Bee’s Top 20: Sacramento-area girls basketball league races are underway

The calendar has flipped to 2026, and league play is underway across the high school girls basketball landscape in the CIF Sac-Joaquin Section that includes the greater Sacramento region.

While a tough non-league schedule can help a team’s playoff argument, a league championship guarantees a postseason berth. With six different leagues represented in The Sacramento Bee’s Top 10 team rankings entering this week, it’s difficult to say which one is the toughest.

We look ahead to some of the notable contenders in the most prominent leagues across the Sacramento area.

CB leads CVC race

In the Capital Valley Conference, top-ranked Christian Brothers enters league play at 10-2 overall with a core four that has head coach Shandyn Foster beaming.

“This year we have four solid threats offensively in which anyone can get hot on any given night,” Foster said of her quartet of Joy Omishakin, Leila Serrano, Olivia Novi and Journey Williams.

Omishakin is a fourth-year varsity senior whom Foster calls “our motor” and is averaging 18.4 points, 8.3 rebounds, 4.8 assists, 4.4 steals and 1.8 blocks. She recently surpassed the 1,000-point milestone for her career and has been a part of Christian Brothers’ last two section finals appearance in 2023 and 2025.

Novi is a pure shooter averaging 15.5 points, and she recently eclipsed 200 career three-pointers. Williams puts up 12 points and 8.4 rebounds down low while Serrano goes for 11.3 points and is a “quiet threat” according to Foster, who also acknowledges that the CVC won’t be easy to win.

“No one is going to lay down and let us have it. There is a target on our backs,” Foster said. “Woodcreek is always a contender that will be coming for that top spot along with Inderkum, which is athletic and has some really good talent. Ponderosa is always floating around the top. Also, let’s not count out Vista del Lago and, by the looks of it, Rio Americano is doing some things this year as well.”

Christian Brothers hosts Woodcreek in an early league showdown Friday night. The Timberwolves entered the week at 13-4 behind double-digit scoring from senior Chloe Preuss and freshman Kennedy Hull.

Antelope, McClatchy head Metro race

No. 2 Antelope enters Metro League play having won the West Park tournament over the winter break. According to stats entered into MaxPreps by local coaches, the Titans have five players averaging double-digit scoring, led by senior Kamaria Charlo, sophomores Londyn Odom and Paradise Manning, and freshmen Callia Johnson and Shaylah Taplin.

Antelope’s lone loss came in a three-point defeat to fellow Metro League title contender and defending champion in No. 8 McClatchy, which opened the season as the Bee’s top-ranked team. The Lions have since gone 4-4 against some of the toughest competition in Northern California.

McClatchy and Antelope battle for the Metro’s driver’s seat Friday in one of the premier local matchups of the week.

Del Oro, Folsom, Oak Ridge lead SFL race

The Sierra Foothill League is once again loaded with No. 3 Del Oro, No. 4 Folsom and No. 6 Oak Ridge all residing in The Bee’s Top 10. But No. 12 Davis has steadily risen since joining the SFL a year ago after decades in the Delta League behind standout sophomore Lorelei Nachman (21.8 points per game).

Oak Ridge is led by a new coach in alum Briana Dulgar as 700-game winning coach Steve White stepped down at the end of last season but remains with the program as an assistant coach. Oak Ridge has been paced by junior guard Leah Harris, who scored 20 or more points in five consecutive games.

The Blue Devils have big wins over Woodcreek and gritty overtime victories over defending Division II section champ Atwater of Merced County and Bay Area powers Acalanes and Dougherty Valley.

Granite Bay, Rocklin, St. Francis and Whitney will all make sure the SFL has no nights off for any program.

Cosumnes Oaks leads Delta charge

No. 7 Cosumnes Oaks holds notable victories over McClatchy, No. 15 Grant, No. 17 Liberty Ranch and No. 18 Twelve Bridges.

The Delta League will be strong in 2026 with No. 13 Elk Grove, No. 16 Sheldon and No. 19 Monterey Trail in the mix in a show of strength from the Elk Grove Unified School District.

Senior guard Caitlin Subejano leads CO in scoring at 17.6 points per game, followed by freshmen guards Audrey Magallanes and Sanair Hayter, who score 11.6 and 9.7 points, respectively.

SMAL is big time

While the Sacramento Metro Athletic League is one of the smaller-enrollment leagues in the section, it is one of the deepest competitively with a bevy of hidden gems dotting its rosters.

No. 9 Faith Christian of Yuba City features the section’s leading scorer and reigning Bee Smallest School Player of the Year Lauren Harris, who averages 30 points and is California’s all-time leading 3-point shooter. Presley Berry and Mia Bryan complement the Lions, who aim for another deep run in the postseason.

Several SMAL schools will vie to make Faith Christian earn another title, including Sacramento Adventist Academy of Carmichael, Valley Christian Academy of Roseville and John Adams Academy of El Dorado Hills. Sac Adventist head coach Scott Tedmon has raved about the toughness of senior guard Gwen Rosich, who is averaging 15.8 points, 10.8 rebounds, 7.0 assists and 9.1 steals.

Senior Janet Donkor has put up 25.3 points per game for the VCA Lions, who always seem to insert themselves into the championship discussion under head coach Kim Contreras. John Adams senior Elliott Schwartz has a game that can translate in any league, averaging 17.1 points, 8.9 rebounds, 5.6 assists and 4.9 steals and has the Patriots off to their best start in program history at 12-2.

Rosich, Schwartz and Harris are the top three assist leaders in the section.

The Bee’s Top 20

(With records entering Monday)

1. Christian Brothers (10-2)

2. Antelope (12-1

3. Del Oro (11-2)

4. Folsom (8-2)

5. Woodcreek (13-4)

6. Oak Ridge (7-6)

7. Cosumnes Oaks (11-3)

8. McClatchy (10-5)

9. Faith Christian (10-1)

10. Placer (15-2)

11. Vanden (9-4)

12. Davis (10-4)

13. Elk Grove (13-2)

14. Inderkum (9-6)

15. Grant (6-4)

16. Sheldon (8-5)

17. Liberty Ranch (9-4)

18. Twelve Bridges (11-4)

19. Monterey Trail (7-5)

Bubble: Colfax (6-7); John Adams (12-2); Lincoln (8-6); Oakmont (9-4); Sac Adventist (5-3); St. Francis (6-5); Union Mine (9-5); Valley Christian (10-2); Whitney (8-5); Woodland Christian (7-2).

Nick Pecoraro is a longtime area high school sports journalist who has contributed to The Bee since 2021. He currently is a staff writer for MaxPreps.

This story was originally published January 6, 2026 at 12:56 PM.