Girls basketball storylines: 8 promising Fort Worth-area teams to watch
The Texas high school girls basketball season is well underway.
Here are some storylines and top teams to watch as the season heads down the stretch:
North Crowley, Southlake Carroll, more ranked
North Crowley (17-4) is off to a fast start with a No. 3 state ranking and 3-0 record in District 3-6A. The Panthers had a solid run to the Class 6A Division I regional finals last season, and it seems the momentum has carried over.
After falling to Denton Ryan, the 2025 Class 5A Division I state champion, the Panthers avenged the loss in a big way, taking a 61-42 victory in the rematch.
Southlake Carroll is back near the top of the state after a down year in 2025. The Dragons, ranked No. 8 in Class 6A, have a stellar 22-1 record and have started 8-0 in district play.
Carroll recently seized a 70-22 win over Keller Central.
No. 14 Mansfield Lake Ridge (16-4) is off to a strong start, too, with a 58-50 victory over Boswell, the 2025 Class 6A Division II state champion. The Eagles have a big matchup against North Crowley at 6:30 p.m. Friday at Lake Ridge.
It’s a big shake-up in Class 6A following a stretch of dominance from Boswell. The Pioneers (12-13) are unranked following the graduation of Camille Williams, the 2025 Star-Telegram Player of the Year.
One of the team’s top players, Sydney Durrah, transferred to iSchool Lewisville, a charter school. Moving to charter or private schools has become an increasingly popular option for top recruits; six of the eight Texas high school girls basketball players on ESPN’s top 100 list attend charter or private schools.
Joshua, Aledo ranked in Class 5A
Joshua has built a strong reputation as a girls sports powerhouse, and the basketball program is following suit. The Owls (25-1) hold a No. 8 ranking in Class 5A with only one loss (35-24 to Cleburne in district play).
Aledo, after a run to the regional semifinals in 2025, is also off to a stellar start. The Bearcats, ranked No. 24 in Class 5A, have a 14-7 record and are 3-0 in district play.
Although Cleburne (15-8) isn’t ranked, it seems the Yellowjackets will be soon after taking down Joshua. Cleburne has also defeated Brock, Allen and Glen Rose. The Jackets did go on a three-game tournament skid, but the win over Joshua got them back on track.
Decatur, Brock top contenders in Class 4A
Decatur (20-4) is looking to defend its Class 4A Division I state title, and the top-ranked Eagles have had a strong non-district run against tough competition. Two of their four losses came against Denton Ryan, a squad ranked No. 5 in Class 5A.
To start district play, Decatur topped the 100-point mark in consecutive games.
Brock (17-5) has also earned respect, holding a No. 5 ranking in Class 4A. The Eagles fell behind Glen Rose in District 6-4A last season, but with a reloaded roster, Brock is favored to win the district title, given the Tigers (15-11) are now unranked.