BENSALEM, Pa. – Where has the time gone? That’s exactly what parents, players and coaches are mumbling these days as the bite of winter locks its teeth into the month of February. It’s no different with the Blue Star Media Go-To 25 girls’ basketball high school rankings. Teams leapfrogged each other while a few dropped and one was dropped from the rankings.
Re-entering the rankings is No. 18 Good Counsel (Olney, Md.), a powerhouse program from the Washington Catholic Athletic Association. The Falcons feature high scoring seniors Amanda Fioravanti (a Virginia signee) and point guard Lindsey Spann (Penn State). All three losses to nationally ranked teams, including two in conference play to Paul VI (Fairfax, Va.) and St. John’s (Washington, D.C.). This year the WCAC is shaking out to be the nation’s top league especially at the top.
No. 14 Dr. Phillips (Orlando, Fla.) is less than three weeks from contending for another Class 8A championship. The Panthers (24-3) won the district tournament last week and need three victories in the Region 1 bracket to advance to the Lakeland Civic Center for the Final Four. No. 5 Columbus (Ind.) North opened sectional play in Class 4A this week. Sounds cliché but it’s “one and done” time, meaning: Lose and go home! That’s the reality once the postseason kicks in. There are states like Pennsylvania where the early portion of the playoffs is double elimination.
The top 11 teams in the Go-To 25 were static. No. 15 Montini Catholic (Lombard, Ill.)—suburban Chicago—was the fastest riser vaulting up six slots while No. 24 Poly (Long Beach, Calif.) slipped six slots after an upset loss to Troy (Fullerton). The Lady Jackrabbits should rebounds but one setback and it may mean curtains. This weekend we’ll provide coverage of The Mecca, a two-day event (see below in Places to Be) in the Bronx. Should be two great days of hoops at a historical venue and oodles of Northeast teams competing.
Hope to see you at a game soon. Enjoy a game in your area this week. – Christopher Lawlor
Varsity Letters
Player of the Week
Napheesa Collier, 6-1, No. 10 Incarnate Word Academy (St. Louis): This sophomore wing turned in a super performance last weekend in securing Most Valuable Player honors at the Webster Winter Challenge in Webster Groves, Mo. In three games, she totaled a tournament-record 68 points and was a member of the all-tournament team. In the final, Collier was saddled with early foul trouble but still managed 10 points, seven rebounds and two blocks in a 56-39 victory over defending state champion Rock Bridge (Columbia, Mo.). She also posted a double-double, 25 points and 10 rebounds, in the semifinals against the host school. For the season, she’s averaging 24.6 points, 12 rebounds, 4.2 steals and 2.6 blocks while shooting 69.2% from the field in 21 games for the 21-0 Red Knights. Collier is long, sinewy athlete who is considered a high-major recruit and one of the Top 25 players in her class.
Places To Be
The basketball world focuses this weekend at The Mecca, a two-day event presented by South Shore High in Brooklyn, N.Y. The games will be contested at the renowned Gauchos Gym—it’s on Gerard Avenue—a mere long jump shot from Yankee Stadium in The Bronx. Some of the top teams from the Northeast comprise the talented field, including two teams from the Blue Star Media Go-To 25 rankings and two from the East Region.
Saturday’s schedule (All schools are from New York, except where noted): Baldwin vs. Jackson (N.J.) Memorial, 10:30 a.m.; South Shore vs. Coolidge (Washington, D.C.), noon; Capital Prep (Hartford, Conn.) vs. St. John the Baptist (Islip), 1:30 p.m.; H.D. Woodson (D.C.) vs. Bishop Ford (Brooklyn), 3; Murry Bergtraum (Manhattan) vs. Long Island Lutheran (Brookville), 4:30; Life Center Academy (Burlington, N.J.) vs. Digital Harbor (Baltimore), 6; Riverdale Baptist (Upper Marlboro, Md.) vs. St. Anthony (Melville), 7:30.
Sunday: Berkshire School (Sheffield, Mass.) vs. Bloomfield (N.J.) Tech, 10:30 a.m.; Randolph (N.J.) vs. LaSalle Academy (Providence, R.I.), noon; St. Mary’s (Manhasset) vs. H.D. Woodson (D.C.), 1:30 p.m.; The Shipley School (Bryn Mawr, Pa.) vs. South Shore (Brooklyn), 3; Nazareth Regional (Brooklyn) vs. No. 18 Good Counsel (Olney, Md.), 4:30; Immaculate Conception (Lodi, N.J.) vs. East Orange (N.J.) Campus, 6; No. 8 Shabazz (Newark, N.J.) vs. Christ the King (Middle Village), 7:30.
Milestones
In Pennsylvania, Kathy McCartney of Villa Maria Academy (Malvern, Pa.) notched her 500th coaching win last Tuesday. McCartney, who improved to 500-174 in 27 years, in a 67-30 victory over Sacred Heart (Bryn Mawr). McCartney is a demanding coach, who doubles as the school’s dean of activities, but the success is best chronicled in nine District 1 crowns in the last 15 seasons and eight Catholic Academies’ titles. The former La Salle University player is still seeking the elusive first state title.
In Iowa, Gene Klinge of Waukon became the ninth girls’ coach to hit four digits in career victories during an 88-60 victory over MFL/Mar-Mac on Jan. 31. Klinge, 77, improved to 1,000-239 in 51 seasons, including 41 years at West Central (Maynard, Iowa). Klinge was denied in the two games leading up to the milestone evening.
Blue Star Media Go-To 25 girls’ basketball rankings, Feb. 6, 2013
1. Mater Dei, Santa Ana, Calif. (23-0)
Previous: ranking 1.
Low-down: The Monarchs crushed Oaks Christian (Westlake Village), 74-46, at the Nike Extravaganza. Sophomore PG Andee Velasco pumped in 20 points, including four 3-pointers, and handed out three assists. Katie Lou Samuelson added 15 points and 10 rebounds.
2. St. Mary’s, Phoenix (22-1)
Previous: 2.
Low-down: The Lady Knights trounced Hayden (Phoenix), 87-19, in regular season finale.
3. Duncanville, Texas (34-0)
Previous: 3.
Low-down: Defeated Mansfield, 67-24, for 62nd straight win. Ariel Atkins scored a game-high 20 points. The regular season wraps up Tuesday with DeSoto.
4. Riverdale, Murfreesboro, Tenn. (23-0)
Previous: 4.
Low-down: The Lady Warriors have a hugged district game Friday against Blackman (Murfreesboro).
5. Columbus North, Columbus, Ind. (23-0)
Previous: 5.
Low-down: Stopped Jennings County (Mount Vernon), 68-38. Regular season is complete. Up next is Bloomington South or East Central (St. Leon) in Class 4A Columbus East Sectional semifinals. The final is Saturday.
6. Marion County, Lebanon, Ky. (27-0)
Previous: 6.
Low-down: The Lady Knights allowed 26 points per game in three blowout victories. Up next is Henderson County (Henderson) at the Duke’s Sporting Goods Valentine’s Shootout in Glendale.
7. Windward, Los Angeles (22-0)
Previous: 7.
Low-down: Jordin Canada produced a 24-point, eight-assist effort during a 59-48 win over JSerra (San Juan Capistrano) at the PAW Division IV Showcase in San Juan Capistrano. This won’t like be the only meeting of season; the next is postseason (CIF Southern Region).
8. Shabazz, Newark, N.J. (19-0)
Previous: 8.
Low-down: Stopped University (Newark), 63-24, at the Newark National Invitational at the Prudential Center. Also beat Bloomfield Tech, 44-35, and Bloomfield, 71-21, in the first round of the Essex County Tournament. In the ECT, Zaire O’Neill posted a double-double, with 17 points and 11 rebounds against Bloomfield.
9. Edwardsville, Ill. (24-0)
Previous: 9.
Low-down: Wiped out Granite City, 76-18. Emmonnie Henderson tossed in 19 points and Kortney Dunbar added 16. The Tigers close the regular season with a home-and-home with Alton.
10. Incarnate Word Academy, St. Louis (21-0)
Previous: 10.
Low-down: Won Webster Winter Challenge Tournament, beating Rock Bridge (Columbia), 56-39, in final. Sophomore WF Napheesa Collier bagged the MVP scoring a tournament-record 68 points in three games. The Red Knights have a busy week with three games, including Saturday’s rivalry renewed with St. Joseph’s Academy (St. Louis).
11. Pflugerville, Texas (31-0)
Previous: 11.
Low-down: The Panthers added two wins heading into Tuesday’s regular season finale with Cedar Ridge (Round Rock). The District 15-5A at 11-0 is one game from perfection.
12. North Gwinnett, Suwanee, Ga. (21-1)
Previous: 12.
Low-down: The curtain on the regular season came down on Tuesday against Collins Hill (Suwanee).
13. St. John’s, Washington, D.C. (21-1)
Previous: 13.
Low-down: Lindsay Allen’s steal and driving layup in overtime lifted the Cadets by previously undefeated No. 17 Paul VI (Fairfax, Va.), 70-69, in a Washington Catholic Athletic Conference showdown. Trailing by 10 points in the fourth, the Cadets rallied behind Tori Oliver’s 23 points and 12 rebounds.
14. Dr. Phillips, Orlando, Fla. (24-3)
Previous: 14.
Low-down: The Panthers won a district championship, eliminating Boone (Orlando), 64-39. It was the 63rd straight win over Florida competition. PG Sydnei McCaskill, a Georgia recruit, scored 27 points and had eight assists. In the semifinals, defeated Cypress Creek (Orlando), 72-18. Kyla Allison contributed 14 points, career-high eight assists and six rebounds. Up next is West Orange (Winter Garden) in Class 8A Region 1 quarterfinals Thursday. The semifinals are Feb. 12 and the final Feb. 16.
15. Montini Catholic, Lombard, Ill. (28-1)
Previous: 21.
Low-down: Wisconsin-bound C Malayna Johnson contributed 17 points and eight rebounds as the Broncos rolled past Fenwick (Oak Park), 72-50.
16. Central Catholic, Portland, Ore. (17-3)
Previous: 15.
Low-down: Jordan Reynolds, a 5-11 Tennessee recruit, tossed in a career-best 31 points in an 81-21 win over David Douglas (Portland). The Rams, who have won 14 straight, took a 34-5 lead after one period and forced 42 turnovers. Up next is Gresham on Tuesday.
17. Bishop O’Dowd, Oakland, Calif. (18-3)
Previous: 16.
Low-down: A three-game home stand is capped Saturday with a regional rivalry against No. 21 St. Mary’s (Stockton), 3:30 p.m. PT.
18. Good Counsel, Olney, Md. (19-3)
Previous: Not ranked.
Low-down: The Falcons have won eight straight but play ranked Paul VI (Fairfax, Va.) Friday. Virginia-bound F Amanda Fioravanti averages a team-best 20.3 points per game.
19. Paul VI, Fairfax, Va. (23-1)
Previous: 17.
Low-down: Ariana Freeman dropped in 26 points during a 78-38 win over Bishop O’Connell (Arlington, Va.) but the perfect season was halted by No. 18 St. John’s (Washington, D.C.), 70-69. Freshman Jazmine Whitney scored 19 points in the loss.
20. Martin Luther King, Detroit (13-0)
Previous: 19.
Low-down: Idle. The Detroit Public School League playoffs launch this week.
21. St. Mary’s Stockton, Calif. (22-1)
Previous: 20.
Low-down: The Rams won by 65 and 73 points last week but step up in competition when it plays ranked Bishop O’Dowd (Oakland) Saturday.
22. Hopkins, Minnetonka, Minn. (18-1)
Previous: 23.
Low-down: F Nia Coffey, a Northwestern recruit, received word she was selected to play in the McDonald’s All-American Game in April and promptly scored 17 points in a 68-31 win over Eden Prairie.
23. Science Hill, Johnson City, Tenn. (23-3)
Previous: 24.
Low-down: The Lady Toppers stormed back with two lopsided district victories after a rare loss.
24. Poly, Long Beach, Calif. (20-4)
Previous: 18.
Low-down: The Jackrabbits were upset by Troy (Fullerton), 50-39. Now they try to close out an undefeated Moore League schedule before the playoffs.
25. Fairmont, Kettering, Ohio (18-1)
Previous: 25.
Low-down: Coach Tim Cogan’s defense squeezed two foes, allowing only 41 points combined.
Dropped: No. 22 Riverdale Baptist (Upper Marlboro, Md.).
High-Fives by Region
East
1. Seton LaSalle, Pittsburgh (19-1)
2. Lake Taylor, Norfolk, Va. (21-0)
3. Archbishop Spalding, Severn, Md. (20-1)
4. Life Center Academy, Burlington, N.J. (20-1)
5. Riverdale Baptist, Upper Marlboro, Md. (22-3)
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 (19-0)
2. Whitney Young, Chicago (22-4)
3. Bedford (Ind.) North Lawrence (21-0)
4. Marian Catholic, Chicago Heights, Ill. (25-1)
5. St. Thomas More, Champaign, Ill. (26-2)
Geography: Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio, North Dakota, South Dakota, West Virginia and Wisconsin.
South
1. New Hope Christian Academy, Thomasville, N.C. (24-1)
2. Dutch Fork, Irmo, S.C. (22-0)
3. Blackman, Murfreesboro, Tenn. (22-1)
4. Plano West, Plano, Texas (31-3)
5. Norcross, Ga. (19-4)
Geography: Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee and Texas.
Far West
1. Regis Jesuit, Aurora, Colo. (16-1)
2. St. Mary’s, Berkeley, Calif. (19-4)
3. Pinnacle, Phoenix (25-2)
4. Oregon City, Ore. (18-1)
5. Bingham, South Jordan, Utah (18-0)
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, and www.bluestarmedia.org.
