PHILADELPHIA STORY: Guess where No. 1 in the Blue Star Media Girls’ Basketball rankings reside?

BENSALEM, Pa. – The latest Blue Star Media Elite 25 high school girls’ basketball rankings are revealed. The holiday tournament schedule still has a week to go but after the pre-Christmas events, there are plenty of results to cull.

The next Elite 25 will appear Jan. 7, 2015. Until then have a Happy and Prosperous New Year!

Hope to see you at a game soon; please support your local high school teams. – Christopher Lawlor

Blue Star Media Elite 25 High School Girls’ Basketball rankings, Dec. 29, 2014

1. Neumann-Goretti, Philadelphia (8-0)

Previous: 1.

Low down: The Saints cruised through the opening month playing in the Washington, D.C./Baltimore area but won’t play again until Jan. 8 at West Catholic (Philadelphia).

2. Mater Dei, Santa Ana, Calif. (11-1)

Previous: 2.

Low down: Winning the Nike Tournament of Champions Joe Smith Division with a 4-0 record is a stellar accomplishment.

3. McEachern, Powder Springs, Ga. (6-0)

Previous: 3.

Low down: The Indians have already won an in-season tournament in November and are competing this week in a big one in Texas. Repeating as Class AAAAAA champions were diminished when Georgia Tech-bound post Caliya Robinson went down with a knee injury.

4. Bedford North Lawrence, Ind. (12-0)

Previous: 4.

Low down: The Stars are cruising, having won three games to capture their own holiday tournament.

5. Poly, Long Beach, Calif. (7-1)

Previous: 5.

Low down: The Jackrabbits won the Redondo Union Tournament and went 3-1 at the Nike TOC Joe Smith Division.

6. Chaminade, West Hills, Calif. (9-1)

Previous: Not ranked.

Low down: The Eagles defeated No. 2 Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.) but lost to No. 6 Poly (Long Beach, Calif.). A good showing this week’s Wet Coast Jamboree will set the table for the New Year.

7. Rock Bridge, Columbia, Mo. (7-0)

Previous: 7.

Low down: The Bruins have beaten squads from Missouri, Oklahoma, Kansas and Arkansas, but now it’s a whole new level of competition at the Naples (Fla.) Holiday Shootout, where it takes three wins in three days to gain big-time national acclaim.

8. Vista Ridge, Cedar Park, Texas (17-0)

Previous: 8.

Low down: Texas’ top-ranked Class 5A squad is competing this week at another tournament in Duncanville, Texas.

9. Potter’s House Christian, Jacksonville, Fla. (18-1)

Previous: Not ranked.

Low down: The only blemish on the slate is a two-point setback to Oakland (Murfreesboro, Tenn.) in November. However, the Lions, who are coached by Tony Bannister, can make a statement for No. 1 at the Title IX Invitational this week in Washington, D.C.

10. St. Mary’s, Stockton, Calif. (8-1)

Previous: 10.

Low down: The Rams play one of the nation’s most aggressive schedules. This season they have won the Iolani Classic in Honolulu and took third place in the Nike TOC Joe Smith Division.

11. Blackman, Murfreesboro, Tenn. (11-2)

Previous: 11.

Low down: The Blaze went 3-1 at the Nike TOC Joe Smith Division.

12. Marian, Bloomfield Hills, Mich. (4-0)

Previous: 12.

Low down: A stingy defense is producing a margin of victory of 40 points through four games. The schedule kicks in January.

13. Whitney Young, Chicago (9-1)

Previous: 13.

Low down: The Dolphins are the top-ranked team in Illinois and will build momentum through strength of schedule.

14. Eastside, Paterson, N.J. (5-0)

Previous: 14.

Low down: The Lady Ghosts won all three games at their Lady Ghosts Pink Christmas event this week, including a thrilling overtime victory against state powerhouse Immaculate Heart (Washington Township).

15. Elizabethtown, Ky. (11-1)

Previous: 15.

Low down: The lone loss was by 12 points at No. 11 Blackman (Murfreesboro, Tenn.). The real test is this week at the Naples (Fla.) Holiday Shootout.

16. Myers Park, Charlotte, N.C. (10-1)

Previous: 16.

Low down: There is a quality win against previously ranked Conway (Ark.) on the docket, with the only loss to nationally ranked Blackman (Murfreesboro, Tenn.). The next big game for the Mustangs is New Hope Christian Academy (Thomasville, N.C.) on Jan. 17.

17. Fremd, Palatine, Ill. (13-2)

Previous: 17.

Low down: The Vikings went 3-1 at the Nike TOC Desper Division. Now the push for the Class 4A title begins.

18. Miami (Fla.) Country Day (15-0)

Previous: Not ranked.

Low down: The Miamians are 4-0 in district play and have whacked their in-state competition but winning the National Division of the Naples (Fla.) Holiday Shootout is paramount for coach Ochiel Swaby’s defending state championship squad.

19. Bishop McNamara, Forestville, Md. (9-0)

Previous: Not ranked.

Low down: The Mustangs have quietly won their way in the Elite 25 rankings. In order to stay, the must endure the rigors of the Washington Catholic Athletic Conference against the likes of St. John’s (Washington), Good Counsel (Olney, Md.) and nationally ranked Paul VI (Fairfax, Va.).

20. Princess Anne, Virginia Beach, Va. (10-0)

Previous: Not ranked.

Low down: The Cavaliers are Virginia’s top-ranked public school and are competing local at the Boo Williams Classic Gold Division.

21. Paul VI, Fairfax, Va. (8-1)

Previous: 21.

Low down: This week’s trip to the Junior Florida Orange Bowl Classic will give a better read on the Panthers.

22. Karr, New Orleans (13-0)

Previous: Not ranked.

Low down: A huge matchup with Salmen (Slidell) and 6-5 C Kalani Brown await on Jan. 5.

23. Desert Vista, Phoenix (10-3)

Previous: 23.

Low down: The Thunder split four games at the prestigious Nike TOC.

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

Previous: Not ranked.

Low down: The Trailblazers are a relatively young program but made some noise earlier this month capturing the Santa Barbara TOC title. This week is a different story with a trip to the Title IX Invitational.

25. Natchez, Miss. (9-0)

Previous: 25.

Low down: The Lady Bulldogs are an underrated team. Three of the key starters are underclassmen. Would be great to see them on the national scene sooner than later.

Dropped: Conway, Ark.; Long Island Lutheran, Brookville, N.Y.; McKinney North, McKinney, Texas; Plano West, Plano, Texas; Hopkins, Minnetonka, Minn.; Riverdale Baptist School, Upper Marlboro, Md.; and Salmen, Slidell, La.

High-Fives by Region

East

1. Manasquan, N.J. (5-0)

2. Archbishop Molloy, Fresh Meadows, N.Y. (7-0)

3. Eleanor Roosevelt, Greenbelt, Md. (4-0)

4. Braintree, Mass. (4-0)

5. Cumberland Valley, Mechanicsburg, Pa. (7-1)

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

Midlands

1. Lawrence North, Indianapolis (13-0)

2. Eastview, Apple Valley, Minn. (7-0)

3. Montini Catholic, Lombard, Ill. (16-1)

4. New Trier, Winnetka, Ill. (13-0)

5. Mount Notre Dame, Cincinnati (9-0)

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

South

1. Ridgeway, Memphis (12-0)

2. St. Francis, Alpharetta, Ga. (8-0)

3. Northside, Fort Smith, Ark. (12-0)

4. Warren Easton, New Orleans (12-0)

5. Cypress Woods, Cypress, Texas (16-1)

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

Far West

1. Gonzaga Prep, Spokane, Wash. (8-0)

2. Konawaena, Kealakekua, Hawaii (17-1)

3. South Medford, Medford, Ore. (6-2)

4. Centennial, Las Vegas (17-1)

5. Horizon, Thornton, Colo. (8-1)

Geography: 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. 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 April 4. Follow him on Twitter: @clawlor.