Blue Star Media Elite 25 girls’ rankings remain on hold; GEICO Nationals called off, while three influential women gain 2020 Naismith Memorial Hall of Fame induction

BENSALEM, Pa. – When the girls’ basketball season started realizing state champions, starting February, we anticipated April 6 when the Blue Star Media Elite 25 final rankings would drop.

The GEICO High School Nationals would have been played on April 3 and 4, and newly minted state champions would be planning celebratory banquets.

Not so fast. Plans change in a New York minute.

The COVID-19 novel coronavirus remains public enemy No. 1—the silent enemy. It halted winter sports—especially basketball—nationwide and left some states with suspended state tournaments.

However, there was a story from the Charlotte Observer that says North Carolina basketball isn’t done—at least not yet. There are a few others like Pennsylvania and Tennessee that are soldering on and thinking … maybe … just maybe we can find closure before calling it a day. That day looms closer and with Easter, Ramadan and Passover approaching, it’s time to lean on faith.

It might be a longshot but the 16 North Carolina teams that would have competed for championships on March 14 might still play. The coronavirus isn’t slowing down and schools in North Carolina are closed until at least May 18. It would take at least a few weeks of practice for the idle teams to regroup. State commissioner Que Tucker said the finals could be played in May or June if schools reopen. Otherwise the state could declare co-champions.

It’s worth monitoring.

And there’s more.

Pennsylvania, Tennessee and West Virginia remain suspended and could continue their state tournaments at a later date.

It was finally announced last Wednesday (April 1) that the GEICO Nationals were canceled. It was not a shock but the right call considering what has transpired over the last month. The 12^th annual tournaments, the eight-team boys’ field and four-team girls, were originally scheduled to run for three days starting April at Christ the King High School in Middle Village, New York.

When the coronavirus pandemic hit New York City, the games were shifted to Dorman High School in Roebuck, South Carolina. In spite of the change of venue, Paragon Marketing made the right call after exploring all options for the last month. It was a painstaking decision but ultimately the 12 schools were notified and we move on.

The GEICO Nationals girls’ field featured two teams that earned their first invites, with top-seeded Hamilton Heights Christian Academy and Westlake both returning. Bishop McNamara and Lake Highland Prep were the newcomers. All four teams are ranked in the Elite 25.

It was such a talented field the winner could have decided the eventual Blue Star Media Elite 25 National Champion. We’ll never know.

Finally, here’s a shoutout to the 2020 Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame that includes decorated player Tamika Catchings, Baylor head coach Kim Mulkey and former Bentley College coach Barbara Stevens. All three helped shape and impact the women’s game.

Mulkey was already inducted to the Hoophall as a player, who starred in the 1980s at Louisiana Tech. Catchings was a WNBA champion and four-time Olympic gold medalist, and Stevens has won more than 1,000 games and an NCAA Division II championship in 2014. Congratulations to all the inductees.

The Blue Star Media Elite 25 girls’ rankings will return. We have unfinished business and we’re not sure when the final rankings will drop.

Until next time, stay indoors. Stay strong. Say a prayer for the frontline response people in the hospitals nationwide—those are real life heroes! Be safe and God’s Blessings during the Holy Week and the start of Passover. – Christopher Lawlor

Blue Star Media Elite 25 Girls’ Basketball Rankings, April 6, 2020

1. Mount Notre Dame, Cincinnati (28-0)+

Previous rank: 1.

Low-down: Won Ohio Division I, Region 4 championship. The Cougars were slated to play in the Division I semifinals but the tournament was cancelled.

2. Hamilton Heights Christian Academy, Chattanooga, Tenn. (25-1)* #

Previous: 2.

Low-down: Won National Association of Christian Athletes Division 1 tournament championship for the third time in four years. The Lady Hawks were invited to the GEICO Nationals.

3. La Jolla (Calif.) Country Day (32-1)+

Previous: 3.

Low-down: The Torreys captured the CIF Southern California Region Open Division championship but the Open Division state final was cancelled.

4. Southeast Raleigh, Raleigh, N.C (27-1)+

Previous: 4.

Low-down: Advanced to Class 4A state final before the tournament was suspended.

5. Duncanville, Texas (41-3)*

Previous: 5.

Low-down: Won UIL Class 6A state championship.

6. Hopkins, Minnetonka, Minn. (30-0)+

Previous: 6.

Low-down: The Royals were denied a second straight Class 4A state championship when the MSHL cancelled the tournament the day before the title game with Farmington. The season ends on a 62-game win streak. UConn-bound guard Paige Bueckers was the consensus national player of the year.

7. Ensworth School, Nashville, Tenn. (29-0)*

Previous: 7.

Low-down: Won the Division II-AA state championship.

8. Long Island Lutheran, Brookville, N.Y. (22-1)+

Previous: 8.

Low-down: The Lady Crusaders were supposed to play in the New York State Federation Class AA semifinals but the tournament was cancelled. Season complete.

9. Cypress Creek, Houston (41-1)

Previous: 9.

Low-down: Lost in Class 6A state championship. Also captured the Region III-6A championship.

10. Archbishop Mitty, San Jose, Calif. (26-3)

Previous: 10.

Low-down: Won the program’s 13^th Northern California region championship and advanced to the CIF Open Division final.

11. Windward School, Los Angeles (27-6)

Previous: 11.

Low-down: Advanced to the CIF Southern California Region final. The Cougars fell short two victories of annexing the CIF Open Division state title.

12. Edison Public School Academy, Detroit (23-0)+

Previous: 12.

Low-down: Advanced to the Michigan Division 2, Regional 14 final before the postseason was cut short.

13. Westlake, Atlanta (30-2)* #

Previous: 13.

Low-down: Won a third straight Georgia Class AAAAAAA state championship. The Lions were invited to the GEICO Nationals but that event was canceled.

14. Mater Dei, Santa Ana, Calif. (30-3)

Previous: 14.

Low-down: Won CIF-Southern Section Open Division championship. Fell in the Southern California Region Open Division first round.

15. Bishop McNamara, Forestville, Md. (27-5)* #

Previous: 15.

Low-down: The Washington Catholic Athletic Association champions were invited to the GEICO Nationals.

16. Paul VI, Fairfax, Va. (32-4)*

Previous: 13.

Low-down: Won the Virginia Independent Schools Division 1 championship. It was the 14^th consecutive state title for the Panthers.

17. Trenton Catholic Academy, Hamilton, N.J. (28-1) +

Previous: 17.

Low-down: Won the Non-Public B South Section championship. The Lady Mikes were one win from the Non-Public B state crown.

18. Lake Highlands Prep, Orlando, Fla. (29-2)* #

Previous: 18.

Low-down: Won Class 4A state championship. The Highlanders were invited the GEICO Nationals.

19. St. Frances Academy, Baltimore (25-3)*

Previous: 19.

Low-down: Won its fifth consecutive IAAM A Conference championship along with the regular season title.

20. St. Joseph Central Catholic, Huntington, W.Va. (23-1)+

Previous: 20.

Low-down:

The WVSSAC Class A tournament was suspended until further notice. The top-seeded Irish are slated to face St. Marys in the quarterfinals.

21. Riverdale Baptist School, Upper Marlboro, Md. (27-4)

Previous: 21.

Low-down: Season complete.

22. DeSoto, Texas (32-3)

Previous: 22.

Low-down: Advanced to the Class 6A, Region I quarterfinals, where it lost in the waning seconds to No. 5 Duncanville.

23. Centennial, Las Vegas (24-6)*

Previous: 23.

Low-down: Won Nevada Class 4A state championship. It was the sixth straight state title for the Lady Bulldogs.

24. Lawrence North, Indianapolis (26-4)*

Previous: 24.

Low-down: Won Indiana Class 4A state championship.

25. Northwestern, Kokomo, Ind. (29-1)

Previous: 25.

Low-down: Advanced to the Class 4A state championship game. Senior Madison Layden, a Purdue signee, was named Indiana’s Gatorade Player of the Year.

Dropped: None.

High-Fives by Region

East

1. St. John Vianney, Holmdel, N.J. (28-1) +
2. New Hope Academy, Landover Hills, Md. (23-8)
3. Chartiers Valley, Bridgeville, Pa. (27-0) +
4. Poly, Baltimore (22-1) +
5. Princess Anne, Virginia Beach, Va. (26-1)*^

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

Midwest

1. Newark, Ohio (28-2) +
2. Simeon, Chicago (34-3)*
3. Aquinas, La Crosse, Wis. (25-1) +
4. Fremd, Palatine, Ill. (30-7)*
5. Morton, Ill. (37-1)

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

Southland

1. Hazel Green, Ala. (35-2)*
2. Blanche Ely, Pompano Beach, Fla. (29-6)*
3. Cardinal Newman, Columbia, S.C (23-1)*
4. Holy Innocents’ Episcopal School, Atlanta (26-5)*
5. Collins Hill, Suwanee, Ga. (31-1)

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

Far West

1. Poly, Long Beach, Calif. (26-7)
2. Etiwanda, Calif. (26-6)
3. Sierra Canyon School, Chatsworth, Calif. (25-7)
4. Iolani School, Honolulu (25-2)*
5. Valley Vista, Surprise, Ariz. (28-3)*

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

* Won a state, national or recognized conference/league postseason tournament championship

*^ Declared state co-champions

+ Postseason interrupted and cancelled by novel coronavirus concerns

# Invited to GEICO High School Nationals

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. The rankings are compiled by Blue Star Media’s Senior Writer 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 at @clawlor.