Xcellent 25 Girls Basketball Rankings: Golden State flexes

Well, that helped.

The Nike Tournament of Champions in Chandler, Ariz. established at least one thing: girls basketball in the Golden State is very strong.

With Mater Dei’s overtime win over St. Mary’s-Stockton in the Joe Smith Division finals, the two California powers remain 1-2 in the Xcellent 25. Brea Linda and Long Beach Poly also was very impressive and moved up the national rankings.

Though the Nike Tournament dominated girls basketball news, there was some other interesting tid bits.

* Two teams debuted in the Xcellent 25, including No. 24 Oregon City which won the Desper Division of the Nike TOC, and No. 25 Central Memphis (Tenn.).

* No. 18 Potter’s House Christian (Jacksonville, Fla.) averaged a remarkable 95.3 points in six wins over the last 10 days, including breaking triple digits twice.

* In Dallas, tiny Dallas Academy broke an eight-year winless draught with a 34-33 win over Johnson County on Dec. 17. The Bulldogs fought back from a 9-0 defict thanks to Lauren Oelke, who scored 31 points including a halfcourt shot at the first-half buzzer.

She also made a free throw to give the team a 34-33 lead with just under a minute left. The team then hung on for victory. “That was the best minute they ever played,” Dallas Academy coach Deanna Civello told the Dallas Morning News. 

Afterward, according to the newspaper, the girls just kept screaming.

Senior Jackie Alas told the newspaper: “Everybody there watching us was like ‘why are they screaming? They won by one point.’ But they don’t understand. We haven’t won in five years.”

Dallas Academy made national news last year when it lost 100-0 in a game.

With so many national tournaments next week at midweek, we won’t re-establish these rankings until Jan. 6. Records here are through Dec. 23.

Xcellent 25 National High School Girls Basketball Rankings

1. (No. 1 last week) Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.), 10-0
Most impressive part of Nike championship was team is still missing top inside presence Alexvz Vaioletema, out with a shin injury.

2. (2) St. Mary’s (Stockton, Calif.), 7-1
Unfortunately for Rams won’t have a chance to avenge loss in state playoffs. St. Mary’s is Division III squad, Mater Dei is Division II.

3. (18) Brea Olinda (Brea, Calif.), 7-2
Very good showing at the TOC, with a narrow loss to No. 2 St. Mary’s-Stockton (67-66) and excellent wins over St. Mary’s-Phoenix (53-31), No. 14 Mt. Lebanon (58-47) and No. 6 Long Beach Poly (48-46). 

4. (6) Long Beach Poly (Calif.), 9-2
Narrow losses to Mater Dei (56-51) and Brea Olinda (48-46) aren’t going to hurt Jackrabbits much here.

5. (5) MacArthur (Irving, Texas), 19-0
Defeated South Grand Prairie 81-45 and Irving 47-19 last week. Odessy Sims had 32 points and Alexis Jones 27 versus SGP. Next plays Monday in Dallas ISD Coca Cola Tournament. 

6. (4) Ben Davis (Indianapolis, Ind.), 11-0
Won 41st consecutive game overall with 73-25 win over South Vigo. Too bad it couldn’t travel to Phoenix to see where team truly stands nationally. All-American candidate Bria Goss is averaging 17.4 points, 6.3 rebounds and 3.5 steals per game.  

7. (7) Cy-Fair (Cypress, Texas), 13-1
Recorded 71-50 win over Bellaire. Next plays Cypress Ridge on Dec. 30.

8. (14) Mount Lebanon (Pittsburgh) 5-1
Had 34-game win streak snapped by Brea Olinda (58-47) but had other impressive wins over ThunderRidge (57-37), Memphis Central (63-56) and Christ the King (58-40).

9. (3) Bolingbrook (Bolingbrook, Ill.), 7-1
After rough 22-loss to No. 6 Long Beach Poly, responded well with wins over Dillard (61-44), South Eugene (57-47) and Norcross (58-47).

10. (8) Whitney Young (Chicago), 7-0
Kiana Johnson had 13 points, five rebounds and four steals leading a balanced attack in 83-48 win over Marshall. Sophomores Sinclair Cunningham and Alexis Lloyd had 12 each for the winners who play Monday in a big game against Start.

11. (9) Murry Bergtraum (New York City), 7-0
Without starting forward Laray Drayton (knee injury), Bergtraum still handled Colorado power Regis Jesuit 75-61 behind 23 points by Cori Coleman, 19 by Doris Ortega, 16 from CeCe Dixon and 14 points and 18 rebounds by DePaul-bound Shukurah Washington.

12. (10) Shabazz (Newark, N.J.) 2-0
Opened season with wins over University 49-32 behind 16 points by Zantaya Davis and 11 from Aliyyah Handford and 58-46 over Columbia when it fell behind 11-3 to open the game. Shabazz responded with a 23-5 run behind 17 points by Ka-Deidre Simmons. 

13. (12) St. Michael Academy (New York, N.Y.), 8-1
St. Michael dismantled a young Regis Jesuit 62-20 which played without the team’s leading scorer who was suspended for a game. The same player starred against Bergtraum a couple days later.

14. (13) Redan (Stone Mountain, Ga.), 9-0
Recorded solid wins over Goose Creek (69-56) and Fayette County (46-40). Has a 13-day break.

15. (15) Hoover (Birmingham, Ala.), 16-0
The Buccaneers won the Big Orange Tournament with a 67-44 win over Osborne after jumping to 20-2 lead. Sophomore Chardonae Fuqua had game-high totals of 20 points and 12 rebounds and Tyrese Tanner scored 15 of her game-high 19 in the first half. The win was tempered by a leg injury to starting point guard Meghan Dunn, who left early in the first quarter and never returned.

16. (24) Duncanville (Texas) 17-0
Impressive offensive output at just below 60 points per game, but the Panthers allow just 42.6. Though 6-2 junior post Bunny Williams (15.3 points) leads the team in scoring, 5-11 forward Akil Simpson has unique distinction of leading squad in rebounds (8.7 pg) and assists.

17. (11) Timberview (Mansfield, Texas), 13-2
Had a nine-game winning streak snapped by host and undefeated and previous No. 24 Duncanville 56-52 on Monday. Kansas-bound Meagan Conwright leads the team in scoring (14.3 ppg) and rebounding (9.1).

18. (19) Potter's House Christian (Jacksonville, Fla.), 14-2
What a week. Averaged 95.3 points in six wins, including breaking triple digits twice. In 104-52 win over Arlington Christian, seven players scored between 17 and 10 points led by Antoinette Bannister’s 17. The team’s eighth player Hillary Fuller had nine points. Biggest win was 81-60 at Mount Notre Dame (Cincinnati) as Bannister went for 25. The 5-10 sophomore had other games last week of 32, 23 and 23 and is averaging team-best 22.7 per game.

19. (16) South Broward (Hollywood, Fla.) 9-0
Recorded 53-39 comeback win over Miramar as University of Miami-bound Krystal Saunders had 24 points and Jasmine Walker added 12.

20. (20) Neptune (N.J), 1-0
Wow. Texas teams are approaching 20 games. Neptune opened last week with 74-13 win over Long Branch.  

21. (21) Incarnate Word (St. Louis, Mo.) 9-0
Won by 49 and 32 last week and now has 15 days off.

22. (23) Detroit Country Day (Beverly Hills, Mich.) 6-0
Defense keys the Yellowjackets, who allow just 41.6 points per game.

23. (25) Midwest City (Okla.), 5-1
Defeated strong Norman North squad 55-42 last week. Is off almost 20 days before Bombers take on Edmond Memorial.

24. (NR) Oregon City (Ore.) 9-0
Probably could have competed at top division of Nike TOC. Instead, won the Desper Division with impressive wins over Bishop Gorman-Las Vegas 64-61, Sacramento 55-53 and Highlands Ranch-Colo. (70-57). The Pioneers have great balance led by Ashleigh Anderson (13.6 ppg), followed by Brittany Knighton (12.6), Taylor Ward (10.7) and Jo Paine (9.1).

25. (NR) Memphis Central (Tenn.) 7-2
Impressive showing at Nike TOC, avenging a loss to Riverdale Baptist with 56-52 win 69-50 over Woodson (Washington D.C.). Team was probably more impressive in losses to No. 2 St. Mary’s-Stockton (76-73) and No. 14 Mt. Lebanon (63-56). Earlier in the year had 71-70 win over No. 19 Potter’s House Christian.

Dropped out: No. 17 Dillard (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.), No. 22 Norcross (Ga.).