Grace Christian, Panther Creek lead HSOT's preseason statewide top 25 in girls basketball

Grace Christian School of Sanford is the No. 1 team in HighSchoolOT's preseason girls basketball Statewide Top 25 rankings. The Crusaders are led by senior forward Sarah Strong, the No. 1 ranked recruit in America.

Right behind Grace Christian are last year's representatives in the 4A state championship game: Panther Creek, the defending champion, and Lake Norman, the defending runner-up.

The eastern half of North Carolina fares slightly better in the statewide poll than it did in the boys rankings. There are 10 teams from out east in this poll, compared to nine in the boys rankings.

Here are a few things about how our rankings work in girls' basketball:

• Rankings are updated weekly and released Monday morning
• All high schools in the state of North Carolina, excluding athletic training academies, are eligible for the statewide top 25
• There is a separate top 15 for the state's six area codes that is also updated weekly
• Rankings are paused during the N.C. High School Athletic Association playoffs
• Final rankings are released the week after the state championships

To compare this week's rankings to last year's rankings, see the link below:

HighSchoolOT's final statewide and area code rankings for girls basketball

Rankings Updated: Nov. 14

HSOT Statewide Top 25: Girls Basketball

Teams are listed with last year's final overall record.

1. Grace Christian (Sanford) 32-3
2. Panther Creek 29-4
3. Lake Norman 31-1
4. Charlotte Catholic 25-7
5. West Rowan 31-0
6. Cannon School 24-6
7. Cape Fear 25-5
8. Independence 25-4
9. Seaforth 27-4
10. Rolesville 25-5
11. Terry Sanford 23-6
12. Watauga 23-7
13. Mallard Creek 24-5
14. Bishop McGuinness 28-4
15. East Lincoln 31-1
16. Providence Day 21-7
17. Mountain Heritage 24-3
18. South Central 21-6
19. North Pitt 27-3
20. E.E. Smith 26-2
21. Hillside 25-4
22. Northside Christian 23-10
23. Ben L Smith 25-3
24. AC Reynolds 22-8
25. Salisbury 27-3

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Area Code Top 15 Rankings: Girls Basketball

In the preseason area code rankings, South Central is ranked first in the 252, Bishop McGuinness is ranked first in the 336, Lake Norman is ranked first in the 704, Watauga is ranked first in the 828, Cape Fear is ranked first in the 910, and Grace Christian is ranked first in the 919.

252 area code

1. South Central 21-6
2. North Pitt 27-3
3. Northeastern 27-2
4. Northampton County 22-2
5. Beddingfield 26-2
6. D.H. Conley 27-4
7. Rocky Mount 30-2
8. Fike 22-6
9. Northwest Halifax 18-11
10. Hertford County 17-9
11. East Carteret 22-3
12. Perquimans 23-3
13. SouthWest Edgecombe 18-8
14. Farmville Central 13-10
15. Crossroads Christian 25-4

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336 area code

1. Bishop McGuinness 28-4
2. Ben L. Smith 25-3
3. Northern Guilford 27-1
4. T.W. Andrews 22-5
5. Randleman 27-2
6. High Point Christian 20-9
7. Ashe County 19-9
8. Northwest Guilford 21-8
9. Wesleyan Christian 23-10
10. Western Alamance 21-9
11. East Wilkes 22-5
12. Williams 20-7
13. Southwestern Randolph 19-9
14. East Surry 20-6
15. North Wilkes 23-6

704 area code

1. Lake Norman 31-1
2. Charlotte Catholic 25-7
3. West Rowan 31-0
4. Cannon School 24-6
5. Independence 25-4
6. Mallard Creek 24-5
7. East Lincoln 31-1
8. Providence Day 21-7
9. Northside Christian 23-10
10. Salisbury 27-3
11. Jay M. Robinson 6-16
12. Northwest Cabarrus 16-8
13. Myers Park 21-7
14. Albemarle 22-5
15. United Faith Christian 9-22

828 area code

1. Watauga 23-7
2. Mountain Heritage 24-3
3. A.C. Reynolds 22-8
4. Freedom 15-13
5. East Burke 27-3
6. Hibriten 23-5
7. Cherokee 26-4
8. Rosman 23-6
9. Alexander Central 20-8
10. Newton-Conover 25-5
11. Pisgah 23-5
12. T.C. Roberson 17-10
13. East Rutherford 27-3
14. St. Stephens 21-9
15. Asheville 24-3

NC has 5 of the top girls basketball players in America, including No. 1 overall prospect Sarah Strong

910 area code

1. Cape Fear 25-5
2. Terry Sanford 23-6
3. E.E. Smith 26-2
4. Southwest Onslow 23-2
5. Hoggard 26-3
6. Fairmont 24-5
7. St. Pauls 20-6
8. Scotland 20-9
9. Jack Britt 19-8
10. Triton 19-8
11. New Hanover 11-13
12. O'Neal School 26-3
13. East Bladen 19-8
14. Richmond 9-15
15. North Duplin 24-5

919 area code

1. Grace Christian (Sanford) 32-3
2. Panther Creek 29-4
3. Seaforth 27-4
4. Rolesville 25-5
5. Hillside 25-4
6. Willow Spring 26-3
7. Wakefield 19-9
8. Chapel Hill 22-8
9. Apex Friendship 23-6
10. Northwood 23-5
11. Wayne Country Day 27-2
12. Falls Lake Academy 31-1
13. Franklinton 20-7
14. Green Level 11-16
15. Southern Durham 23-6