Let's go back in time to mid-December 2018, and visit Phoenix, the site of the Nike TOC. It's Dec. 20, the second round of the four-day event that most consider the most prestigious in high school girls basketball.
The Dec. 19 rankings had St. John's (Washington, D.C.) as the top team in the nation, with Centennial (Las Vegas) at No. 4 and New Hope Academy (Landover Hills, Md.) down at No. 19. Miami Country Day (Miami), No. 1 right now? Nowhere to be found.
But after MCD shocked St. John's 44-41 on Dec. 20, beat New Hope in overtime on Dec. 21, and slipped past Windward (Los Angeles) by one in the final, Ochiel Swaby's team jumped to the top of the Top 25 and hasn't budged since.
However, the GEICO National High School Championships April 5 and 6 (ESPNU for the semis and ESPN2 for the finals) will make Miami Country Day do it all over again if Florida's best wants to retain that No. 1 ranking. First, MCD will reprise the game with New Hope on April 5, while St. John's and Centennial (which was also in that same Nike TOC bracket) will go at it in the other semifinal. Then the survivors will battle it out, and the winner will claim the national title.
So first, credit to the GEICO organizers for getting four of the top five teams in the nation to New York for what is truly a national championship, and second, credit to the Nike TOC for getting those four teams to Arizona back in December. And finally, credit to ESPN for televising the GEICO so everyone around the country can see what a national champion looks like.
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MaxPreps Top 25 high school girls basketball rankings
Miami Country Day has the "easy" first-round opponent at the GEICO National High School Championships on April 5, drawing No. 5 New Hope at 11 a.m.
St. John's lost only to No. 1 Miami Country Day, but the only way to avenge that loss will be to A) get by No. 3 Centennial at 1 p.m. April 5, and B) hope MCD takes care of business against No. 5 New Hope.
The only loss (at the Nike TOC, to Salesian) can be laid at the feet of some chronically tardy players who were suspended for missing the bus to a game. With a full roster, Centennial is unbeaten, though that record will get seriously tested at the GEICO.
Season complete.
The last loss was more than three months ago, by one, in overtime, to No. 1 Miami Country Day. Since then, New Hope has played a challenging schedule without a single misstep.
Season complete.
Edison Academy took care of business in Michigan's Class 2 postseason, handling beat Goodrich, Haslett and finally Freedom (which finished 24-3). The only loss? To No. 4 Africentric, by five.
Season complete.
Season complete.
Season complete.
One of the cornerstone programs in girls basketball, Christ the King won its 16th Federation title — which includes public, private and parochial schools — over Ossining. Five players were in double figures but the key to the game was Christ the King's domination of the boards.
Season complete.
Season complete.
Season complete.
Season complete.
Season complete.
Season complete.
Season complete.
Season complete.
Season complete.
Season complete.
Season complete.
Season complete.
Season complete.
Season complete.
Dropped out: None.
Franklin after its Tournament of Champions win over Saddle River Day.
Photo by John Jones
