Kyle Williams' Super 25 high school girls basketball rankings for Jan. 12, 2025

When Kenwood went to Washington for its Christmas tournament, the team stopped by Howard University, the future home of senior guard Ariella Henigan.

The Broncos were able to shoot on Howard’s court, and Henigan got another view of her college program. Howard, an HBCU, is one of the best schools in the country.

For Henigan, the school offered everything she wanted on and off the court.

“Throughout my recruiting process, I’ve always talked about culture,” Henigan said. “Going to Howard, that’s all you’re going to get.”

St. Ignatius’ strong start

St. Ignatius is one victory away from matching last season’s total. The Wolfpack have made a remarkable turnaround, and the stellar play of senior Reganne Reardon is at the center of it.

Reardon has developed tremendously between her junior and senior seasons. She has a large catch radius and is a fluid athlete. Reardon scored 25 points and grabbed 12 rebounds in a 71-50 loss against Kenwood, but the game was closer than the final score indicated.

Senior guard Sally Kennedy is a reliable ballhandler, and Maggie Helms is indispensable. She grabbed four rebounds against Kenwood and is a steadying presence.

St. Ignatius also has been without junior guard Gabby Hinton, who’s recovering from a foot injury.

Kipps Hoopsfest

The 35th annual Kipps Hoopsfest is Saturday and next Monday. The tournament features some of the best teams from all over the state in action-packed days of hoops. Here are two of the best matchups Saturday.

• St. Charles East vs. Lyons, 3 p.m.: St. Charles East picked up a big 43-37 win Wednesday against Batavia. Senior forward Sofia O’Sullivan scored eight points in the fourth quarter to push the Saints past the Bulldogs. The Saints are a balanced team with high-scoring guard Corinne Reed and do-it-all forwards Brooklyn and Addie Schilb.

Since losing to Benet at the Montini Christmas Tournament, Lyons has ripped off five consecutive wins. Senior Emma O’Brien scored 19 second-half points in the Lions’ 43-35 victory Saturday against Downers Grove North.

With O’Brien, Stanford commit Nora Ezike and the emergence of junior guard Gwen Smith, Lyons will be a tough matchup for the Saints. St. Charles East doesn’t have much size, which makes defending O’Brien and Ezike a challenge.

• Benet vs. Prospect, 4:30 p.m.: Benet has been rolling like a well-oiled machine. Prospect features one of the most prolific stat-sheet stuffers in forward Ali Linke. She can knock down threes, post up and create scoring opportunities for her teammates.

But the key for both teams will be guard play. Benet boasts some of the most impressive guard depth in the state with senior Aria Mazza, sophomore Ava Mersinger and junior Sailer Jones. Keeping turnovers low is imperative, especially for Prospect, because Benet rarely makes mistakes.

Here are the Super 25 girls basketball rankings for Jan. 5 (with record and last week's ranking):

1. Kenwood (18-1) 2

Beat St. Ignatius

2. Benet (17-1) 1

On an 17-game winning streak

3. Lyons (19-1) 3

Plays Glenbard West on Thursday

4. St. Ignatius (14-3) 4

Hosts Montini on Tuesday

5. Fremd (16-4) 5

Plays Conant on Thursday

6. Young (11-6) 6

Loss out of state.

7. Loyola (16-2) 8

On 10-game winning streak.

8. Waubonsie Valley (16-1) 7

Plays Naperville Central on Thursday

9. Nazareth (15-2) 9

Plays Hersey on Monday

10. Huntley (17-0) 10

Plays McHenry on Tuesday

11. Prospect (15-4) 11

At Evanston on Tuesday.

12. Maine South (16-4) 12

At Batavia on Tuesday.

13. Glenbrook South (15-5) 13

On six-game winning streak

14. Libertyville (15-4) 14

Hosts Lake Forest on Tuesday

15. St. Charles East (13-4) 18

Beat Batavia

16. St. Charles North (16-3) 17

Beat Lake Park

17. Downers Grove North (13-6) 15

Lost to Lyons

18. Marist (16-5) 20

Hosts Nazareth on Wednesday

19. Hinsdale Central (13-5) 19

Hosts York on Tuesday

20. Lake Zurich (12-6) 22

Hosts Warren on Tuesday

21. Lockport (17-3) 23

Beat Stagg

22. Batavia (13-5) 16

Lost to St. Charles East

23. Mother McAuley (13-6) 24

Hosts Providence Catholic on Tuesday

24. Montini (12-6) 21

At St. Ignatius on Tuesday`

25. Glenbrook North (15-3) 25

At Evanston on Friday.