Juju Watkins of
Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth, Calif.) and
Jaloni Cambridge of
Ensworth (Nashville, Tenn.) have jumped to No. 1 in their respective classes in new high school girls basketball rankings released by ESPN HoopGurlz.
Watkins, who recently signed a NIL deal with Nike, saw her stock rise after posting 24.8 points and 10.3 rebounds per night while leading the Trailblazers to a 30-2 mark and the CIF Open Division title. She followed that with an MVP showing at the FIBA U17 World Cup, where she led the United States with a 13.1 point per night average for the gold medalists.
Juju Watkins of Sierra Canyon is the new No. 1 ranked girls basketball player in the Class of 2023, according to ESPN HoopGurlz. (Photo: Sara Nevis)
The Sierra Canyon star is still uncommitted, but said at a recent media day that she will choose between three unspecified schools in November.
In addition to Watkins and Williams, the top five from the Class of 2023 includes Duke commit
Jadyn Donovan of reigning MaxPreps National Champion
Sidwell Friends (Washington, D.C.),
Ciera Toomey of
Dunmore (Pa.) and
Hannah Hidalgo of
Paul VI (Haddonfield, N.J.).
Meanwhile, Cambridge, the reigning MaxPreps National Sophomore of the Year, jumps to the top of the Class of 2024 after leading Ensworth to a No. 24 ranking in the final MaxPreps Top 25. The Tigers went 24-4, winning the Division II Class AA title as the 5-foot-6 Cambridge averaged 17.3 points, 6.4 rebounds, 3.8 steals and 3.1 assists. The two-time Tennessean player of the year also had a 1.5 assist/turnover ratio and made 34 percent of her 3-pointers.
Cambridge has offers from Baylor, UConn, Florida, Louisville, Oregon, South Carolina, Tennessee and Texas A&M.
The top five in the Class of 2024 also includes
Joyce Edwards of
Camden (S.C.),
Justice Carlton of
Seven Lakes (Katy, Texas),
Sarah Strong of
Grace Academy (Matthews, N.C.) and
Allie Ziebell of
Neenah (Wis.).
