SBLive’s Top 25 in Ohio high school girls basketball: The final pre-playoff rankings
By Sam Houseworth | Photo by Ben Jackson
With that wicked winter storm and the girls basketball regular season in the rearview mirror for most, it's time to focus on the road to UD Arena and the OHSAA girls basketball state tournament.
Ryan Isley has already broken down the districts in Division 1, Division 2, Division 3 and Division 4, but let’s go over which teams you can expect to make a deep playoff run over the next five weeks.
SBLIVE'S OHIO TOP 25
1. Reynoldsburg (15-2)
Last week: 1
Led by West Virginia commit Imarianah Russell, the Raiders have been a mainstay at the top of the SBLive Top 25 for the entire second half of the season. They are undefeated in Ohio, with the only two losses coming to teams who are state championship favorites in Indiana and Alabama. The Raiders will face Newark on Tuesday and Central Crossing on Friday before they tip off the postseason against Westland on Feb. 15.
2. Archbishop Hoban, Akron (19-0)
Last week: 2
The Knights finished the regular season undefeated, securing the title with a 67-17 win over WRA on Saturday. However, without a conference to win, Hoban will have to win the state championship if they want a banner to lift. This team is as well-equipped to do so as any team in the state. The relatively easy path to Dayton does not hurt either. There are only two other SBLive Top 25 teams in their northeast quadrant, neither of which they would see until the regional final. Hoban opens postseason play on Saturday against Akron North.
3. Mount Notre Dame, Cincinnati (18-1)
Last week: 4
It says a lot about the Cougars program when a No. 3 ranking is a down season. Led by Notre Dame commit KK Bransford, Mount Notre Dame enters the postseason with a clear path to the regionals. Once there, it will be a gauntlet for sure, with potential matchups against Kyla Oldacre’s Mason team, conference rival Ursuline Academy, and Princeton, the first team to beat the Cougars in three years. Their opening game is Wednesday against Oak Hills.
4. Dublin Coffman (18-1)
Last week: 3
The Lady Rocks had scoring from 10 players in their 59-25 blowout of Olentangy last Tuesday. That improves their win streak to 17 as they wrap up the regular season. Coffman hosts Upper Arlington on Friday before turning their attention to the postseason. There, they will face the winner of Mount Vernon and Groveport-Madison on Feb. 19.
5. Fort Loramie (20-1)
Last week: 5
The impressive win streak spanning two seasons is no more for the Lady Skins. On Saturday, Loramie headed to Liberty-Benton, where they lost their first game in 378 days. Loramie has already clinched the Shelby County championship for the fifth straight season. The Redskins host Houston on Thursday, before opening postseason play against Ansonia on Saturday.
6. Princeton, Cincinnati (20-2)
Last week: 6
With the pair of wins against Lakota East and Hamilton, the Vikings win their first Greater Miami Conference championship since 2014. Leading the conference in points and assists, junior Sole Williams established herself as an early favorite for Ms. Ohio Basketball for the 2022-23 season. The Vikings open postseason play against Western Hills on Saturday.
7. Tri-Village, New Madison (19-2)
Last week: 7
The Patriots lost Meghan Downing for two games in mid-December. Since her return, Tri-Village is 15-0 and the hottest D-IV team heading into the postseason. The Patriots drew about as easy a path as a team can get in the southwest quadrant, avoiding the heavyweights like Fort Loramie, Russia and Cincinnati Country Day until the regional final. Regardless, whoever they see in that regional final will be battle-tested. The Patriots open postseason play on Wednesday against East Dayton Christian.
8. Purcell Marian, Cincinnati (19-1)
Last week: 8
While it’s easy to talk about freshman phenom Dee Alexander, the Cavs’ depth was on display in their conference-clinching win Wednesday. Three players scored in double figures, while Alexander owned the boards with 15 rebounds in the Cavs’ 61-53 win over Cincinnati Country Day. They would go into Norwood and win 71-42 to clinch the outright MVC Scarlet title. Purcell Marian will open tournament play against Riverview East on Thursday.
9. Pickerington Central (14-6)
Last week: 11
After a midseason hiccup, the Tigers have won five in a row, which includes four games away from their home gym. The latest victim was New Albany on Tuesday, with the Tigers winning 53-38. Pick Central ends the season against a red-hot Westerville South team Tuesday. The Tigers open the postseason against Olentangy on Feb. 15.
10. Olmsted Falls (17-2)
Last week: 10
The Bulldogs will head into the postseason with the title of Southwestern Conference champions despite one game left to play at Steele on Wednesday. The Bulldogs are the lone SBLive Top 25 team in their quadrant. Olmsted Falls is a favorite to make its first appearance in the state semifinals in school history. Their path begins with the winner of Parma and North Royalton on Feb. 17.
11. Archbishop Alter, Kettering (20-1)
Last week: 9
Few people will be betting against the Knights in the D-II state tournament. Alter comes in with a perfect record in GCL Co-Ed play, finishing 10-0. This marks the Knights’ first conference title since winning the GCL North in 2017. Alter should have no issues on their path to the regional semifinals. Once to the regionals, there are teams like Granville, Summit Country Day and conference rival Badin who could challenge them. The Knights open postseason play Thursday against Clinton Massie.
12. Mason (19-2)
Last week: 12
Few teams are built for the postseason like the Mason Comets. Almost nobody else in the state can match up against senior center Kyla Oldacre. The future Miami Hurricane led the conference with 77 blocks on the season, more than double anybody else. She also recorded eight double-doubles this season. The Comets face Anderson in the opening round of the tournament Wednesday.
13. Shelby (20-0)
Last week: 13
On Saturday, the Whippets clinched the MOAC outright championship with a 49-28 win over second-place Clear Fork in front of their home crowd. This marks four MOAC titles in a row for Natalie Lantz’s team. The Whippets are at Ontario on Thursday before they open the postseason against Tiffin Columbian on Feb. 16.
14. Liberty-Benton, Findlay (18-1)
Last week: 14
The Eagles’ schedule is a who’s-who of top small-school programs in the state. Having knocked off O-G, Convoy Crestview, Columbus Grove and Bryan, there was one more test before the playoffs: defending D-IV champion Fort Loramie. Sophomore Lauren Gerken was unstoppable, leading all scorers with 20 as the Eagles pulled the upset, 37-28 over previously undefeated Loramie. Liberty-Benton faces Tiffin Columbian on Saturday, then opens tournament play against Lima Perry on Feb. 16.
15. Sheridan, Thornville (13-3)
Last week: 16
The Generals capped off the season with three straight wins over Meadowbrook, John Glenn and Morgan. Sheridan will open postseason play against the winner of Gallia Academy and the Washington Blue Lions on Feb. 14.
16. Worthington Christian (16-2)
Last week: 15
The Warriors clinched an outright MSL Ohio title with their 70-33 win over Columbus Academy on Saturday. The Warriors have one final warmup Wednesday at Bloom Carroll before the playoffs begin. The Warriors were slotted into the more challenging of the two Columbus-area districts and will open with Northridge on Feb. 16.
17. New Knoxville (18-2)
Last week: 18
Undefeated in MAC play, the Rangers have clinched at least a share of the conference title as they have one game left before the postseason. That game is against second-place New Bremen, which can win a share of the MAC title with an upset Thursday. New Knoxville will open tournament play against Upper Scioto Valley on Feb. 16 in a brutal district that features all of the top MAC teams.
18. Ursuline Academy, Cincinnati (18-4)
Last week: 17
Despite a lukewarm start, the Lions finished the season with a 13-1 record after Christmas. Their lone loss was against Mount Notre Dame in which they held KK Bransford to single digits for the lone time this season. All the D-I teams around Cincinnati have a rough path to Dayton. However, the Lions may have the toughest, as they could run into GWOC champion Centerville in the district finals. The Lions open the postseason against St. Ursula on Thursday.
19. Olentangy Liberty, Powell (14-5)
Last week: 20
The lone game for the Patriots this week was a 59-34 win over Dublin Jerome last Tuesday. The Patriots have a pair of road games to end the season at Hilliard Bradley and Hilliard Davidson. As for the postseason, they received one of the toughest draws in the state. If they can get by a battle-tested Newark team in the district finals, they could have Reynoldsburg waiting in the regional semifinals. Their opening game is on Feb. 15 against Pick North.
20. Russia (16-5)
Last week: 22
After a disappointing home loss, the Raiders bounced back with a 63-30 win over Versailles on Saturday. Russia will now look to make some noise in the postseason. Things will not be easy for the Raiders. Of the five D-IV teams in the SBLive Top 25, four of them are in the southwest quadrant. To even get to regionals, Russia has a potential date with Cincinnati Country Day in the district finals. The Raiders open postseason play Saturday against Lehman Catholic.
21. Jackson, Massillon (13-6)
Last week: Unranked
The Polar Bears finished their season with wins over Canton McKinley and Brush, taking that momentum into the state tournament. The Polar Bears will face the winner of Cuyahoga Falls and Kenmore-Garfield on Feb. 17.
22. Union Local, Belmont (16-3)
Last week: 21
Across the state, there lives a bias against eastern Ohio teams, as historically they have struggled against metro teams, with the exception being Berlin Hiland. However, this Jets team is one that cannot be taken lightly. On Saturday, the Jets beat Oak Glen in the OVAC 4A title game, 77-36. Junior Reagan Vinskovich led all scorers with 29. The Jets open tournament play Saturday against Buckeye Local.
23. Cincinnati Country Day (14-5)
Last week: 19
The Nighthawks’ hopes of a shared MVC Scarlet title were dashed Wednesday as they fell to Purcell Marian, 61-53. CCD will turn its attention to the postseason where the Nighthawks have a cakewalk to the district final. However, with the potential of facing Russia in that district final, the difficulty level ramps upward quickly. Their first game is Thursday against New Miami.
24. Centerville (16-5)
Last week: Unranked
Back-to-back GWOC titles for Centerville after a road win against second-place Springboro on Wednesday. Junior Kendal George led all Elks with 19 points while collecting three steals in their 59-49 win. Centerville ends the tournament as the top seed in the southwest. They will face Xenia on Feb. 14.
25. GlenOak, Canton (15-3)
Last week: 24
Back-to-back Federal League titles for the Lady Eagles of GlenOak. The Golden Eagles secured the title with a 57-52 win over Uniontown Green on Wednesday. Before the postseason, GlenOak will head to WRA on Wednesday and Massillon Washington on Saturday. The Golden Eagles will face the winner of Kent Roosevelt and Boardman on Feb. 17.
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