Twelve Teams, One Title: Previewing the 2026 Girls High School Basketball Season

Last December's ISA/IIAAG girls final was decided by a single point. St. John's held on to beat Academy 58-57 at JFK, finishing an 11-0 regular season and a perfect playoff run, and winning the title for the second year in a row. Zahna Whitehead scored 14 in the final while playing through an injury.

In Thursday night's Clutch Girls High School Basketball Classic final, St. John's beat Academy 41-35, and Southern took third with a 48-38 win over GW. Now the real season begins, and all 12 teams start fresh. Here's a look at every team heading into the year.

Last Season's Final Standings

• St. John's: 11-0, Champion
• Academy: 10-1, Runner-up
• St. Paul: 9-2, Third place
• JFK: 7-4, Fourth place
• Guam High: 7-4, Quarterfinal
• Southern: 7-4, Quarterfinal
• Okkodo: 5-6, Quarterfinal
• Sanchez: 4-7, Quarterfinal
• GW: 3-8
• Notre Dame: 2-9
• Harvest: 1-10
• Tiyan: 0-11

The Favorites

St. John's Knights (11-0 last season, 6-0 at the Classic). The Knights are chasing a three-peat, and head coach Fred Peters, who has been a coach at the school for 31 years, knows it will be "more difficult than ever." They capped a perfect Classic by beating Academy in the final. "The girls have really responded and can see the opportunity to carve out their own identity," Peters said.

Zoe Whitehead takes over as the first scoring option. She was the best scorer in the Classic, with 128 points (21.3 per game), and the Knights even have a "Zoe Rule": no one shoots until Zoe has touched the ball. Zahna Whitehead is back, senior captain Angelica Chan, Eva Starr and Mia Aguigui step into starting roles, and freshmen Chloe Laxamana and Zara Muna add a spark.

The Knights' schedule is shorter than usual this year. With four players leaving for the U15 tournament in New Zealand, all 11 regular-season games fall before Nov. 24, followed by a two-week break before the Dec. 9 quarterfinals.

Academy Cougars (10-1 last season, 5-1 at the Classic). Academy's only regular-season loss last year came against St. John's, and the Cougars reached the final. The Cougars pushed St. John's to the finish in the Classic final, and they'll get another shot on Nov. 14. This year's group may be even tougher to score on. Defense has been the Cougars' calling card through the Classic, and every opponent has had to work for its points.

Keni Paulino led the team with 65 points and nine threes, and Suri Sanchez added 54, including 15 in the semifinal and 14 in the final. Ani Shiroma (36 points) and Anaiah Taylor (30) round out a balanced attack.

That balance is what sets Academy apart. The Cougars have probably the deepest bench in the league, which lets them keep fresh legs on the floor, and head coach Arleen Mad has her team focused on defense and transition scoring, turning stops into easy points on the other end.

The Chasers

St. Paul Warriors (9-2 last season, third place). Last year's third-place team is a group on the way up. The Warriors are working with a smaller roster, just nine players, but they got better with each game they played at the Classic, and they're only getting started.

St. Paul's leader is Darian Godoy. She led the Warriors in scoring in every Classic game, with 45 points in all, including 18 against Notre Dame and 17 against GW, after scoring 105 points last season. She does more than score: Godoy looks to distribute the ball and get her teammates involved, and they have grown more confident playing alongside her. The Warriors will go as far as she takes them, but this is not a one-player team, and the supporting cast showed real improvement from game to game.

That improvement should continue through the season as head coach Canovas builds on the St. Paul system: full-court pressure, defensive traps to force turnovers, and transition scoring off those stops. Opponents who aren't ready for the pressure will find out quickly.

Southern Dolphins (7-4 last season, 4-2 at the Classic). Southern goes as Lana Quinata goes. The league's top scorer last season at 22.6 points a game and the Lady Triton Super League MVP, she finished the Classic with 84 points, including 20 in the third-place win. "Lana is Lana," said head coach Tony Taianao. "She is our team's primary playmaker and leader."

She has help. Shayana Taimanglo, who scored 20 against Notre Dame, "has the ability and quickness to be our point of attack on defense," Taianao said, turning steals into layups. Zoe Luzanta (37 Classic points) has the size to anchor both ends and is "skilled enough to run the break."

The Dolphins want to be more than a three-player team. Taianao is asking every player to embrace a clearly defined role and improve one skill at a time, with a defense built on communication, effort and pressure. "If we can improve in those areas," he said, "we'll put ourselves in a much better position to be successful come playoff time."

Guam High Panthers (7-4 last season). Few programs deal with as much roster turnover as Guam High. Players come and go from year to year, which makes it hard to build for the long term, so the Panthers have to be ready to perform now. Last year's four leading scorers aren't back, but Guam High has three players with varsity experience to build around.

Eli Johnson has taken the biggest step forward. She scored 30 points in 12 games last season and already has 46 in four Classic games, an average of 11.5 a game, including 16 against Harvest and 14 against GW. Destiny Blaize, who scored 86 points last season, is quick with and without the ball and added 26 Classic points, including 13 against Harvest. Gianna Fernandez has grown into a bigger role and looks like she can be a prolific mid-range scorer.

Ezra Guison gives the Panthers a steady presence on the other end. She is stingy on defense and plays with a lot of composure.

GW Geckos (3-8 last season, 3-3 at the Classic). GW may be the most improved team in the league, and it's doing it with youth. Freshman Laurel Osborn scored 70 Classic points, including 24 against Notre Dame, and sophomore Riley Roberto added 47. The Geckos won three Classic games, matching their win total from all of last season, and played for third place.

Seniors Aelyisa Santos, Edelshia Manibusan and Haley Espinal give the young scorers a veteran core around them, and junior Jonaye Cruz and freshmen Aurea Salas and Mackenzie Flores round out an eight-player varsity. The Geckos also look to be aggressive defensively, pressuring the ball and making opponents work for every shot.

New head coach Reggie Guerrero is excited to be working with a determined squad and to be part of the public school system. He's building a defensive-minded group that plays hard on every possession, and that hustle could be what separates the Geckos this season. With this group, GW has the potential to double last year's win total and make a deep playoff push.

Notre Dame Royals (2-9 last season). Notre Dame has a young core to build on, with two notable freshman scorers in Zeniah Quitagua and Amaya Sablan. Quitagua scored a team-high 13 in the Classic opener and has already hit five threes, and Sablan (19 points, three threes) already looks comfortable on the varsity stage.

Senior Naomi Blas brings leadership and composure, and Cori Hernandez can shoot from deep, with 30 points and eight threes in four Classic games, including 17 in one game. Ka'ley Cruz is one of the most improved players on the team and can take on a bigger scoring role.

Don't let last season's 2-9 record fool you. The Royals opened the Classic with a win over St. Paul, last year's third-place team. Head coach Jimmy Yi is focused on disciplined basketball that trusts his players to make decisions on the court. With 15 players on the varsity roster, the Royals have the depth to handle a long season, and as their young scorers grow into the league, Notre Dame is a team that can make a playoff run.

Harvest Eagles (1-10 last season). Harvest is building with a young roster, but the Eagles bring back a core that knows the league. Jasmine Belyshev led Harvest with 93 points last season and shared the team lead at the Classic. Kelli Tokito and Lilya Macapinlac also return, and Shayne Ceserani, Elena Engelhardt and Samantha Matienzo add more varsity experience.

Macapinlac is one to watch. She put in a lot of work during the off-season, including competing in the high school 3x3 event, and at the Classic she played with the green light and the confidence to shoot. The next step is converting and finding consistency with her mid-range and long-distance scoring.

With 14 players on the roster, Harvest has the numbers to grow through the season. If Belyshev, Tokito and Macapinlac keep sharing the scoring load, the Eagles will be looking to turn last season's lessons into more wins.

Teams We Haven't Seen Yet

JFK, Okkodo, Sanchez and Tiyan didn't play in the Classic, so their first games this season will be the first look at all four.

JFK Islanders (7-4 last season, fourth place). The Islanders won a tiebreak for the 4 seed last year, beat Guam High in the quarterfinals, then lost to St. John's in the semifinals and to St. Paul in the third-place game. Last year's leading scorers have graduated, so JFK will be looking for new leaders.

Head coach Rey Serafico has five varsity returners to build around. Amanda Lizama is the top returning scorer with 76 points last season. Ella Acda added 52 points, but her biggest impact may come on the other end and in setting up teammates. Acda looks to be a premier defender and an elite passer. Jaia Caguioa also gave the Islanders meaningful minutes, and Savy Papa and Elizabeth Carlos return with varsity experience and are ready for bigger roles.

With a 12-player varsity roster, JFK has the numbers and the playoff experience to stay competitive. If Lizama, Acda, Papa and Carlos lead the way and the newcomers find their footing, the Islanders can make another run at the playoffs.

Okkodo Bulldogs (5-6 last season). Okkodo took the 7 seed last year and drew Academy in the quarterfinals. The good news for the Bulldogs is that most of that team is back. Six of the eight players on this year's varsity roster played varsity last season.

Emily Duenas is the one to watch. She led Okkodo at 12.5 points a game last season, and she's expected to be one of the team's top scorers again. Taurehn Arjona (9.7 points a game) gives the Bulldogs a second proven scorer, and together the two averaged more than 22 points a game last season.

Returners Jaelani Quidachay, Shurae Aidel, Maria Mendiola and Heather Mabalot add valuable varsity experience, and Kate Rosario and Tianna Rain Reyes join the varsity this season. With most of the roster returning, the Bulldogs have the experience and chemistry to push for a higher seed and a deeper playoff run.

Sanchez Sharks (4-7 last season). Sanchez grabbed the last playoff spot as the 8 seed and drew the eventual champions, St. John's, in the quarterfinals. Last year's top scorers have graduated.

Now the focus is on senior Xiomara Turla, the top returning scorer, and junior Haley Delos Santos. Turla scored 50 points last season and Delos Santos added 22, and both will be asked to take on bigger roles. Seniors Hayden Fernandez, Alexea Tajalle and Te'i Perez bring experience to a 12-player roster.

Head coach Arvin Domingo's focus is on getting everyone involved rather than relying on one go-to scorer, because points can come from anywhere. He plans to use each player's strengths to play team basketball, which is what the Sanchez program has always been about, and to battle and win games. It's a balanced, experienced group, and that kind of unselfish basketball can be tough to prepare for.

Tiyan Titans (0-11 last season). The Titans are a program on the rise. Head coach Joylyn Pangilinan is in her third year, and last season the Titans got better from start to finish as players sharpened their skills and the team's chemistry grew. That momentum carries into this year.

This year's varsity is young, made up mostly of freshmen and sophomores, but most of last year's group is back. Amiah Rosario led the Titans at 12.2 points a game, with 134 points in all, and Ah'mari Flores (50 points) is a second returning option.

Aleina Centeno and Joshalene Naputi return along with team captain Nya Babas, and fellow captain Asia Alisasis is back after a one-year break to help lead the group. Bella Moorow joins the varsity this year. With experience coming back and two captains setting the tone, the Titans are ready to turn last season's growth into wins.

The Season

The season opens Friday, Oct. 30, with four games, and the regular season runs through Saturday, Dec. 5. Jr. Varsity games tip off first and Varsity follows 90 minutes later.

The top eight Varsity teams make the playoffs. Quarterfinals are Wednesday, Dec. 9, and the semifinals are Friday, Dec. 11. The third-place game and the championship are Tuesday, Dec. 15, at UOG, with the title game at 7:30 p.m.

The two teams to beat play their regular-season meeting on Saturday, Nov. 14, when Academy visits St. John's.

Follow every game live, with box scores and standings, on The Score Bench.