Way-Too-Early National High School Girls Basketball Rankings: Top 25 Teams – Sept. 25

It’s that time once again around the country to start gearing up for hoops action on the high school level. For high school girls basketball rankings, there’s plenty of great teams from all around the country to look at heading into the season.

The 2024-25 high school girls basketball campaign was one of the most exciting to date and this upcoming 2025-26 season looks to be no different as the national powerhouses are shaping into form as practices begin very soon.

Topping the Top 25 girls basketball teams in the land is Johnston out of Iowa as they finished with a record of 26-0, winning last year’s Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union (IGHSAU) Class 5A state championship. Who else joins the Dragons in these girls basketball preseason set of rankings?

Here’s a way-too-early look at the top 25 girls basketball teams in the country according to the Massey Ratings, which ranks teams by analyzing game outcomes, strength of schedule and margin of victory, as of Sep. 25.

1. Johnston (IA)

The Johnston Dragons are coming off winning last year’s Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union (IGHSAU) Class 5A state championship and finished with a 26-0 record in 2024-25. The Dragons enter the 2025-26 season on a 52-game winning streak dating back to 2023, which has seen the program notch back-to-back state titles. Senior point guard Jenica Lewis, who scored 12 points in last year’s state title game, is back in the fold after a strong junior campaign. Lewis has offers from Iowa, UNC, Notre Dame, Oregon and TCU.

2. Hopkins (Minn.)

Coming in at the second spot in the rankings is last year’s Minnesota State High School League (MSHSL) AAAA state champion Royals, which finished 27-5 and defeated Maple Grove at the end for the title. Hopkins wasn’t a team full of star power last season en route to winning another state title, but brings back plenty of talent to begin the fall campaign on everyone’s radar. Junior point-forward Erma Walker was crucial for the Royals in beating Maple Grove a year ago, with 28 points and eight rebounds. 

3. Bishop McNamara (Md.)

The Mustangs were among one of the country’s top girls basketball programs all season long last year, with Bishop McNamara only suffering two losses to Mater Dei (Calif.) and Bishop Ireton (Va.). Other than that, the Mustangs were perfect, boasting a 29-2 record playing one of the toughest schedules in the country. One player not returning for the Mustangs this fall is junior shooting guard Nevaeh Roberson, who announced her transfer to IMG Academy nearly two months ago.

4. Long Island Lutheran (N.Y.)

There’s some really good high school girls basketball out of the Northeast and it begins with Long Island Lutheran as they have been the perennial powerhouse out of the region. The Crusaders had a handful of losses on the court a year ago against some of the country’s best programs, including against Archbishop Wood, IMG Academy, Montverde Academy and Sidwell Friends. Long Island Lutheran is led by junior four-star point guard Taylor Brown, who returns as one of the best floor generals in girls basketball.

5. Dowling Catholic (IA)

Rounding out the Top 5 teams in the country on the girls basketball circuit is the Dowling Catholic Maroons, who narrowly fell to top-ranked Johnston in last year’s Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union (IGHSAU) Class 5A state championship, 55-44. The Maroons, the alma mater of WNBA star guard Caitlin Clark, finished with a 19-5 record and bring back one of the most talented girls basketball rosters in the Midwest region, including senior 6-foot-3 forward Ellie Muller, who is committed to Missouri.

Massey Ratings National High School Girls Basketball Rankings Nos. 11-25

6. Sierra Canyon (Calif.)
7. Montverde Academy (Fla.)
8. Providence Academy(Pa.)
9. Etiwanda(Ca.)
10. Wayzata (Minn.)

11. Mater Dei (Calif.)
12. Archbishop Mitty (Calif.)
13. Maple Grove (Minn.)
14. Bradley Central (Tenn.)
15. Incarnate Word Academy (MO)

16. IMG Academy (Fla.)
17. Minnetonka (Minn.)
18. Eden Prairie (Minn.)
19. Bishop Ireton (Va.)
20. Ontario Christian (Ca.)

21. Waukee Northwest (IA)
22. Pewaukee (WI)
23. Monterey(TX)
24. Westtown School (Pa.)
25. Ankeny Centennial(IA)

How to Follow National High School Girls Basketball

For high school girls basketball fans looking to keep up with scores around the nation, staying updated on the action is now easier than ever with the Rivals High School Scoreboard. This comprehensive resource provides real-time updates and final scores from across the state, ensuring you never miss a moment of the high school hoops action throughout the season. From nail-biting finishes to dominant performances, the Rivals High School Scoreboard is your one-stop destination for tracking all the hardwood excitement across the country.