MaxPreps Xcellent 25 National Girls Basketball Rankings

Sometimes, it's not what you do -- it's what happens to someone else.

Shabazz of New Jersey is rolling along, 12-1, just thumped Columbia 68-29, and drops out of the Xcellent 25. Why? Because the only team the Bulldogs lost to, Twinsburg of Ohio, got upset by DuPont Manual of Tennessee.

So since Shabazz has to be behind Twinsburg -- after all, the Tigers proved they were better on the court -- and Twinsburg has to be behind DuPont Manual, which lost to Marion County, the falling dominoes push Shabazz into the "Dropped out" category.

The other reason for the moves is that there are teams emerging around the country that deserve recognition. Though Bob Jones of Alabama has been on the fringes of the Xcellent 25 most of the year, Pflugerville of Texas and South Medford of Oregon have both made late runs to earn their national attention.

Pflugerville just set a school record with its 33rd straight win, and South Medford's win over once-beaten Woodinville of Washington looks better and better as Woodinville keeps winning. In this case, though, what the other team is doing helps rather than hurts.

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

1. (1) St. Mary's (Phoenix) (19-0)
Maybe thrice-beaten Pinnacle can push the St. Mary's juggernaut off its path to the national title. But there would be a bigger chance of a Jan. 31 upset if the game weren't in the Knights' home gym.

2. (2) Riverdale Baptist (Upper Marlboro, Md.) (18-1)
The Crusaders put the hurt on previous No. 9 Nazareth, winning 83-47, and this weekend, Potter's House Christian is on the agenda. But Riverdale Baptist has so much depth that very few teams can stay with the Crusaders.

3. (3) Windward (Los Angeles) (17-3)
The Wildcats don't duck anyone -- they'll play No. 12 Long Beach Poly Saturday, and it will be a matchup of Windward's stars vs. Poly's depth. Jordin Canada will need to handle the Jackrabbit press if the Wildcats are to stay in the Top 5.

4. (4) Cicero-North Syracuse (Cicero, N.Y.) (12-2)
The Northstars disposed of West Genesee 89-31, and can only wait until the New York playoffs to justify this lofty ranking.

5. (5) Bolingbrook (Ill.) (16-1)
After romping past local opponents, the Raiders will take on 17-2 St. Joseph of Missouri in the Coaches for Cancer matchup Friday. And St. Joseph isn't just another 17-2 team -- the Angels have played a national-level schedule and have lost to two teams (Incarnate Word of St. Louis and Holy Cross of Maryland) that have been nationally ranked during the season.

6. (6) McEachern (Powder Springs, Ga.) (17-0)
The Indians struggled to get past North Cobb, winning by just three, but a win's a win. That looks like it for challenges until the postseason, but it means McEachern still has some work to do.

7. (7) Whitney Young (Chicago) (20-0)
There was a time Marshall was the power in Chicago. But the tide has turned, and now it's Whitney Young. Proof? Whitney Young 66, Marshall 39.

8. (8) MacArthur (Irving, Texas) (27-2)
Just another week in Texas: The Cardinals will play two teams that will wind up with 20 wins. Of course, MacArthur could wind up with nearly 35.

9. (10) Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.) (19-2)
Oaks Christian will be no pushover Saturday, as the Lions have beaten Highlands Ranch, the top team in Colorado, and Carondelet, one of the top teams in Northern California. But the Monarchs are No. 9 for a reason.

10. (11) Our Lady of Good Counsel (Olney, Md.) (17-3)
Nothing comes easily in the Washington Catholic Athletic Conference, as the Falcons survived St. John's 81-77 -- and they play the Cadets again on Saturday. But looking past St. Mary's Ryken Friday would not be a good idea.

11. (13) Riverdale (Murfreesboro, Tenn.) (18-3)
The Warriors will have to get by two-loss Oakland on the road Friday, but the real struggle will come in Tennessee's brutal AAA postseason. Riverdale, No. 16 Science Hill, Memphis Central and Clarksburg are all national-caliber teams, and only one will survive.

12. (14) Long Beach Poly (Calif.) (18-1)
The big one is Saturday: No. 3 Windward in the Jackrabbits' home town. It's not a home game, but Long Beach City College will definitely be a friendly venue.

13. (15) La Jolla Country Day (Calif.) (20-1)
The Torreys keep rolling, beating the best San Diego has to offer, and it should continue to be smooth sailing until the postseason.

14. (16) Hoover (Ala.) (20-3)
Memphis Central's best chance to get back in the Xcellent 25 will be this weekend against the Buccaneers -- and you have to give coach Donnie Quinn credit for playing the toughest teams he can find.

15. (17) Duncanville (Texas) (29-1)
The Panthers hit eight of eight free throws, and Cedar Hill made just three of seven -- thus Duncanville survives, 62-56, and stays in the Top 15.

16. (20) Science Hill (Johnson City, Tenn.) (23-0)
The Hilltoppers look even better now that Bob Jones, a team they beat, knocked off previously No. 24 Wesleyan. And since Science Hill won't play anyone of note until the postseason, that's the only way to burnish its reputation.

17. (9) Nazareth (Brooklyn, N.Y.) (4-1)
Lack of court time may have had something to do with it, but the Kingsmen trailed No. 2 Riverdale Baptist 41-15 en route to an 83-47 spanking. They rebounded the next day to knock off a good Woodson team by 10, but that big loss causes a big drop.

18. (19) Dr. Phillips (Orlando, Fla.) (20-3)
Florida's playoffs begin next week in a state that gets its postseason started -- and finished -- early. After all, spring football is right around the corner.

19. (nr) Bob Jones (Madison, Ala.) (22-2)
The Patriots move into the rankings after knocking off previous No. 24 Wesleyan 49-46, as Lindsey Jennings dribbled through the press with 6 seconds left to score the winning basket. Their only losses are to No. 14 Hoover and No. 16 Science Hill -- and they've beaten Hoover once as well.

20. (23) Hopkins (Minnetonka, Minn.) (16-0)
The Royals disposed of previously unbeaten and second-ranked Edina Tuesday, 68-46, as Nia Coffey scored 15 points. Rival Eden Prairie, which has lost just twice, is up next week.

21. (21) Detroit Country Day (Beverly Hills, Mich.) (8-1)
The Yellowjackets are on a two-week break, but when they return they will have a couple more tests before the Michigan playoffs begin.

22. (25) Reynoldsburg (Ohio) (16-0)
The Raiders have played two close games all year, and one of them was a 41-37 win over Pickerington North. That's also the Panthers' only loss of the season, which should make Friday's rematch something special.

23. (nr) South Medford (Ore.) (17-0)
The Panthers jump into the rankings just as 6-5 Stanford-bound center Tess Picknell returns from an ankle injury. South Medford's biggest win came against Woodinville, which has lost only to the Panthers.

24. (nr) Pflugerville (Texas) (33-0)
The Panthers held off UConn recruit Moriah Jefferson and THESA, 57-55, behind Itiana Taylor's 22 points and 15 rebounds -- and jump into the national rankings.

25. (12) Marion County (Lebanon, Ky.) (17-3)
After surviving in-state rival DuPont Manual the week before, the Knights stumbled against a good-but-not-great Ohio team, Withrow. That Nike TOC win over Dr. Phillips, though, keeps Marion County in the Xcellent 25.

Dropped out: No. 18 Twinsburg, No. 22 Shabazz, No. 24 Wesleyan