The question remains: Can Ponaganset be beaten? The reigning champions have shown no signs of slowing down and have won every battle they’ve been given to this point.
Barrington, Westerly, Moses Brown, North Kingstown and Portsmouth are Ponaganset’s closest Division I competitors, while Lincoln School is making some noise with an undefeated season in Division II.
Two new teams entered the rankings, including a red-hot squad from Division II and the first Division III team to make an appearance.
Here's the edition of the Rhode Island girls’ hoops Top 10.
1. Ponaganset (12-0)
Previous rank: 1
Next game: at Classical, Jan. 23, 6 p.m.
New rankings, same story for Ponaganset. After 12 games, they’ve not only won them all, but they’ve also outscored opponents by an average of 20 points per game. They’ve defeated all of the fellow contenders in the state they’ve been pitted against. All that’s left to do is finish the regular season strong and defend their state champion title. Junior Marron Nerney remains dominant in the scoring category and on the boards. Sophomore Javiana Stec has also been phenomenal. In their tightest game of the season, a 55-51 win over North Kingstown, Nerney scored 15 points, closely followed by 13 from freshman standout Maci Lafontaine. There’s not much standing between this team and a second consecutive trophy at the end of the season.
2. Barrington (13-1)
Previous rank: 2
Next game: vs. Cranston West, Jan. 23, 7 p.m.
The Eagles couldn’t keep Ponaganset down in their matchup, but the other 13 opponents were easy sledding. The trio of seniors — Faith Van Ness, Lauren Kilpatrick and Izzy Hentz — have served as important leaders for this team. Sophomores Genesis Castro and Ella Martin lead the way in terms of scoring, while freshman Keira Martin has also been a key contributor in that realm. Barrington most recently defeated Moses Brown 48-36, which is a statement result against another top team. This is a team well-equipped to make a deep run in the postseason and potentially get another shot at the lone team who proved worthy of beating them.
3. Westerly (12-1)
Previous rank: 3
Next game: vs. Juanita Sanchez, Jan. 23, 6 p.m.
Ella Reyes and the Bulldogs cannot be counted out either. Their one loss came against Barrington in the season opener, which was directly followed by 12 straight victories. Reyes is averaging around 20 points and six rebounds per game to lead the way. A pair of freshmen in Macy Antoch and Santanaa Hamelin have been essential pieces to the winning efforts as well. Hamelin tops the team in all of rebounds, assists and steals, which is rare for a first-year player. All three have been lights out from beyond the arc, all sitting around or above the 40 percent mark. A Feb. 2 date against Ponaganset will be a crucial test.
4. Moses Brown (10-3)
Previous rank: 4
Next game: at West Warwick, Jan. 23, 6 p.m.
The Quakers have gathered a respectable 10-3 record, but have also fallen victim to some of the top teams in the state. Unsurprisingly, Lauren Bousquet is the driving force. She’s averaging around 27 points per game and is truly an unstoppable force inside. In the last game against Barrington, she scored 26 points in a losing effort and accounted for more than 70 percent of the team’s total points. It marked the fifth straight game she’s scored at least a third of the team’s total. She has gotten some good help from junior point guard Marielle Nassiff, who sits around 20 points per game. But it’s going to take more than just those two against top teams.
5. Lincoln School (9-0)
Previous rank: 7
Next game: at East Providence, Jan. 23, 6 p.m.
The Lynx have broken onto the scene in Division II to the tune of zero losses in nine games. They even got a crack at a Division I opponent in La Salle, who is not having a great season, but it was an impressive 64-38 victory regardless. They’re exactly one layup away from doubling up their opponents in scoring on the season, outscoring opponents 598-300. Just once has an opponent kept a game within 10 points, in a 57-48 win over Rogers on Jan. 7. Junior power forward Reign Whiteing and senior guard Sarah Berube have been an incredible duo in the scoring department, along with freshman Aubrey Watkins. Aliviah Harris leads Lincoln School in rebounding with around 11 boards per game.
6. North Kingstown (9-3)
Previous rank: 5
Next game: vs. Bay View, Jan. 23, 7 p.m.
A run of two straight losses for the Skippers against Westerly and Ponganset has received a response of three straight wins. The offense did not run rampant in any of those games, as they scored 42 points or less in all three, but strong defensive efforts got the job done. In the loss to Ponaganset, senior Brooke Faunce scored a game-high 17 points. As expected, she’s been an important player, along with sharpshooter Shea Kalin. After completing a 26-2 season with an 18-1 record in the league in 2024-25, NK is finding it a tad more difficult with the array of talent at the pinnacle of Division I.
7. Portsmouth (7-3)
Previous rank: 6
Next game: vs. La Salle, Jan. 23, 7 p.m.
The Patriots have only recorded three losses to this point against the very best teams in the state. Their best resume piece is a 47-40 win over Moses Brown on Jan. 7. In a tight, low-scoring affair against Cranston West, sophomore guard Violet Silvia led the way with 14 points and junior guard Gyselle Mairs followed suit with 10 points of her own. In the most recent loss to North Kingstown, Mairs scored 18 points and Stella Orr added seven. Portsmouth has the tell-all test against Ponaganset coming up on Jan. 29.
8. Tiverton (9-5)
Previous Rank: 10
Next game: vs. Smithfield, Jan. 23, 7 p.m.
The Tigers have personified streakiness this season, but they’re back on the right track across their latest run. After starting the season well and falling into a three-game rut midway through the season, they’ve followed up with four victories in a row. Junior Camille Oliveira can be given most of the credit for that. She put up 29 against Scituate, 26 against East Providence, 20 on West Warwick and 17 in the latest win over Cumberland. She’s averaging 17.4 points per game, with senior center Jah’niece Branch averaging 11.8 points and 8.5 rebounds. Tiverton has its sights set on prolonging this run and competing for the Division II title.
9. Exeter-West Greenwich (10-1)
Previous rank: NR
Next game: vs. Central Falls, Jan. 23, 7 p.m.
The Scarlet Knights are putting on for Division III and are making their first appearance in the rankings. Despite their division, they’ve punched far above their weight, defeating a vast array of Division II schools with their lone loss coming in a tight game against a Division I opponent. Junior point guard Kate Hebert sits atop the team with 14.5 points per game, and senior forward Nini Olawuyi averages 11.4 points along with a team-leading 11.5 rebounds per game. Exeter is the heavy favorite to take the D-III title at this point.
10. Rogers (7-5)
Previous Rank: NR
Next game: at Toll Gate, Jan. 23, 6:30 p.m.
The Vikings don’t sport the greatest record, but that’s because of their gauntlet of a schedule in the opening weeks of the season. Three of their losses came against Division I teams and another was against undefeated Lincoln School. After starting the season 1-5 as a result, they’ve powered their way to six impressive wins in a row ever since. They’re blowing many of their Division II rivals out of the water, defeating all of Narragansett, Coventry, Cumberland and Johnston by double-digits. Zaida Aponte is the star of the show for Rogers. They'll need to keep this streak alive to compete for the D-II title.
