Who's started hot? Here's RI's best high school girls basketball teams

This is just for fun.

It’s very important to remember that one full (sort of) week of basketball gives us some insight, but hardly tells us much about what we need to know from any of the teams playing in any  of the divisions of high school basketball in Rhode Island.

Trying to rank the teams at this point of the season is downright impossible, but that hasn’t stopped us before so let’s just rip this Band-Aid off and let form your own thoughts about who are the top five teams in Division I, II and III basketball right now.

Division I Power Rankings

1. Ponaganset (2-0)

The only disappointing thing about the first week of the year for the Chieftains was the postponement of their state title rematch against Moses Brown. Ponaganset opened the season with a win over D-II Smithfield, then set a tone with a win over Barrington on Friday. The Chieftains will hit the road Monday to take on Pawtucket and then host Woodstock Academy (Conn.) on Tuesday before getting a few days off.

2. Barrington (3-1)

Nobody had a tougher start to the season than the Eagles, who proved they’re a state title title contender in eight days. After a casual win over Chariho in the opener, Barrington went through the wringer and beat Westerly and North Kingstown on the road before losing at Ponaganset on Friday. Barrington returns home Tuesday to play Classical and will play in a holiday tournament in New Hampshire on the weekend.

3. Westerly (0-1)

The Bulldogs were a popular preseason state title pick, but if they believed the noise they now know they have to work for it. Westerly dropped its opener against Barrington on Dec. 13, then had to sit on that before Ella Reyes dropped 34 in a win over East Catholic (Conn.) on Saturday. Westerly will host a tough Portsmouth team on Tuesday before hosting the Westerly Community Credit Union Holiday Tournament on the weekend.

4. Moses Brown (2-0)

It’s probably unfair to drop the Quakers to fourth, but they haven’t played anyone while the other three teams have so that’s life of the rankings. Moses Brown beat two D-II teams (Hope and Johnston) before last week’s postponements and the schedule isn’t getting tougher. The Quakers play at Toll Gate on Monday before traveling to play Scituate on Saturday. 

5. North Kingstown (2-1)

What a roller-coaster ride so far for the Skippers. They opened with an ugly win over La Salle on Monday, played solid but lost to Barrington Wednesday, then ran it up against rival South Kingstown on Friday. NK plays a non-league game against Scittuate Monday, then travels to take on East Providence on Saturday afternoon.

NEXT UP: Portsmouth (1-0)

Division II Power Ranks

1. Coventry (3-0)

The Oakers are a softball school, but the town’s youth basketball program underwent a drastic change and they’re starting to see how that helps. Coventry beat Division I West Warwick in its opener, blew by Johnston in its D-II opener, then took down another D-I team in Chariho in a nailbiter on Friday. The Oakers have a big test Monday when they host East Providence in their lone game of the week.

2. Lincoln School (1-0)

With Division II all over the place after Week 1, it seems safe to put the Lynx in the second spot. Lincoln School beat former D-III foe Providence Country Day in its opener before putting its season on pause last week. There’s nothing on schedule this week, meaning the Lynx will be on the practice grind before hitting the court in 2026.

3. Smithfield (0-1)

It feels like the Sentinels are going to be a pretty good team this season but they just haven’t had a chance to show it. Smithfield lost to defending state champ Ponaganset in its opener, but had its one game last week postponed. The Sentinels were be working hard on the practice courts until it gets back on the court in January.

4. Tiverton (2-0)

The Tigers are certainly a championship contender this winter and they’ve been taking care of business so far. Tiverton took down a short-handed Hope in its season opener by 50-plus and one week later, let the defense do the job in a 51-35 win over Lincoln. Tiverton is off this week before playing in the Ocean State Classical at Coventry High School next week.

5. Johnston (3-2)

Nobody’s played more basketball than the Panthers and so far, things have been going just fine. Johnston pulled out a win over Lincoln in its opener, lost to Division I Moses Brown two days later, then played three games last week. The Panthers beat Cranston East, lost to Coventry, but then beat Narragansett to showed it might be a sleeper this season. Johnston plays its final game of 2025 on Monday against Division I Juanita Sanchez.

NEXT UP: Narragansett (2-1)

Division III Power Rankings

1. Exeter-West Greenwich (3-0)

The Scarlet Knights were the title favorites coming into the season and have done little to disprove that notion. EWG opened the season with a win over Division II East Greenwich, then took down Toll Gate and Pilgrim last week. The Knights are coming along just fine and will be in action on the weekend in a holiday tournament at Pilgrim.

2. Pilgrim (4-1)

The Patriots are hoping to play for a championship this season and are off to a strong start. In four wins, Pilgrim didn’t surrender more than 25 points in its first three games, beating Toll Gate, Middletown and Woonsocket. The Patriots lost to Exeter-West Greenwich on Wednesday, but rebounded with a win over Cranston East. Tuesday Pilgrim will travel to play D-II East Greenwich before hosting a four-team tournament on the weekend.

3. Prout (0-1)

After winning the Division III title, not putting the Crusaders somewhere in the top five seems like a mistake. Prout played some tough defense in a loss to defending D-II champ Narragansett on December 12, but hasn’t played a game since. The Crusaders will travel to play Woonsocket on Friday, then play in a holiday tournament at Cranston East during the weekend.

4. Central Falls (1-1)

The Warriors loss to Division II North Smithfield last Wednesday says a lot about this team’s potential and following that with a win over Middletown was certainly a step they wanted to take. Central Falls - which co-ops with Blackstone Valley Prep - will host Lincoln at BVP on Monday to close the 2025 portion of its schedule.

5. Davies (0-1)

Much like Central Falls, the Patriots’ loss to North Smithfield isn’t a knock and really gives an idea that this team can be a contender in D-III. Davies fell to the Northmen by three on December 12 and had its lone game postponed last week. The Patriots will host Achievement First in an afternoon affair on Monday before playing in the Charlie Gwynne Holiday Tournament at Providence Country Day the following week.

NEXT UP: Burrillville (1-1)

This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Rhode Island High School Girls Basketball Power Rankings after the first week