BENSALEM, Pa. – California is percolating. Texas is flying high. Illinois is taking shape. Florida, Nevada and Indiana will crown state champions this weekend. Add it up and you have postseason girls’ basketball at the highest order.

This is exactly what the Blue Star Media Elite 25 girls’ basketball rankings need to stimulate movement and interest before heading into the month of March.

It’s a fun time of the year when everything a team has worked for is coming to fruition. Monday night saw two major league crown their champions as No. 15 Bishop McNamara (Forestville, Md.) won the Washington Catholic Athletic Conference and West Catholic (Philadelphia) bagged the Philadelphia Catholic League chip for the first time in a generation (or 1998). It marked the 50^th anniversary of West’s first one back in 1970.

As for the latest addition, we swapped two California teams. No. 21 Windward School (Los Angeles) is peaking at the right time after a 3-0 record during pool play in the CIF-Southern Section Open Division playoffs. The Wildcats return to the Elite 25 after going 3-0 in Open Division pool play and will face No. 13 Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.) Friday for the championship. Both teams will advance to the Southern California Region Open Division playoffs that tip off next week.

Speaking of tournament play, the GEICO High School Nationals is becoming a bit clearer. Teams from Nevada, Maryland, District of Columbia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Arizona, Washington, Florida, Georgia and Utah are in the running.

This week my ballot includes (in no particular order) Elite 25 teams St. Frances Academy (Baltimore), Westlake (Atlanta) and Lake Highlands Prep (Orlando, Fla.). Yet the fourth team should come from the National Association of Christian Athletes Division 1 tournament that starts Wednesday in Dayton, Tennessee. Riverdale Baptist School (Upper Marlboro, Md.) and Hamilton Heights Christian Academy (Chattanooga, Tenn.) are the favorites but only the winner has the inside track to the four-team bracket.

An interesting team from the Pacific Northwest is tiny Cashmere (Wash.), who is a heavy favorite to capture the WIAA Class 1A title. Cashmere’s top player is McDonald’s All-American guard Hailey Van Lith, who is nearing 3,000 career points, and signed with Louisville. The town of Cashmere is a dot on the map but Van Lith is the face of the small-school and would be a feel-good story if extended an invitation. SFA has already won a state championship and Westlake and Lake Highlands Prep still have work to do. Lake Highlands Prep plays for the Florida Class 4A state title this week and Westlake needs three more victories in Georgia Class AAAAAAA.

The GEICO Nationals will be played April 3 and 4 at Christ the King High School in Middle Village, N.Y.

OK, that’s it for another week.

Check back regularly at www.bluestarmedia.org for staff updates from showcase events, postseason tournaments and key games all season. We’ll keep you abreast of anything breaking in the girls’ hoop world.

The Blue Star Media Elite 25 girls’ rankings return on March 4.

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

Blue Star Media Elite 25 Girls’ Basketball Rankings, Feb. 26, 2020

1. Mount Notre Dame, Cincinnati (25-0)

Previous rank: 1.

Low-down: Laila Phelia and super sophomore KK Bransford scored 21 points apiece as the Cougars pounded Edgewood (Trenton), 86-25, in the Ohio Division I Cincinnati 3 Sectional semifinals. In the quarterfinals, the Cougars took a 21-5 lead after one frame and rolled by Northwest (Cincinnati), 75-16. Phelia scored 17 points and cleared 9 rebounds.

2. Hamilton Heights Christian Academy, Chattanooga, Tenn. (22-1)

Previous: 2.

Low-down: Idle. Next is the National Association of Christian Athletes Division 1 tournament, starting Wednesday in Dayton, Tenn.

3. La Jolla (Calif.) Country Day (28-1)

Previous: 3.

Low-down: Defeated Mater Dei Catholic (Chula Vista), 74-38, in the CIF-San Diego Section Open Division quarterfinals. Next is Bonita Vista (Chula Vista) Wednesday in the semifinals. The final is slated for Saturday.

4. Cypress Creek, Houston (38-0)

Previous: 4.

Low-down: The Cougars crushed Fort Bend Dulles, 76-37, in the Class 6A, Region III Area playoff game and Heights (Houston), 104-65, in the Region III quarterfinals. Two more wins in the region punches a ticket to the 6A state tournament.

5. Southeast Raleigh, Raleigh, N.C (24-1)

Previous: 5.

Low-down: The Lady Bulldogs open the Class 4A state tournament on Thursday in the second round after receiving a bye.

6. Hopkins, Minnetonka, Minn. (25-0)

Previous: 6.

Low-down: The Royals recorded a perfect regular season after defeating Minnetonka, 77-48. It was 38-31 at halftime but a second-half surge of 39-18 clinched it. Maya Nnaji netted 30 points and Paige Bueckers contributed 20 points and 11 assists. The Section 6-AAAA tournament opens this week with the Royals facing Washburn (Minneapolis) Wednesday.

7. Ensworth School, Nashville, Tenn. (26-0)

Previous: 7.

Low-down: The Tigers closed out a perfect regular season, beating St. Cecilia Academy (Nashville), 63-29, and Father Ryan (Nashville), 47-29.

8. Northwestern, Kokomo, Ind. (29-0)

Previous: 8.

Low-down: Defeated Penn (Mishawaka), 56-46, in the Class 4A Semistates. The Tigers go for two straight state titles on Saturday against Lawrence North (Indianapolis) at Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.

9. Riverdale Baptist School, Upper Marlboro, Md. (24-3)

Previous: 9.

Low-down: Idle. Next is the National Association of Christian Athletes Division 1 Tournament this week in Dayton, Tenn.

10. Long Island Lutheran, Brookville, N.Y. (22-1)

Previous: 10.

Low-down: Defeated Staten Island (N.Y.) Academy, 72-52, and Medgar Evers College Prep (Brooklyn), 85-56. In the former, LuHi used a 24-7 second-quarter run to build a 40-22 lead at intermission. The Lady Crusaders won’t play again until the New York State Federation Class AA semifinals in late March.

11. Duncanville, Texas (35-3)

Previous: 11.

Low-down: Defeated Lewisville, 52-36, in the UIL Class 6A, Region I Area playoff game. The Pantherettes met No. 12 DeSoto Tuesday in the Region I quarterfinals. Unfortunately, the loser goes home in the top matchup of the 6A postseason.

12. DeSoto, Texas (32-2)

Previous: 12.

Low-down: Ja’Mia Harris tossed in 17 points to take down Southland Carroll, 65-33, in the UIL Class 6A, Region I Area playoff game. They also drubbed Pearce (Richardson), 97-18, in the bi-district playoff round. Played No. 11 Duncanville in the Region 1 quarterfinals.

13. Mater Dei, Santa Ana, Calif. (29-2)

Previous: 13.

Low-down: The Monarchs will play No. 21 Windward School (Los Angeles) for the CIF-Southern Section Open Division championship on Friday in Long Beach. Coach Kevin Kiernan’s team went 3-0 in pool play and beat Lynwood, 70-68, and Sierra Canyon School (Chatsworth), 61-60, last week.

14. Edison Public School Academy, Detroit (17-0)

Previous: 16.

Low-down: Defeated Cass Tech (Detroit), 67-25, and Heritage (Saginaw), 51-33. The regular season wraps up this week with three games, including the finale at Detroit International Academy Monday.

15. Bishop McNamara, Forestville, Md. (27-5)*

Previous: 22.

Low-down: Won the Washington Catholic Athletic Conference championship, beating No. 16 Paul VI (Fairfax, Va.), 43-40. It was the program’s third title and first since 2008. Liatu King netted 13 points and McDonald’s All-American Madison Scott added 10. The Lady Mustangs also stopped defending champions St. John’s College (Washington, D.C.), 46-41, in the semifinals and St. Mary’s Ryken (Leonardtown, Md.), 61-42, in the quarterfinals.

16. Paul VI, Fairfax, Va. (29-4)

Previous: 15.

Low-down: Lost in Washington Catholic Athletic Conference final to No. 15 Bishop McNamara (Forestville, Md.), 43-40. Beat Bishop O’Connell (Arlington, Va.), 45-29, in the semifinals and Good Counsel (Olney, Md.), 63-28, in the quarterfinals.

17. Amarillo, Texas (34-2)

Previous: 17.

Low-down: The Lady Sandies met Palo Duro (Lubbock) Tuesday in the Class 5A Region I quarterfinals in Caprock. They also crushed Eastlake (El Paso), 69-29, in the Area playoff round.

18. Benet Academy, Lisle, Ill. (29-2)

Previous: 18.

Low-down: Won the Class 4A Plainfield North Regional, defeating Waubonsie Valley (Aurora), 64-37. DePaul-recruit Kendall Holmes topped all scorers with 20 points, sinking four3-pointers, and Wisconsin-bound Brooke Schramek added 9 points. Also opened the Benet Sectional, drilling Oswego, 62-36, in the semifinals. The final is slated for Thursday.

19. Westlake, Atlanta (27-2)

Previous: 19.

Low-down: There was little doubt in the Class AAAAAAA second round when the Lions opened a 22-3 lead after one quarter en route to a 71-30 victory over Archer (Lawrenceville). Next is Norcross Tuesday in the quarterfinals. The semifinals are Saturday.

20. Archbishop Mitty, San Jose, Calif. (22-3)

Previous: 20.

Low-down: Walloped Lynbrook, 92-35, in the CIF-Central Coast Section Open Division quarterfinals. Next is St. Ignatius (San Francisco) Wednesday in the semifinals. The final will be played Friday at Stanford University’s Maples Pavilion.

21. Windward School, Los Angeles (25-4)

Previous: Not ranked.

Low-down: The Wildcats return to the Elite 25 rankings after going 3-0 in CIF-Southern Section Open Division pool play. Last week, they beat Poly (Long Beach), 52-41, and Rosary Academy (Fullerton), 63-48. By winning Pool B, the Wildcats face No. 13 Mater Dei (Santa Ana) Friday in the Open Division final in Long Beach.

22. Trenton Catholic Academy, Hamilton, N.J. (23-1)

Previous: 21.

Low-down: Zoe Brooks pumped 19 points and snared 8 rebounds to a 76-16 victory over Hightstown in the Mercer County Tournament quarterfinals.  Also beat Nottingham, 82-18, in the first round, as Molly Aromando netted 23 points and hauled down 6 boards. Maniya Custis dropped in 18 points, canning four 3-pointers, in a 67-47 win over Rutgers Prep (Somerset) in a statewide showdown.

23. Lake Highlands Prep, Orlando, Fla. (28-2)

Previous: 23.

Low-down: Won Class 4A, Region 2 championship, defeating Wesley Chapel, 58-13, in the final. The Highlanders face Cardinal Gibbons (Fort Lauderdale) Thursday morning in the Class 4A semifinals. The championship game is Saturday in Lakeland.

24. St. Frances Academy, Baltimore (25-3)*

Previous: 24.

Low-down: Won its fifth consecutive  IAAM A Conference championship. Earlier this week, the organizers of the Bishop Walsh Girls Invitational Tournament in Cumberland, Maryland cancelled the event. If so, the Lady Panthers would be done this season unless a GEICO Nationals invitation is handed over.

25. St. Joseph Central Catholic, Huntington, W.Va. (19-1)

Previous: 25.

Low-down: Idle. The Class 1A sectional semifinals were Tuesday against Buffalo.

Dropped: No. 14 Sierra Canyon School (Chatsworth, Calif. ).

High-Fives by Region

East

1. New Hope Academy, Landover Hills, Md. (21-7)
2. Poly, Baltimore (19-1)
3. St. John Vianney, Holmdel, N.J. (23-1)
4. Princess Anne, Virginia Beach, Va. (21-1)
5. Chartiers Valley, Bridgeville, Pa. (23-0)

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

Midwest

1. Fairmont, Kettering, Ohio (22-2)
2. Newark, Ohio (24-2)
3. Aquinas, La Crosse, Wis. (20-1)
4. Morton, Ill. (34-0)
5. Lawrence North, Indianapolis (25-4)

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

Southland

1. Hoover, Ala. (31-2)
2. Cherokee, Canton, Ga. (27-2)
3. Meridian, Miss. (28-1)
4. Sacred Heart Academy, Louisville, Ky. (28-2)
5. Bradley Central, Cleveland, Tenn. (24-3)

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

Far West

1. Sierra Canyon School, Chatsworth, Calif. (25-6)
2. Centennial, Las Vegas (22-6)
3. Cashmere, Wash. (21-0)
4. Woodinville, Wash. (25-0)
5. Iolani School, Honolulu (25-2)*

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

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

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.