Iowa high school girls basketball Top 25 rankings (1/29/2024)

No. 1 Johnston survives Centennial scare; North Linn climbs 4 spots

Nationally rated Johnston held off an upset bid by Ankeny Centennial to win by five, and North Linn knocked off Mount Vernon to climb four spots in this week’s SBLive Iowa girls basketball rankings. 

1. Johnston (17-0)

Dragons survived their biggest scare of the year, rallying from a five-point halftime deficit to overtake Ankeny Centennial, 64-59.

2. West Des Moines Dowling (13-4)

Maroons had perhaps the best week among any in the state, routing Ankeny (56-27), West Des Moines Valley (62-30) and Southeast Polk (75-37).

3. Davenport North (14-2)

Hoping for good news for Iowa recruit Journey Houston, who was helped from the court Friday with an apparent knee injury.

4. Waukee (13-3)

Emilie Sorensen made 5-of-7 3-pointers in a 23-point effort as the Warriors beat Ankeny Centennial, 60-53.

5. Ankeny Centennial (9-7)

In the Jaguars’ 64-59 loss to nationally rated Johnston, Mya Crawford had 22 points, 7 assists and 6 rebounds.

6. Ankeny (10-7)

Hawks bounced back from a blowout loss to Dowling with a five-point win over Waukee Northwest.

7. Clear Creek-Amana (15-0)

Clippers will enter the postseason as one of the teams to beat in Class 4A.

8. Waukee Northwest (8-8)

Wolves, who feature four freshmen among their top seven scorers, bounced back from a loss to Ankeny with a 48-point win over Sioux City West.

9. Pleasant Valley (12-3)

Spartans rank first in 5A in defensive average (29.1) and fifth in 3-point percentage (35.2%).

10. Southeast Polk (8-8)

Rams shot just 26% percent from the field in a 75-37 loss to Dowling.

11. North Linn (17-1)

Molly Boge (6-of-10) and Kamryn Kurt (5-of-7) scorched the nets from 3-point range in a battle of state No. 1s as the 1A Lynx upended 3A Mount Vernon, 60-48.

12. Sioux City Heelan (14-1)

Crusaders squandered a 32-16 halftime lead in a 50-46 loss to Le Mars on Tuesday.

13. Cedar Falls (15-1)

Grace Knutson had 24 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists in an 81-45 win over Iowa City Liberty on Tuesday.

14. Mount Vernon (16-2)

After its loss to North Linn, things don’t get easier this week as the Mustangs face Marion (13-4) and Solon (14-3).

15. Dike-New Hartford (15-1)

Big home game Monday for the Wolverines against 4A power North Polk.

16. West Des Moines Valley (9-8)

Tigers step out of conference Tuesday for a big home matchup against once-beaten Cedar Rapids Prairie.

17. Sioux Central (14-1)

In a 70-24 win at East Sac County, senior Bradi Krager had 24 points, 7 rebounds, 6 assists and 4 steals, sinking 4-of-8 from 3-point range.

18. Estherville-Lincoln Central (15-2)

Haylee Stokes continued her stat box-stuffing with 32 points, 9 steals and 7 assists in a 65-37 win over Cherokee.

19. Newell-Fonda (14-1)

During their current nine-game win streak, the Mustangs have scored at least 70 points all nine times.

20. Cedar Rapids Prairie (12-1)

Sophomore Emily Larsen has made 30-of-75 (40%) from 3-point range and leads the Hawks in scoring at 12.8 points per game.

21. North Polk (15-2)

The defending 4A state runner-up meets three-time defending 2A champion Dike-New Hartford in Dike on Tuesday.

22. Solon (14-3)

Spartans made just 5-of-26 (19.2%) from 3-point range in their three-point loss to Marion on Tuesday.

23. Sioux City East (13-4)

Sophomore Division I prospect Trishelle Miller has missed about half of her team’s games to injury, but is back now.

24. Dallas Center-Grimes (13-3)

Defending 4A champs picked up wins over Pella Christian, Newton and Oskaloosa last week.

25. Waverly-Shell Rock (18-0)

Down to Gilbert by three at the half, Go-Hawks recovered to win 50-42, getting 15 points and 11 rebounds from Katelyn Eggena.

-- Kevin White | @SBLiveIA