By Mitch Stephens
MaxPreps.com
A big switch out of Pennsylvania as previous bubble team Archbishop Carroll upset last week’s No. 4 Cardinal O’Hara 50-42 in the Philadelphia Catholic League playoffs.
See report from our own Joseph Santoliquito.
The win vaulted Carroll into the No. 18 spot and dropped O’Hara all the way to No. 20.
The only other loss among the Xcellent 25 was Horizon (Thornton, Colo.), which after breezing through an easy schedule was shocked by Legacy 70-66. Legacy took a 22-14 lead after the first quarter and Horizon, which got a combined 37 points from Meagan and Brenna Malcolm-Peck, could never recover.
The loss dropped Horizon to bubble status.
Other than that there were few changes as the total record among the Xcellent bunch was 39-1.
About the Rankings: MaxPreps already provides the most comprehensive high school sports ratings with the MaxPreps National Rankings presented by the National Guard, a computer model developed by Ned Freeman. Now, it’s time to get the human element involved.
Each Monday, Mitch Stephens will run down the top 25 girls basketball teams in the country – weighing record, quality wins and losses and other factors to determine the best of the best.
MaxPreps Xcellent 25
1. Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.) 27-0 (1-0 last week) – After huge win over Cajon two weeks ago, the Monarchs have played just two games, including why-bother 80-18 second-round Southern Section II-A win over Eisenhower (Rialto). The Monarchs play eighth-seed Laguna Hills in quarterfinal round Wednesday.
2. Ben Davis (Indianapolis, Ind.) 28-0 (2-0) – The Giants avenged an upset loss to Carmel in last year’s regional with 65-42 triumph on Saturday keyed by a 16-3 third-quarter run. Bria Goss had 17 and Alex Bentley 15 for Davis, Tick tock… a showdown with Washington appears imminent. Davis plays Mooresville (23-1) in Saturday’s semifinals.
3. Washington (South Bend, Ind.) 25-0 (2-0) – No slowing down the Panthers who score a season high in 98-66 4A regional championship win over Michigan City. Notre Dame-bound Skylar Diggins drilled six 3-pointers and had 30 points and all five starters tallied in double digits: Takoia Larry (18), Karis Phillips (14), Rakeesha Lane (13) and Jasmine Watson (12). Washington plays Pendleton Heights (23-2), winners of 11 straight in the state semifinals.
4. Whitney Young (Chicago, Ill.) 29-1 (2-0) – Mariah King had 15 points in easy 68-14 win over Curie before equally lopsided 80-28 victory over Lyons.
5. Brea Olinda (Brea, Calif.) 26-2 (2-0) – Wow, these lopsided games get old just writing them down: 88-14 over La Serna and 90-31 past Royal in first two rounds of Southern Section II-AA playoffs. The Wildcats, winners of 22 straight, now see Valencia in quarterfinal Wednesday.
6. Kentwood (Covington, Wash.) 23-0 (2-0) – This record continues to skip. Wins by 47 and 30 probably won’t help the Conquerors who may be the most balanced team in the Xcellent 25. Jessie Genger had a combined 31 and Lindsey Moore 29 in the two wins.
7. Mount Notre Dame (Cincinnati, Ohio) 19-1 (1-0) – Following 46-19 win over Amelia, MND has allowed just 46 points combined the last two wins.
8. St. Michael Academy (New York, N.Y.) 20-2 (1-0) – After win over St. Peter’s on Sunday, St. Michael’s plays Mary Louis in quarterfinal CHSAA 2A state tournament game. Christ the King looms.
9. Riverdale Baptist (Upper Marlboro, Md.) 21-2 (2-0) – The Crusaders got a slight scare in 68-54 win over a strong National Christian Academy (21-6), which had won 12 of 13. Tianna Hawkins had 22 points and 12 rebounds and Tierra Hawkins added 14 points and 10 rebounds.
10. Poly (Long Beach, Calif.) 25-2 (2-0) – Won the last three games by – get this – by 203-47. A little competition in the Southern Section playoffs is welcome. Monique Oliver had 17 points and eight rebounds in a 73-26 second-round 1-AA win over Dana Hills (15-13). The Jackrabbits play ninth-seed Santiago (Corona) in quarterfinals on Wednesday.
11. Sacred Heart Cathedral (San Francisco) 23-1 (2-0) – The Irish needed some grit and flat out experience to knock off California’s No. 12 team Valley Christian (San Jose) to win their third straight outright West Catholic Athletic League title and 47th consecutive WCAL game. The Central Coast Section playoffs are a formality for three-time defending state champs.
12. St. Mary’s (Stockton, Calif.) 23-3 (1-0) – The Rams got what to them was actually a test, winning by only 78-46 win over a very good Lincoln (Stockton) team in the SJAA/TCAL Tussle. Annisa Garcia had 18 points and 15 rebounds and Chelsea Gray 19 points. Coach Tom Gonsalves was in attendance for Sacred Heart-Valley Christian game.
13. Bolingbrook (Ill.) 20-4 (2-0) – The Raiders won their eighth straight regional title under coach Anthony Smith as freshman Morgan Tuck had 20 points and Taylor Tuck and Satavia Taylor added 11 apiece in a 76-35 win over Naperville Central. Bolingbrook hopes to get to the state 2A title game for the fourth straight year. The Raiders have lost the last two after winning in 2006.
14. Cajon (San Bernardino, Calif.) 27-2 (2-0) – Opened Southern Section I-AA playoffs with two resounding wins — 67-28 over Redondo and 73-34 over Long Beach Wilson — but now gets perennial power Lynwood in a quarterfinal game Thursday. Layshia Clarendon had a combined 26 points, 22 rebounds and 20 assists in the two wins and Darshae Burnside added 37 points and 33 rebounds.
15. Westbury Christian (Houston) 41-1 (1-0) – Opened TAPPS 4A Regional with 84-38 win over Trinity Christian as Waltia Rolle had 26 points and Jakeveya Mitchell added 22. Plays Bishop Gorman-Tyler (26-6) in Final 4 semifinal on Friday.
16. Heritage Christian (Indianapolis, Ind.) 24-1 (2-0) – The Eagles appear on their way to their fourth straight 2A state championship behind Connecticut-bound Kelly Faris, who had a combined 32 points last week leading to another regional crown with wins over Hagerstown (69-44) and Winchester (63-46). The Eagles now get Austin (21-5) in Saturday’s semifinals.
17. Dulles (Sugar Land, Texas) 35-2 (2-0) – Supporting cast, not blue chipper Kelsey Bone, led teams to win over Brazoswood (71-26) and Lee (75-42) with Hershiira Boone-Rodgers (14 points) and Jasmin Henderson (17 points) pacing balanced scoring attacks.
18. Archbishop Carroll (Radnor, Pa) 23-1 (2-0) – Carroll got sweet revenge against previous No. 4 Cardinal O’Hara as Erin Shields and Kerri Shields combined for 27 in a 50-42 Philadelphia Catholic League playoff victory. The Patriots play Archbishop Wood tonight for the PCL championship. Wood is the only other team to beat O’Hara this season.
19. Murry Bergtraum (New York, N.Y.) 20-1 (0-0) – Another idle week drops the Blazers again.
20. Cardinal O’Hara (Springfield, Pa.) 22-2 (0-1) – We’ll see what O’Hara is made off as it starts with District 12 4A playoff action this week.
21. Nimitz (Houston, Texas) 33-1 (2-0) – Baylor-bound Brittney Griner had 33 points and Jessica Diamond 19 as Nimitz rolled past Stratford 69-30. Stratford finished 21-8.
22. University (Newark, N.J.) 19-3 (2-0) – The Phoenix have won 13 straight and 18 of 19 following wins over Verona (63-38) and Mt. St. Dominic Academy (66-45). Nadirah McKenith had 17 points and Laurin Mincy 16 for University against St. Dominic Academy according to the Star Ledger.
23. Detroit Country Day (Mich.) 19-0 (1-0) – The Yellowjackets got a combined 19 points from Lane Spencer and Amber Moore in 52-34 win over Flint Northern.
24. Fargo South (Fargo, N.D.) 17-0 (1-0) – Morgan Roehrich drilled a season-high 10 3-pointers in 15 attempts and had 34 points in a 83-44 win over Fargo North. Katie Lee added 12 points and nine rebounds and Siri Burck 11 assists and eight rebounds. Roehrich leads the team at 16.1 points per game but she’s followed closely by Alley Fisher (13.8), Lee (13.0) and Burck (12.7).
25. College Park (The Woodlands, Texas) 33-2 (2-0) – The Cavaliers shoot a remarkable 48 percent from the field on the season and average an even more eye-opening 22 steals and 19 assists per game.
10 on the bubble: Detroit Community (Detroit, Mich.) 17-0; Fayetteville (Ark) 27-0; Foothill (Santa Ana, Calif.) 26-1; Germantown Academy (Pa.) 30-0; Highlands Ranch (Colo.) 19-2, 17; Horizon (Thornton, Colo.) 22-1; Lakota West (West Chester) 20-2; Oak Ridge (Tenn.) 26-2; Regis Jesuit (Aurora, Colo.) 19-4; St. John-Vianney (Holmdel, N.J.) 24-1; Westlake (Atlanta) 24-1.
Past weeks: Jan. 5, Jan. 12, Jan. 20, Jan. 26, Feb. 2, Feb. 10, Feb. 17
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