The Girls Catholic Athletic Conference is the best in the state, with teams ranked in the Sun-Times’ Super 25 and teams like Mother McAuley, DePaul and Fenwick that have talented players and can surprise.
So it’s impressive that St. Ignatius was able to win the conference’s regular season for the first time since 2023. Led by senior Reganne Reardon, the Wolfpack are a competitive team that thrives on selflessness.
I’m curious to see how the conference tournament turns out. Last year, Loyola beat Montini in the finals. This year, it will be fascinating to see how Loyola, St. Ignatius, and Montini fare in the tournament.
The GCAC Tournament starts on Feb. 3.
Wednesday showdowns
It’s almost playoff time. As the regular season for the suburban, catholic and public leagues winds down, the games start to gain greater importance.
But before we get to the playoffs, Wednesday has a plethora of intriguing matchups that may serve as great tests for teams.
The marquee matchup is between Young and Kenwood. Young has been tested in their out-of-state games. The Dolphins’ record can be deceiving as it’s not an accurate indicator of the team’s talent. But after beating Maine South 68-41 last week, the Dolphins are rolling on all cylinders heading into a key game against their rivals. Five-star guard Destiny Jackson is a McDonald’s All-American candidate.
Meanwhile, the Broncos have also played a challenging schedule and have emerged with a 23-2 record. Ariella Henigan, a Howard commit, has been stellar. Henigan is a smooth scorer and distributor but also an impressive leader. It’ll be interesting to see how each team’s supporting cast steps up. Icesis Thomas is the Broncos’ best defender and can knock down a three, and Young has sophomore sharpshooter Gaby Domercant.
The other matchup I’m keeping an eye on is Benet vs. Nazareth. Benet has lost just one game this season — in November against Lyons — but has since rebounded, ripping off 22 straight wins. With guard Aria Mazza leading the way, the Redwings are a team that can beat any team in the area.
Benet won the first matchup 66-49, but the Roadrunners haven’t lost a game since the defeat against Benet. It was always going to take some time for Nazareth to find its footing after replacing four starters from last year’s team.
But forward Stella Sakalas is one of the most talented juniors in the area. Her ability to score in a variety of ways while also being a game-changer on the defensive end. Senior guard Allia von Schlegell gives the Roadrunners a different dynamic with her speed and quickness. von Schlegell can also shoot threes and get to the basket.
Other notable games on Wednesday are Loyola vs. Prospect and Libertyville vs. Lake Zurich. Prospect’s Alli Linke is key for her team against an undersized Loyola team. Linke can change the game by drawing fouls and shifting how much help Loyola sends to guard her.
Super 25 high school girls basketball rankings for Jan. 26, 2025
With record and last week’s ranking
1. Kenwood (23-2) 1
Plays Whitney Young on Wednesday
2. Benet (22-1) 2
Plays Nazareth on Wednesday
3. Lyons (23-1) 3
Beat Hinsdale Central
4. St. Ignatius (21-3) 4
Plays Regina on Tuesday
5. Loyola (23-2) 7
Plays Prospect on Wednesday
6. Young (16-7) 6
Beat Maine South
7. Fremd (18-5) 5
Lost to Loyola Academy
8. Waubonsie Valley (20-1) 8
On 10-game winning streak
9. Nazareth (21-2) 9
Beat Marian Catholic
10. Huntley (23-0) 10
Beat Cary-Grove
11. Prospect (19-5) 12
Plays Loyola and Maine South this week
12. Glenbrook South (18-7) 13
Beat St. Charles East
13. Maine South (18-6) 11
Lost to Young
14. Libertyville (18-5) 14
Plays Lake Zurich on Wednesday
15. St. Charles North (19-5) 15
Plays St. Charles East on Friday
16. Lake Zurich (17-6) 17
At Libertyville on Wednesday
17. St. Charles East (18-6) 16
Undefeated in conference
18. Marist (19-6) 18
Beat Marian Catholic
19. Downers Grove North (16-8) 19
Hosts Naperville North on Tuesday
20. Lockport (21-4) 20
Hosts Homewood-Flossmoor on Tuesday
21. Hinsdale Central (17-7) 21
Lost to Lyons
22. Batavia (16-8) 22
Lost to Peoria Notre Dame
23. Marian Catholic (20-5) 23
Plays Montini on Tuesday
24. Montini (16-8) 24
Beat Fenwick
25. Glenbrook North (17-5) 25
Lost to Glenbrook South