BENSALEM, Pa. – A win over the previous No. 7 team earned No. 23 Amarillo (Texas) a spot in the Blue Star Media Elite 25 girls’ basketball rankings.

It took the Sandies over three months but they are back in the Elite 25 for the first time this season with one weekend remaining in the Texas high school. Amarillo makes the long trip to San Antonio for the UIL Class 5A state tournament, where they are the defending champions.

The Sandies are not the only newcomer, well, sort of. No. 15 Windward School (Los Angeles) re-enters after winning the CIF-Southern Section Open Division after knocking off then-No. 7 Sierra Canyon School (Chatsworth) in the final. Sierra won the matchup in January and the two could meet again in the Southern California Region Open Division tournament that begins Wednesday. If the Wildcats are to repeat in the CIF Open Division, they will lean on All-American PG Charisma Osborne for guidance and court presence.

No. 16 Sierra Canyon was dumped nine spots but is still alive in the state tournament.

No. 1 Miami (Fla.) Country Day is two wins from capturing a state championship and No. 2 St. John’s College (Washington, D.C.) made it a three-peat in the Washington Catholic Athletic Conference Tournament. No. 3 Centennial (Las Vegas), No. 4 Maine West (Des Plaines, Ill.) and No. 5 Bishop McNamara (Forestville, Md.) round out the top 5. Centennial and Maine West play for state titles in Nevada and Illinois, respectively this weekend and have earned the bump for difficult schedules and near flawless play.

A week from now, champions will be crowned in Illinois, Nevada, Florida, Alabama, Texas, District of Columbia and Washington. It’s the first real weekend they will hand out oodles of hardware. California has moved up its tournament by three weeks and is featured on the weekend of March 8-9 in Sacramento. Once the month of March arrives so do the state crowns. It will be a busy month that’s for sure. 

Other than state championships, the top event is the Bishop Walsh Girls Invitational Tournament, tipping off for three days on Thursday afternoon at Bishop Walsh High School in Cumberland, Md. Schools from Baltimore, Washington (D.C.) area and western Maryland comprise the powerful eight-team bracket. 

Elite 25 teams Bishop McNamara and New Hope Academy sits on opposite sides of the bracket with Riverdale Baptist School (Upper Marlboro, Md.) and St. Frances Academy (Baltimore) bolstering the tournament. Here’s more on the 25^thannual BWGIT. 

The national tournament and high school scene is capped by a weekend in New York City.

The GEICO High School Nationals is shaping up with New Hope Academy a virtual lock and Miami Country Day and Centennial (Las Vegas) on the verge on garnering invites, while the Georgia Class AAAAAAA champion in the pole position for the fourth and final team that will play at Christ the King High School in Middle Village, New York on April 5 and 6. Yes, it’s a about a month layoff for teams but worth the wait. More on this when the brackets are released.

The Blue Star Media Elite 25 girls’ basketball rankings return on March 6. Only four ranking periods remain.

Check back regularly at www.bluestarmedia.org for staff updates from showcase events and state tournaments in March. Blue Star Media will keep you abreast of everything in the girls’ basketball universe.

Thank you for your readership, we cannot do it without you. We hope to see you at a game soon. – Christopher Lawlor

Blue Star Media Elite 25 Girls’ Basketball Rankings, February 27, 2019

1. Miami (Fla.) Country Day (24-1)

Previous rank: 1.

Low-down: The Spartans are two wins from taking the Florida Class 4A state championship, starting with Yonge (Gainesville) Wednesday morning in the semifinals. That winner gets Carrollwood Day (Tampa) or SLAM (Miami) Thursday in the state final at the RP Funding Center (Lakeland). A sixth state title most assuredly earns an invite to the GEICO Nationals in April. Last week, the Spartans hammered Westminster Academy (Fort Lauderdale), 68-36, in the Region 4 final.

2. St. John’s College, Washington, D.C. (32-1)*

Previous: 2.

Low-down: Won Washington Catholic Athletic Conference Tournament title, rallying past then-No. 3 Bishop McNamara (Forestville, Md.), 66-51. The Cadets trailed 40-38 at the onset of the fourth but used a 28-11 run to close out a third straight championship. Sophomore sensation Azzi Fudd scored a game-high 32 points. In the semifinals, the Cadets eliminated Bishop Ireton, 53-38. It was the ninth WCAC championship game appearance in the last 10 years. The schedule continues with Anacostia (Washington) in the D.C. State Athletic Association Class AA tournament first round on Wednesday. The semifinals are Friday and the final is Sunday afternoon.

3. Centennial, Las Vegas (29-1)

Previous: 6.

Low-down: Sophomore Taylor Bigby tossed in 20 points and dropped 5 dimes in an 86-51 blowout win over Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas) in the Nevada Class 4A Southern Nevada final. The Lady Bulldogs also won their ninth straight regional title, defeating Canyon Springs (Las Vegas), 70-25, for the Mountain Region crown. Eboni Walker had 17 points and grabbed 5 rebounds as Centennial jumped to a 17-0 lead. Next is a 4A state semifinal date versus Canyon Springs (Las Vegas) Thursday at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas. The final is Friday evening.

4. Maine West, Des Plaines, Ill. (33-0)

Previous: 11.

Low-down: Won Class 4A Super-Sectional, beating Lake Forest, 53-34. Junior Angela Dugalic’s 20-point, 14-rebound effort led the Warriors to their ninth trip to the states. Also won the Evanston Section, topping Evanston, 55-50. Next are the 4A state semifinals versus Hononegah (Rockton) Friday in Normal. The final and third-place game is Saturday back at Illinois State University’s Redbird Arena

5. Bishop McNamara, Forestville, Md. (29-3)

Previous: 3.

Low-down: Lost to No. 2 St. John’s College (Washington, D.C.), 66-51, in the WCAC Tournament final. The Lady Mustangs were up two points after three quarters but wilted in the fourth and fell to their rivals for the third time this season. In the semifinals, the Lady Mustangs beat Paul VI (Fairfax, Va.), 57-49. Additionally, Frank Oliver, Jr. is one of five finalists for the Jersey Mike’s Naismith Girls High School Coach of the Year. The Lady Mustangs tip off the Bishop Walsh Girls Invitational Tournament on Thursday in Cumberland, Md.

6. Africentric Early College, Columbus, Ohio (22-0)

Previous: 4.

Low-down: Overwhelmed Fredericktown, 86-7, in the Division III district quarterfinals and Fairbanks (Milford Center), 77-17, in the first round. The Lady Nubians played Liberty Center (Baltimore) Tuesday in the semifinals. The final is Friday.

7. New Hope Academy, Landover Hills, Md. (32-3)*

Previous: 5.

Low-down: Won the National Association of Christian Athletes National Division 1 Tournament, beating Riverdale Baptist School (Upper Marlboro, Md.), 64-57, in overtime. The all-tournament team selections included: Kylie Kornegay-Lucas, Delicia Pinnick and Jada Walker. In pool play, they beat Potters House Christian (Jacksonville, Fla.), 63-29, TPLS Christian (Richmond, Va.), 74-33, and Rock Creek Christian (Upper Marlboro, Md.), 65-29. Next is the Bishop Walsh Girls’ Invitational Tournament in Cumberland, Md. 

8. Westridge Academy, Kernersville, N.C. (25-0)*

Previous: 9.

Low-down: Won the Independent High School Championship, beating Blair Academy (Blairstown, N.Y.), 56-47, in Mooresville, N.C. Tournament Most Valuable Player KK Deans went over 1,000 points for her career.

9. Edison Public School Academy, Detroit (17-1)

Previous: 10.

Low-down: The Pioneers moved up a classification this season and open the Michigan Division 2 District 59 playoffs against South Lake (St. Clair Shores) on Monday. The semifinals are March 6 and the final is March 8.

10. Riverdale, Murfreesboro, Tenn. (27-1)

Previous: 12.

Low-down: Downed Franklin County (Winchester), 71-37, in the Region 4-AAA quarterfinals.

11. Archbishop Mitty, San Jose, Calif. (25-2)

Previous: 18.

Low-down: Won the CIF-Central Coast Section Open Division, beating Pinewood School (Los Altos Hills), 72-51, in the final. The Monarchs received a coveted bye to the CIF-Northern California Region Open semifinals and will play Salesian College Prep (Richmond) or St. Joseph Notre Dame (Alameda) on Saturday. The final is March 5.

12. Collins Hill, Suwanee, Ga. (28-1)

Previous: 13.

Low-down: Defeated Archer (Lawrenceville), 76-36, in the Class AAAAAAA second round. Next is Campbell (Smyrna) in the quarterfinals Tuesday. The semifinals are Saturday.

13. Christ the King, Middle Village, N.Y. (20-4)

Previous: 14.

Low-down: Idle. Coach Bob Mackey’s team is rested for raring to go for Wednesday’s Class AA Brooklyn-Queens Diocesan semifinals versus Xaverian (Brooklyn). The final is Sunday.

14. Hopkins, Minnetonka, Minn. (26-0)

Previous: 15.

Low-down: Junior All-American Paige Bueckers pumped in 23 points and the Royals completed a regular season sweep of Wayzata (Plymouth), 70-49. The win secured the Lake Conference title.

15. Windward School, Los Angeles (25-5)

Previous: Not ranked.

Low-down: Won the CIF-Southern Section Open Division championship, beating then-No. 7 Sierra Canyon School (Chatsworth), 73-58. The game was tied at 48 after three quarters when the Wildcats closed with a 25-10 run. UCLA-bound Charisma Osborne scored 27 points, McKayla Williams had 25 and Kaiyah Corona added 17.

16. Sierra Canyon School, Chatsworth, Calif. (29-1)

Previous: 7.

Low-down: Lost to Windward School (Los Angeles), 73-58, in the CIF-Southern Section Open Division championship. Next is Clovis North (Fresno) in the CIF-Southern California Region Open Division first round. The semifinals are Saturday.

17. Westlake, Atlanta (27-0)

Previous: 17.

Low-down: The Lions are three win from repeating in Georgia Class AAAAAAA after stopping Tift County (Tifton), 92-52, in the second round. The quarterfinals are Tuesday against powerhouse Norcross.

18. Mount Notre Dame, Cincinnati (21-2)

Previous: 16.

Low-down: The Cougars are in the Division Princeton 4 District semifinals against Anderson (Cincinnati) Wednesday. Last week they defeated Milford, 74-35, in the quarterfinals for their 10^thconsecutive victory.

19.  Princess Anne, Virginia Beach, Va. (21-1) 

Previous: 19.

Low-down: The Lady Cavaliers advanced to the Class 5 Region A final after defeating Norview (Norfolk), 70-34, in the semifinals and Salem (Virginia Beach), 81-22, in the quarterfinals. The final was Tuesday against Hampton. The state quarterfinals are Friday.

20. Hamilton Heights Christian, Chattanooga, Tenn. (24-3)

Previous: 20. 

Low-down: Went 3-1 at the National Association of Christian Athletes National Division 1 Tournament. Season complete.

21. Germantown Academy, Fort Washington, Pa. (30-1)*

Previous: 21.

Low-down: Won the Pennsylvania Independent School Athletic Association Tournament, defeating The Shipley School (Bryn Mawr), 58-43, in the final. Sophomore Becca Booth scored 15 points and Rachel Balzer added 13. The Patriots took a 22-9 lead after one period. In the semifinals, junior Jaye Haynes scored 16 points, including the game-winner bucket on a driving layup that beat the buzzer to subdue Abington Friends School, 56-55. Season complete.

22. Incarnate Word Academy, Bel Nor, Mo. (24-2)

Previous: 22. 

Low-down: The Red Knights are off the to the postseason defeating Jefferson City, 52-42, and Ursuline (St. Louis), 67-24. The Class 4, District 7 semifinals are Thursday and the final is Saturday.

23. Amarillo, Texas (35-4)

Previous: Not ranked.

Low-down: The Sandies make a second straight trip to the CUIL Class 5A tournament after knocking off then-No. 8 Mansfield Timberview, 47-45, in the Class 5A, Region I final. The defending 5A champions carry a 17-game win streak into Thursday’s semifinal matchup with Fort Bend Hightower (Missouri City) at the Alamodome in San Antonio. That winner meets Frisco Liberty or Kerrville Tivy in the state final on Saturday afternoon.

24. Franklin, Somerset, N.J. (27-0)

Previous: 24.

Low-down: Won second straight Somerset County Tournament, defeating Rutgers Prep (Somerset), 63-49. Maryland-bound Diamond Miller scored a game-high 28 points. The Group 4 state sectionals started this week and the Warriors play in the North 2 quarterfinals Wednesday.

25. Mansfield (Texas) Timberview (38-2)

Previous: 8.

Low-down: Lost to Amarillo, 47-45, in the Class 5A, Region I final. Season complete.

Dropped: No. 23 Cedar Hill (Texas) and No. 25 St. John Vianney (Holmdel, N.J.).

High-Fives by Region

East

1. St. Frances Academy, Baltimore (22-3)*

2. Edison, Alexandria, Va. (24-1)

3. Chartiers Valley, Bridgeville, Pa. (23-0)

4. Saddle River (N.J.) Day School (23-2)

5. North Allegheny, Wexford, Pa. (22-1)

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

Midwest

1. Beaver Dam, Wis. (23-1)

2. Derby, Kan. (19-0)

3. Hamilton Southeastern, Fishers, Ind. (27-1)*

4. Wayzata, Plymouth, Minn. (24-2)

5. Pickerington (Ohio) Central (23-1)

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

Southland

1. Scott County, Georgetown, Ky. (30-1)

2. Converse (Texas) Judson (36-5) 

3. Hoover, Ala. (31-1)

4. Wakefield, Raleigh, N.C. (25-1)

5. Northside, Fort Smith, Ark. (25-1)

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

Far West

1. Highlands Ranch, Colo. (23-1) 

2. Bishop Montgomery, Torrance, Calif. (23-6)

3. Southridge, Beaverton. Ore. (21-3)

4. Clovis West, Fresno, Calif. (29-3) 

5. Millennium, Goodyear, Ariz. (26-4)*

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

* Won state, national or 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.