HORSEPOWER: No. 1 Bishop McNamara (MD) Lady Mustangs charge atop No. 22 Blue Star Media Elite 25 girls’ rankings with key win at Hoophall Classic

BENSALEM, Pa. – There’s a new No. 1 in the Blue Star Media Elite 25 girls’ basketball rankings and it’s from a region that produced greatness annually.

Finally, the DMV or the Washington Metropolitan Area (District of Columbia, Maryland, Northern Virginia), is repped by top-ranked Bishop McNamara (Forestville, Md.) and the Lady Mustangs ascended with authority.

Last Friday, McNamara took down previous-No. 1 Ontario (Calif.) Christian, 57-55, at the Panini Hoophall Classic in Springfield, Massachusetts.

This week there are no additions to the Elite 25 but should change soon. No. 15 IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.) cratered 10 spots with 18 teams moving up. Four remained in the same position.

Okay, that’s it for the second week of January. The Blue Star Media Elite 25 girls’ basketball rankings return on Wednesday, Jan. 28.

Bye for now. Be the good.

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

Blue Star Media Elite 25 Girls’ Basketball Rankings, Jan. 21, 2026

1. Bishop McNamara, Forestville, Md. (14-2)

Previous rank: 2.

Lowdown: The Lady Mustangs are the new No. 1 in the Blue Star Media Elite 25 rankings. Qandace Samuels scored 22 points as the Lady Mustangs took down then-No. 1

Ontario (Calif.) Christian, 57-55, at the Panini Hoophall Classic in Springfield, Mass. Sophomore Jayla King added 21 points relentless defense. Also beat Kenwood (Chicago), 8727, at the Rose Classic Super Jam in Brooklyn, N.Y.

2. Ontario (Calif.) Christian (23-1)

Previous: 1.

Lowdown: Lost to then-No. 2 Bishop McNamara (Forestville, Md.), 57-55, after blowing a 10-point lead in the final two minutes at the Panini Hoophall Classic in Springfield, Mass. Kaleena Smith netted a game-high 25 points. The Knights then rallied the next day to stop No. 23 St. John Vianney (Holmdel, N.J.), 78-70. With a bevy of national college coaches, including Dawn Staley and Geno Auriemma, Smith put on a show with 45 points and 6 assists. The third game on the East Coast, they topped No. 9 Long Island Lutheran (Brookville, N.Y.), 74-68, at the Apache Paschall Memorial Showdown in Bronx, N.Y.

3. Archbishop Mitty, San Jose, Calif. (13-2)

Previous: 3.

Lowdown: Defeated St. Ignatius College Prep (San Francisco), 66-26, in the West Catholic Athletic League. The Monarchs have two more league game this week.

4. Sierra Canyon School, Chatsworth, Calif. (18-2)

Previous: 4.

Lowdown: Despite a 33-point output from South Carolina-bound Jerzy Robinson, the Blazers lost to then-No. 10 Long Island Lutheran (Brookville, N.Y.), 70-60, at the Panini Hoophall Classic in Springfield, Mass. The Blazers, who are 4-0 in the Mission League, have three games in the league this week.

5. Etiwanda, Calif. (22-2)

Previous: 6.

Lowdown: To cap a 4-0, the Eagles ghghgh Francis Parker (San Diego), 71-45, at the Rosary MLK Showcase in Fullerton, Calif.

6. Westtown School, West Chester, Pa. (18-1)

Previous: 7.

Lowdown: Defeated Elite 25 teams IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.), 54-38 and Bullis School (Potomac, Md.), 50-40, at the Panini Hoophall Classic. Junior Jordyn Palmer contributed 21 points, 12 rebounds and 3 blocks versus Bullis The Moose host Friends’ Central (Wynnewood) Thursday in a league showdown.

7. DME Academy, Daytona Beach, Fla. (18-0)

Previous: 8.

Lowdown: Went 2-0 at the Atlanta Grind Session.

8. Montverde (Fla.) Academy (13-2)

Previous: 9.

Lowdown: In Atlanta, the Eagles defeated Tennessee schools Bartlett, 67-60, and Hamilton Heights Christian Academy (Chattanooga), 82-35.

9. Long Island Lutheran, Brookville, N.Y. (13-3)

Previous: 10.

Lowdown: Taylor Brown had 20 point and 8 assists when the Lady Crusaders topped then-No. 4 Sierra Canyon School (Chatsworth, Calif.), 70-60, at the Panini Hoophall Classic.

No. 1 Ontario (Calif.) Christian, 74-68.

10. Spire Academy Geneva, Ohio (11-0)

Previous: 11.

Lowdown: Coach Mike Dooley’s team went 3-0 last week, including a 46-43 victory over Winton Woods (Cincinnati) at the Classic in the Country in Berlin, Ohio.

11. Westlake, Austin, Texas (29-0)

Previous: 12.

Lowdown: Defeated Dripping Springs, 71-32, and Del Valle, 65-17. The Chaparrals are 6-0 in District 26-6A and now have the reverse six fixtures in district play to close out the regular season.

12. Princess Anne, Virginia Beach, Va. (15-0)

Previous: 13.

Lowdown: Defeated Cox (Virginia Beach), 84-21. The Lady Cavaliers have two Beach District game this week.

13. St. James Performance Academy, Springfield, Va. (12-3)

Previous: 14.

Lowdown: Defeated No. 24 Monsignor Scanlan (Bronx, N.Y.), 70-67, at the Apache Paschall Memorial Showcase in Bronx, N.Y.  Also stopped then-No. 5 IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.), 59-46, at the Panini Hoophall Classic. Jezelle Banks provided 19 points, 6 steals and 5 assists.

14. Bradley Central, Cleveland, Tenn. (18-0)

Previous: 15.

Low-down: The Bears added three easy wins last week.

15. IMG Academy, Bradenton, Fla. (12-4)

Previous: 5.

Lowdown: Lost to then-No. 13 St. James Performance Center (Springfield, Va.), 59-46, and then-No. 7 Westtown School (West Chester, Pa.), 54-38, at the Panini Hoophall Classic.

16. Incarnate Word Academy, Bel Nor, Mo. (11-2)

Previous: 16.

Low-down: Defeated Mater Dei (Breese, Ill.), 88-36. Bridgett Fitzgerald scored 19 points, canning 5 of 6 three-point field goals and Peyton Olufson scored 13. This weekend the Red Knights play Friday and Saturday at the Raatz Fence O’Shea’s Classic in Louisville, Ky.

17. St. John’s College, Washington, D.C. (15-3)

Previous: 17.

Lowdown: Defeated St. Timothy’s School (Stevenson, Md.), 62-25, at the Rose Classic Super Jam in Brooklyn, N.Y.

18. Johnston, Iowa (13-0)

Previous: 19.

Lowdown: The win streak was stretched to 65 games after dispatching Southeast Polk (Pleasant Hill), 74-46. Jenica Lewis had 29 points and Kelli Kolb added 18 points, 9 rebounds and 6 steals. The Dragons have two games this week.

19. Belleville, Mich. (10-0)

Previous: 20.

Lowdown: Defeated Dearborn, 87-24, Stevenson (Livonia), 74-45, and Wayne Memorial, 77-49.

20. Hopkins, Minnetonka, Minn. (14-1)

Previous: 21.

Lowdown: Defeated Eden Prairie, 72-35, and Buffalo, 71-35.

21. Red Bank (N.J.) Catholic (12-1)

Previous: 22.

Lowdown: The Caseys went 3-0 last week, capped by a 64-29 blowout of St. Joseph by-the-Sea (Staten Island, N.Y.). Addy Nyemchek had 26 point, 7 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 steals and 2 blocks.

22. Hebron Christian Academy, Dacula, Ga. (17-1)

Previous: 24.

Lowdown: The Lions went 3-0 last week.

23. St. John Vianney, Holmdel, N.J. (12-2)

Previous: 24.

Lowdown: Lost to previous-No. 1 Ontario (Calif.) Christian, 78-70, at the Panini Hoophall Classic in Springfield, Mass. Stella Lockhart scored 22 points and had 7 rebounds and 6 assists. Up next is a showdown with No. 21 Red Bank Catholic on Thursday afternoon.

24. Monsignor Scanlan, Bronx, N.Y. (14-4)

Previous: 25.

Low-down: Lost to St. James Performance Academy (Springfield, Va.), 70-67, at the Apache Paschall Memorial Showcase in Bronx, N.Y. Also defeated Christ the King (Middle Village, N.Y.), 60-57, in a New York Girls High School Athletic Association league showdown. Junior Madison Howard, a Syracuse recruit, scored 20 points and freshman Crystal Thomas had 19.

25. Bullis School, Potomac, Md. (12-5)

Previous: 18.

Lowdown: Lost to Westtown School (West Chester, Pa.), 50-40, at the Panini Hoophall Classic in Springfield, Mass.

Dropped: None.

High-Fives by Region

East

1. Friends’ Central, Wynnewood, Pa. (16-3)
2. South Fayette, McDonald, Pa. (16-1)
3. Cardinal O’Hara, Springfield, Pa. (11-2)
4. Sidwell Friends, Washington, D.C. (9-3)
5. Christ the King, Middle Village, N.Y. (8-4)

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

Midwest

1. Benet Academy, Lisle, Ill. (19-1)
2. Warsaw, Ind. (20-1)
3. Minnetonka, Minn. (13-1)
4. Pike, Indianapolis (20-1)
5. Arrowhead, Hartland, Wis. (13-0)

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

Southland

1. Hoover, Ala. (23-1)
2. Miami (Fla. Country Day (19-1)
3. San Antonio (Texas) Wagner (26-0)
4. Grace Christian School, Sanford, N.C. (18-1)
5. North Paulding, Dallas, Ga. (18-1)

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

Far West

1. JSerra Catholic, San Juan Capistrano, Calif. (17-3)
2. Tualatin, Ore. (13-1)
3. St. Mary’s, Stockton, Calif. (15-2)
4. Clovis West, Fresno, Calif. (20-2)
5. Bishop Gorman, Las Vegas (14-2)

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

Records through Monday

About: The Blue Star Media Elite 25 High School Girls Basketball Rankings are released weekly from mid-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 Christopher Lawlor, who consults with a national network of coaches, talent evaluators, social mediums and prep sports writers. The final rankings will be released in April of the 2025-26 season. Follow him on X at @clawlor.