Ohio girls high school basketball Top 25 rankings: Brush, Marysville, Fairland enter top 10
As the calendar turned to 2024, the top four teams in the SBLive Ohio girls basketball Power 25 - Pickerington Central, Purcell Marian, Princeton and Magnificat - remained the same.
But there was some movement, as Brush (No. 8), Marysville (No. 9) and Fairland (No. 10) broke into the top 10 this week.
The biggest movers in the rankings Brush up nine spots from No. 17 to No. 8, St. Vincent-St. Mary, as the Fighting Irish jumped from No. 17 to No. 11 and Marysville, who went from No. 14 to No. 9.
Three teams who finished 2023 outside the top 25 find themselves in the rankings this week in Olmsted Falls (No. 22), Fort Loramie (No. 23) and Waynedale (No. 25)
1. Pickerington Central (9-1)
Previous: beat Reynoldsburg, 61-54; beat Cincinnati Purcell Marian, 53-52; beat Liberty Township Lakota East, 51-46; beat Newark, 69-33; beat Rocky River Magnificat, 57-54; beat Gahanna Lincoln, 72-35; beat Grove City Central Crossing, 66-11.
Last week: ranked No. 1, beat Chapel Hill (NC), 40-27; lost to Denville (NJ) Morris Catholic, 55-45; beat Charlotte (NC) Catholic, 56-43.
This week: Jan. 5 at Groveport-Madison.
2. Purcell Marian (13-1)
Previous: beat Rocky River Magnificat, 72-59; beat Springboro, 56-54; lost to Pickerington Central, 53-52; beat Whitehouse Anthony Wayne, 62-50; beat Cincinnati Summit Country Day, 74-26; beat Columbus Africentric 64-54; beat Union (KY) Cooper, 56-51; beat St. Bernard Roger Bacon, 71-34; beat Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy, 92-36; beat Norwood, 81-39; beat Beavercreek, 71-29.
Last week: ranked No. 2, beat Miami (FL) Norland, 78-41; beat Doral (FL) Academy, 83-64; beat Midlothian (VA) James River, 76-66.
This week: no games scheduled.
3. Princeton (8-1)
Previous: beat Cincinnati Winton Woods, 69-58; beat Cincinnati Sycamore, 64-24; beat Middletown, 66-29; lost to Clarksville (TN) Christian, 56-50; beat Dyersburg (TN), 62-45; beat Fairfield, 59-51; beat Mason, 72-69; beat Cincinnati Colerain, 88-22.
Last week: ranked No. 3, beat No. 7 Mount Notre Dame, 64-55.
This week: Jan. 6 at Hamilton
4. Magnificat (7-3)
Previous: beat Canton McKinley, 72-41; lost to Cincinnati Purcell Marian, 72-59; beat Medina, 62-39; beat Cleveland St. Joseph Academy, 61-23; lost to Pickerington Central, 57-54; beat Westlake, 62-28.
Last week: ranked No. 4, beat then-No. 18 Copley, 58-42; beat Hammond (IN) Morton, 82-41; lost to Indianapolis (IN) Lawrence Central, 50-43; beat Fort Wayne (IN) Homestead, 67-52.
This week: Jan. 6 at Toledo Notre Dame.
5. Olentangy (10-0)
Previous: beat Columbus DeSales, 54-34; beat New Albany, 48-23; beat Marysville, 59-49; beat Western Reserve Academy, 63-52; beat Delaware Olentangy Berlin, 65-25; beat Westerville Central, 58-45; beat Olentangy Orange, 59-33; beat Grove City, 60-38; beat Worthington, 71-22.
Last week: ranked No. 6, beat Wapakoneta, 75-32.
This week: Jan. 5 at Hilliard Darby.
6. Springboro (9-3)
Previous: beat Liberty Center Lakota East, 38-37; lost to Cincinnati Purcell Marian, 56-54; beat Beavercreek, 69-58; beat Kettering Fairmont, 48-43; beat Huber Heights Wayne, 51-17; beat Springfield, 61-34; beat Clayton Northmont, 73-30; beat Centerville, 53-34; beat Miamisburg, 54-49.
Last week: ranked No. 5, lost to Chicago (IL) Whitney Young, 57-44; lost to Royersford (PA) Spring-Ford, 64-54; beat Hoschton (GA) Mill Creek, 42-40.
This week: Jan. 3 vs. Beavercreek; Jan. 6 at Lebanon.
7. Mount Notre Dame (10-1)
Previous: beat Liberty Township Lakota East, 55-45; beat Cincinnati Seton, 54-34; beat Dublin Coffman, 43-37; beat Cincinnati Mercy McAuley, 66-22; beat Cincinnati Ursuline Academy, 61-17; beat Cincinnati St. Ursula Academy, 64-19; beat Union (KY) Ryle, 55-45; beat Bellbrook, 51-22; beat Beavercreek, 46-27.
Last week: ranked No. 7, beat Lexington (KY) Dunbar, 64-32; lost to No. 3 Cincinnati Princeton, 64-55.
This week: Jan. 4 vs. Union (KY) Cooper; Jan. 6 at Cincinnati Winton Woods.
8. Brush (10-0)
Previous: beat Cleveland Heights, 62-29; beat Amherst Steele, 64-27; beat Painesville Riverside, 65-42; beat Cuyahoga Falls Walsh Jesuit, 57-46; beat Toledo Rogers, 51-36; beat Akron Garfield, 78-24; beat East Cleveland Shaw, 71-4; beat then-No. 17 Gilmour Academy, 51-40.
Last week: ranked No. 17, beat then-No. 9 Alter, 52-49; beat Perrysburg, 52-38.
This week: Jan. 3 vs. Cleveland Villa Angela-St. Joseph; Jan. 4 at Shaker Heights Hathaway Brown; Jan. 6 at Toledo Whitmer.
9. Marysville (8-1)
Previous: beat Hilliard Bradley, 50-18; lost to Lewis Center Olentangy, 59-49; beat Sunbury Big Walnut, 51-32; beat Hilliard Darby, 52-19; beat Hilliard Davidson, 54-33; beat Whitehouse Anthony Wayne, 52-48; beat Columbus Watterson, 51-47; beat Dublin Jerome, 56-38.
Last week: ranked No. 14, beat then-No. 13 Solon, 86-51.
This week: Jan. 5 vs. Thomas Worthington.
10. Fairland (9-0)
Previous: beat Dayton Carroll, 66-59; beat Gallipolis Gallia Academy, 82-16; beat Ironton Rock Hill, 73-25; beat Reynoldsburg, 87-59; beat Ironton, 76-23; beat South Point, 71-23; beat Chesapeake, 44-9; beat Parkersburg (WV), 60-45.
Last week: ranked No. 11, beat Marietta, 76-32.
This week: Jan. 4 vs. Coal Grove Dawson Bryant; Jan. 6 vs. Minford.
11. St. Vincent-St. Mary (8-0)
Previous: beat Dublin Coffman, 62-30; beat Youngstown Ursuline, 67-21; beat Elyria Catholic, 56-43; beat Anaheim (CA) Fairmont Preparatory Academy, 53-34; beat Doylestown Chippewa, 70-29; beat Cleveland Heights Lutheran East, 62-24.
Last week: ranked No. 18, beat Shaker Heights, 49-11; beat Toledo Start, 53-23.
This week: Jan. 3 at Avon Lake; Jan. 6 vs. Columbus Bishop Hartley.
12. Africentric (7-2)
Previous: beat Shaker Heights Laurel, 49-45; beat Columbus Briggs, 79-1; beat Columbus Eastmoor Academy, 72-2; lost to Cincinnati Purcell Marian, 64-54; beat Columbus Walnut Ridge, 59-13; beat Columbus South, 73-23; beat Reynoldsburg, 79-35; beat Columbus Independence, 95-8.
Last week: ranked No. 12, lost to Detroit (MI) Edison Academy, 53-47.
This week: Jan. 5 at Columbus West.
13. Archbishop Alter (10-1)
Previous: beat Dayton Ponitz 68-4; beat Liberty Township Lakota East, 46-39; beat Cincinnati McNicholas, 57-41; beat Dayton Chaminade Julienne, 59-41; beat Middletown Fenwick, 64-16; beat Trotwood-Madison, 75-18; beat Gahanna Lincoln, 71-35; beat Cincinnati Seton, 64-32; beat Cincinnati Mercy McAuley, 65-44.
Last week: ranked No. 9, lost to then-No. 17 Brush, 52-49; beat Painesville Riverside, 48-26.
This week: Jan. 3 at Dayton Carroll; Jan. 6 at No. 23 Hamilton Badin.
14. Copley (9-2)
Previous: beat Medina Highland, 75-30; beat Aurora, 51-43; beat Olmsted Falls, 49-40; beat Kent Roosevelt, 70-31; beat Cuyahoga Falls, 67-17; beat Barberton, 73-20; beat Richfield Revere, 56-37; beat Solon, 52-48; lost to Magnificat, 58-42.
Last week: ranked No. 10, beat Streetsboro, 81-50; lost to Stow-Munroe Falls, 51-31.
This week: Jan. 3 vs. Tallmadge; Jan. 6 at Medina Highland.
15. Mason (7-2)
Previous: lost to Beavercreek, 52-51; beat Lebanon, 59-51; beat Cincinnati Colerain, 86-34; beat Fairfield, 69-48; beat West Chester Lakota West, 55-35; beat Cincinnati Oak Hills, 48-18; lost to Cincinnati Princeton, 72-69; beat Middletown, 63-36; beat Bellbrook, 60-52.
Last week: ranked No. 15, no games scheduled.
This week: Jan 3 at No. 16 Lakota East; Jan. 6 at Cincinnati Sycamore.
16. Lakota East (7-4)
Previous: lost to Springboro, 38-37; beat Hamilton Badin, 58-40; lost to Kettering Alter, 46-39; lost to Cincinnati Mount Notre Dame, 55-45; beat Fairfield, 64-40; lost to Pickerington Central, 51-46; beat West Chester Lakota West, 46-39; beat Hamilton, 63-29; beat Cincinnati Sycamore, 64-15; beat Middletown, 67-41; beat Cincinnati Oak Hills, 69-21.
Last week: ranked No. 16, no games scheduled.
This week: Jan. 3 vs. No. 15 Mason.
17. Archbishop Hoban (9-1)
Previous: beat Youngstown Ursuline, 55-26; beat Cleveland John Marshall, 64-10; beat Apple Creek Waynedale, 51-45; beat Warren Howland, 66-52; beat Gates Mills Gilmour Academy, 51-44; beat Toledo Central Catholic, 57-49; beat Akron Ellet, 49-45; beat Austintown-Fitch, 63-36.
Last week: ranked No. 8, lost to Louisville, 45-43; beat Hathaway Brown, 54-25.
This week: Jan. 4 vs. Cleveland Heights Lutheran East.
18. Solon (6-2)
Previous: beat Macedonia Nordonia, 77-44; beat Toledo Start, 56-29; beat North Royalton, 81-35; beat Twinsburg, 69-34; beat Brecksville-Broadview Heights, 54-37; beat Wadsworth, 60-43; lost to Copley, 52-48.
Last week: ranked No. 13, lost to then-No. 14 Marysville, 86-51.
This week: Jan. 3 vs. Hudson; Jan. 6 vs. Macedonia Nordonia.
19. Gilmour Academy (5-2)
Previous: beat Shaker Heights Laurel, 58-50; beat Stow-Munroe Falls, 39-36; beat Warrensville Heights, 55-52; lost to Akron Hoban, 51-44; lost to Brush, 51-40.
Last week: ranked No. 21, beat Reynoldsburg, 52-38; beat then-No. 20 Toledo Central Catholic, 55-43.
This week: Jan. 2 at Toledo Notre Dame; Jan. 6 vs. Cleveland Heights Lutheran East.
20. Anthony Wayne (7-2)
Previous: beat Sylvania Southview, 61-21; beat Fremont Ross, 75-33; lost to Cincinnati Purcell Marian, 62-50; beat Findlay, 64-41; beat Bowling Green, 62-33; beat Toledo Whitmer, 54-32; lost to Marysville, 52-48; beat Dublin Coffman, 79-49.
Last week: ranked No. 19, beat Liberty Center, 64-36.
This week: Jan. 4 vs. Perrysburg.
21. Toledo Central Catholic (4-3)
Previous: beat Toledo Start, 66-33; beat Toledo Bowsher, 41-38; lost to Wexford (PA) North Allegheny, 64-48; lost to Akron Hoban, 57-49; beat Toledo St. Ursula, 52-15; beat Dearborn (MI) Divine Child, 63-33.
Last week: ranked No. 20, lost to then-No. 21 Gilmour Academy, 55-43.
This week: Jan. 6 at Holland Springfield.
22. Olmsted Falls (7-2)
Previous: lost to Apple Creek Waynedale, 53-51; lost to Copley, 49-40; beat Berea-Midpark, 53-17; beat Toledo Start, 67-35; beat Grafton Midview, 68-35; beat North Ridgeville, 55-41; beat Elyria, 66-23.
Last week: unranked, beat then-No. 22 West Branch, 42-21; beat then-No. 24 Centerville, 58-36.
Next week: Jan. 6 at Avon.
23. Badin (8-2)
Previous: lost to Liberty Township Lakota East, 58-40; lost to Cincinnati Country Day, 48-36; beat Dayton Chaminade Julienne, 51-43; beat Middletown Fenwick, 70-29; beat Dayton Carroll, 67-52; beat Trenton Edgewood, 64-34; beat Cincinnati Mercy McAuley, 60-34; beat Cincinnati St. Ursula, 83-40.
Last week: ranked No. 23, beat Oxford Talawanda, 70-15; beat Fairfield, 55-46.
This week: Jan. 3 vs. Cincinnati McNicholas; Jan. 6 vs. Kettering Alter.
24. Fort Loramie (10-1)
Previous: lost to Casstown Miami East, 36-33; beat Anna, 49-30; beat Liberty-Benton, 50-33; beat Botkins, 66-18; beat Houston, 49-22; beat Arcanum, 69-17; beat Jackson Center, 52-30; beat Minster, 50-47; beat Sidney Fairlawn, 58-10; beat Versailles, 65-43.
Last week: unranked, beat Ottawa-Glandorf, 55-52.
This week: Jan. 4 vs. Russia; Jan. 6 at St. Henry.
25. Apple Creek Waynedale (8-1)
Previous: beat Olmsted Falls, 53-51; beat Smithville, 49-32; lost to Akron Hoban, 51-45; beat Millersburg West Holmes, 55-29; beat Rittman, 67-9; beat Shaker Heights Laurel, 64-62 (OT); beat Jeromesville Hillsdale, 53-8; beat Massillon Tuslaw, 47-36; beat Creston Norwayne, 44-40.
Last week: unranked, no games scheduled.
This week: Jan. 4 vs. West Salem Northwestern.
Teams to watch (listed alphabetically):
Beavercreek, Berlin Hiland, Centerville, Kettering Fairmont, Laurel, Margaretta, Miami East, Ottawa-Glandorf, Portsmouth, Unioto.
