Nease continues to remain at the top of the Fab Five girls basketball rankings for the fourth straight week, but Bishop Kenny is inching closer to them after winning the Battle of the Island Tournament over the weekend.
1 Nease (11-0)
Last ranking: 1
Last week: def. Bishop Moore 69-18
Next: Naples Holiday Shootout (Dec 27-29)
Note: Needing just five points, Camille Hobby scored 18 and added 7 rebounds in the huge win over Bishop Moore to surpass the 1,000 point mark in her high school career. Tia Robinson added 17 points, while Peyton Carter had 10 points and 12 rebounds and Kiya Turner added 9 points and 6 rebounds in the win. Nease will likely get their first test in over a month as they compete in the Naples Holiday Shootout opening up with Loyola Academy, Illinois (12-3) Thursday at 10:30 in the morning.
2 Bishop Kenny (11-1)
Last ranking: 2
Last week: def. Bishop Moore 55-38, Bartram Trail 47-38, Fleming Island 56-43
Next: St. Pius Christmas Classic (Dec 27-29)
Note: Thanks to the duo of Jasmyne Roberts and Maddie Millar, Bishop Kenny easily won the Second Annual Battle of the Island Tournament at Fleming Island last week. Millar and Roberts were named to the all-tournament team after both averaged double figures in all three games. In the opener against Bishop Moore, Roberts had a double-double, Millar led the Crusaders with 21 points on seven-three pointers and Rose Dolmovich chipped in with 18 points on six-three pointers. In the semifinals, Roberts (17 points, 17 rebounds) and Millar (17 points, 6 rebounds) led BK in scoring while Dolmovich added 11 and Cara McCarthy added 7 assists and 5 rebounds. In the title game, BK got down big early but kept chipping away before coming back and taking the win over host Fleming Island to capture the championship. Now the Crusaders will travel to Atlanta and compete in the St. Pius Christmas Classic and will open with Academy of the Holy Cross (3-6) out of Maryland in the opener Thursday.
3 Raines (11-1)
Last ranking: 3
Last week: fell to Potters House 61-45, def. Miami Norland 59-54
Next: Northwest Classic (Dec 28-29)
Note: Raines ran into a buzz-saw in Potters House (10-3) dropping its first game of the season thanks to a 17-2 run by the Lions to start the third quarter, despite 18 points from Ahliah Brown and 10 points and 10 rebounds from Teyana Carswell. A night later down 32-16 at the half, a 26-8 run in the third quarter propelled the host Vikings to a come from behind win over Norland. Raines returns to the court to compete in the Northwest Classic this weekend against Northside rivals First Coast, Jackson and Ribault.
4 Middleburg (10-2)
Last ranking: 4
Last week: def. Ed White 82-13
Next: Florida Prospects Christmas Tourney at Wekiva (Dec 27-29)
Note: Middleburg took their frustration out of a 40 point loss to Nease last week on Ed White last week jumping out to a 23-3 lead after the first quarter. The Broncos were led by four players in double figures including Mallory Rooney (24 points, 10 rebounds), Jamyah Harkins (21 points), Britany Range (18 points) and Skylar Baltezegar (10 points, 11 rebounds). Middleburg will travel to Wekiva (Apopka) and compete in the Florida Prospects Christmas Holiday Tournament opening with Orlando Jones Thursday night.
5 Sandalwood (7-2)
Last ranking: HM
Last week: def. Fletcher 61-17, def. Norland 52-49
Next: Florida Prospects Christmas Tournament
Note: Since starting the season 0-2 with losses to Nease and Middleburg, the Saints have reeled off seven straight wins to move into the five spot this week after a blow out win over arch-rival Fletcher and a come from behind win over Miami Norland. The foursome of Auriyah Stewart (10.4 p.p.g.), Nadaya Matthews (11.6 p.p.g.), Amari Wright (10.7 p.p.g.) and Caitlin McGee (17.2 p.p.g, 14.8 r.p.g.) will face stiff competition this weekend in the Florida Prospects Christmas Tournament at Wekiva.
Dropped out: No. 5 Bolles (7-2)
Honorable Mention: Bartram Trail (9-3), Columbia (10-3), Creekside (7-3), Fernandina Beach (11-1), Flagler Palm Coast (8-1), Orange Park (9-1), Ribault (7-4), Ridgeview (8-3), St. Johns Country Day (10-1), University Christian (8-1)
