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| | January 24, 2025 | Edition #180 | Hey, Hoophead! | This was a week of comebacks, upsets, and unforgettable shots on the court. As we gear up for rivalry games, we've got a mix of looking ahead and looking back at the week that was. But first, let's talk about the next big thing coming out of Sierra Canyon. Who's the first one? Come on, you already know the name. |
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| | | | How often do you see a high school scoring record fall to someone who didn't even start there as a freshman? Rarely, you'd think. And yet, in the past five years, Sierra Canyon has seen it happen twice. Almost as if it were fate. | Before arriving at USC, JuJu Watkins spent two years at Sierra Canyon and turned that short stay into history, becoming the program's all-time leading scorer. It earned her the school's first-ever jersey retirement. | But it didn't take long for whispers of the next legend to grow louder. The record now belongs to Jerzy Robinson! | The South Carolina commit picked the perfect stage, dropping 33 points against Long Island Lutheran at the Hoophall Classic to reach 2,355 career points, breaking JuJu's mark with Dawn Staley watching from the stands. | Robinson called it "the greatest honor," but if you know her, this moment didn't come as a surprise (even to herself). It's the confidence that sets her apart. This is someone who believes she can win a one-on-one with A'ja Wilson, Caitlin Clark, or Stephen Curry. | And now a five-star recruit and a guaranteed top-10, she's taking that confidence to Dawn's Daycare. Landing her wasn't a tough sell for Staley, especially when your top target's dad happens to be a big fan of yours. | For now, Robinson continues to build her resume. This past summer, she won her third gold medal with Team USA at the FIBA U19 World Cup. She has recently returned from a leg injury, and her focus is locked in on finishing her high school career with a state championship. | Who knows? Maybe she becomes the second Sierra Canyon player to see her jersey retired. | What's clear already is that Staley is thinking long-term, going the extra mile by also landing Robinson's best friend, Kaeili Wynn, another five-star talent. Safe to say, Gamecocks' future looks bright. |
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| | | Let's take a look back and highlight the plays that truly grabbed our attention this week. | Clark-esque magic! Caitlin Clark may have left Iowa, but her presence is still stitched into every inch of Carver-Hawkeye Arena. Against Michigan State, the Hawkeyes secured their third-ranked win, and their alumnae's energy found a way to show up. | In the final seconds of the first quarter, with Iowa ahead 19–16, Chazadi "Chit-Chat" Wright launched a shot from half court. The buzzer blared as the ball soared through the air, and then… nothing but net. Silence fell for a heartbeat before the arena erupted. | And yes, every inch of it carried Clark's spirit. Watch it. Try to tell us it doesn't. | Pass perfection? Oklahoma finally bounced back, taking down No. 2 South Carolina in overtime. And while Aaliyah Chavez naturally dominated the headlines with her OT explosion, there was also a highlight-reel moment in that game that we could watch on loop for hours. | With the game hanging in the balance and Oklahoma clinging to a 53–52 lead with 3:52 left, Payton Verhulst set up Keziah Lofton for a bucket with one of the wildest behind-the-back passes you'll ever see. | Watch Verhulst channel her inner Nikola Jokic and deliver Lofton the best birthday gift she could ask for! | The heartbreaker (again!). Lastly, we head to the Ivy League for Princeton vs. Harvard. It was tight from start to finish, with Princeton down three and only seconds left on the clock. | But Ashley Chea wasn't done. Last year, around this time, she sank a step-back jumper to beat Harvard 52–50. This year, with the game on the line, Chea shook her defender and broke Harvard fans' hearts all over AGAIN. | She'd go on to add two more points, sealing the 82-79 win. |
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| | Several programs, like Texas and South Carolina, are bringing in top recruits next season. With these moves, | Which Program Do You Think Will Dominate College Basketball in the Coming Years? | | Last Poll's Result: We asked, "Which Undefeated Team Will Fall First?" While more than 52% of you predicted Vanderbilt would be the first undefeated team to fall, it was actually Texas Tech that went down first. |
| | | | The Battle for SEC Supremacy |
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| | An Arctic storm is set to sweep across the U.S., bringing bitter cold and travel headaches for millions. Consequently, games everywhere are getting pushed around. | Thankfully, No. 2 South Carolina vs No. 4 Vanderbilt is still expected to tip on time. This matchup between the SEC's best might just settle who sits on top of the conference for the time being. | South Carolina come into this one fresh off an overtime loss to Oklahoma. Now, facing the nation's only other unbeaten team besides UConn, Dawn Staley is calling it a "do-over" game. | And she has a solid reason to say so! | But, as always, a lot will come down to how Sacha Washington matches up with Madina Okot and Joyce Edwards. The paint battle should dictate the result, and Washington hasn't had her best outings vs top-10 teams. Plus, obviously, it wouldn't be wise to overlook the high-flying Mikayla Blakes. Tip-off is at 3 p.m. ET on Sunday. | Moving on, we have the Iowa Hawkeyes, who just cracked the Top 10 for the first time since Caitlin Clark graduated in 2024 and are off to their best Big Ten start since 1996. But they'll be up against an Ohio State team that not only leads the all-time series 42–37, but has also won seven of the last ten meetings. | Iowa enter this matchup on a two-game ranked win streak, including an OT classic against No. 15 Maryland that came with a special message from Jan Jensen. But if they repeat the 17-turnover performance from that game, the result could be decided early. | When it comes to creating chaos and forcing turnovers, Ohio State is among the nation's best. Let's see if the Hawkeyes can make another statement at 2 p.m. ET on Sunday. | Before that, today's slate has plenty more action lined up. | | Rivalry! Pick Your Favorite Upcoming Matchup |
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| | | | Paige's Biggest Play Isn't on the Court |
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| | Paige Bueckers was cheesing, happier than you've ever seen her, when she learned she'd won Unrivaled's free‑throw challenge. Everyone was a little stunned. We've never seen Paige celebrate something so loudly, so unapologetically. | Turns out, she had something on her mind. | Many of you probably already know this, but Hopkins, a suburb of Minneapolis, is still reeling from the shooting at Annunciation Church (just 15 minutes from where Bueckers grew up). And in the middle of intense ICE activity right now and brutal winter cold, there's a huge need for food donations, with families struggling to keep up with rent and utility costs. | So, of course, the hometown hero stepped up. To help ease the burden back home, she answered with a truly noble act of support. Go see how the Rookie of the Year is giving back to the community. |
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| That's it for today, folks! We'll look to knock on your inbox soon with more interesting stories! | |
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