BENSALEM, Pa. – OK, it’s time to exhale.

Now that the New Year’s Day bell tolled loudly and the holidays—at least for the most part—are done, it’s time to update the Blue Star Media Elite 25 girls’ basketball rankings. The holiday tournament schedule is exhausting but fuels the national debate for a precious few ranked teams. There’s a case to dump five more teams from the Elite 25 but only three departed. In case of those five, I’m sticking with them as the league or district schedules pick up.

That means three schools are in, having taken different paths to the national stage. The common thread is simple: Just win and win more.

The three additions hail from three power states from the schoolgirl basketball passel. Making the biggest splash over the holiday tournament schedule was No. 12 Mansfield (Texas) Timberview, which took its own event and are the top-ranked Texas Class 5A squad. No. 13 Miramonte (Orinda, Calif.) enters after capturing the Nike Interstate Shootout in Oregon against a stiff field. No. 14 Cicero (N.Y.)-North Syracuse traveled to the Bay Area and won the Eastside Prep Coaches vs. Cancer Tournament, taking down ranked Archbishop Mitty (San Jose, Calif.) along the way. The North Stars are a bit undervalued in New York but are worthy of the national attention.

Next week, the national scene gathers more momentum on the Dr. Martin Luther King Weekend, starting January 15. We’ll spotlight the major events next time, especially ones in Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York and California. The Elite 25 rankings will appear again on January 13.

Check back periodically at www.bluestarmedia.org for staff updates from showcase events all season. Our staff is always attending events.

We hope you have a great 2016! So until next week we hope to see you at a game or holiday event soon. – Christopher Lawlor

Blue Star Media Elite 25 Girls’ Basketball rankings, Jan. 6, 2016

1. St. Mary’s Stockton, Calif. (13-0)

Previous rank: 1.

Low-down: Won Title IX Holiday Invitational Classic Patsy T. Mink bracket in Washington, D.C.

2. Paul VI, Fairfax, Va. (13-0)

Previous: 2.

Low-down: Won the Naples (Fla.) Holiday Shootout American Division, defeating Miami (Fla.) Country Day, 70-65, in 2OT. It was the Panthers’ 29^th straight win. Kate Klimkiewicz earned MVP honors dropping in 25 points in the championship. Thursday is a league showdown at No. 25 Good Counsel (Olney, Md.), surely testing that win streak.

3. Duncanville, Texas (23-0)

Previous: 4.

Low-down: The Pantherettes won the prestigious Sandra Meadows Classic, besting Blackman (Murfreesboro), 64-43, in the championship game. Zarielle Green scored 19 of her game-high 28 points in the opening half. Louisville-bound C Ciera Johnson was named Tournament MVP.

4. Neumann-Goretti, Philadelphia (9-0)

Previous: 5.

Low-down: Won Diamond State Classic St. Francis Healthcare Cup title, beating Long Island Lutheran (Brookville, N.Y.), 47-36, in Wilmington, Del. The Saints stretched their win streak to 39 games.

5. Riverdale Baptist School, Upper Marlboro, Md. (16-1)

Previous: 6.

Low-down: Won the Ronald Curry-Boo Wiliams Christmas Classic National Division, defeating Princess Anne (Virginia Beach, Va.), 72-565, in overtime. Maryland-bound Kaila Charles scored 20 points for the Lady Crusaders.

6. Centennial, Las Vegas (14-1)

Previous: 7.

Low-down: Won the Las Vegas Holiday Classic, drilling Reno (Nev.), 91-56, in the final. Junior Samantha Thomas tallied 21 of game-high 31 points in the first half.

7. Montini Catholic, Lombard, Ill. (16-0)

Previous: 9.

Low-down: Won the Montini Christmas Tournament, beating Whitney Young (Chicago), 52-38, in the final.

8. Olive Branch, Miss.  (16-0)

Previous: 10.

Low-down: Won twice at the Travis Outlaw Slam Dunk at the Hump, defeating hometown powerhouse Starkville, 76-68, in the final.

9. Homestead, Fort Wayne, Ind. (13-0)

Previous: 16.

Low-down: Rang up a pair of wins over Indianapolis area teams, including 59-58 over Class 4A contender Lawrence North. The next out-of-state game is at Notre Dame Academy (Toledo, Ohio) on Jan. 12.

10. National Christian Academy, Fort Washington, Md. (15-0)

Previous: 17.

Low-down: Won Title IX D.C. Classic Edit Green bracket, beating St. Frances Academy (Baltimore), 79-61, in the final.

11. North Shore, Galena Park, Texas (22-1)

Previous: 21.

Low-down: The Mustangs tipped off the New Year, beating West Brook (Beaumont), 66-43. Only eight district games remain.

12. Mansfield (Texas) Timberview (20-0)

Previous: Not ranked.

Low-down: Knocked off then-No. 8 Canyon (Texas), 59-57, in Mansfield Spring Creek Barbeque Invitational final. Junior PG Chenney Carter scored 19 points and was tabbed Tournament MVP. The Wolves will likely ascend to the top spot in the Texas Class 5A state rankings.

13. Miramonte, Orinda, Calif. (10-0)

Previous: Not ranked.

Low-down: Won Nike Interstate Shootout in Lake Oswego, Ore., defeating Oregon City (Ore.), 64-53, in the final. Highly-touted G Sabrina Ionescu flipped in 30 points to pace the Matadors and was named Tournament MVL. The surefire McDonald’s All-American senior is still considering California, Oregon and Oregon State.

14. Cicero (N.Y.)-North Syracuse (9-0)

Previous: Not ranked.

Low-down: The North Stars, who were a national power with Breanna Stewart four years ago, are back in the national spotlight after winning the Eastside Prep Coaches vs. Cancer Tournament in East Palo Alto, Calif. In they final, they knocked off Valencia (Santa Clarita, Calif.), 62-53. Also beat then-No. 13 Archbishop Mitty (San Joe, Calif.) in the first round. Amani Free and Samantha Roberts each bucketed 50 points in three outings.

15. Mater Dei, Santa Ana, Calif. (14-1)

Previous: 22.

Low-down: Crushed Pacific Palisades (Palisades), 90-55, at Matt Denning Hoops Classic. UCLA-bound C Ally Rosenblum scored a career-high 38 points, including 21 in the first half. The Monarchs have a busy week with four games in six days.

16. Providence Day School, Charlotte, N.C. (12-1)

Previous: 23.

Low-down: Idle.

17. Chaminade, West Hills, Calif. (13-2)

Previous: 20.

Low-down: Won West Coast Classic Gold Division championship in nearby Burbank, beating league rivals Alemany, 86-56, in the final. Valerie Higgins and Duke-bound Leaonna Odom were declared Tournament Co-MVPs. Junior PG Alyssa Fisher, an impact transfer and defensive ace, becomes eligible this week for the Eagles.

18. Konawaena, Kealakekua, Hawaii (13-1)

Previous: 14.

Low-down: A fifth place finish in the Title IX D.C. Invitational Patsy T. Mink bracket was respectable. The Wildcats return from the East Coast to the Big Island and won’t be tested for the remainder of the season with eight games left.

19. Canyon, Texas (17-1)

Previous: 8.

Low-down: Lost to Mansfield Timberview, 59-57, in the Mansfield Spring Creek Barbeque Invitational final.

20. St. Francis, Alpharetta, Ga. (14-1)

Previous: 3.

Low-down: Finished third at the Title IX D.C. Classic Patsy T. Mink Bracket, going 2-1.

21. Bellevue, Wash. (10-0)

Previous: 18.

Low-down: Idle.

22. Bishop Gorman, Las Vegas (14-1)

Previous: 11.

Low-down: Went 3-1 at the SoCal Holiday Prep Classic in San Diego, Calif. Lost in the pool play to The Bishop’s School (San Diego), 74-69, in overtime.

23. Archbishop Mitty, San Jose, Calif. (8-3)

Previous: 13.

Low-down: Went 2-1 at the Eastside Prep Coaches vs. Cancer Tournament in nearby East Palo Alto.

24. Christ the King, Middle Village, N.Y. (7-2)

Previous: 25.

Low-down: The Royals are 3-0 in league play after dismantling St. Francis Prep (Fresh Meadows). Now it’s a rough stretch of games with Archbishop Molloy (Briarwood), St. John Vianney (Holmdel, N.J.) and Capital Prep (Hartford, Conn.). After that it’s a trip on Jan. 15 at the Hoophall Classic against hometown favorite Springfield (Mass.) Central.

25. Good Counsel, Olney, Md. (8-2)

Previous: 18.

Low-down: Upset by St. John’s College (Washington, D.C.), 66-45. It’s a huge week ahead for the Falcons who play four league games in eight days starting Tuesday with Bishop O’Connell (Arlington, Va.). Without a serious bounce back, the Falcons will be on the outside of the Elite 25.

Dropped: No. 15 St. John Vianney, Holmdel, N.J.; No. 12 Lakota West, West Chester, Ohio; No. 24 Jeff Davis, Montgomery, Ala.

High-Fives by Region

East

1. Cardinal O’Hara, Springfield, Pa. (7-0)

2. St. John’s College, Washington, D.C. (10-1)

3. Forestville, Md. (7-1)

4. Princess Anne, Virginia Beach, Va. (9-1)

5. Cumberland Valley, Mechanicsburg, Pa. (8-1)

Geography: Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Maine, Massachusetts, Maryland, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont and Virginia.

Midwest

1. Columbus (Ind.) North (14-0)

2. Fremd, Palatine, Ill. (14-1)

3. Detroit Country Day, Beverly Hills, Mich. (7-0)

4. Wadsworth, Ohio (11-0)

5. Hopkins, Minnetonka, Minn. (11-1)

Geography: Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio, North Dakota, South Dakota, West Virginia and Wisconsin.

Southland

1. Wenonah, Birmingham, Ala. (17-0)

2. Blackman, Murfreesboro, Tenn. (12-2)

3. Sapulpa, Okla. (5-0)

4. Elizabethtown, Ky. (12-1)

5. Miami (Fla.) Country Day (13-6)

Geography: Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee and Texas.

Far West

1. Poly, Long Beach, Poly, Calif. (8-3)

2. Lynnwood, Bothell, Wash. (6-0)

3. Brea (Calif.) Olinda (10-2)

4. Pinewood Prep, Los Altos Hills, Calif. (7-2)

5. Central Valley, Veradale, Wash. (9-0)

Geography: Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington and Wyoming.

 About: The Blue Star Media Elite 25 High School Girls Basketball Rankings are released weekly from November until the conclusion of the high school season in early April. Criteria considered are the quality of the team and its players, strength of schedule, tradition, and quality of the team’s league, conference, region or district. The rankings are compiled by Blue Star Media’s Christopher Lawlor, who consults with a national network of coaches, talent evaluators, administrators and prep sports writers. Follow him on Twitter at #clawlor.