MaxPreps Top 25 national high school girls basketball rankings

Video: Elena Delle Donne playing in high school

St. Mary's handled a big test at the Nike TOC in Arizona this past week, holding off No. 2 Riverdale Baptist 75-70 in the championship game -- but next the Californians fly across the country for the Title IX Classic in Washington, D.C.

That means that after navigating a division in Arizona that had the then-No. 2, No. 4, No. 5 and No. 20 teams in the country, St. Mary's now must deal with a bracket that includes this week's No. 5 St. Francis of Georgia, No. 7 Konawaena of Hawaii and No. 9 National Christian of Maryland.

Now that's a schedule ...

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1. (1 last week) St. Mary's (Stockton, Calif.), 10-0
St. Mary's rolled over its first two opponents in Arizona, but then Northern California rival Archbishop Mitty, now No. 17, and Riverdale Baptist pushed them to the limit. So after five days in Arizona and a quick trip home for Christmas, it's back on the plane for yet another monster event, the Title IX Classic.

2. (2) Riverdale Baptist (Upper Marlboro, Md.), 12-1
After all, No. 2 is supposed to lose to No. 1, and a five-point margin in a competitive game that wasn't decided until the final minute isn't much of a negative. So Riverdale Baptist stays at No. 2 -- for now.

3. (3) Paul VI (Fairfax, Va.), 10-0
Paul VI hasn't played as tough a schedule as the top two, though the trip to the Naples Holiday Shootout will be a solid test. It's not quite at the level of the Nike TOC or the Title IX Classic, with no ranked teams, but there's still quality opposition from all over the country in the bracket.

4. (4) Centennial (Las Vegas), 9-1
As with Riverdale Baptist, losing to a higher ranked team can't be cause for much of a drop in the rankings -- and since the game against Riverdale Baptist was hard-fought the entire way (a nine-point final margin), Centennial stays at No. 4.

5. (6) St. Francis (Alpharetta, Ga.), 12-0
St. Francis won the CresCom Invitational in Myrtle Beach, S.C., last week and this week moves north to Washington, D.C. for a tougher test at the Title IX Classic. There is some doubt that St. Francis is really the sixth-best team in the country, but we'll know for sure next week at this time.

6. (7) Duncanville (Texas), 18-0
While most of the teams above them battled through intersectional tournaments, Duncanville caught up on its Christmas shopping. Next week, the Pantherettes host the Sandra Meadows Tournament and some quality opposition.

7. (9) Konawaena (Kealakekua, Hawaii), 11-0
Konawaena built its national reputation on wins over quality teams in Hawaii, which led some to wonder how much of that reputation was really deserved. Just as with St. Francis, that question will be answered at the Title IX Classic.

8. (8) Neumann-Goretti (Philadelphia), 6-0
Unbeaten Germantown gave Neumann-Goretti a run in a 48-31 loss, and the Diamond State Classic in Delaware is next. That tournament was great when Elena Delle Donne played every year, but this time, it's not quite as strong as some of the others.

9. (12) National Christian Academy (Fort Washington, Md.), 12-0
It's all right there for National Christian, as they're playing close to home with an opportunity to knock off road-weary St. Mary's, long-distance travelers Konawaena and Georgia's best, St. Francis, in the Title IX Classic.

10. (10) Lakota West (West Chester, Ohio), 9-0
Lakota West is Ohio's best, but there's no margin for error given the weak strength of schedule. Wayne will be a minor test Dec. 29, but Lakota West should be favored in every game the rest of the season.

11. (13) Miramonte (Orinda, Calif.), 6-0
After beating up many of the top Northern California teams -- though not St. Mary's of Stockton and Archbishop Mitty -- Miramonte heads to Oregon after Christmas for the Nike Interstate Shootout, which features the top teams from that state.

12. (14) North Shore (Houston), 20-1
Houston's best will have plenty of time to enjoy Christmas, as the next game isn't until Dec. 30. Then again, practicing a lot isn't necessarily all that much fun.

13. (18) Blackman (Murfreesboro, Tenn.), 8-1
Blackman now heads to Texas for the Sandra Meadows Tournament at No. 6 Duncanville. Some previous out-of-state visitors have noted that some serious home cooking may be on the menu in close games.

14. (16) Princess Anne (Virginia Beach, Va.), 7-0
Another team with a chance to prove something without leaving home, Princess Anne should get a shot at No. 2 Riverdale Baptist in Boo Williams' Christmas Classic. Still, Princess Anne will have to get by Parkview of Georgia first, and that's not a sure thing.

15. (15) Homestead (Fort Wayne, Ind.), 9-0
Roncalli has lost once, in overtime to Indiana preseason favorite Heritage Christian, and that's Homestead's next opponent. On the road.

16. (17) St. John-Vianney (Holmdel, N.J.), 2-0
St. John-Vianney will travel to the KSA Classic in Florida, but won't run into any of the major powers. Of course, having played only two games this season due to New Jersey rules -- and being unable to play three days in a row -- St. John-Vianney's options are limited.

17. (NR) Archbishop Mitty (San Jose, Calif.), 6-2
A two-loss team in the Xcellent 25 in December? Well yes, since the losses were to No. 1 St. Mary's and No. 4 Centennial. But you have to beat somebody too, which Mitty did. Preseason Florida favorite Miami Country Day and No. 21 Our Lady of Good Counsel were both Mitty victims at the Nike TOC.

18. (NR) Bellevue (Wash.), 10-0
Bellevue knocked off No. 23 Highlands Ranch of Colorado and quality teams from Idaho (Mountain View), Tennessee (Brentwood Academy) and California (Oaks Christian) to jump ahead of in-state rival Lynnwood in the rankings.

19. (19) Lynnwood (Bothell, Wash.), 6-0
So far, Lynnwood's closest game has been 31 points -- but the competition will be tougher in the Platinum Division of the West Coast Jamboree after Christmas.

20. (21) Montini (Lombard, Ill.), 12-0
Trinity, a team Montini beat by two, showed well at the Nike TOC, which bolsters Montini's case for this ranking. Montini hosts its own tournament next week, and should face at least a couple tough opponents.

21. (20) Our Lady of Good Counsel (Olney, Md.), 8-1
A two-point loss to No. 17 Archbishop Mitty -- caused in part by a technical foul late in a two-point game for breaking the plane of the sideline on an inbounds play -- dropped Good Counsel one spot. Wins over Southern California powers Mater Dei and Long Beach Poly kept the drop from being any greater.

22. (22) Riverdale (Murfreesboro, Tenn.), 12-1
Riverdale isn't traveling, but is bringing Lee of Alabama and Houston Memphis -- with a combined record of 24-2 -- to the State Farm Classic at Riverdale after Christmas. It's always tough to win in Murfreesboro, and not just because the quality of the home-town teams is so high.

23. (25) Detroit Country Day (Beverly Hills, Mich.), 6-0
Detroit Country Day has plenty of talent, and will play several good teams from Ohio -- but given the schedule, it's unlikely we'll ever know how good they really are.

24. (24) Parkway North (St. Louis), 8-0
Parkway North is traveling to Alabama for a two-day shootout that will give Missouri's best something of a test. Too bad they didn't get scheduled against better teams when they were in Tennessee for the Turkey Jamm.

25. (NR) Central (Little Rock, Ark.), 9-0
Central jumps into the rankings as the best in Arkansas -- and Arkansas has always produced quality girls basketball teams. And of course, some of those quality teams will be ready to knock Central off as soon as they get the chance.

Dropped out: No. 5 Chaminade, No. 11 Cumberland Valley, No. 23 Highlands Ranch.