BENSALEM, Pa. – For the second consecutive week, the Blue Star Media Elite 25 girls’ basketball rankings are static.

The biggest highlights of the week are No. 8 Edison Public School Academy (Detroit) and No. 11 Christ the King (Middle Village, N.Y.) winning state championships. 

Well, that’s half true because CTK won their New York Catholic Class AA state title earlier this month but the Royals closed the season capturing New York’s biggest chip, the Class AA Federation title. The federation is a tournament of champions, meaning the four New York interscholastic associations winners from the Catholic League, PSAL (New York City public league), independent and state public school play off in a four-team bracket. That was the 16^th time CTK won and the sixth under future Hall of Fame coach Bob Mackey. 

If you know anything about the CTK program then you would understand why winning the Feds this year meant more than a trophy. CTK is about family and this year the CTK family lost two of their most cherished members with the passing of Clare Droesch and Anton Turkovic.

I first saw Clare play for the Royals in the late 1990s and in 2001 selected her for the All-USA TODAY team. She went on to have a fine career at Boston College and eventually returned to CTK as a valued assistant coach to Mackey. She passed away last spring at 36 years old from breast cancer. She had been courageously battling that insidious disease since 2011 and the news of her passing was devastating. For many it is still raw. If they had a McDonald’s Girls’ All-American Game in 2001, Clare would have been a slam-dunk for it. [Sadly, the inaugural girls’ game was staged at Madison Square Garden in 2002—a year too late].

As for Anton, he was the longtime CTK athletics trainer and the biggest proponent of women’s athletics. Anton passed away in January from cancer. I was blessed to know Anton, who was from Croatia. He actually treated my balky lower back once and, yes, there was immediate relief. His training methods were cutting edge with a healthy dose of old-world medicine and common sense thrown in. The players swore by his treatments for assorted ailments or recovery from injury. Even the parents showed up to his office in the Father John Savage Memorial Gymnasium on the Queens Catholic school’s campus for treatments. I recall Anton reaching for bottle of creme or elixir that seemed to cure all. Anton was no nonsense man of medicine with a strong sense of compassion. He had the curing hands of God!

So when Mackey and the Royals won the Feds in Glens Falls, New York on Saturday night, they were playing for something way more tangible than a trophy or title.  After suffering all four losses in December, CTK refused to lose, winning 22 straight games to conclude the term. Clare and Anton wouldn’t have had it any other way.

In Michigan, No. 8 Edison Academy captured a third straight state championship in the Division 2 final. Methinks the Pioneers will win a fourth in 2020 with a group of young, talented players and a 25-game win streak.

All that remains this season is the GEICO High School Nationals next week in New York. The Top-4 Elite 25 teams are all headed to the GEICO Nationals, beginning with the semifinals on April 5 at Chris the King High School (both games are on ESPNU): No. 4 New Hope Academy (Landover Hills, Md.) vs. No. 1 Miami (Fla.) Country Day, 11 a.m. EDT and No. 3 Centennial (Las Vegas) vs. No. 2 St. John’s College (Washington, D.C.), 1 p.m. The final is April 6 at 10 a.m. on ESPN2. The boys’ final follows at 12 p.m. on EPSN.

This is the Final Four of the high school game. C’mon over and pack the gym!

The Blue Star Media Elite 25 girls’ basketball final rankings will be revealed on April 8. Expect a fresh look at the top, depending on the GEICO Nationals. We’re also mulling the final order and sliding in a few deserving teams.

Visit us regularly at www.bluestarmedia.orgfor staff updates from showcase events and state tournaments in March. Blue Star Media will keep you abreast of everything girls’ basketball.

Thank you for your readership, we appreciate your support. Congratulations to all the state champions! I’ll be at the GEICO Nationals for three days next week. It will truly decide the Blue Star Media Elite 25 National Champion.

We hope to see you at a game soon. – Christopher Lawlor

Blue Star Media Elite 25 Girls’ Basketball Rankings, March 27, 2019

1. Miami (Fla.) Country Day (26-1)*

Previous rank: 1.

Low-down: Idle. The Lady Spartans return to the GEICO Nationals, an event they won in 2017. 

2. St. John’s College, Washington, D.C. (35-1)* *

Previous: 2.

Low-down: Idle. The GEICO Nationals semifinal game against No. 3 Centennial (Las Vegas) is April 5 in New York. Azzi Fudd became the first-ever sophomore to be crowned the Gatorade National Girls’ Basketball Player of Year.

3. Centennial, Las Vegas (31-1)*

Previous: 3.

Low-down: Idle. The Nevada Class 4A state champions play at the GEICO Nationals on April 5.

4. New Hope Academy, Landover Hills, Md. (37-3)* *

Previous: 4.

Low-down: Idle. The Tigers were selected to play in the GEICO Nationals after winning two prestigious national postseason tournaments. Next is top-ranked Miami Country Day in the GEICO semifinals on April 5.

5. Maine West, Des Plaines, Ill. (35-0)*

Previous: 5.

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

6. Africentric Early College, Columbus, Ohio (28-0)*

Previous: 6.

Low-down: Won second straight Division III state championship. Season complete.

7. Westridge Academy, Kernersville, N.C. (29-0)* *

Previous: 7.

Low-down: Won two major postseason tournaments while running the table. Season complete.

8. Edison Public School Academy, Detroit (27-1)*

Previous: 8.

Low down: Michigan’s Miss Basketball Rickea Jackson closed out her legendary schoolgirl career with sumptuous outing. The Mississippi State recruit bucketed 29 points, making 11 of 16 shots, and snaring 5 rebounds in a 77-58 thrashing of Freeland to annex the Michigan Division 2 state championship. Edison held the lead for 31 minutes, 11 seconds of the final. Additionally, the Pioneers took leads of 14 and 24 points en route to a 70-43 triumph over Haslett in the semifinals. Jackson, a McDonald’s All-American, had 26 points and 8 rebounds. In the quarterfinals, the Pioneers routed Goodrich, 62-23.Season complete.

9. Westlake, Atlanta (30-0)*

Previous: 9.

Low-down: Won second consecutive Class AAAAAAA state championship. Season complete.

10. Bishop McNamara, Forestville, Md. (31-4)

Previous: 10.

Low-down: Three of four losses were to No. 2 St. John’s College (Washington, D.C.). Season complete.

11. Christ the King, Middle Village, N.Y. (27-4)* *

Previous: 11.

Low-down: Won New York State Federation Class AA, topping Ossining, 81-76. Minnesota-bound Klarke Sconiers had a double-double with 17 points and 11 rebounds. All 17 points came in the second half when the Royals broke away from a 37-all tie. It was the sixth Federation crown under coach Bob Mackey and the 16^thoverall for the program. In the semifinals, the Royals stopped Long Island Lutheran (Brookville), 57-42. Sconiers scored 18 points and Khadija Demry added 13. Season complete.

12. Hopkins, Minnetonka, Minn. (32-0)*

Previous: 12.

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

13. Sierra Canyon School, Chatsworth, Calif. (32-1)*

Previous: 13.

Low-down: Won the CIF Open Division state championship. Season complete.

14. Mount Notre Dame, Cincinnati (27-2)*

Previous: 14.

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

15.  Princess Anne, Virginia Beach, Va. (25-1)*

Previous: 15.

Low-down: Won Class 5 state championship. Season complete.

16. Incarnate Word Academy, Bel Nor, Mo. (30-2)*

Previous: 16. 

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

17. Amarillo, Texas (37-4)*

Previous: 17.

Low-down: Won a second consecutive Class 5A state championship. Season complete.

18. Converse (Texas) Judson (38-5)*

Previous: 18.

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

19. Franklin, Somerset, N.J. (34-0)* *

Previous: 19.

Low-down: Won second New Jersey State Tournament of Champions title. The Warriors also captured the Group 4 state championship. Season complete.

20. Hamilton Heights Christian, Chattanooga, Tenn. (24-3)

Previous: 20. 

Low-down: Season complete.

21. Archbishop Mitty, San Jose, Calif. (25-3)

Previous: 21.

Low-down: Advanced to the in the CIF-Northern California Region Open semifinals. Season complete.

22. Germantown Academy, Fort Washington, Pa. (30-1)*

Previous: 22.

Low-down: Won the Pennsylvania Independent School Athletic Association championship. Season complete.

23. Bradley Central, Cleveland, Tenn. (34-3)

Previous: 23.

Low-down: Won Class AAA state championship. Season complete.

24. Riverdale, Murfreesboro, Tenn. (31-2)

Previous: 24.

Low-down: Advanced to the Class AAA semifinals. Season complete.

25. Collins Hill, Suwanee, Ga. (30-2)

Previous: 25.

Low-down: Advanced to the Class AAAAAAA state championship. Season complete.

Dropped: None.

High-Fives by Region

East

1. Peters Township, McMurray, Pa. (30-0)*

2. Saddle River (N.J.) Day School (28-3)* 

3. Chartiers Valley, Bridgeville, Pa. (29-0)*

4. Woodbridge, Va. (29-1)*

5. St. Frances Academy, Baltimore (24-4)* 

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

Midwest

1. Beaver Dam, Wis. (27-1)*

2. Hamilton Southeastern, Fishers, Ind. (27-1)*

3. Pickerington (Ohio) Central (28-2)

4. Wayzata, Plymouth, Minn. (26-3)

5. Northwestern, Kokomo, Ind. (27-3)*

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

Southland

1. Hoover, Ala. (34-1)*

2. Pearl, Miss. (31-1)*

3. Ryle, Union, Ky. (32-5)*

4. Northside, Fort Smith, Ark. (28-1)*

5. Goose Creek, S.C. (23-1)*

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

Far West

1. Clovis West, Fresno, Calif. (31-4)

2. Windward School, Los Angeles (26-6)

3. Benson, Portland, Ore. (26-4)*

4.Pinewood School, Los Altos Hills, Calif. (27-4)

5. Millennium, Goodyear, Ariz. (26-4)*

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

* Won state, national or conference/league postseason tournament championship

[Note some schools have won multiple tournament titles]

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. 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 Senior Writer Christopher Lawlor, who consults with a national network of coaches, talent evaluators and prep sports writers. The final rankings will be released in April. Follow him on Twitter at @clawlor.