High school girls basketball rankings: Ontario Christian starts 9-0, jumps to No. 1 in MaxPreps Top 25

By Aaron Williams Dec 10, 2024, 11:00am

Knights score big wins over Etiwanda, Duncanville, Mater Dei to start 2024-25 season.

The first regular season MaxPreps Top 25 high school girls basketball rankings features a new team at the top — Ontario Christian (Ontario, Calif.).

The Knights are off to a 9-0 start with key wins over No. 8 Duncanville (Texas), No. 9 Etiwanda (Calif.) and No. 15 Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.) as well as a victory over Monterey (Lubbock, Texas) and Aaliyah Chavez, the top-ranked player in the Class of 2025.

Ontario Christian is fueled by is super sophomore Kaleena Smith and two heralded freshmen, Sydney Douglas and Tatianna Griffin.

Smith is averaging 21.8 points and 8.2 assists per game. Griffin is adding 17.7 points and 8.1 rebounds per game while Douglas is posting 17.1 points and 9.1 rebounds per contest.



Each of the big three has stepped up in different games with Douglas scoring 20 in a 74-66 win over preseason No. 1 Etiwanda, Smith dropping 29 in wins over Duncanville and Monterey, and Griffin pouring in 20 as the Knights beat Mater Dei on Sunday.

Ontario Christian appears to be on a collision course with No. 2 Archbishop Mitty (San Jose, Calif.) at the Nike TOC in Phoenix from Dec. 18-21.

Archbishop Mitty, which won the TOC last year, is 4-0 after taking the title at the La Jolla Country Day Sweet 16 tournament, beating the hosts 65-40 for the title Saturday. McKenna Woliczko, last year's MaxPreps National Sophomore of the Year, led the way for Mitty with 28 points and 12 boards in the final to grab MVP honors.

No. 3 Hebron Christian (Dacula, Ga.) is off to a 5-0 start but lost Georgia commit Aubrey Beckham for the season to an ACL tear in a win over IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.) right before Thanksgiving.

Head coach Jan Azar still has plenty of talent with Mia James, Danielle Osho and Ja’kerra Butler as the Lions chase another state title.

No. 19 Incarnate Word Academy (St. Louis, Mo.) hasn't lost a game since Feb. 2, 2020 and kept the 133-game win streak rolling into the 2024-25 season. The Red Knights are 2-0 and need six more wins to pass Central Plains (Claflin, Kan.) for the all-time record.
Kaleena Smith has helped Ontario Christian to the No. 1 spot in the first regular-season MaxPreps Top 25 girls basketball rankings. The sophomore has posted three double-doubles and a triple-double already for the Knights. (Photo: Louis Lopez)
Kaleena Smith has helped Ontario Christian to the No. 1 spot in the first regular-season MaxPreps Top 25 girls basketball rankings. The sophomore has posted three double-doubles and a triple-double already for the Knights. (Photo: Louis Lopez)
MaxPreps Top 25 girls basketball rankings



1. Ontario Christian (Ontario, Calif.)
Record: 9-0 | Last week: 10
Senior Alanna Neale is averaging 12.1 points and sophomore Dani Robinson chipping in 10.1 for the Knights.

2. Archbishop Mitty (San Jose, Calif.)
Record: 4-0 | Last week: 2
Sophomore point guard Tiera McCarthy was an all-tourney pick at the La Jolla Country Day Sweet 16.

3. Hebron Christian (Dacula, Ga.)
Record: 6-0 | Last week: 3
Mia James recorded her 300th career assist and poured in 17 in an 80-52 win over Woodward Academy (College Park). Ja’kerra Butler led the way in that game with 23 points and 13 rebounds while Gabby Minus added 20 and 12.

4. Morris Catholic (Denville, N.J.)
Record: 0-0 | Last week: 4
Opens season Saturday vs. University (Newark).

5. Red Bank Catholic (Red Bank, N.J.)
Record: 0-0 | Last week: 5
Opens season Thursday vs. Manasquan.

6. Lawrence Central (Indianapolis, Ind.)
Record: 8-0 | Last week: 6
Jaylah Lampley had 23 points, sister Lola Lampley added 16, Aniyah McKenzie chipped in 15 and Laila Abdurraqib contributed 11 as the Bears beat Sacred Heart (Louisville, Ky.) 69-49 in an interstate battle over the weekend.



7. Bishop McNamara (Forestville, Md.)
Record: 1-0 | Last week: 7
Vanessa Harris helped the Mustangs start the season with a win, beating Fort Erie (Canada) 49-39 at the Art Turner Memorial over the weekend.

8. Duncanville (Texas)
Record: 8-3 | Last week: 9
Samari Holmen had 23 points and Jasmine Gipson chipped in 15 in a 55-47 win over No. 9 Etiwanda. The Pantherettes travel to the DMV to play IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.) on Thursday.

9. Etiwanda (Calif.)
Record: 2-3 | Last week: 1
The Eagles have lost three in a row for the first time since 2020-21.

10. Sidwell Friends (Washington, D.C.)
Record: 2-0 | Last week: 11
Jayla Jackson had 25 in a season-opening 64-57 win over Christ the King (Middle Village, N.Y.) and followed it with 24 against Archbishop Wood (Warminster, Pa.) at the Art Turner Memorial.

11. Purcell Marian (Cincinnati, Ohio)
Record: 4-1 | Last week: 12
The Cavaliers have bounced back with four straight wins after a 75-69 loss to Montverde Academy (Montverde, Fla.) in the season opener. Dee Alexander scored 24 and Ky'aira Miller added 15 and Cy'aira Miller chipped in 13.

12. Bradley Central (Cleveland, Tenn.)
Record: 6-0 | Last week: 13
The two-time defending state champions have outscored their opponents 411-192 so far this season.



13. Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth, Calif.)
Record: 3-0 | Last week: 14
Junior post Emilia Krstevski is averaging 22 points per game to start the season.

14. Edmond Memorial (Edmond, Okla.)
Record: 1-0 | Last week: 15
Avery Hjelmstad and Janiyah Williams combined for 46 of Memorial's 65 points in a 26-point season-opening win over Deer Creek (Edmond).
 
15. Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.)
Record: 7-1 | Last week: 16
The Monarchs closed to 61-58 down the stretch against No. 1 Ontario Christian in the final of the Troy Classic on Saturday before falling 66-58.

16. Princess Anne (Virginia Beach, Va.)
Record: 3-0 | Last week: 20
Micah Ojo dropped 22 in an 87-40 win over Thomas Dale (Chester).

17. Bishop Ireton (Alexandria, Va.)
Record: 1-1 | Last week: NR
Bounced back after a 79-73 season-opening loss to Long Island Lutheran (Brookville, N.Y.) to beat Friends' Central (Wynnewood, Pa.) 71-57. Nyla Brooks has 31 points in the loss to Long Island Lutheran.

18. Johnston (Iowa)
Record: 3-0 | Last week: 18
Amani Jenkins had 23 points and 18 rebounds and Jenica Lewis added 15 in a 68-28 win over Waukee.

19. Incarnate Word Academy (St. Louis, Mo.)
Record: 2-0 | Last week: 19
Peyton Hill scored 21 in a 94-24 blowout win over Father Tolton (Columbia).



20. Clackamas (Ore.)
Record: 0-0 | Last week: 21
Opens season Tuesday vs. Willamette (Eugene).

21. Whitney Young (Chicago, Ill.)
Record: 4-0 | Last week: 22
Destiny Jackson is averaging 24.3 points per game with 30 in a 74-24 win over Payton College Prep (Chicago).

22. Pewaukee (Wis.)
Record: 4-0 | Last week: 23
Michigan commit Amy Terrian broke the school record for career points in a 101-43 win over Brown Deer, surpassing Abby Gerrits' mark of 1,496 points.

23. Nazareth Academy (LaGrange Park, Ill.)
Record: 7-1 | Last week: 25
Stella Sakalas had 22 and Sophia Towne added 13 in a 65-37 win Monday over Phillips (Chicago).

24. Lincoln (Dallas, Texas)
Record: 19-0 | Last week: NR
Junior guard Ar'jayla Elder dropped 50 against DeSoto at the Thanksgiving Hoopfest.

Record: 16-1 | Last week: NR
Camille Williams is averaging 17.3 points per game as the Pioneers have four players averaging double figures, including Haleigh Jackson and sophomores Sydney Durrah and Seleste Massey.



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