HALL OF A GAME: No. 1 Sierra Canyon (CA) and No. 5 Sidwell Friends (DC) face off at Hoophall Classic on Saturday; No. 19 Nazareth (IL), Paul VI (NJ) enter Blue Star Media Elite 25 girls’ rankings

BENSALEM, Pa. – For the most part, the Blue Star Media Elite 25 girls’ basketball rankings are holding steady. There are two additions this week but it’s the strength at the top that is the source of pride.

Last week, the top-7 teams looked dominant and keep winning big games against quality opponents. In the past, the girls’ national and regional event did not have the kick and oomph needed to keep the Elite 25 fresh. Well, that’s changed recently and whittling down to an eventual No. 1 in mid-April is more streamlined.

As mentioned, two debutants stand proud.

No. 23 Nazareth Academy (La Grange Par, Ill.) is in. The Roadrunners (17-1) are top-ranked team in Illinois’ Class 3A and in the serious conversation for a state tournament berth in March. No. 25 Paul VI (Haddonfield, N.J.) opened eyes with a blowout win at the Blue Star High School Invitational last weekend in Philadelphia. Hannah Hidalgo, Paul VI’s wonderful point guard, stole the show. The Eagles, ranked No. 2 in New Jersey, are 7-1. Kudo to both teams.

So, here’s the lowdown this week.

The Dr. Martin Luther King Weekend is a special time on the calendar. It’s smack dab in the middle of January—only three weeks removed from the holiday national schedule—but honoring the man of God, activist and civil rights leader with a national holiday is just.

It also gives the nation a three-day weekend, which has given the high school basketball scene a green light for the birth of several impactful events.

One such event is the Hoophall Classic in Springfield, Mass., the birthplace of basketball, which runs for five days, starting Thursday afternoon at Springfield College’s iconic Blake Arena.

Friday’s menu is usually “ladies day” with three girls’ games, highlighted by Morris Catholic (Denville, N.J.) versus St. Paul VI (Chantilly, Va.) at 4:30 p.m. ET, and Christ the King (Middle Village, N.Y.) versus No. 12 La Jolla (Calif.) Country Day at 6 p.m.

However, one of the top regular season games this season tips at 1:30 p.m. (on ESPN+ streaming service) pits No. 5 Sidwell Friends (Washington, D.C.) versus No. 1 Sierra Canyon School (Chatsworth, Calif.). The nation’s top player, Juju Watkins (USC recruit), is the feature attraction and national championship ramifications are in play. If you want to tune in for a majority of the action from Hoophall, check out Baller TV. Note there is a fee to view games.

In Springfield, Va., The St. James MLK ’23 Classic may features nine teams in seven games on Friday, Saturday and Monday but the matchups are all superb, namely a few that will impact the Elite 25 rankings. No. 3 Etiwanda (Calif.) plays twice, including a mega game with Morris Catholic Monday afternoon. No. 5 Sidwell Friends plays No. 7 Montverde (Fla.) Academy on Monday at 2:15 p.m. ET. The St. James location is here.

In California, there are two events of note: Matt Denning Nike Hoop Classic in Santa Ana; and MLK Classic at St. Mary’s High School in Stockton.

In Brooklyn, N.Y., it’s the hoop extravaganza known as the Rose Classic Super Jam at Nazareth Regional High School and The Post BK. The schedule of 52 games from Friday through Monday features several appetizing matchups with schools from mostly New York but Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Virginia, Georgia, Florida and Canada will be in the house too. The top matchup might be Monday’s No. 2 Long Island Lutheran (Brookville, N.Y.) versus Archbishop Wood (Warminster, Pa.) at Nazareth, 12 p.m. Twitter has the latest pairings.

Keeping in New York, if you take the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge from Brooklyn to Staten Island, don’t forget the Hoopers NY MLK Classic at Susan Wagner High School for a three-day run, Saturday-Monday, underscoring a New York theme (save one). Three games are scheduled daily with tip times at 11:30 a.m., 1 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. The main draw is Wagner’s senior guard Nicole Melious, considered New York’s top player and a prolific scorer. The La Salle signee is a joy to watch play. It’s must-see basketball.

Saturday’s lineup (games listed with earliest starts in order): Wagner (Staten Island)-Banneker (Brooklyn), Holy Cross (Flushing)-Albertus Magnus (Bardonia) and New Dorp (Staten Island)-Beacon (Manhattan). Sunday: Ursuline (New Rochelle)-Archbishop Molloy (Briarwood), Ranney School (Tinton Falls, N.J.)-St. Mary’s (Manhasset) and John Jay Campus (Brooklyn)-Wagner. Monday: Syosset-South Bronx Prep, New Dorp-Baldwin and Wagner-Brooklyn Law & Tech.

Finally, there’s a traditional blockbuster event in the heart of Ohio: The Classic in the Country Challenge in Berlin, Ohio. The event mostly showcases Ohio schools but Illinois and Indiana each have an invited guest scheduled for Hiland High School’s Reese Center. The event runs Saturday through Monday. The schedule is here. The box scores from all games will be posted.

Enjoy the games!

The Blue Star Media Elite 25 girls’ rankings will return on Jan. 18 and recap what occurred at the numerous events and tournaments over the MLK Weekend. Expect changes with so many moving parts.

Okay, remain safe and think of Dr. King’s legacy this weekend.

Hope to see you at a game soon. – Christopher Lawlor

Blue Star Media Elite 25 Girls’ Basketball Rankings, Jan. 11, 2023

1. Sierra Canyon School, Chatsworth, Calif. (16-0)

Previous rank: 1.

Low-down: Juju Watkins put on a show at the Chosen 1 Invitational at the Galen Center in Los Angeles. The prized USC recruit struck for 30 points and 18 rebounds on her future home floor when the Trailblazers defeated then-No. 8 La Jolla (Calif.) Country Day, 64-55. MacKenly Randolph added 11 points and 9 boards. Also, the Trailblazers beat Mission League foes, Chaminade (West Hills), 79-40, and Harvard-Westlake (Studio City), 70-50. This weekend they travel to the Hoophall Classic in Springfield, Mass.

2. Long Island Lutheran, Brookville, N.Y. (10-0)

Previous: 2.

Low-down: Savvy Swords was named the game Most Valuable Player at the Blue Star High School Invitational in Philadelphia in a 63-36 victory over Georgetown Visitation (Washington, D.C.). The Crusaders started out slow after a long layoff but finished strong. Swords had 8 points, 9 rebounds and 5 assists and Kate Koval registered a double-double with 15 points and 11 rebounds, and Kayleigh Heckel topped the winners with 18 points.

3. Etiwanda, Calif. (15-0)

Previous: 3.

Low-down: The Eagles fly to the East Coast for games with Morris Catholic (Denville, N.J.) and Immaculate Conception (Montclair, N.J.). Last week, they defeated Chino Hills, 72-21, and Sage Hill (Newport Beach), 74-36.

4. Incarnate Word Academy, Bel Nor, Mo. (11-0)

Previous: 4.

Low-down: Defeated Kansas City (Mo.) area teams, Lee’s Summit West, 63-42, and Park Hill South, 78-50. The win streak is 78 consecutive games.

5. Sidwell Friends, Washington, D.C. (9-1)

Previous: 5.

Low-down: Recorded back-to-back wins in the Independent School League, beating Georgetown Visitation (Washington), 71-68, in overtime and Maret School (Washington), 56-37. Up next the Quakers play Elite 25 teams Sierra Canyon School (Chatsworth, Calif.) and Montverde (Fla.) Academy over the MLK Weekend.

6. Hopkins, Minnetonka, Minn. (10-0)

Previous: 6.

Low-down: Stanford-bound Sunaja “Nunu” Agara totaled 42 points in two games as the Lady Royals dispatched Edina, 73-27, and Holy Family (Victoria), 80-34. Taylor Woodson added 18 in the latter win. The schedule picks up with Eden Prairie Friday in the Lake Conference but the showdown on the horizon is with rival Wayzata (Plymouth) on Jan. 17.

7. Montverde (Fla.) Academy (16-0)

Previous: 7.

Low-down: The Eagles traveled to south Florida and came away with quality victories over Miami Country Day, 69-39, and St. Thomas Aquinas (Fort Lauderdale), 35-34. Up next is a trip to Springfield, Va., for two game this weekend at the St. James Invitational.

8. Hazel Green, Ala. (20-0)

Previous: 9.

Low-down: In Suwanee, Ga., the Lady Trojans rallied to defeated River Ridge (Woodstock, Ga.), 50-48, at the She Got Game Classic. They also moved to 3-0 in Area 16 after a 78-21 victory over Mae Jemison (Huntsville). Up next is Lee (Huntsville) Friday in area action and then a game at the BallN National Showcase in Hoover Saturday.

9. South Bend (Ind.) Washington (18-0)

Previous: 10.

Low-down: The Panthers defeated Bremen, 95-20. They play at South Bend Adams on Thursday in a Northern Indiana Conference game.

10. St. John Vianney, Holmdel, N.J. (10-0)

Previous: 11.

Low-down: Zoe Brooks (21 points, 16 rebounds, 5 steals) and Holy Cross-bound Janie Bachmann (12, 5, 4) teamed for 33 points, 21 rebounds and 9 steals in a 59-42 win over Gill St. Bernard’s (Gladstone) at the Boardwalk Classic in Lincroft. Also defeated Freehold Borough, 72-24, and Life Center Academy (Burlington), 75-57. The schedule continues this week with three games, including No. 2 Long Island Lutheran (Brookville, N.Y.) on Friday at the Hoophall Classic in Springfield, Mass.

11. Clovis West, Fresno, Calif. (16-0)

Previous: 13.

Low-down: Defeated Mission Hills (San Marcos), 71-38.

12. La Jolla (Calif.) Country Day (16-2)

Previous: 8.

Low-down: Lost to top-ranked Sierra Canyon School (Chatsworth), 64-55, at the Chosen 1 Invitational in Los Angeles. Arizona-bound guard Jada Williams pumped in 19 points for the Torreys.

13. Centennial, Las Vegas (6-1)

Previous: 14.

Low-down: The Lady Bulldogs opened play in Class 5A Southern Region, beating Shadow Ridge(Las Vegas), 73-22. Up next is Mission Hills (San Marcos, Calif.) on Jan. 14 and St. Mary’s (Stockton, Calif.) on Jan. 16 over the MLK Weekend.

14. Hoover, Ala. (20-1)

Previous: 15.

Low-down: Following a rare loss in the regular season, the Lady Bucs bounced back to defeat Thompson (Alabaster), 64-21.

15. Archbishop Mitty, San Jose, Calif. (10-2)

Previous: 16.

Low-down: After a long layoff, the Monarchs blitzed St. Ignatius Prep (San Francisco), 72-37. This week they play four games in seven days.

16. Sacred Heart Academy, Louisville, Ky. (13-2)

Previous: 17.

Low-down: ZaKiyah Johnson had 24 points and 6 rebounds and Triniti Ralston added 15 point and 8 rebounds in a 76-42 thumping of rival Assumption (Louisville). The Valkyries play King’s Christian Collegiate (Oakville, Ontario) Saturday at the Classic in the City in Columbus, Ohio.

17. Duncanville, Texas (18-4)

Previous: 18.

Low-down: The Pantherettes are atop District 11-6A with two wins improving to 5-0.

18. Conway, Ark. (15-2)

Previous: 19.

Low-down: Defeated Little Rock Southwest, 80-33, and North Little Rock, 65-61.

19. Nazareth Academy, La Grange Park, Ill. (17-1)

Previous: Not ranked.

Low-down: In a battle of the top two teams from the Chicagoland area, the Roadrunners enter the Elite 25 after knocking off Fremd (Palatine), 50-40. Junior Ama Dray tossed in a game-high 17 points and Grace Carstensen added 15. The Roadrunner are Illinois’ top-ranked Class 3A team and are 4-0 in the uber competitive East Suburban Catholic Conference. Two non-conference games this week, headlined with Batavia Saturday.

20. Mater Dei, Santa Ana, Calif. (15-2)

Previous: 21.

Low-down: Defeated JSerra Catholic (San Juan Capistrano), 72-5, and St. Vincent-St. Mary (Akron, Ohio), 62-30. In the latter game, junior forward Jenessa Cotton had a double-double with 13 points and 13 rebounds at the Chosen 1 Invitational in Los Angeles. It’s a four-game work week ahead for coach Kevin Kiernan’s team with a showdown with Sage Hill (Newport Beach) at the Matt Denning Nike Hoops Classic on Saturday.

21. Zionsville, Ind. (17-0)

Previous: 22.

Low-down: The Eagles pounded Harrison (West Lafayette), 68-37, and Pike (Indianapolis), 71-32. Next big challenge is Noblesville Friday in a Hoosier Crossroads Conference showdown.

22. Shabach Christian Academy, Landover, Md. (14-4)

Previous: 12.

Low-down: Upended by Westtown School (West Chester, Pa.), 55-40, at the Blue Star High School Invitational in Philadelphia.

23. Lone Peak, Highland, Utah (9-3)

Previous: 24

Low-down: Defeated Springville, 68-48, and West Jordan, 64-21. Kailey Woolston totaled 34 points in two games. The Knights are back at it with Pleasant Grove on Friday.

24. DeSoto, Texas (14-4)

Previous: 25.

Low-down: Defeated Waxahachie, 68-36, and Mansfield Legacy, 55-53, in overtime.

25. Paul VI, Haddonfield, N.J. (7-1)

Previous: Not ranked.

Low-down: Notre Dame-bound guard Hannah Hidalgo scored 28 of her career-high 41 points in the first half when the Eagles crushed then-No. 20 Morris Catholic (Denville, N.J.), 76-44, at the Blue Star High School Invitational in Philadelphia. Hidalgo added 7 rebounds, 4 assists and 7 steals. The Eagles enter the Elite 25 having one loss to No. 2 Long Island Lutheran (Brookville, N.Y.) by three points last month.

Dropped: No. 20 Morris Catholic (Denville, N.J.) and No. 23 Coppell (Texas).

High-Fives by Region

East

1. Morris Catholic, Denville, N.J. (10-1)
2. Georgetown Visitation, Washington, D.C. (9-3)
3. St. Paul VI, Chantilly, Va. (11-4)
4. Bishop McNamara, Forestville, Md. (7-5)
5. St. John’s College, Washington, D.C. (12-4)

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

Midwest

1. Johnston, Iowa (12-0)
2. Example Prep, Frankfort, Ill. (10-2)
3. Geneva. Ill. (14-2)
4. Fremd, Palatine, Ill. (17-2)
5. Purcell Marian, Cincinnati (10-2)

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

Southland

1. Edmond (Okla.) North (12-0)
2. Clark, San Antonio (19-3)
3. The Webb School, Bell Buckle, Tenn. (12-3)
4. Summer Creek, Houston (23-2)
5. Hancock, Kiln, Miss. (20-0)

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

Far West

1. Garfield, Seattle (7-0)
2. Desert Vista, Phoenix (13-3)
3. Sacred Heart Cathedral Prep, San Francisco (12-1)
4. Camas, Wash. (11-1)
5. Valor Christian, Highlands Ranch, Colo. (9-1)

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

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 Christopher Lawlor, who consults with a national network of coaches, talent evaluators and prep sports writers. Follow him on Twitter at @clawlor.