BENSALEM, Pa. – Tis the season to once again get happy.

That’s because the high school girls’ basketball season is underway in some states and about to tipoff in others.

The Blue Star Media Elite 25 girls’ basketball preseason rankings launch with 25 teams listed alphabetically. A new wrinkle this year is our preseason Terrific Ten, meaning we’ve identified the 10 best teams in the land and the Next 15 follows. So, when all the national matchups are done by late December, we’ll see how these teams fared and get a sensible working order based on strength of schedule and quality wins.

Check back periodically at www.bluestarmedia.org for staff updates from showcase events all season. Our staff is always attending events.

With so many events, shootouts and tournaments between now and the New Year, the Elite 25 rankings will have a different shape and number affixed to the team when we return following the holiday season.

Have a Happy Thanksgiving! We hope to see you at a game or holiday event soon. – Christopher Lawlor

Blue Star Media Elite 25 High School Girls’ Basketball preseason rankings, Nov. 17, 2015

(Records from the 2014-15 season)

The Terrific Ten

Canyon, Texas (34-3)

Low-down: Coach Joe Lombard is one of the nation’s best and points his Eagles toward a third consecutive state title.  A four-guard alignment is driven by 5-7 junior Angel Hayden along with 5-9 Bailey Byrd, 6-1 Calista Winings and 5-6 Caitlyn Cunyus. At 6-1, McKenzie Taylor is the post.

Centennial, Las Vegas (31-2)

Low-down: The defending Division I champions return three state players, 5-4 Pam Wilmore, 5-11 Jayden Eggleston and 5-8 Justice Ethridge (14.0 ppg). Then add the Thomas sisters Bailey (West Virginia recruit) and junior Samantha, transfers from Michigan and it should be a third state title and perhaps national supremacy for the Lady Bulldogs.

Christ the King, Middle Village, N.Y. (21-8)

Low-down: The all-state troika of 5-9 Dominique Toussaint (21.5 ppg), Kaela Kinder (13.8 ppg) and wing shooter Sydney Zambrotta (23.4) all averaged double-digits for the Royals. Zambrotta is going to Louisville and Toussaint signed with Virginia.

Duncanville, Texas (30-6)

Low-down: Reaching the Class 6A Region 1 area final might be fine for some programs but not for the Pantherettes who aim for a 24^th state Final Four appearance. Six-four post Ciera Johnson (14.8 ppg. 9.6 rpg) signed with Louisville while Madison Townley (North Texas) and Rosie Davis (Xavier, La.). The program’s next great player is 6-0 sophomore Zaielle Green (11.9 ppg).

Lakota West, West Chester, Ohio (28-2)

Low-down: The Cardinals are favorites for a second straight Division I title with their top five scorers returning. The sophomore backcourt Abby Pohaska (8.2 ppg) and Lauren Cannatelli (15.2) is special.

Mater Dei, Santa Ana, Calif. (31-3)

Low-down: At 6-3, UCLA-recruit senior Ally Rosenblum (10.3 points, 6.1 rebounds) is the center of attention and 5-11 junior wing Jayda Adams is the next blue-chip prospect and sophomores Nikki Freeman and Emma Torbert are up and coming.

Neumann-Goretti, Philadelphia (31-0)

Low-down: The Saints won Class AA state championship and Elite 25 National Championship. Andrea Peterson, one of the top young coaches in the nation, was named the Naismith National High School Coach of the Year. Though the Saints are smaller and quicker, this team might be stronger than last year. Four players have signed with colleges: 5-11 Alisha Kebbe (Syracuse), 5-7 Jada Russell (Long wood), 5-10 Kamiah Smalls (James Madison) and 5-9 Morgan Lenahan (Wagner). Sophomore G Jabria Ingram and 5-10 junior Mikka Glenn are back and 5-10 junior Chyna Nixon transferred from Virginia after moving into town to live with her father.

Providence Day School, Charlotte, N.C. (27-3)

Low-down: With five starters from a state championship squad, the Chargers are a live wire. At 6-3, junior Janelle Bailey (18.2 ppg, 7.7 rpg) and F Erin Whalen (16 ppg) bolster the frontline. Izzy Gallant, Celine Ives and Tori Powell are expected to make large contributions.

St. Francis, Alpharetta, Ga. (28-3)

Low-down: A young team with 10 returnees should charge to another Class A Private title with elite juniors, 6-3 Kasiyahna Kushkituah and 6-1 Maya Dodson leading the way.

St. Mary’s Stockton, Calif. (34-1)

Low-down: The Rams are clearly the best team in the land but must prove it.  They will get a chance at the prestigious Nike Tournament of Champions in Arizona before Christmas and then on a rare trip to the East Coast when they are slated to participate in the Title IX Classic in Washington, D.C. At 6-2, Aquira DeCosta, is the No. 1 player from the Class of 2018. She averaged 12.9 points, 7.6 rebounds and 2.5 steals per game for a state championship squad. She also played for the USA U16 National Team and is fielding countless offers. Kat Tudor (Oregon State signee) is a three-point specialist and Mi’Cole Cayton (Nebraska) and Sydney Fadal (Pacific) are veteran players headed to Division I programs.

The Next 15

Bishop Gorman, Las Vegas (24-6)

Low-down: Three of the four returning starters—C/F Raychel Stanley (Loyola Marymount), F Madison Washington (Oregon State) and G Megan Jacobs (Utah)—signed with Division I programs. G Skylar Jackson is a junior. The Gaels must contend with ranked Centennial (Las Vegas) in order to win the first state title since 2010.

Chaminade, West Hills, Calif. (27-4)

Low-down: The Eagles fell short one game of reaching the Open Division state final and 6-0 Valerie Higgins (14.9 ppg, 9.8 rpg) and 6-2 Leaonna Odom (17.5 ppg).

Hopkins, Minnetonka, Minn. (30-1)

Low-down: Nia Hollie (Michigan State), Dee-Dee Winston and Ashley Bates (Hampton) are three reasons why the Royals could win their fifth Class 4A state championship in six yeas.

Jeff Davis, Montgomery, Ala. (31-4)

Low-down: The defending Class 7A champions return five of the top seven scorers headed by 6-4 Jasmine Walker (15.3 ppg, 8.1 rpg).

Konawaena, Kealakekua, Hawaii (30-1)

Low-down: The Wildcats will lean on senior G Chanelle Molina (Washington State), junior Victoria Victor, 5-8 junior Celena Molina and 5-4 sophomore PG Cherilyn Molina. Last year, Bobbie Awa’s team made splash on the national scene and with the lineup in tact the expectations are the same.

Lawrence North, Indianapolis (27-2)

Low-down: Indiana’s top-ranked Class 4A squad is flush with talent. Junior Destiny Perkins (23.4 ppg, 3.6 rpg) and seniors 6-1 Ae’Rianna Harris and 5-2 PG Lauren Dickerson form a solid core. Senior G Amber Morgan, 5-9 freshman Trinity Brady and 6-1 junior C Kayley Jones round out the rotation.

Miami (Fla.) Country Day (32-2)

Low down: The Spartans won the Dick’s Sporting Goods High School Invitational Tournament last April and carry a 12-game win streak into the season. The Class 3A champions rely on juniors 5-9 Kelsey Marshall (12.3 ppg), 5-8 PG Channise Lewis and seniors 5-7 Lindsey Pierre and F Marsha Edwards (4.5 rpg, 54% FG).

Montini Catholic, Lombard, Ill. (31-6)

Low-down: After placing third in Class 3A, the Broncos will compete in 4A (the Illinois’ largest classification) this season. The Broncos have at least eight Division I players on the roster. Sophomores Aaliyah Patty and 6-5 C Lindsey Jarosinski might be the best of the bunch.

Norcross, Ga. (28-5)

Low-down: A strong nucleus featuring Vashnie Perry, Taylor Mason and Tylia Gillespie is back for coach Angee Hembree. Vanessa Blagmon, a junior transfer, will add depth to the Lady Blue Devils, who lost in the Class AAAAAA final in overtime.

Olive Branch, Miss.  (32-2)

Low-down: The Lady Quistors are in line to the win the Class 6A state championship with 5-7 junior G Myah Taylor leading the way. First they must take down archrival and reigning champion Horn Lake.

Paul VI, Fairfax, Va. (32-2)

Low-down: The Panthers won the Washington Catholic Athletic Conference and a ninth straight Virginia Independent Schools Athletic Association Division I championship. The main scorers are 5-5 PG Raven James (Villanova) and 5-9 Jasmine Whitney (Pittsburgh), who form a one of the nation’s top backcourts.

Poly, Long Beach, Calif. (26-5)

Low-down: A pair of double-digit scorers, Danae Miller and Eliza Matthews, return for coach Carl Buggs’ team. Clemson-recruit Siana Fields is a 5-9 athletic combo guard and 6-3 C Ayanna Cark has verballed to USC. Da’Jah Jackson and Kathryn Headspeth give the Jackrabbits plenty of options.

Riverdale, Murfreesboro, Tenn. (22-9)

Low-down: Coach Randy Coffman, who spent the previous 17 years at nearby Dyersburg, takes over for Cory Barrett. Anastasia Hayes (19 ppg) is the leading scorer and senior Caroline Patrick (Palm Beach Atlantic recruit) brings more experience. District 7 play will feature crosstown rivals Oakland and Blackman.

Riverdale Baptist School, Upper Marlboro, Md. (25-13)

Low-down: The Lady Crusaders play one of the nation’s toughest schedule. And with 5-11 wing Kaila Charles (Maryland), athletic 5-11 G Morgan Smith (Georgetown), Mangela Ngandjui (UNC-Greensboro) and Alexus Willey (UNC-Greensboro) navigating those treacherous waters won’t be as difficult.

St. John Vianney, Holmdel, N.J. (26-4)

Low-down: The Lancers are deep with DePaul-bound Kelly Campbell (14.7 ppg) and Kellie Crouch (Wagner) forming a potent backcourt and junior center Kimi Evans heading the frontline. F Gigi Caponegro is off to LIU-Brooklyn.

High-Fives by Region

East

1. Cumberland Valley, Mechanicsburg, Pa. (32-1)

2. Ursuline Academy, Wilmington, Del. (24-1)

3. Long Island Lutheran, Brookville, N.Y. (21-4)

4. Princess Anne, Virginia Beach, Va. (27-3)

4. Capital Prep, Hartford, Conn. (25-1)

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

Midwest

1. Trinity, River Forest, Ill. (27-5)

2. Columbus (Ind.) North (28-1)

3. Heritage Christian, Indianapolis (28-2)

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

5. Detroit Country Day, Beverly Hills, Mich. (22-4)

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

Southland

1. Holy Innocents’ Episcopal, Atlanta (31-1)

2. Horn Lake, Miss. (29-4)

3. North Shore, Galena Park, Texas (32-3)

4. Elizabethtown, Ky. (32-3)

5. Blackman, Murfreesboro, Tenn. (32-2)

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

Far West

1. Miramonte, Orinda, Calif. (30-3)

2. Brea (Calif.) Olinda (26-5)

3. Lynnwood, Bothell, Wash. (25-2)

4. Seton Catholic, Chandler, Ariz. (32-3)

5. Hamilton, Chandler, Ariz. (23-9)

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 in early 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, administrators and prep sports writers. Follow him on Twitter at #clawlor.