BENSALEM, Pa. – Whenever the high school girls’ basketball season reached mid-January or Martin Luther King Weekend, there was sense reaching a milestone.
For some states, such as Indiana and Florida, the postseason was mere weeks away. And for others was gaining momentum to peak at the right time. It’s understandable this season that we await the start in some states especially in the Northeast and West Coast.
In New Jersey, practice started on Jan. 11 and the tightly monitored 15-game season won’t begin until later this month. Pennsylvania is playing again. New York, Illinois and Michigan are attempting to roll out plans to salvage any semblance of a term.
Until then we’ll muddle through a corona-wracked school year and continue to update the Blue Star Media Elite 25 girls’ rankings. Speaking of which No. 22 Ensworth School (Nashville, Tenn.) was the lone addition. The Tigers have a huge in-state showcase game this weekend.
Last week, the Arizona Interscholastic Association canceled its winter season, affecting boys’ and girls’ basketball, soccer and wrestling. However, the AIA reversed the decision on Jan. 12 and the hoop season will start on Jan. 18.
No. 1 Lake Highland Prep (Orlando, Fla.) registered an impressive 10-point (57-47) over then-No. 12 Montverde (Fla.) Academy. The Highlanders did this without junior point guard Sierra Godbolt, who will miss the remainder of the season with a torn anterior cruciate ligament. LHP is a strong favorite to repeat in Florida Class 4A and book a ticket to the GEICO High School Nationals, which has not revealed much about this year’s event. Once we hear if the GEICO Nationals will be played, you’ll hear about from Blue Star Media.
OK, that’s it for another week.
The Blue Star Media Elite 25 girls’ rankings will return on Jan. 20 and then each Wednesday until the Winter/Spring seasons are complete.
Check back regularly at www.bluestarmedia.org for our staff updates. We’ll keep you abreast of anything breaking in the girls’ hoop universe. For now, stay safe. As a reminder the Blue Star Media Final Elite 25 Fall football rankings will be revealed on Jan. 24—that’s following the conclusion of state championships in Texas and Michigan.
Hope to see you at a game soon. – Christopher Lawlor
Blue Star Media Elite 25 Girls’ Basketball rankings, Jan. 13, 2021
1. Lake Highland Prep, Orlando, Fla. (11-0)
Previous rank: 1.
The Low-down: The Highlanders used a 18-7 second-quarter showing for a 35-19 lead at the break en route to a 57-47 win over then-No. 12 Montverde (Fla.) Academy.
2. Mount Notre Dame, Cincinnati (12-0)
Previous: 4.
The Low-down: The Cougars have a busy week with four games, including two at The Classic in the Country Challenge in Berlin, Ohio.
3. Westlake, Atlanta (8-0)
Previous: 5.
The Low-down: Georgia’s top-ranked Class AAAAAAA teamed hammered two opponents by 44 and 81 points.
4. Cypress Creek, Houston (18-0)
Previous: 9.
The Low-down: The Lady Cougars are No. 1 in Texas’ Class 6A rankings and allowed 21 points in two blowout victories.
5. New Hope Academy, Landover Hills, Md. (4-1)
Previous: 5.
The Low-down: Idle. Coach Sam Caldwell has his hands full with Connecticut-bound Azzi Fudd and No. 21 St. John’s College (Washington, D.C.) this weekend. The winner can claim top team from the DMV until further notice.
6. St. John Vianney, Holmdel, N.J. (0-0)
Previous: 6.
The Low-down: The Lancers, who started practice earlier this week, won’t tipoff until later this month and are flush with Division I recruits.
7. Simeon, Chicago (0-0)
Previous: 7.
The Low-down: Idle. Illinois schools await the start of the season.
8. Mater Dei, Santa Ana, Calif. (0-0)
Previous: 8.
The Low-down: The CIF-Southern Section Open Division champions won’t play until the spring but they are very good with Stanford-bound Brooke Demetre as the go-to player.
9. Hoover, Ala. (18-0)
Previous: 9.
The Low-down: Alabama’s top-ranked Class 7A team defeated Cullman, 63-37, in the lone game last week. Reniya Kelly popped in 21 points and Aniya Hubbard scored 17 for the Lady Bucs.
10. Renaissance, Detroit (0-0)
Previous: 10.
The Low-down: Idle. Michigan has not determined a start date but it’s likely happening in February.
11. Winston Salem Christian, Winston-Salem, N.C. (19-0)
Previous: 11.
The Low-down: Idle.
12. Converse (Texas) Judson (14-0)
Previous: 19.
The Low-down: The Rockets crushed South San Antonio (San Antonio), 93-31, and East Central (San Antonio), 92-44.
13. DeSoto, Texas (14-1)
Previous: 14.
The Low-down: The Eagles remain unbeaten in District 11-6A with two lopsided victories.
14. Reynoldsburg, Ohio (6-0)
Previous: 15.
The Low-down: The Raiders had a showdown with regionally ranked Newark this week.
15. Montverde (Fla.) Academy (13-1)
Previous: 12.
The Low-down: Lost to No. 1 Lake Highlands Prep (Orlando), 57-47.
16. Incarnate Word Academy, Bel Nor, Mo. (10-0)
Previous: 16.
The Low-down: Defeated Borgia (Washington), 73-35, and Marquette (Chesterfield), 60-42. Natalie Potts scored a game-high 24 points in the latter victory.
17. Duncanville, Texas (18-1)
Previous: 17.
The Low-down: The Pantherettes swept three District 11-6A opponents last week.
18. Hopkins, Minnetonka, Minn. (0-0)
Previous: 18.
The Low-down: Idle. First-year coach Tara Starks leads her team into a matchup with Eden Prairie on Friday.
19. Bishop McNamara, Forestville, Md. (0-0)
Previous: 19.
The Low-down: Idle. The defending Washington Catholic Athletic Conference champions won’t get underway until later this month.
20. Archbishop Mitty, San Jose, Calif. (0-0)
Previous: 20.
The Low-down: California Interscholastic Federation teams won’t start until the spring.
21. St. John’s College, Washington, D.C. (0-0)
Previous: 16.
The Low-down: Idle. The Cadets play No. 5 New Hope Academy (Landover Hills, Md.) this weekend.
22. Ensworth School, Nashville, Tenn. (7-0)
Previous: Not ranked.
The Low-down: The Tigers have won 49 straight games. They play Blackman (Murfreesboro) Saturday morning at the Lebanon Showcase.
23. Rutgers Prep, Somerset, N.J. (0-0)
Previous: 23.
The Low-down: Idle. Practice gets underway in New Jersey this week. Coach Mary Klinger’s team is absolutely loaded.
24. Valor Christian, Highlands Ranch, Colo. (0-0)
Previous: 24.
The Low-down: Idle. The season tips off at Mountain Vista (Highlands Ranch) on Jan. 29.
25. Cardinal Newman, Columbia, S.C (6-1)
Previous: 25.
The Low-down: Junior C Ashlynn Watkins scored a game-high 19 points and Mary Ashley Groot added 12 during a 62-41 rout of First Baptist School (Charleston).
Dropped: No. 22 Bolingbrook (Ill.).
High-Fives by Region
East
- Red Bank (N.J.) Catholic (0-0)
- Archbishop Wood, Warminster, Pa. (0-0)
- Sidwell Friends, Washington, D.C. (0-0)
- Long Island Lutheran, Brookville, N.Y. (0-0)
- Chartiers Valley, Bridgeville, Pa. (3-0)
Geography: Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Maine, Massachusetts, Maryland, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont and Virginia.
Midwest
- Newark, Ohio (10-0)
- Penn, Mishawaka, Ind. (14-2)
- Germantown, Wis. (15-0)
- Edison Public Academy, Detroit (0-0)
- Pius X, Lincoln, Neb. (8-0)
Geography: Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio, North Dakota, South Dakota, West Virginia and Wisconsin.
Southland
- Norman, Okla. (6-0)
- Hazel Green, Ala. (19-1)
- Blanche Ely, Pompano Beach, Fla. (7-0)
- Winter Haven, Fla. (6-0)
- Franklin County, Frankfort, Ky. (3-0)
Geography: Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee and Texas.
Far West
- Grandview, Aurora, Colo. (0-0)
- Fremont, Plain City, Utah (10-0)
- Herriman, Utah (10-1)
- Winward, Los Angeles (0-0)
- West Linn, Ore. (0-0)
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 nationwide. 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.
