MOMENT OF TRUTH: No. 1 Montverde Academy (FL), No. 5 Westtown (PA) and No. 6 IMG Academy (FL) will decide Blue Star Media Elite 25 girls’ basketball rankings final order at Chipotle

BENSALEM, Pa. – The moment of truth has arrived for the Blue Star Media Elite 25 girls’ basketball rankings and three teams aim to shake the rankings to the core.

That’s because the CHIPOTLE High School Nationals will three games this week in Fishers, Ind., with the winner either securing the No. 1 spot or making room for new top dog.

Since there was zero movement in the Elite 25—no one was playing for a title—they remain stable for another week. That will change this week with three action-packed games at the CHIPOTLE High School Nationals tipping Wednesday, April 1 at Hamilton Southeastern High School in Fishers, Ind., a suburb of Indianapolis. The girls get underway on Friday, April 4.

All 10 teams from the boys’ rankings compose the field and three of four from the latest Elite 25 girls. Here’s the updated schedule and luckily all 12 games can view live either streamed or on the ESPN family of networks.

Wednesday, April 1, first round (All times Eastern)

6:15 p.m., No. 9 Montverde (Fla.) Academy boys vs. No. 20 Dynamic Prep (Irving, Texas)

8 p.m., No. 19 IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.) boys vs. No. 18 Wasatch Academy (Mount Pleasant, Utah).

Thursday, April 2, quarterfinals

2 p.m., No. 2 Prolific Prep (Napa, Calif.) boys vs. No. 7 Long Island Lutheran (Brookhaven, N.Y.), ESPN2

4 p.m., Game 1 boys winner vs. No. 4 Link Academy (Branson, Mo.), ESPN2

6 p.m., No. 8 CIA Bella Vista (Phoenix) boys vs. No. 6 Brewster Academy (Wolfeboro, N.H.), ESPNU

8 p.m., Game 2 boys winner vs. No. 1 Columbus (Miami), ESPNU

Friday, April 4, semifinals

10:30 a.m., Family Faith girls (Dallas) vs. No. 1 Montverde Academy, ESPNU

12:30 p.m., No. 6 IMG Academy girls vs. No. 5 Westtown School (West Chester, Pa.), ESPNU

2:30 p.m., boys semifinal, ESPN2

4:30 p.m., boys semifinal, ESPN2

Championship Saturday, April 5

10 a.m., girls final, ESPN2

12 p.m., boys final, ESPN

Once again, the CHIPOTLE Nationals will deliver and the Elite 25 National Championship will likely be decided this weekend.

Elsewhere, the 48^th McDonald’s All American Games will be played at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York on Tuesday, April 1. The girls game tips at 6:30 p.m. ET. The boys tip at 9 p.m. To purchase tickets, click here. The games will be broadcast on the ESPN family of networks.

Girls Rosters

 East: 6-1 Nyla Brooks, 6-2 Kaelyn Carroll; 6-0 Jaida Civil; 6-1 Aaliyah Crump; 6-0 ZaKiyah Johnson; 6-2 Jaliya Davis; 6-2 Leah Macy; 6-1 Agot Makeer; 5-5 Mia Pauldo; 6-1 Deniya Prawl; 6-4 Lara Somfai; 5-10 Hailee Swain.

Coach: Dawn Karpell, St. John Vianney (Holmdel, N.J.).

West: 6-1 Darianna Alexander; 6-4 Sienna Betts, 5-11 Aaliyah Chavez; 6-1 Jasmine Davidson; 6-0 Addison Deal; 6-5 Alexandra Eschmeyer; 6-2 Grace Knox; 6-2 Ayla McDowell; 6-2 Brynn McGaughy; 5-5 Aliyahna Morris; 6-0 Emilee Skinner; 6-1 Jordan Speiser.

Coach: Sheryl Krmpotich, Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas).

Elsewhere in Iowa, veteran coach Scott DeJong of Centennial (Ankeny) has retired. In 37 years, DeJong won 730 games and seven state championships.

DeJong took over at Centennial, going 207-73 with a state title in 2016. He guided the Jaguars to state tournament appearances in 2019 and 2021-25. Prior to Centennial, DeJong spent 20 years at crosstown Ankeny after taking over in 1993 and led the transition to the five-player game and captured four consecutive state titles from 2001-05 with his teams earning national rankings.

At Ankeny, he piloted the Hawkettes to 14 state tournaments over two decades and had four 20-win campaigns. Before the Ankney years, DeJong coached five seasons at Colo-Nesco with four straight state tournaments from 1989-92.

His seven state crown ranks No. 1 among Iowa girls’ basketball coaches.

It was a mega-watt bright week for Aaliyah Chavez of Monterey (Lubbock, Texas), considered the nation’s top recruit, made her college decision.

The 5-foot-11 transformative player committed to the Oklahoma Sooners on Tuesday, March 25. She also had Texas, Texas Tech, LSU, UCLA and South Carolina in final six but the former two plus the Sooners were always considered the frontrunners for her services.

As a senior, Chavez averaged 34.5 points, 9.5 rebounds, 4.3 assists, 3.7 steals and 1.3 blocks per game in leading Monterey to a Texas state championship.

Speaking Chavez, she was named Gatorade’s National Player of the Year. It’s a well-deserved honor and no brainer. The entire roll call of 2024-25 state winners is here. On Monday, March 31, Chavez won the girls’ three-point shooting contest at the McDonald’s Jam Fest in Brooklyn.

The final girls state tournament was played in Hershey, Pa., where the Philadelphia Catholic League schools cleaned up at the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association winning five of the 12 state crowns. That’s four boys and girls’ team. The Neumann-Goretti girls, coached by Andrea Peterson, won Class 4A (over a league rival) and sixth overall. Father Judge boys beat league rival Roman Catholic for the 6A chip. West Catholic won 3A, Devon Prep took 4A and Neumann-Goretti secured 5A for the program’s 10^th title.

West Catholic won 2A, Devon Prep took 3A and Neumann-Goretti secured 5A for the program’s 11^th title and double sweep for the Saints. Fact: Since the 2009 season, when the Catholic League joined the PIAA, the boys have annexed 23 titles and 12 runners-up finishes.

Kudos to all the winners and the Archbishop Wood (Warminster, Pa.) girls, who ran into a buzzsaw in the Class 5A final in South Fayette of the Pittsburgh area. Wood had won the previous four titles under coach Mike McDonald and will be a strong team again next season, and likely nationally ranked.

The Blue Star Media Elite 25 girls’ basketball final rankings drop Monday, April 7 afternoon. The end is near and a new look for the Elite 25 is inevitable following CHIPOTLE Nationals.

March Madness update

The NCAA Women’s Final Four has been decided and Tampa, Florida is bracing for an onslaught of talent and memorable games on Friday, April 4 and Sunday, April 6 inside Amalie Arena.

Final Four prediction from two weeks ago: UConn, Notre Dame, South Carolina and UCLA. Well, Notre Dame was upset in the semifinals and the Texas Longhorns round out the four. Three of four correct is okay.

 Methinks South Carolina and UConn are headed to the national championship game on April 6. The Gamecocks will prevail, although Duke pushed them to the limit in the regional final. Dawn Staley will get her troops ready for another Final Four. Paige Bueckers is firing on all cylinders for UConn and is a difference maker.

Feeling benevolent? Life is beginning to take shape in southern California. Since the wildfires ravaged the surrounding Los Angeles area in early January, the locals have been displaced and are picking up the pieces of their lives.

We’ve vetted a few places that will make a difference.

Consider donating here to the Red Cross to assist the relief efforts or to The Salvation Army. No dollar amount is too small and prayers are always welcome. Here’s another one called Fire Aid. Stay strong California.

Since Major League Baseball is underway, here are the American League playoff predictions: Yankees, Royals and Rangers will be the division winners. The Red Sox, Orioles and Astros are the wild cards.

In the National League, the division predicted winners are Braves, Cubs and Dodgers. The wild cards will be Phillies, Diamondbacks and Reds. We’ll give World Series thoughts next time.

Bye for now.

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

Blue Star Media Elite 25 Girls’ Basketball Rankings, April 2, 2025

1. Montverde (Fla.) Academy (24-1)

Previous rank: 1.

The Lowdown: Idle. The Eagles will play Friday, April 4 in the CHIPOTLE Nationals semifinals in Fishers, Ind. The national championship is on the line.

2. Etiwanda, Calif. (28-5)*

Previous: 2.

The Lowdown: Won the CIF Open Division state championship for a third straight year. Season complete.

3. Ontario (Calif.) Christian (30-2)

Previous: 3.

The Lowdown: Advanced to the CIF SoCal Region Open Division final. Season complete.

4. Bishop McNamara, Forestville, Md. (29-1)**

Previous: 4.

The Lowdown: Won Maryland Private Schools Tournament and Washington Catholic Athletic Conference championships. Season complete.

5. Westtown School, West Chester, Pa. (27-3)**

Previous: 5.

The Lowdown: Next stop is the CHIPOTLE Nationals semifinals on Friday, April 4 in Fishers, Ind. The Moose might be two wins from a national championship.

6. IMG Academy, Bradenton, Fla. (17-4)

Previous: 6.

The Lowdown: The Ascenders play in the CHIPOTLE Nationals semifinals on Friday, April 4 in Fishers, Ind. The final is 10 a.m. ET Saturday, April 5.

7. Morris Catholic, Denville N.J. (28-0)*

Previous: 7.

The Lowdown: Won the NJSIAA Non-Public A state championship. It was the Crusaders’ third straight state title after winning the previous two in Non-Public B. Season complete.

8. Bradley Central, Cleveland, Tenn. (35-1)*

Previous: 8.

The Lowdown: Won a third consecutive Class 4A state championship. Earlier this week, one of the nation’s top juniors committed to an ACC school. Six-foot guard Kimora Fields says she’ll sign with Clemson. Season complete.

9. Archbishop Mitty, San Jose, Calif. (27-4)

Previous: 9.

The Lowdown: Advanced to CIF Open Division state championship after winning the NorCal title. Season complete.

10. Mater Dei, Santa Ana, Calif. (29-4)

Previous: 10.

The Lowdown: The Trinity League champions fell in the CIF-SoCal Open Division semifinals Season complete.

11. Clovis West, Fresno, Calif. (33-1)

Previous: 11.

The Lowdown: Advanced to the CIF-NorCal Region Open Division final. Season complete.

12. Sierra Canyon School, Chatsworth, Calif. (28-3)

Previous: 12.

The Lowdown: Won the Mission League title and advanced to the CIF-SoCal Open Division semifinals Season complete.

13. Johnston, Iowa (26-0)*

Previous: 13.

The Lowdown: Won a second consecutive Class 5A state championship. Season complete.

14. Incarnate Word Academy, Bel Nor, Mo. (29-2)*

Previous: 14.

The Lowdown: Won the Missouri state championship for an eighth consecutive time after securing Class 6 title. Last week, Indiana-bound Neveah Caffey was named Miss Show-Me Basketball. Season complete.

15. Boswell, Fort Worth, Texas (39-2)*

Previous: 15.

The Lowdown: Won the Class 6A, Division II state championship. Season complete.

16. Ridgeline, Millville, Utah (28-0)*

Previous: 16.

The Lowdown: Won the UHSAA Class 4A state championship for the third straight year. Regular season complete.

17. Sidwell Friends, Washington, D.C. (27-3)**

Previous: 17.

The Lowdown: Won the District of Columbia State Athletic Association Class AA state championship and Independent School League Division AA title. Season complete.

18. Providence Academy, Plymouth, Minn. (32-0)*

Previous: 18.

The Lowdown: Won record-setting fourth consecutive Minnesota Class 2A state championship. Season complete.

19. Lincoln, Dallas (39-2)*

Previous: 19.

The Lowdown: Won the UIL Class 4A, Division II state championship. Season complete.

20. Winter Haven, Fla. (27-2)*

Previous: 20.

The Lowdown: Won the Class 7A state championship for the second straight season. Season complete.

21. Sacred Heart Academy, Louisville, Ky. (35-5)*

Previous: 21.

The Lowdown: Won a state-record fifth straight KHSAA State Championship. Season complete.

22. Kenwood, Chicago (35-3)**

Previous: 22.

The Lowdown: Won the Illinois Class 4A state championship and Chicago Public League crown. Season complete.

23. Holy Innocents’ Episcopal, Atlanta (25-5)*

Previous: 23.

The Lowdown: Won the Class 3A-A Private School state championship and fifth overall state title. Season complete.

24. Hebron Christian Academy, Dacula, Ga. (29-2)

Previous: 24.

The Lowdown: Finished runner-up in the GHSA 3A-A Private State Tournament and won the Region 8-AA title. Season complete.

25. Long Island Lutheran, Brookville, N.Y. (18-5)

Previous: 25.

The Lowdown: Season complete.

Dropped: None.

High-Fives by Region

East

1. Neumann-Goretti, Philadelphia (26-4)**
2. Bishop Ireton, Alexandria, Va. (28-6)*
3. Princess Anne, Virginia Beach, Va. (28-0)*
4. Christ the King, Middle Village, N.Y. (25-6)**
5. Paul VI, Haddonfield, N.J. (27-1)

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

Midwest

1. Winton Woods, Cincinnati (27-0)*
2. Purcell Marian, Cincinnati (23-6)*
3. Belleville, Mich. (28-1)*
4. Millard West, Omaha, Neb. (28-1)*
5. Kimberly, Wis. (29-1)*

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

Southland

1. Hoover, Ala. (32-4)*
2. Putnam City North, Oklahoma City (29-1)*
3. Ridge View, Woodstock, Ga. (31-1)*
4. Monterey, Lubbock, Texas (36-5)*
5. Tupelo, Miss. (29-4)*

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

Far West

1. Grandview, Aurora, Colo. (25-3)*
2. Centennial, Las Vegas (23-2)*
3. Tualatin, Ore. (26-2)*
4. Clackamas, Ore. (27-3)
5. Central Valley, Spokane Valley, Wash. (27-0)*

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

Records through Saturday

* Won state, national or conference postseason tournament championship

[Editor’s note: Each asterisk represents a separate postseason title]

About: The Blue Star Media Elite 25 Girls’ High School Basketball Rankings are released weekly from December 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. The final rankings will be released at the conclusion of the season. Follow him on X at @clawlor.