MVP: Super junior Zoe Brooks stakes No. 3 St. John Vianney (NJ) to Tampa Bay Christmas Invitational title; 3 enter Blue Star Media Elite 25 girls’ rankings

BENSALEM, Pa. – The post-Christmas event schedule was good to some, or the in the case of the Blue Star Media Elite 25 girls’ basketball rankings, very good for three teams.

That’s an annual occurrence on the national scene when tournaments in states such as Alabama, Florida and California influence the Elite 25 rankings for the first week of January.

A trio of teams have been added to the Elite 25 from Missouri, California and Alabama. No. 14 Rock Bridge (Columbia, Mo.) is the second team from the Show Me State in the rankings after winning Naples (Fla.) Holiday Shootout American Division. The Lady Bruins stopped then-No. 10 Sacred Heart Academy (Louisville, Ky.) in the title game.

No. 16 Hazel Green (21-0) enters as Alabama’s reigning Class 6A state champions and current No. 1 after recording three quality victories BallN Prep National Showcase on its home court.

The biggest surprise came out of the East Bay in northern California when No. 18 Carondelet (Concord, Calif.) went 2-1 in the West Coast Jamboree Platinum Bracket. The Cougars fell in the tournament final to then-No. 5 DeSoto (Texas), who was preseason No. 1, by six points but beat three area opponents along the way. Most notably was a win over then-No. 9 Archbishop Mitty (San Jose, Calif.) in the semifinals.

Eight teams moved up in the rankings, with No. 3 St. John Vianney (Holmdel, N.J.) making the week’s biggest jump of 10 slots. The Lady Lancers captured the Tampa Bay Christmas Invitational She Got Game Classic. No. 17 Hoover (Ala.) moved up eight, No. 11 Cedar Park (Texas) leaped six and No. 9 Sierra Canyon School (Chatsworth, Calif.) five.

No. 22 Montverde (Fla.) Academy took the biggest tumble, dropping 15 spots. No. 19 Archbishop Mitty dipped 10 positions.

In all, three teams held their position from last week, including No. 1 Etiwanda (Calif.), No. 2 Incarnate Word Academy (Bel Nor, Mo.) and No. 21 La Jolla (Calif.) Country Day School.

This weekend’s biggest event is an all-day affair as the Blue Star Invitational tips off Sunday, January 9 at RiverWinds Community Center in West Deptford, N.J. More on the pairings when they are made available. Unfortunately, at least two teams from the Elite 25 dropped out due to COVID-19 concerns.

That’s a wrap for this week.

The Blue Star Media Elite 25 girls’ rankings will return on Jan. 12. We will have a look ahead to what’s happening over the Dr. Martin Luther King weekend.

We hope you enjoyed the holidays and have a Happy New Year in 2022. For those celebrating Christmas on Friday (Jan. 7) from the Julian calendar, all the very best. Please stay safe and get vaccinated.

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

Blue Star Media Elite 25 Girls’ Basketball Rankings, Jan. 5, 2022

1. Etiwanda, Calif. (9-0)

Previous: 1.

Low-down: Idle. The Eagles have three games this week, capped by a matchup with St. Mary’s (Stockton) on Saturday.

2. Incarnate Word Academy, Bel Nor, Mo. (9-0)

Previous: 2.

The Low-down: Won the Visitation Academy Christmas Tournament, beating Whitfield (St. Louis), 69-47, in the final. Junior center Annie Potts flipped in 18 points in the title contest.

3. St. John Vianney, Holmdel, N.J. (5-0)

Previous: 13.

The Low-down: It was a very impressive showing for the Lady Lancers who beat two Elite 25 teams en route to the Tampa Bay Christmas Invitational She Got Game Classic in Florida. In the final, coach Dawn Karpell’s squad stopped St. Thomas Aquinas (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.), 67-55. Junior Zoe Brooks won MVP honors with 21 points and Princeton-bound guard Madison St. Rose bucketed a game-high 25 points. Brooks averaged 23.3 points in three games. The schedule continues this week with two Shore Conference games.

4. Hopkins, Minnetonka, Minn. (8-0)

Previous: 3.

The Low-down: The Royals were idle. They were scheduled to face crosstown rival Minnetonka on Tuesday.

5. Sidwell Friends, Washington, D.C. (5-0)

Previous: 4.

Low-down: Idle. The COVID pause is supposed to be lifted this week.

6. DeSoto, Texas (13-1)

Previous rank: 5.

The Low-down: The defending UIL Class 6A state champions annexed the West Coast Jamboree Platinum Division, stopping three California schools, including Carondelet (Concord), 56-50, in the final. The Eagles have two District 11-6A games this week with Mansfield and Waco.

7. New Hope Academy, Landover Hills, Md. (14-2)

Previous: 8.

The Low-down: Won the Boo Williams Holiday Tournament Gold Division title in Hampton, Va.

8. Mount Notre Dame, Cincinnati (9-0) #

Previous: 11.

The Low-down: The Cougars defeated Centerville, 66-58, in their lone game after Christmas.

9. Sierra Canyon School, Chatsworth, Calif. (13-0)

Previous: 14.

Low-down: Idle.

10. DME Sports Academy, Daytona Beach, Fla. (17-1)

Previous: 6.

Low-down: Went 2-1 at the Tampa Bay Christmas Invitational She Got Game Bracket, finishing in fifth place.

11. Cedar Park, Texas (19-0)

Previous: 17.

Low-down: Idle. The Lady Timberwolves have two games in District 25-5A this week.

12. Classen SAS, Oklahoma City (10-1)

Previous: 16.

Low-down: Idle. The Lady Comets play this weekend in the Putnam City (Okla.) Invitational provided they clear COVID protocols. Last week, they did not play in the Oklahoma Tournament of Champions in Tulsa for this very reason.

13. Duncanville, Texas (20-4)

Previous: 18.

The Low-down: Won the 73^rd Sandra Meadows Classic, holding off Conway (Ark.),73-72, in the championship game. Tournament Most Valuable Player and freshman Kenidi Glover scored 23 points to help secure the title in the final. The Pantherettes won four games to play the proper hosts by winning the event for the 25^th time. The tournament was not conducted in 2020.

14. Rock Bridge, Columbia, Mo. (10-0)

Previous: Not ranked.

Low-down: Won the Naples (Fla.) Holiday Shootout, edging then-No. 10 Sacred Heart Academy (Louisville, Ky.), 40-36, in the title game.

15. Sacred Heart Academy, Louisville, Ky. (13-1)

Previous: 10.

The Low-down: Placed second at the Naples (Fla.) Holiday Shootout American Division, losing to No. ghghgh Rock Bridge (Columbia, Mo.), 40-36. The Valkyries are back at it Saturday vs. North Laurel (London).

16. Hazel Green, Ala. (21-0)

Previous: Not ranked.

Low-down: Alabama’s top-ranked Class 6A team is no stranger to the Elite 25 rankings. The Lady Trojans peeled off three victories three impressive wins post-Christmas at the BallN Prep National Showcase. This week it’s a return to Region 16 with a pair of games.

17. Hoover, Ala. (16-2)

Previous: 25.

Low-down: The Lady Bucs won three games BallN Prep National Showcase this week in Hazel Green, Ala.

18. Carondelet, Concord, Calif. (9-1)

Previous: Not ranked.

Low-down: The Cougars pushed then-No. 5 DeSoto (Texas) to the limit before falling 56-50 in the championship game of the West Coast Jamboree Platinum Bracket. The also recorded quality wins over Northern California schools then-No. Archbishop Mitty (San Jose), St. Ignatius (San Francisco) and Bishop O’Dowd (Oakland). The schedule resumes with Mission Hills (San Marcos) on Saturday.

19. Archbishop Mitty, San Jose, Calif. (10-1)

Previous: 9.

Low-down: Went 2-1 at the West Coast Jamboree Platinum Division, good for third place.

20. Archbishop Hoban, Akron, Ohio (8-0)

Previous: 19.

Low-down: The Knights stopped Howland (Warren), 69-46, and Magnificat (Rocky Rover), 74-28. The action resumes at Solon on Wednesday and Olentangy Liberty (Powell) on Saturday.

21. La Jolla (Calif.) Country Day (11-2)

Previous: 21.

The Low-down: Idle.

22. Montverde (Fla.) Academy (12-3)

Previous: 7.

The Low-down: Went 1-2 at the Tampa Bay Christmas Invitational.

23. Edison Public Academy, Detroit (2-1)

Previous: 22.

Low-down: Idle. The Pioneers are still Michigan’s top-ranked team regardless of division.

24. Woodward Academy, College Park, Ga. (10-1)

Previous: 23.

Low-down: The Lady War Eagles were idle last week.

25. Lake Highland Prep, Orlando, Fla. (13-2)

Previous: 24.

Low-down: Went 2-1 and took third place at the loaded Tampa Bay Christmas Invitational She Got Game Bracket in Florida. Louisville-bound forward Nyla Harris posted 30 points and 10 rebounds in a 95-91 win over Bearden (Knoxville, Tenn.) in the consolation game. The Highlanders have two games this weekend in Atlanta.

Dropped: No. 12 IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.), No. 15 Plano (Texas) East and No. 21 Franklin (Ind.)

High-Fives by Region

East

1. St. Paul VI, Chantilly, Va. (7-2)
2. North Allegheny, Wexford, Pa. (7-0)
3. Saddle River (N.J.) Day School (6-0)
4. Bishop McNamara, Forestville, Md. (5-4)
5. Georgetown Visitation, Washington, D.C. (6-0)

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 (10-0)
2. Minnetonka, Minn. (9-0)
3. Millard South, Omaha, Neb. (10-0)
4. Homestead, Fort Wayne, Ind. (12-1)
5. Midland (Mich.) Dow (6-0)

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

Southland

1. Conway, Ark. (14-1)
2. Tompkins, Katy, Texas (23-1)
3. Blackman, Murfreesboro, Tenn. (12-0)
4. Argyle, Texas (22-0)
5. Harrison Central, Gulfport, Miss. (18-0)

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

Far West

1. Cathedral Catholic, San Diego (8-2)
2. Fremont, Plain City, Utah (7-2)
3. Mater Dei, Santa Ana, Calif. (8-3)
4. Valor Christian, Highlands Ranch, Colo. (7-2)
5. Beaverton, Ore. (7-1)

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

Records through Monday

# Includes a forfeit win

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 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 in April. Follow him on Twitter at @clawlor.