There is still plenty of room for movement in the Top 5, with several unbeaten teams in the mix for a late run at the national championship. Look for the state playoffs in Indiana and California to be the deciding factor for who ends the year in the top spot.
1. Mater Dei (Santa Ana, CA) 23-0, Previous Rank: #2
The Buzz: The folks at Mater Dei are nervous about being ranked at Number One because of their youth, but the amount of talent that that team has is just plain scary. Kaleena Lewis is one of the top two sophomores in America and Jordan Adams is a Top 20 freshman as well. One player who does not get as much press is Alexyz Vaioletama, who will end up being one of the Top 25 players nationally in the class of 2011.
2. Washington (South Bend, IN) 21-0, Previous Rank: #3
The Buzz: Since winning the T-Mobile Shootout over Bob Jones, Washington beat TOC runner-Up Bolingbrook in the McDonald’s Shootout. Skylar Diggins is the motor for Washington who will be tested in one of the toughest states in the country this high school season.
3. Ben Davis (Indianapolis, IN) 21-0, Previous Rank: #4
The Buzz: Ben Davis shot up the rankings early in the year with a win over Bolingbrook, which now has lost five games. Senior Alex Bentley leads Ben Davis in the state playoffs coming up soon.
4. Murray Bergtraum (New York, NY) 19-0, Previous Rank #5
The Buzz: Bergtraum had a tough game against St. John Vianney, but pulled out the “W,” 61-59. The Lady Blazers had no problem handling H.D. Woodson of Washington, D.C., 67-53, in the John F. Kennedy Girl’s Basketball Classic last weekend. Coming up next: Contests against local rivals Kennedy and Manhattan Center.
5. Cardinal O’Hara (Springfield, PA) 19-1, Previous Rank #1
The Buzz: Since its early January loss to Archbishop Wood, O’Hara picked up nine wins this week and still remains a formidable opponent behind Stephanie Holzer and company.
6. Bolingbrook (IL) 15-4, Previous Rank: #13
The Buzz: Four losses? Top 10? Well, one of the most talented young teams in the country has lost to four national powers in Ben Davis, St. Michael’s, Cardinal O’Hara, and South Bend Washington. Bolingbrook dares to schedule itself against top-notch competition. Ariel Massengale leads the Raiders at point guard and freshman Morgan Tuck runs the paint. Bolingbrook knocked off previously undefeated Heritage Christian last week and has also notched wins against nationally ranked Oak Ridge and Riverdale Baptist.
7. Polytechnic (Long Beach, CA), 19-2 Previous Rank: #7
The Buzz: Poly continues to roll and has returned guard Ariya Crook to the line-up after sitting out with injury. Aside from two tough losses at TOC, Poly has been perfect and looks to be a gnarly team come playoff time.
8. Whitney Young (Chicago, IL) 24-1, Previous Rank #10
Continuing their winning ways, Whitney Young jumps two spots in the national rankings. Whitney Young will start the Chicago City Playoffs today with high hopes of continuing to move up the charts.
9. Oak Ridge (Oak Ridge, TN) 21-2, Previous Rank #9
The Buzz: MTSU-bound Kortni Jones and uber-coach Jill Pruden continue to roll through Tennessee, undefeated since their two latter-round losses at Tournament of Champions.
10. St. Michael’s Academy (New York, NY) 17-2, Previous Rank #11
The Buzz: While dropping two games at the Bojangles Tournament booted them out of the chase for the National Title, St. Michaels has beaten Bolingbrook and has not lost since the holidays.
11. Mount Notre Dame (Cincinnati, OH) 14-1, Previous Rank #6
The Buzz: Mount Notre Dame has only suffered one loss this season, to University (NJ), another team in the Top 25. They look to be the class of Ohio this season.
12. Heritage Christian (Indianapolis, IN) 17-1, Previous Rank #12
The Buzz: Heritage ended its 25-0 winning streak with a loss to Number 6 Bolingbrook, which keeps them outside the Top 10 once again.
13. Sacred Heart Cathedral (San Francisco, CA) 17-1, Previous Rank #
The Buzz: Sacred Heart continues to roll, unbeaten since its loss to Poly in Hawaii early in the season. The Irish will meet up soon with the other top team in the Bay area, St. Mary’s of Stockton.
14. University (Newark, NJ) 11-3, Previous Rank: 14
The Buzz: Since our last poll, University suffered another loss but also beat Mount Notre Dame of Ohio which keeps them right at Number 14.
15. St. Mary’s (Stockton, CA) 18-3 Previous Rank: #16
The Buzz: St. Mary’s suffered three losses in 2008 but has been thundering along ever since. The combination of Chelsea Gray and Afure Jemerigbe is one of the best in the country and they are set for a collision with Tierra Rogers and Sacred Heart in the playoffs.
16. Lake Howell (Winter Park, Fl) 23-2, Previous Rank #23
The Buzz: The Hawks are 22-0 since Mississippi State signee Ashley Jones has returned from an illness and are beating opponents by an average of 37 points per game since the New Year. Lake Howell crushed local rival Lake Mary and is heading to the playoffs this week where they will face Daytona Beach Mainland.
17. Detroit Community (Michigan) 11-0, Previous Rank: #17
The Buzz: Still early in the Michigan season, Detroit Community has not passed some of the tests that teams ahead of them have but those tests will be coming soon.
18. Archbishop Carroll (Radnor, PA) 17-1, Previous Rank: #18
The Buzz: Carroll’s only loss is to Number Five Cardinal O’Hara and those two teams could meet again in the playoffs in Pennsylvania. Carroll missed its shot at Mater Dei when it skipped the last day of the TOC Mike Desper Division Finals because they had to return east for exams.
19. Regis Jesuit (Aurora, CO) 14-4, Previous Rank: #8
The Buzz: Another loss drops Regis to Number 20 even though they finished in third place at the NIKE TOC.
20. Butler (Matthews, NC) 20-1, Previous Rank: #22
The Buzz: Still undefeated since their loss on the road to Wesleyan (Norcross), Butler won the Bojangles Event in North Carolina and looks to be the standout in that state this season with four potential Division I signees.
21. Memphis Central (Memphis, TN) 21-1, Previous Rank: #24
The Buzz: Central is led by MTSU-bound Jamila Ajanaku and their only loss was at the second session of TOC to Number 8-ranked Whitney Young.
22. Kentwood (Covington, WA) 17-0, Previous Rank: NR
The Buzz: The Kentwood Conquerors beat St. Mary’s early in the season and have continued their winning ways in the state of Washington. If they win the state championship they may be able to climb into the Top 15.
23. Dulles (Sugarland, TX) 29-2, Previous Rank: NR
The Buzz: Undecided Kelsey Bone leads the top team in Texas in one of the toughest areas in the country.
24. Riverdale Baptist (Upper Marlborough, MD) 15-4, Previous Rank: NR
The Buzz: Riverdale Baptist’s win over Poly early in the season and their recent success move them in to the lower end of our Top 25.
25. Fayetteville (Fayetteville, AR) 20-0, Previous Rank: NR
The Buzz: The top team in Arkansas continues their undefeated season with a win over McDonald County this week.
(Results as of Wednesday, February 5, 2009)