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38 Teams, Top 25 Talent: Everything to Know About the 2025 Thanksgiving Hoopfest Girls Tournament in Dallas

No. 1 nationally-ranked Ontario Christian, defending Chipotle National Champion IMG Academy headed to Duncanville for games

Cody Thorn

Ontario Christian's Kaleena Smith is the No. 1-ranked recruit in the country in the class of 2027. She will play in the Dallas area after Thanksgiving.
Ontario Christian's Kaleena Smith is the No. 1-ranked recruit in the country in the class of 2027. She will play in the Dallas area after Thanksgiving. / Dennis Lee

The Thanksgiving Hoopfest girls tournament will bring 38 teams to the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex on Nov. 28-29.

Some of the top players in the country will be playing in Duncanville. 

Ontario Christian is coming from California and sports a roster with the No. 1-ranked recruit in the Class of 2027 (Kaleena Smith) and 2028 (Tatianna Griffin), according to ESPN.

The Knights won the CIF-Southern Section championship last year, the first in 45 years. They lost 6-foot-7 center Sydney Douglas to a transfer to Corona Centennial, following former coach Matt Tumambing, who is there.

The Knights added 6-foot-3 post Layia King from Inglewood St. Mary's and Skylar Archer from Shadow Hills and freshman Chloe Jenkins had an offer from Michigan State before playing a high school game. 

In 3 games this year, the Knights have scored 100, 92 and 116.

St. James Performance Academy from Virginia (No. 3), IMG Academy from Florida (No. 7) are other national teams playing. There are also two local prep schools, Legion Prep from Dallas (No. 11) and Dallas Kingdom Collegiate Academy (No. 14) are other top 25 teams.

The tournament features 38 teams from seven states. IMG Academy, which won last season’s Chipotle Nationals.

Current UIL defending state champion Denton Billy Ryan, Decatur, Dallas Lincoln are in the field, while recent champions Waco La Vega and Duncanville are also in the field. 

Player-wise, there are 7 seniors in the Top 100 national rankings, 10 in the Class of 2027, and one in the Class of 2028.

GAMES TO WATCH 

Friday

St. James (Va.) Performance Academy vs. Houston Christian, 1:50 p.m. 

Houston The Kinkaid School vs. IMG Academy, 3:10 p.m. 

Ontario Christian vs. Lancaster, 5 p.m. 

Saturday 

Dallas Legion Prep vs. St. James (Va.) Performance Academy, 9:30 a.m. 

Dallas Kingdom Collegiate Academy vs. Houston Christian, 10:40 a.m. 

Oak Cliff Faith Family Academy vs. Houston The Kinkaid School, 10:40 a.m. 

IMG vs. Dallas Lincoln, 12 p.m. 

Ontario Christian vs. Denton Billy Ryan, 5 p.m. 

See the full schedule here. 

3 TEAMS TO WATCH 

Ontario Christian 

Kaleena Smith, 5-6, jr. — She’s No. 1 across the board on 247Sports in national rankings, point guard and in California. According to the website, she has 10 offers from the blue bloods: UCONN, Tennessee, South Carolina, LSU and North Carolina. Recently visited USC and UCLA.

Tatianna “Tati” Griffin, 6-0, so. — The guard is the No. 1-ranked recruit in the 2028 class by ESPN. Helped the USA Basketball U16 team win gold at the FIBA AmericCup in Mexico. Was named High School On SI's Freshman of the Year for 2024-25.

Dani Robinson, 5-10, jr. — The 4-star recruit checks in at No. 38 in the ESPN Top 100 for the Class of 2027. Texas A&M, Syracuse, Florida, and Arizona State are among her offers. 

IMG Academy 

Miciah Fusilier, 6-4, jr. — Left Camden, Arkansas, in May to head to Florida. Purdue, UNC, Illinois, Miami and Houston are among her offers. 

Madi Mignery, 6-0, jr. — She’s the No. 24-ranked junior in the country, according to 247 and No. 40 on ESPN. Transfer from Cardinal Mooney High School. Both parents were athletes at Michigan — her dad, football and her mom, track and field. 

Neveah Roberson, 6-2, jr. — A transfer from Bishop McNamara in Maryland, she joined IMG in July. Holds offers from SMU, Auburn, TCU, Pitt, Maryland and Clemson, among many Power 4 options. 

Jessie Moses, 5-9, jr. — The 4-star recruit is ranked No. 28 in the Class of 2027 by ESPN. A transfer from Westtown School in Pennsylvania. Likely out after surgery for a knee injury in June.

Kelsi Andrews, 6-4, sr. — The Alabama native was the only South Carolina signee earlier this month. Andrews is the No. 22-ranked recruit, according to 247Sports and is on the Naismith Trophy Girls High School Player of the Year Watchlist. Has won two FIBA gold medals playing for USA Basketball. 

Kelsi Andrews
Prattville's Keziah Seay (23) against Auburn's Kelsi Andrews (23) during AHSAA Regional Basketball Tournament action at Garrett Coliseum in Montgomery, Ala. Andrews now plays for IMG Academy. / Mickey Welsh / Advertiser / USA TODAY NETWORK

Dallas Legion Prep 

Jacy Abii, 6-3, sr. — A standout since her days at Frisco Liberty, she’s the No. 16-ranked recruit in the Class of 2026. She committed to Notre Dame

Kamora Pruitt, 6-2, sr — She’s ranked in the top 40 by Rivals, 247Sports and ESPN. She’s the lone signee so far for North Carolina State this year. She helped DeSoto win a title as a freshman before transferring. 

Rieyan DeSouze, 5-7, sr. — The No. 6-ranked point guard in the country is a 4-star recruit who signed with Texas A&M. She started her high school career at DeSoto.

Jemini Mitchell, 6-1, jr. — How are some transfers under the radar? There are some services that state Mitchell is still at Cy Springs in Houston, instead of in Dallas. She’s No. 8 in the ESPN rankings.

OTHER NOTABLE RECRUITS

Jordyn Jackson, 6-1, St. James Performance Academy, sr. — She transferred from Sidwell Friends for her senior season. She is the No 7-ranked recruit in the country. 

Jezelle “GG” Banks, 5-8, St. James Performance Academy, jr. — Graded 97 out of 100 on ESPN, she’s the No. 4 recruit in the junior class. Transferred from Ursuline Academy in Wilmington, Delaware.

Jezelle Banks
Ursuline sophomore Jezelle Banks (3) moves the ball as Polytech senior Makyiah Patterson (14) guards during the DIAA Girls Basketball Tournament Quarterfinals at Delaware State University’s Memorial Hall in Dover, Sunday, March 2, 2025. Ursuline won 63-36. / Benjamin Chambers/Delaware News Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Jayda Dixon, 5-9, St. James Performance Academy, jr. — Ranked 47 in ESPN list. She’s another Sidwell Friends transfer. Uncommitted but has offers from Mississippi State, Penn State, Georgetown to name a few. 

Gianna Jordan, 5-7, Dallas Kingdom Collegiate Academy, sr. — The point guard is is a 4-star recruit and was an all-state pick at before transferring from Southlake Carroll to Oak Cliff Faith Family, then to the first-year program. Signed with Texas Tech.

Natalia Jordan, 5-8, Dallas Kingdom Collegiate Academy, sr. — 11 months younger than her sister, Gianna, she’s another Tech signee.

Milania Jordan, 5-7, Dallas Kingdom Collegiate Academy, sr. — Reclassified from Class of 2025 to 2026 following a knee injury and signed with Texas Tech as well. She’s been an all-state pick and Fort Worth Star-Telegram offensive player of the year. 

Amari Byles, 6-2, Oak Cliff Faith Family Academy, sr. — The Notre Dame signee is the No. 23-ranked recruit in the country and 3rd in Texas. She was a standout at DeSoto before transferring last year. 

Amayah Garcia, 5-11, Oak Cliff Faith Family Academy, sr. — A Washington signee is another former DeSoto player who transferred. Nickname is “Sunshine,” and high school coach Andrea Robinson calls her the best two-way player in the country. 

Samari Holmen, 5-8, Duncanville, jr. — Ranked No. 26 in the Class of 2027 by ESPN. Texas A&M, Mississippi State, Cal, Texas Tech, Baylor, UNC, Ole Miss and K-State are among her options at the D-I level.

Ashley MacCalla, 5-10, St. James Performance Academy, jr. — No. 46-ranked player in 2027. Transfer from Middletown, New York, has been on varsity basketball since seventh grade, according to Made Hoops.

Bralyn Peck, 6-2, Decatur, sr. — The center is headed to the Big 12 to play for Oklahoma State. Was named the Class 4A Division I championship game MVP last year. 

Ar’Jayla Elder, 5-9, Dallas Lincoln, sr. — She guided her squad to the Class 4A Division II title last year. She’s an Old Dominion signee.

Braylah Miller, 5-10, Dallas Lincoln, sr. — A transfer from John Tyler High in Tyler, she’s a North Texas signee. Miller’s been a two-time all-state pick. 

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Cody Thorn
CODY THORN

Cody Thorn is a veteran journalist who covers high school sports across the state of Texas and Missouri. He is based in the Dallas-Fort Worth area and has covered sports and news since 1999.

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