While Teddy Roosevelt once said "Comparison is the thief of joy," he probably wasn't talking about ranking high school girls basketball. But comparison plays heavily into determining who lands where after a wild weekend of hoops that saw four of the top five teams in the MaxPreps Top 25 fall.
And that's where wins are compared, schedules are weighed and losses assessed to be "good" or not.
Montverde Academy, which lost for the first time, drops one spot as the St. James MLK Classic loss to the Sidwell qualifies as a "good loss" considering the Quakers have played an aggressive national schedule.
Meanwhile,
Morris Catholic (Denville, N.J.) jumps to No. 9 following its 63-54 win over
Etiwanda (Calif.), which falls six to No. 10. Morris Catholic's win outweighs a loss to
Paul VI (Chantilly, Va.), which is 13-4. While the Crusaders also lost to ranked
Paul VI (Haddonfield, N.J.), they have a chance Saturday to add to their resume taking on Montverde Academy.
Rashunda Jones has helped South Bend Washington to a 19-0 start and No. 11 spot in the MaxPreps Top 25 girls basketball rankings. (Photo: Tyler Hart)
Record: 19-0 |
Last week: 2
Juju Watkins showed true grit in coming back from not one but two sprained ankles in the 67-55 win over Sidwell Friends. The USC commit had 29 points, 14 boards and five assists despite sitting the second quarter.
2. Sidwell Friends (Washington, D.C.)
Record: 10-2 |
Last week: 5
The schedule might be the toughest in the nation up to this point.
3. Long Island Lutheran (Brookville, N.Y.)
Record: 12-1 |
Last week: 1
The Crusaders tripped up Friday in New Jersey as St. John-Vianney played inspired ball to hand them the first loss of the season. They rebounded with a pair of wins and take on Montverde Academy on Friday.
4. Montverde Academy (Montverde, Fla.)
Record: 18-1 |
Last week: 3
With back-to-back games against Long Island Lutheran and Morris Catholic coming up this weekend, the Eagles have an opportunity to put their first loss of the season behind them in a big way.
5. La Jolla Country Day (La Jolla, Calif.)
Record: 18-2 |
Last week: 6
Rebounded from the loss to Sierra Canyon with a blowout league win over Bishop's before handling Christ the King (Middle Village, N.Y.) 64-47 at the Hoophall. LJCD travels to D.C. for the GEICO tournament starting with The Webb School (Bell Buckle, Tenn.) on Friday.
6. St. John-Vianney (Holmdel, N.J.)
Record: 13-0 |
Last week: 9
North Carolina State commit
Zoe Brooks dropped 30 in the win over LuHi. The Lancers also forced 30 turnovers in that contest.
7. Incarnate Word Academy (St. Louis)
Record: 12-0 |
Last week: 7
Rolled over a pair of Illinois opponents prior to their next test against Kentucky's Mercy and Sacred Heart this coming weekend.
8. Hopkins (Minnetonka, Minn.)
Record: 13-0 |
Last week: 8
Notched a pair of 30-point wins over in-state foes.
9. Morris Catholic (Denville, N.J.)
Record: 14-2 |
Last week: 16
Bounced back from the nine-point loss to unranked Paul VI (Chantilly, Va.) with a gritty 63-54 win over Etiwanda.
Mia and
Mya Pauldo showed out on a national stage and have a chance to back it up Saturday against Montverde.
10. Etiwanda (Calif.)
Record: 18-1 |
Last week: 4
The Eagles had a fourth-quarter lead over Morris Catholic but couldn't seal the deal.
Kennedy Smith balled out, however, with a game-high 23 points.
11. South Bend Washington (South Bend, Ind.)
Record: 19-0 |
Last week: 10
Rashunda Jones was sensational in a 55-point win over South Bend Adams, going for 28 while
Amiyah Reynolds was one rebound short of a triple-double with 12 points, 11 assists and nine boards.
12. Clovis West (Fresno, Calif.)
Record: 19-0 |
Last week: 11
Remained perfect after a 65-46 win over Monterey Trail (Elk Grove) at the St. Mary's MLK Showcase.
13. Duncanville (Texas)
Record: 20-4 |
Last week: 12
Crushed a pair of district foes by 63 and 40. But a grudge match against DeSoto on Tuesday is never a gimme.
14. Conway (Ark.)
Record: 17-2 |
Last week: 13
A pair of wins last week sets up a conference game on Tuesday before matching up with Sidwell Friends on Friday in the GEICO Girls Basketball Invitational. A win puts them into the title game against either La Jolla Country Day or The Webb School.
15. Hazel Green (Ala.)
Record: 22-0 |
Last week: 14
A ceremony was held Friday at the Trojans' first home game since coach Tim Green reached the 700-win plateau. Hazel Green also notched its 81st straight win Monday, five short of the state mark.
16. Paul VI (Haddonfield, N.J.)
Record: 10-1 |
Last week: 15
The Eagles own the win over Morris Catholic, but other than a loss to LuHi they haven't ventured into a national schedule like others ahead of them in the rankings.
17. Archbishop Mitty (San Jose, Calif.)
Record: 13-2 |
Last week: 17
Freshman
McKenna Woliczko keeps on impressing with an 18-point, 16-rebound night in a 61-31 win over Bishop O'Dowd (Oakland) on Monday.
18. Sacred Heart (Louisville, Ky.)
Record: 16-2 |
Last week: 18
The Valkyries can improve their resume with a win Saturday at No. 7 Incarnate Word Academy.
19. Hoover (Ala.)
Record: 24-1 |
Last week: 19
The lone loss has renewed the Bucs' intensity with five straight blowout wins as
Alanah Pooler was the latest player to notch a milestone, scoring her 1,000th career point.
20. Lone Peak (Highland, Utah)
Record: 10-3 |
Last week: 20
Kailey Woolston continues to make her case for state player of the year with a 38-point effort in a 74-25 win over Pleasant Grove.
21. Johnston (Iowa)
Record: 15-0 |
Last week: 21
Jenica Lewis scored 24 in a 63-49 win over Northwest (Waukee) as the Dragons kept rolling. As with Minnesota, Iowa's bylaws restrict teams from venturing far from home.
22. Lake Highland Prep (Orlando, Fla.)
Record: 12-5 |
Last week: 22
The Highlanders have run off three straight wins following a loss to The Webb School prior to the new year. In each win Lake Highland Prep has put up 70-plus while allowing only 79 total points.
23. Centennial (Las Vegas)
Record: 9-1 |
Last week: 23
Outlasted a gritty St. Mary's (Stockton, Calif.) group 62-60 at St. Mary's MLK Showcase. The loss was the season opener against Lone Peak.
24. Garfield (Seattle)
Record: 9-0 |
Last week: 24
The Bulldogs have taken care of business handily, but not venturing far from the PNW doesn't give them much room for upward mobility.
25. Purcell Marian (Cincinnati)
Record: 12-2 |
Last week: 25
Dee Alexander joined the 1,000-point club with 27 in a win over Laurel. She's the fastest in program history to reach that benchmark, needing just 42 games.
