After a 40-1 performance last season, Duncanville hopes to crack the Top 10 and beyond before this season's end.
Photo by Alik McIntosh
Texas teams, in general, don't feel they need to travel to prove themselves. They feel Texas basketball is challenge enough — and though that may be true, we still reward teams that go out of state and measure themselves against elite national and regional competition. Are the Pantherettes good? No question, as three returning starters, two more rotation players and trio of talented newcomers should keep them at a very high level. How high is that level? At the top of Texas, or thereabouts, but where that fits on the national scale is hard to determine.
12. McDonogh (Owings Mills, Md.) 28-2Usually teams on this list are stocked with seniors who've signed with big-time programs — the Eagles can't really make such claims, as their top three stars are all sophomores. Given their youth, that 28-2 record against veteran, talented teams in the DMV is mighty impressive, and there's no reason to expect anything less than a big jump this year. The proof, though, will come at the Naples Holiday Shootout.
13. Central Catholic (Portland, Ore.) 26-2The Rams are one of three very strong teams from Oregon, and are led by Stanford signee
Kailee Johnson and Tennessee-bound
Jordan Reynolds. Central Catholic is ranked higher because they're going to the Nike TOC, and the others aren't, which simply means that the Rams have a chance to beat some top teams — and if they do, they'll move up. Of course, that guarantees nothing when they return to Oregon.
14. Rock Bridge (Columbia, Mo.) 26-3The Bruins pushed their way onto the national map with a great season, and with four returning starters and a trip to the Nike TOC in December, they're ready to make a statement. Six-one sophomore guard
Sophie Cunningham leads a young team that is big up and down the lineup, but will also be tested by the quickness they'll run into in Arizona.
15. Fairmont (Kettering, Ohio) 24-4All five starters, led by junior forward
Kathryn Westbeld, return from a state champion runner-up, and only a relatively weak schedule holds the Firebirds down. They will meet transfer-rejuvenated Bolingbrook of Illinois, perennial regional powers Regis Jesuit of Colorado and Memphis Central, as well as No. 17 Hathaway Brown, but none of the real heavyweights. But if Kettering Fairmont runs the table, the top ten beckons.
