Go-To 25 Girls’ Basketball Rankings, March 27, 2013

BENSALEM, Pa. – The Blue Star Media Go-To 25 high school girls’ basketball rankings are approaching the finish line. Now that the state tournaments have been completed, there’s still some unfinished business as we head into April.

Three teams from the Go-To 25 rankings, No. 9 Dr. Phillips, No. 19 Dillard and No. 25 Life Center Academy will play in the National High School Invitational on April 5 and 6 at Georgetown Prep in North Bethesda, Md. A fourth team, regionally ranked Archbishop Spalding, rounds out the four team field. The NHSI has the juice to shift the rankings but it won’t decided the Blue Star Media National Champion. No. 1 Duncanville (Texas) is firmly planted and followed by several elite clubs. The order of the Go-To 25 may have a different look when the final rankings are released on April 8 at noon ET.

No. 7 Bishop O’Dowd won the battle of the titans, beating No. 11 Windward in the CIF Open Division final. O’Dowd’s state title pushes the state champions within the ranks to 18. Two schools, No. 8 St. John’s and No. 25 LCA, captured national tournaments, which are just as valuable as winning a state title. Both schools do not compete for state championships. There are five schools in the Go-To 25 without a state title but had solid seasons after advancing deep into their respective postseasons.

So, remember we won’t have rankings next week and will be busy in Chicago covering the McDonald’s All American Games and then it’s off to the NHSI for both boys and girls’ tournaments. Have a Happy Easter or Passover. We hope to see you in Chicago and then in Maryland. – Christopher Lawlor

Varsity Letters

Player of the Week

Zaire O’Neil, junior, No. 13 Shabazz (Newark, N.J.): The three-year starter was the star of stars last week as the Lady Bulldogs captured their fifth State Tournament of Champions crown after a 66-54 victory over Rancocas Valley (Mount Holly) last Tuesday in Trenton. O’Neil scored 16 points and cleared 10 rebounds for her fourth double-double in the postseason. The 6-foot junior averaged 18.7 points and 11.3 rebounds in the playoffs and contributed 26 points and 20 rebounds in the TOC semifinals win over Point Pleasant Beach, 65-50. In three seasons, the coveted recruit has scored 1,310 points and grabbed 775 rebounds as Shabazz as three Group 2 titles and a 96-4 record over that span. For the season, O’Neil averaged 14.1 points, 9.3 rebounds and 2.2 blocks per game.

Go-To 25 girls’ basketball rankings, March 27, 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. Season complete.

2. St. Mary’s, Phoenix (29-1)**

Previous: 2.

Low-down: Won Division I championship for third straight state title. Season complete.

3. Riverdale, Murfreesboro, Tenn. (35-0)**

Previous: 3.

Low-down: The Lady Warriors won their second straight Class AAA championship pushing the win streak to 58 games. Season complete.

4. Marion County, Lebanon, Ky. (39-0)**

Previous: 4.

Low-down: The Lady Knights completed the state’s first perfect season since 1984 in winning the Girls Sweet Sixteen Single-Class Basketball Tournament. Season complete.

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. Season complete.

6. Bedford (Ind.) North Lawrence (28-0)**

Previous: 7.

Low-down: Won Class 4A state championship. Season complete.

7. Bishop O’Dowd, Oakland, Calif. (30-3)**

Previous: 14.

Low-down: The Dragons captured the VIF Open Division state championship, avenging an earlier loss in defeating then-No. 5 Windward (Los Angeles), 60-45. A 13-0 second-quarter spurt gave the Dragons a 27-10 lead. Ariell Bostick tossed in a team-high 17 points and K.C. Waters posted a double-double with 12 points and 20 rebounds. The Dragons closed the season winning 24 straight games. Season complete.

8. St. John’s, Washington, D.C. (33-1)**

Previous: 8.

Low-down: Won the prestigious Bishop Walsh Tournament in Cumberland, Md., and Washington Catholic Athletic Conference titles. Season complete.

9. Dr. Phillips, Orlando, Fla. (29-3)**

Previous: 9.

Low-down: Won third straight Class 8A championship. The Panthers earned a third straight invite to the National High School Invitational on April 5.

10. Marian Catholic, Chicago Heights, Ill. (33-1)**

Previous: 10.

Low-down: Won Class 4A state championship. Season complete.

11. Windward, Los Angeles (32-1)

Previous: 5.

Low-down: Lost in CIF Open Division final to then-No. 14 Bishop O’Dowd (Oakland), 60-45. USC-bound Courtney Jaco, a prolific three-point specialist, was limited to three points. Junior Jordin Canada had 19 points and Kristen Simon added 10 points and 13 rebounds. Season complete.

12. Mater Dei, Santa Ana, Calif. (30-2)*

Previous: 11.

Low-down: Season complete.

13. Shabazz, Newark, N.J. (33-1)**

Previous: 12.

Low-down: Won fifth State Tournament of Champions crown, defeating Rancocas Valley (Mount Holly), 66-54. A 20-9 first-quarter bulge was the difference. The Lady Bulldogs will be loaded next season with four starters returning, including Zaire O’Neill. Season complete.

14. Central Catholic, Portland, Ore. (26-3)**

Previous: 13.

Low-down: Won Class 6A championship. Season complete.

15. Dutch Fork, Irmo, S.C. (29-0)**

Previous: 15.

Low-down: Won the Class 4A championship for the second straight year. Season complete.

16. Hopkins, Minnetonka, Minn. (31-1)**

Previous: 16.

Low-down: Won a third straight Class 4A championship. Season complete.

17. Fairmont, Kettering, Ohio (27-1)**

Previous: 17.

Low-down: Won Division I championship. Season complete.

18. Norcross, Ga. (28-5)**

Previous: 18.

Low-down: Won the Class AAAAAA state championship. Season complete

19. Dillard, Fort Lauderdale, Fla. (28-2)**

Previous: 19.

Low-down: Won fourth straight Class 5A championship. Up next are the semifinals of the National High School Invitational on April 5 in North Bethesda, Md.

20. Pflugerville, Texas (38-1)*

Previous: 20.

Low-down: Advanced to Class 5A state semifinals. Season complete.

21. Grand Haven, Mich. (28-0)**

Previous: 21.

Low-down: Won second straight Class A championship. It was the team’s 51^st consecutive victory. Season complete.

22. Southwood, Shreveport, La. (33-1)**

Previous: 22.

Low-down: Won the Class 5A championship. Season complete.

23. North Gwinnett, Suwanee, Ga. (30-2)*

Previous: 23.

Low-down: Lost in Class AAAAAA final. Season complete.

24. Twinsburg, Ohio (29-1)*

Previous: 24.

Low-down: Lost in Division I championship, halting a win streak at 43 games. Season complete.

25. Life Center Academy, Burlington, N.J. (28-2)**

Previous: 25.

Low-down: The National Association of Christian Athletes Division I Tournament champions will compete in the National High School Invitational in April.

Dropped: None.

High-Fives by Region

East

1. Lake Taylor, Norfolk, Va. (28-1)**

2. Archbishop Spalding, Severn, Md. (29-2)**

3. Good Counsel, Olney, Md. (27-6)*

4. Spring-Ford, Royersford, Pa. (32-2)**

5. McAuley, Portland, Maine (22-0)**

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

Midlands

1. Grosse Pointe (Mich.) South (25-2)*

2. Rolling Meadows, Ill. (30-4)*

3. Notre Dame, Quincy, Ill. (30-0)**

4. Rock Bridge, Columbia, Mo. (25-5)**

5. Montini Catholic, Lombard, Ill. (35-2)*

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.

Records are though Sunday.

** Denotes state, conference or national tournament champion

* Season complete

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.