True fans of high school girls basketball should be glued to their televisions this weekend as three teams in the MaxPreps Top 25 rankings are featured on the ESPN family of networks. The marquee matchup features No. 1 Sidwell Friends facing No. 5 Hopkins at 2 p.m. Friday (Eastern) on ESPNU.
Joining the Quakers and Royals are No. 2 DeSoto and Grandview (Aurora, Colo.), which features
Lauren Betts, the 6-foot-7 Stanford-bound center who's the top-ranked player in the country.
The event is a big deal, beyond having girls basketball televised, but also because Hopkins has been a power and mainstay in the MaxPreps Top 25 for several seasons. The Royals, previously led by former MaxPreps Female Athlete of the Year Paige Bueckers, are unbeaten again after a long win streak was snapped last season. However, state rules have historically prevented Hopkins from competing in national tournaments outside of Minnesota.
Five players average double figures for Hopkins, topped by Arizona-bound
Maya Nnaji, the No. 9 recruit, who drops 18 points per night.
The top-ranked Quakers are led by
Kiki Rice, the No. 2 ranked player in the country, who is averaging 17.4 points along with
Jadyn Donovan (15.6) and sophomore
Leah Harmon (13.3).
DeSoto, which has traveled to the east and west coasts, draws Grandview at 4 p.m. Friday. The winners meet at 4 p.m. Saturday with the third-place game at 2 p.m. Those three games will stream on ESPN+.
Kiki Rice, Sidwell Friends
File photo by Phil Peters
Record: 7-0 |
Last week: 1
The Quakers have played seven games, but they've played quality competition in most of them — and will get two more strong opponents this weekend in Minnesota.
2. DeSoto (Texas)
Record: 20-1 |
Last week: 2
The Eagles have traveled to the East Coast and West Coast already, and now will add the Upper Midwest to their frequent flyer miles. And then they fly back home to travel to face Duncanville in what may be an even bigger challenge.
3. Etiwanda (Calif.)
Record: 14-0 |
Last week: 3
The Eagles rolled over Windward 69-34 last week, and face Cathedral Catholic, one of San Diego's top teams Saturday.
4. St. John-Vianney (Holmdel, N.J.)
Record: 10-0 |
Last week: 4
The Lancers handled Dunmore, one of Pennsylvania's top teams, with ease, winning 69-46. Next up is legendary Christ the King at home Sunday.
5. Hopkins (Minnetonka, Minn.)
Record: 13-0|
Last week: 6
After all these years, the Royals finally get a shot at elite out-of-state competition.
6. DME Academy (Daytona Beach, Fla.)
Record: 19-1 |
Last week: 6
DME slipped past new No. 24 St. Thomas Aquinas 77-75, and got all it could handle from American Heritage before winning 73-68. But the margin isn't what matters, it's the victory.
7. La Jolla Country Day (La Jolla, Calif.)
Record: 13-2 |
Last week: 7
The Torreys, like Etiwanda, had little trouble with Windward and Mt. Miguel should be much the same story Saturday.
8. Classen SAS (Oklahoma City)
Record: 14-1 | Last week: 8
The Comets' orbit is carrying them through a peaceful section of the girls basketball universe for the next couple weeks.
9. Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth, Calif.)
Record: 16-1 |
Last week: 9
The Trailblazers beat the best from two states last week: Valley Vista of Arizona and Anchorage Christian of Alaska.
10. New Hope Academy (Landover Hills, Md.)
Record: 15-2 |
Last week: 10
New Hope shifts into cruise control, and will likely stay in that gear through the rest of the regular season.
11. Incarnate Word Academy (St. Louis)
Record: 11-0 | Last week: 11
The Red Knights traveled to Northern California and beat St. Mary's of Stockton on its home floor, 65-61. St. Joseph's Academy is on tap Friday.
12. Montverde Academy (Montverde, Fla.)
Record: 13-3 |
Last week: 12
It's never been easy to handle the home cooking in Pickerington, but Monteverde got past Pickerington Central 54-50. The next big one is No. 15 Lake Highland Prep on Jan. 29.
13. Cedar Park (Texas)
Record: 23-0 |
Last week: 13
The Timberwolves just got past Georgetown 45-41, and have six games left before postseason play beings.
14. Conway (Ark.)
Record: 15-1 |
Last week: 15
The Wampus Cats' big game against Northside was postponed until Feb. 22.
15. Lake Highland Prep (Orlando, Fla.)
Record: 15-3 |
Last week: 16
The Highlanders travel to 14-5 Colonial on Friday, but an upset seems more than a little unlikely.
16. Rock Bridge (Columbia, Mo.)
Record: 12-0 |
Last week: 17
The Bruins will finish up the Truman Tournament on Friday.
17. St. Paul VI (Chantilly, Va.)
Record: 10-3 |
Last week: 18
The Panthers got past St. John's 50-47 in overtime Saturday as not much comes easy in the Washington Catholic Athletic Conference.
18. Fremont (Plain City, Utah)
Record: 12-2 |
Last week: 20
The Silverwolves travel to 11-2 Syracuse on Friday in one of their tougher challenges before postseason.
19. Hoover (Ala.)
Record: 21-2|
Last week: 21
Alabama fans are focused on Saturday's matchup between rivals the Buccaneers (21-2) and Hazel Green (22-0). The winner will very likely be in next week's MaxPreps Top 25 — the loser definitely won't be.
20. Johnston (Iowa)
Record: 12-0 |
Last week: 22
The Dragons' game at unbeaten Dowling Catholic was postponed until Jan. 31.
21. Woodward Academy (College Park, Ga.)
Record: 14-2 |
Last week: 23
The War Eagles struggled with 12-4 Mount Paran Christian and draw 10-2 Forest Park on Friday.
22. Sacred Heart (Louisville, Ky.)
Record: 16-1 |
Last week: 24
The Valkyries will start the 16-team Louisville Invitational Tournament on Tuesday, and the LIT is always a highly competitive event.
23. Franklin Community (Franklin, Ind.)
Record: 18-1 |
Last week: 25
The Grizzly Cubs moved up two spots thanks to two teams dropping out, and may move up more, as their next three opponents are all below .500.
24. St. Thomas Aquinas (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.)
Record: 15-2 |
Last week: NR
The Raiders are the third Florida team in the rankings, thanks more to their strong play in losses to ranked teams than any dominant wins — though victories over Blanche Ely and Bearden are definitely noteworthy.
25. Homestead (Fort Wayne, Ind.)
Record: 17-1 | Last week: NR
The Spartans lost to Noblesville in November but haven't lost since — and Indiana has plenty of quality teams this year.
Dropped out: No. 14 Duncanville; No. 19 Princeton.
