Ohio girls high school basketball Top 25 rankings: St. Vincent-St. Mary, Africentric enter top 10

The top 5 teams remain unchanged, led by Pickerington Central at the top

The first week of 2024 is in the books and the top five teams in the SBLive Ohio girls basketball Power 25 remain unchanged, as Pickerington Central, Purcell Marian, Princeton, Magnificat and Olentangy lead the way.

This week sees two newcomers to the top 10, as St. Vincent-St. Mary moves up to No. 8 from No. 11 and Africentric jumps a pair of spots to No. 10.

The only fresh face to the Power 25 this week is Beavercreek off its win over then-No. 5 Springboro.

With the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday upon us, a number of these teams will take part in one or more of the following events this coming weekend - the Classic in the Country at Berlin Hiland, the Classic in the City at Pickerington Central and the MLK Showdown at Grove City Central Crossing. 

(Note: To make schedule changes, please email ryan@scorebooklive.com)

SBLive Ohio girls basketball Power 25

1. Pickerington Central (10-1)

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; beat Chapel Hill (NC), 40-27; lost to Denville (NJ) Morris Catholic, 55-45; beat Charlotte (NC) Catholic, 56-43.

Last week: ranked No. 1, beat Groveport-Madison, 78-41.

This week: Jan. 9 vs. Lancaster; Jan. 12 vs. New Albany; Jan. 13 vs. Crestwood Prep (Canada) at Classic in the City.

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; beat Miami (FL) Norland, 78-41; beat Doral (FL) Academy, 83-64; beat Midlothian (VA) James River, 76-66.

Last week: ranked No. 2, no games scheduled.

This week: Jan. 10 at Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy; Jan. 14 vs. Portland Tech (OR) at MLK Showdown.

3. Princeton (9-1)

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; beat No. 7 Mount Notre Dame, 64-55.

Last week: ranked No. 3, beat Hamilton, 70-19.

This week: Jan. 13 vs. Niagara Prep (CAN) at Classic in the City; Jan. 14 vs. No. 4 Magnificat at Classic in the Country.

4. Magnificat (8-3)

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; 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.

Last week: ranked No. 4, beat Toledo Notre Dame, 48-33.

This week: Jan. 10 vs. Rocky River; Jan. 14 vs. No. 3 Cincinnati Princeton at Classic in the Country.

5. Lewis Center Olentangy (11-0)

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; beat Wapakoneta, 75-32.

Last week: ranked No. 5, beat Hilliard Darby, 45-34.

This week: Jan. 9 vs. Dublin Jerome; Jan. 13 vs. Bellbrook at Classic in the City.

6. Marysville (9-1) 

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; beat Solon, 86-51. 

Last week: ranked No. 9, beat Thomas Worthington, 45-10. 

This week: Jan. 9 at Olentangy Berlin; Jan. 12 at Grove City Central Crossing; Jan. 14 vs. Louisville (KY) Butler at Classic in the City.

7. Mount Notre Dame (11-2)

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; beat Lexington (KY) Dunbar, 64-32; lost to Cincinnati Princeton, 64-55.

Last week: ranked No. 7, lost to Union (KY) Cooper, 70-55; beat Cincinnati Winton Woods, 57-50.

This week: Jan. 8 at Fairfield.

8. St. Vincent-St. Mary (10-0)

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; beat Shaker Heights, 49-11; beat Toledo Start, 53-23.

Last week: ranked No. 11, beat Avon Lake, 39-33; beat Columbus Bishop Hartley, 66-27.

This week: Jan. 9 vs. No. 19 Gilmour Academy; Jan. 14 vs. Fort Erie International (CAN) at MLK Showdown.

9. Fairland (11-0)

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; beat Marietta, 76-32.

Last week: ranked No. 10, beat Coal Grove Dawson Bryant, 80-30; beat Minford, 68-23.

This week: Jan. 8 at Portsmouth; Jan. 11 at Gallipolis Gallia Academy.

10. Africentric (8-2)

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; lost to Detroit (MI) Edison Academy, 53-47.

Last week: ranked No. 12, beat Columbus West 80-3.

This week: Jan. 9 vs. Columbus Marion-Franklin; Jan. 13 vs. Clarksville (TN) Christian at Classic in the City.

11. Brush (12-1)

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; beat Alter, 52-49; beat Perrysburg, 52-38.

Last week: ranked No. 8, beat Cleveland Villa Angela-St. Joseph, 65-23; beat Shaker Heights Hathaway Brown, 72-26; lost to Toledo Whitmer, 57-54.

This week: Jan. 8 vs. Alliance; Jan. 10 vs. Warrensville Heights; Jan. 14 vs. Chicago (IL) Butler College Prep at MLK Showdown.

12. Archbishop Alter (12-1)

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; lost to Brush, 52-49; beat Painesville Riverside, 48-26.

Last week: ranked No. 13, beat Dayton Carroll, 60-54; beat then-No. 23 Hamilton Badin, 63-48.

This week: Jan. 10 at Cincinnati McNicholas; Jan. 14 vs. No. 17 Solon at Classic in the Country.

13. Copley (11-2)

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; beat Streetsboro, 81-50; lost to Stow-Munroe Falls, 51-31.

Last week: ranked No. 14, beat Tallmadge, 67-46; beat Medina Highland, 65-43.

This week: Jan. 10 vs. Aurora.

14. Mason (9-2)

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, beat No. 16 Lakota East, 55-47; beat Cincinnati Sycamore, 58-28.

This week: Jan. 10 vs. Hamilton; Jan. 14 vs. Portsmouth at Classic in the Country.

15. Archbishop Hoban (10-1)

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; lost to Louisville, 45-43; beat Hathaway Brown, 54-25.

Last week: ranked No. 17, beat Cleveland Heights Lutheran East, 71-45.

This week: Jan. 10 at Shaker Heights Laurel; Jan. 13 vs. Teays Valley at Classic in the Country.

16. Lakota East (7-5)

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, lost to then-No. 15 Mason, 55-47.

This week: Jan. 13 at Middletown.

17. Solon (8-2)

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; lost to Marysville, 86-51.

Last week: ranked No. 18, beat Hudson, 71-30; beat Macedonia Nordonia, 74-38.

This week: Jan. 8 at Uniontown Green; Jan. 10 at Stow-Munroe Falls; Jan. 14 vs. No. 12 Kettering Alter at Classic in the Country.

18. Springboro (9-5)

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; lost to Chicago (IL) Whitney Young, 57-44; lost to Royersford (PA) Spring-Ford, 64-54; beat Hoschton (GA) Mill Creek, 42-40.

Last week: ranked No. 6, lost to then-unranked Beavercreek, 56-54; lost to Lebanon, 53-44.

This week: Jan. 10 at Kettering Fairmont; Jan. 14 vs. Niagara Prep (CAN) at Classic in the City.

19. Gilmour Academy (6-2)

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; beat Reynoldsburg, 52-38; beat Toledo Central Catholic, 55-43.

Last week: ranked No. 19, beat Toledo Notre Dame, 44-27.

This week: Jan. 9 at No. 8 Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary; Jan. 11 vs. Shaker Heights Hathaway Brown.

20. Anthony Wayne (8-2)

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; beat Liberty Center, 64-36.

Last week: ranked No. 20, beat Perrysburg, 69-45.

This week: Jan. 8 at Napoleon; Jan. 11 at Sylvania Northview; Jan. 14 vs. Shaker Heights Laurel at Classic in the Country.

21. Olmsted Falls (8-2)

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; beat Beloit West Branch, 42-21; beat Centerville, 58-36.

Last week: ranked No. 22, beat Avon, 49-27.

Next week: Jan. 10 vs. Amherst Steele; Jan. 13 at Avon Lake.

22. Toledo Central Catholic (5-3)

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; lost to Gilmour Academy, 55-43.

Last week: ranked No. 21, beat Holland Springfield, 73-40.

This week: Jan. 10 at Toledo Notre Dame; Jan. 13 vs. West Chester Lakota West at Classic in the Country.

23. Fort Loramie (12-1)

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; beat Ottawa-Glandorf, 55-52.

Last week: ranked No. 24, beat Russia, 69-31; beat St. Henry, 47-28.

This week: Jan. 9 at Anna; Jan. 13 vs. Thornville Sheridan at Classic in the Country.

24. Apple Creek Waynedale (9-1)

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: ranked No. 25, beat West Salem Northwestern, 76-40.

This week: Jan. 11 at Doylestown Chippewa; Jan. 13 vs. Waterford at Classic in the Country.

25. Beavercreek (7-4)

Previous: beat Mason, 52-51; beat Tipp City Tippecanoe, 58-30; lost to Springboro, 69-58; lost to Centerville, 50-34; beat Huber Heights Wayne, 49-48; beat Miamisburg, 54-41; beat Clayton Northmont, 63-27; beat Kettering Fairmont, 36-33; lost to Cincinnati Mount Notre Dame, 46-27; lost to Cincinnati Purcell Marian, 71-29.

Last week: unranked, beat then-No. 5 Springboro, 56-54.

This week: Jan. 10 vs. Springfield; Jan. 13 at Dayton Carroll.

Teams to watch (listed alphabetically): Avon Lake, Berlin Hiland, Granville, Kettering Fairmont, Laurel, Margaretta, Miami East, Ottawa-Glandorf, Portsmouth, Unioto.