BACK TO BACK: No. 1 Bishop McNamara (MD) pockets another WCAC chip as Blue Star Media Elite 25 girls’ basketball rankings move towards March

BENSALEM, Pa. – The No. 1 Bishop McNamara Lady Mustangs of Forestville, Maryland keep rolling. Monday night they won for the 26^th consecutive game and added a second straight Washington Catholic Athletic Conference championship.

Capturing one of the nation’s top chips is proof the Lady Mustangs continue their firm grip on the top spot in the Blue Star Media Elite 25 girls’ basketball rankings as they move into March.

In Washington, D.C., the Lady Mustangs stopped third-seeded Bishop Ireton (Alexandria, Va.), 58-45, in the final. Sophomore Jaylah King doubled up with 27 points, 14 rebounds and 5 steals.

The WCAC First Team (listed alphabetically): Geonare Davis, Bishop Ireton; Demi Gilliam, St, Paul VI Catholic; Jaylah King ad Nyair McCoy, McNamara; Camille Nesmith, St. John’s College; Zoe Osby and Reneyia Pickering, Elizabeth Seton; Qandace Samuels, McNamara; Morgan Stewart, St. John’s College; and Lyla Thompson, Good Counsel.

Player of the Year: Morgan Stewart. Coach of the Year: Ron James, McNamara.

Yet, the work isn’t done. McNamara (27-2) will enter the Maryland Private Schools state tournament next week with St. Frances Academy (Baltimore) and No. 24 Bullis School (Potomac) challenging for the title. Hopefully, McNamara will get an invitation (or accept one) to the CHIPOTLE Nationals (April 1-4) in Indiana to settle who’s No. 1.

Speaking of the Hoosier State, the Indiana High School Athletic Association state tournament will be played Saturday (two sessions) at Gainbridge Fieldhouse (home of the Indiana Fever and Pacers). This one of the top state tournaments. Get tickets from Ticketmaster here.

Session 1 (All times Eastern)

Class 1A, 10:30 a.m.
Borden (24-4) vs. Fremont (28-2)

Class 2A, approx. 12:45 p.m.
Eastern (Pekin) (20-7) vs. Oak Hill (24-3)

Session 2

Class 3A, 6 p.m.
Roncalli (27-3) vs. Bellmont (24-3)

Class 4A, 8:15 p.m.
Center Grove (28-0) vs. Norwell (25-4)

Can’t make it to the games? Stream them live via pay-per-view here. Charges apply.

Elsewhere, the California Interscholastic Federation-Southern Section playoffs will culminate Friday and Saturday at the Toyota Arena in Ontario with several Elite 25 teams competing in the Open Division brackets. Overall, 20 champions will be crowned this weekend. Here’s where to stream the games live (charges apply).

A total of 300 entries vied for the 10 divisional championships with title games at the Toyota Arena and Azusa Pacific University. However, before the Open Division is set, No. 2 Ontario Christian play Sage Hill (Newport Beach) and No. 4 Sierra Canyon School (Chatsworth) meet No. 5 Etiwanda in the semifinals on Tuesday at 7 p.m. PT. The winners moved into Saturday’s final at 8 p.m. in Ontario. Get tickets here.

The CIF-Southern Section Open Division boys’ semifinals are Tuesday at 7 p.m., with the final on Saturday at 6 p.m.

The District of Columbia State Athletic Association Class AA playoffs start Wednesday with two quarterfinal games. The semifinals are Friday at Georgetown University’s McDonough Arena with No. 25 St. John’s College meeting Maret or Georgetown Visitation, 3 p.m., and Sidwell Friends playing Coolidge or KIPP College Prep, 6:30 p.m. The final is Sunday at 3 p.m. at George Washington University’s Smith Center.

We’ll state tournaments in Illinois, Texas and Florida to highlight next week and closer look at the six teams that could compose the CHIPOTLE Nationals field.

Volunteer State

The Mr. and Miss Basketball Awards will be presented to the top girls and boys in six classifications of the Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association on March 10.

A statewide committee of sportswriters selected winners based on performance during the 2025-2026 regular season. Academics and character were also taken into consideration. High school head basketball coaches and members of the media nominated the finalists.

Kimora Fields of No. 11 Bradley Central (Cleveland, Tenn.) is a Clemson signee and reps the Elite 25. So does D.J. Okoth of No. 25 Bartlett boys.

Class 4A Miss Basketball Finalists
Cecilie Brandimore, Franklin
Kimora Fields, Bradley Central
Natalya Hodge, Bearden

Class 4A Mr. Basketball Finalists
Justin Frison, Houston High School
D.J. Okoth, Bartlett
Cutter Sisk, Beech

As for this week in the Elite 25, there were no additions to the Elite 25 girls’ rankings but with the postseason in nearly full swing, expect changes. Eleven teams remained static from last week, eight teams went up with one ascending three slots, nine dropped with No. 24 Bullis School (Potomac, Md.) cratering eight, and 18 of the 25 teams active in the postseason. Two teams have bagged conference postseason tournament championships.

Well, that’s it for the third week of February. The Blue Star Media Elite 25 girls’ basketball rankings return on Wednesday, March 4.

For those affected by the blizzard on the East Coast (count us in), go easy shoveling. This is heavy stuff. Also, check in on your elderly neighbors to make sure they are warm, fed and safe. It’s the right thing to do.

Bye for now.

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

Blue Star Media Elite 25 Girls’ Basketball Rankings, Feb. 25, 2026

1. Bishop McNamara, Forestville, Md. (27-2)*

Previous rank: 1.

Lowdown: Won the Washington Catholic Athletic Conference chip for the second consecutive year, beating Bishop Ireton (Alexandria, Va.), 58-45, in the final. Jaylah King scored 27 points and had 14 rebounds and 5 steals. Qandace Samuel contributed a double-double at 18 points and 12 boards.

2. Ontario (Calif.) Christian (30-1)

Previous: 2.

Lowdown: Defeated Fairmont Prep (Anaheim), 114-50, in CIF-Southern Section Open Division quarterfinals. Up next is Sage Hill (Newport Beach) in the semifinals on Tuesday. The final is Saturday night at the Toyota Arena in Ontario.

3. Archbishop Mitty, San Jose, Calif. (24-2)

Previous: 3.

Lowdown: Defeated Half Moon Bay, 89-23, and St. Francis (Mountain View), 78-22, in CIF-Central Coast Section Open Division Pool A play. The Open Division final is Friday at the University of San Francisco.

4. Sierra Canyon School, Chatsworth, Calif. (28-2)

Previous: 4.

Lowdown: Defeated Mater Dei (Santa Ana), 79-38, in the CIF-Southern Section Open Division quarterfinals. Also beat Corona Centennial, 59-54, in the CIF-Southern Section Open Division Pool C play.

5. Etiwanda, Calif. (30-2)

Previous: 5.

Lowdown: Defeated Rancho Christian (Temecula), 81-36, in the CIF-Southern Section Open Division quarterfinals. The Eagles play NO. 4 Sierra Canyon School (Chatsworth) in the semifinals. Also stopped St. Joseph (Lakewood), 8159, in the CIF-Southern Section Open Division Pool B play.

6. Westtown School, West Chester, Pa. (27-1)*

Previous: 6.

Lowdown: Defeated Agnes Irwin (Bryn Mawr), 72-52, in the PAISAA second round. The Moose play Mercersburg Academy on Tuesday in the semifinals.

7. Westlake, Austin, Texas (37-0)

Previous: 8.

Lowdown: Defeated Vista Ridge (Cedar Park), 53-38, in the Class 6A, Division II bi-district playoff game and Sotomayor (San Antonio), 45-21, in the Area playoffs. The Chaps play Harlingen on Tuesday in the Class 6A, Division II, Region 4 semifinals.

8. Princess Anne, Virginia Beach, Va. (23-0)

Previous: 9.

Lowdown: Defeated Cox (Virginia Beach), 88-13, in Class 5, Region A quarterfinals for the program’s 66^th consecutive win.

9. Spire Academy Geneva, Ohio (18-1)

Previous: 7.

Lowdown: Spire went 1-1 last week, absorbing its first loss.

10. St. James Performance Academy, Springfield, Va. (19-3)

Previous: 10.

Lowdown: Defeated Shining Stars Sports Academy (Petersburg, Va.), 68-55.

11. Bradley Central, Cleveland, Tenn. (28-0)

Previous: 11.

Low-down: Won the Class 4A, District 5 title, defeating Cleveland, 58-39, in the final and Walker Valley (Cleveland), 58-17, in the semifinals. Clemson-bound Kim ora Fields earned Tournament MVP honors.

12. Long Island Lutheran, Brookville, N.Y. (18-4)

Previous: 12.

Lowdown: Idle. The Lady Crusaders are playing a series of exhibitions in Japan and according to coach Christina Ratai they might play one makeup game before awaiting an invitation to the CHIPOTLE Nationals in April.

13. Montverde (Fla.) Academy (17-4)

Previous: 13.

Lowdown: Lost to Southeastern Prep (Orlando), 79-66, but bounced back to beat No. 18 DME Academy (Dayton Beach), 56-42. Missy Odom scored 21 points and snared 8 boards vs. DME. The Eagles close out the regular season Wednesday at the Academy of Central Florida (Kissimmee).

14. Incarnate Word Academy (21-2)

Previous: 14.

Low-down: Defeated Nerinx Hall (Webster Groves), 96-25, and Ursuline (St. Louis), 79-45. The Red Knights close out the regular season with games on Tuesday and Thursday.

15. Johnston, Iowa (23-0)

Previous: 17.

Lowdown: Defeated Urbandale, 67-32, in the Class 5A, Region 1 semifinals. Jaliyah scored 18 points and Kelli Kabl added 16. The Dragons play Indianola in the region final on Tuesday. The Class 5A state tournament quarterfinals are Monday in Des Moines.

16. Belleville, Mich. (20-0)

Previous: 18.

Lowdown: Defeated Edison (Detroit), 71-58. Up next is Howell in the Kensington Lakes Activities Association final on Thursday. The Tigers clinched the KLAA East Division title with a 14-0 record.

17. Hebron Christian Academy, Dacula, Ga. (26-1)

Previous: 19.

Lowdown: Won the Class 2A , Region 8 title for a fourth consecutive, beating Hart County (Hartwell), 70-30, in the final. Gabby Minus had 25 points, 16 rebounds and 4 steals. The Lions topped Prince Avenue Christian (Athens), 92-13, in the semifinals. Up next is the GHSA Class 2A state second round on Friday.

18. DME Academy, Daytona Beach, Fla. (20-3)

Previous: 15.

Lowdown: Lost to No. 13 Montverde (Fla.) Academy, 56-42.

19. Red Bank (N.J.) Catholic (26-2)

Previous: 21.

Lowdown: Won the Shore Conference Tournament for the second straight year, rallying past then-No. 20 and archrival St. John Vianney (Holmdel), 53-39, in the final. Tessa Liggio’s 3-pointer with 1:12 left gave the Caseys a 50-49 lead they would not relinquish. Liggio tossed in a game-high 21 points. Also beat Rumson-Fair Haven, 56-29, in the semifinals as Addy Nyemchek put up 18 points and 8 rebounds. The Caseys play in the NJSIAA South Jersey Non-Public A quarterfinals on Monday.

20. Hoover, Ala. (32-1)

Previous: 23.

Lowdown: Defeated Sparkman (Harvest), 79-30, in the Class 7A regional semifinals. Up next is Albertville on Thursday in the Class 7A regional final with the winner off to the 7A state semifinals.

21. St. John Vianney, Holmdel, N.J. (23-3)

Previous: 20.

Lowdown: Lost in the Shore Conference Tournament championship to then-No. 21 Red Bank (N.J.) Catholic, 53-49, halting the win streak at 12 games. Stella Lockhart posted a double-double 17 points and 12 rebounds. Also topped Manasquan, 46-41, in the semifinals. The Lady Lancers face Donovan Catholic (Toms River) in the NJSIAA South Jersey, Non-Public A first round on Thursday. The quarterfinals are Monday.

22. Miami (Fla.) Country Day (25-2)

Previous: 24.

Lowdown: Defeated True North Classical Academy (Miami), 97-13, in the Class 2A, Regional 4 semifinals and plays Palmer Trinity (Miami) Saturday in the final with the winner advancing to the state tournament.

23. San Antonio (Texas) Wagner (34-0)

Previous: 25.

Lowdown: Defeated Hays (Buda), 62-27, in the UIL Class 5A, Division I bi-district playoffs and San Antonio Southwest, 91-27, in the Area playoffs. Also faces Corpus Christi Veterans Memorial Tuesday in Region 4 semifinals.

24. Bullis School, Potomac, Md. (25-5)

Previous: 16.

Lowdown: Upset by Sidwell Friends (Washington, D.C.), 59-55, in the Independent School League AA final. The Bulldogs can redeem themselves in the Maryland Private School State Tournament that tips on Monday.

25. St. John’s College, Washington, D.C. (23-7)

Previous: 23.

Lowdown: Upset in the Washington Catholic Athletic Conference semifinals by Bishop Ireton (Alexandria, Va.), 60-53.

Dropped: None.

High-Fives by Region

East

1. Friends’ Central, Wynnewood, Pa. (25-5)
2. Christ the King, Middle Village, N.Y. (19-4)
3. St. Frances Academy, Baltimore (23-6)*
4. Archbishop Carroll, Radnor, Pa. (20-5)*
5. Monsignor Scanlan, Bronx, N.Y. (19-6)

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

Midwest

1. Nazareth Academy, La Grange Park, Ill. (30-3)
2. Hopkins, Minnetonka, Minn. (23-2)
3. Center Grove, Greenwood, Ind. (28-0)
4. Providence Academy, Plymouth, Minn. (22-4)
5. Loyola Academy, Wilmette, Ill. (30-2)

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

Southland

1. Putnam City North, Oklahoma City, Okla. (24-1)
2. North Paulding, Dallas, Ga. (25-2)
3. IMG Academy, Bradenton, Fla. (16-7)
4. San Antonio (Texas) Brennan (31-4)
5. John Curtis Christian, River Ridge, La. (23-1)

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

Far West

1. Sage Hill, Newport Beach, Calif. (27-4)
2. St. Mary’s, Stockton, Calif. (23-2)
3. Pleasant Grove, Utah (24-0)
4. Tualatin, Ore. (22-1)
5. Bishop Gorman, Las Vegas (23-3)*

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

Records through Monday

 * Won state, national or conference postseason tournament championship

[Editor’s note: Each asterisk represents a separate postseason title]

 About: The Blue Star Media Elite 25 High School Girls Basketball Rankings are released weekly from mid-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. The rankings are compiled by Blue Star Media’s Christopher Lawlor, who consults with a national network of coaches, talent evaluators, social mediums and prep sports writers. The final rankings will be released in April of the 2025-26 season. Follow him on X at @clawlor.