NEW YORK – Take a bow Duncanville (Texas). After five months of grinding, the Pantherettes are the Blue Star Media Elite 25 girls’ basketball national champions. The top cat moved to the top of the heap in March and watched as their main threats fell by the wayside.
Coach Cathy Self-Morgan’s squad was perfect taking all 39 games, capped by winning the Class 6A state championship—the program’s third in four years and ninth overall. Additionally it was Big D’s fifth undefeated season and the first one since 2013. There might be a slight drop off next year, but Duncanville is in line to be in the 2016-17 preseason rankings preseason.
The Dick’s Sporting Good High School National Tournament was won by No. 7 Ribault (Jacksonville, Fla.) in convincing fashion here at Madison Square Garden. The Lady Trojans return a solid roster and will be another preseason team. Other DICK’S participants St. Francis (Alpharetta, Ga.), Riverdale Baptist School (Upper Marlboro, Md.) and Seton Catholic Prep (Chandler, Ariz.) also will be ranked.
Unlike the boys’ tournament, the DICK’S Nationals on the girls side does not feature as many independent schools, so the drawing power from a small pool of states limits the four-team field’s depth. But we’re hearing that could change by next season when an independent girls’ school is ready to open in northern California (similar to the Findlay Prep boys) and a few state associations are exploring their options. Once the DICK’S Nationals adds five or six key states, the event will become more relevant and a destination to determine a national champion.
We’ll keep you posted.
Next week, Blue Star Media will attend the Jordan Brand Classic girls’ all-star game in Brooklyn, N.Y. The summer club circuit will be busy in April through July with live viewing periods for college coaches. Check back periodically at www.bluestarmedia.org for staff updates from showcase events all summer. We will pass along player evaluations and USA Basketball doings.
With the multitude of events, shootouts and tournaments between now and the end of July, there are great games to attend and cover.
The Blue Star Media Elite 25 preseason girls’ rankings will return in mid-November. Thanks to our loyal of readers, who have made the difference this season. You have helped raise the awareness of the Elite 25. We hope to see you at a game soon. – Christopher Lawlor
Blue Star Media Elite 25 Final Girls’ rankings, April 4, 2016
1. Duncanville, Texas (39-0)* ***
Previous rank: 1.
Low-down: Won Class 6A state championship. It was the program’s third title in four years and ninth overall plus a fifth undefeated season with the last in 2013.
2. Centennial, Las Vegas (31-1)*
Previous: 2.
Low-down: Won Division I state championship.
3. Paul VI, Fairfax, Va. (33-1)*
Previous: 3.
Low-down: Won a 10th straight Virginia Independent Schools Division I tournament and third straight Washington Catholic Athletic Conference Tournament and regular season titles.
4. Neumann-Goretti, Philadelphia (29-1)*
Previous: 4.
Low-down: Won a second straight PIAA Class AA state championship. In two seasons, coach Andrea Peterson is 59-1 with two state championships. That’s one of the greatest starts to a coaching career.
5. Chaminade, West Hills, Calif. (31-4)*
Previous: 5.
Low-down: The Eagles captured the CIF Open Division championship.
6. St. Mary’s Stockton, Calif. (28-1)
Previous: 6.
Low-down: Won ninth straight sectional title and 17th overall CIF Sac-Joaquin Section championship. Advanced to the NorCal Regional semifinals.
7. Ribault, Jacksonville, Fla. (31-1)* **
Previous: 10.
Low-down: The Lady Trojans won the DICK’s Sporting Goods High School National Tournament, beating No. 10 Riverdale Baptist (Upper Marlboro, Md. ), 75-49, in the final at Madison Square Garden. Junior Rennia Davis, the tournament’s Most Valuable Player, earned it with 23 points (11-of-12 free throws), 8 rebounds, 4 assists and 2 steals. She was joined on the all-tournament team by classmate Day’Neshia Banks, who contributed 12 points (5-of-9 shooting), 10 rebounds and 5 assists in the final. The Lady Trojans also won their 11th state championship in February by taking the Florida Class 5A crown. Expect them to be preseason ranked in the Top 10 in 2016-17.
8. Miramonte, Orinda, Calif. (32-1)
Previous: 7.
Low-down: Lost in the CIF Open Division final to No. 13 Chaminade (West Hills, Calif.), 80-71. Sabrina Ionescu, a McDonald’s All American, posted a triple-double with 24 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists in her last varsity game.
9. Canyon, Texas (35-1)*
Previous: 8.
Low-down: Won a third straight state championship and 18th overall state tournament title.
10. Riverdale Baptist School, Upper Marlboro, Md. (37-4)*
Previous: 12.
Low-down: Advanced to the championship of the DICK’S Nationals, losing to No. xxx Ribault (Jacksonville, Fla.), 75-49. Kaila Charles, a Maryland recruit and McDonald’s All American, was named to the all-tournament team. The Lady Crusaders played one of the nation’s most challenging schedules, winning two major post season tournaments in Maryland and Tennessee.
11. St. Francis, Alpharetta, Ga. (31-2)*
Previous: 9.
Low-down: Won second consecutive Class A Private state championship and lost in the DICK’S Nationals semifinals. The Lady Knights return a loaded squad next season, including Maya Dodson—a member of the DICK’S Nationals all-tournament team.
12. Bellevue, Wash. (29-0)*
Previous: 10.
Low-down: Won Class 3A state championship.
13. Konawaena, Kealakekua, Hawaii (24-1)*
Previous: 12.
Low-down: Won second straight Division I state championship.
14. Riverdale, Murfreesboro, Tenn. (32-4)*
Previous: 14.
Low-down: Won Division I Class AAA state championship for the fifth state title and first since 2013.
15. Wenonah, Birmingham, Ala. (33-1)*
Previous: 15.
Low-down: Won third consecutive Class 5A state championship.
16. Lynnwood, Bothell, Wash. (26-1)
Previous: 16.
Low-down: Finished third in the Class 3A state tournament.
17. Benet Academy, Lisle, Ill. (32-3)*
Previous: 17.
Low-down: Won Class 4A state championship for the second straight year.
18. Princess Anne, Virginia Beach, Va. (29-2)*
Previous: 18.
Low-down: Won third straight Class 5A state championship and state-record seventh overall. The Cavaliers competed in their state-record eighth straight final and 10th overall.
19. Poly, Long Beach, Poly, Calif. (27-6)
Previous: 19.
Low-down: Advanced to the CIF-Southern California Region Open Division final.
20. North Shore, Galena Park, Texas (36-2)
Previous: 20.
Low-down: Advanced to the Class 6A state tournament semifinals.
21. Wadsworth, Ohio (28-1)*
Previous: 21.
Low-down: Won Division I state championship and second in program history.
22. Bishop Gorman, Las Vegas (29-2)
Previous: 22.
Low-down: Advanced to Division I Sunset Region final.
23. Providence Day School, Charlotte, N.C. (27-2)*
Previous: 23.
Low-down: Won seventh straight North Carolina Independent Schools 3A championship.
24. South Salem, Salem, Ore. (28-1)*
Previous: 24.
Low-down: Won second straight Class 6A state championship.
25. St. John Vianney, Holmdel, N.J. (31-1)*
Previous: 25.
Low-down: The Lady Lancers won the State Tournament of Champions for girls’ state record seventh time. Also captured a 17th state title taking home the Non-Public A crown.
Dropped: None.
High-Fives by Region
East
- Forestville, Md. (25-2)*
- Cumberland Valley, Mechanicsburg, Pa. (29-3)*
- Ossining, N.Y. (28-2)*
- Manasquan, N.J. (28-7)*
- Archbishop Wood, Warminster, Pa. (25-6)*
Geography: Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Maine, Massachusetts, Maryland, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont and Virginia.
Midwest
- Penn, Mishawka, Ind. (28-2)*
- Fremd, Palatine, Ill. (31-3)
- South, Wichita, Kan. (25-0)*
- Minnetonka, Minn. (25-4)*
- Archbishop Alter, Kettering, Ohio (28-2)*
Geography: Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio, North Dakota, South Dakota, West Virginia and Wisconsin.
Southland
- Argyle, Texas (35-1)*
- Spring (Texas) Dekaney (37-2)
- LeFlore, Mobile, Ala. (35-0)*
- Butler, Louisville (31-5)*
- Lake Highland Prep, Orlando, Fla. (29-3)*
Geography: Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee and Texas.
Far West
- Central Valley, Veradale, Wash. (28-0)*
- Seton Catholic Prep, Chandler, Ariz. (32-2)*
- Brea (Calif.) Olinda (29-4)*
- ThunderRidge, Highlands Ranch, Colo. (26-3)*
- Layton, Utah (25-0)*
Geography: Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington and Wyoming.
* Won state, national or conference/league postseason tournament championship
** DICK’S Sporting Goods High School Tournament champions
*** Blue Star Media Elite 25 National Champions
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.
Senior Writer and national analyst for Blue Media and compiles the Blue Star Elite 25 national boys and girls high school basketball and football rankings during the season. Lawlor, an award-winning writer, is a voting committee member and advisor for several national high school events, including the McDonald’s All-American Games. He previously wrote for USA TODAY and ESPN.com, where he was the national preps writer, while compiling the national rankings in four sports.
