MaxPreps Top 25 national high school girls basketball rankings

As always, compiling the rankings is an exercise in uncertainty. Unless teams play each other, it's difficult to determine whether No. 5 Homewood-Flossmoor, say, is really better than No. 6 New Hope Christian.

But at least many of the top teams venture out of state and so there are some legitimate comparisons that can be made.

When we get to the bottom of the Xcellent 25, however, it's a different story. Sierra Canyon out of Southern California, for example, is 19-2, with losses only to No. 7 Mater Dei and No. 8 Windward — but really hasn't beaten any programs of note. New member Cosby hasn't beaten anyone of elite status either, but hasn't lost, so which team is actually better?

And how good is Broken Arrow out of Oklahoma? And would the state of Washington's best team, even with a loss or two, beat No. 25 Clovis out of New Mexico?



In the end, we're very sure the teams in the Xcellent 25 are outstanding girls basketball teams — but we're also sure that some teams not listed are pretty outstanding too.

Records accurate as of Feb. 5


1. (1 last week) Blackman (Murfreesboro, Tenn.), 23-1
After falling 11 points behind archrival Riverdale on Riverdale's home court, the Blaze came storming back to win 58-49. And in an unusual but intelligent move, the girls' game was played after the boys' game in front of a completely packed gym.

2. (2) Incarnate Word Academy (St. Louis), 16-1
The last major challenge before the state tournament comes this weekend, as a matchup with No. 11 Rock Bridge seems likely in the Webster Groves Tournament.

3. (3) Duncanville (Texas), 26-0
The Pantherettes just keep rolling, and now they move into the postseason. The winning streak continues, and shouldn't be threatened until deep in the playoffs.

4. (4) Regis Jesuit (Aurora, Colo.), 15-2
Regis Jesuit and Highlands Ranch (which just got bumped out of the Xcellent 25 after an upset loss to ThunderRidge) will square off Wednesday at Highlands Ranch in a game that not only has national implications, but also is a continuation of a bitter in-state rivalry. Get there early ...

5. (5) Homewood-Flossmoor (Flossmoor, Ill.), 16-2
It's going to be an interesting postseason in Illinois, with plenty of solid teams battling for a state title. But the big playoff games are still a couple weeks down the road, so look for two more easy wins for Homewood-Flossmoor.

6. (6) New Hope Christian Academy (Thomasville, N.C.), 27-0
New Hope took the week off, and will ease back into things with one game this weekend. An unbeaten season is definitely within reach.



7. (7) Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.), 21-1
Two games left in the regular season for Mater Dei, and both should be easy wins. Like so many of the top teams, it's now all about the playoffs.

8. (8) Windward (Los Angeles), 20-2
Only one game this week for Windward, and Milken — which Windward beat by 43 a few weeks ago — doesn't pose much of a threat.

9. (9) Neumann-Goretti (Philadelphia), 19-0
Neumann-Goretti can focus on the playoffs now, after disposing of Cardinal O'Hara 63-44. And remember, now the Philadelphia Catholic schools have joined the rest of Pennsylvania in the postseason.

Read Joseph Santoliquito's feature on 6-foot-9 Neumann-Goretti standout Felicia Aiyeotan

10. (10) Long Beach Poly (Calif.), 17-2
As the Jackrabbits sprint through their league competition, they'll take a detour Saturday to take on always tough Lynwood, which owns a win over No. 21 Bishop O'Dowd. With three teams in the top ten, the Southern California playoffs are going to be brutal.

11. (11) Rock Bridge (Columbia, Mo.), 15-2
Rock Bridge has played three teams that are in the Xcellent 25 right now, and is very likely to add a fourth, No. 2 Incarnate Word, in the finals of the Webster Grove Tournament.



12. (12) Myers Park (Charlotte, N.C.), 19-1
After taking care of business against Porter Ridge Tuesday, Myers Park has one more challenge before postseason: Hopewell on Monday.

13. (13) Whitney Young (Chicago), 18-3
Montini is noted for 3-point shooting and winning lots of games (ranked No. 1 in Illinois 3A), but the Dolphins held Montini to just two makes from beyond the arc, and coasted to a 54-45 win over a 23-1 opponent.

14. (14) Northside (Fort Smith, Ark.), 18-1
After escaping Hall with a 66-63 win, Northside can relax a little this week as two of the weaker league teams pop up on the schedule.

15. (15) Sparkman (Harvest, Ala.), 27-2
After slipping past Madison Academy 52-46 to end the regular season, Sparkman now jumps into the Alabama postseason.

16. (16) Shabazz (Newark, N.J.), 19-1
The Essex County Tournament may supply a little competition this weekend, but after Shabazz got by Blair 72-67 last week, the road gets much easier.

17. (17) Lawrence North (Indianapolis), 19-1
After getting by Center Grove by 15 last week, this week Lawrence North will take on 15-3 Noblesville. Though Noblesville isn't considered quite as good as Center Grove, it's still a nice warmup for postseason.

18. (18) Bedford North Lawrence (Bedford, Ind.), 18-1
Even though the regular season hasn't ended, first-round matchups for the Indiana playoffs are already set — and Bedford North Lawrence draws Floyd Central, a team it beat by 17, but this time on the road.

19. (19) McEachern (Powder Springs, Ga.), 17-2
National rankings don't matter much to in-state competition, unless they fire up teams a little bit more — and when McEachern moves into the Region 4 playoffs, the Indians must deal with 18-3 Hillgrove.



20. (20) Salmen (Slidell, La.), 21-1
Easton has only lost twice, so Salmen's place in the Xcellent 25, not to mention its standing in Louisiana, will be on the line Saturday. The game will be in the friendly confines, however.

21. (23) Bishop O'Dowd (Oakland, Calif.), 17-3
A big one Saturday, when Bishop O'Dowd travels to Stockton to take on St. Mary's, which was in the Xcellent 25 for most of the season. The relentless St. Mary's press will be a test for O'Dowd's young guards.

22. (24) Joliet Catholic Academy (Joliet, Ill.), 21-1
Joliet Catholic only got one game in due to the bad weather, but picked up win No. 21. Only two games left before postseason, but the last one is against always tough Marian Catholic.

23. (NR) Manvel (Texas), 31-2
Manvel jumps back into the rankings, with losses only to No. 3 Duncanville and No. 13 Whitney Young. Another key: A win over Pflugerville, one of the top teams in Texas the past few seasons.

24. (NR) Cosby (Midlothian, Va.), 16-0
Led by Dorothy Adomaco, who will play for Georgetown, and Skye Jefferson, who will play at UNC Greensboro, Cosby is Virginia's best — and it's a lot harder than it appears to go unbeaten this deep into the season.

25. (25) Clovis (N.M.), 21-0
Clovis already beat Hobbs 57-50 this year, but Friday's game is at Hobbs, a notoriously difficult place to win.



Dropped out: No. 21 Highlands Ranch, No. 22 Mason.