BENSALEM, Pa. – The latest Blue Star Media Elite 25 girls’ basketball rankings welcomes one newcomer this week.

With the month of January in the books, No. 23 North Allegheny (Wexford, Pa.) is No. 1 team in Pennsylvania’s Class AAAAAA and riding a 17-game win streak to start the season. We’re about three weeks away from the WPIAL playoffs and the Tigers will be a heavy favorite to win them and then do the same in the state tournament.

Check back regularly at www.bluestarmedia.org for staff updates from major events and the state tournaments. We have the pulse of the girls’ basketball world.

The Elite 25 girls’ basketball rankings will return on Feb. 7. We’ll update you on what happened at the Hawaii state championships that concludes on Saturday in Honolulu.

We hope to see you at a game soon. – Christopher Lawlor

Blue Star Media Elite 25 Girls’ Basketball rankings, Jan. 31, 2018

1. Archbishop Mitty, San Jose, Calif. (18-0)

Previous rank: 1.

Low-down: The Monarchs improved to 4-0 in the West Catholic League with an 86-49 win over St. Francis (Mountain View). The schedule resumes this week with Valley Christian (San Jose) Wednesday and Presentation (San Jose) Saturday evening.

2. Christ the King, Middle Village, N.Y. (15-0)

Previous: 2.

Low-down: The Royals defeated then-No. 6 Riverdale Baptist School (Upper Marlboro, Md.), 54-43, and league rivals Archbishop Molloy (Briarwood), 45-29. Next up is a matchup with Mary Louis Academy (Jamaica Estates) on Saturday afternoon.

3. Duncanville, Texas (32-1)

Previous: 3.

Low-down: Zarielle Green, a Tennessee signee and McDonald’s All American, scored 24 points and Hannah Gusters added 16 during a 56-46 win over Cedar Hill.

4. Riverdale, Murfreesboro, Tenn. (22-1)

Previous: 4.

Low-down: The win streak reached 10 games in a 73-23 win over Smyrna. The Lady Warriors are 7-0 in District 7-AAA with five games left.

5. St. John’s College, Washington, D.C. (18-1)

Previous: 5.

Low-down: Freshman sensation Azzi Fudd scored a career-high 36 points, including 10 3-pointers, in a 60-40 win over Georgetown Visitation (Washington).

6. Hamilton Heights Christian, Chattanooga, Tenn. (19-2)

Previous: 7.

Low-down: Elizabeth Balogun, a Georgia Tech recruit, supplied 19 points and 5 assists and three others netted 11 points apiece in a 66-25 win over Arlington (Tenn.).

7. Princess Anne, Virginia Beach, Va. (14-1)

Previous: 8.

Low-down: Defeated Kempsville (Virginia beach), 86-26. It’s a busy week with three games.

8. St. Mary’s, Stockton, Calif. (19-2)

Previous: 9.

Low-down: The Rams beat Lincoln (Stockton), 82-34. In a light week, they play at Carondelet (Concord) Saturday.

9. Paul VI, Fairfax, Va. (19-2)

Previous: 10.

Low-down: Friday’s game at No. 5 St. John’s College (Washington, D.C.) is for first place in the Washington Catholic Athletic Conference.

10. Bradley Central, Cleveland, Tenn. (22-0)

Previous: 11.

Low-down: A pair of district wins keeps the Bearettes comfortably in first place.

11. Centennial, Las Vegas (22-3)

Previous: 12.

Low-down: UNLV-bound Justice Ethridge poured in a game-high 31 points in a 76-35 victory over Legacy (North Las Vegas).

12. Edwardsville, Ill. (21-0)

Previous: 13.

Low-down: The Tigers remained unbeaten with two more wins and are Illinois’ top-ranked Class 4A team.

13. Riverdale Baptist School, Upper Marlboro, Md. (14-4)

Previous: 6.

Low-down: The Lady Crusaders split a pair of games last weekend in New York

14. Westlake, Atlanta (22-1)

Previous: 14.

Low-down: The regular season concludes Friday at Campbell (Smyrna).

15. Winter Haven, Fla. (24-0)

Previous: 15.

Low-down: It’s Senior Night on Saturday with Fort Pierce Central visiting, but first there’s a tricky road game at Montverde (Fla.) Academy on Thursday. The District 7-8A opens on Feb. 5.

16. Southeast Raleigh, Raleigh, N.C. (20-0)

Previous: 16.

Low-down: Routed Millbrook (Raleigh), 64-9. Next up is crosstown rivals Enloe (Raleigh) on Friday.

17. Holy Innocents’ Episcopal, Atlanta (19-1)

Previous: 19.

Low-down: Defeated Wesleyan School (Peachtree Corners), 69-49. The final three games in the regular season this week.

18. Collins Hill, Suwanee, Ga. (20-2)

Previous: 20.

Low-down: The regular season concludes this week with a pair of Region 6-AAAAAAA games with Duluth and Mill Creek (Hoschton). Last week, the Eagles knocked off St. Francis (Alpharetta), 64-57, to cap successful week.

19. Baldwin, N.Y. (14-1)

Previous: 21.

Low-down: It was a productive weekend at The Mecca High School Girls Basketball Challenge, beating Franklin (N.J.), 51-46, and St. Laurent (Quebec, Canada), 54-47. In the latter game, Eastern Michigan-bound Jenna Annecchiarico and Aziah Hudson each scored 20 points. The league schedule resumes Wednesday at Hicksville and Saturday with Westbury.

20. Montini Catholic, Lombard, Ill. (27-2)

Previous: 22.

Low-down: Lindsey Jarosinski pumped in a game-high 16 points and junior Sam Mitchell had 13 to pace the Lady Broncos over St. Ignatius (Chicago), 63-35, in the Girls Catholic Athletic Conference Red Division. They also beat Iowa City (Iowa) West, 44-43. Next up is Normal (Ill.) Community on Saturday afternoon.

21. Hoover, Ala. (25-1)

Previous: 23.

Low-down: The regular season closes out Friday with crosstown rivals Spain Park.

22. Eastview, Apple Valley, Minn. (16-0)

Previous: 24.

Low-down: Macy Guebert’s 19 points fueled a 68-59 win over Lakeville North. The Lightning’s schedule includes three games after a light week.

23. North Allegheny, Wexford, Pa. (17-0)

Previous: Not ranked.

Low-down: The Tigers are Pennsylvania’s top-ranked Class AAAAAA team and rolling to victories in the WPIAL.

24. Edison Public School Academy, Detroit (11-1)

Previous: 25.

Low-down: Quite an impressive week for the Pioneers who beat defending Class B state champions Detroit Country Day (Beverly Hills, Mich.), 62-46, and Notre Dame Academy (Toledo, Ohio), 54-52. The out-of-state competition continues with Bolingbrook (Ill.) Saturday.

25. Mercer County, Harrodsburg, Ky. (22-3)

Previous: 17.

Low-down: The Bearettes went 3-1 last with five games left in the regular season.

Dropped out: No. 18 Long Island Lutheran, Brookville, N.Y.

High-Fives by Region

East

1. St. John Vianney, Holmdel, N.J. (16-0)
2. St. Rose, Belmar, N.J. (16-1)
3. Newtown South, Newtown Centre, Mass. (13-0)
4. Trinity Episcopal School, Richmond, Va. (15-1)
5. Manasquan, N.J. (14-2)

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

Midlands

1. East Kentwood, Kentwood, Mich. (14-0)
2. Pike, Indianapolis (21-1)
3. Newark, Ohio (17-0)
4. Iowa City, Iowa (17-0)
5. Boylan Catholic, Rockford, Ill. (24-0)

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

South

1. Mansfield (Texas) Timberview (31-2)
2. Richardson, Texas (26-3)
3. John Curtis Christian, River Ridge, La. (22-1)
4. Barbers Hill, Mount Belvieu, Texas (32-2)
5. Montverde (Fla.) Academy (16-3)

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

Far West

1. Central Valley, Veradale, Wash. (18-0)
2. Mesquite, Gilbert, Ariz. (21-3)
3. Windward School, Los Angeles (14-3)
4. Southridge, Beaverton. Ore. (17-1)
5. Maryknoll, Honolulu (26-2)

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. 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. Teams with fifth-year or reclassified players won’t be considered. The rankings are compiled by Blue Star Media’s Christopher Lawlor, who consults with a national network of coaches, talent evaluators and prep sports writers. The final rankings will be released in April. Follow him on Twitter @clawlor.