The Rhode Island girls high school basketball season is entering its most crucial stretch.
The season has been running for about a month now, and the top teams are starting to pull away from the pack. But there’s still a handful of teams that need to prove themselves against league competition.
The rankings feature two new teams and some surprising results have shaken up the order of the best teams in the state. Ponaganset, though, remains invincible. It’s going to be difficult to keep the Chieftains from another title, let alone an undefeated season.
Here is the second edition of our Rhode Island girls high school basketball power rankings.
1. Ponaganset (8-0)
Previous rank: 1
Next game: vs North Kingstown, Jan. 9, 6:30 p.m.
The reigning champions have not slowed down. It’s been pure domination, as the Chieftains have a plus-172 point differential across their first eight games. Of course, they’ve won all eight. They knocked down the two other best teams in the state, defeating Moses Brown 61-49 and Barrington 52-48. Marron Nerney leads the way once again, scoring inside at will and setting up her teammates. The neat thing about Ponaganset, though, is how balanced the roster is. There’s a multitude of players that can step up and pick up the slack at any given moment, and it might just make them impossible to beat.
2. Barrington (8-1)
Previous rank: 4
Next game: vs La Salle, Jan. 9, 7 p.m.
The Eagles have come out firing. Their lone loss can be credited to Ponaganset. Genesis Castro jumped straight into success after transferring from Bay View, averaging a team-leading 17.5 points. Ella Martin follows her with 11.9 points per contest. Barrington thrives on the fast break, amassing 11.6 steals per game and turning into buckets in transition. Impressive victories over both Westerly and North Kingstown put them squarely in the top three teams in Rhode Island. The matchup with Moses Brown on Jan. 21 will likely decide which team ranks closest behind Ponaganset.
3. Westerly (6-1)
Previous rank: 5
Next game: at South Kingstown, Jan. 9, 6 p.m.
Westerly lost to Barrington, a dogfight in the season opener that ended 49-46. Since then, they’ve responded with six straight wins. They defeated North Kingstown 60-44 in a statement win, allowing Westerly to make a jump in the rankings. At the forefront is sophomore Ella Reyes, who has followed up a fantastic freshman season with 22.3 points per game on an incredibly effective 63 percent shooting from the field and 6.4 rebounds a game. Freshman Santanaa Hamelin has posted a breakout freshman year so far, like Reyes last year, with 6.6 assists and over three steals per game.
4. Moses Brown (6-2)
Previous rank: 2
Next game: at East Greenwich, Jan. 12, 5:30 p.m.
The Quakers unsurprisingly lost their first game at the hands of Ponaganset, but did drop a surprising one to Portsmouth on Wednesday, 47-40. Regardless, the 2024-25 Rhode Island Gatorade Player of the Year, Lauren Bousquet, picked up right where she left off, and is taking her game to a new level. She averaged 23.3 points last year, and has increased that number to 28.3. Junior point guard Marielle Nassiff is also averaging 21.8 points, although they don't have much scoring depth beyond those two. They’ve been dominant in their other five games, winning all by an average margin of 28 points.
5. North Kingstown (6-2)
Previous rank: 3
Next game: at Ponaganset, Jan. 9, 6:30 p.m.
They’ve won all four of their road games to this point, but a tough home schedule early on led to the pair of losses, to Barrington and Westerly. They won the other matchups convincingl, primarily Division II and low-end Division I teams. North Kingstown will still need to prove itself against top competition, and a perfect chance to do so will come next time up against Ponaganset. Shea Kalin and Finola Gately have been great scoring contributors, but the Skippers have a balanced attack.
6. Portsmouth (4-1)
Previous rank: 7
Next game: vs Pawtucket, Jan. 9, 7 p.m.
The Patriots picked up a massive win against Moses Brown, announcing themselves as a contender. Westerly played spoiler in their lone loss, a 52-35 decision. The Patriots have beaten Chariho by 31, Classical by 16 and Tiverton by 29. Stella Orr and Violet Silvia have been scoring forces for this team. They’re looking to contend with the top teams in the state, and a win against the best player in the state is certainly an important step toward their aspirations.
7. Lincoln School (3-0)
Previous rank: 9
Next game: vs Tiverton, Jan. 9, 4 p.m.
The Lynx entered the season as a sort of wild card in Division II, and they’re living up to the hype. Across their first two games, they had a whopping four separate players average at least 14 points. Senior guard Sarah Berube is the primary scorer, collecting 23 points in a big win over Toll Gate. Junior forward Reign Whiteing also entered the season with high hopes, and serves as their inside scorer and leading rebounder. Underclassmen Aliviah Harris and Aubrey Watkins have also packed a scoring punch. Lincoln School still needs to get tested, but it has won its first three games by an average of almost 38 points — an ideal start against any competition.
8. Narragansett (4-2)
Previous rank: 8
Next game: at Hope, Jan. 9, 7 p.m.
The reigning Division II champions have had a rough road so far, dropping games against Johnston and Lincoln. But, they’re at an acceptable 4-2 record regardless. There’s no denying the Mariners’ defensive ability, but the other end has been the issue. Even in their four wins, they’ve never scored more than 50 points and scored 41 or less in three of those. Delaney Bonneau remains the standout. She’s been lights out from three and is a pure scorer at all levels, and it’ll largely be up to her if this team is going to contend for a championship again.
9. Cranston West (5-2)
Previous rank: NR
Next game: at Classical, Jan. 9, 6 p.m.
The Falcons are the first new addition to the power rankings. Their scoring is incredibly balanced, as just one player scores in double digits, with seven players scoring at least three points per game. Senior guard Kyle Buco averages 10 points on the dot. They got out to a quick start with wins in their first four games, including a 48-32 victory over La Salle. Those two losses came right in a row, against the mighty North Kingstown and Barrington. Most recently, they held West Warwick to just 24 points.
10. Tiverton (5-3)
Previous Rank: NR
Next game: at Lincoln, Jan. 9, 4 p.m.
The Tigers are making an appearance in the final slot on the back of a 5-2 start to the year. Their wins have been convincing, including a 79-27 shellacking of Hope and a 56-32 win over Mt. Hope. In a strange split, they beat Coventry 66-52 but lost 44-25 in the second matchup between the sides. Their next game will be a good test, coming up against an undefeated Durfee team from Massachusetts. Junior shooting guard Camille Oliveira is Tiverton’s scoring leader at 16.6 points per game, with fellow junior Sara Poland contributing another 13. Jah’niece Branch is the Tigers’ senior center who averages 9.3 points and 7.7 rebounds.
