2025 should be fun: South Shore high school girls basketball rankings
The South Shore was not home to any state champions this winter.
Norwell High made the deepest tournament run, reaching the Division 3 state final before falling to a dominant Foxboro team. Oliver Ames reached the Division 2 Final Four, losing to eventual state-champion Medfield.
One theme jumped out this season – youth. Several teams that went on deep runs were seemingly a year ahead of schedule. Juniors and sophomores largely led the way for some of the area's top teams. That means next winter should be a fun one.
The South Shore hasn't been home to a girls basketball state champ since Oliver Ames in 2022, but I'd expect that trend to end next winter.
WHERE WE LEFT OFF: It's tournament time: South Shore high school girls basketball top 10 rankings
MID-SEASON RANKINGS: League title races are heating up: South Shore high school girls basketball rankings
WHERE WE STARTED: Tons of parity: South Shore high school girls basketball rankings
Final record and previous ranking in parenthesis.
On the bubble: East Bridgewater (15-9), Brockton (11-11), Carver (14-8), Plymouth North (12-10), Fontbonne Academy (12-9), North Quincy (12-10), Pembroke (13-8), Duxbury (14-7), Middleboro (12-10)
10. Braintree (11-11, 10)
Back in January, the Wamps were not sniffing this list. Braintree started the season 0-3 and was just 5-7 on Jan. 30. Then the Wamps got red hot and scored marquee wins over Notre Dame Academy and Needham. Braintree's finish earned the Wamps the No. 15 seed in the Division 1 tournament where they scored a 47-40 win over Chelmsford. Braintree was one of the toughest defensive teams in the area and senior captain Ava MacDonald set that tone. Junior Frankie Spadorcia and sophomore Frankie Mazzini are the building blocks for next year's team. Braintree basketball took a big step towards being back this winter.
9. Cohasset (16-8, bubble)
This winter brought another deep tournament run for the Skippers, who also won the South Shore League Sullivan Division title. Cohasset won two tournament games before dropping an overtime game to South Hadley in the Division 4 Elite 8. It was the Skippers' third consecutive trip to the state quarterfinals. Senior Sarah Chenette tore her ACL in the spring but returned in time to become the program's all-time leading scorer with 1,461 points. Chenette will leave behind some huge shoes to fill, but the Skippers always seem to find a way to reload.
8. Whitman-Hanson (18-5, 3)
This team is going to be scary next winter. The Panthers won the Patriot League Keenan Division title by three games and reached the Division 2 Elite 8. W-H accomplished that without a senior on the roster. The Panthers never seem to have a primary scorer, making them one of the toughest teams to defend. W-H scored a stellar overtime upset over No. 4 Dartmouth in the Sweet 16 and then fell to Oliver Ames by one point. Dylan Hurley, Jenna Mishou, Lillie MacKinnon and Taryn Leonard were all named league all-stars. Michael Costa is one of the most underrated coaches in the state.
7. Hanover (17-6, 7)
The Hawks finished second in a very tough Patriot League Fisher Division and won a pair of tournament games before bowing out to powerhouse St. Mary's of Lynn in the Division 3 Elite 8. Senior Mary Kate Flynn (11.6 points, 11.6 rebounds per game) was a walking double-double. Olivia Damon and Noey Giardina were also league all-stars. Hanover scored notable wins over Duxbury, North Quincy (twice), Pembroke (twice) and Plymouth North. The Hawks relied on a stifling defense that allowed just 35.9 points per game.
6. Bridgewater-Raynham (16-7, 8)
The Trojans are the model of consistency. B-R reached the Division 1 Elite 8 for the third time in four seasons thanks to the shot of the season from Reese Bartlett. She hit a floater at the buzzer to push No. 12 B-R to a 43-42 upset over No. 5 Wellesley in the Sweet 16. (The Trojans have had a few of those over the years.) Bartlett, a senior, will be tough to replace next season. The Trojans went 60-19 during her career. Junior Brenna Woodbury and sophomore Camden Strandberg will lead the charge next season.
5. Oliver Ames (17-7, 6)
Battling all season in a loaded Hockomock League prepared the Tigers to go on a run in the Division 2 state tournament. OA won three tournament games by a combined eight points before falling to eventual state-champion Medfield in the state semifinals. Senior Sarah Hilliard and sophomore Avery Gamble were league all-stars this winter. Gamble will be one of the area's top returners next winter. Sophomore Kamryn Derba will form a dynamic 1-2 punch with Gamble.
More: Final Four fate: Oliver Ames girls basketball's run ends one game shy of Division 2 final
4. Notre Dame Academy (21-2, 1)
I wonder how many teams in the state can say they'll return a pair of 1,000-point scorers next winter? NDA might be the only one, thanks to the Orlando sisters (Ava and Elle). Ava reached the feat last winter and Elle, a sophomore, joined the club in the state tournament. Ultimately, NDA's only losses came to Division 1 Braintree and to state finalist Worcester South. The loss to South came in the Division 2 Elite 8. The Cougars were probably a year ahead of schedule having this much success, and they'll be back in the state-title conversation next winter.
3. Weymouth (20-5, 5)
The twin towers of Megan Doyle and Callie Flynn made the Wildcats one of the toughest teams to play in the state. Doyle, a 1,000-point scorer, averaged 21 points and 14 rebounds per game. Flynn, who had a triple-double this season, averaged 12 points, 10 rebounds and 4 blocks per game. Weymouth won a pair of tournament games at home before falling to state finalist Wachusett in the Division 1 Elite 8.
2. Quincy (18-4, 4)
The Presidents were another team that might have been a year ahead of schedule. Captain Paige Mann was the only senior on the roster as Quincy won a Patriot League Fisher Division title and reached the Division 1 Sweet 16. The Presidents won back-to-back league titles for the first time in program history. Junior Alyssa Hopps is a two-time Fisher Division MVP and might be the best all-around player in the area. Quincy has a lot coming back next winter.
1. Norwell (23-2, 2)
The Clippers dropped their first game of the season and then rebounded to win their next 23 and reach the Division 3 state championship. There, Norwell had a tough draw against a Foxboro team that clobbered everyone it faced in the state tournament. (Foxboro won the Division 2 crown a year ago.) Maddie Oliver scored her 1,000th career point in that loss to Foxboro and was named South Shore League Sullivan Division MVP for the second time. She's got unfinished business heading into next season. The Clippers have been knocking on the door of a state title for a long time. Maybe 2025 is the year.
This article originally appeared on The Patriot Ledger: South Shore high school girls basketball top 10 rankings
