elena Della Donne of the Washington Mystic during the Washington Wizards game on Wednesday night. After the game, she posed for a photo with John Wall, a former Gatorade winner.

Walker was not told that the award was coming. Her parents told her that she would be named the fan of the game and appear on the video board. Then Della Donne emerged with the trophy.

On Thursday, her school celebrated the honor with the official ceremony. She is now eligible to the Gatorade Female Athlete of the Year, which is selected from among the nationals players of the year in each sport.

The Gatorade honors follow her winning the Naismith Trophy Girls Basketball Player o the Year on Tuesday.

A 6-foot-1 guard, Walker averaged 26 points, eight rebounds and three steals per game as a senior in leading Monacan to a perfect 30-0 record and a third consecutive 4A state title. During the postseason, she surpassed 2,000 career points and finished with 2,067.

Walker, a UConn signee, is ranked as the No. 1 recruit in the Class of 2017.  She has been selected for the McDonald’s All American Game on March 29 in Chicago and the Jordan Brand Classic on April 14 in Brooklyn.

The Gatorade honor also includes a scholastic and community service component. Walker has a 3.83 grade point average and volunteers as a youth coach at a daycare center, according to a news release.

“This week has been one of the best ever,” Walker told the Richmond Times-Dispatch. “Hitting that shot, coming through for my teammates when they needed me the most was exciting. Winning these awards just means a lot, to be able to achieve this award not just for basketball, but for my work in the classroom and the community.”

Chino Hills (Calif.) sophomore LaMelo made 173 three-pointers this season.

Some got more attention than others, like a casual midcourt shot two seconds after Chino Hills controlled the opening tip against Crespi in December.

BallerVisions has put together all 173 in a video compilation as seen above, generally in order from shortest to farthest.

Chino Hills guard LaMelo Ball (Photo: Stephen R. Sylvanie, USA TODAY Sports)

The rosters have been revealed for the inaugural Allen Iverson Roundball Classic as part of a three-day event, April 19-21, in Iverson’s hometown of Hampton Roads, Va.

The weekend events include a dunk contest, a three-point contest, open scrimmages and an awards banquet in which the Allen Iverson High School Player of the Year will be named, with the main event being the game for top high school seniors on April 21 at Churchland High in Portsmouth, Va.

Among the players scheduled are Duke signee Gary Trent Jr., Kentucky signees P.J. Washington and Jared Vanderbilt, North Carolina signee Jalek Felton, Oklahoma signee Trae Young and UCLA signees Cody Riley and Kris Wilkes.

The full list for Team Honor and Team Loyalty can be seen in the image below.

Dramatic hockey nailbiters are part of the playoffs at every level. High school hockey is no exception.

St. Ignatius (Cleveland) needed three overtimes to beat University School, 4-3, in the state semifinals. But from there, the Wildcats beat St. Francis de Sales (Toledo), 5-1, to repeat as Ohio state champions. It is their third title in four years.

St. Ignatius finished at 30-7-2.

“It’s hard to go back-to-back,” St. Ignatius coach Pat O’Rourke told Cleveland.com. “Sometimes we talk about our program history and how 15 years ago we weren’t even in the top 20 in the city of Cleveland. So we built it and it has come a long way. But I can tell you one thing: I didn’t score any goals or stop any, it is all these guys.  It’s awesome and I love them.”

Hunter Greene, during the USA Baseball sponsored Dream Series in Tempe in January (Photo: Mark J. Rebilas, USA TODAY Sports)

Hunter Greene has not even been drafted yet, but the potential No. 1 overall pick in June is already trying to inspire young people about what can be done.

Greene, an American Family Insurance ALL-USA selection from Notre Dame (Sherman Oaks, Calif.),  first attended Major League Baseball’s Urban Youth Academy in Compton when he was 7 and is considered a potential star role model in baseball’s efforts to reverse the scarcity of African-American players, especially pitchers.

In the 2016 draft, 12 of the 77 players (15.5 percent) selected on the first day are African-American. But only 14 of the 449 pitchers on big-league opening day rosters or the disabled list at the start of the 2016 season were African-American.

Greene, who could be drafted as a pitcher or an infielder, will speak and throw out the ceremonial first pitch Saturday for the Ladera Little League in central Los Angeles. He is expected to address the roughly 250 players and their parents as well as some of the teens whom he has played with on travel ball teams.

The Ladera Little League is primarily made up of African-American players and has been a staple in the community for more than 50 years.

“This is something for the kids to be able to see that this is real — you can go from being a young black kid and become the potential No. 1 draft pick,” league treasurer Tina Backstrom told USA TODAY Sports. “We can show it’s real because here’s someone in the LA area who’s doing just that.

“Some of the parents come in for Little League and they don’t really understand this is just the beginning. Your kid could do something special. Hunter coming in to talk will really help them to see what they can do with baseball along with the importance of keeping your grades up and doing the right things.”

Greene, a UCLA commit should he not turn pro out of high school, hit .419 with 20 runs, 20 RBI and five homers last season. He had a 1.63 ERA and 5-3 record in 55.2 innings and is off to a good start already this season.

Greene throws 98 mph with a solid slider and changeup and could become the first right-handed high school pitcher selected with the No. 1 overall pick.

While he did not play in the Ladera league, Greene has played with those in the league through the years and his travel team coach connected league officials with his father to arrange for him to participate.

“Not only does it help the little kids, it helps the kids that played with him on the travel ball team,” Backstrom said. “Those kids can see that he was on the team with me and say, ‘I can actually do this.’ They can see that a peer has gone this far and to see it takes hard work and dedication. No one will give you anything. You have study your school work and study baseball. This can help the older kids just as much as the younger kids. …

“Hunter is coming down to really talk to the kids and to let them know that it can be done and you can do big things. You can make history.”

The Ladera Little League has produced pro baseball players, including Royce Clayton, Royal Clayton, Tondre Neal, Dominique Smith, Rob Vaughn, Darryl Gilliam, Doyle Balthazar, Lamont Manor, Victor Hithe, Kenneth Peoples and Keith Davis, the league said.

But like most youth sports organizations, the league needs money to keep going. Saturday’s opening day also will include an apparel and equipment drive where families are encouraged to donate any gently used baseball/softball equipment and clothes so the league can provide for other families.

The league also is hoping to raise $20,000 through RallyMe.com.

“People see Ladera Heights and think it’s a (well-off area), but that’s our field location. Little League boundaries go all over,” Backstrom said. “We extend into-low income housing. We have a gamut of kids that in the league — kids who get scholarships and kids whose parents will give scholarships. Some kids just can’t afford to play baseball. The majority are in a situation where they need some kinds of help financially. A lot of these kids are in the foster system.

“We’re doing this fundraiser through RallyMe to help get some funds for a new scoreboard and to help get the fields in better condition so kids won’t get hurt.”