BENSALEM, Pa. – The season is beginning to spit out the contenders and pretenders.

The latest Blue Star Media Elite 25 girls’ basketball rankings has the top teams holding serve and looking to peak at the right time as the postseason nears and ones that just are searching for consistency and avoid the upset bug.

It seems the latter bit two of our teams twice last week and away they go. However, two hungry replacements take their place from the East and Southland regions. No. 23 Manasquan (N.J.) is New Jersey’s top team despite playing in the one of the lower groups. Anything short of a Group 2 state title and taking home the State Tournament of Champions crown would be underachievement.

No. 24 Olive Branch (Miss.) is no stranger to the Elite 25 and is the favorite to bag the Class 6A state championship. As for No. 25 Seton Catholic Prep (Chandler, Ariz.), a third loss does not bode well but there’s still plenty of time for the Sentinels to re-establish their dominance in Class 4A.

Before I forget, the women’s basketball world lost a true pioneer and a giant—all 5 feet, 3 inches of her. Sister Maria Pares, who rose to fame coaching high school and college mostly in her native Buffalo, N.Y., died last Friday from complications of cancer. Sister Maria was 75. In the 1980s, she built Sacred Heart Academy (Buffalo) into a power, going 229-10 (which included a 127-game win streak), with 13 consecutive Monsignor Martin Association titles and 1986 Class C state crown, while simultaneously coaching the Canisius College women’s team. She later took Marquette University into the Division I ranks. In her second stint at SHA, starting in 1999, Sister Pares added five more MMA chips. Sister Maria raised the bar for girls’ basketball in Western New York and tireless advocate for Title IX. This Saturday morning (Jan. 28) a Mass of the Christian Burial will be celebrated at St. Michael Roman Catholic Church in Buffalo.

This weekend the girls’ hoop universe will gather at the famed Gauchos Gymnasium in Bronx, N.Y.—actually one subway stop or a long three-ball from Yankee Stadium on Gerard Avenue—for The Mecca Challenge. The 22-game event presented by the Lady Choz goes three days, starting with three games on Friday, 10 on Saturday and nine on Sunday. The event is popular with college coaches, who flock to see quality teams and players from as far away as Canada, North Carolina, Maryland and Florida. A majority of the schools are from the tri-state area, mainly from New York.

The scheduling highlights are: Friday, Nazareth Regional (Brooklyn) vs. Murry Bergtraum (Manhattan), 5 p.m.; Eastside (Paterson, N.J.) vs. Life Center Academy (Burlington, N.J.), 6:40; and Riverdale Baptist School (Upper Marlboro, Md.) vs. St. Laurent (Canada).

Saturday, Staten Island Academy vs. Potter’s House Christian (Jacksonville, Fla.), 10:15 p.m.; Forest Trail Academy (Kernersville, N.C.) vs. Bill Crothers Secondary (Unionville, Ont.). 12:45; Gill St. Bernard (Gladstone, N.J.) vs. Monsignor Scanlan (Bronx), 2; Christ the King (Middle Village) vs. Cardinal O’Hara (Tonawanda), 5; Ossining vs. Riverdale Baptist, 6:30.

Sunday, Cardinal O’Hara vs. The Mary Louis Academy (Jamaica, N.Y.), 11:30 a.m.; Immaculate Conception (Lodi, N.J.) vs. Rock Creek Christian (Upper Marlboro, Md.), 2 p.m.; and Baldwin vs. South Shore (Brooklyn), 3:15.

The next rankings are out on February 1. Check back regularly at www.bluestarmedia.org for updates from around the country. Our contributors work daily and have the pulse of the girls’ basketball scene,

The reason it’s good to attend local games was illustrated last Friday in Canyon, Texas. It was a Coaches vs. Cancer girls’ game but the $1,200 raised was presented to Amarillo boys’ head coach Travis Schulte, whose nine-year-old daughter, Tatum, was stricken with the disease. Tatum had a portion of her leg amputated and is still undergoing chemotherapy. After No. 12 Amarillo beat Canyon, 44-40, in overtime, the Schulte’s were given the check to help defray costs. The folks from Amarillo were most gracious; they passed the hat, dug deep into their pockets and hearts to help a family in need.

There’s always a reason to attend the games back home. You can use it to get out of the house or as a social scene, but then you might make a difference. You never know. So please support your local high schools and any basketball events in your community or area. That’s giving back. Hope to see you at a game soon. – Christopher Lawlor

Blue Star Media Elite 25 Girls’ Basketball rankings, Jan. 25, 2017

1. Paul VI, Fairfax, Va. (18-0)

Previous rank: 1.

Low-down: C Mikayla Vaughn, a Notre Dame recruit, had a consistent week with 18 and 21 points as the Panthers rolled past Elizabeth Seton (Bladensburg, Md.), 67-43, and Archbishop Carroll (Washington, D.C.), 91-33. The Washington Catholic Athletic Conference title race took the first twist on Tuesday at No. 7 St. John’s College (Washington). The reverse fixture is Feb. 12 in Fairfax.

2. Miami (Fla.) Country Day (21-1)

Previous: 2.

Low-down: Idle. The Spartans close out the regular season on Saturday at IMG Academy (Bradenton) and Rellah Boothe, a McDonald’s All-American Game selection.

3. Centennial, Las Vegas (21-2)

Previous: 3.

Low-down: Jayden Eggleston scored 15 points and Eboni Walker added 14 in a 63-14 win over Cimarron-Memorial (Las Vegas). Only five games remain in the regular season.

4. Monacan, North Chesterfield, Va. (16-0)

Previous: 4

Low-down: It was a busy week for the Chiefs, who rattled off four wins. In a 91-20 victory over Clover Hill (Midlothian), Connecticut-bound G Megan Walker scored 21 points and had five steals as the Chiefs took a 28-3 lead after one quarter.

5. Riverdale, Murfreesboro, Tenn. (17-0)

Previous: 5.

Low-down: In an 88-62 hammering of rivals Blackman (Murfreesboro), Anastasia Hayes bucketed 36 points and Middle Tennessee State-bound Alexis Whittington added 16. The Lady Warriors play Hoover (Ala.) on Saturday in Booneville, Miss.

6. Grandview, Aurora, Colo. (11-1)

Previous: 8.

Low-down: UCLA-bound G Michaela Onyenwere had a huge week totaling 52 points, connecting on 16 of 29 shots and 17 of 22 free throws, clearing 16 rebounds and making 7 steals in victories over Overland (Aurora), 76-27, and Cherry Creek (Greenwood Village), 70-55.

7. St. John’s College, Washington, D.C. (15-1)

Previous: 9.

Low-down: Senior PG Niya Beverley totaled 27 points in a pair of blowout victories in the WCAC. But the real test, at least the first meeting, with top-ranked Paul VI (Fairfax, Va.) is just the start.

8. Archbishop Mitty, San Jose, Calif. (14-2)

Previous: 10.

Low-down: The Monarchs have a dangerous matchup at Carondelet (Concord) on Wednesday and then a West Catholic League game with St. Francis (Mountain View) on Friday.

9. Butler, Louisville, Ky. (19-1)

Previous: 13.

Low-down: Indiana-bound G Jaelynn Penn posted 14 points and 10 rebounds in a 43-31 win over then-No. 6 Montini Catholic (Lombard, Ill.) at the Raatz Fence/O’Shea’s Basketball Classic in Louisville. The Bearettes ran their win streak to 19 games. This was a quality win and a superb defensive effort, allowing only six points in the final quarter.

10. Clovis West, Fresno, Calif. (18-2)

Previous: 7.

Low-down: After absorbing a second loss, the Golden Eagles returned home to win three times—twice by decisive margins. Up next is Clovis East (Clovis) Tuesday and archrivals Clovis Saturday.

11. Poly, Long Beach, Calif. (13-3)

Previous: 11.

Low-down: The Jackrabbits had little resistance beating Moore League foes Cabrillo (Long Beach), Compton and Lakewood, while allowing 32 points in three games.

12. Amarillo, Texas (28-1)

Previous: 14.

Low-down: In West Texas, the Sandies edged defending state champion Canyon, 44-40, in overtime. The District 3-5A rivals will likely meet again in the regional tournament. Up next are district games with Hereford on Tuesday and at Plainview on Friday.

13. Montini Catholic, Lombard, Ill. (21-1)

Previous: 6.

Low-down: Lost to then-No. 13 Butler (Louisville, Ky.), 43-31, at the Raatz Fence/O’Shea’s Basketball Classic in Louisville. The Chicago Girls Catholic Athletic Conference Tournament opens Saturday and the final is Feb. 4.

14. Fayetteville, Ark. (18-2)

Previous: 15.

Low-down: The win streak hit 10 games after beating Har-Ber (Springdale), 63-36.

15. North Central, Indianapolis (22-0)

Previous: 16.

Low-down: The regular season concludes Friday with Warren Central. (Indianapolis). The Panthers iced their first Metropolitan Interscholastic Conference title since 2008.

16. Timberview, Mansfield, Texas (26-2)

Previous: 17.

Low-down: The Metroplex was rocking last Friday when Texas A&M-bound Chennedy Carter flipped in 19 points and Wolves topped rivals Mansfield Summitt, 50-45, in a meeting of Class 5A powerhouses. The win improved the Wolves to 9-0 in District 10-5A.

17. Duncanville, Texas (27-2)

Previous: 18.

Low-down: Two more wins last week and five games remain the regular season for the Pantherettes.

18. Detroit Country Day School, Beverly Hills, Mich. (9-0)

Previous: 19.

Low-down: Idle. The Yellowjackets played Romulus on Tuesday.

19. Hamilton Heights Christian Academy, Chattanooga, Tenn. (17-1)

Previous: 20.

Low-down: The big news was four more wins, extending the win streak to five, while thrashing Legacy Charter (Greenville, S.C.), 66-38. Amber Hunt, an Alabama State recruit, scored 21 points and cracked the 1,000-point barrier for her career.

20. Collins Hill, Suwanee, Ga. (16-2)

Previous: 21.

Low-down: Defeated Mill Creek (Hoschton), 64-42, in a light week, but that changes with three games in five days.

21. Norcross, Ga. (19-2)

Previous: 22.

Low-down: Idle. The Blue Devils are 8-0 in Region 7-AAAAAAA with four games to go in the regular season.

22. Destrehan, La. (24-0)

Previous: 23.

Low-down: Louisiana’s top-ranked team is gaining momentum and are 5-0 in District 7-5A.

23. Manasquan, N.J. (15-0)

Previous: Not ranked.

Low-down: The Warriors won 28 games a year ago and are more than half way to that total as New Jersey’s top-ranked team. They are currently the top-seed in Group 2, Central Jersey Section with the tournament draw on Feb. 9. A fourth straight trip to the State Tournament of Champions is taking shape.

24. Olive Branch, Miss. (23-1)

Previous: Not ranked.

Low-down: Coach Jason Thompson’s club won its 10th straight, topping Southaven, 55-45. Mississippi’s top-ranked squad is the favorite in Class 6A after bowing out early in the states a year ago.

25. Seton Catholic Prep, Chandler, Ariz. (20-3)

Previous: 12.

Low-down: Upset by Cactus Shadows (Cave Creek), 54-41. The Sentinels must rebound this week after that loss and have three opportunities to atone.

Dropped: No. 24 Sierra Canyon School, Chatsworth, Calif., and No. 25 St. Mary’s Stockton, Calif.

High-Fives by Region

East

1. St. Frances Academy, Baltimore (19-0)
2. Riverdale Baptist School, Upper Marlboro, Md. (14-5)
3. Neumann-Goretti, Philadelphia (11-3)
4. Ursuline Academy, Wilmington, Del. (10-1)
5. St. Rose, Belmar, N.J. (12-2)

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

Midwest

1. Hopkins, Minnetonka, Minn. (18-0)
2. Edwardsville, Ill. (20-0)
3. Rock Island, Ill. (24-1)
4. Homestead, Fort Wayne, Ind. (20-2)
5. Mason, Ohio (14-1)

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

Southland

1. Ribault, Jacksonville, Fla. (19-3)
2. St. Francis, Alpharetta, Ga. (16-4)
3. Clear Springs, League City, Texas (23-3)
4. Deshler, Tuscumbia, Ala. (22-0)
5. Fort Gibson, Okla. (14-0)

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

Far West

1. Mesquite, Gilbert, Ariz. (22-1)
2. Carondelet, Concord, Calif. (13-3)
3. Harvard-Westlake, Studio City, Calif. (17-2)
4. Central Valley, Spokane Valley, Wash. (15-0)
5. La Salle Catholic College Prep, Milwaukie, Ore. (11-2)

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. 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 in April. Follow him on Twitter at #clawlor.