No. 20 Columbus (Ind.) North enters as Indiana’s top-ranked team in Class 4A. No. 23 Heritage (Saginaw, Mich.) is the favorite to capture Michigan’s large class (Class A) state championship with a about a month left in the season.

The Elite 25 rankings will appear again on January 27.

Check back periodically at www.bluestarmedia.org for staff updates from showcase events all season. Our staff is always attending events. Until next time, we hope to see you at a game soon. – Christopher Lawlor

Blue Star Media Elite 25 High School Girls’ Basketball rankings, Jan. 20, 2016

1. St. Mary’s, Stockton, Calif. (17-0)

Previous rank: 1l

ow-Down: The win streak reached 46 games after defeating Palisades (Pacific Palisades), 94-76, at the MLK Showcase in Stockton. Super sophomore Aquira DeCosta posted a double-double, with 18 points and 17 rebounds.

2. Duncanville, Texas (26-0)

Previous: 2.

Low-down: The Pantherettes pounded another district opponent.

3. Neumann-Goretti, Philadelphia (14-0)

Previous: 3.

Low-down: Kamiah Smalls scored 16 points as the Saints topped Ursuline Academy (Wilmington, Del.) at the Blue Star High School Invitational in Radnor, Pa. Also beat Cardinal O’Hara (Springfield), 62-56. That’s a state best 43 straight victories.

4. Riverdale Baptist School, Upper Marlboro, Md. (22-1)

Previous: 4.

Low-down: Routed South Shore (Brooklyn, N.Y.), 62-35, at MLK Showcase in Maryland. The Lady Crusaders biggest game remains on Feb. 8 against regionally ranked Forestville but Saturday’s game at Cumberland Valley (Mechanicsburg, Pa.) won’t be easy

5. Centennial, Las Vegas (17-1)

Previous: 5.

Low-down: The Bulldogs defeated Legacy (Las Vegas), 75-27. Nine games remain in the regular season.

6. Paul VI, Fairfax, Va. (18-1)

Previous: 6.

Low-down: The win streak reached four games after beating St. Mary’s Ryken (Leonardtown, Md.), 75-27, as Amira Collins netted 15 points. The Panthers had a big-time matchup with St. John’s College (Washington, D.C.) on Tuesday.

7. Montini Catholic, Lombard, Ill. (21-0)

Previous: 7.

Low-down: The Lady Broncos rolled past Joliet Catholic, 83-49, for their 21st win of the season. Now it’s a key match up with Morgan Park (Chicago) on Saturday.

8. Olive Branch, Miss. (20-0)

Previous: 8.

Low-down: The Lady Quistors dropped rival Horn Lake, 69-53.

9. National Christian Academy, Fort Washington, Md. (20-0)

Previous: 10.

Low-down: The Eagles peeled off three more wins, beating schools from New Jersey, and Florida

10. North Shore, Galena Park, Texas (25-1)

Previous: 11.

Low-down: Six more games are left to record a perfect regular season.

11. Mansfield (Texas) Timberview (22-0)

Previous: 12.

Low-down: Crushed Mansfield Summit, 73-46.

12. Miramonte, Orinda, Calif. (15-0)

Previous: 13.

Low-down: Sabrina Ionescu, who was named to play in the McDonald’s All American Game, netted 26 points, 8 rebounds and 8 steals to down then-No. 15 Mater Dei (Santa Ana), 65-47, at the MLK Showcase in Stockton, Calif.

13. Cicero (N.Y.)-North Syracuse (12-0)

Previous: 14.

Low-down: A 23-4 first-quarter tear staked the North Stars to a 77-34 triumph over Fayetteville-Manlius. Beth Bonin, Amani Free and McKayla Roberts all scored 14 points. This week is more challenging with four games in seven days.

14. Wenonah, Birmingham, Ala. (22-0)

Previous: 18.

Low-down: The streak hit 30 games after taking down Jeff Davis (Montgomery), 57-43. At the MLK BallN Powher Prep event in Alabama.

15. Konawaena, Kealakekua, Hawaii (19-1)

Previous: 20.

Low-down: After four blowout victories, the Wildcats have two games left before the postseason.

16. Canyon, Texas (21-1)

Previous: 21.

Low-down: The Eagles used a stingy defense to rattle off two district victories.

17. St. Francis, Alpharetta, Ga. (16-1)

Previous: 22.

Low-down: Coach Aisha Kennedy’s team won their sixth straight, defeating Laney (Augusta), 72-51.

18. Bellevue, Wash. (14-0)

Previous: 23.

Low-down: The Wolverines seized control of first place in the King Co 3A/2A, beating Mercer Island, 78-56.

19. Bishop Gorman, Las Vegas (17-1)

Previous: 24.

Low-down: The Gaels won twice at the MLK Showcase in Stockton, Calif., including an 81-70 win over Salesian College Prep (Richmond, Calif.). Utah-bound G Megan Jacobs scored 20 points and Raychel Stanley and Madison Washington each had 15.

20. Columbus (Ind.) North (19-0)

Previous: Not ranked.

Low-down: The Bulldogs rolled to their 19th straight win, beating Bloomington South 61-48. They played state powerhouse Heritage Christian (Indianapolis) on Tuesday night. With one Conference Indiana contest left, the Bulldogs are 6-0 with the regular season winding down.

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

Previous: 15.

Low-down: Lost to then-No. 13 Miramonte (Orinda), 65-47.

The Monarchs allowed 42 points in a pair of opening week Trinity League contests.

22. Chaminade, West Hills, Calif. (18-3)

Previous: 17.

Low-down: The Eagles were upset by Fairmont Prep (Anaheim), 53-51.

23. Heritage, Saginaw, Mich. (10-0)

Previous: Not ranked.

Low-down: The Hawks are Michigan’s top-ranked Class A team and will have two big tests this week.

24. Homestead, Fort Wayne, Ind. (18-1)

Previous: 9.

Low-down: Upended by Benet Academy (Lisle, Ill.), 58-55, at the Chicagoland Classic but rebounded to beat Morgan Park (Chicago), 71-64. Only four games remain in the regular season.

25. Archbishop Mitty, San Jose, Calif. (12-3)

Previous: 25.

Low-down: The Monarchs posted two more West Valley League wins.

Dropped: No. 16 Providence Day School, Charlotte, N.C.; and No. 19 Good Counsel, Olney, Md.

High-Fives by Region

East

1. St. John’s College, Washington, D.C. (15-1)
2. Forestville, Md. (12-1)
3. Cumberland Valley, Mechanicsburg, Pa. (13-1)
4. Rutgers Prep, Somerset, N.J. (12-0)
5. Norwin, Irwin, Pa. (16-0)

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

Midwest

1. Hopkins, Minnetonka, Minn. (15-1)
2. Princeton, Ind. (21-0)
3. Lakota West, West Chester, Ohio (15-1)
4. Morgan Park, Chicago (17-2)
5. Wadsworth, Ohio (14-1)

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

Southland

1. Blackman, Murfreesboro, Tenn. (17-2)
2. Elizabethtown, Ky. (18-1)
3. Riverdale, Murfreesboro, Tenn. (19-1)
4. Central, Memphis, Tenn. (21-0)
5. Providence Day School, Charlotte, N.C. (16-2)

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

Far West

1. Poly, Long Beach, Poly, Calif. (14-3)
2. Lynnwood, Bothell, Wash. (11-0)
3. Brea (Calif.) Olinda (14-2)
4. Pinewood School, Los Altos Hills, Calif. (12-2)
5. Central Valley, Veradale, Wash. (13-0)

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.