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

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Sometimes margin of victory matters; sometimes it doesn't.

Unless you're actually at a game, it's very hard to tell what the difference in the final score actually means. A team can be ahead by 20 to 25 throughout the entire game, roll out its subs in the last four minutes while the other team keeps its starters on the floor, and the game winds up being six or eight points. On the other hand, it could be a two-point game most of the way, and then the winning team gets ahead by four or six in the last three minutes, and the other team starts fouling. Free throw after free throw after free throw, and suddenly what was a close game winds up being a 12-point victory.

So for the most part, margin of victory isn't that crucial – but there are exceptions. A 40-point win, or loss, makes it pretty clear that one team was far superior to the other, so we tend to take those pretty seriously when elite teams are playing each other. Sure, sometimes a team can just collapse completely, or give up, but in general, winning by 30 or 40 pretty much seals the deal in terms of which is the better team.

So when Millbrook lost to Paul VI by 42, that tells a much different story than Centennial losing to Paul VI by seven. Still, though, it's only one loss, and it's a long season. But a major thumping always has to leave more than a few question marks lingering in the air.

(Note: We urge all teams, not just those in the Xcellent 25, to make sure their rosters and schedules are up-to-date on MaxPreps. This allows parents, fans, media and college coaches easy access to what they need to know. Problems? Contact coachsupport@maxpreps.com.)


1. (1 last week) Paul VI (Fairfax, Va.), 3-0
Paul VI proved it belongs at No. 1 by overcoming an early double-digit lead by No. 5 Centennial and then rolling to a 66-59 win. In addition, Paul VI hammered No. 18 Millbrook and punished a solid Roland Park team that knocked Ossining out of the rankings.

2. (2) Archbishop Mitty (San Jose, Calif.), 1-0
Mitty thumped always tough Bishop O'Dowd 78-52 to start the season, and is now off to the Iolani tournament. Waiting in the second round is Salesian, the team that upset Mitty in the NorCal Open Division playoffs last year.

3. (3) Riverdale (Murfreesboro, Tenn.), 6-0
Stewart's Creek upset Riverdale last year, and has lost only to tough Brentwood Academy this season, so Friday night's rematch might be an issue -- especially since the game is at Stewart's Creek.

4. (4) Hamilton Heights Christian Academy (Chattanooga, Tenn.), 7-0
Hamilton Heights handled two of Kentucky's best -- Mercer County and Mercy -- and now moves on to the always competitive Fort Smith TOC in Arkansas.

5. (5) Centennial (Las Vegas, Nev.), 2-1
No. 5 is supposed to lose to No. 1, and that's exactly what happened this past weekend. Centennial should be able to rest a little before heading to the Nike TOC, which is chock full of quality teams.

6. (6) Miami Country Day (Miami), 6-0
South Broward is unbeaten, and when the Spartans host the 8A power (Miami Country Day is 4A), it will be the third game in three days for the No. 6 team in the nation.

7. (8) Long Beach Poly (Calif.), 0-0
Game one will be in the Iolani tournament, and barring the completely unexpected, game two will be against Central California power Clovis West in what could be a preview of the Southern California Open Division final in March.

8. (8) National Christian Academy (Fort Washington, Md.), 2-0
The first two games were against opposition as soft as a spring shower, but No. 10 Monacan will be a much tougher test Friday at She Got Game.

9. (10) Montini (Lombard, Ill.), 9-0
The final score against one of Ohio's best, Pickerington Central, was 58-50, but Montini was in control the whole way. The next tough one will be unbeaten Rock Island on Saturday.

10. (12) Monacan (Richmond, Va.), 1-0
After a tuneup Tuesday, Monacan and No. 1 recruit in the Class of 2017 Megan Walker will jump right into the fire by taking on No. 8 National Christian at the She Got Game Classic.

11. (11) St. Rose (Belmar, N.J.), 0-0
Patience is a virtue, but we're guessing the St. Rose girls are getting really sick of practicing right about now. And the first game is still more than a week away.

12. (13) Norcross (Ga.), 9-0
Norcross stays in state until the Crescom tournament the week before Christmas -- but the Lady Blue have already played more good teams than some members of the Xcellent 25 will all season.

13. (14) Duncanville (Texas), 15-1
After handling a tough Liberty team Tuesday (it was 37-12 at half with a 65-34 final), Duncanville's next big hurdle will be its own Sandra Meadows Classic after Christmas. 14. (15) Cardinal O'Hara (Springfield, Pa.), 0-0
Another team full of players who are sick of running suicides, O'Hara's first game isn't until Dec. 15.

15. (17) Manasquan (N.J.), 0-0
See St. Rose and Cardinal O'Hara -- game one for Manasquan is Dec. 16.

16. (18) Homewood-Flossmoor (Flossmoor, Ill.), 4-1
Oswego East is 8-1 and should prove a challenge this weekend -- and more wins plus some upsets can keep Homewood-Flossmoor rising in the rankings.

17. (19) Mansfield Timberview (Arlington, Texas), 9-1
Mansfield Timberview is in the midst of an 11-day break (testing) but will get back on the court Dec. 13.

18. (9) Millbrook (Raleigh, N.C.), 6-1
OK, losing to No. 1 is expected, but losing by 40+ is a concern. The margin for error is now very thin.

19. (20) St. Francis (Alpharetta, Ga.), 5-1
Southwest DeKalb was once one of Georgia's best, but next Tuesday's opponent is now just pretty good, as opposed to very good.

20. (16) Riverdale Baptist (Upper Marlboro, Md.), 4-1
This is how you prove yourself: Riverdale Baptist will play Bishop McNamara, McEachern and Archbishop Wood -- three top teams from different states -- on consecutive nights (Thursday through Saturday). There's margin for error with a schedule like this.

21. (21) Grandview (Aurora, Colo.), 2-0
Regis Jesuit has, at times, been one of the best in the country, but this year, they're down some. Still, Grandview will be tested by a team that has already played in an out-of-state tournament.

22. (NR) Long Island Lutheran (Brookville, N.Y.), 1-0
Long Island Lutheran jumps into the rankings, but could jump right out if things don't go well against Pennsylvania power Archbishop Wood and unbeaten Boca Raton.

23. (23) Central Valley (Spokane Valley, Wash.), 2-0
It's hard to move up when restrictions prevent a school from playing elite opposition. Expect Central Valley to keep the train rolling ...

24. (24) North Little Rock (Ark.), 5-0
North Little Rock hasn't played since the Thanksgiving break and won't be able to ease back into it, as the first game in the Diedra Thomas Memorial Tournament is against 4-1 Hot Springs.

25. (25) Detroit Country Day (Beverly Hills, Mich.), 2-0
Detroit Country Day handled Wayne Memorial 79-60 Saturday, but the real test will be a week from this Saturday against perennial Illinois power Whitney Young.

Dropped out: No. 22 Ossining