My Five Intriguing Matchups at the Sophie Cunningham Classic

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Sophie Cunningham Classic is one of the top girls high school basketball showcase events in the country. The three-day event will be held from Friday to Sunday at Columbia College in Mid-Missouri. In our first of Sophie Cunningham Classic previews, we'll take a look at five intriguing matchups that I have picked out to watch for the weekend.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>INCARNATE WORD ACADEMY VS. LONG ISLAND LUTHERAN (NY) - Saturday, 5:30 p.m.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":1578996,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2025/12/IMG_8320.jpeg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-1578996" /></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The court will be covered with Division I basketball players when they two national basketball programs tip it off on Saturday evening.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Long Island Lutheran (NY) is a national powerhouse that is ranked among the top five teams in the country this year. They are currently 10-1 after advancing to the championship game of the Nike Tournament of Champions in Phoenix, AZ last week. LuHi has a loaded roster with their entire senior class headed to Division I with four of them ranked among the Top 25 prospects in the country. The seniors are 6'0" Olivia Jones (Vanderbilt), 6'0" Emily McDonald (Kentucky), 6'1" Savvy Swords (Kentucky), 6'0" Sanai Green (Duke) and 5'10" Rhylin Fehrenbach (Cornell).</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Incarnate Word maintains its status as the top program in Missouri after winning five consecutive Class 6 state champions. The Red Knights are coming off a dominant performance in winning their eighth consecutive Visitation Christmas Tournament championship. LuHi will be the third Top 10 nationally-ranked program that IWA will face in a month. The Red Knights top five 2026 players are all headed to Division I programs. They included 6'4" [player_tooltip player_id='317348' first='Nevaeh' last='Lucious'] (Missouri State), 5'8" [player_tooltip player_id='302756' first='Peyton' last='Olufson'] (Saint Louis U.), 5'10" [player_tooltip player_id='351778' first='Savannah' last='Stricker'] (Lindenwood), 5'5" [player_tooltip player_id='351776' first='Addi' last='Owen'] (SEMO) and 6'2" [player_tooltip player_id='344797' first='Ava' last='Albanese'] (UC-Santa Barbara). Class of 2028 forward [player_tooltip player_id='1039493' first='Bridget' last='Fitzgerald'] is a 6'2" prospect with numerous high major offers already.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>******</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>DONIPHAN VS. TIPTON - Friday, 12:30 p.m.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":1220515,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2025/03/IMG_1240.jpeg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-1220515" /></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>This is an excellent matchup of two top small school programs with state championships on their most recent resume. Doniphan won the Class 4 state championship last season while Tipton won the Class 2 state title in 2023 and made back to back trips to the Final Four in 2024 and 2025.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Doniphan has emerged as a powerhouse in the SEMO area. The Donettes are currently undefeated and are led by All-State 2027 guard [player_tooltip player_id='849017' first='Carsyn' last='Hagood'], who is averaging well over 20 points a game. She is joined by fellow 2027 guards [player_tooltip player_id='901029' first='Ellie' last='White'] and Makenna Kibby, who are also very instrumental in the success of the Donettes.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Tipton has become a powerhouse program in the Mid-Missouri area. The Cardinals have another state-level caliber team and they have challenged themselves with a challenging schedule. They have an outstanding guard tandem in [player_tooltip player_id='620693' first='Madison' last='Carvajal'] and Claire Williams along with a rock-solid forward in 5'10" forward [player_tooltip player_id='722136' first='Ava' last='Schlotzhauer'].</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>******</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>ROCK BRIDGE VS. OLATHE SOUTH - Friday, 9:30 p.m.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":945444,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2024/07/IMG_6265.jpeg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-945444" /></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>This border battle features a strong Rock Bridge team from Missouri against Olathe South from the state of Kansas. If you are basketball fan that admires the play of top frontcourt players (and I am one of them), this one will be of great interest to you.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>This will be a matchup between two of the best in the country in 2026 [player_tooltip player_id='351752' first='Jayda' last='Porter'] of Rock Bridge and 2027 Eve Long of Olathe South. The 6'4" Porter is a four-year starter who has been a dominant force for the Bruins as a scorer, rebounder and shot blocker. She has signed to play at Texas A&amp;M. Long is a 6'3" forward who is ranked among the Top 10 prospects nationally in the Class of 2027. She has also played for USA Basketball and won a gold medal. She recently narrowed his final college list to UConn, Notre Dame, Duke, Kansas and UCLA.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>STRAFFORD VS. QUINCY (IL) - Sunday, 1 p.m.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":1180948,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2025/02/IMG_9343.jpeg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-1180948" /></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>This is rematch of a game that was played at last year's Sophie Cunningham Classic. The game was so good that the two teams are matched up again in the event. I had a chance to watch last year's game and it was a very good one. Strafford won the game 60-54 in a game that featured many top young prospects from Missouri and Illinois.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Strafford is currently 9-2 and on a roll after winning the championship of the Pink &amp; White Tournament over the Christmas holidays. The Indians are led by its talented sister act of 2026 Colorado State recruit [player_tooltip player_id='460862' first='Elsie' last='Larsen'] and 2028 guard [player_tooltip player_id='1039479' first='Kinley' last='Larsen'], who is one of the best shooters in the state. Kinley scored 30 points in the championship game of the Pink &amp; White Tournament. They are complimented up front by 6'1" 2028 forward [player_tooltip player_id='1039525' first='Trista' last='Van Horn'], who holds down the middle with her scoring and rebounding.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Quincy features one of the nation's top young prospects in 6'2" 2028 guard Khloe Nicholson, who is ranked among the top 10 players in the country in her class. The Blue Devils also have a strong pair of 2027's in 6'0" forward Jada Brown and guard Myley Loncor. Brown is a physical inside player while Loncor can shoot it from the perimeter.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>******</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>PRINCIPIA VS. WEST PLAINS - Friday, 3:30 p.m.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":1578999,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2025/12/IMG_8353.jpeg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-1578999" /></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>This is a good matchup between top teams from St. Louis and the SWMO area. These two teams also have a similar make-up in terms of how the roster is constructed. Both feature an excellent young forward with strength and versatility along with a very good 2028 point guard who makes things happen. And both teams have a host of very good players who excel in complimentary roles that make the team formidable.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Principia is led by 6'2" 2027 forward [player_tooltip player_id='791650' first='Dasia' last='Scott'], who is having a dominant season. West Plains counters with 6'0" 2028 forward [player_tooltip player_id='954858' first='Gillian' last='Green'], who has also been excellent. Both of them can work in the low post, but also have the skill sets to excel on the perimeter. The two excellent 2028 point guards are [player_tooltip player_id='897772' first='Loganne' last='Love'] of Principia and Ansley McWilliams of West Plains. Both have been impact players from the moment they entered their programs as freshmen.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Principia also has a solid nucleus of players that keep up the fast tempo in 2028s [player_tooltip player_id='1113133' first='Paige' last='Ivy'], [player_tooltip player_id='999534' first='Nadia' last='Bateman'], 2026 guard Nya Walker and 2029 point guard [player_tooltip player_id='1279115' first='Aniyah' last='Poniewaz']. West Plains has a solid group of 2026's in forward Shaylee Peterson and guards [player_tooltip player_id='937735' first='Zoe' last='Scharnhorst'], [player_tooltip player_id='722140' first='Lucy' last='Hafer'] and Zoe Shrubb.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->