High school girls basketball: Nike Tournament of Champions preview, bracket, teams and players to watch

Ontario Christian, Archbishop Mitty among six teams ranked in MaxPreps Top 25 heading to annual event.

Thumbnail image of this articles writer: Aaron Williams

By Aaron Williams

Dec 16, 2024, 11:30am

Highlights of freshman guard Tatianna Griffin and Sophomore guard Kaleena Smith of Ontario Christian high school.

HIGHLIGHTS: Guards Tatianna Griffin and Kaleena Smith of Ontario Christian 35,501 views 2:01

The Nike Tournament of Champions tips off Wednesday, Dec. 18 and runs through Saturday, Dec. 21 at various high schools in Mesa, Ariz.

The annual event features six teams ranked in the MaxPreps Top 25 high school girls basketball rankings along with a host of top-ranked players across several of the eight brackets.

NIKE TOC: Vincent Cannizzaro Division bracket

No. 1 Ontario Christian (Ontario, Calif.) and No. 2 Archbishop Mitty (San Jose, Calif.), which won last year's title, headline the Vincent Cannizzaro Division. Joining the Knights and Monarchs are No. 7 Bishop McNamara (Forestville, Md.), No. 11 Purcell Marian (Cincinnati, Ohio), No. 15 Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.) and No. 20 Clackamas (Ore.).

Dee Alexander and No. 11 Purcell Marian open the Nike Tournament of Champions on Wednesday against Archbishop Wood of Pennsylvania. (Photo: Scott Iles)

Ontario Christian is 11-0 and has jumped to the top of the MaxPreps Top 25 behind last year's Freshman of the Year Kaleena Smith, who is averaging 22.3 points per game. She is joined by a pair of sensational freshmen in Tatianna Griffin (17.5 points per game) and Sydney Douglas (16.8).

Mitty is led by two-time POY in her class McKenna Woliczko, who is averaging near 24 points per game, transfer Devin Cosgriff and sophomore point guard Tiera McCarthy.

Rounding out the 16-team bracket are Brookswood Secondary (British Columbia, Canada), Grandview (Aurora, Colo.), Mt. Zion Prep Academy (Lanham, Md.), Valor Christian (Highlands Ranch, Colo.), Princeton (Cincinnati, Ohio), Archbishop Wood (Warminster, Pa.), Sage Hill (Newport Beach, Calif.), Christ the King (Middle Village, N.Y.), Bullis (Potomac, Md.) and George Rogers Clark (Winchester, Ky.).

The games can be streamed here.

IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.), Westtown (West Chester, Pa.), Example Academy National (Frankfort, Ill.), Grind Prep (Oklahoma City, Okla.), Legion Preparatory Academy (Dallas, Texas), AZ Compass Prep (Chandler, Ariz.), PHH Prep National (Phoenix, Ariz.), Friends' Central (Wynnewood, Pa.) and Bella Vista College Preparatory School (Scottsdale, Ariz.) are among the teams competing in the Clare Droesch Division.

The tournament offers a glimpse into the future of women's basketball with 16 of the top 100 players in the Class of 2025, eight of the top 60 from the Class of 2026, eight of the top 25 players in the Class of 2027 and three top players from the Class of 2028.

Nike Tournament of Champions players to watch

Class of 2025

Dee Alexander, Purcell Marian (Cincinnati)

Manuella Alves, IMG Academy (Illinois)

Sienna Betts, Grandview (UCLA)

Ciara Byars, George Rogers Clark (Michigan)

Zhen Craft, Bishop McNamara (Georgia)

Jazzy Davidson, Clackamas (USC)

Addison Deal, Mater Dei (Iowa)

Kelis Fisher, IMG Academy (UConn)

Mari Gerton, Princeton (Florida State)

Logyn Greer, Friends Central (Colorado)