Three topics to mull over as high school playoffs start around the nation!
Sienna Betts and Saniyah Hall (with ball) at the prestigious Stewie 30 Camp last March.
Top Public School Teams, Chipotle Nationals, and POY
February 10, 2025
Although the season ends for a very few teams with Chipotle National in early April, playoffs (with seasonal conclusions) have already started or are about to commence in some states. While playoffs are associated with the term ‘March Madness’, in several states, such as Florida and Indiana, maybe it should be called ‘February Frenzy!’
Over the last decade, player talent and high school team success has slowly moved toward non-public schools with over half the schools in a recent ESPN girls’ basketball top 25 being tuition-based. Thus, I thought it was time to give a little love to the good old-fashioned American public schools as things start to wind down for the season. After which, a brief exam of the current prime candidates for the mythical national high school team champion’s title will be made. To wrap this article up, we will lock in on the front-runners for national high school player-of-the-year honors.
Criteria for this public-school ranking below include having played at least one out-of-state opponent. Many Midwest states discourage out-of-state play so the number is left as obtainable as possible above zero. Strength of schedule (SOS) as defined by the MaxPreps Computer rankings (above 20 is considered strong; around 15 is decent; below 10 is very weak competition level) is listed but is not given as much emphasis as one could. Do note that over the years, the MaxPreps Computer rankings have tended to favor teams located in California and Texas. As you will see below, sometimes the order does not correspond with “computer thinking.”
Topic #1: List of ten [tied for last spot] best performing public high school through Feb 8, 2025, with several teams also under consideration [see criteria above]
Note: Stats and SOS are as of late last week.
1. Clackamas (OR) (17-2): wins over Faith Family of Texas, Purcell Marian and Princeton of Ohio (all having spent some time in national rankings); took healthy Archbishop Mitty to overtime before losing and lost to Bishop Mc Namara (MD) at NIKE TOC. Most rankings punished the Mitty-loss when it should have been viewed as a plus. Clackamas is a senior-oriented team led by Southern Cal signee Jazzy Davidson with four other college-bound players with a scholarship. SOS: 15.8
Jazzy Davidson at Overtime Select in the fall.
2. Bradley Central (TN) (24-1): wins over River Ridge (only loss), Magnificat (OH), Springboro (OH); Central Pointe Christian (FL); loss to Montverde (FL). The team is led by junior Kimora Fields and Arkansas signee Harmonie Ware. SOS: 15.8
3. Etiwanda (CA) (22-4): played a national schedule with four losses to teams ranked now or at one time ranked nationally - Ontario Christian (CA) [current consensus #1), Cypress Springs (TX), Duncanville (TX), Long Island Lutheran (NY); quality wins over Sage Hill (CA), Sidwell Friends (DC), Incarnate Word (MO [ended their 141-game win streak]. The team is led by Aliyahna “Puff” Morris (Cal signee) and Grace Knox (LSU signee). If this was simply a power rating, Etiwanda might well be number 1, but a team ranking is a total resume of wins and losses. Thus, it fell a bit lower. SOS: 24.1
4. Conway (AR) (26-1): won the Sandra Meadows at Duncanville (TX) including quality wins over St. Francis (GA) and Boswell (TX); also wins over Newcastle (OK) and multiple close wins vs good Arkansas teams; only loss to Lubbock Monterey. Emerie Bohanon (Central Arkansas signee) leads the team. SOS: 18.7
5. Hamilton Southeastern (IN) (25-0): undefeated with a quality out-of-state win over Fremd (IL) which just beat Lyons Township (IL) which was receiving at least one national ranking; close win over in-state rival Lawrence Central plus just being undefeated in team-quality-rich Indiana is an accomplishment in and of itself this year. Maya Makalusky (Indiana signee) leads the team. SOS: 22.0
6. Princess Anne (VA) (19-0): undefeated having won big over South Shore (NY), Cannon School (NC) and Grace Christian (NC) in winning John Wall Invitational; won by eight over Osbourn Park (VA). Traditionally, Princess Anne dominates Virginia south of Metro DC but rarely travels out of state thus low SOS. Highly ranked sophomore Micah Ojo leads the team. SOS: 10.3
7. Putnam City North (OK) (20-1): good wins over Texas teams Duncanville and Legion Prep Academy plus two wins out of three vs in-state rival Norman. They may meet again in the post-season. The state of Oklahoma (certainly for its population) has one of the deepest 2025 classes of major division 1 signees (at least eight listed by ESPN HoopGurlz top 100) in the USA. The team is led by one in Brandie Harrod (Auburn signee). SOS: 12.5
8. River Ridge (GA) (24-1): good wins over four out-of-state teams; only loss at Bradley Central in Tennessee. River Ridge is one of the most balanced in the USA with five players averaging between 10 and 15 points per game. SOS: 18.9
9, Clovis West (CA) (28-0): undefeated road warriors with wins over solid teams from six other states; considered second best public in California (behind Etiwanda). The team is led by Alexis Swillis (UNLV signee). SOS: 22.8
10. (tied) Boswell (TX) (33-2): best win over Legion Prep (TX) with losses to Conway (AR) and Guyer (TX). Miami of Florida signee Camille Williams leads the team. As to top tier players, the Texas Federation (UIL) is now starting to be hurt by the shift in talent to academy/prep schools as has happened in the New England states, Arizona, and North Carolina. SOS: 23.0
10. (tied) Pewaukee (WI) (18-2): best out-of-state win over Perkiomen Valley (PA) with losses to Montverde Academy (FL) and Arrowhead (WI). The team is led by Michigan State commits Amy and Anna Terrian. Loss of Wisconsin oral commit Giselle Janowski to season ending knee injury has made team more vulnerable to defeat. SOS: 15.6
On the bubble (alphabetically): Norman (OK) (17-2); Ridgeline (UT) (24-0); South Bend Washington (IN) (24-1); Tualatin (OR) (17-1); Winton Woods (OH) (20-0)
R.I.P. Lawrence Central (IN) (22-2): The Indiana defending 4A state champion was high on our list but suffered a season-ending loss to local-Indianapolis-rival Lawrence North (a team it had defeated twice) in the early stages of Indiana’s playoffs (as this article was about to be submitted). Lawrence Central had posted wins over Kentucky power Sacred Heart and Ohio power Purcell Marian, losing only once to the above Hamilton Southeastern. It appears Indiana is stronger in its quality team depth than surrounding states at least for this year.
Topic #2: Who is in position to win the mythical national high school championship (does not include teams capable of reclassification)?
Short answer:
Ontario Christian, then Mater Dei, then the Chipotle winner
Explanation:
All polls have Ontario Christian (25-1) number 1 having won the re-match with a now wounded (star McKenna Woliczko out with season-ending knee injury) Archbishop Mitty, which then lost two more games in the MLK Hoophall event in Massachusetts. So, what if Ontario Christian does not win out?
Santa Ana Mater Dei (CA) (26-2) has just two losses (to a healthy Archbishop Mitty and Ontario Christian). If they win out in California, they could be justified as earning the title as they also hold a big win (at NIKE TOC) over highly ranked Bishop McNamara of Maryland. Unfortunately, Mater Dei is now down one of its two top players as junior Kaeli Wynn is likely out for the remainder of the season.
At this point, that is where I would draw the line for titlist contenders from California.
Why?
Northern California is weak compared to Southern California and one win over a Southern California team does not wash away the losses at Hoophall for Archbishop Mitty (18-3). Etiwanda may be playing its best ball now but has four losses, One-loss (to a non-US team) Sierra Canyon (25-1) has played too weak a schedule to get into the discussion. Clovis West may be one of the best public schools but having seen them live does not appear top ten timber if you include non-public in the mix.
So, one should look to the winner of the Chipotle Nationals scheduled for April 3-5, 2025, to be held at Hamilton Southeastern High School (ranked above) in Indiana (ironically has never allowed its teams to compete in this event). The field of six should (I have no official knowledge.) include Bishop McNamara (MD) (20-1), Long Island Lutheran (NY) (15-3), IMG (FL) (16-3), Montverde Academy (FL) (21-1) and Morris Catholic (NJ) (19-0). Hebron Christian (24-1) (or another Georgia team) and Sidwell Friends (19-2) (or another DC area team) would be possibilities to complete the field (assuming six teams as last year). Hebron Christian (still good but not as strong) would have been a no-brainer, but has lost two nationally ranked players to season-ending knee injuries.
Westtown School (PA) (24-3) would be another possibility, but they cannot play in an event with either a Georgia or New York-based team (as Westtown is re-class capable although they currently have no fifth-year players). Other states (Arizona, Florida, Hawaii. Mississippi, Nevada, Utah and Washington) that allow participation, have no teams worthy of being in the Chipotle field. Clackamas or the Indiana 4A champion would be a great addition, but neither Oregon nor Indiana has shown any willingness to come on to the Chipotle list. California is a “double no” as it has never allowed participation and as of the year, will not play IMG or Montverde, likely to be in this field.
Thus, for all polls that include all Chipotle teams, the winner of the event would be a strong candidate for #1 should Ontario Christian and Mater Dei not win the California Open Division in March. MaxPreps would probably revert to the California winner (as it did last year) if IMG, Long Island Lutheran or Montverde won Chipotle in April. Again, these three schools are not included in the MaxPreps Top 25 but are in BlueStar Media, ESPN and SB Live polls.
MaxPreps split off the non-state series schools like IMG, Long Island Lutheran and Montverde from its top 25 national poll, supposedly going to have a national top 10 of academies/preps/non-state series Federation schools as MaxPreps does for boys’ basketball. However, with the season entering playoff stage in many states, a MaxPreps girls’ counterpart has never been posted. At this time, what MaxPreps has for the boys (dual polls), is not needed for girls’ basketball (even though it probably will be in the years ahead). Boys’ basketball and girls’ basketball are not the same and do not need to be treated as such. So many bureaucrats (not directly involved in these sports) do not understand but still demand this unnecessary duality.
Last year when Long Island Lutheran did so much despite losing by a point in Chipotle, it still deserved the mythical national title (only ESPN went with them). This year a team must win its last game to be considered (which is the case in most years).
Topic #3: National player-of-the-year race
Realistically, there are five candidates:
Sienna Betts, 6-4, power forward, 2025, Grandview High School (Aurora, Colorado)
Aaliyah Chavez, 5-11, point guard, 2025, Monterey High School (Lubbock, Texas)
Aaliyah Chavez
Jazzy Davidson, 6-1, guard, 2025, Clackamas (OR) High School
Saniyah Hall, 6-2, guard/forward, 2026, Montverde (FL) Academy
Kaleena Smith, 5-6, point guard, 2027, Ontario (CA) Christian High School
Davidson, Hall and Smith play on very strong teams having legitimate help versus opponents with multiple D1 prospects. Betts and Chavez must carry a significantly heavier load for their teams to win.
Betts (committed to UCLA; #2 ranked for 2025 by ESPN HoopGurlz) is the most dominant force in the paint (regularly a double-double) in US high school basketball. A lefty, she is very strong at finishing around the basket. Currently she is averaging 24.1 ppg on 58% from the field along with 16.6 rpg. Biggest knock might be range with limited three-point shooting ability. The Betts sisters (Lauren at UCLA and Sienna at Grandview) is the first sister act which simultaneously has legit candidates for National Collegiate and High School Player-of-the-Year awards. Also, younger brother Dylan Betts (7-2, center, 2028, Cherry Creek (CO) is considered one of the top boys in his class nationally). Top that!
Chavez (uncommitted and top ranked for 2025 by ESPN HoopGurlz) is the most prolific scorer (35.5 ppg) amongst the candidates, but she can be a volume shooter at times. Losing 82-50 to Smith’s Ontario Christian has to make one pause on this.
Davidson (committed to Southern Cal and #3 ranked for 2025 by ESPN HoopGurlz) is a capable three-level scorer. Currently she is averaging 29.8 ppg, 8.8 rpg and 2.2 apg.
Hall (ranked #1 for 2026 by ESPN HoopGurlz) is the best player on a team which starts five future major D1 players. She usually shines in games where the opponents are also loaded with talent. From Ohio, Hall can impact with three-level scoring, rebounding, passing and although not considered her top strength, timely defense. Currently she is averaging 19.9 ppg, 6.2 rpg and 3.6 apg. Physically well developed, one observer commented that she is like a woman playing against girls.
Smith (ranked #1 for 2027 by ESPN HoopGurlz) is the best player on the currently consensus top ranked high school team. Ontario Christian is super talented but young (four sophomore/freshmen starters). If you need points, Smith will get them and if you need facilitation, she will hand out the dimes. Long term, her height and lack of strong build could be issues. Currently she is averaging 23.9ppg, and 7.8 apg.
Favorite?
Kaleena Smith at Overtime Select in the fall.
If the award is looking for upside into the pros, I would lean to Hall or Davidson. As this is about high school level success, it is currently Kaleena Smith’s to lose.