February 2026: Cold Winter Thoughts (Part 1)

Ontario Christian vs Archbishop Mitty on January 10, 2026. The game was played at Mater Dei High School.

This is a collection of thoughts from the context of the 25-26 high school season.

February 13, 2026

By my count, I have covered and written articles on 12 prep events from November through January. Taking a break from the road, I thought it would be a suitable time to pause and discuss various topics that I saw as needing to be brought to light. In part one of these discussions, more time-sensitive items will be addressed. In part two, others no less important, but less time sensitive, will be brought forth.

McDonald’s team rosters 2026

I am not a McDonald’s voter, but I follow the process. It is very painstaking in nature with multiple votes until the final 24 are selected. I will go on record as to say that from year to year there are between 10 and 14 “locks’” with the remainder coming from a pool of maybe two dozen more. Over the years, I have found the list closely mirrors the ESPN SportsCenter Next 100 of a particular year.  If a player is not in the top 32 of the most recent listing posted online, it is unlikely she will be selected.

I missed on Cydnee Bryant. She was #33 on the ESPN list and I think Bryant was perceived as next best post available.  From a game management position, having the various positions covered is very important and some years true post players are in short supply -- thus going deeper into the pool of candidates.  Players also get dropped due to unavailability due to injury or more recently early departure to college ball.

I would have voted (again I have no vote) for #27 Kimora Fields (Clemson commit) who has Bradley Central (not as strong as last year) undefeated heavily thanks to her play. I also would have voted for #31 Morgan Stewart (Florida State commit) who is heavily responsible for St. John's College being ranked.  As it was, I would have voted for 22 of the 24 selected and I assume a lot of voters did not have the 24 chosen players on their final ballots. Everyone looks for outstanding snubs, but the list chosen this year is more than acceptable.

Like sitting in the gym

Iowa is one of the few states where you might get a bigtime in-state high school matchup streamed live with announcers. It was a pleasure watching Johnston 49-43 Dowling Catholic. With this win, Johnston reached 69 wins in a row.   

It would have been nice to see Johnston versus some national competition during its current win streak. Iowa restricts travel to adjoining states and quietly encourages competing only with in-state opponents as does most of the Midwest. Iowa (like Kansas) demands its high school teams not to play at all during the Christmas break.  On the positive side, Iowa runs one of the best state tournaments in the USA and has perhaps the best websites (Iowa Bound) as to information on this and other sports.  I ask “do the restrictions have to be maintained to accentuate the positives?”  I would say not, but those in charge almost certainly would not agree!

Latent negativity persists on the men’s side

While things have improved in the last 20 years, there is still some degree of condescension on the men’s side toward women’s basketball. It can take many forms.

Item 1 

On Friday, January 30, nationally ranked DME (Florida) and Westtown School (Pennsylvania; relatively nearby) were scheduled for a 415pm contest at the prestigious Metro Classic boys’ event played in the Atlantic City (NJ) area.  This year the organizers wanted to add a few girls’ games. I am told the event covered (some or all) expenses of teams traveling from out of town.  Along with others waiting online ($20 viewing charge for the day although I only was interested in one game) for the game to start, the chat said the girls game scheduled on a separate court would go up shortly. Much to my and others’ (waiting to watch) displeasure, at about 420pm pm it was posted that the girls’ game was cancelled with Westtown declared a “no-show.”  Those filing for refunds were told they would get one (hopefully all do!).

Meanwhile, the boys’ event (with video) on the main court continued business as usual.

The reality, not explained online, was this girls’ game had been placed on a practice-style side court which appeared to have a different floor composition. Neither coach was aware of this until entering the building (DME the prior night and Westtown just prior to game time).  Westtown Coach Fran Burbridge declared the playing conditions unsafe and left the facility with his team shortly thereafter.  He was offered a time slot at the end of the day but indicated that one or more of his players had other late day commitments and they could not stay. 

Why the organizers had not cleared all details with these coaches weeks before the event is hard to explain. Do note on Saturday, both teams were scheduled with other opponents on the main arena floor, and those games did come off as scheduled.   

Item 2 

As some of you may know the WNBA is locked in negotiations with the players’ union over the new CBA (collective bargaining agreement) to start this season.  Will there be a settlement or a strike? Time will tell but the NBA, which has a major hand in WNBA matters, certainly showed what it thinks of its little sister by only giving the WNBA $2.2 billion of the reported $76 billion media rights deal which will cover the next 11 years.  

Doing some math, $2.2 billion amounts to under 3% of the financial pie.  I am not saying the WNBA deserves even 10% but what was given by the NBA was insultingly low.  NBA brass counter that the league has been subsidizing the WNBA for years.  To varying extents over the years, that is true.  In countering, I ask if the league is such a loser, why are owners (now over 50% owned by NBA franchises) not looking to sell their WNBA teams? The answer is simple in that the value of WNBA franchises has skyrocketed to well over ten times the original purchase prices with the prevailing thinking that the value will continue to increase.   

 More WNBA CBA thoughts

There is too much at state for a strike that would cancel the season to take place.  Baseline ownership offers already include at least $1.000,000 for max player salaries ($5,000,000 salary cap per team) and minimum salaries north of $300,000 (as opposed to the current of close to $70,000 per season).  Add to this revenue enhancements which may raise all these numbers! Still front offices will earn their keep trying to stay under such a salary cap [do the math!].

Race for mythical national high school champion

Strength of schedule matters yet in the end too many polls just look at the number of losses a team has.  Most schools do not travel out of state and for that matter in their region of any state with size.  In doing a national poll, looking at the opposition is as important as looking at wins and losses.  

With the above in mind, as we enter mid-February, the race for the top rung is between Bishop McNamara of Maryland and several California schools, most principally Ontario Christian of Southern California and Archbishop Mitty of Northern California.   

Bishop McNamara still must navigate the WCAC playoffs and unofficial Maryland private school championship.  It has already had three league games won in overtime so there are still likely competitive games to be won. Top-level national ranking guarantees nothing by itself!

Ontario Christian has to play in the always challenging Southern Section playoffs and then enter the CIF State playoffs. In California, teams still can advance to the State level even if they take a loss in Section.  Like Bishop McNamara back in Maryland, there will be multiple chances to take a loss if not on its best level.

Unlike the two teams above, Archbishop Mitty is a Northern California team where no team is expected to seriously challenge Mitty’s march to the overall CIF Open Division final in Sacramento. On paper, Mitty has the easiest road to finishing national champion although they are generally ranked behind Bishop McNamara and Ontario Christian as playoffs loom ahead.

If there are significant upsets, there is still a chance that one of the academy schools (think DME, Legion Prep, St. James Performance Academy or Westtown School) could finish first. However, these schools would probably need a lot to go their way in the form of losses to the above plus being invited to and winning Chipotle Nations in early April in Indiana.  

And finally…

‘Believe it or not’ college fact 

At the time of publication: of the top 250 scorers in NCAA, 5 are Power 4 freshmen (15 in the top 250 = 6%). Patience rookies! In NCAA D1, you need to wait your turn, particularly in the Power 4 conferences.

Leading Freshmen Scorers in the Country (minimum 10 games played):

Uche Izoje – Syracuse (14.2)

Maya Foz – Bradley (14.5)

Karina Bystry - Northern Kentucky (14.7)

Elyn Bowers – Eastern Washington (14.9)

Peyton Hill – Eastern Michigan (15.1)

Lauren Olsen – Cal Baptist (15.3)

Gabby Mundy – Wofford (15.3)

Caliyah DeVilasee – Cincinnatti (15.5)

Alexis Bordas – Duquesne (15.6)

Jazzy Davidson – USC (16.9)

Francesca Schiro – Sienna (17.7)

Aaliyah Chavez – Oklahoma (18.3)

*Lauren Whitaker – Gonzaga (19.5)

*Naomi White – Northern Arizona (22.2)

Jaliya Davis – Kansas (21.4); 14th overall in the country

*redshirt freshmen