Go-To 25 girls’ basketball final rankings, April 9, 2013
1. Duncanville, Texas (42-0)**
Previous ranking: 1.
Low-down: The Pantherettes became the first team in 11 years to repeat as Class 5A champions. Coach Cathy Self-Morgan’s team won the eighth crown in program history and her fifth overall.
2. Riverdale, Murfreesboro, Tenn. (35-0)**
Previous: 3.
Low-down: Won second straight Class AAA championship pushing the win streak to 58 games.
3. St. Mary’s, Phoenix (29-1)**
Previous: 2.
Low-down: Won Division I championship for third straight state title.
4. Marion County, Lebanon, Ky. (39-0)**
Previous: 4.
Low-down: Recorded the state’s first perfect season since 1984, winning the Girls Sweet Sixteen Single-Class Basketball Tournament. Kentucky-bound Makayla Epps was named Kentucky’s Miss Basketball.
5. Incarnate Word Academy, Bel-Nor, Mo. (31-0)**
Previous: 6.
Low-down: Won Class 4 championship. Coach Dan Rolfe’s program completed its first perfect season in winning their fifth title and third in four years.
6. Bedford (Ind.) North Lawrence (28-0)**
Previous: 7.
Low-down: Won Class 4A state championship.
7. Bishop O’Dowd, Oakland, Calif. (30-3)**
Previous: 14.
Low-down: The Dragons captured the CIF Open Division state championship, closing on a 24-game win streak.
8. St. John’s, Washington, D.C. (33-1)**
Previous: 8.
Low-down: Won Bishop Walsh Tournament and Washington Catholic Athletic Conference titles.
9. Dr. Phillips, Orlando, Fla. (31-3)**
Previous: 9.
Low-down: The three-time Class 8A champions won their secondNational High School Invitational in three years, beating regionally ranked Archbishop Spalding (Severn, Md.), 62-46. Hannah Schaible had 19 points and grabbed 10 rebounds. In the semifinals, Georgia-bound G Sydnei McCaskill pumped n 19 points and handed out eight assists.
10. Marian Catholic, Chicago Heights, Ill. (33-1)**
Previous: 10.
Low-down: Won Class 4A state championship.
11. Windward, Los Angeles (32-1)
Previous: 5.
Low-down: Advanced to CIF Open Division final. Won Southern Sectional Division IV-AA championship.
12. Mater Dei, Santa Ana, Calif. (30-2)
Previous: 11.
Low-down: Won Nike Tournament of Champions title and went unbeaten in Trinity League.
13. Shabazz, Newark, N.J. (33-1)**
Previous: 12.
Low-down: Won fifth State Tournament of Champions crown.
14. Central Catholic, Portland, Ore. (26-3)**
Previous: 13.
Low-down: Won Class 6A championship.
15. Dutch Fork, Irmo, S.C. (29-0)**
Previous: 15.
Low-down: Won second straight Class 4A championship.
16. Hopkins, Minnetonka, Minn. (31-1)**
Previous: 16.
Low-down: Won a third straight Class 4A championship.
17. Fairmont, Kettering, Ohio (27-1)**
Previous: 17.
Low-down: Won Division I championship.
18. Norcross, Ga. (28-5)**
Previous: 18.
Low-down: Won the Class AAAAAA state championship.
19. Pflugerville, Texas (38-1)
Previous: 20.
Low-down: Advanced to Class 5A semifinals.
20. Grand Haven, Mich. (28-0)**
Previous: 21.
Low-down: Won second straight Class A championship, finishing with 51 consecutive victories.
21. Southwood, Shreveport, La. (33-1)**
Previous: 22.
Low-down: Won the Class 5A championship.
22. North Gwinnett, Suwanee, Ga. (30-2)
Previous: 23.
Low-down: Advanced to Class AAAAAA final.
23. Archbishop Spalding, Severn, Md. (30-3)**
Previous: Not ranked.
Low-down: Placed second at the National High School Invitational, falling to No. 9 Dr. Phillips (Orlando, Fla.), 62-45, in final. Jade Scaife contributed 15 points and 10 rebounds. In semifinals, the Maryland state private champions defeated No. 19 Dillard (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.), 60-51. Torri Chestnut and Jade Scaife each scored 11 points.
24. Dillard, Fort Lauderdale, Fla. (28-3)**
Previous: 19.
Low-down: Won fourth straight Class 5A championship. Lost in NHSI semifinals.
25. Life Center Academy, Burlington, N.J. (28-3)**
Previous: 25.
Low-down: Won the National Association of Christian Athletes Division I Tournament champions. Lost in NHSI semifinals to Dr. Phillips (Orlando, Fla.), 65-58. Rutgers-bound Ashli Jeune dropped in 16 points and Aja Ellison posted a double-double, with 15 points and 10 rebounds.
Dropped: No. 24. Twinsburg, Ohio.
High-Fives by Region
East
1. Lake Taylor, Norfolk, Va. (28-1)**
2. Good Counsel, Olney, Md. (27-6)
3. Spring-Ford, Royersford, Pa. (32-2)**
4. McAuley, Portland, Maine (22-0)**
5. Rancocas Valley, Mount Holly, N.J. (29-2)**
Geography: Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Maine, Massachusetts, Maryland, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont and Virginia.
Midlands
1. Twinsburg, Ohio (29-1)
2. Grosse Pointe (Mich.) South (25-2)
3. Rolling Meadows, Ill. (30-4)
4. Notre Dame, Quincy, Ill. (30-0)**
5. Rock Bridge, Columbia, Mo. (25-5)**
Geography: Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio, North Dakota, South Dakota, West Virginia and Wisconsin.
South
1. Bay, Bay St. Louis, Miss. (36-0)**
2. Ensworth, Nashville, Tenn. (27-1)**
3. Hoover, Ala. (28-4)**
4. New Hope Christian Academy, Thomasville, N.C. (31-2)
5. Science Hill, Johnson City, Tenn. (35-4)
Geography: Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee and Texas.
Far West
1. Regis Jesuit, Aurora, Colo. (26-2)**
2. Poly, Long Beach, Calif. (30-5)**
3. St. Mary’s Stockton, Calif. (31-3)
4. Reno, Nev. (27-3)**
5. Corona (Calif.) Santiago (29-3)
Geography: Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington and Wyoming.
** Denotes state, conference or national tournament champion
About: The Blue Star Media Go-To 25 Girls Basketball Rankings are released weekly 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 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. Follow him on Twitter at clawlor or BlueStarMedia1, and www.bluestarmedia.org.
