NEW YORK – Rarely can you crown a true National Champion in the high school girls’ basketball, but last weekend it was a slam-dunk for the New Hope Academy Tigers of Landover Hills, Maryland.

By winning the star-studded GEICO High School Nationals championship here, the Tigers shot up three slots in the Blue Star Media Elite 25 girls’ rankings to earn that coveted title.

Introducing No. 1 New Hope Academy—the Blue Star Media National Champions. Take a bow, ladies, this is your shining moment.

In just the second season of existence, the Tigers went 39-3 and stuffed several piece of hardware into the school’s display case. If you speak with coach Sam Caldwell that won’t be the last time the Tigers do it.

New Hope’s season dossier was rock-solid.

The Tigers, who closed the season on a 24-game win streak, annexed postseason tournament titles at the Bishop Walsh Girls’ Invitational in Maryland and the National Association of Christian Athletes National Division 1 Tournament in Tennessee. The season started going 5-1 at the Allen (Texas) Eagle Hoopfest, losing to Cedar Hill (Texas). The Tigers then split two games at She Got Game, losing to No. 10 Bishop McNamara (Forestville, Md.). Then it was a pre-Christmas trip to the Nike Tournament of Champions in Arizona, taking take third place, and a week later the Tigers captured the Boo Williams Christmas Classic in Virginia. The road to the national championship was long, arduous but worth it.

Caldwell also became the first coach to win GEICO Nationals titles at two different schools (he won a pair at Riverdale Baptist School of Upper Marlboro, Md.) and the first girls’ coach to reach three championships in the 11-year history of the event.

As for the rest of the Elite 25, the only movement was in the top-4, where all four teams were involved at the GEICO Nationals. The semifinals were the high school’s Final Four.

So, another high school girls’ basketball season ends. Can’t tell how many late nights were spent chasing scores, statistics and trading texts with coaches. I wouldn’t trade it for anything!

With multiple weekend events, shootouts and national tournaments between now and the end of July, there are great games and players on the club circuit and with USA Basketball. Actually the season never ends, but continues in a never-ending loop.

In Chattanooga, Tennessee, it is the end of the line for No. 20 Hamilton Heights Christian Academy. After 22 years, the school is closing when the school year concludes this spring. Financial difficulties and dwindling enrollment finally caught up to the school that attracted mostly international student-athletes.

The Lady Hawks became a fixture in the Elite 25 rankings and two-time participant at the GEICO Nationals. In 2018, the HHCA sent Jazmine Massengill (now at Tennessee) and Elizabeth Balogun (Georgia Tech) to the McDonald’s All American Game. The Lady Hawks won the National Association of Christian Athletes national championship. Life was good at the Christian-centric school but now it is over. It will be interesting where the HCCA’s high major-bound juniors land. You can be assured the elite players will be on an Elite 25 team.

Check back regularly at www.bluestarmedia.org for updates from around the basketball globe this spring and summer. Our contributors have a firm grip on the global girls’ basketball scene. 

The Blue Star Media Elite 25 preseason 2019-20 girls’ rankings will return in mid-November. I’d like to pass along many thanks to the legions of loyal readers, who have made the difference this season. You have helped raise the awareness of the Elite 25 and our metrics for the site continue to rise. 

For those who follow football, the Blue Star Media Elite 25 preseason rankings will be released in mid-August. Until then enjoy your summer and best wishes to all the graduating seniors from the Class of 2019. We look forward to seeing you perform at the next level.

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

Blue Star Media Elite 25 Girls’ Basketball Final Rankings, April 9, 2019

1. New Hope Academy, Landover Hills, Md. (39-3)* * ** !

Previous rank: 4.

Low-down: The Tigers are Blue Star Media National Champions! Coach Sam Caldwell guided his club to the GEICO High School Nationals’ title, defeating No. 2 St. John’s College (Washington, D.C.), 45-34, in the final. Sophomore Jada Walker collected 9 points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists and tabbed tournament Most Valuable Player. Joining Walker on the all-tournament team were teammates Jennifer Ezeh and Kylie Kornegay-Lucas. In the semifinals, the Tigers avenged one of their three losses to beat then-No. 1 Miami (Fla.) Country Day, 60-52. Additionally, New Hope won the Bishop Walsh Girls’ Invitational Tournament in Cumberland, Md., and National Association of Christian Athletes National Division 1 Tournament in Dayton, Tenn.

2. Miami (Fla.) Country Day (26-2)*

Previous: 1.

Low-down: Won a sixth-straight Class 4A state championship. Lost in GEICO Nationals semifinals to eventual champions New Hope Academy (Landover Hills, Md.), 60-52.

3. St. John’s College, Washington, D.C. (36-2)* *

Previous: 2.

Low-down: The Cadets advanced to the GEICO Nationals final but fell to then-No. 4 New Hope Academy (Landover Hills, Md.), 45-34. In the semifinals, the Cadets nipped No. 4 Centennial (Las Vegas), 63-61, as national player of the year Azzi Fudd sank two free throws with 8.3 second left to break a 61-all tie. She wound up with 27 points and 6 rebounds. Fudd and Malu Tshitenge-Mutombo made the all-tournament team. Additionally, the Cadets captured a fourth straight D.C. State Athletic Association Class AA tournament title and third straight Washington Catholic Athletic Conference crown.

4. Centennial, Las Vegas (31-2)*

Previous: 3.

Low-down: Won fifth straight Nevada Class 4A state championship. Lost in GEICO Nationals semifinals to No. 2 St. John’s College (Washington, D.C.), 63-61.

5. Maine West, Des Plaines, Ill. (35-0)*

Previous: 5.

Low-down: Won Class 4A state championship. 

6. Africentric Early College, Columbus, Ohio (28-0)*

Previous: 6.

Low-down: Won second straight Division III state championship. 

7. Westridge Academy, Kernersville, N.C. (29-0)* *

Previous: 7.

Low-down: Won two major postseason tournaments while running the table. 

8. Edison Public School Academy, Detroit (27-1)*

Previous: 8.

Low down: Won Michigan Division 2 state championship.

9. Westlake, Atlanta (30-0)*

Previous: 9.

Low-down: Won second consecutive Class AAAAAAA state championship. 

10. Bishop McNamara, Forestville, Md. (31-4)

Previous: 10.

Low-down: Three of four losses were to No. 2 St. John’s College (Washington, D.C.) but the Lady Mustangs did beat top-ranked New Hope Academy (Landover Hills, Md.) in December.

11. Christ the King, Middle Village, N.Y. (27-4)* *

Previous: 11.

Low-down: Won New York State Federation Class AA. It was the sixth Federation crown under coach Bob Mackey and the 16^thoverall for the program.

12. Hopkins, Minnetonka, Minn. (32-0)*

Previous: 12.

Low-down: Won Class 4A state championship. 

13. Sierra Canyon School, Chatsworth, Calif. (33-1)*

Previous: 13.

Low-down: Won the CIF Open Division state championship. It was their fourth state title in as many appearances

14. Mount Notre Dame, Cincinnati (27-2)*

Previous: 14.

Low-down: Won Division I state championship. 

15.  Princess Anne, Virginia Beach, Va. (25-1)*

Previous: 15.

Low-down: Won Class 5 state championship. Only loss was to No. 1 New Hope Academy (Landover Hills, Md.).

16. Incarnate Word Academy, Bel Nor, Mo. (30-2)*

Previous: 16. 

Low-down: Won third straight Class 4 state championship. 

17. Amarillo, Texas (37-4)*

Previous: 17.

Low-down: Won a second consecutive Class 5A state championship. 

18. Converse (Texas) Judson (38-5)*

Previous: 18.

Low-down: Won Class 6A state championship. 

19. Franklin, Somerset, N.J. (34-0)* *

Previous: 19.

Low-down: Won second New Jersey State Tournament of Champions title and Group 4 championship. The Warriors set a state single-season mark for wins and became the first unbeaten TOC championship since Shabazz (Newark) in 2006.

20. Hamilton Heights Christian, Chattanooga, Tenn. (24-3)

Previous: 20. 

Low-down: Sadly, the school is closing its doors at the end of the school year. It remains where prized recruits Treasure Hunt and 6-7 Camilla Cardoso of Brazil wind up.

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

Previous: 21.

Low-down: Advanced to the in the CIF-Northern California Region Open semifinals. 

22. Germantown Academy, Fort Washington, Pa. (30-1)*

Previous: 22.

Low-down: Won the Pennsylvania Independent School Athletic Association championship. The Patriots went 12-0 to capture the Inter-Ac League title.

23. Bradley Central, Cleveland, Tenn. (34-3)

Previous: 23.

Low-down: Won Class AAA state championship. 

24. Riverdale, Murfreesboro, Tenn. (31-2)

Previous: 24.

Low-down: Advanced to the Class AAA semifinals. 

25. Collins Hill, Suwanee, Ga. (30-2)

Previous: 25.

Low-down: Advanced to the Class AAAAAAA state championship. 

High-Fives by Region

East

1. Peters Township, McMurray, Pa. (30-0)*

2. Saddle River (N.J.) Day School (28-3)* 

3. Chartiers Valley, Bridgeville, Pa. (29-0)*

4. Woodbridge, Va. (29-1)*

5. St. Frances Academy, Baltimore (24-4)* 

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

Midwest

1. Beaver Dam, Wis. (27-1)*

2. Hamilton Southeastern, Fishers, Ind. (27-1)*

3. Pickerington (Ohio) Central (28-2)

4. Wayzata, Plymouth, Minn. (26-3)

5. Northwestern, Kokomo, Ind. (27-3)*

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

Southland

1. Hoover, Ala. (34-1)*

2. Pearl, Miss. (31-1)*

3. Ryle, Union, Ky. (32-5)*

4. Northside, Fort Smith, Ark. (28-1)*

5. Goose Creek, S.C. (23-1)*

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

Far West

1. Clovis West, Fresno, Calif. (31-4)

2. Windward School, Los Angeles (26-6)

3. Benson, Portland, Ore. (26-4)*

4. Pinewood School, Los Altos Hills, Calif. (27-4)

5. Millennium, Goodyear, Ariz. (26-4)*

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

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

[Note some schools have won multiple tournament titles]

** GEICO High School Nationals champions

! Blue Star Media Elite 25 National Champions

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 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 Senior Writer Christopher Lawlor, who consults with a national network of coaches, talent evaluators and prep sports writers. The final rankings will be released on April 9. Follow him on Twitter at @clawlor.