Boys Basketball Rankings: BGA, Brentwood Academy enter January in top spots

Who are the top boys programs in the 615 entering 2026?

That’s the question we posed to our staff as we began to prepare our first full rankings entering the new year. Based on the average of their selections, we came to a conclusion.

Large Class teams include 4A, 3A, and Division II-AA. Small Class teams include 2A, 1A, and Division II-A.

Here’s a look at the top 20 teams in our area entering the first week of January.

Large Class

1. Brentwood Academy (12-3): The Eagles played a gauntlet to start the year with their only losses coming to Baylor, Briarcrest Christian and PCA. Where they claimed the top spot was an impressive 83-62 win over previously unbeaten Lipscomb Academy on Saturday.

2. Lipscomb Academy (17-1): Cam Blivens has as strong a case as any player in Division II-AA this season for Mr. Basketball. He’s averaged just over 23 points per game as the Mustangs started the season with a 17-game winning streak.

3. Brentwood (14-2): The Bruins are making their case a state title contender in 4A with an impressive resume through the first portion of the season that includes wins over Alcoa, BGA, Blackman, Upperman, and Whitehaven.

4. Pope John Paul II (12-4): Osby Cavin and Trey Pearson have the Knights flying high for a Knights team averaging 67 points per game through their first 16 games.

5. Blackman (10-3): The Blaze have a pair of in-state losses to Lipscomb Academy and Brentwood. Outside of that, they’ve rolled through their schedule with an impressive 66-57 championship win over Father Ryan in the Willie Brown Memorial Tournament.

The rest of the top 10

6. Beech (14-2)

7. MBA (11-1)

8. Father Ryan (12-4)

9. Franklin (11-2)

10. Ensworth (10-3)

Small Class

1. BGA (14-4): Boasting a resume consisting only of losses to programs in higher classes, the Wildcats have gotten off to a scorching hot start this season. They cemented themselves as a team to watch in Division II-A following a 79-69 win over PCA.

T2. Eagleville (13-0): The Eagles are once again off to another hot start winners of 13 straight to start the year. They’re winning by an average of 28 points and have only had two games decided by single digits.

T2. PCA (10-5): After starting off the year with three straight losses, the Lions rattled off nine straight wins. They’ve recently suffered losses to Knox Catholic and BGA but did beat Brentwood Academy by three.

4. Cannon County (11-2): Lukas Phillips and Miles Alexander are as deadly a duo that one can find in Class 2A. Phillips is averaging 22.4 points and Alexander’s averaging 19.3 for a Lions squad averaging 71.2 points per game.

5. FRA (13-1): Balanced is the best way to describe the Panthers up to this point in the season. Sophomore Lucas Kinnard averages 16.7 points per game and is one of four Panthers who average double figures.