No. 1 Archbishop Mitty Monarchs (CA) rule Blue Star Media Elite 25 girls’ basketball rankings after claiming Nike TOC championship

BENSALEM, Pa. – If there was ever a debate, the Archbishop Mitty Monarchs of San Jose, California settled who is No. 1 girls’ basketball team in the land and they did not leave a scintilla of doubt. At least for now.

There might be a rematch between the California powerhouse program but the Monarchs trounced No. 3 Ontario (Calif.) Christian, 59-34, in the championship game of the Nike Tournament of Champions Vincent Cannizzaro Bracket on Saturday in Mesa, Arizona.

The Monarchs won the event last year and held onto the top spot for two months until relinquishing in the state final.

The Monarchs, top-ranked in the Blue Star Media Elite 25 rankings, tamed the younger squad from southern California. The debate rages more so in the California Interscholastic Federation-Southern Section, where at least five teams think they are better than Mitty. After last weekend’s dismantling in the desert, they might need to rethink the stance or start locking in.

If anyone beats the Monarchs in the Northern California Region Open Division playoffs that would be a monumental upset. Until then, the Monarchs are No. 1 and there are only a few cracks at them the rest of the way.

This week, two remained the same; 12 teams ascended the rankings, including a plus-8 for No. 3 Ontario (Calif.) Christian; and seven dropped, with No. 20 Etiwanda (Calif.) cratering 20 positions. At this juncture of the season, crazy movement is the norm and there are four newcomers, with two from California.

No. 14 Lincoln (21-0) is undefeated and the top team in the UIL Class 4A rankings. No. 17 Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.) went 3-1 at the Nike Tournament of Champions in Arizona, good for third place in the toughest bracket. No. 22 Clovis West (Fresno, Calif.) travelled north to Salem, Oregon and knocked three Oregon teams for a pre-Christmas tournament crown. The unbeaten Golden Eagles aren’t done because they are off to Florida this week. No. 23 Belleville (Mich.) is the odds on favorite to win Michigan’s largest classification (Division 1).

Congratulations to the four newbies, who earned their way in with strong starts in December.

The post-Christmas frenzy of tournaments and events will continue to help reshape the Elite 25 rankings. Check back for the updates on New Year’s Eve.

 Well, that’s it for another week. The Blue Star Media Elite 25 girls’ basketball rankings return Tuesday, Dec. 31. Normally, the rankings drop on Wednesdays but the holiday has altered plans for two weeks.

If you celebrate Christmas, a very Merry Christmas to you! If you celebrate Hanukkah, have a wonderful and Happy Hanukkah! If you recognize Kwanzaa, then have a Happy Kwanzaa filled with family and community!

Bye for now.

Hope to see you at a game soon. – Christopher Lawlor

Blue Star Media Elite 25 Girls’ Basketball Rankings, Dec. 24, 2024

1. Archbishop Mitty, San Jose, Calif. (9-0)

Previous rank: 2.

The Lowdown: Won the Nike Tournament of Champions Vincent Cannizzaro Bracket final, defeating No. 3 Ontario (Calif.) Christian, 59-34, in the final.

2. Long Island Lutheran, Brookville, N.Y. (5-0)

Previous: 5.

The Lowdown: Won three games to capture the Iolani Classic championship in Honolulu. The young Crusaders are lighting up the scoreboards: junior Savvy Swords (15.8 ppg, 12.8rpg, 3.8 apg, 2.6 spg); junior Emily McDonald: (15.2 ppg); sophomore Taylor Brown (14.0 ppg, 7.2 apg, 2.2 rpg, 3.6 spg); and junior Zaniyah Williams (12.6 ppg, 4.2 apg, 3.4 rpg, 1.8 spg). This team is a serious national title contender at CHIPOTLE Nationals.

3. Ontario (Calif.) Christian (14-1)

Previous: 11.

The Lowdown: Lost to No. 1 Archbishop Mitty (San Jose), 59-34, in the Nike Tournament of Champions Vincent Cannizzaro Bracket final.

4. Morris Catholic, Denville N.J. (4-0)

Previous: 4.

The Lowdown: The Crusaders have not missed a beat under first-year head coach Rahim Huland El. Tennessee-bound G Mia Pauldo put up 26 points and cleared 5 rebounds to help defeat St. Frances Academy (Baltimore), 58-55, at the Brick City Showcase in Newark.

5. Sierra Canyon School, Chatsworth, Calif. (8-0)

Previous: 7.

The Lowdown: Won the Tarkanian Classic in Las Vegas, beating Democracy Prep Academy (Las Vegas), 75-47, in the final. Jerzy Robinson produced big numbers throughout her stay in Nevada.

6. Lawrence Central, Indianapolis (13-0)

Previous: 10.

The Lowdown: Indiana’s top-ranked Class 4A team won the Marion County Tournament, defeating Franklin Central (Indianapolis), 64-50, in the final. The Bears play in the high-powered Henry Community Health Hall of Fame Classic on Thursday in New Castle versus Homestead (Fort Wayne) in the semifinals. The final and third-place game is on the same day against Hamilton Southeastern (Fishers) or South Knox (Vincennes).

7. Montverde (Fla.) Academy (7-1)

Previous: 6.

The Lowdown: The Eagles lost to a Canadian prep school at an event in the Bahamas and shifted their focus to Wesley Chapel, Fla., where they will participate in the Tampa Bay Christmas Invitational for three days starting on Friday.

8. Duncanville, Texas (11-4)

Previous: 8.

The Lowdown: The Pantherettes have yo-yoed so far but if they win their own Sandra Meadows Classic against a loaded field, the Texas Class 6A schools better take notice.

9. Westtown School, West Chester, Pa. (9-2)

Previous: 3.

The Lowdown: The Moose went 2-2 in the Clare Droesch Bracket of the Nike TOC in Arizona. Up next is No. 19 Bishop McNamara (Forestville, Md.) on Saturday, Dec. 28 at the Jumpman Classic in New York City.

10. IMG Academy, Bradenton, Fla. (9-3)

Previous: 9.

The Lowdown: Went 3-1 at the Nike TOC in Arizona.

11. Hebron Christian Academy, Dacula, Ga. (10-1)

Previous: 12.

The Lowdown: Georgia’s reigning Class AAA champions peeled off 10 consecutive wins to open but were upset by Langston Hughes (Fairburn), 55-52.

12. Incarnate Word Academy, Bel Nor, Mo. (4-0)

Previous: 16.

The Lowdown: The win streak reached 136 games after defeating Nerinx Hall (Webster Grove), 86-37, in the Visitation Christmas Tournament first round. Nevaeh Lucious scored 18 points and

Indiana-bound Neveah Caffey added 17.

13. Bradley Central, Cleveland, Tenn. (11-0)

Previous: 17.

The Lowdown: Defeated Clarksville Christian, 64-35. The Bears are perfect heading into their trip to Miami for the Junior Orange Bowl Classic later this week.

14. Lincoln, Dallas (21-0)

Previous: Not ranked.

The Lowdown: The Tigers play Lake Creek (Montgomery, Texas) at the prestigious Sandra Meadows Classic Thursday afternoon in Duncanville. They are Texas’ top-ranked Class 4A team.

15. Sidwell Friends, Washington, D.C. (7-0)

Previous: 18.

The Lowdown: The Quakers defeated two teams from the Elite 25 rankings in December and are off to San Diego for a tournament after Christmas.

16. Red Bank (N.J.) Catholic (3-0)

Previous: 21.

The Lowdown: Defeated South Shore (Brooklyn, N.Y.), 50-37, at the She’s Got Game Shore Classic. Junior Addy Nyemchek scored a game-high 19 points. The Caseys play two games this weekend at the Viking Invitational in Wilmington, Del.

17. Mater Dei, Santa Ana, Calif. (12-2)

Previous: Not ranked.

The Lowdown: The Monarchs placed third at the prestigious Nike TOC Vincent Cannizzaro Bracket, beating Bullis School (Potomac, Md.), 72-57, in the consolation game. They went 3-1 in the nation’s top tournament.

18. Johnston, Iowa (8-0)

Previous: 25.

The Lowdown: The Dragons are flying high after beating Davenport North, 63-38. They won’t play again until Jan. 3 vs. Ankeny Centennial.

19. Bishop McNamara, Forestville, Md. (6-1)

Previous: 14.

The Lowdown: Placed fifth at the Nike TOC Vincent Cannizzaro Bracket with a 3-1 record.

20. Sacred Heart Academy, Louisville, Ky. (6-2)

Previous: 23.

The Lowdown: The Valkyries went 2-1at the Kreul Gatorade Series in Coral Springs, Fla.

21. Etiwanda, Calif. (4-4)

Previous: 1.

The Lowdown: After a rough start, the Eagles look to regain their championship caliber form this week at the Southern California Holiday Prep Classic in San Diego. The good news is Mater Dei (Santa Ana) transfer Chasity Rice is now eligible.

22. Clovis West, Fresno, Calif. (12-0)

Previous: Not ranked.

The Lowdown: The Golden Eagles enter the Elite 25 after claiming the Capital City Classic championship in Salem, Ore., with a 68-48 victory over South Medford (Medford, Ore.) in the final. Senior Riley Walls scored 20 points in the final, becoming the 17^th player in program history to join the 1,000-point club. Up next is a trip to the Sunshine State later this week for the Tampa Bay Christmas Invitational for three competitive games.

23. Belleville, Mich. (5-0)

Previous: Not ranked.

The Lowdown: The Tigers are the top-ranked team in Michigan’s Division I lineup and have a loaded squad with Marquette-commit junior Se’Crette Carter and sophomore Sydney Savoury.

24. Mount Zion Prep Academy, Lanham, Md. (10-3)

Previous: 13.

The Lowdown: Won the consolation bracket of the Nike TOC Vincent Cannizzaro Bracket with a 3-1 mark. The Warriors are adjusting to losing Rhode Island-bound G Amori Jarrett to a knee injury.

25. Purcell Marian, Cincinnati (6-3

Previous: 15.

The Lowdown: Went 2-2 in the Nike TOC Vincent Cannizzaro Bracket in Arizona, finishing eighth. The Lady Cavaliers remain in the Elite 25 by a thread.

Dropped: No. 19 South Grand Prairie (Grand Prairie, Texas); No. 20 Archbishop Wood (Warminster, Pa.); No. 22 Winter Haven (Fla.) and No. 24 Christ the King (Middle Village, N.Y.).

High-Fives by Region

East

1. St. John’s College, Washington, D.C. (10-0)
2. Princess Anne, Virginia Beach, Va. (7-0)
3. Rutgers Prep, Somerset, N.J. (4-0)
4. St. Paul VI Catholic, Chantilly, Va. (7-2)
5. Christ the King, Middle Village, N.Y. (5-3)

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

Midwest

1. Pewaukee, Wis. (7-0)
2. Lyons, La Grange, Ill. (13-0)
3. Hamilton Southeastern, Fishers, Ind. (13-0)
4. Providence Academy, Plymouth, Minn. (9-0)
5. Kenwood, Chicago (12-1)

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

Southland

1. DME Academy, Daytona Beach, Fla. (14-2)
2. Flower Mound, Texas (20-1)
3. Putnam City North, Oklahoma City (10-1)
4. Norman, Okla. (9-1)
5. Boswell, Fort Worth, Texas (20-1)

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

Far West

1. Grandview, Aurora, Colo. (6-2)
2. Ridgeline, Millville, Utah (12-0)
3. Clackamas, Ore. (3-3)….sa-toc
4. Davis, Yakima, Wash. (7-0)
5. South Medford, Medford, Ore. (6-1)

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

Records through Monday

About: The Blue Star Media Elite 25 Girls’ High School Basketball Rankings are released weekly from December until the conclusion of the high school season in 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 and prep sports writers. The final rankings will be released at the conclusion of the season. Follow him on X at @clawlor.