It was a banner week for Xcellent squads, as five earned state championships and 17 others moved a step closer to doing so.
The big three to capture titles were top-10 teams No. 4 Davis (Indianapolis, Ind.), No. 6 Cy-Fair (Cypress, Texas), and No. 7 Bolingbrook (Ill.).
But also claiming top prizes were 4A champs from Texas (Mansfield Timberview) and Washington (Auburn Riverside), Both teams moved up in this week’s rankings.
The only team to fall this week was Young, but no shame in that. The Dolphins lost a down-to-the-wire game to Bolingbrook, thus, they dropped just five slots in the rankings.
Teams that will be going for state crowns this weekend are No. 14 Oregon City, No. 19 Incarnate Word, No. 22 Lakesville North and No. 24 Princess Anne. {VIDEO_1383d463-e298-42be-b41e-cfdf69c977f8,floatRightWithBar}
Ogwumike earns top prize: In the first of many postseason awards, Chiney Ogwumike, who led Cy-Fair to its second state title in three years, was named the Morgan Wootten National Player of the Year this morning. She edged Bria Hartley (North Babylon, N.Y.), Kaniesha Horn (Ramsay of Birmingham, Ala.), Natasha Howard (Waite of Toledo, Ohio) and Odyssey Sims (MacArthur of Irving, Texas).
Xcellent 25 National High School Girls Basketball Rankings
1. (1) St. Mary's (Stockton, Calif.), 30-1
The Rams put on a clinic, yet didn’t consider it their ‘A’ game in a 75-45 destruction of previous Xcellent Sacramento. Allie Moreno had 18 points in this Sac-Joaquin Section title game and Afure Jemerigbe 15 points and eight rebound as St. Mary’s won its 11th section title.
2. (2) Brea Olinda (Brea, Calif.), 29-2
The Wildcats won another CIF-Southern Section crown with a 63-38 victory over Villa Park, ranked 15th in the state and 56th nationally. Kelsey Harris had 23 points, and Alexis Perry and Keitra Wallace 11 each for the winners, who begin defense of their Division II state title on Thursday.
3. (3) Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.), 28-1
Like Brea, the Monarchs had little resistance in a Southern Section title win over a strong Woodbridge team that came in 27-5 and ranked 25th in the state, and 113th nationally. Connecticut-bound junior Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis made 10 of 18 shots and scored 22 points, and Mater Dei shot 53 percent from the floor in a 71-29 victory.
4. (4) Davis (Indianapolis, Ind.), 28-0
The Giants couldn’t have done more with their season or final game than a resounding 99-52 win over Merrillville in the 4A state championship game. Bria Goss had 22 points, eight rebounds and six assists as Davis set state marks for most points in a championship game, largest margin of victory in a title game and won its state-record 58th consecutive game.
Brittany Wilson, Long Beach Poly
File photo by Louis Lopez
5. (5) Poly (Long Beach, Calif.), 28-2
As impressive as Davis' win was, frankly, Poly’s 58-38 win over Santiago was arguably more impressive. Santiago (29-3) is ranked 22nd in the nation and winners of 24 straight. Colorado-bound Brittany Wilson had 14 points, UNLV-bound Ta’Nitra Boyd added 11 points and Sheila Boykin, the team leader in about every category this season, overcame a tough offensive game with a game-high 13 rebounds.
6. (6) Cy-Fair (Cypress, Texas), 36-1
Won its second state crown in three years as Stanford-bound Chiney Ogwumike all but cemented her National Player of the Year award by going for 31 points, 18 rebounds, seven steals and three blocks in a 65-41 win over Hightower. Cassie Peoples was also key with four 3-pointers and 18 points.
7. (7) Bolingbrook (Bolingbrook, Ill.), 29-1
The Raiders pulled out a tough state-finals victory over ninth-ranked Young with a 60-50 win in the 4A state title as Ariel Massengale had 18 points and Morgan Tuck, in foul trouble most of the game, added 10. Tuck had 28 points in a 56-30 semifinal win over Hersey. With Tuck, a sophomore, and Massengale, a junior, returning, the Raiders don’t appear to be slowing down.
8. (8) Bergtraum (New York), 25-0
Bergtraum won its record 13th straight PSAL city title and now has to wait three weeks before playing in the New York State Federation Class AA semifinals March 27.
9. (10) Redan (Stone Mountain, Ga.), 30-0
The defending AAAAA state champs won their 57th straight overall with a 71-50 win over the Bradshaw Institute as Aneesah Daniels had 18 points and Alisha Andrews made four 3-pointers and scored 17. Redan faces Milton in Thursday’s semifinals.
10. (12) Mt. Lebanon (Pittsburgh, Pa.), 24-2
The Blue Devils cruised to their second straight WPIAL title with a 59-43 win over Baldwin and now move on to the PIAA state playoffs Friday against Fox Chapel.
11. (13) Hoover (Hoover, Ala.), 33-1
Season is complete.
12. (14) Mansfield Timberview (Arlington, Texas), 37-2
The Wolves won the state 4A title as Kentucky-bound senior Maegan Conwright had 16 points and six rebounds in a 55-39 win over Wakeland. Kansas-bound Keena Mays added nine points, 10 rebounds and five assists. Timberview's only losses were to West Mesquite (43-40) way back on Nov. 24 and 56-52 to Duncanville on Dec. 21. They finished the year on a 24-game win streak.
13. (9) Young (Chicago), 28-3
The Dolphins reached the state finals for the fifth straight year but lost a tough one to Bolingbrook 60-50. Janee Thompson had 15 points for Young, which will return all but four seniors off this year’s squad. Young’s three losses were to all top-10 teams: No. 3 Mater Dei, No. 5 Long Beach Poly and Bolingbrook.
14. (14) Oregon City (Ore.), 26-0
The Pioneers moved into tonight’s Final Four with wins over Westview (68-55) and Barlow (50-28). Tonight they face McNary, an 18-5 team that has won 13 straight.
15. (15) Detroit Country Day (Beverly Hills, Mich.), 20-0
The Yellowjackets keep playing a mean game of defense with wins over Cranbrook Kingswood (50-8) and Lahser (63-21).
16. (16) Midwest City (Okla.), 22-2
The Bombers continue to roll after a tough 59-46 win over a strong Norman team that entered 20-4 and ranked third in the state.
17. (9) MacArthur (Irving, Texas), 37-2
Season ended.
18. (18) Neptune (N.J.), 26-1
Syessence Davis had 13 points and spearheaded a fantastic defensive game in a 49-28 win over Middletown South in the NJSIAA Central Jersey, Group 3 final. It was Neptune’s third straight Central Jersey title and now the Scarlet Fliers face Point Pleasant Boro in a Group 3 state semifinal. Chyna Golden (12 points, 10 rebounds) and Shakena Richardson (12 points, five assists) also had big games against Middletown South.
19. (19) Incarnate Word Academy (St. Louis), 27-1
Recorded a 66-28 win over Parkway South. Now plays Fort Zumwalt West in a 5A state semifinals. The Red Knights are led by Jazmin Hitchens (17.5 ppg), Brianna Puni (9.9 ppg), Chloe Nelson (9.3) and Brittany Carter (8.8).
20. (20) North Little Rock (Ark.), 30-0
After a 60-42 win over Har-Ber, eeked out a 48-47 win over Rogers, the state’s fourth-ranked team.
21. (21) Auburn Riverside (Auburn, Wash.), 29-0
The Ravens finished off a perfect season the best way possible, a hard-earned victory for the state 4A championship. Kat Cooper had 20 points and 11 rebounds and tournament MVP and Washington-bound Mercedes Wetmore added 17 points and nine rebounds in a 56-52 overtime win over Mead. It was the third title in four years for Auburn-Riverside, but first in 4A. Other playoff wins were over Edmonds-Woodway (51-39), Chiawana (57-45) and Issaquah (58-40).
22. (22) Lakeville North (Lakeville, Minn.), 28-0
Recorded a pair of AAAA-Section 3 playoff wins over Park (67-26) and Lakesville South (65-45). Apiew Ojulu had 14 points, Rachel Banham 11 and Cassie Rochel 10 against Lakesville South. The Panthers now face Eastview on Friday.
23. (23) Shabazz (Newark, N.J.), 29-1
The Bulldogs won the NJSIAA Central Jersey Group 2 Tournament with a 64-37 win over Summit as Aliyyah Handford scored 22 points and Shabazz used a 24-2 run in the third quarter to win going away. Ka-Deidre Simmons added 16 points and four steals for Shabazz, which won its 12th sectional title.
24. (24) Princess Anne (Virginia Beach, Va.), 28-1
Defeated Thomas Dale 57-42 in the state AAA quarterfinals as 6-3 Elizabeth Williams finished with a rare triple-double: 18 points, 17 rebounds and 11 blocks. She scored seven of her team’s final nine points and blocked four shots in the fourth quarter. The Cavaliers face Oakton in today’s semifinals.
25. (25) Bishop O'Dowd (Oakland, Calif.), 26-3
Moved into the CIF State North Region Tournament as the No. 1 seed in Division III after recording its second straight North Coast Section crown with a 60-49 win over Dougherty Valley. Pepperdine-bound Robie Mayberry had 23 points in the victory.
Dropped out: none.
