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Ontario Christian is the season-end No. 1 team in California for the first time ever after defeating Archbishop Mitty 56-49 for a CIF Open Division state title.
For the Knights and Monarchs to meet in the state finals and play down to the wire was no surprise.
There were, however, a few surprises last week involving ranked teams losing unexpectedly to end their seasons. And that led to three new teams debuting as only The Throne, Chipotle Nationals, Grind Session playoffs, and a few select state championships remain in the 2025-26 girls basketball season.
With that said, here are The Sporting News national high school girls basketball rankings for the week of Mar. 16.
PREVIOUS RANKINGS: Preseason | Dec. 1 | Dec. 8 | Dec. 15 | Dec. 22 | Dec. 29 | Jan. 5 | Jan. 12 | Jan. 19 | Jan. 26 | Feb. 2 | Feb. 9 | Feb. 16 | Feb. 23 | Mar. 2 | Mar. 9
Top 25 High School Girls Basketball Rankings
1. Ontario Christian (CA) (34-2 – 1st last week)
As if beating Archbishop Mitty for the program's first Open Division state title weren't impressive enough, the Knights even did it without a key player. Blue star freshman Chloe Jenkins, who averages 14.7 points, 11.3 rebounds, 3.1 assists, and 2.6 steals, was out with an injury, and Ontario Christian still managed to grind out a half-court style win against an opponent that excels in grinders. Kaleena Smith led the way with 24 points and five assists, and Skylah Archer had season-highs of 14 points and eight rebounds on 5-7 shooting starting for Jenkins. Earlier in the week, the Knights rolled to a 73-51 win over Sage Hill for the regional championship.
2. Bishop McNamara (MD) (29-3 – 2nd)
Sandwiched in between two teams it beat with no more games left to play. Like Ontario Christian, Bishop McNamara made its run at a national title with underclassmen leading the way. The Mustangs will miss Kai Powell, but Qandace Samuels, Nyair McCoy, Jaylah King, and Teagan Primus all figure to be Mustangs next season, and who knows who else might join the party for the East Coast's top team.
3. Archbishop Mitty (CA) (28-3 – 4th)
Puzzled that Mitty moved up after a crushing 56-49 state finals loss to Ontario Christian? While Princess Anne nearly fell to an unranked opponent (albeit an outstanding one), the Monarchs racked up yet another marquee win on the season earlier in the week. They won their fifth straight NorCal regional crown with a 71-42 dismantling of Clovis West, which, like Princess Anne's foe Menchville, is just outside of our bubble and an arguable top-50 team in the nation. Additionally, Princess Anne's highest-ranking win of the year was a double-digit victory over Bullis, and Archbishop Mitty also possesses one of those. 5-star Iowa signee McKenna Woliczko was a force in the state championship by notching 19 points and 10 boards and anchoring a strong team-wide defensive effort.
4. Princess Anne (VA) (28-0 – 3rd)
The Throne games not withstanding, Princess Anne is Virginia's undefeated state champion for the second year in a row. This time, however, the Cavaliers were pushed to their limit along the way, as unranked Menchville – which had lost only to Bishop Ireton – took them to overtime after nearly beating them in regulation. Micah Ojo led Princess Anne to a 65-62 victory with 25 points, 15 rebounds, and six blocks.
5. Sierra Canyon (CA) (30-3 – 5th)
It had to be brutal for the Trailblazers on Tuesday knowing that Sage Hill and Ontario Christian were playing for the right to face Archbishop Mitty in the finals. But don't forget, Sierra Canyon – not eventual state champion Ontario Christian – is the one heading into the offseason with a coveted CIF-Southern Section Open Division crown.
6. Incarnate Word Academy (MO) (20-2 – 6th)
IWA is once again on the brink of running the table against in-state competition and winning an MSHSAA D6 state crown. But it won't necessarily come easy. After blowing out Troy-Buchanan 63-34 last week, the Red Knights continue to face increasingly tough competition with Lee's Summit West up next and, if they win, Staley or Jackson in the finals.
7. Long Island Lutheran (NY) (17-4 – 7th)
Almost time for The Throne. LuHi opens with a rematch against St. John's, which it beat by 25 points in December.
8. SPIRE Academy National (OH) (19-0 – 8th)
SPIRE's season appears to be complete.
9. Etiwanda (CA) (30-4 – 9th)
The only California team with games left to play, Etiwanda is arguably the team to beat this week at The Throne.
10. Red Bank Catholic (NJ) (31-2 – 14th)
New Jersey Non-Public A state champions after a 54-39 victory over St. John Vianney and a 62-45 win against Morris Catholic. The Caseys' win over Vianney brought them to 3-1 in their season series with the Lancers and was their second in a row against them. Addy Nyemchek had 22 points and at least five steals in both games.
11. The St. James Performance Academy (VA) (23-3 – 10th)
If the Strivers do appear at Chipotle Nationals, they will enter with a full head of steam having won 19 games in a row since a 4-3 start.
12. Bullis (MD) (27-6 – 11th)
Now that the dust has settled, 11th feels low for a team that just beat No. 2 Bishop McNamara by double-digits in the state finals. But it also feels high for a team that was recently stunned in the ISL playoffs by previously unranked Sidwell Friends. Had Bullis beaten Sidwell Friends for the second time this season, it'd currently be sitting between two and five spots higher.
13. Sage Hill (CA) (28-6 – 12th)
Sage Hill got leapt with Red Bank Catholic notching a huge win, but losing 73-51 to Ontario Christian in and of itself isn't a stock-dropper by any means – other than the fact that it ended the Lightning's season.
14. Johnston (IA) (27-0 – 13th)
Sitting pretty after its third consecutive undefeated season and state title.
15. Westtown (PA) (27-2 – 17th)
Up two spots despite sitting idle with St. John Vianney and Tualatin both losing in the playoffs.
16. St. John Vianney (NJ) (26-4 – 15th)
A state title wasn't in the cards for the Lancers, even though they did get off to a good start in round four against Red Bank Catholic. Vianney led 13-8 after one quarter but scored 11 points in the next two quarters combined before losing 54-39 in the South Jersey Non-Public A finals. However, St. John Vianney's season is not over, as it now heads to The Throne as a legitimate dark horse title threat.
17. Hoover (AL) (35-1 – 18th)
With most states now done with the playoffs, it's time to ask where Hoover would rank had it not fallen to unranked Madison Central by one basket in its very first game of the season. An undefeated season with wins over Miami Country Day, Faith Family Academy, Hazel Green, Starkville, Grayson, John Curtis Christian, Albertville, Bob Jones (twice), Holy Innocent's Episcopal and Madison Central – with many wins coming in blowouts – would have the Buccaneers at No. 7 right now.
18. DME Academy (FL) (21-3 – 19th)
Even though it won't play any higher-ranked opponents, DME could finish higher with a sweep this weekend in the Grind Session playoffs. DME Academy also seems like a top candidate to potentially appear at Chipotle Nationals.
19. Legion Prep (TX) (15-3 – 20th)
LPA has presumably been thinking for nearly five months now about its 66-46 rout at the hands of DME Academy back in November. There's a good chance the Bulldogs will get another crack at DME this weekend in the Grind Session playoffs, and DME has cooled off considerably since the turn of the calendar year. But the Grind Session is deep with international talent and both teams will be on upset watch. Legion Prep opens up against Grind Prep, which played it to a 76-70 finish earlier this season.
20. Bishop Gorman (NV) (23-3 – 22nd)
When Bishop Gorman returned to the top 25 after winning an NIAA state crown a few weeks ago, we weren't completely sure the Gaels would stick around. But with a handful of teams getting upset in the playoffs since then, they've posthumously cracked the top 20.
21. Friends' Central (PA) (27-5 – 23rd)
Who's to say the Phoenix can't win the darn thing this weekend at The Throne? They're one of the most battle-tested teams in the nation and are coming off their first win over Westtown in four tries this season.
22. Oostburg (WI) (30-0 – 24th)
Oostburg just became the latest program to prove that a mid-sized public school program can still go from nationally unknown to nationally ranked without heavy out-of-state travel if it beats everyone who crosses its path. The formula? One marquee win against a national mainstay (Arrowhead), multiple over well-known regional powers (Whitefish Bay, Pewaukee), and leaving no doubt against everyone else. The Flying Dutchmen cemented an undefeated 30-0 campaign and finish in the top 25 by making short work of WIAA D3, finishing with a 64-37 rout of previously unbeaten Wisconsin Dells.
23. Fairmont (OH) (28-0 – Bubble)
Even in years when Ohio doesn't put out a can't-miss national power (like Purcell-Marian during its recent dynasty), it's still nearly impossible to go undefeated atop the state's toughest division. Fairmont just did that and managed to go under the radar in the process, debuting after the last week of Ohio's season following an OHSAA Division I state title. Senior Kaylah Thornton (Akron) and 4-star sophomore Janiyah Hargrave led the way for a team that played Princeton twice, Pickerington Central twice, Olentangy, West Clermon, Springboro twice, and other tough in-state teams and didn't falter once.
24. Putnam City North (OK) (30-1 – Bubble)
SARAH PHIPPS/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
No stranger to national rankings, Putnam City North nearly debuted many times but never quite got the nod with its only loss coming in Las Vegas to Bishop Gorman. Jayla Constant and company ran the table against Oklahoma competition, plus a handful of Texas contenders, en-route to another OSSAA chip and finished with a 62-40 rout of a Muskogee team that had previously taken them to overtime.
25. Pleasant Grove (UT) (26-0 – Bubble)
Like Putnam City North, Pleasant Grove has been considered for a top 25 spot on many occasions. And it turns out that the Vikings finally break through more than two weeks removed from finishing their season undefeated with a UHSAA 5A championship. It was a down-year for the state of Utah, but Pleasant Grove made a point of playing many of the state's best teams and only six games came down to single digits, none of which were in the playoffs.
Sporting News high school girls basketball top 25 bubble
Arrowhead (WI)
Belleville (MI)
Bishop Ireton (VA)
Democracy Prep Agassi Campus (NV)
Example Academy National (IL)
Grace Christian (NC)
IMG Academy (FL)
Lancaster (TX)
Miami Country Day (FL)
Montverde Academy (FL)
Paul VI (NJ)
Sidwell Friends (DC)
South Medford (OR)
Southeastern Prep Academy (FL)
St. John's (DC)
Tualatin (OR)
Wauwatosa East (WI)
West Linn (OR)
Westlake (TX)
English (US)