High school girls basketball: Nike Tournament of Champions features seven teams ranked in MaxPreps Top 25

No. 5 La Jolla Country Day, No. 6 Sidwell Friends, No. 8 Lake Highland Prep, No. 15 Lone Peak, No. 17 Sacred Heart, No. 19 Long Island Lutheran and No. 23 St. John’s all in top bracket.

Thumbnail image of this articles writer: Aaron Williams
By
Dec 19, 2022, 10:00am
The top high school girls basketball tournament tips off Monday with seven ranked teams battling in the top bracket in Mesa, Ariz., at the 25th annual Nike Tournament of Champions, which runs from Monday through Thursday.

The marquee match of the TOC's first night features No. 8 Lake Highland Prep (Orlando, Fla.) battling No. 19 Long Island Lutheran (Brookville, N.Y.) at 7:30 p.m. (local time).



How to watch
When: Monday, Dec. 19 to Thursday Dec. 22
Where: Bell Bank Park, Mesa, Ariz.
Streaming: Be the Beast
TV: Semifinals 7 p.m. Thursday on ESPN+ | Final 9 p.m. Thursday on ESPNU
La Jolla Country Day's Breya Cunningham is among the top-tier talent at this week's Nike TOC girls basketball tournament. (Photo: Justin Fine)
La Jolla Country Day's Breya Cunningham is among the top-tier talent at this week's Nike TOC girls basketball tournament. (Photo: Justin Fine)
Lake Highland Prep is led by juniors Lexi Blue and Jada Eads, who are averaging 12.5 and 12.4 points, respectively. Senior Eleecia Carter also averaged double figures at 12.1 per night. LuHi is led by a quartet of players averaging double figures including juniors Kate Koval, Syla Swords and Kayleigh Heckel along with Savannah Swords.

Sidwell Friends, the reigning MaxPreps National Champion, takes on St. Mary's in the opening round. The Quakers are powered by Jadyn Donovan (16.3 points per game), Kendall Dudley (14.0), fab freshman Jayla Jackson (13.3) and Leah Harmon (11.0).

Other matchups on that side of the bracket include Mitty taking on Desert Vista and Bishop McNamara vs. Beaverton.

Bottom bracket matchups include Kailey Woolston and Lone Peak taking on 2025 standout Jazzy Davidson and Clackamas. Woolston leads the 5-1 Knights in scoring with 19.3 points per night while Davidson averaged 22.2 points and 8.3 rebounds last season and has the Cavaliers off to a 2-0 start.

Also on that side of the bracket is La Jolla Country Day battling Miami Country Day. The 5th-ranked Torreys feature Arizona commit Breya Cunningham, junior Tajianna Roberts and seniors Safiyha Sugapong and Jada Williams.

Delaney Thomas (18.7 points per game) and Kyndal Walker (13.6) lead St. John's into its first-round game against 8-2 Sage Hill while reigning MaxPreps Freshman of the Year ZaKiyah Johnson leads Sacred Heart against Bixby. Johnson is averaging 18.3 points and 7.6 rebounds seven games into her sophomore year.

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