Ontario Chr leads in 1st Girls BB Ranks

We know another group has ranked Archbishop Mitty No. 1 in the nation, but we’re going to be more cautious with the return of All-American McKenna Wolitczko from injury and we think the Monarchs should be behind Etiwanda to start as well. Ontario Christian should have its big two of Kaleena Smith & Tati Griffin more up to their usual level. All of our first five teams are broken down in depth and we have 25 in all written up with 25 more on the bubble.

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EDITOR’S NOTE:

These preseason rankings were begun to be written up and compiled more than two weeks ago by longtime California girls basketball analyst Harold Abend, who has worked on our websites and even our earlier national magazine for more than 25 years. Harold had to stop early last week, however, due to a health issue that required a one-day hospital stay. He was getting better on Friday, but we told him that he needs to rest and not to worry about finishing these rankings.

Harold did the first 11 teams (as you can tell from the length of the writeups) and we did the others based on questionnaires that were sent in by some coaches plus other research. There was not enough time to do more than 25 teams. We know a lot of coaches have Harold’s contact info and we’re sure a text sending best wishes would be appreciated. He should be okay and we expect a lot of his work for us will continue, but the frequency and amount of content will be monitored. Our continuing focus on state records, state rankings, all-state teams, state stat stars and everything we do for the girls hoops community is not planned to be changed.

FIRST CAL-HI SPORTS STATE GIRLS RANKINGS
(Final 2024-25 ranking in parenthesis))
(*Forfeits not included)

1. (2) Ontario Christian (Ontario) 30-2

It looks like returning State Freshman of the Year Tati Griffin will be playing after a knee injury from the summer, so the Knights get the first No. 1 ranking for this season. According to Ontario Christian head coach Aundre Cummings, who told us two weeks ago: “Yes, Tati is back and has returned and has practiced all week.”

Kaleena Smith, the Cal-Hi Sports State Freshman of the Year from two seasons ago and Sophomore of the Year and 2025 Ms. Basketball State Player of the Year finalist, and the top recruit nationally from the class of 2027 by all rating services, also is back.

The Knights lost Sydney Douglas to a transfer (one of the top 2028 national recruits), but with Smith and Griffin on the court along with others Cummings has in the lineup, more than one of the state’s top coaches who knew Griffin was working out, made a case for Ontario Christian to start out at No. 1 and we agree.

Smith’s scoring was down last year from her freshman season, but her assists were up a little. Smith still led the team in scoring at 23.2 points per game and assists at 8.1 per game, plus steals at 4.5 per game, plus she snagged 2.8 rebounds per game. After nailing 179 three-pointers as a freshman for an at the time an all-time high according to the Cal-Hi Sports Online Record Book, last year she had 92 treys.

Griffin, a 5-foot-11 forward, was second on the team at 17.8 points per game, third in rebounds at 8.2, second in assists with 3.9 and third in steals at 2.8 per contest. If she returns at full strength, anything is possible for a player that some analysts and coaches say could be one of the all-time greats.

Another returnee who had a strong summer and fall is junior Dani Robinson, who averaged 8.3 points per game, was second in steals at 3.1 and third in assists at 3.4 per game. Two other returners are seniors Jaden Cox and Savannah Philan.

As for newcomers Layia King, a 6-foot-3 senior post comes over from Inglewood St. Mary’s Academy and Skyla Archer, a 6-foot-1 junior forward who was a star at Shadow Hills of Indio, has transferred in.

Ontario Christian will travel to the Bahamas for a tournament in December, it will face Incarnate Word Academy at the St. Louis Classic, they’re in the Hoopfest and Hoophall and will meet Maryland power Bishop McNamara. They open tournament play at the Troy Hoops Classic in Fullerton.

2. (3) Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth) 28-3

We were tempted to start the Trailblazers at No. 1 just like the boys team was ranked in the recently released preseason 2025-26 Cal-Hi Sports State Boys Basketball Rankings because of the combination of its two top players. That would be Cal-Hi Sports State Junior of the Year and 2025 Ms. Basketball State Player of the Year finalist and current senior Jerzy Robinson and senior returning post Emilia Krstevski.

According to sources, Robinson showed her stuff and was the top player at the Nike Skills Academy in late August. Robinson, a 6-foot guard who is the No. 3 player rated player in the Class of 2026, top rated player in California and a 5-Star recruit by 247Sports, is a hot commodity, but according to Sierra Canyon head coach Alicia Komaki she’s narrowed her college choices to South Carolina and LSU, and possibly UConn. Last season, Robinson averaged 27.2 points, 10.2 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game. Her 50 points (eight rebounds) in an 89-45 victory over Woodland Hills Louisville was a career high. According to Komaki, however, she’s been nursing an ankle.

The other top returner is senior post Emilia Krstevski, the No. 29 rated player in the nation and top rated post player in California according to 247Sports. She averaged 12.1 points, 8.2 rebounds and 2.0 blocks per game and had a career-high 28 points with 12 rebounds and outscored the entire opposition in a Southern Regional Open Division quarterfinal 71-26 victory over Mission Hills of San Marcos. The 6-foot-4 member of the Canadian National Team recently became Oregon-bound.

Other returners to look for are senior forward and D1 prospect Payton Montgomery, juniors Jordan Malek and Cali Suzuki, and sophomore Rosie Oladokun. A transfer just cleared last week is UC Irvine-bound senior guard Delaney White. Two other transfers waiting for clearance are sophomore twins Cherri and Chaz Hatter from Arizona.

Sierra Canyon is slated to play in the Hoophall in Massachusetts, the Memphis Hoopfest, the Bahamas Hoopfest, the Desert Holiday Classic in Palm Springs, and the tournament we will keep an eye on and plan on attending is the Troy Hoops Classic in early December in Fullerton. We could have an early showdown between Sierra Canyon and Ontario Christian in that Troy event.

3. (1) Etiwanda 28-5

There are some who felt head coach Stan Delus and his Eagles possibly should have started on top of the preseason rankings, just like they started on top of last season’s preseason rankings. After all, Delus and his girls made history by winning the CIF Open Division state championship for the third straight season. We didn’t put Etiwanda back at No. 1, but do have them ahead of Mitty at No. 3 to start.

In this age of competitive equity and multiple transfers, it’s pretty hard to argue against three straight Open titles. However, with Morris graduating as well as current LSU freshman Grace Knox plus others, as much as we would have liked, we just can’t put the Etiwanda on top to start. That doesn’t mean Delus and his Eagles won’t be formidable, because they will be.

The top returner will be Florida-committed 5-foot-10 senior wing Arynn Finley, a 4-Star recruit and the No. 8 rated player in California by 247Sports, who was third on the team in scoring last season at 12.4 points per game (4.1 rpg, 3.4 apg, 2.4 spg). She should see her numbers go up this season. In the 2025 CIF Open title game vs Mitty, Finley went for a game-high 21 points on 8-of-9 shooting from the field and 4-for-5 on three-pointers. The other top returners, all juniors and all with multiple offers, include 6-foot-2 forward Aliyah Phillips (7.6 ppg, 7.3 rpg, 1.5 bpg), point guard Chasity Rice (9.8 ppg, 3.2 spg, 2.6 apg), and combo guard Andrea Alamo.

The top newcomer will be 6-foot-2 junior C/PF Jaylee Moore, a transfer from a Caruthers team that won two straight CIF state championships. According to Delus, she has seven D1 offers. Tess Oldenburg, a 6-foot-2 junior C/F/W also comes over from Chino where last season she averaged 18.7 points, 9.3 rebounds and 5.6 rebounds per game. A newcomer to look for is Cassidy Morgan, a freshman guard who looked good in the fall and already has a D1 offer.

Etiwanda is scheduled to play in the Battle at the Beach in Redondo Beach, the Tarkanian Classic in Las Vegas, the Nike POA Holiday Classic in Oregon, the Sabrina Ionescu I20 Showcase in Concord and at Temecula Rancho Christian for the Private vs Public event.

4. (5) Archbishop Mitty (San Jose) 27-4

When Archbishop Mitty lost in the CIF Open Division state title game last season, we dropped the Monarchs down from the No. 3 spot to No. 5 in the Final Expanded Rankings. With the Iowa-bound McKenna Woliczko primed to return to the lineup after a knee injury, but possibly not until January based on sources telling us by all involved, we want to take a conservative approach for their ranking. The reality is that the team that finished the season without Woliczko could be much improved, but that might not happen until later on.

The top returners are led by 6-foot-2 sophomore forward and 2025 West Catholic Athletic League Player of the Year Maliya Hunter (10.6 ppg, 5.0 rpg), and she already has offers from Cal, Stanford, Louisville, Arizona, Michigan, Ohio State and TCU. Five-foot-10 senior guard and Michigan-committed Devin Cosgriff (8.5 ppg, 3.1 rpg), senior guard and UC San Diego-committed Emma Cook (7.2 ppg, 3.6 rpg, 2.3 apg), and juniors Tee McCarthy (8.5 ppg, 3.4 rpg, 4.2 apg, 2.7 spg) and Ze’Ni Patterson (9.1 ppg) all return as well.

Others to look for are seniors Abi James and Sofia Teresi, and junior Zi Patterson. With all the very solid younger players we saw over the summer who can shoot the three-pointer, head coach Sue Phillips might not have enough seats on the bench for all of them. It was looking like last year’s version of the Monarchs was going to be Phillips’ best team ever until Woliczko was injured. Now, if she comes back at full strength, Hunter progresses, Cosgriff improves, and the others mature and get stronger and better, the 2025-2026 version of the Monarchs may be the best ever, and finally deliver a CIF Open Division championship.

We’ll find out how good Mitty is without Woliczko at the La Jolla Country Day Sweet 16 and the Nike TOC if she doesn’t play until January, but even without her with what Mitty has they still deserve this spot to start.

5. (4) Mater Dei (Santa Ana) 29-4

While the Monarchs drop a spot from last season’s Final Expanded Rankings, if 6-foot-1 senior forward Kaeli Wynn comes back at full strength from a kneecap injury, and if all the other pieces fall into place, despite Addie Deal going off to Iowa, they should be top five to start and they are.

Wynn, who has several offers, including South Carolina and Stanford, averaged 17.3 points, a team-leading 7.1 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.8 steals per game, and she led Mater Dei with 77 three-pointers on 43-percent from beyond the arc. According to sources on the coaching staff, Wynn has been doing some on-court work and they’ll know more soon when she can return.

Stella Hoss (5.3 ppg, 4.4 rpg), a 6-foot-2 junior wing, looked great over the summer and fall and has developed her outside game. Two other top returners that looked much improved in a fall event in Orange County are junior guard Harmony Golightly (6.5 ppg, 46 3-pointers) and senior Amiah Lewis. Golightly already has several offers, including Central Florida, UNLV, UC San Diego, San Jose State and UC Irvine.

A transfer from Arizona who could make an impact and has committed to UC San Diego is 6-foot wing Noelle Mulvaney. One of the top incoming freshmen we saw over the summer and fall was 5-foot-11 Legend Tyler. A transfer from Ontario Christian that will help the Monarchs with a post presence is 6-foot-2 sophomore Marissa Bishop. Another player we saw in the fall that had a solid outing was senior forward Ava Kanaly.

Mater Dei is scheduled to play in the Nike TOC, the POA Nike Holiday Classic, the Hoophall in Massachusetts, their own Matt Denning Nike Hoops Classic, and the Kay Yow Showcase and Nike Extravaganza.

6. (NR) Centennial (Corona) 16-10

Outside of Southern California girls basketball coaches and insiders, most fans are probably wondering how the Huskies can go from not making the Final Expanded Rankings last season to a Top 10 spot in this season’s preseason rankings. In fact, once all of the transfers the Huskies have become eligible, they could be the best team in the state.

The situation after talking to former Ontario Christian head coach and new head coach Matt Tumambing is that we can’t start Centennial in the top five due to the time it will take to get everyone on the court. It may even be hard to simply field a team.

The returning star player is 6-foot-4 senior Cydnee Bryant. The little sister of former Centennial star and recent NBA first round draft pick Carter Bryant averaged a monster double-double 21.7 points and 16.8 rebounds last season. According to sources Bryant had a performance at the Nike Skills Academy in late August that was only sur,passed by Jerzy Robinson. She’s only the No. 2 rated center in California by 247Sports but many analysts feel she is hands down the top post in the Golden State, and according to Tumambing she has narrowed her college choices to Houston, Utah, Kansas and Oklahoma, and she is reportedly wanting to play both basketball and volleyball in college.

The Huskies have another player in the lineup with a similarly pronounced first name but spells it different and that’s 6-foot-7 sophomore Sydney “Bean” Douglas, a transfer from Ontario Christian and a runner-up for Cal-Hi Sports State Freshman of the Year last season after averaging 14.0 per game, and leading the team in rebounds and blocks at 9.0 and 3.5 per game, She looked very good at the H.O.P.E event with two big double-doubles when we saw her.

With Bryant and Douglas in the lineup, Centennial will likely redefine the term Twin Towers in girls high school basketball. Another transfer who comes over from Bishop Montgomery, who we also saw at the H.O.P.E. event, is junior wing Armanyie Reed. According to Tumambing, her family moved to the Inland Empire. Reed, who reportedly has an offer from USC, averaged 11.8 points, 6.2 rebounds, 4.2 assists and 2.1 steals per game last season. A junior combo guard that moved to the Inland Empire from the Seattle, Washington area is Keleesa Howard. Coming over from crosstown rival Santiago is sophomore Princess Poiali-Hunkin. And finally, transferring from Ontario Christian is sophomore guard Jelise Mix.

Is Tumambing going to put this jigsaw puzzle together come late December? We shall see.

7. (8) San Ramon Valley (Danville) 28-4

It may have only been a fall tournament but when we saw San Ramon Valley at the H.O.P.E. Showcase in mid-October in Orange County the Wolves looked like they were in mid-season form. The Etiwanda team they defeated was admittedly short-handed and was using the event as a testing grounds for various sets of players, but that did not diminish the fact that although the loss of 69-62 was to Clovis West in the CIF Northern Regional Open Division semifinals, with who they return, the Wolves looked every part the No. 2 team in Northern California.

Junior guard Ella Gunderson, a 2025 Cal-Hi Sports All-State Sophomores First Team selection, had a dribble drive that was unstoppable in October and she hit from outside the arc as well. Gunderson led San Ramon Valley in scoring last season at 18 points per game (also 6.0 rpg , 4.0 apg). Like Gunderson, senior and recent San Jose State commit and fellow backcourt mate and 2025 All-State Juniors First Team honoree Alyssa Rudd (15.0 ppg, 10.0 rpg, 3.0 spg) looked even better than last season. Two other players that looked improved over last year were juniors Carly Stern (13 ppg, 6 rpg, 4 apg) and Hania Bowes.

A player that wasn’t at the October event who is also a major contributor to watch for is sophomore Kaitlyn Mills (11 ppg, 3 apg). A newcomer that according to sources that should be a solid contributor is freshman Presley Uchikura. After his Wolves defeated East Bay Athletic League archrival and CIF Division I state champion Carondelet 59-55 in overtime for the first of three victories over the Cougars last season, head coach John Cristiano had this to say about his team. “This is the youngest team I’ve ever coached but they have the resiliency of seniors.”

8. (10) Sage Hill (Newport Beach) 23-12

The Lightning had about as an up and down season as you could have but in the end they made it to the CIF Division I state championship before falling just short in a 51-48 loss to Carondelet. The word on the street in Southern California and in the responses we got from our coaches’ questionnaire is that Sage Hill is one of the top five teams in Southern California and it’s not a stretch since the roster returns everyone.

Senior Amalia Holquin, who led a well-balanced attack last season at 14.6 points, 4.0 rebounds and 4.1 assists per game, leads the way. Holquin, a 4-Star recruit and the No. 12 rated shooting guard in the nation and No. 9 rated player in California, will be Texas-bound next fall. Kamdyn Klamberg, a 6-foot-1 junior wing who has several D1 offers, and looked very solid over the summer and fall. She averaged 13.1 points and 5.2 rebounds per game.

Other top returning starters include 6-foot sophomore wing Addison Uphoff (9.7 ppg, 3.7 rpg, 2.7 apg), 6-foot sophomore F/C Eve Fowler (7.7 ppg, 7.9 rpg, 2.3 apg) and sophomore Leah O’Toner (4.8 ppg, 36 three-pointers). Another solid returner is senior Alyssa Cuff. Newcomers include freshmen Mikhalia Cudia and Nancy Chang.

Head coach Kerwin Walters was asked about strengths and weaknesses of his Lightning and his response was. “Strength: Long, Shooters, Playmakers, Highly Skilled. Weakness: Youth and inexperience.”

Tournaments include the Redondo Union Battle of the Beach, the Troy Classic, the TOC, and the Nike Holiday event in Oregon.

9. (6) Clovis West (Fresno) 33-1

With the Golden Eagles having three graduating seniors, including Tri-Rivers Athletic Conference Player of the Year Alexis Swillis now at Nevada Las Vegas, we had thought that head coach Craig Campbell might have some rebuilding to do. Maybe, but the bottom line is what they have, that’s still are Top 10 team and by far still the top team in the CIF Central Section.

Campbell loses a lot but he always seems to have players ready to step up. His top returners are both college-level prospects, Ramie Chatman (8.0 ppg, 5.1 apg), a junior guard who currently had offers from Fresno State, Cal Baptist, UC Santa Barbara, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo and Pacific, Malohni Warren (11.9 ppg, 93 3-pointers) and Fresno Pacific-committed Ryleigh Schoonover.

Adding to the rotation will be three future scholarship players. Senior guard Josline Martinez, sophomore point guard McKenna Curry and sophomore forward Sydney Swillis are all players to watch.

10. (14) Fairmont Prep (Anaheim) 23-11

This is another team with a slew of transfers and newcomers that now makes it the No. 3 team to start in Orange County. The No. 10 spot also is where the Huskies were before they lost to Windward in the CIF Southern Regional Division I semifinal.

Senior sharpshooter Adyra Rajan ended the season by connecting on 157 three-pointers, and that has landed her in the No. 7 spot all time according to the Cal-Hi Sports Online Record Book, and she will be the top returner. Other top returners include 6-foot-2 senior power forward and French native Sarah Aldeguer (15.2 ppg, 9.3 rpg, 2.8 apg, 2.0 spg), senior Lesina Afu (10.7 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 2.7 apg).

But there’s a lot more. Mathis Dritz, a 6-foot-2 senior wing who comes over from Westlake, averaged 20.8 points and 12.7 rebounds and she was high in the Girls of Summer Player Rankings. The x factor may be 6-foot-3 freshman center Aaliyah Mack. She was the top freshman center in the Girls of Summer Player Rankings.

11. (9) Carondelet (Concord) 30-6

After defeating Sage Hill, the CIF Division I state champions come in a little lower than the Final Expanded Rankings where they were the only Open Division team that cracked the Top 10 in finishing ninth. Still, it only two spots lower and there’s some solid returnees.

The good news for Cougars’ fans and head coach Kelly Sopak, who won his first state championship and during the season hit the 500-career win mark, is that only three players graduated. Sopak returns nine players, including two college recruit level players, senior wing Layla Dixon (13.5 ppg, 6.2 rpg, 4.1 apg and 3.2 spg) and senior combo guard Sophia Ross (13.6 ppg, 4.0 apg), plus 6-foot-1 junior power forward Celeste Alvarez (9.8 ppg, 8.2 rpg, 3.8 apg, 2.4 bpg). Alvarez really came on strong in the playoffs.

Carondelet will have to be behind league rival San Ramon Valley, but the team should clearly be among the top five in Northern California.

12. (18) Moreno Valley 26-8

This is a team with a lot of returning talent that was ranked inside the top 20 of our weekly state rankings last season almost the entire way. Head coach Larry Wright’s squad will be led by junior Alaysha Mills, a 6-foot forward who makes a difference on both ends of the court. Mills averaged 16.2 ppg last season. Senior Bella Medina also is back. She knocked down 12.6 ppg as a junior. If 6-foot-3 Hasina Williams can become a force in the middle, that will only make the Vikings that much more difficult to beat.

13. (23) St. Mary’s (Stockton) 20-14

It’s not an influx of transfers that has created some high hopes at St. Mary’s and makes the Rams the highest ranked team in our preseason order out of the CIF Sac-Joaquin Section. It’s more about the return of standout junior guard Kori Rogers from injury that kept her out all of last season and about the addition of two impressive freshmen we saw at CaliLive25 last summer. Head coach Alle Moreno already was going to have a major returnee with 6-foot-4 major college recruit Evelini Smith. Rogers was one of the state’s top freshmen two seasons ago and can shine in both guard positions. This year’s two incoming ninth graders to watch are 6-foot-1 Dylan Horton, a wing player, and 5-foot-7 Aynya Hardy, who is a point guard. Dead-eye shooter Amani Rafiq, a sophomore, also is among those back.

14. (11) Windward (Los Angeles) 21-11

The Wildcats would have started out even higher if big-time sophomore Amel Cook, one of the top 10 ranked Class of 2028 players in the nation, had not suffered a meniscus injury and will not be able to play this season. New head coach Dante Dixon, however, does have transfer Angelina Habis, a junior who played last season at Chaminade after being an all-state freshman the year before that for a CIF state title team at Harvard-Westlake. He also has high hopes for sophomore Shiloh Johnson, who is the daughter of L.A. hoops legend Marques Johnson. Windward also has two very good returning players even with Cook sidelined. Senior guard Charis Rainey is the No. 31 player in the ESPN top 100 and has offers from Oklahoma, Cal, and more. Junior forward Alexie Wehrlie has offers from Sacramento State and San Diego and hopes for more. Dixon hopes the early injury has the added impact of everyone coming together. “Our strengths would be our work ethic and not feeling sorry for ourselves because life has happened,” he said. “Our weakness is going to be our depth.”

15. (7) Bishop Montgomery (Torrance) 22-6

This was a CIF Southern Section Open Division squad both last season and the year before that. Third year head coach Rheina Ale and her girls are going to be hard-pressed to reach that level again, but still should be among the top 20 in the state. The biggest graduation loss is all-state Jordin Blackmon, now at Rice. The Knights also lost junior guard Armanyie Reed on a transfer to Centennial of Corona. The top returnee for Ale is senior guard Sophia Dignadice, who rolled up 12.0 points per game last season. The Knights should be helped by the return of 5-foot-9 senior guard G’Layah Salazar, who did not play last season due to a torn ACL. Six-foot-1 Helen Long, who played for the Chinese national team this fall, is looked by Ale as another player who could have a big season.

16. (NR) Oak Park 21-4*

Ventura County girls hoops has been completely overturned by transfers and this team is right in the middle of it. The Eagles have won three straight CIF Southern Section titles and their top player from last year, Delaney White, has transferred out to Sierra Canyon. Head coach Will Burr also is now at Harvard-Westlake. It’s the new players coming by transfers plus the return of highly regarded 5-foot-11 junior guard Maya Deshautelle (lots of mid-major offers) that has to push up Oak Park. While we don’t know the eligibility status of all these players, new coach April Schilling has three big ones coming in, led by senior guard Karisma Lewis, who previously was at Buena of Ventura and is committed to UC Santa Barbara. Lewis averaged 21.3 points for the last three seasons combined at Buena and should get to 2,000 career points scored if she plays enough games for Oak Park. Diana Sorrondo, a 6-foot-4 center, is coming in from Arroyo Grande. She was the San Luis Obispo County Defensive Player of the Year and has committed to Southern Utah. Also new is sophomore Maya Urteaga, an all-state freshman choice a year ago at Moorpark where she averaged 26 points per game. Schilling also says that incoming freshman Marley Berkoh has an offer from UCSB. That’s a lot of movement and if it all works out and the CIFSS clears everyone that’s a group that will be quite formidable.

17. (21) Clovis 25-9

It’s not just going off returning players and one transfer that makes us think that the Cougars are getting closer to the Clovis West dynasty in the CIF Central Section. Head coach Cooper Steele’s girls played the Golden Eagles into overtime in last year’s D1 section final before losing, 44-43. Steele has four returning starters and 12 players off the roster in all who are back. The leader is four-year starting point guard Sadie Sin, who averaged 17.7 points and 4.4 assists per game and who has committed to Long Beach State. Yazmin Aguilera also returns at 12.3 ppg. Three-point shooter Saiya Sidhu is the only major graduation loss, but she should be replaced by incoming transfer Milly Rojas from Monache of Porterville. Rojas was second team all-state D2 by us from last season and she already has nearly 200 career three-pointers.

18. (22) Mission Hills (San Marcos) 23-8

The Grizzlies and head coach Christopher Kroesch are going for a three-peat as the CIF San Diego Section Open Division champions and he clearly has enough top players returning to be starting the 2025-26 season in the section’s No. 1 position. The lineup of returnees (all are back from last year except one player) is led by San Diego Section Player of the Year Bay Cordova, an athletic junior guard who averaged a team best 15.3 points plus 4.9 rebounds per game last season. Senior H.C. Harding was right behind Cordova with 14.4 ppg. Senior shooting guard Kalea Bacho (9.4 ppg) and junior guard Maleena Nava (team leader in assists at 3.3 per game) also are back. Nava also had a team-high 23 points in last year’s Open Division section title game win vs Francis Parker.

19. (24) Piedmont 25-6

There may be a good reason why longtime Piedmont head coach Bryan Gardere (been at the post since 2002-03 season) is still there and plans to lead not just the Highlanders this season but also will be head coach of the women’s team at Laney College. Gardere will have two of the top Class of 2028 players in the state on the Piedmont team. The Highlanders broke through in the rankings later last season with an eye-opening win vs Oakland Tech and should be up there in what looks like a crowded race of intriguing teams for the CIF North Coast Section Open Division berths. The two players Piedmont has are 6-foot-2 win Andrea Martin and 5-foot-7 point guard Jenelle Solis. Martin had totals of 18.8 points and 10.8 rebounds with 2.5 blocks and 2.0 assists per game as a freshman. Solis has eye-opening point guard skills and had 17.6 points per game with 7.1 assists.

20. (20) Cardinal Newman (Santa Rosa) 27-6

This is exactly where the Cardinals finished in last year’s rankings and although head coach and school athletic director Monica Mertle is going to miss three-point shooter and top player Kate Schat (now at Santa Clara) she has an impressive group of 10 players from last year who are back. Junior floor leader Macie Flores, a junior who led the team in assists and chipped in with 8.0 ppg, should be joined in the starting lineup with 6-foot-2 sophomore power player Saundra Jordan. She broke the school’s season rebound and blocks school record as a freshman (also had 12.0 ppg) and was on the all-state freshman team. Senior Valor Queen (9.0 ppg) is known for her clutch play and a player we’ve seen and liked is 5-foot-11 senior forward Teihana Peleti.

21. (28) Francis Parker (San Diego) 20-10

Right behind Mission Hills in the CIF San Diego Section pecking order and among those teams we really like in Southern California has to be the Lancers. Literally everyone from last season’s team that was top seed of the SD Open Division playoffs when it began is returning. Junior Brieana Brown led the team in scoring at 14.9 per game and in rebounds at 10.6 per game and is a top 30 all-state candidate. Sophomore Isabella Riddle came in at 13.4 ppg and was second in rebounds. Junior Gigi Ong, meanwhile, gets it done as the lead point guard plus third-leading scorer and on her way to Navy for college is senior forward Kaitlyn Raagas. This easily could be the year that head coach Courtney Clements and her girls reach the pinnacle of the San Diego Section for the first time.

22. (32) Bishop O’Dowd (Oakland) 20-9

The Dragons lack size, but when longtime head coach Malik McCord (who has won a CIF Open Division state title) says this will be “the best shooting team I’ve ever had” then that’s a statement hard to ignore. O’Dowd is coming off a season in which it avenged an earlier loss to Archbishop Riordan of San Francisco with a win in the D1 NorCal playoffs before a loss to eventual D1 state champ Carondelet. The Dragons will feature Ohio State commit Myella Chapman, one of the top Class of 2027 point guards in the nation, along with four-year standout Jayla Stokes, a 5-foot-7 guard with numerous D1 offers. All-league returnee Ella Bibbins (5-7 jr. G) plus incoming freshmen Tenaya Aguilera and Naya Chapman that McCord likes are more reasons to like this group.

23. (17) Brentwood (Los Angeles) 27-9

In the past two years the Eagles have drained more than 400 three-pointers for each season (which are now both added to our all-time state records), but head coach Charles Solomon is losing top shooter Payton Sugar to graduation. All-State D1 player Lev Feiman also is now at UC San Diego. Brentwood does return an elite group of guards plus one post player and isn’t expected to drop too far in the rankings. The leading returnees are junior Reena White (9.8 ppg), sophomore Jessica Liu (7.4 ppg), junior Kelsey Sugar (6.8 ppg) and senior Logan Scott (5.9 ppg, team-high 8.0 rpg). The Eagles also could benefit from improved play from 5-foot-7 sophomore guard Marley Simone-Myles.

24. (NR) Villa Park 24-5

Yes, we know technically the season has begun for some teams and this group at Villa Park already has early wins in Orange County against Troy of Fullerton (not at full strength yet) and JSerra of SJ Capistrano. We also really liked head coach Brad Willis’ team last June at the CaliLive ‘25 event up in Roseville. All five starters are back for the Spartans from last season, including league MVP Bailey Rocsey, a 5-foot-10 combo guard. Two others returning with first team all-league status are 5-foot-9 senior guard Olivia Sturdivant and 5-foot-8 senior guard Sabrina Patel. “The varsity group should continue to grow and challenge for the league title again,” Willis said. “They will continue to lean on team chemistry and cohesiveness.”

25. (30) Oakland Tech (Oakland) 20-9

This last spot for the first 25 came down to several teams, but in the end it was just too hard to leave off a Bulldogs’ squad that has two of the top-ranked players in the state. While veteran head coach LeeRoy Hurt had difficulties finding the right combination of guards last season to get the ball to 6-foot-3 senior Jhai Johnson and 6-foot-2 senior Terri’A Russell, there’s no doubt those two are impact players. Johnson, a four-year standout and daughter of NFL quarterback Josh Johnson, has signed with Vanderbilt to play in the SEC for college. She averaged 17.7 points last season. Russell, also a four-year varsity standout, also was reported with a 17.7 ppg last season. She has signed with UNLV.

NEXT 25 THAT JUST MISSED & ON THE BUBBLE

(14) Acalanes (Lafayette) 28-3

(NR) Antelope 20-9

(35) Archbishop Riordan (San Francisco) 19-9

(39) Caruthers 26-6

(NR) Christian Brothers (Sacramento) 25-8

(NR) Clayton Valley (Concord) 21-9

(NR) Esperanza (Anaheim) 20-11*

(19) Folsom 26-4

(27) Harvard-Westlake (Studio City) 24-8

(NR) JSerra (SJ Capistrano) 18-11

(29) La Jolla Country Day (La Jolla) 17-11

(NR) La Salle (Pasadena) 22-7

(NR) Lincoln (Stockton) 21-9

(12) McClatchy (Sacramento) 25-7

(NR) Orcutt Academy (Orcutt) 22-5

(13) Pinewood (Los Altos Hills) 23-5

(26) Priory (Portola Valley) 23-6

(16) Rancho Christian (Temecula) 26-9

(25) San Joaquin Memorial (Fresno) 23-7**

(40) St. Francis (Mountain View) 18-10

(NR) St. Ignatius (San Francisco) 15-13

(NR) St. Joseph (Lakewood) 25-5

(33) St. Joseph (Santa Maria) 23-8

(NR) Troy (Fullerton) 12-17

(NR) Ventura 27-3

Harold Abend is the associate editor of CalHiSports.com and the vice president of the California Prep Sportswriters Association. He can be reached at marketingharoldabend@gmail.com. Don’t forget to follow him on Twitter: @HaroldAbend

Mark Tennis is the co-founder and publisher of CalHiSports.com. He can be reached at markjtennis@gmail.com. Don’t forget to follow Mark on the Cal-Hi Sports Twitter handle.