Holliday (Texas) finished the 2022-23 season ranked No. 1 in the Small Town Top 25 high school girls basketball national rankings, but a team it beat along the way to the Class 3A state championship begins the 2023-24 season as the top small town team in the country.
Jim Ned (Tuscola), which lost to Holliday in the Class 3A regional finals, starts the season at No. 1.
In order to be eligible for the Small Town Top 25, schools must have an enrollment of under 1,000 students in a town of fewer than 10,000 people. Teams listed below include their overall record from the 2022-23 season.
Junior Riley Grohman is one of three returning starters for No. 1 Jim Ned of Texas. (Photo: Scott Burkhalter)
Three starters return from last year's team, including all-state junior
Riley Grohman (10.5 points per game). The Indians won 29 games in a row last year before losing to eventual state champion and Small Town Top 25 No. 1 Holliday in the regional finals.
2. North Pitt (Bethel, N.C.), 27-3
The Panthers reached the Class 2A semifinals before falling to Seaforth. However, North Pitt returns one of the top players in the country in MaxPreps Small Town All-American
Zamareya Jones, who averaged 28.9 points per game last year. She enters her senior year with 1,794 career points.
3. Seiling (Okla.), 27-1
Won their sixth state championship in eight seasons last year in capturing the Class A title. Seiling's top eight players all return from last year, including
Braci Nyberg, who averaged 20.1 points per game.
4. North Bend Central (North Bend, Neb.), 28-1
Five of the top seven scorers from last year's championship team, including
Lindsey Emanuel. As a sophomore, she averaged 11.7 points per game. After losing their season opener last year, the Tigers won 28 in a row to claim the Class C1 title.
5. Glen Rose (Texas), 39-2
The Tigers had a 25-game win streak to open the season last year but eventually lost to Class 4A state champion La Vega in the state semifinals. Glen Rose returns a pair of all-state players in
Grace Booth and
Aimee Flippen.
6. Martins Mill (Ben Wheeler, Texas), 31-7
Owner of a 116-game win streak just a few years ago, the Mustangs fell to Class 2A state champion Lipan by one point (32-31) in the state semifinals.
7. Tuttle (Okla.), 27-3
Although MaxPreps Small Town All-American Landy Allen has graduated, four other starters return, including senior
Allie Rehl (14.2 points per game). Tuttle lost in the Class 4A state semifinals to eventual champion Bethany.
8. Nocona (Texas), 37-1
The Indians won their first 37 games in a row before falling to eventual Class 2A champion Lipan in the regional finals. Junior all-state point guard
Megyn Meekins returns.
9. Nooksack Valley (Everson, Wash.), 28-1
Winner of the Class 1A state championship, the Pioneers take a 21-game win streak into the 2023-24 season. Nooksack Valley returns one of the nation's top players in MaxPreps Small Town All-American
Devin Coppinger.
10. Okawville (Ill.), 34-4
Captured the Class 1A championship behind the play of MaxPreps Small Town All-American
Alayna Kraus, who returns after averaging 19 points a game.
11. Hamlin (Hayti, S.D.), 25-0
The Chargers have come a long way under coach Tim Koisti. After going 0-21 in his first year in 2010-11, the program has steadily improved to the point that they went undefeated last year at 25-0 with a Class A championship. Hamlin is 90-8 since 2020.
12. Booneville (Miss.), 30-3
The Blue Devils won the Class 3A state championship last year behind the play of state player of the year and MaxPreps Small Town All-American Saniyah Cook, who returns for her senior season.
13. Millbrook (N.Y.), 21-3
The Class C champions last year, Millbrook returns one of the nation's top players in MaxPreps Small Town All-American Natalie Fox.
14. Wayne County (Waynesboro, Tenn.), 36-1
Won 36 games in a row last year before falling to McKenzie in the Division 1 Class A state final. Wayne County returns one of the top players in Tennessee in
Blair Baugus after winning Miss Basketball honors as a sophomore last year and averaging 18.9 points.
15. Douglas (Wyo.), 27-2
Winners of six straight state championships, Douglas has a record of 153-7 over that span with a pair of undefeated seasons. A total of four starters return from last year's team, including leading scorer
Lauren Olsen (21.4 points per game).
16. Dike-New Hartford (Dike, Iowa), 26-2
The Class 2A state champions for three straight seasons, Dike-New Hartford has gone 77-3 over that span and return a pair of all-state players.
Payton Petersen and
Jadyn Petersen both made first team all-state after averaging 16.5 and 13.2 points respectively.
17. Wagner (S.D.), 24-2
The Red Raiders came up short by three points (58-55) against undefeated Hamlin in the Class A championship game last year.
Ashlyn Koupal, a 6-foot-2 shooting guard, returns after earning all-state honors as a freshman.
18. Hanover (Kan.), 26-0
The Class 1A state champions have a 26-game win streak entering the 2023-24 season and have three starters returning from last year's team. They include all-state junior
Anna Jueneman, who averaged 13 points per game.
19. Tipton (Mo.), 32-1
While leading scorer Myra Claas has graduated, Tipton returns four of the team's top six players from last year, including
Charlee Bailey, who averaged 11.7 points per game.
20. Bigfork (Mont.), 26-0
The Valkyries won their games by an average of 45 points last year and return Class B state tournament MVP Braeden Gunlock, a junior, and all-state Paeten Gunlock, a sophomore.
21. Pender (Neb.), 27-3
Sisters
Maya Dolliver (15.0 points per game) and
Madalyn Dolliver (5.7) are two of the three returning starters from last year's Class C2 state championship team.
22. Dale (Okla.), 31-2
The Pirates won both the boys and girls state championship in 2022-23 with the girls putting together a 27-game win streak during the season.
23. Nazareth (Texas), 26-6
The Swifts have won 25 state championships in the program's history and have a 52-8 overall state tournament record. Two all-tournament players from last year return in
Brooklyn Dyer and
Brooklyn Birkenfeld.
24. Mountain Iron-Buhl (Mountain Iron, Minn.), 30-3
The Rangers averaged 79 points per game last year in winning the Class A state championship. They also return one of the top players in the country in
Jordan Zubich, who averaged 26.5 points per game last year and has already scored 2,636 points in her high school career.
25. Spring Garden (Ala.), 36-1
The defending Class 1A state champions return MaxPreps Small Town All-American
Ace Austin, who averaged 20 points per game and has 2,023 career points. She begins the season as MaxPreps' best player in Alabama for the 2023-24 season.
