Preview: Mission Hills, Francis Parker are again among San Diego’s best in girls basketball

2025-26 High School Girls Basketball Preview

Regular season ends: Feb. 13

Championship finals: Feb. 26-28

Defending champions

Open Division: Mission Hills

Division1: Victory Christian Academy

Division 2: Otay Ranch

Division 3: Christian

Division 4: Crawford

Division 5: Santana

Division 5-AA: School for Entrepreneurship & Technology

2025 Player of the Year: Bay Cordova, Mission Hills

Top 10 players

Name; School; Year; Comment

Brieana Brown, Francis Parker, Jr., Led the Lancers in scoring (14.3 ppg) and rebounding (10.6 rpg). Has a relentless motor.

Jordan Brown, Francis Parker, Fr., Parker coach thinks 5-9 guard will be one of section’s best players … ever.

Bay Cordova, Mission Hills, Jr., Section Player of the Year averaged 15 points, 4.9 rebounds per game as a sophomore.

McKinley Hanlon, Cathedral Catholic, Jr., Wiry athlete put up 17.8 points per game last season.

Sarah Heyn, Westview, Sr., UC Santa Barbara commit averaged 14.3 points per game last season.

Mia Jacobson, Westview, Sr., Averaged 14.3 points and 6.3 rebounds per game.

Mai’ana Norita, Victory Christian, Sr., Combo guard put up 17.8 points per game last year.

Aakash Price, Grossmont, Jr., Marvelous athlete averaged 20.8 points per game.

Isabella Riddle, Francis Parker, So., Post player is oming back from a knee injury, is dominant in paint.

Safiyah Sugapong, La Jolla Country Day, Sr., Talented guard is a good shooter, controls the tempo for Torreys.

More players to Watch

Maya Akesson, Mission Hills, Fr., The 6-foot-2 guard is already being scouted by Division I colleges.

Izzy Alexander, La Costa Canyon, Sr., Combo guard averaged 11.4 points, 2.9 steals and 5.4 rebounds per game.

Kalea Bacho, Mission Hills, Sr., Tough defender, high basketball IQ, good shooter.

Atlanta Bass-Sulpizio, La Jolla Country Day, Sr., Torreys’ hidden gem is the team’s third-leading scorer.

Lindsay Biddle, Rancho Bernardo, Sr., Was a first-team All-CIF pick as a junior.

Jadie Bowers, Lincoln Jr., Flag football player is a team captain and the Hornets’ best defender.

Keani Brown, La Costa Canyon, Jr., Do-it-all forward averaged 18.3 points, 11.8 boards, 5.5 steals as a sophomore.

Ivanna Camarillo, Calexico, Jr., Guard led Bulldogs in points as sophomore, scoring nearly 20 a game.

Tiann Carpenter, Grossmont, Fr., Coach thinks point guard will score 15 a game.

Anaya Carter, Otay Ranch, Sr., Three-sport athlete fills stats sheet, is an elite defender.

Soila Chadwick, La Jolla, Jr., Nice sophomore season, averaging 8.6 points and 7.4 rebounds per game.

Clarissa Davila, Imperial, Sr., Point guard, 3-point specialist already has three 20-plus games this season.

Jaedyn Davis, Santa Fe Christian, So., Tenacious on boards, she averaged 8.7 rebounds per game last season.

Ali DiBenedetto, Carlsbad, Jr., Gets to the rim and sees the floor well.

Emily Farr, Poway, Sr., Post player averaged 10.9 points and 14.3 rebounds per game last season.

Gabby Fichter Coronado So., The point guard averaged 14.2 points per game as a freshman.

Jaliyah Fleming, Grossmont, Jr., Averaged 11.4 points per game last season.

Leilani Gomez, Madison, Sr., Combo guard scores from anywhere on the court

Marisol Gomez, Victory Christian Academy, So., The 5-11 wing is skilled at attacking the basket.

Raya Halonen, Poway, So., Averaged 9.8 points per game as a freshman.

HC Harding, Mission Hills, Sr., Vanguard commit is a prolific shooter who hit 130 3s as a junior.

Keira Heinricy, El Capitan, Sr., Hawaii-Pacific commit owns school record with more than 200 treys.

Malory Huhn, Carlsbad, So., Is a tough 5-10 guard.

AJ Jacoby, La Jolla Jr., The 6-foot post averaged 7.1 rebounds per game last season.

Elynna Jimenez, Imperial, So., Posted 14.7 points, 7.1 boards per game as a freshman.

Ayla Johnson, Bishop’s, Sr., Jack-of-all-trades guard fills the stat sheet.

Kamaili Lasua, Bishop’s, Jr., Guard averaged 9.8 points, 5.1 rebounds per game last season.

Margo Leong, Bishop’s, Jr., The 6-2 post averaged 11.7 points and 12.4 boards per game as a sophomore.

Promise Martin, Mater Dei Catholic, Sr., Averaged 13.9 points, 11.2 boards, 4.6 steals per game for state finalist.

Malissa Mckoy, Lincoln, Sr., Scoring will jump from 8 points a game.

Makena McLaughlin, Westview, Sr., Competitive 6-footer is a good shooter, has feel for the game.

Izzy Medina, Mission Hills Sr., QB on flag football team, the 5-7 wing is glue to Open Division champs.

Brianna Mendez, Francis Parker, So., Does a little bit of everything.

Maleena Nava, Mission Hills, Jr., Scored 16 and 23 points in Grizzlies’ final two San Diego Section games last year.

Grace Nordeen Fallbrook, Jr., Aggressive forward averaged 19.4 points and 15.8 rebounds per game.

Jewell Parker, San Diego, Sr., Hoover transfer averaged 18.1 points per game last year.

Charley Pegg, Torrey Pines, Sr., Captain with incredible hoops IQ is dangerous from deep.

Kaitlyn Raagas, Francis Parker, Sr., Navy commit averaged 9.8 points per game last year, third on the team.

Khamyah Rockett, Morse, Jr., Girl named Rockett boasts big-time motor.

Holly Rucks, Torrey Pines, So., The 6-1 post is powerful down low (and an accomplished water skier).

Affaini Saleauna-Trisby, Bonita Vista, Fr., Mother was volleyball player of the year for the Barons.

Serenity Salmond, Otay Ranch, So., Combo guard is a disruptive defender who scores from deep.

Shawnell Sanders, Victory Christian Academy, Jr., Best athlete on the team is a good defender, excellent rebounder.

Anayla Saulo Canyon Hills, Sr., Strong post player averaged 9.2 points, 7.0 rebounds per game a year ago.

Briana Sloan, Cathedral Catholic, Sr., Rocklin High School transfer can score from all three levels.

Leah Speers, Christian, So., Quick, versatile guard averaged 20.6 points as a freshman.

Jennifer Stanion, Santa Fe Christian, Sr., Averaged 13.1 points and 12.7 rebounds per game last year.

Anijah Stowers, Lincoln Sr., Wing is the Hornets’ leading returning scorer.

Emily Valencia, Morse, So., Relentless, a leader and attacks the basket.

Jet Walton, La Jolla Country Day, Sr., Bill Walton’s 6-2 granddaughter is a terrific defender.

Kennedy Walton, La Jolla Country Day, So., Bill Walton’s 6-3 granddaughter is averaging 9.4 points per game.

Mahlia Washington, La Jolla Country Day, Sr., Versatile athlete scored 30 points Saturday vs. Mission Hills.

Sierra Weckback, Christian, Sr., The 6-1 Weckback averaged 10.5 points, 11.9 rebounds per game.

Gianna Woodson, San Diego, So., Averaged 14.7 points and 2.9 steals per game.

Paula Zumstein, Montgomery, Sr., Cal State San Marcos commit averaged 18.8 points, 8.1 boards per game as a junior.

Notes

Back to the Future

Before anyone played a game, two-time defending Open champion Mission Hills and Francis Parker, runner-up to the Grizzlies last season, were favorites to meet again for the title. The Grizzlies and Lancers lost no one to graduation who saw playing time, plus get an infusion of talented freshmen. But don’t count out four-time state champion La Jolla Country Day. Terri Bamford’s team beat Mission Hills in the third-place game of the Torreys’ Sweet Sixteen Invitational.

Fabulous freshmen

Francis Parker guard Jordan Brown is considered one of the nation’s best players in the Class of 2029. Like Brown, Mission Hills guard Maya Akesson is already drawing interest from power conference programs. In all, four freshmen landed spots in the U-T’s 10 best or players to watch lists.

Local tournaments

SoCal Holiday Prep Classic: Canyon Hills hosts Dec. 26-30 event that will be staged at high schools throughout the county, featuring 10 brackets of eight teams. Local teams participating include La Jolla Country Day, Westview, Cathedral Catholic, Lincoln, Bishop’s, La Costa Canyon, Canyon Hills, Torrey Pines, El Capitan, Santana, Our Lady of Peace, University City and Point Loma.

MLK I Have A Dream Showcase: Santa Fe Christian hosts its tournament on Jan. 17 and 19. Eight games will be played each day at the school. Local teams playing are: Santa Fe Christian, Escondido Charter, Bishop’s, Valhalla, Sweetwater, Valley Center, Torrey Pines, Imperial, San Diego, Oceanside, Otay Ranch, University City, Morse, Montgomery, La Costa Canyon, High Tech San Diego, San Dieguito Academy, Olympian, Escondido, Eastlake, Mater Dei Catholic and Point Loma.

DON NORCROSS