When Sidwell Friends pulled out of the Nike TOC — COVID is believed to be the culprit — it changed the dynamic of the classic event, but it didn't alter its importance.
When Etiwanda came from behind in the final minutes to knock off Classen SAS in the Joe Smith title game, it boosted the Eagles all the way up to No. 4 in the MaxPreps Top 25 high school girls basketball rankings. The Southern California power beat three teams that had spent some time in MaxPreps Top 25 along the way, and also own a win over No. 14 La Jolla Country Day.
But if No. 5 Sierra Canyon is upset about the rankings change, the Trailblazers won't have to wait long to redress their grievances — a likely matchup between the two SoCal powers is set for the week after Christmas.
And meanwhile, No. 1 Sidwell is off until 2022, with only a trip to Minnesota to potentially play No. 4 Hopkins and No. 2 DeSoto left to truly prove their worth.
Aliyahna Morris, Etiwanda
Photo by Mark Jones
5-0 |
Last week: 1
Everyone wanted to see
Kiki Rice against the nation's best, but it didn't happen.
2. DeSoto (Texas)Record: 13-1 |
Last week: 2
The Eagles outlasted their archrivals, No. 16 Duncanville, 60-56, and now travel to Northern California for the West Coast Jamboree.
3. Montverde Academy (Montverde, Fla.)Record: 11-1 |
Last week: 3
The Eagles will have to work to retain this spot, as the Tampa Bay Christmas Invitational also features No. 7 DME, No. 9 St. John-Vianney and No. 18 Lake Highland Prep.
4. Etiwanda (Calif.)Record: 9-0 |
Last week: 7
The Eagles jump to No. 4 thanks to impressive display of depth, skill and basketball IQ at the Nike TOC.
5. Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth, Calif.)Record: 11-0 |
Last week: 5
The Trailblazers should get a shot at No. 4 Etiwanda next week.
Record: 8-0 | Last week: 4
The Royals' next two opponents have combined for five wins — and neither will add to that total against Hopkins.
7. DME Academy (Daytona Beach, Fla.)Record: 15-0 |
Last week: 12
Even though DME is 15-0, they're somewhat underappreciated — but winning the loaded Tampa Bay Christmas Invitational would change that in a hurry.
8. Classen SAS (Oklahoma City)Record: 10-1 |
Last week: 8
The Comets did everything but have enough timeouts left to stem the Etiwanda tide in the Nike TOC title game.
9. St. John-Vianney (Holmdel, N.J.)Record: 2-0 |
Last week: 11
The Lancers finally got started, and pasted a good Pennsylvania team, Chartiers Valley, 95-66 — thus the jump to No. 9.
10. Conway (Ark.)Record: 10-0 |
Last week: 1
The Wampus Cats travel to Duncanville, and hope to avoid getting roasted by some Texas home cooking.
11. New Hope Academy (Landover Hills, Md.)Record: 11-2 |
Last week: 6
New Hope went 3-1 at the Nike TOC, losing only to No. 8 Classen, and knocking off No. 21 Fremont.
12. Sacred Heart (Louisville, Ky.)Record: 11-0 |
Last week: 13
The Valkyries are in Florida next week, but the competition won't be as stiff where they are as it is in Tampa Bay.
13. Incarnate Word Academy (St. Louis)Record: 6-0 |
Last week: 14
Talk about dedication: The Red Knights start a tournament the day after Christmas.
14. La Jolla Country Day (La Jolla, Calif.)Record: 11-2 |
Last week: 9
The recipe is simple for the Torreys: Throw the ball to 6-4
Breya Cunningham on the block. But when Grandview's 6-7 Lauren Betts was the defender, the soufflé fell flat and LJCD dropped into the loser's bracket.
15. Cedar Park (Texas)Record: 19-0 |
Last week: 17
Unlike Duncanville and DeSoto, the Timberwolves stay close to home — which makes it hard to rise in the rankings.
16. Duncanville (Texas)Record: 16-4 |
Last week: 18
The Pantherettes four losses are all to teams ranked above them — and they also have a couple quality wins on the road. They might get No. 10 Conway at home this week, where Duncanville is notoriously hard to beat.
17. IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.)Record: 8-2 |
Last week: 19
The Ascenders face two teams that have been in the rankings at the BallN Prep Girls National Showcase, and both Hoover and The Webb School are more than capable of pulling off the upset.
18. Lake Highland Prep (Orlando, Fla.)Record: 10-2 |
Last week: 20
Both of those losses are to No. 7 DME, but a rematch is possible at the Tampa Bay Christmas Invitational.
19. St. Paul VI (Chantilly, Va.)Record: 7-2 |
Last week: 21
With losses to No. 7 DME and No.17 IMG, it's clear the Panthers have trouble with acronyms.
20. Princeton (Cincinnati)Record: 7-0 |
Last week: NR
The Vikings pillaged Mount Notre Dame to the tune of 86-59, and ran off with MND's spot in the rankings.
21. Fremont (Plain City, Utah)Record: 6-2 |
Last week: 16
The Silverwolves took two losses to ranked teams at the Nike TOC, but will likely not feel the sting of defeat again this season.
Record: 15-0 | Last week: 24
The Grizzly Cubs may face South Bend Washington next week, which would be their toughest test of the season.
23. Johnston (Iowa)Record: 9-0 |
Last week: 23
The Dragons will return to their lair until 2022, when they plan to breathe fire on hapless Iowa opponents.
24. Panther Creek (Cary, N.C.)Record: 6-0 |
Last week: NR
The Catamounts surprised previous No. 25 Apex Friendship 72-65, at Apex, but will likely meet them again in the finals of the John Wall Holiday Invitational.
25. Woodward Academy (College Park, Ga.)Record: 10-1 |
Last week: NR
The War Eagles have a loss, but they also have wins over Hoover and Blanche Ely — and will play No. 18 Lake Highland Prep later this year.
Dropped out: No. 15 McDonogh (Owings Mill, Md.), No. 22 Mount Notre Dame (Cincinnati), No. 25 Apex Friendship (Apex, N.C.)
