It’s been a wild week on the hardwood across Iowa. If you’ve been trying to keep up with Iowa high school girls basketball scores, you know the "post-holiday" lull is officially over and we've hit the chaotic, high-stakes heart of the regular season. Last night’s action alone shook up the standings in ways that’ll have the IGHSAU committee scratching their heads come Monday morning.
Honestly, the energy in these gyms lately is something else. We aren't just talking about local bragging rights anymore; we're talking about teams cementing their resumes for the Wells Fargo Arena in March.
Big Wins and Heartbreakers from Friday and Saturday Night
The weekend gave us some absolute clinics in efficient scoring. On Friday, January 16th, Atlantic took care of business against Harlan with a 52-34 win. Meanwhile, Clarinda put up a massive number, dropping 73 on Shenandoah. But maybe the most dominant performance came from the #3 ranked St. Albert squad, who absolutely dismantled Red Oak 78-25.
Saturday night kept the momentum going, though it was a bit quieter on the schedule. The #8 ranked Exira-EHK team really showed out, taking down IKM-Manning 68-44. It wasn't just about the top-tier rankings, though. One of the coolest stories of the weekend happened at Gehlen Catholic during their "Kick Out Cancer" night. Gehlen sophomore SherryJo Wittkop, who has been battling cancer for over two years, actually started the game and scored the first basket of the night. Harris-Lake Park ended up winning that one 54-38, but let’s be real—the score was the least important part of that game.
Latest Rankings: Why the Top 25 is Shaking Up
If you're looking at Iowa high school girls basketball scores and wondering why your favorite team just dropped five spots in the polls, it’s probably because the mid-January rankings just came out with some massive shifts.
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Johnston remains the "Final Boss" of Class 5A. They are sitting at 12-0 and look like a freight train that forgot how to brake. They recently handled Valley and Ankeny Centennial like it was a light practice session. But behind them, things are getting weird. Waukee Northwest jumped up to #2 after handling Ankeny 63-39 on the road.
Class 4A and 3A Insights:
Clear Creek-Amana is currently holding the #1 spot in Class 4A with a perfect 10-0 record, but Sioux City Bishop Heelan is breathing down their necks at 10-0 as well. In Class 3A, Maquoketa has managed to stay at the top despite a couple of losses, mostly because their strength of schedule is basically a gauntlet.
The New Number Ones
- Class 2A: Rock Valley has officially taken over the #1 spot, jumping over Central Lyon.
- Class 1A: Newell-Fonda is back on top after beating Council Bluffs St. Albert in a rematch of last year's state championship.
Who is Actually Scoring the Ball?
We can talk about team scores all day, but individual performances are what make the box scores worth reading. Right now, Jhaliana Guy from Clinton is leading the state in scoring, averaging a staggering 23.4 points per game. Think about that. Every time she steps on the court, you can basically book 20 points before the first whistle even blows.
Addie Naughton from Council Bluffs Lincoln is also putting up video game numbers, averaging 18 points and over 5 assists. It’s rare to find a guard who can facilitate that well while still being a primary scoring threat. On the glass, Lily Myers from Perry is a monster, pulling down 12.2 rebounds every night.
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What the Scores Tell Us About the Postseason
Scores from early January are often misleading because of "bus legs" or rust after the break, but by now, the data is real. The gap between the "elites" and the "contenders" is starting to widen.
In Class 5A, the Des Moines suburbs are still the epicenter of power. Between Johnston, Dowling Catholic, and Waukee Northwest, the path to a title almost certainly runs through the CIML. However, don't sleep on Iowa City West or Iowa City High. They've both shown flashes of being able to play that high-tempo, physical style that wins games in March.
The most competitive bracket right now might actually be Class 2A. With Rock Valley, Central Lyon, and Maquoketa Valley all looking nearly invincible, the regional finals are going to be a bloodbath. When you see a score like Maquoketa Valley winning by 30, it’s not just a blowout—it’s a message sent to the rest of the class.
How to Track Live Iowa High School Girls Basketball Scores
If you’re a parent or a superfan, you know the struggle of refreshing a page that hasn't updated since the first quarter. To get the most accurate data, you have to know where to look.
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- The IGHSAU Website: This is the "official" word, but it can sometimes lag behind by a morning.
- Varsity Bound (Bound): This is basically the Bible for Iowa high school sports. If a score isn't on Bound within an hour of the buzzer, did the game even happen?
- Local Radio Twitter/X accounts: Often, the fastest way to see a final score is to follow the sports directors at stations like KLEM in Le Mars or KSOM in Atlantic. They’re usually sitting courtside tweeting the results before the coaches even finish their post-game speeches.
Actionable Steps for the Next Tip-Off
Keep an eye on the Tuesday night slates. That’s usually when the big conference matchups happen. If you want to stay ahead of the curve, check the "Points Against" column in the standings. Teams like Johnston and Newell-Fonda aren't just winning because they score a lot; they’re winning because they hold opponents to under 35 points consistently.
Check the schedules for upcoming "Top 10" matchups in your area. Watching a game like Sioux City Bishop Heelan vs. Sergeant Bluff-Luton in person gives you a much better sense of the speed of the game than just looking at a final score on your phone.
Focus on the Class 1A rankings over the next two weeks. With Newell-Fonda and St. Albert swapping spots, every single game they play now affects their seeding and potential home-court advantage for the early playoff rounds. One bad night at the free-throw line could be the difference between a #1 seed and a difficult road trip in February.
Make sure you’re checking the regional brackets as they start to take shape in early February. That is when the Iowa high school girls basketball scores transition from "regular season stats" to "win or go home" reality.
Find a local broadcast or a livestream for the big games if you can't make the drive. Most schools now use HUDL or YouTube to broadcast their home games, which is a lifesaver when the Iowa winter weather decides to act up. Keep your eyes on the box scores for "bench points"—the teams that are going to win it all in March are the ones that have seven or eight players who can contribute, not just one superstar.