The Evans Rankings website recently ranked the top girls basketball programs and individual teams over the past decade and the numbers verified the obvious: Lynden Christian is the class of Washington state.
Of the 400-plus high school girls basketball programs, the Lyncs were rated No.2. And among all the Class 1A teams that qualified for state the past decade, LC had six teams in the top 16.
To determined the most dominant programs and teams from 2011 to 2020, prep expert Matt Evans used his own formula that included winning percentage, percentage of points scored, opponents’ winning percentage and bonus points for state victories.
While the formula is subjective and the results certainly leave room for debate, his ratings are systematic and unbiased, and are a lot of fun to look through.
In the Evans Rankings, the top girls program in the state is no surprise: Colton. The Wildcats won eight of the decade’s 1B state championships and were given a .86299 rating.
Right behind were the Lyncs with their four Class 1A state titles, six state finals appearances and 10 top-four finishes. Lynden Christian had a score of .78531, far outdistancing third-place W.F. West.
The Lyncs were joined in the top 10 by their cross-town rival, Lynden. The Lions were rated the ninth best program in the state with a score of .67972 thanks to two Class 2A state titles, three semifinal appearances and nine top-six trophies.
Here’s where the other Whatcom County girls programs rank in the state:
* 86: Ferndale (.57035)
* 101: Nooksack Valley (.55683)
* 106: Mount Baker (.55433)
* 181: Meridian (.50027)
* 198: Blaine (.49254)
* 204: Sehome (.48843)
* 280: Bellingham (.43592)
* 288: Squalicum (.43063)
* 295: Lummi Nation (.42751).
In determining the top teams for the decade, Evans ranked them by classification and perhaps not surprisingly, last March’s Lynden and Lynden Christian state championship teams were near the top of their respective lists.
The Lynden girls dominating 26-1 squad was rated the second best Class 2A team behind only the W.F. West’s 2014 state championship team.
The Lions had nine teams in the top 107 teams. Also in the top 30 were the 2019 squad (ranked 17th) and the 2017 state championship squad (ranked 29th). Sehome, Blaine and Bellingham also had squads ranked in the top 160 Class 2A teams.
Lynden Christian dominated the Class 1A rankings. In addition to the 2020 team’s No.3 ranking, the undefeated 2018 state championship squad was ranked No.2, the 2016 state titlist was ranked No.10, the 2017 team was No.12, the 2014 state champs were No.14, and the 2019 state runners-up were No.16.
Interestingly, Mount Baker’s 2017 state championship was ranked No.26 in the decade, yet on the way to the state title the Mounties defeated Cashmere (ranked fourth) and Lynden Christian (ranked 12th). (And that’s why there’s room for debate.)
Also ranked among the top 160 1A teams were squads from Meridian, Blaine and Nooksack Valley. Two Lummi Nation squads were among the top 160 1B teams.
Here are the complete Evans Rankings for the decade’s top programs: Evans Rankings girls basketball programs
Here are the complete Evans Rankings for the decade’s top teams by classification: Evans Rankings girls basketball teams
