Here are the national high school girls basketball rankings from The Sporting News for the week of Dec. 30.
READ: Last week’s rankings (Dec. 23)
After winning the Nike TOC, Mitty got a well-deserved week off from competition – enough time to prepare for its rematch with Ontario Christian on Saturday.
Regrouping in between meetings with Archbishop Mitty. Ontario Christian beat Rowland, Orange Vista, and Grand Terrace by a combined score of 310-70 at its Knight Time Classic for the right to play Claremont in the finals on Monday, and it’ll then face Millennium and Mitty at the SI 20 Showcase.
3. Mater Dei (CA) (14-2 – 3rd)
Mater Dei put a hurting on California’s 2023 and 2024 Division 1 state champions, respectively, beating Oakland Tech 91-25 and Bishop Montgomery 83-49 at the West Coast Jamboree. It faces Windward in the finals on Monday.
The Mustangs made sure that their upset loss to Mater Dei at the Nike TOC didn’t derail their season. They’ve since held off Clackamas 53-48, demolished Grandview 63-27, and beaten Westtown 57-43 to stay in the national title hunt.
LuHi nearly fell in what would’ve been one of the biggest upsets of the year, but survived 62-58 to hand Pennsylvania powerhouse Perklomen Valley its first loss.
Dominating as expected at the Glendora Christmas Tournament. Sierra Canyon will be the overwhelming favorite against La Salle (15-1) after beating Glendora 76-35, Yucaipa 81-25, and Sierra Pacific 74-30 to reach the finals.
7. Sidwell Friends (DC) (10-0 – 9th)
Sidwell has gotten it done with defense through three rounds of the SoCal Holiday Prep Classic, beating Heritage (Menifee) 65-45, California (San Ramon) 51-39, and Mission Hills 60-48. Its next two games are much more high-profile – Monday in the finals against Etiwanda, and Saturday back on the East Coast against St. John Vianney.
The Crusaders closed the calendar year with double-digit victories over Saddle River Day and previously-unbeaten West Orange.
Back on the right track after the upset against Fort Erie International by going 2-0 at the Tamba Bay Christmas Invitational. MVA’s first game was much closer than expected, a 55-45 win against Rock Bridge (MO), but its second game was its most impressive win of the season, 89-45 over No. 17 Pewaukee.
Can anyone give these guys a run for their money this season? The Bears opened 2024-25 with a 75-46 blowout of Georgia power River Ridge, and that’s still arguably the closest game they’ve played. They’ve outscored opponents 927-411.
With Aubrey Beckham and Gabby Minus out for the season and a loss in its second meeting with Langston Hughes, Hebron Christian’s season has already been partially derailed. On the other hand, Hebron Christian has so much talent and has been so good that it might still accomplish most of its goals for 2024-25 – other than contending for a national title, which was previously in the realm of possibility. Whether or not the Lions manage to stay in the top 25, regional and state titles are still possible, maybe even likely, with Danielle Osho (Miami) and Ja’Kerra Butler (Auburn) continuing to lead the charge.
Finally up to 138 straight wins to tie the all-time mark after winning the Visitation Christmas Tournament. IWA has a week off from games before it faces St. Dominic and attempts to break the record set by Central Plains (KS) from 2015-20.
Nine games, nine total blowout wins despite playing two nationally-relevant foes for a change last week. Princess Anne beat South Shore 71-46 and Cannon 87-51 to stay perfect.
Johnston will be the heavy favorite against Ankeny Centennial (6-1) on Friday, but will have to be careful not to start too slowly in its first game in 13 days while playing a solid foe.
15. Hamilton Southeastern (IN) (15-0 – Unranked)
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Admittedly, the Royals probably should’ve already been on the bubble a week ago. But it matters not, as their upset of previously-unbeaten Lawrence Central made them 15-0 and sent them straight to the top 15. Not all Hamilton Southeastern’s wins have been pretty, but that’s not important when you win every game. The Royals have also beaten Lawrence North, Fremd, Noblesville, and Fishers.
16. Lawrence Central (IN) (14-1 – 8th)
Still around despite losing to a previously-unranked team. Between Hamilton Southeastern’s perfect start and Lawrence Central’s wins over South Bend Washington, Sacred Heart (KY), and Lawrence North, slotting both teams inside the top 25 was an easy choice.
17. Pewaukee (WI) (8-1 – 16th)
The Tampa Bay Christmas Invitational produced two very different results for the Pirates. An 89-45 loss to Montverde Academy doesn’t affect their season or ranking much, but it was discouraging, especially with Montverde not in peak form recently. However, Pewaukee beat Whitney Young 62-46 the day prior for one of its most impressive wins of the season.
18. Clackamas (OR) (6-2 – 20th)
Clackamas blew out West Salem and handed Washington stalwart Davis its first loss last week. On Monday they beat Oak Cliff Faith Family (Texas) in overtime, and on Thursday they face upstart Tualatin (Oregon).
One week after falling out of our rankings entirely, Legion Prep came sprinting back in despite having seven losses. Why? Since 4-star PG Rieyan DeSouze returned from injury, the Bulldogs are 5-2 with a 20-point win over PHH Prep National and a 16-point upset of Westtown. The losses were at the Nike TOC against Australian training institutes ATC Academy and Centre of Excellence. While at less than full strength previously, Legion Prep lost close games to Putnam City North, IMG Academy, Elizabeth Seton, and Boswell.
The last couple weeks did not go as planned for the Moose since opening the Nike TOC with a 70-61 win against AZ Compass Prep. They’ve since dropped three of four, losing 45-42 to top-ranked Canadian team Crestwood Prep, 78-62 to a renewed Legion Prep, and 57-43 to Bishop McNamara most recently after squeezing in a blowout of Bella Vista Prep on the TOC’s last day.
21. PHH Prep National (AZ) (12-5 – Bubble)
PHH Prep National cracks the top 25 in its first year of operation with an interesting resume. It fell to bubble teams AZ Compass Prep and Winston-Salem Christian National in its opening week, but has since beaten the likes of Central Pointe Christian Academy National, Grind Prep, and IMG Academy. On its path to the Nike TOC (Clare Droesch Division) finals, where it almost upset Canadian juggernaut Crestwood Prep, PHH Prep National also beat Australia’s Centre of Excellence, which beat Spire Academy by 25, Bella Vista Prep by 47, and Legion Prep by 28.
The calm between storms. IMG Academy took a week off from games following the Nike TOC, and the rest of its regular season is exclusively against elite competition.
23. Putnam City North (OK) (14-1 – 21st)
The Pirates downed two more of Oklahoma’s stronger programs last week, Bixby and Edmond North. It’s easy to look ahead to the rubber match with Norman for a district title, but it’s not until Feb. 4.
24. Cypress Springs (TX) (18-3 – 24th)
With Duncanville and Lincoln both getting upset and falling to the bubble, the stock of Cypress Springs, which lost to both of them, is now in the fray. But Cypress Springs has won 14 games in a row dating back to Nov. 12., and the only few wins that were even close came against top competition, including Etiwanda.
After blowing out its first three opponents at the SoCal Holiday Prep Classic, the reigning national champion takes on the 2021-22 national champion, No. 7 Sidwell Friends, in the finals. Sophomore guard and Mater Dei transfer Chasity Rice, a Power-4 prospect, is now eligible and could provide a massive boost as Etiwanda fights to stay ranked with Sidwell and Incarnate Word Academy on deck.
Teams on the bubble:
AZ Compass Prep National (AZ)
Belleville (MI)
Benet Academy (IL)
Bishop Ireton (VA)
Boswell (TX)
Braswell (TX)
Bullis (MD)
Central Pointe Christian Academy National (FL)
Clovis West (CA)
Conway (AR)
Duncanville (TX)
Grandview (CO)
Guyer Denton (TX)
Flower Mound (TX)
Langston Hughes (GA)
Lincoln (TX)
Norman (OK)
Oak Cliff Faith Family Academy (TX)
Providence Academy (MN)
Purcell Marian (OH)
River Ridge (GA)
Shining Star Sports Academy (VA)
South Bend Washington (IN)
St. Francis (GA)
St. John’s (DC)
Tualatin (OR)
Winston-Salem Christian National (NC)
