Video: 3-point Record Breaker - Ana Resendiz
See highlights of the girl who broke Diana Taurasi's school record.It doesn't seem that long ago that the preseason rankings came out, but the first state championship will be decided this weekend when No. 25 Konawaena looks to repeat in Hawaii.
Other states will start playoffs next week, and some won't begin until later this month -- and the last state championships won't be decided until the end of March.
So there's a long way to go before the Xcellent 25 becomes final, and now that postseason play has begun, expect some upsets and some changes. In the end, the scoreboard doesn't lie, and it's very hard to wind up in the top 10 in the final rankings without winning that last game of the season.
Note: The rankings are more accurate when all the results are on MaxPreps, so we encourage everyone to make sure their schedules and scores are up to date. If you have any issues, contact MaxPreps Coach Support at coachsupport@maxpreps.com, and you'll be taken care of.
MaxPreps Xcellent 25 National Girls Basketball Rankings presented by the Army National Guard
Zarielle Green and Duncanville are hanging tough at No. 2 and will begin postseason play next week.
Photo by David Megginson
St. Mary's passed its last big regular season test with flying colors, thumping NorCal power Bishop O'Dowd 95-74 at a neutral site. Just one more game before postseason play begins.
2. (2) Duncanville (Texas) 32-0
It's hard to say whether getting a long break -- as Duncanville will before the playoffs start next Tuesday -- is good or bad at this time of the season. Does momentum dissipate? Or is the time off rejuvenating?
3. (3) National Christian Academy (Fort Washington, Md.) 22-0
Mykea Gray had 23 points in National Christian Academy's 55-50 win over No. 5 Riverdale Baptist. Next up is dangerous but inconsistent Life Center on Friday.
4. (4) Neumann-Goretti (Philadelphia) 21-0
Neumann-Goretti moves into the Pennsylvania playoffs Thursday, but the early rounds of the postseason are pretty opaque to outsiders. Here's the bottom line: It will take the biggest upset of this year's prep season to derail the Neumann-Goretti train.
5. (5) Riverdale Baptist (Upper Marlboro, Md.) 26-3
After losing to No. 3 National Christian, Riverdale Baptist bounced back to knock off No. 8 Forestville, 78-67, thanks in part to 34 points from
Kaila Charles. On Saturday comes an opportunity to avenge that upset loss to Life Center.
6. (6) Centennial (Las Vegas) 25-1
It's been easy to overlook Centennial, which has spent most of 2016 beating up on Nevada opposition. But Saturday, Centennial went to Southern California and put the hurt on national power Mater Dei, 70-45.
7. (7) Miramonte (Orinda, Calif.) 23-0
One easy league game left followed by more than a week off puts Miramonte in the same boat as No. 2 Duncanville. Is the rest better than the rust?
8. (8) Forestville (Md.) 16-2
One of Forestville's key players,
Kaira "KI KI" Smith, got hurt in the first quarter, and then five players fouled out against No. 5 Riverdale Baptist. Forestville finished with three players on the floor in a bizarre ending to a game matching two top 10 teams.
9. (9) North Shore (Houston) 31-1
Since Jan. 2, North Shore's closest game has been a 33-point win. The playoffs start next Tuesday, though, and things are going to get harder.
10. (10) St. Francis (Alpharetta, Ga.) 24-1
After disposing of once-beaten Collins Hill, 44-35, St. Francis now moves on to the Class A playoffs. Calvary Day and Turner County are both unbeaten, but neither have the pedigree of Collins Hill.
11. (11) Cicero-North Syracuse (Cicero, N.Y.) 19-0
Cicero-North Syracuse continues to roll, but 25-4 Fayetteville-Manlius is on tap tonight -- but then again, Cicero-North Syracuse won by 34 the first time. The playoffs follow, however, and more challenges will emerge.
12. (12) Archbishop Mitty (San Jose, Calif.) 16-3
Presentation is a pretty good team, ranked in the Bay Area, and 15-6 on the season. The first time the two teams played, Mitty won 75-14 -- and remember, Mitty's roster is dominated by players who will return next year.
13. (13) Paul VI (Fairfax, Va.) 24-1
Avenging losses counts for a lot in the Xcellent 25, and Paul VI did just that by rolling over Our Lady of Good Counsel, 63-43. There are three games this week before Paul VI will have to battle through the West Catholic Athletic Conference postseason tournament.
14. (14) Bellevue (Wash.) 21-0
Bellevue starts the District 2 playoffs next Tuesday, and could see once-beaten Bishop Blanchet Thursday and unbeaten West Seattle on Saturday. Then comes the 16-team state 3A tournament.
15. (15) Highlands Ranch (Colo.) 20-1
After disposing of longtime rival -- and still strong -- Regis Jesuit, 65-24, Highlands Ranch will take a break until the postseason brackets are posted on Feb. 21.
16. (16) Lynnwood (Bothell, Wash.) 20-0Lynwood appears to have an easier path to Washington's Sweet 16 than Bellevue, as the next-best team appears to be Glacier Peak -- which Lynnwood beat by 30 in the last meeting.
17. (17) Villa Maria Academy (Erie, Pa.) 22-0
Villa Maria had no trouble handling 18-3 Canevin Catholic, winning by 19, but now must wait at least until Feb. 20 for the postseason to begin.
18. (18) Blackman (Murfreesboro, Tenn.) 22-3 The regular season ends Friday in Tennessee, with playoffs to follow. The playoff system in Tennessee is byzantine, however, and last year it was actually an advantage to lose a game -- which both Riverdale and Smyrna attempted to do in an outrageous display of tanking.
19. (19) St. John-Vianney (Holmdel, N.J.) 18-1
St. John-Vianney handled Blair easily but faces another tough game against 15-3 Red Bank Catholic -- a traditional New Jersey power -- on Saturday. Luckily, the game will be in the friendly confines.
20. (20) Heritage (Saginaw, Mich.) 16-0
Winter weather snowed out one of Heritage's games, but all the better for the focus on the trip to tough Midland Dow on Friday.
21. (22) Rutgers Prep (Somerset, N.J.) 20-0
Rutgers Prep has just one more game before the postseason begins, and should move into the New Jersey playoffs unbeaten. Strength of schedule, though, is a question.
22. (23) Mansfield Timberview (Arlington, Texas) 30-0
Youthful Mansfield Timberview just keeps rolling. But Canyon, which Mansfield Timberview beat by just two in December, will be a roadblock to the 5A title.
23. (24) South (Wichita, Kan.) 15-0
Before Wichita South rose to state prominence, Wichita Heights was the Kansas power -- and Heights still has some pop. The two play Tuesday, at Heights, so South shouldn't start looking ahead to the playoffs too quickly.
24. (25) Grandview (Aurora, Colo.) 18-0
Grandview has dates before the postseason with two Colorado teams that have a history of success -- Mullen and Regis Jesuit -- and even though they both are down a bit this year, wins are far from guaranteed.
25. (NR) Konawaena (Kealakekua, Hawaii) 23-1
Konawaena jumps back into the Xcellent 25 after another fine season. That only loss is to No. 8 Forestville and the resume includes wins over a strong California team, Bishop O'Dowd, and a strong Oregon team, South Medford.
Dropped out: No. 21 Memphis Central
