The Indiana high school girls basketball state tournament begins Tuesday and with the regular season now officially behind us, we are going to make one last attempt at ranking the state’s 25 best teams, regardless of class.
1. Pike (22-1)
The Red Devils went unranked until the tail-end of the 2024-25 campaign. They wore that under-the-radar moniker like a badge of honor and carried it as a massive chip on their shoulder en route to the state semifinals.
Things are different this year. Not only has Pike been ranked since the preseason poll, it ascended to No. 1 in the coaches poll and is widely considered among the favorites to win it all. And that new label is befitting of this team, as well.
The Red Devils had to rally before beating Carmel in overtime in the penultimate week of the regular season, but I would argue that says more about the Greyhounds and was actually a good thing for coach Keith Hollins’ team, exposing them to a high-pressure, late-game situation.
t-2. Center Grove (22-0)
Listen, these rankings are all ultimately meaningless. But I was surprised to see the Trojans at No. 3 with zero first-place votes in the IBCA’s Jan. 26 ranking. That’s crazy, especially considering they were coming off a 65-43 win over Hamilton Southeastern the day before.
But I digress.
Center Grove has allowed 50 points only once this season and averaged 56 points in the seven games since a 33-30 win over Bloomington South. That stretch has been highlighted by wins vs. Carmel (57-40), Columbus North (58-48), Cathedral (49-36) and HSE (65-43).
t-2. Homestead (22-2)
The Spartans’ offense was very good against Warsaw a couple weeks ago independent of the Tigers’ injury situation, and that win over Pike in the second week of the season is quite glamorous. Also, the way Homestead rallied to beat FW Northrop on Friday — good gravy, this is a team that’s firing on all cylinders.
There was one team in the Fort Wayne South sectional I wanted Homestead to avoid and, thankfully, that rematch with defending 3A state champion Norwell won’t be until Saturday. I’m fascinated to see what adjustments both teams make ahead of that one. The Knights snapped a nine-game losing streak in the series with a 59-46 win vs. Homestead on Nov. 18 — but the Spartans held their own against the 1-3-1.
4. Warsaw (23-2)
The closest thing to a test the Tigers have had since the 66-52 loss to Homestead was Wednesday’s game vs. 3A Bellmont, and after falling behind by 12 late in the first half, they out-scored their opponent 37-14 en route to a 72-57 win. The final box was very on-brand for Warsaw with Joslyn Bricker (32 points), Brooke Zartman (20) and Alexis Neely (13) doing most of the scoring.
The sectional draw sets up for a rematch against Northridge, which the Tigers beat, 43-32, in early January.
5. Lawrence Central (18-4)
Mother Nature and the bingo balls combined forces to generate some adversity for Lawrence Central.
The Bears’ game against South Bend Washington originally scheduled for last Monday was canceled, meaning when they take the floor Friday against Tech, it will have been nearly two weeks since their last game. For better and worse, they drew away from the other top teams in the bracket, with Lawrence North, Warren Central and North Central all set to pick each other off before the championship game. A formidable rival team to start sectional play may have helped LC get up to speed quicker, but it will have to wait until Saturday.
6. Hamilton Southeastern (17-4)
The Royals have a nine-day layoff before Tuesday’s opener vs. Westfield, but that’s probably a good thing with KK Holman coming off that knee injury she suffered in late December.
HSE jumped ahead early on Westfield en route to a 43-28 win on Jan. 16, then had to grind out a win vs. Zionsville a week later before that aforementioned blowout loss to Center Grove.
7. Valparaiso (20-2)
Lillian Barnes and the Vikings went about their business in January, going 8-0 with notable wins over Lawrence North and McCutcheon. They shouldn’t encounter much resistance in the sectional, either, which would set the stage for a potential rematch with Warsaw in the regional championship game.
The Ball State-bound Barnes has continued her well-rounded contributions, but there are scoring options beyond her — Delilah Kincaid, Caydence Clark and Chyanne Brown are all averaging 7-12 ppg.
8. Plainfield (19-5)
The hits have just kept on coming for the Quakers, who were without guard Berkeley Williams for a three-game stretch (wins at Franklin, Franklin Central and Mooresville).
The good news is Williams returned for Friday’s contest vs. Decatur Central and 5-9 junior Kara Olejnik made her debut against Franklin after missing most of the season due to injury. The less-good news is Hannah Menser is still playing through a hip injury (her numbers are pretty remarkable considering she has a torn labrum) and Plainfield’s sectional draw sucks (Ben Davis, Brownsburg, then most likely Pike).
9. Norwell (20-4)
As expected, the Knights have been stacking wins and building momentum since that ridiculously difficult stretch at the end of December. They enter the tournament on a seven-game win streak, highlighted by a 10-point win over Bellmont and a 40-point win vs. Jay County.
Norwell has gone from the top-ranked team in the state to under-the-radar, but lest we forget, coach Eric Thornton’s team knocked off then-No. 1 Homestead on Nov. 18 sandwiched between wins over Northridge and Cathedral.
Congratulations to Vanessa Rosswurm on breaking the school’s all-time scoring record on Friday.
10. Roncalli (21-3)
The Royals have just kept on winning since falling to Pike in the Marion County championship game, adding notable victories vs. 4A Franklin Central, Greensburg, 4A Franklin and likely semifinal opponent New Palestine in the month of January to reach a school-record 21 wins. The defense remains top-notch and they have really diversified things offensively, demonstrating the ability to score in a variety of ways.
If Roncalli wins its sectional, it will advance to face the winner of the Shortridge sectional (Cathedral and Chatard are the favorites there), a development which made me want to throw my computer out the window when it came across the screen.
11. Pendleton Heights (19-3)
The Arabians have kinda been caught in the shadows, locally at least, of Pike, Center Grove and Lawrence Central in the 4A South. But they are a formidable foe with 6-3 center Adah Hupfer and 5-9 guard Olivia Jones leading the way, and amassed a nice collection of wins (i.e. HSE, Westfield, Carmel, Delta, Chatard and Heritage Christian).
Mt. Vernon is probably the most dangerous team in this sectional besides Pendleton Heights, so of course they’re matched up on opening night.
12. Floyd Central (19-3)
FC had its 15-game win streak interrupted by Assumption (Ky.), but bounced back with a blowout of Corydon Central in Friday’s regular-season finale. The Highlanders averaged 33 points allowed per game during their win streak, and have allowed only two opponents to clear 50 all season. Their opponent Tuesday, Jeffersonville, was one of those teams to reach 50, with Alice Mangrum, Makenna Taylor and Kelis Dansby combining for 40 points in the three-point win.
13. Cathedral (17-6)
The Irish found different ways to win amidst a 13-game win streak that spanned from the end of November through late-January. They kept things relatively close against Center Grove (lost by 13), then dropped a tightly contested, back-and-forth battle with Carmel before beating Northview and Huntington North.
As a spectator, the draw sets up perfectly with a worthy semifinal foe in Purdue Poly Englewood, followed by a potential City finals rematch with Bishop Chatard in Saturday’s championship bout.
14. Brownsburg (12-9)
I was concerned when the Bulldogs dropped a seven-point decision at Fishers in their first game after the Hendricks County tournament. Maybe all those close losses against quality opponents were finally beginning to take their toll on this team’s psyche. But then they followed a high-scoring loss to Pike (90-74) with a really impressive eight-point win over Westfield, a blowout of short-handed Bloomington South and a record-setting performance vs. Zionsville on Friday (19 made 3s!).
So yeah, I think they’re OK. Also, Brownsburg will have had an entire week off when it takes on either Plainfield or Ben Davis in the second semifinal Friday.
15. Westfield (17-7)
The Rocks looked really impressive in Wednesday’s 68-42 win over Ben Davis, specifically on the offensive end where they hit six 3s and picked up 22 points from freshman guard Lillian Clark and 21 from senior MaKayla Hatcher.
I would not expect similar numbers against HSE — that game is going to be a rock fight — but it does bode well for subsequent rounds if Westfield is able to snap its six-game losing streak vs. the Royals.
16. Silver Creek (16-5)
The Dragons have a solid top-3 offensively with Brooklynn Renn (21 ppg), Emma Schoen (15 ppg) and Emily Robison (13 ppg), all of whom are also averaging 3-plus assists and a couple steals per game.
SC’s sectional is difficult with Charlestown looming in the semifinals — the Pirates played them to a six-point decision in November — and a potential championship bout against Juliana Davis and the Madison Cubs, who finished within four of Silver Creek in early January.
17. Bellmont (19-3)
The Braves’ path to Gainbridge opened up significantly with the success factor moving two-time 3A state finalist Norwell out of their sectional and up to 4A. But they have also constructed a nice résumé with notable wins over FW Northrop, Columbia City and Jay County. Coach Andy Heim’s team also kept pace with Norwell before losing by 10 and actually led Warsaw at halftime last Wednesday (lost, 72-57).
Bellmont is led by the Bleke sisters, sophomores Ashley and Marianne, and has just one senior on its roster: Bri Converset.
18. Greensburg (18-6)
The Pirates went 8-1 through the month of January with the only loss coming to Roncalli and the wins including a 49-36 triumph over sectional opponent Jennings County. Greensburg has some really talented pieces, including Aly Powers and Mary Harmon, but its postseason success will hinge largely on 5-10 junior Claire Larrison.
Another win for the bingo balls in this sectional, by the way, with Greensburg and Jennings County drawing byes on opposite sides of the bracket.
19. Washington (18-4)
The Hatchets tested themselves at the front-end of their schedule with games against North Knox, South Knox, Borden, Evansville Central and Castle. They went 3-2 over that stretch and have cruised from there, with the only losses coming to 4A Evansville Reitz and in overtime against sectional foe Princeton.
Washington has a very nice top-3 with Katie Reed, Shay Hawk and London Gilley, and is looking to win its third consecutive sectional championship.
20. Franklin Central (12-9)
The Flashes are among the most talented teams in the state with a stacked 2027 class, but was dealt a difficult blow when point guard Riley Huotari tore her ACL in the opener vs. Center Grove. They gained early momentum with competitive losses to HSE and Westfield followed by a win over Brownsburg, and have rebounded from a four-game losing streak at the end of December with wins in three of their past four entering sectional.
Ashlee Baker and Aniya Doughty have primarily handled point guard responsibilities, and Payton DuVall, one of the state’s top juniors, is averaging a double-double per game for the second straight season at 12 points and 11 rebounds (plus 3 bpg).
21. Jennings County (16-6)
Mollie Ernstes has been absolutely sensational this season. She is averaging 24 points, seven rebounds, four assists, a couple steals and two blocks through 21 games, and is shooting 42% from the field despite facing all kinds of junk defenses. Junior Etta Young (15 ppg, 8 rpg) and fellow senior Riley Byford have both been steady contributors behind her, but the Panthers will go as far as Ernstes can take them.
JC has some really nice wins on its schedule, including Warsaw, East Central, Madison and Carmel. The sectional bracket sets up for it to face Greensburg in the sectional final.
22. South Knox (17-3)
The Spartans coasted through January with five more blowout wins. Kendal Hill headlines a well-balanced lineup with Ellie Burke, Grace Detweiler, Madison Parrish and Kalissa Lavely. Parrish and guard Sarah French are the lone seniors on this year’s team, which is nonetheless very experienced and battle tested. SK’s main weakness is the absence of a post player, but they have the talent and athleticism to navigate that.
The sectional draw sets up for a semifinals showdown with rival North Knox.
23. Marquette Catholic (20-3)
The Blazers have been on another level this season. Their three losses were to 4A Northridge, 4A Westfield and 3A Greensburg at the Interra Classic, and they’ve offset those setbacks with notable wins against Hammond Morton, SB St. Joseph, FW Northrop and, most recently, Crown Point, which had won nine in-a-row.
MQT is the odds-on favorite to represent the Class A North at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
24. Evansville Reitz (17-2)
Senior Bailey Hape anchors a sophomore-driven Reitz outfit that’s scored quality wins over Evansville Mater Dei, Evansville Central, Washington and Jeffersonville. For her part, Hape boasts a well-rounded line of 10 points, five rebounds, three assists and three steals per game. She’s surrounded by three sophomores — Rhyan Wagner, Kierstyn Kaiser and Keilah Mitchell — all of whom are also scoring in double figures and contributing at least two assists and two steals per game.
Reitz is a solid shooting team (44%) and generates over 14 steals per game.
Its two losses? 4A Floyd Central and sectional foe Castle, which it could meet again in the sectional championship game.
25. Penn (21-3)
Coach Kristi Ulrich’s team is young, but very talented led by the junior-sophomore-freshman trio of Alivia Dawson, Alexis Warner and Jillian Sanderson, who are all shooting better than 42% and have accounted for 67% of the Kingsmen’s scoring.
Penn, which should win its sectional with relative ease, recently added wins over South Bend St. Joseph and Northridge to a docket that already includes Franklin Central and Westfield.
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This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Ranking Indiana’s top high school girls basketball teams entering sectionals
Reporting by Brian Haenchen, Indianapolis Star / Indianapolis Star
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