STATE CHAMPS! Top 20 Girls Basketball Rankings: Week Of February 5th, 2023
STATE CHAMPS! Big Lexi’s Top 20 Team Rankings – Week of February 6th, 2023
Lexi Ayala – Twitter @LexiReyne1523
#1 Grand Rapids West Catholic – Division 2
With the win over Rockford, West Catholic stays in the top spot. Still undefeated, over the last week, West Catholic got the win vs Unity Christian 59-23. They kept their foot on the gas just as they have all season. They are the only team to beat #2 Rockford and are led by another awesome sister duo in the Dykstra sisters. Cadence scored 16, Elisha added 10 points, and Emma Tuttle put on a rebounding performance (that would make Big Ben Wallace proud) grabbing 15 boards.
#2 Rockford – Division 1
Rockford beat Grand Haven 74-31 in a dominating performance. The Rams continue their winning streak that currently sits at 9 straight. Another trend on the season for Rockford is the stellar play from the sister duo Anna and Alyssa Wypych who in the win scored 18 points each.
#3 Lake Fenton – Division 2
Lake Fenton could be the most complete team in the state, and I will stick with them until they show me otherwise. Lake Fenton slayed the Swartz Creek with a solid team effort seeing all 10 players play at least 10 minutes. They do a 5 in, 5 out subbing rotation often and you never see a drop off in game-play no matter which five are out on the court. Three players scored double-digits vs. Creek. Gabby Gerald with 14 points, Emerson Baker with 13 points, and Savannah “SJ” Fellenbaum added 10 . All 10 players scored. The next game saw Lake Fenton crush Corunna led by freshman Kendyl Smith scoring 17 on 6-10 FG’s, 3-6 from deep
#4 Renaissance – Division 1
Renaissance was not tested at all in their game against Detroit King winning 99-8. Might’ve had the foot a lil too on the gas in this one
One of Renaissance’s biggest wins was a couple weeks ago against my previously #9 ranked East Grand Rapids 58-39. Amayah Espanol led Renaissance with 16 points and Christian Sanders had 15 points, but it was The Phoenix defense that set the tone holding East G. R. to their 2nd lowest point total this season by holding the future Wolverine Macy Brown to just 11 points.
#5 West Bloomfield – Division 1
West Bloomfield beat Lake Orion 60-20. Summer Davis had 14 points, 5 boards, 4 assists and 5 steals. Two losses do not define this team at all. This team has found their groove and are showing why they started the season nationally ranked. West Bloomfield came away with a solid 10-point road victory over my #10 ranked Detroit Edison Academy 59-49, giving DEPSA their only in-state loss of the year two years running. Indya Davis had 21 points and 9 boards. West Bloomfield also beat Stoney Creek 71-16 and it was the win over Stoney Creek earlier this season that started WB’s current 120game winning streak. Also, one of their two losses was to the South Bend Indiana team and West Bloomfield is one of only two teams to even be within 15 points in their loss. South Bend is ranked #11 nationally by Max Preps and they’re Indiana’s reigning state champs, so definitely not a loss to be looked down upon whatsoever. .
#6 Flint Carman-Ainsworth – Division 1
Carman added wins over conference opponent Davison 63-22, as well as Bay City Western 71-30. Armonie Smith led the Cavs vs Bay City Western with a big double-double: 23 points and 15 rebounds, while DeDe Smith almost posted a triple double with 11 points, 10 rebounds, and 9 assists! Deandrea Smith did have the triple double vs Davison, though, with 20, 10 & 10 stat line. Sierra Robinson chipped in 18 points, 6 steals and 5 assists. A new generation of Flintstones are emerging. Unfortunately, I couldn’t find any posted scores for their most recent game against Flint Hamady.
#7 Haslett – Division 1
Haslett got a victory over East Lansing 68-45 that saw Haslett win the major team stat categories: 43-33 on the boards, 20-12 in dimes, 24-9 in steals and they shot 44% from the floor. Haslett also routed Fowlerville 69-23. Emily Homan scored 14 points added 6 rebounds and 4 steals. Isabel Lindo had 12 points and 4 steals.
#8 Chelsea – Division 2
Chelsea got the win over Jackson 89-28 which is a new school record. They followed that record performance scoring 84 the next game beating Ypsilanti 84-22. Avery Lay put up an unreal stat line 30 points, 7 boards, 10 blocks, 8 assists, and 5 steals. Megan Mccalla added 20 points, and Leila Wells chipped in 18 points.
#9 Detroit Edison – Division 2
DEPSA’s two (of three) losses this year were to really good out of state teams, Bolingbrook and Whitney Young of Illinois. DEPSA is also a 4-time state champs and has had the last four Miss. Basketballs’ of Michigan come from this school. I’m not counting them out. Even in their only loss to an in-state team, it was West Bloomfield, my #5 Ranked team, and Edison gave WB heck in the 3rd quarter, almost securing a win before West Bloomfield battled back with a big fourth quarter. Since the game was so close and West Bloomfield was already ranked above DEPSA anyway, and with a BIG win over Farmington Hills Mercy, who was also ranked above them, Edison is 100% staying in Big Lexi’s Big 10.
#10 Farmington Hills Mercy – Division 1
Mercy bounced back from their first loss of the season beating Marian 50-10. But then Mercy fell for the 2nd time in 3 games to Edison Academy, which is why I had to drop Mercy all the way to #10 in my rankings and push DEPSA above Mercy.
Remaining Top 20
#11 Ann Arbor Father Gabriel Richard – Division 2
#12 Byron Center – Division 1
#13 Escanaba – Division 2
#14 North Farmington – Division 1
#15 Goodrich – Division 2
#16 Bedford – Division 1
#17 Buchanan – Division 3
#18 Frankenmuth – Division 2
#19 East Kentwood – Division 1
#20 East Grand Rapids – Division 2