No. 1 Sierra Canyon (CA) leads the pack in Blue Star Media Elite 25 preseason girls’ basketball rankings; 14 states and DC repped

BENSALEM, Pa. – If it’s early November that means the basketballs are bouncing and the Blue Media Elite 25 girls’ basketball rankings are here.

Last time we checked in was mid-April when the State Champions Invitational was played in Florida.

A quick check of the Elite 25 preseason rankings sees there are 14 states and the District of Columbia represented. There four teams from California, including No. 1 Sierra CanyonSchool (Chatsworth), and three from Texas. The DMV has three teams, two from Maryland and another from the District of Columbia.

The games have already started in states such as Indiana, Mississippi, Louisiana and Alabama.

The Blue Star Media Elite 25 girls’ rankings will return on Dec. 23, reflecting the holiday tournament season.

Have a Happy Thanksgiving and God’s Blessings to your family and friends.

To all the coaches, players and game officials, please have great season and stay safe.

Hope to see you at a game soon. – Christopher Lawlor

Blue Star Media Elite 25 Preseason Girls’ Basketball Rankings, Nov. 8, 2022

All players are from the Class of 2023 and statistics from the 2021-22 season unless denoted

1. Sierra Canyon School, Chatsworth, Calif. (30-2)

Key Players: 6-0 Juju Watkins and 6-1 junior MacKenly Randolph.

Low-down: Watkins is the nation’s top senior and a slam-dunk for the McDonald’s All American Game. She narrowed her college choices to South Carolina, Stanford and USC. She averaged 24.5 points and 10.5 rebounds when the Trailblazers captured the CIF Open Division state championship and was on the gold-medal winning USA U17 National Team that won the World Cup over the summer. Watkins is flanked by 5-5 Christy Reynoso, 6-2 Crystal Wang, 5-9 junior Izela Arenas, 6-0 sophomore Leia Edwards and 5-4 sophomore Kayla Malek. Randolph and Arenas have dads who played in the NBA. The Blazers will open in Texas against Elite 25 teams Duncanville and South Grand Prairie. They will also meet No. 1 Sidwell Friends at the Hoophall Classic in Springfield, Mass. That will likely be a 1 vs. 2 matchup.

2. Sidwell Friends, Washington, D.C. (29-0)

Key Players: 6-2 Jadyn Donovan (Duke) and 5-6 sophomore Leah Harmon.

Low-down: Donovan is the one of the nation’s top players on the one of the nation’s top teams. The athletic Donovan averaged 15.2 points, 8.4 rebounds, 3.3 steals and 1.9 blocks for the Quakers, who had a perfect season while winning the State Champions Invitational in Florida and District of Columbia State Athletic Association Class AA titles. Donovan has a caste of high-major recruits in juniors 6-3 Zania Socka and Khia Miller and sophomores Harmon and 6-2 Kendall Dudley. At 6-0, freshman Jayla Jackson is a name to remember.  This year the Quakers have an intense schedule that will include a trip to the Nike Tournament of Champions prior to Christmas in Arizona. They also play three Elite 25 teams in Duncanville (Texas), Bishop McNamara (Forestville, Md.) and No. 1 Sierra Canyon School (Chatsworth, Calif.).

3. Etiwanda, Calif. (29-1)

Key Players: 6-1 junior Kennedy Smith and 5-5 sophomore Aliyahna Morris.

Low-down: Coach Stan Delus and the Eagles were young last year and went to the CIF-Southern California Region Open Division final, dropping a contest to Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth). Those two could hook up again. Smith and Morris are joined by 6-1 forward Sa’lah Hemingway, 6-3 Layla Harris, 5-10 Majesty Cade, 5-11 junior Jada Sanders and 5-8 Jaiya Mix. The Eagles added a bevy of transfers, including junior Ryann Riddle, that will add to the depth. The schedule is upgraded with trips to the Nike TOC, West Coast Jamboree and a road game at No. 8 La Jolla Country Day in late January.

4. Incarnate Word Academy, Bel Nor, Mo. (29-0)

Key Players: 6-2 Natalie Potter (Nebraska) and 6-1 Brooke Coffey (Illinois).

Low-down: Last year, the Red Knights were the Blue Star Media Elite 25 National Champions and enter the season with a gaudy 67-game winning streak. That was no fluke. Neither is a 12th state championship with coach Dan Rolfes at the controls. Rolfes will work with two bigs that headed to the Big Ten. Additionally, there’s 5-9 sophomore Naveah Coffey, 5-9 Peyton Hill, 5-7 Macie McNece, 5-11 junior Kaylynn Janes, 6-0 Abbie Sextro, 5-8 Olivia Hahn and 6-2 sophomore C Sophia Otten. The Red Knights have plenty of fire power to win Class 6 for a second straight time and will travel to Honolulu for the Iolani Classic in December.

5. Hopkins, Minnetonka, Minn. (26-1)

Key Players: 5-7 junior Liv McGill and 6-2 Sunaja “NuNu” Agara (Stanford).

Low-down: One of the nation’s top programs is situated in a state restricts their travel but that didn’t stop the Royals from capturing an eighth Class 4A state championship. McGill is one of the nation’s top juniors and a combo guard. She gets to set up 6-1 Agara and 6-0 Taylor Woodson. Agara was a member of the USA U17 gold-medal team at the World Cup last summer in Hungary. The Royals are loaded again and coach Tara Starks should not issues adding another state championship.

6. Montverde (Fla.) Academy (19-3)

Key Players: 6-2 Sahnya Jah and 5-10 Mjracle Sheppard.

Low-down: The Eagles made the biggest splash last season on the national scene by winning the GEICO Nationals in Fort Myers, Florida. Coach Special Jennings has a loaded roster and schedule. Up front the Eagles feature 6-2 Jah, who signed with South Carolina and PG Sheppard, who is headed to Mississippi State. There’s also an international flavor with 6-7 C Lety Vasconcelos (Brazil, Baylor) and 6-4 junior Vivian Iwuchukwu (Nigeria), 6-0 Rusne Augustinaite (Lithuania, Georgia Tech), Cori Allen (Illinois), 6-3 Lourdes Da Silva Costa (Sweden), 5-2 Mia-Marie Thomas (Trinidad) and 5-2 Minoka Yoshida (Japan). The biggest addition is 6-2 G/F Jordy Griggs, considered one of the nation’s top wings and a Kentucky signee.

7. South Grand Prairie, Grand Prairie, Texas (35-5)

Key Players :6-5 junior Adhel Tac and 6-1 junior Taliyah Parker.

Low-down: The Warriors made it to the UIL Class 6A final before dropping a decision to DeSoto. This year could the Eagles’ time win. Tac (14.1 ppg, 8.8 rpg, 1.3 bpg) is a “big” reason and will be a lower post presence and Parker transferred from Oklahoma. She’ll be big help to a team that includes G Taylor Barnes (9.2 ppg), Joy Madison-Key and Ahrianna Morgan.

8. La Jolla (Calif.) Country Day (25-3)

Key Players: 6-4 Breya Cunningham (Arizona) and 5-6 Jada Williams (Arizona).

Low-down: One of the top 1-2 punches in the nation resides in San Diego with Cunningham (18.4 ppg, 11.4 rpg) inside and Williams delivering the ball from the perimeter. Cunningham is a skilled post with a soft touch and presence at the rim. Williams runs the show. She’s quick off the bounce and thrives in transition. At 5-10, junior Taj Avant-Robert will take the pressure off Cunningham and Williams, so will 5-8 Sumayah Sugapong, who played for the Philippines U18 National Team. The Torreys will play another challenging schedule but the best competition will be in Southern California Region.

9. Hazel Green, Ala. (35-0)

Key Players: 6-1 junior Leah Brooks (Alabama) and 6-1 junior Zyriah Price.

Low-down: Alabama’s five-time reigning state champions are 71-1 over the past two season and unbeaten against in-state competition. It’s a team that won’t be going away anytime soon with a junior-laden rotation fueling the engine. Brooks (14.1 ppg, 8.6 rpg) is a big-time athlete with a great work ethic and stuffs the stat sheets. She’s joined by Amiya Redus, Sydney Steward and Price, who is fielding Division I offers. Senior Nyla Collier signed with Montevallo, a Division II program. Last weekend, the Lady Trojans stretched their win streak to 61 games after capturing their own tournament. First major test is Sparkman (Harvest) on Nov. 29 and then a January 31 showdown with No. 21 Hoover.

10. IMG Academy, Bradenton, Fla. (13-5)

Key Players: 6-4 Sarah Rambus (Oregon) and 6-3 Olivia McGhee (Virginia).

Low-down: A year ago, the Ascenders qualified for the GEICO Nationals despite a truncated scheduled. Coach Shell Dailey has done a fine job since taking over on the Gulf Coast but now it’s time to take the program to the next level. The schedule is in place and the national reputation has been cemented over the last five years. The twin towers of Rambus and McGhee are off to Power-5 conferences and will be a headache for any defense. McGhee can flat-out stroke it. However, it is imperative that 5-9 elite sophomore PG Kelis Fisher (from Baltimore) deliver the ball. Fisher has big-time offers from Maryland, Mississippi State, Oklahoma, Arizona State, Connecticut, Penn State and Harvard to name a few.

11. DeSoto, Texas (35-2)

Key Players: 5-7 junior Nisaa Muhammad and 5-10 junior Ma’Riya Vincent.

Low-down: Some may view the cupboard threadbare but the Eagles won’t even flinch as the they started No. 1 in the Texas preseason rankings. The Eagles graduated seven Division I players but have Muhammad stirring the offense and transfer Vincent in from the Houston area. A group of precocious freshmen Amari Byles, 5-6 PG Rieyan DeSouze, 6-3 Kamora Pruitt and Amayah Garcia are ready to step in.

12. Bishop McNamara, Forestville, Md. (20-6)

Key Players: 6-2 Qadence Samuels (Connecticut) and 5-5 junior Madisen McDaniel.

Low-down: The Washington Catholic Athletic Conference powerhouse played at GEICO Nationals but will need to repeat a strong season with a uber competitive schedule. The go-to player will be Samuels, who is good for a double-double. McDaniel is the floor general and primary ballhandler. At 6-0, La’Nae Corbett will crash the boards along with 6-2 Zhen Craft. The WCAC will be hotly contested again with St. Paul VI, St. John’s College and Good Counsel pushing the Lady Mustangs.

13. Archbishop Mitty, San Jose, Calif. (30-2)

Key Players: 6-1 junior Morgan Cheli and 6-1 Maya Hernandez (Loyola-Marymount)

Low-down: After winning the CIF Northern California Open Division championship, the Monarchs fell short in the state final. Coach Sue Phillips, who led the 2022 USA U17 Women’s team to gold at the FIBA World Cup, will merely reload. Cheli emerged as a blue-chip recruit after averaging 14.8 points, 6.9 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 3.3 steals and was gold medalist along with her coach last summer. Forwards Belle Bramer and Elana Weisman transferred in to bolster the frontline and join Hernandez while 5-11 Layla Woods and 5-8 April Chan are stalwart guards.

14. Shabach Christian Academy, Landover, Md. (NR)

Key Players: 6-2 Laila Reynolds and 5-5 Malaka Cobb.

Low-down: The newcomer to the national scene isn’t so new but in name only. Coach Sam Caldwell, who shepherded nationally ranked New Hope Academy (Landover Hills, Md.), picked up and took the program another location in Prince George’s County. The top player is one of the best in the country, 6-2 Reynolds, who is down to Mississippi State, UCLA, Georgia and Florida. Junior Drew Alexander, 6-0, is one of the better 3-point shooters Cobb handles the point. At 6-2, Jada Bouknight is a rim protector and finisher. Five-eight Channing Williams, 5-8 junior Cincear Parker, 5-6 junior Taylor Timms and 6-4 junior Avani Burton round out the lineup. Caldwell has booked several events, including the Nike TOC in Phoenix prior to Christmas.

15. South Bend (Ind.) Washington (27-3)

Key Players: 6-0 Amiyah Reynolds (Maryland) and 5-8 Rashunda Jones (Purdue).

Low-down: The Panthers conquered Class 3A a year ago and now make the jump up to Class 4A. They started the season atop the state rankings regardless of classification. Coach Steve Reynolds and his team have applied the mantra “Challenge Accepted” for the season. The Panthers feature four of the top six Indiana players on the same roster. Reynolds is a serious candidate for Indiana Miss Basketball and Jones runs the show while Jones lends scoring support. At 5-7, sophomore Ryiah Wilson is the defensive ace and 6-3 sophomore Kira Reynolds is one of the nation’s top players from the Class of 2025. The Panthers opened 2-0.

16. Duncanville, Texas (34-7)

Key Players: 6-4 Imani Morris (Memphis) and 5-8 Victoria Flores (TCU).

Low-down: All the Pantherettes get to play for is a regular season district title with no chance at the Class 6A playoffs and head coach LaJeanna Howard will be suspended for the 2022-23 season because of a UIL rules violation. Despite the bad news handed down last week, Flores (15.3 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 4.2 apg, 3.1 spg) one of the nation’s top guards and Morris is one of five transfers this season. Tristen Taylor, Kenidi Glover and Tajenae Gooden are all double-digit scorers, stoking the up-tempo pace. Essentially the program is on pause but a national slate will take place but a 12th state title will have to wait until 2024.

17. Mater Dei, Santa Ana, Calif. (23-6)

Key Players: 5-5 PG Caia Elisaldez and 6-1 sophomore Addison Deal.

Low-down: The Monarchs rarely miss a beat in the competitive CIF-Southern Section and Trinity League. They have senior captains in 5-5 PG Caia Elisaldez (11.9 ppg, 4.9 apg), a UT-Chattanooga commit, and G Hannah Vela (4.4 ppg), who will stay home to attend Concordia.

At 6-0, F Izzy Clark (2.9 ppg, 2.6 rpg) is known for her prowess on the volleyball court too and will play for San Diego. Five-nine 5-9 combo Bella Cosme, 5-11 Soleil Montrose (8.0 ppg, 4.4 rpg), 6-2 junior Jenessa Cotton (8.8 ppg, 7.2 rpg), 5-11 junior Sofia de Laucia,, 5-9 sophomore Devyn Kiernan, sophomore Shaena Brew and Deal, one of the top players from 2025 will keep the tradition alive for veteran coach Kevin Kiernan.

18. Bedford (Ind.) North Lawrence (24-3)

Key Players: 5-6 Karsyn Norman (Butler) and 5-9 junior Chloe Spreen.

Low-down: The Stars have three starters back and are Indiana’s No. 2-ranked Class 4A team. Norman (15.0 ppg), Spreen (16.2 ppg, 6.2 rpg), junior PG Madisyn Bailey (7.0 ppg, 4.3 rpg) and F Mallory Pride (6.1 ppg, 5.3 rpg) are the foundation. Spreen is a frontrunner for 2024 Indiana Miss Basketball and considered a Power-5 recruit while Norman is headed to the Big East and highly thought of. The Stars (1-0) opened the season with an easy win over Mooresville last weekend.

19. Benson Tech, Portland, Ore. (21-5)

Key Players: 6-2 junior Mahogany Chandler-Roberts and 5-9 Malaya LeSueur (Fresno State).

Low-down: The Techmen advanced to the Class 6A quarterfinals but Chandler-Roberts (16.7 ppg, 8.7 rpg) did not play due to an ankle injury and it cost her team. The four remaining starters back are Le Sueur, 6-0 Onna Brown and junior guards Olivia Hinck and Maurianna Hashemian-Orr. Brown has several Division I offers but a 6-0 F Mahaila Harrison transferred in from Hudson’s Bay (Vancouver) and G Eboni Clay from Portland Grant. At 5-11, freshman Marmar Massey is the next big thing in the Pacific Northwest. With an improved schedule, the Techmen might be flying under the radar but not for long.

20. Westtown School, West Chester, Pa. (23-4)

Key Players: 5-9 Grace Sundback (Delaware) and 5-10 junior Zahra King.

Low-down: Last year, the Moose won the Pennsylvania Independent state title, winning 20 of 21 down the stretch. Despite losing key seniors, the team will lean on athleticism and skill and the combo guard Sundback, who excels in up-tempo transition. King is an elite junior with recent offers from Penn State, Harvard, Auburn, Clemson and Cincinnati. There’s more with Division I-bound juniors Savannah Curry and Michelle Olak and sophomores Vianna Kanyamiheto-Watson and Aidan Langley. At 5-10, G Atlee Vanesko is a promising freshman.

21. Hoover, Ala. (34-3)

Key Players: 5-6 Reniya Kelly (North Carolina) and 6-2 Kristen McMillan (Central Arkansas).

Low-down: The Bucs will be the team to beat in Alabama Class 7A after winning the last two titles (8th overall) and returning a plethora of experience and size. Kelly (14.0 ppg, 4.8 apg) is one of the nation’s top guards and Alabama’s top player. She has company with the 6-2 McMillan, 6-1 Alanah Pooler, junior Kamryn Lee, 6-3 freshman Khloe Ford, 5-6 Layla Etchison and 5-7 Kennedi McCray.

22. St. John Vianney, Holmdel, N.J. (32-1)

Key Players: : 5-10 Zoe Brooks (North Carolina State) and 6-0 Janie Bachmann (Holy Cross).

Low-down: The definition of excellence in New Jersey are the Lady Lancers and coach Dawn Karpell, who guided her team to the Non-Public A and final Tournament of Champions titles (SJV won 10 TOCs but the state nixed it starting this season). The state’s top player and McDonald’s All American shoo-in is Brooks (18.1 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 3.8 spg, 3.7 apg).Bachmann is a tireless worker and Bucknell-bound 6-3 C/F Ashley Sofilkanich. At 6-3 Mikaela Hubbard slides into the lineup. The schedule is loaded but a matchup with No. 2 Sierra Canyon at the Hoophall Classic in Massachusetts on Jan. 16 stands out.

23. Conway, Ark. (29-2)

Key Players: 6-5 Savannah Scott (Auburn) and 5-9 Chloe Clardy (Stanford).

Low-down: The Wampus Cats advanced to the Class 6A quarterfinals before an upset loss ended the state title run. With Scott, an immovable force in the post and on the glass, and Clardy in the backcourt along with 5-9 scorer Kamille Brown. There’s more backcourt help from sophomores Emerie Bohanon and Alexis Cox. The Cats face No. 7 South Grand Prairie (Grand Prairie, Texas) in an early season showdown on Dec. 3.

24. Holy Innocents’ Episcopal, Atlanta (27-3)

Key Players: 6-0 Olivia Hutcherson (Princeton) and 5-8 sophomore Hailee Swain (Stanford).

Low-down: The Golden Bears were upended in last season’s Georgia Class A Private final. That won’t happen again with F Hutcherson PG Swain in the fold. Swain is a big-time recruit that is headed to the Pac-12. She is a lefty, exceptional facilitator and defender plus, her super-trainer dad, Robert, is her mentor. G Zaynah Preston is Swain’s backcourt running mate and another budding talent.

25. South Shore, Brooklyn, N.Y. (26-1)

Key Players: 6-2 sophomore Isabela Grant and 5-5 junior Ariel Little.

Low-down: The Lady Vikings are the team to beat in New York. They won the PSAL Class AA title and should have no issue repeating. Grant is the post and is considered a rising star at her position on the East Coast. PG Little can fill up the basket from all three levels and orchestrates the offense. At 5-7, junior combo Yahmani McKayle is a dependable double-digit scorer. Coach Anwar Gladden isn’t afraid to schedule big games and that trend will continue with a march to the New York Federations.

High-Fives by Region

East

1. St. Paul VI, Chantilly, Va. (22-8)
2. Archbishop Wood, Warminster, Pa. (23-7)
3. Long Island Lutheran, Brookville, N.Y. (14-8)
4. St. John’s College, Washington, D.C. (19-5)
5. Paul VI, Haddonfield, N.J. (24-4)

Geography: Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Maine, Massachusetts, Maryland, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont and Virginia.

Midwest

1. West Bloomfield, Mich. (25-1)
2. Purcell Marian, Cincinnati (26-1)
3. Coffman, Dublin, Ohio (25-2)
4. Carmel Catholic, Mundelein, Ill. (28-7)
5. Johnston, Iowa (26-0)

Geography: Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio, North Dakota, South Dakota, West Virginia and Wisconsin.

Southland

1. Lake Highlands, Orlando, Fla. (26-5)
2. Clark, San Antonio (35-3)
3. Cedar Park, Texas (39-0)
4. Auburn, Ala. (20-8)
5. The Webb School, Bell Buckle, Tenn. (31-6)

Geography: Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee and Texas.

Far West

1. Garfield, Seattle (20-0)
2. Centennial, Las Vegas (18-4)
3. Clovis West, Fresno, Calif. (28-4)
4. St. Mary’s Stockton, Calif. (21-8)
5. Lone Peak, Highland, Utah (23-0)

Geography: Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington and Wyoming.

About: The Blue Star Media Elite 25 High School Girls Basketball Rankings are released weekly from November until the conclusion of the high school season in April. Criteria considered are the quality of the team and its players, strength of schedule, tradition, and quality of the team’s league, conference, region or district. The rankings are compiled by Blue Star Media’s Christopher Lawlor, who consults with a national network of coaches, talent evaluators and prep sports writers. Follow him on Twitter at @clawlor.