With the 66-62 win, Sierra Canyon earned a No. 1 seed in California's Southern California Open Division regional. The Trailblazers open the quest for their first state title since 2021-22 with No. 16
Sage Hill (Newport Beach) on Saturday. The other SoCal regional semifinal pits Ontario Christian against No. 5
Etiwanda, which has won the last three Open Division state championships.
In Northern California, No. 3
Archbishop Mitty (San Jose) earned the top seed. The Monarchs look to reach their fifth straight state final after losing to Etiwanda in each of the past three seasons and Sierra Canyon the year prior.
Texas wraps up its season this weekend as No. 12
Westlake (Austin) looks to cap an unbeaten season with a Conference 6A Division 2 title. No. 24
Ryan (Denton) rejoins the rankings this week as the Raiders look to win back-to-back Conference 5A Division 1 titles.
No. 13
Hoover is two wins from winning its fifth straight Class 7A state title in Alabama behind Missouri commit
Khloe Ford, who missed last season with an ACL injury.
Pleasant Grove junior point guard Janiece Sikander led the No. 15 Vikings to a Utah Class 5A title. She quarterbacked a team that went 26-0 under first-year coach Angela Villa after winning only nine games last season. (PHOTO: Terry Cullop)
Record: 27-2 |
Last week: 1
Mother Nature seems to be Bishop McNamara's biggest foe recently as weather again postponed one of its games. The Mustangs' first-round Maryland Private School tournament game against Riverdale Baptist (Upper Marlboro) will be played Tuesday now.
2. Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth, Calif.)
Record: 30-2 |
Last week: 5
Since a 76-60 loss to Long Island Lutheran (Brookville, N.Y.) at the Hoophall Classic, the Trailblazers have won 12 straight.
3. Archbishop Mitty (San Jose, Calif.)
Record: 26-2 |
Last week: 3
Iowa commit
McKenna Woliczko had 27 points and four blocks in 15 minutes of action Saturday as the Monarchs blew past Archbishop Riordan (San Francisco) 90-31 to win their 34th Central Coast Section title.
4. Ontario Christian (Ontario, Calif.)
Record: 31-2 |
Last week: 2
Kaleena Smith had 30 points and
Dani Robinson added 16, including 3 of 3 from 3-point territory, in the four-point loss to No. 2 Sierra Canyon on Saturday.
5. Etiwanda (Calif.)
Record: 30-3 |
Last week: 4
The Eagles are 3-2 all-time against Ontario Christian, Saturday's SoCal regional semifinal opponent. The two met last year in the regional final as Etiwanda won 67-62 on the way to its third straight state Open Division title.
6. Princess Anne (Virginia Beach, Va.)
Record: 25-0 |
Last week: 6
The Cavaliers bring a 68-game win streak into their first-round Class 5 game Tuesday against King's Fork (Suffolk).
7. Incarnate Word Academy (St. Louis, Mo.)
Record: 24-2 |
Last week: 7
8. Tualatin (Ore.)
Record: 23-1 |
Last week: 8
Love Best scored 19 and sophomore
Bella Amens added 16 as the Timberwolves beat West Linn 61-53 to capture the Three Rivers League title.
9. Red Bank Catholic (Red Bank, N.J.)
Record: 27-2 |
Last week: 9
Addy Nyemchek led the way with 27 points in a 75-22 win over Union Catholic (Scotch Plains) on Monday to advance to the semifinal round of the South Jersey Non-Public A tournament.
Scarlet LeVake scored 12 points and
Katie Liggio added 11. St. Thomas Aquinas (Edison) is Thursday's opponent.
10. St. John-Vianney (Holmdel, N.J.)
Record: 25-3 |
Last week: 10
Madison Kocis led four players in double figures with 18 as the Lancers rolled to a 76-22 win over Bishop Eustace (Pennsauken) on Monday. St. John-Vianney must get past Paul VI (Haddonfield) in Thursday's semifinal meeting to get a final matchup with No. 9 Red Bank Catholic.
11. Johnston (Iowa)
Record: 24-0 |
Last week: 11
Kelli Kalb had 10 points, 11 rebounds and three blocks as the Dragons opened the Class 5A postseason Monday with a 54-30 win over Ankeny Centennial (Ankeny).
12. Westlake (Austin, Texas)
Record: 38-0 |
Last week: 12
Tamia King scored 16 points and freshman
Peyton Hensle added 14 as the Chaparrals beat Judson (Converse) 61-38 to advance to the Conference 6A Division 2 semifinals. Westlake meets Shadow Creek (Pearland) on Tuesday with the winner advancing to Saturday's state final.
13. Hoover (Ala.)
Record: 33-1 |
Last week: 14
Missouri commit
Khloe Ford dropped 32 points in a 74-46 Class 7A quarterfinal win over Albertville last week. The Buccaneers take on Bryant (Irvington) in Thursday's semis.
14. Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas, Nev.)
Record: 23-3 |
Last week: 17
Season complete. Class 5A state champion.
15. Pleasant Grove (Utah)
Record: 26-0 |
Last week: 18
Janiece Sikander had a masterful performance in a 45-30 Class 5A title win over West (Salt Lake City). The 5-foot-4 junior point guard scored 21 points and added five boards, three assists, two steals with one turnover in 31 minutes.
16. Sage Hill (Newport Beach, Calif.)
Record: 27-5 |
Last week: 16
Texas commit
Amalia Holguin had 20 points in last Tuesday's Southern Section Open Division semifinal loss to No. 4 Ontario Christian.
17. Miami Country Day (Miami, Fla.)
Record: 26-2 |
Last week: 19
Jalynn Belton tallied 13 points, five rebounds and four assists and
Alyssa Hill added nine points in a 63-20 win over Palmer Trinity (Miami) on Friday. The Spartans are looking for their fourth straight state title and 11th overall.
18. Putnam City North (Oklahoma City, Okla.)
Record: 26-1 |
Last week: 20
The Class 6A area tournament is up next for the Panthers, who take on Broken Arrow on Thursday.
19. Brennan (San Antonio, Texas)
Record: 33-4 |
Last week: 21
Reigning Conference 6A Division 1 state champion Summer Creek (Houston) is Tuesday's state semifinal opponent. The Bears beat Summer Creek 60-52 in November.
20. Hopkins (Minnetonka, Minn.)
Record: 24-2 |
Last week: 22
Once-ranked Wayzata is on the schedule Thursday in the Class AAAA Section 6 final. The two have split a pair of meetings this season.
21. Bullis (Potomac, Md.)
Record: 24-6 |
Last week: 23
Adora Nwude scored 22,
Ivanna Manyacka added 20 and
Taylor-Anne Williams chipped in 13 as the Bulldogs rolled past Elizabeth Seton (Bladensburg) 70-43 in the first round of the Maryland Private School tournament. A final showdown with No. 1 Bishop McNamara appears likely.
22. Wauwatosa East (Wauwatosa, Wis.)
Record: 26-0 |
Last week: 24
The Red Raiders advanced to the Sweet 16 in the Division 1 bracket and ran their win streak to 38 games.
Mikaia Litza was
announced Monday as a Ms. Basketball finalist.
23. Bradley Central (Cleveland, Tenn.)
Record: 30-0 |
Last week: 25
Kimora Fields scored 38 points in a 59-40 win over Coffee Creek (Manchester) in the Class 4A Region 3 semifinal on Monday. The Bears are on a 47-game win streak.
24. Ryan (Denton, Texas)
Record: 35-4 |
Last week: NR
Jumping back into the rankings, the Raiders look to repeat as Conference 5A Division 1 state champions. They tangle with Walnut Grove on Tuesday in the state semifinals.
25. Hebron Christian (Dacula, Ga.)
Record: 27-1 |
Last week: NR
Alanna Beckham and
Gabby Minus each scored 17 in an 88-25 win over Prince Avenue on Friday in a second round playoff game. The Lions are searching for their third state title in four seasons.
On the bubble: Center Grove (Greenwood, Ind.), 29-0;
St. Mary's (Stockton, Calif.), 25-5;
Loyola Academy (Wilmette, Ill.), 33-2;
Westside (Anderson, S.C.), 27-1;
Clovis West (Fresno, Calif.), 29-3;
Fairmont (Kettering, Ohio), 24-0;
Nazareth Academy (LaGrange Park, Ill.), 33-3;
Summer Creek (Houston, Texas), 33-4;
Wayzata (Plymouth, Minn.), 22-6;
Oostburg (Wis.), 26-0
