BENSALEM, Pa. – The next two weeks are pivotal for teams involved in the Blue Star Media Go-To 25 high school girls’ basketball rankings. You will see teams win state titles, jockey for seeding position in the postseason tournaments or go home early via upset. For most of the nation it’s time to enter the one-and-done zone. As a fan it’s time to wear out the edge of your seat and for players and coaches it’s an opportunity to cement greatness.

Next week we’ll see the Final Four for the Florida state tournaments. No. 13 Dr. Phillips (Orlando) is looking for a third straight crown and berth in the prestigious National High School Invitational in April. Remember Florida is the only state association with the genius to send their highest ranked teams to the event played in North Bethesda, Md. Phillips bagged the NHSI title in 2011. Texas schools are headed to the Area playoffs while California is launching state sectional tournaments. California’s playoffs are a marathon not a sprint, lasting five weeks. Most southern states are joining the postseason party and the northeast isn’t far behind. Arizona is less than two weeks from completion.

Entering the Go-To 25 rankings is No. 22 New Hope Christian Academy (Thomasville, N.C.), a team whose only loss was No. 4 Riverdale (Murfreesboro, Tenn.). The Phoenix is 25-1 heading into the week and coached by former NBA player Delaney Rudd. His squad has beat several regional programs and is gaining national acclaim with their schedule and balanced scoring attack. This is an independent Christian school in the Greensboro area, which is looking to gain foothold in the Go-To 25 rankings for years to come.

When teams from the Go-To 25 rankings lose, we usually look to the High Fives or regional rankings for replacements. The six teams on the cusp of national notoriety are St. Mary’s (Stockton, Calif.), which could spin back into the rankings for a second time, Regis Jesuit (Aurora, Colo.), Twinsburg (Ohio), Whitney Young (Chicago), Seton LaSalle (Pittsburgh) and Myers Park (Charlotte, N.C.). We also have a few teams tucked away but are awaiting magical postseason run. It might be your schools … just on keep winning! Hope to see you at a game soon. Enjoy a game in your area this weekend. – Christopher Lawlor

Varsity Letters

Player of the Week

Oderah Chidom, 6-3, No. 17 Bishop O’Dowd (Oakland, Calif.): Just when her team needed a clutch performance in a key regular season-concluding game, Chidom delivered. The Duke-bound post posted 22 points and 12 rebounds for a double-double during an 80-59 victory over ranked St. Mary’s (Stockton).  The Dragons (21-3) pushed aside St. Mary’s, a national power from the California Interscholastic Federation-San Joaquin Section, using pressure defense and Chidom’s presence in the middle on Saturday. She wasn’t alone as the Dragons feature a rare triple threat in the post with K.C. Waters and Breanna Brown. Chidom, who is agile and explosive with great footwork in the post, will find out Wednesday whether she will play in the McDonald’s All-American Game at Chicago in April. She earned a gold medal last summer with USA U-17 Team at the World Championships and will attempt to end her four-year varsity career with the Bay Area school capturing a second straight state championship. Last year the Dragons won the CIF Division III crown.

Milestone

In New York, Dog Daggett of Curtis (Staten Island) recently recorded his 500^th coaching victory in a 76-62 decision over Tottenville (Staten Island). The Warriors will open the New York PSAL Class AA playoffs on Feb. 28 against Boys & Girls (Brooklyn). Curtis completed a perfect 13-0 season in league. Daggett, 500-163, is a basketball lifer, having built a powerhouse at now-shuttered St. Peter’s (1988-2011), where he compiled a 459-152 record (.751 winning percentage) and the last two seasons at Curtis, where he is 41-11 in two season, including 20-2 this season. At St. Peter’s, he coached Nkolika “Nicky” Anosike, who starred at the University of Tennessee and currently plays for the Los Angeles Sparks.

Go-To 25 girls’ basketball rankings, Feb. 13, 2013

1. Mater Dei, Santa Ana, Calif. (25-0)

Previous: ranking 1.

Low-down: The Monarchs defeated Rosary (Fullerton), 57-17, and Orange Lutheran, 78-23, completing a perfect regular season.

2. St. Mary’s, Phoenix (25-1)

Previous: 2.

Low-down: The Lady Knight stormed past Westview (Avondale), 71-43, in Division I Section I final. The state tournament first round is Friday and quarterfinals are Monday. The Lady Knights open with North (Phoenix) or Desert Vista (Phoenix) in the second round on Friday. The quarterfinals are Monday at Wells Fargo Arena in Tempe.

3. Duncanville, Texas (36-0)

Previous: 3.

Low-down: The Pantherettes captured their 64^th straight game, beating Killeen, 65-30, in the Class 5A bi-district playoffs. Tasia Foman and Kiara Perry scored 15 points apiece. Up next is Denton Ryan or L.D. Bell (Hurst) in Area playoffs.

4. Riverdale, Murfreesboro, Tenn. (26-0)

Previous: 4.

Low-down: The Lady Warriors clinched district title following a 72-43 win over Blackmon (Murfreesboro). Also opened the Class AAA postseason with a 67-47 blowout of Mount Juliet in District 9.

5. Columbus North, Columbus, Ind. (25-0)

Previous: 5.

Low-down: Thumped Bloomington North, 66-45, in Class 4A Columbus East Sectional. In semifinals, defeated Bloomington South, 60-46. Up next is undefeated Bedford North Lawrence Saturday, noon ET, in Class 4A Bedford Regional semifinals. The winner plays Franklin Central or Castle.

6. Marion County, Lebanon, Ky. (29-0)

Previous: 6.

Low-down: The Lady Knights crushed Henderson County (Henderson), 67-40, at the Duke’s Sporting Goods Valentine’s Shootout in Glendale. The regular season concluded Tuesday at Mercy (Louisville). The 20^th District playoffs open Feb. 21.

7. Windward, Los Angeles (24-0)

Previous: 7.

Low-down: The Wildcats closed out a perfect regular season with two easy wins.

8. Edwardsville, Ill. (26-0)

Previous: 9.

Low-down: Closed out the regular season, beating Alton, 102-39. Aaliyah Covington hit for 22 points. The Class 4A regional playoffs began Tuesday with Alton.

9. Incarnate Word Academy, St. Louis (23-0)

Previous: 10.

Low-down: The Red Knights remained unbeaten, defeating St. Joseph’s Academy (St. Louis), 56-44, in a Metro Women’s Athletic Association White Division. Super sophomore Napheesa Collier scored 15 of her game-high 24 points in the final quarter when IWA outscored their rivals, 20-10. Also defeated Visitation (St. Louis), 61-16. Played at Jefferson City on Tuesday.

10. Pflugerville, Texas (33-0)

Previous: 11.

Low-down: The Panthers eliminated Lake Travis (Austin), 87-24, in the Class 5A bi-district playoffs. Need to win six more games to win the state title, starting with Klein Forest in the Area playoffs. Also finished with a 12-0 record to capture the District 15-5A championship.

11. North Gwinnett, Suwanee, Ga. (22-1)

Previous: 12.

Low-down: The Region 7-AAAAAA quarterfinals were Tuesday. The semifinals are Thursday and the final and third-place game follows Saturday. Defeated Collins Hill (Suwanee), 85-25, in regular season finale.

12. St. John’s, Washington, D.C. (23-1)

Previous: 13.

Low-down: The Cadets conclude the regular season playing ranked Paul VI (Fairfax, Va.) Friday and Bishop O’Connell (Arlington, Va.) Monday.

13. Dr. Phillips, Orlando, Fla. (25-3)

Previous: 14.

Low-down: Georgia-bound PG Sydnei McCaskill scored 24 points, sinking six 3-pointers, and handed out eight assists in West Orange (Winter Garden), 64-22, in the Class 8A Region 1 quarterfinals. The Panthers hosted Boone (Orlando) in region semifinals on Tuesday, aiming for a 65^th straight win over Florida competition. The final is Saturday.

14. Montini Catholic, Lombard, Ill. (29-1)

Previous: 15.

Low-down: Closed out regular season defeating St. Francis (Wheaton), 75-32.

15. Shabazz, Newark, N.J. (21-1)

Previous: 8.

Low-down: Upset by Long Island Lutheran (Brookville, N.Y.), 61-50. Zaire O’Neill had 17 points and 12 rebounds. The top-seed Lady Bulldogs pummeled Newark Academy (Livingston), 53-37, in the quarterfinals of the Essex County Tournament. De’Ashia Jones scored 14 points and cleared six rebounds. Up next are the ECT semifinals Saturday.

16. Central Catholic, Portland, Ore. (18-3)

Previous: 16.

Low-down: The Rams raced to a 24-5 lead en route to a 61-24 win over Gresham.

17. Bishop O’Dowd, Oakland, Calif. (21-3)

Previous: 17.

Low-down: Duke-bound F Oderah Chidom contributed 22 points and 12 rebounds during an 80-59 triumph over then-No. 21 St. Mary’s (Stockton).

18. Good Counsel, Olney, Md. (21-3)

Previous: 18.

Low-down: The Falcons recorded a quality win, throttling then-No. 19 Paul VI (Fairfax, Va.), 81-62. Amanda Fioravanti (22 points), Lindsey Spann (21) and Sara Woods (19) teamed for 62 points. The regular season is capped this week with two conference games.

19. Paul VI, Fairfax, Va. (24-2)

Previous: 19.

Low-down: Lost to No. 18 Good Counsel (Olney, Md.), 81-62. The regular season winds down Friday at No. 18 St. John’s (Washington, D.C.).

20. Martin Luther King, Detroit (16-0)

Previous: 20.

Low-down: Routed Renaissance (Detroit), 51-27, in the semifinals of the Detroit Public School League semifinals. Up next is Cass Tech (Detroit) in the title game Friday at University of Detroit-Mercy’s Calihan Hall. In the quarterfinals defeated Mumford (Detroit), 58-23. DePaul-bound G Antania Hayes contributed 16 points, 10 rebounds and five assists. Hayes also scored a team-best 14 points in the semifinals.

21. Hopkins, Minnetonka, Minn. (20-1)

Previous: 22.

Low-down: F Nia Coffey scored 24 points in a 78-55 victory over rivals Minnetonka, improving to 5-0 in the Lake Conference. Coffey, a Northwestern recruit, is averaging 18.2 points.

22. New Hope Christian Academy, Thomasville, N.C. (25-1)

Previous: Not ranked.

Low-down: Delaney Rudd, a former standout at Wake Forest and NBA player, coaches the Phoenix. His daughter, Kiana, is a talented 5-8 freshman on a balanced roster. Up next are three games at an event in Washington, D.C.

23. Science Hill, Johnson City, Tenn. (27-3)

Previous: 23.

Low-down: The Lady Toppers opened the Class AAA District 1 playoffs beating David Crockett (Jonesborough), 105-30.

24. Poly, Long Beach, Calif. (22-4)

Previous: 24.

Low-down: The Jackrabbits finished 12-0 in Moore League play. Up next are the CIF-Southern Section playoffs.

25. Fairmont, Kettering, Ohio (20-1)

Previous: 25.

Low-down: Defeated Springfield, 85-8. The score was 29-5 after one period. Springfield was shutout in the fourth.

Dropped: No. 21 St. Mary’s (Stockton, Calif.).

High-Fives by Region

East

1. Seton LaSalle, Pittsburgh (21-1)

2. Lake Taylor, Norfolk, Va. (22-0)

3. Archbishop Spalding, Severn, Md. (24-1)

4. Life Center Academy, Burlington, N.J. (20-1)

5. McAuley, Portland, Maine (18-0)

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 (21-0)

2. Whitney Young, Chicago (23-4)

3. Bedford (Ind.) North Lawrence (24-0)…sat

4. Marian Catholic, Chicago Heights, Ill. (26-1)

5. St. Thomas More, Champaign, Ill. (29-2)

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

South

1. Myers Park, Charlotte, N.C. (22-0)

2. Norcross, Ga. (20-4)

3. Dutch Fork, Irmo, S.C. (24-0)

4. Plano West, Plano, Texas (34-3)

5. Blackman, Murfreesboro, Tenn. (23-2)

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

Far West

1. Regis Jesuit, Aurora, Colo. (18-1)

2. St. Mary’s Stockton, Calif. (24-2)

3. St. Mary’s, Albany, Calif. (22-4)

4. Pinnacle, Phoenix (28-2)

5. Oregon City, Ore. (19-1)

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

Records are though Monday.

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, or www.bluestarmedia.org.