MaxPreps Top 25 high school girls basketball rankings

Video: Preseason MaxPreps Xcellent 25 Girls Basketball Rankings presented by the Army National Guard

Preseason rankings are always fun -- and always a complicated puzzle. There are many moving parts, but there are three basics that apply to this and every year's initial guess.

Talent: Most of the time, an Xcellent 25 team has one or more Power 5-level players on the roster, plus a couple more college players. Of course, having five or more mid-major players can offset a couple stars, but no matter how you look at it, quality teams have to start with quality players.

Schedule: Going 27-0 and never playing anyone out of state usually disqualifies a team from preseason consideration, but if local rules limit or prohibit travel, and the talent level (see No. 1) is high enough, an exception can be made. But credit goes to the teams that play nationally or regionally respected opponents, as the logic is that if they win all their games against elite talent then that's more impressive than winning games against only in-state talent.

Coaching: Talent can obviously trump coaching, but when the talent levels are close, then coaching becomes a crucial factor. Teams that are versatile, that can adjust to situations, that can stick together through adversity are well-coached teams -- and even the most talented group is going to have some difficult moments.

Of course, the X-factor during the season is luck, ranging from injury luck to surviving a close game with a long 3-pointer or a shaky call by an official, but right now, luck has yet to really impact anyone, positively or negatively. But when the final rankings come out in April, the teams still standing will not only have been good, they will have been lucky too.


1. St. Mary's (Stockton, Calif.)
The Rams were 34-1 last year, and return almost all of their firepower this year, starting with sophomore sensation Aquira Decosta, who extended her range and her game this summer. But seniors Mi'Cole Cayton and Kat Tudor are also big-time players, and there's a horde of talent behind them. Oh, St. Mary's averaged just under 10 made 3-pointers a game last year, and 86.8 points a game, so any team looking for an upset should plan on scoring a whole lot of points.

2. Riverdale Baptist (Upper Marlboro, Md.)
Sam Caldwell has his usual collection of elite athletes, and his usual elite schedule, so look for Riverdale Baptist to be part of the conversation all season long. The biggest test, though, will be at the Nike TOC in Phoenix, and the potential title game against St. Mary's of Stockton.

3. Christ the King (Middle Village, N.Y.)
They're back …The long-time New York power that has produced such luminaries as Tina Charles, Sue Bird and Chamique Holdsclaw is ready to challenge for another national title. Senior guards Sydney Zambrotta and Dominique Toussaint will lead a veteran, talented team through the minefield of the Northeast.

4. Paul VI (Fairfax, Va.)
Jasmine Whitney and Raven James will lead Paul VI, as last year's No. 9 team in the nation seeks to move up the ladder. It won't be easy, though, as the Washington Catholic Athletic Conference is arguably the best in the nation, and the schedule includes a trip to the Naples Holiday Classic in Florida.

5. Centennial (Las Vegas)
Centennial, a traditional Nevada power, went 31-2 last year and won the state title -- and added transfers to an already loaded roster. Justice Ethridge and Jayden Eggleston will trigger an up-tempo attack that simply never lets up.

6. St. Francis (Alpharetta, Ga.)
At 6-foot-3, Kasiyahna Kushkituah will dominate St. Francis' small-school competition inside Georgia. But the Knights bulked up their schedule by entering into two national tournaments with quality opponents -- and that earns them this spot in the preseason rankings.

7. Chaminade (West Hills, Calif.)
Chaminade has two big-time talents in Valerie Higgins and Leaonna Odom and lost just two seniors off a 27-4 team that fell to Mater Dei in the postseason by four. But Southern California is loaded with quality teams, and the slightest letdown can result in a quick trip out of the top 10.

8. Duncanville (Texas)
If Duncanville ever played a game outside Texas -- or even played in a big tournament that wasn't in its home gym -- it would be a lot easier to put the Pantherettes in the top two or three. But even with that baggage, Duncanville is the best in Texas, and Texas is loaded with good teams.

9. Neumann-Goretti (Philadelphia)
Alicia Kebbe and Kamiah Smalls should keep Neumann-Goretti in the national conversation, and this year the schedule is a little better. As with too many teams with dreams of a high national ranking, they don't play a challenging enough schedule.

10. Riverdale (Murfreesboro, Tenn.)
The consensus is that Riverdale is the best team in Murfreesboro, population 110,000 -- and given the strength of girls basketball in that small city, that's good enough to make the top 15.

11. Konawaena (Kealakekua, Hawaii)
Last year, Konawaena lost only to St. Mary's of Stockton, but never found its way to the mainland. This year, there's a long, long trip to Washington, D.C., for the Title IX tournament, and we'll see just how good Chanelle Molina and company really are.

12. Lakota West (West Chester, Ohio)
The defending Division I (the largest schools) champion returns a lot, including Nia Staples, and might be too low here -- but Ohio teams don't travel much so it's hard to figure out how good they really are.

13. Whitney Young (Chicago)
Whitney Young's schedule isn't quite as ambitious as it usually is, but there are still tournaments far from home and one-off games against top competition (this time, Blackman of Tennessee). And having talent at the level of players such as Kiara Lewis makes the ranking process even easier.

14. Cumberland Valley (Mechanicsburg, Pa.)
The sister act of Kelly Jekot and Katie Jekot powers the two-time defending state champions, who will travel to Florida after Christmas for a solid but not spectacular tournament. A matchup with No. 2 Riverdale Baptist later on, though, is a definite chance to make a statement.

15. Miramonte (Orinda, Calif.)
The Matadors must contend with No. 1 St. Mary's of Stockton in the Northern California postseason, but until then, senior Sabrina Ionescu and five other Division I players will keep the Miramonte engine running smoothly.

16. Princess Anne (Virginia Beach, Va.)
The defending 5A state champions don't get too far away from home, as their big tournament is the Boo Williams event just down the road after Christmas. But if the Cavaliers do get a shot at No. 2 Riverdale Baptist, opportunity will be knocking.

17. St. John-Vianney (Holmdel, N.J.)
A traditional power in the Northeast, St. John-Vianney lost just four times last year, and returns Kelly Campbell to run the show. Like several other Xcellent 25 teams, they'll be in Florida after Christmas -- but unfortunately they'll be in different events.

18. Lawrence North (Indianapolis)
Lawrence North already recorded a key win over in-state rival Heritage Christian, and with 6-1 Ae'Rianna Harris at power forward, many more wins are expected. But Indiana is down a little this year, and state rules severely inhibit the chance to travel.

19. Lynnwood (Bothell, Wash.)
The defending large school champion in the state of Washington, Lynnwood will get its out-of-state test at the West Coast Jamboree in Northern California after Christmas. Long Beach Poly will be there as a measuring stick.

20. Our Lady of Good Counsel (Olney, Md.)
There's nothing like traveling across country to play the best teams in the country to liven up the holiday season, which is why Our Lady of Good Counsel will be at the Nike TOC in Arizona. Junior Lindsey Pulliam will have to step up there, as well as in the very tough Washington Catholic Athletic Conference.

21. Montini (Lombard, Ill.)
Another team that doesn't travel -- even though they could if they really wanted to -- young and talented Montini will challenge Whitney Young and everyone else in the state of Illinois.

22. Southfield-Lathrup (Lathrup Village, Mich.)
Michigan teams don't get a lot of respect because their out-of-state opportunities are severely limited, but with shooting guard Deja Church on the roster and a game against talented Rogers of Ohio on the schedule, Southfield-Lathrup may alter some perceptions.

23. Hopkins (Minnetonka, Minn.)
We wish the rules were the same for everyone, but like more than a few teams in the Xcellent 25, Hopkins cannot do much outside the state lines. This year, however, they're bringing in McEachern of Georgia, which will be a test for Nia Hollie and company.

24. South Grand Prairie (Texas)
Though Texas is crammed with good teams, it's hard to separate them at this point -- aside from No. 9 Duncanville. We'll go with South Grand Prairie and its young roster (led by Kayla Wells), but we reserve the right to change our minds numerous times during the season.

25. Parkway North (St. Louis)
There are a host of good teams in Missouri and Arkansas, but we're going with Parkway North to start -- but teams like Conway, Little Rock Central and Incarnate Word should not be overlooked.