High school girls basketball rankings: No. 8 Etiwanda set for two MaxPreps Top 25 showdowns at Spalding Hoophall Classic

By Aaron Williams Jan 9, 2024, 9:00am

Reigning California state champion taking on No. 2 Long Island Lutheran, No. 5 Sidwell Friends in Springfield.

The MaxPreps Top 25 high school girls basketball rankings saw two new entries as teams eased back into play following the winter break.

Action heats up again this week with a handful of matchups between nationally-ranked teams, including No. 8 Etiwanda (Calif.) taking on No. 2 Long Island Lutheran (Brookville, N.Y.) and No. 5 Sidwell Friends (Washington, D.C.) at the Spalding Hoophall Classic.

Etiwanda has already made trips to Oregon and Texas in addition to the Bahamas. The Eagles could enhance their resume pending the results in Massachusetts this weekend.

No. 3 Montverde Academy (Montverde, Fla.) will tangle with No. 25 Wesleyan (Norcross, Ga.), one of two newcomers to the MaxPreps Top 25, on Monday. No. 3 IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.) battles No. 18 Grayson (Loganville, Ga.) on Saturday.



Long Island Lutheran was back in action last week with a 74-30 rout of Fort Erie (Canada) in its first game since falling to No. 1 Archbishop Mitty (San Jose, Calif.) in the final of the Nike Tournament of Champions.

Top-ranked Mitty rolled on last week as head coach Sue Phillips won her 800th game. The Monarchs rolled past Presentation (San Jose), helping Phillips become the fourth California coach to reach that plateau. In her 31st year, she will be inducted into the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame on April 27.
Kennedy Smith has led No. 8 Etiwanda to a 13-2 record as the Eagles have traveled to Texas, Oregon and the Bahamas. They head to the Hoophall Classic this weekend for MaxPreps Top 25 matchups with No. 2 Long Island Lutheran and No. 5 Sidwell Friends. (Photo: Louis Lopez)
Kennedy Smith has led No. 8 Etiwanda to a 13-2 record as the Eagles have traveled to Texas, Oregon and the Bahamas. They head to the Hoophall Classic this weekend for MaxPreps Top 25 matchups with No. 2 Long Island Lutheran and No. 5 Sidwell Friends. (Photo: Louis Lopez)
MaxPreps Top 25 high school girls basketball rankings

1. Archbishop Mitty (San Jose, Calif.)
Record:
12-0 | Last week: 1
Sophomore McKenna Woliczko leads the team in scoring (23.8) and rebounds (8.7). UConn commit Morgan Cheli is closing in on 1,000 career points despite missing most of last season with an injury.

2. Long Island Lutheran (Brookville, N.Y.)
Record: 10-1 | Last week: 2
Michigan commit Syla Swords had 28 points while USC commit Kayleigh Heckel added 21 in the 44-point win over Canada's Fort Erie.

3. Montverde Academy (Montverde, Fla.)
Record:
13-1 | Last week: 3
Recent Ohio State commit Jaloni Cambridge is averaging 22.0 points per game for the Eagles.

4. IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.)
Record:
15-1 | Last week: 4
The Ascenders took care of Mainland (Daytona Beach) 56-31 on Friday.

5. Sidwell Friends (Washington, D.C.)
Record:
6-1 | Last week: 5
Kendall Dudley, Ava Yoon and Jayla Jackson all posted double figures in a 51-42 win over Potomac School (McLean, Va.).

6. Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth, Calif.)
Record: 15-1 | Last week: 6
Coach Alicia Komaki earned her 300th win as the Trailblazers beat Chaminade (West Hills) 95-54.

7. Bishop McNamara (Forestville, Md.)
Record: 10-3 | Last week: 7
Handled South Shore (Brooklyn, N.Y.) 83-59 on Sunday.

8. Etiwanda (Calif.)
Record: 13-2 | Last week: 8
The Eagles have two league contests before their top 10 showdowns at the Hoophall.

9. DME Academy (Daytona Beach, Fla.)
Record: 11-0 | Last week: 9
DME returns to action Thursday against No. 15 Lake Highland Prep.

10. Morris Catholic (Denville, N.J.)
Record: 7-0 | Last week: 10
Mya Pauldo dropped 20 points as the Crusaders hung on to beat Red Bank Catholic 49-46 over the weekend at the Hoop Group Boardwalk Showcase.

11. Hebron Christian (Dacula, Ga.)
Record: 12-2 | Last week: 11
Opened 2024 with a 66-57 win over St. Francis.

12. Mansfield Timberview (Arlington, Texas)
Record: 26-1 | Last week: 12
Beat Glen Rose by 13 and Seguin (Arlington) by 50 last week.

13. Clark (San Antonio, Texas)
Record:
22-1 | Last week: 13
Arianna Roberson is averaging nearly 18 points per night for the Cougars. The two-sport standout also led the volleyball team with 356 kills.



14. Duncanville (Texas)
Record:
20-3 | Last week: 14
The Pantherettes are on a 10-game win streak after losing back-to-back games against No. 2 Long Island Lutheran and No. 7 Bishop McNamara in early December.

15. Lake Highland Prep (Orlando, Fla.)
Record: 12-4 | Last week: 16
Ari Woodard and Lexi Blue led five players in double figures in a blowout win over Trinity Prep (Winter Park).

16. Johnston (Iowa)
Record: 13-0 | Last week: 17
Iowa State commit Aili Tanke had 17 in a 73-35 win over Indianola on Saturday.

17. Incarnate Word Academy (St. Louis, Mo.)
Record:
11-0 | Last week: 18
Brought home a pair of wins at the Sophie Cunningham Classic to bump their win streak to 111 games.

18. Grayson (Loganville, Ga.)
Record:
14-0 | Last week: 19
Georgia Tech commit Danielle Carnegie leads a guard-heavy group that is the cream of the AAAAAAA crop in the Peach State.

19. Putnam City West (Oklahoma City, Okla.)
Record: 10-0 | Last week: 20
Brought home the title of the Putnam City Invitational, including a 63-49 win over Norman North (Norman) behind 17 points from Oklahoma commit Caya Smith.

20. Pickerington Central (Pickerington, Ohio)
Record: 9-1 | Last week: 21
Berry Wallace had 22 while Blossom Wallace and Rylee Bess each added 10 in a 79-41 win over Groveport-Madison (Groveport) on Friday

21. Thomas Dale (Chester, Va.)
Record: 10-0 | Last week: 22
The Knights are back in action Jan. 9 against Matoaca (Chesterfield).

22. Folsom (Calif.)
Record: 11-3 | Last week: 23
Bounced back from a loss to No. 6 Sierra Canyon with a blowout league win over Granite Bay.

23. Pewaukee (Wis.)
Record: 13-0 | Last week: 24
Junior Amy Terrian is averaging 20.6 points per game to lead the Pirates.

24. Purcell Marian (Cincinnati, Ohio)
Record: 13-1 | Last week: NR
Behind Dee Alexander, the Cavaliers re-enter the rankings. The lone loss is to No. 20 Pickerington Central.

25. Wesleyan (Norcross, Ga.)
Record: 11-1 | Last week: NR
The Wolves took down former No. 22 Bradley Central (Cleveland, Tenn.) 67-57 at the She Got Game Classic in Atlanta.

On the bubble: Minnetonka (Minn.), 10-0; Lawrence Central (Indianapolis, Ind.), 19-1; Camden (S.C.), 12-2; Summer Creek (Houston, Texas), 21-3; Sage Hill (Newport Beach, Calif.), 12-2