In the storybooks, the gritty underdog trails in the fourth quarter against its crosstown rival, but somehow battles back to tie the score with a minute to go — and then makes all the big plays down the stretch to defeat the defending champions and advance in the playoffs.
For the Oakland Patriots in Murfreesboro, Tenn., the storybook ending came true against previous No. 21 Blackman, a team that had beaten Oakland by nine and 15 already this season. The teams may meet again in Tennessee's postseason, but Oakland's 43-39 win is a season-defining victory — and will long be remembered.
On the other hand, St. John-Vianney's dreams of upsetting Sidwell Friends, the No. 1 team in the MaxPreps Top 25 high school girls basketball rankings, were shattered down the stretch despite cutting a 15-point, second-half lead to five. Junior
Jadyn Donovan led Sidwell with 21, while
Kiki Rice added 15 in the 73-58 victory. The Lancers'
Madison St. Rose scored a game-high 28 in the losing effort.
Jadyn Donovan, Sidwell Friends
Photo by Josh Johnson
1. Sidwell Friends (Washington, D.C.)
Record: 22-0 |
Last week: 1
The Quakers took over the big game against No. 3 St. John-Vianney in the fourth quarter, knocking down 10 free throws en route to a 73-58 win. Next up, the District of Columbia playoffs.
2. Etiwanda (Calif.)
Record: 27-0 |
Last week: 2
The Eagles struggled a bit with Mater Dei before winning by 11, but the margin of error against No. 8 Sierra Canyon on Saturday is much slimmer.
3. DeSoto (Texas)
Record: 30-2 |
Last week: 4
The Eagles third matchup with No. 23 Duncanville could be this weekend in the 6A semifinals. Though DeSoto has won the first two, each game was decided by just a four-point margin.
4. St. John-Vianney (Holmdel, N.J.)
Record: 23-1 |
Last week: 3
The Lancers cut a 15-point, third-quarter deficit to five, but that was as close as the Garden State's best could get. And even though No. 3 is expected to lose to No. 1, the loss still knocked SJV down a rung on the MaxPreps Top 25 ladder.
5. Hopkins (Minnetonka, Minn.)
Record: 18-1 |
Last week: 5
The Royals were supposed to play rival Minnetonka last week, but an incident in the Minnetonka program caused the game to be canceled. The AAAA playoffs begin this weekend.
6. La Jolla Country Day (La Jolla, Calif.)
Record: 22-2 |
Last week: 6
The Torreys should have little trouble with El Camino on Thursday, but the title game of the San Diego Section Open Division, against either Cathedral Catholic or Mission Hills, will be a much tougher test.
7. Classen SAS (Oklahoma City)
Record: 18-1 |
Last week: 7
The Comets just got past previously unbeaten Edmond North, 58-56, but should have an easier time of it in this weekend's 4A Area 3 Regionals.
8. Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth, Calif.)
Record: 26-1 |
Last week: 8
After easily disposing of Centennial of Corona, Sierra Canyon finally gets a matchup with No. 2 Etiwanda on Saturday. But since both teams will advance to the Southern California Regionals, they could meet again further down the road.
9. New Hope Academy (Landover Hills, Md.)
Record: 24-2 |
Last week: 9
New Hope has entered the National Association of Christian Athletes National Championship this weekend, and will start play Thursday. The toughest competition will likely come from 20-1 East Central Home School, but New Hope has played at a much higher level all year long.
10. Incarnate Word Academy (St. Louis)
Record: 22-0 |
Last week: 10
The Red Knights begin the postseason Saturday against 4-8 Ritenour, but the biggest threat in the Division 3 playoffs will likely be 19-4 Pattonville.
11. Cedar Park (Texas)
Record: 33-0 |
Last week: 11
The Timberwolves face the winner of 29-9 McAllen and 36-2 Corpus Christi in the 5A playoffs, with Corpus Christi riding an 18-game winning streak into that game.
12. Montverde Academy (Montverde, Fla.)
Record: 18-3 |
Last week: 12
The Eagles have high hopes of being invited to the GEICO National High School championships, but has nothing to do in the meantime but practice.
13. Conway (Ark.)
Record: 26-1 |
Last week: 13
The Wampus Cats start the 6A playoffs next week, and likely will get a bye into the quarterfinals.
14. DME Academy (Daytona Beach, Fla.)
Record: 23-3 |
Last week: 14
Like Montverde, DME is looking for a bid to the GEICO National High School Championships, but that's a month or more away.
15. Lake Highland Prep (Orlando, Fla.)
Record: 21-4 |
Last week: 15
The Highlanders slipped past Palm Bay 56-51 and now get 20-7 Booker in the 4A semifinals Thursday. Bishop Kenny (25-4) and Calvary Christian Academy (22-6) face off in the other semi.
16. Fremont (Plain City, Utah)
Record: 21-2 |
Last week: 16
Oddly enough, the Silverwolves are not the top seed in the 6A tournament — that honor goes to unbeaten Lone Peak. Note, however, that Lone Peak has not played a team outside of Utah and Fremont's two losses are to No. 6 La Jolla Country Day and No. 9 New Hope.
17. Hazel Green ( Ala.)
Record: 32-0 |
Last week: 17
The Trojans face the winner of 29-4 Park Crossing and 13-7 Carver Montgomery in the 6A semifinals March 2. Hazel Green has won the last four championships, so any loss would be a major upset.
18. Johnston (Iowa)
Record: 22-0|
Last week: 18
The Dragons face Des Moines North in the Class 5A Region 1 title game Wednesday. When they played in December, Johnston won by 29.
19. Woodward Academy (College Park, Ga.)
Record: 24-2|
Last week: 19
The War Eagles likely won't need extra caffeine to get by 9-17 Coffee on Wednesday but they will be pumped up if they get a chance to avenge a November loss to Jackson in the AAAAA quarterfinals.
20. Franklin Community (Franklin, Ind.)
Record: 28-1 |
Last week: 20
The Grizzly Cubs survived against Mooresville, 49-46, and will face an even tougher test in Saturday's 4A title game against 24-4 Noblesville, which has won its last three playoff games by an average margin of 19 points.
21. Duncanville (Texas)
Record: 32-6 |
Last week: 22
The Pantherettes will face the winner of 27-6 Klein Collins and 24-7 Conroe on Friday, but the team they really want to beat is No. 3 DeSoto — which is the likely opponent should Duncanville survive on Friday.
22. Bishop McNamara (Forestville, Md.)
Record: 18-4 |
Last week: 23
The Mustangs have a chance to rise in the rankings if they can win the always competitive Washington Catholic Athletic Conference tournament. On the other hand, a loss likely drops them out of the MaxPreps Top 25.
23. Mount Notre Dame (Cincinnati)
Record: 24-0|
Last week: 24
Even though Bellbrook is 23-2, Mount Notre Dame is the prohibitive favorite in Saturday night's Region 4 final — but the game everyone's been waiting for is a possible March 1 rematch with Princeton. In their first meeting, Princeton won easily but lost due to a rules infraction that resulted in a forfeit.
24. Garfield (Seattle)
Record: 17-0 |
Last week: 25
The Bulldogs advance to the convoluted Washington playoffs. As one of the top eight seeds in 3A, they are guaranteed a spot in at least the round of 16 at the Tacoma Dome — but if they beat 12-4 Stanwood this weekend, they move directly into the quarterfinals.
25. Millard South (Omaha, Neb.)
Record: 24-0 |
Last week: NR
Millard South jumps into the rankings despite never leaving the Cornhusker State thanks to school district (not state) restrictions. Next up is a District 1-A playoff game Saturday.
Dropped out: No. 21 Blackman (Murfreesboro, Tenn.)
