FILIP PETRUSEV

FILE - Gonzaga players celebrate after defeating Saint Mary's in an NCAA college basketball game in the final of the West Coast Conference men's tournament in Las Vegas, in this Tuesday, March 10, 2020, file photo. Gonzaga will begin the college basketball season No. 1 for the first time after coach Mark Few's bunch earned 28 first-place votes in the preseason AP Top 25 poll released Monday, Nov. 9, 2020. (AP Photo/John Locher, File)

Iowa was picked fifth behind national player of the year front-runner Luka Garza, its highest preseason ranking in school history. The Bears, who also have their highest preseason ranking, spent five weeks at No. THE REST OF THE POLLCreighton lost Ty-Shon Alexander to the NBA and Davion Mintz to Kentucky but still landed the highest preseason ranking in school history at No. 17, its highest preseason ranking since the final Phi Slama Jama team of Hakeem Olajuwon began the 1983-84 season at No. 6 in the final poll last season but losing Mountain West player of the year Malachi Flynn and two other elite producers.

This weeks Next Level looks at the contributions of former Montverde Academy basketball standouts Andrew Nembhard, Filip Petrusev and Michael DevoeWith the 17th annual Montverde Academy Invitational Tournament set to begin Thursday, this weeks Next Level will offer updates on three former Montverde Academy basketball standouts who have gone on to make significant contributions for their college teams. At Montverde Academy, Nembhard helped the Eagles win the 2018 mythical national championship with a 76-58 win against Fort Lauderdale University School in the Geico High School Nationals. In his two years at the school, Montverde Academy had a 63-6 record, including a 36-1 mark in 2017-18. Michael Devoe, Georgia TechMichael Devoe will always be remembered in Montverde Academy basketball lore. Devoe played only one season at Montverde Academy after transferring from Orlando Oak Ridge.