USA TODAY SUPER 25

[timbdp]

New team at the top: Less than a month into the season and there's a new No. 1 team -Piedmont (Calif.). Murry Bergtraum (Manhattan, N.Y.) slips seven spots after losing to St. John the Baptist (West Islip) last Saturday. Three schools debut, including No. 13 Detroit Country Day (Beverly Hills, Mich.), which won the Class B state title. That sets up the rankings for a jolt when 10 of the top 25 teams play in the Tournament of Champions next week in Chandler, Ariz..

 

Player of the week: Tiffanie Shives of Lansing (Mich.) Christian scored nine of her 24 points in overtime during a 58-54 victory over St. Patrick (Portland) in Michigan's Class D final. She also finished 12-for-13 from the foul line and had seven rebounds and four assists. The Michigan State-bound 5-10 Shives, who had 29 points and nine rebounds in the semifinals, was named Michigan's Miss Basketball after averaging 25 points and five rebounds.

 

Game of the week: Saturday, No. 22 Theodore Roosevelt (Washington, D.C.) vs. No. 8 Murry Bergtraum (Manhattan, N.Y.) at the Gaucho Gym in the Bronx.

 

Must-see event: The Holiday Invitational tips off Saturday at the Myrtle Beach (S.C.) Convention Center. A 16-team field from eight states is headlined by No. 21 Stephenson (Stone Mountain, Ga.), Georgia's defending Class 5A state champion. The championship is Dec. 22.

 

Michigan wrap-up: No. 13 Detroit Country Day won its third straight Class B state title, beating St. Clair 49-24. Keri Laimbeer had 12 points and six rebounds for DCC (26-1). Laimbeer is the daughter of Bill Laimbeer, who played for the Detroit Pistons and coached the Detroit Shock to a WNBA championship. Michigan plays its girls season in the fall.

 

Twin towers: The Paris twins, Ashley and Courtney, of No. 1 Piedmont (Calif.) have accounted for 46 of the team's 68 points per game. The 6-4 Courtney averages 27.6 points and 20 rebounds through seven games and Ashley is at 18.6 points and 12.4 rebounds. The Paris's signed with Oklahoma and are Preseason Super 25 players.

 

Free throws: Junior Tina Charles of No. 2 Christ the King (Middle Village, N.Y.) totaled 44 points, 22 rebounds and six blocks in two victories in the Big Apple Classic. ... 6-4 Elena Delle Donne of Ursuline Academy (Wilmington, Del.), considered one of the nation's top freshman, scored 42 points in a 76-59 win vs. Archbishop Ryan (Philadelphia). She is already being recruited by the likes of Tennessee and Connecticut. ... PG Anjela Barrett of No. 23 St. Michael Academy (Manhattan, N.Y.), the sister of Andre Barrett of the Houston Rockets, is averaging a triple-double — 14 points, 11 assists and 10 rebounds — after four games. ... Iowa State-bound Heather Ezell of Kickapoo (Springfield, Mo.), No. 6 in the Midwest rankings, was named MVP of the Fort Smith (Ark.) Tournament of Champions. ... North Carolina-bound Iman McFarland of No. Bishop McNamara (Forestville, Md.) MVP of the Lone Star Invitational after averaging 19 points, 12 rebounds and three blocks in five games. ... Duke-bound Abby Waner of No. 6 ThunderRidge (Highlands Ranch, Colo.) is averaging 31 points with a season-high 39 points vs. Palmer (Colorado Springs)...6-4 junior Jayne Appel of No. 20 Carondelet (Concord, Calif.) has totaled 43 points, 30 rebounds and 10 blocks in two games.

 

1. Piedmont, Calif. (7-0)

Previous: 2. Result: Quality wins have come against No. 4 Lincoln (Dallas) 49-44 and No. 9 Oakland Tech 54-33. Averaging nearly 68 points per game.

 

2. Christ the King, Middle Village, N.Y. (3-0)

Previous: 3. Result: Beat Cleveland (Tenn.) 81-67 and Cardinal O'Hara (Springfield, Pa.) 56-41 in Big Apple Challenge.

 

3. Chaminade-Julienne, Dayton, Ohio (7-0)

Previous: 5. Result: Won its seventh straight game, beating Dunbar (Dayton) 79-35. Average margin of victory is 32 points.

 

4. Bishop McNamara, Forestville, Md. (5-0)

Previous: 6. Result: Won five games to successfully defend its Lone Star Classic championship in San Antonio.

 

5. Sacred Heart Academy, Louisville (4-0)

Previous: 7. Result: Averaging 66.3 points in four victories.

 

6. ThunderRidge, Highlands Ranch, Colo. (4-0)

Previous: 8. Result: Extended its win streak vs. Colorado schools to 42 games, beating Cherry Creek (Englewood) 85-39. Average margin of victory is nearly 40 points.

 

7. Archbishop Carroll, Radnor, Pa. (4-0)

Previous: 10. Result: Beat Peddie School (Hightstown, N.J.) 44-33 in Archbishop Carroll Tournament final. Also won the Oakland Catholic Tournament in Pittsburgh.

 

8. Murry Bergtraum, Manhattan, N.Y. (2-1)

Previous: 1. Result: Lost to St. John the Baptist (West Islip) 57-51 in the Big Apple Classic.

 

9. St. Mary's, Phoenix (5-0)

Previous: 11. Result: Won its 40th consecutive game, beating Kofa (Yuma) 76-45.

 

10. Poly, Long Beach, Calif. (4-0)

Previous: 12. Result: Won South Torrance Tournament, beating Sylmar 59-44 in final.

 

11. Incarnate Word, St. Louis (8-0)

Previous: 13. Result: Extended win streak to nine games, beating Cardinal Ritter (St. Louis) 67-45. Also won Quincy (Ill.) Thanksgiving Tournament, beating Northeast (Clarksville, Tenn.) 67-39 in final.

 

12. Fenwick, Oak Park, Ill. (10-0)

Previous: 14. Result: Won five games for the Niles West Tournament championship. Also beat Providence Catholic (New Lenox) 70-41 for its 10th straight win to open the season.

 

13. Detroit Country Day, Beverly Hills, Mich. (26-1)

Previous: Not ranked. Result: Beat St. Clair 49-24 to win its third consecutive Class B state championship. Michigan girls play during fall season. Season complete.

 

14. Oakland (Calif.) Tech (1-1)

Previous: 9. Result: Beat Lynwood 52-50 and lost to No. 1 Piedmont 54-33 in Have Game Will Travel Shootout.

 

15. St. Mary's, Stockton, Calif. (4-0)

Previous: 15. Result: Won Amador Valley Classic, beating Washington (Fremont) 56-42.

 

16. Collins Hill, Suwanee, Ga. (9-0)

Previous: 16. Result: Won Southern Gas Company Tournament, beating Holy Innocents (Atlanta) 59-34 in final. Limiting opponents to nearly 36 points per game.

 

17. West Monroe, La. (12-0)

Previous: 19. Result: Won its third tournament, beating Russellville (Ark.) 45-30 in Oil Belt Classic final.

 

18. Dulles, Sugar Land, Texas (19-1)

Previous: Not ranked. Result: Beat Elkins (Missouri City) 71-66 for its sixth consecutive victory.

 

19. Mountain View, Orem, Utah (6-0)

Previous: 20. Result: Won its sixth straight to open the season, beating Cottonwood (Salt Lake City) 67-45.

 

20. Carondelet, Concord, Calif. (2-0)

Previous: 22. Result: Beat Northgate (Walnut Creek) 48-37 and Ursuline (Santa Rosa) 81-58.

 

21. Stephenson, Stone Mountain, Ga. (5-0)

Previous: 23. Result: Extended its win streak to 22 games, beating Newton (Covington) 48-46.

 

22. Theodore Roosevelt, Washington, D.C. (2-0)

Previous: 24. Result: Beat Woodson (Washington, D.C.) 72-27 and Western (Baltimore) 65-60 in D.C.-Baltimore Classic.

 

23. St. Michael Academy, Manhattan, N.Y. (4-0)

Previous: 25. Result: Beat Philadelphia schools Central 54-19 and University City 56-30.

 

24. Lexington (Ky.) Catholic (4-0)

Previous: Not ranked. Result: Beat then-No. 17 Mount Notre Dame (Cincinnati) 55-51.

 

25. Mount Notre Dame, Cincinnati (4-1)

Previous: 17. Result: Lost to Lexington (Ky.) Catholic 55-51. Margin of victory in four games is 25 points.

 

Dropped out: No. 4 Lincoln (Dallas) lost to Riverdale Baptist (Upper Marlboro, Md.) 54-47 and Bishop McNamara (Forestville, Md.) 62-56 in Lone Star Invitational (San Antonio) and No. 2 Piedmont (Calif.) 49-44; No. 18 Mercyhurst Prep (Erie, Pa.) lost twice to Altoona (Pa.) 56-50 and 61-58; No. 21 Sapulpa (Okla.) lost to Mountain Home (Ark.) 42-41.

[timbdp]

regional rankings

 

East

1. Christ the King, Middle Village, N.Y. (3-0)

2. Bishop McNamara, Forestville, Md. (5-0)

3. Archbishop Carroll, Radnor, Pa. (4-0)

4. Murry Bergtraum, Manhattan, N.Y. (2-1)

5. Theodore Roosevelt, Washington, D.C. (2-0)

6. St. Michael Academy, Manhattan, N.Y. (4-0)

7. Shabazz, Newark, N.J. (0-0)

8. Riverdale Baptist School, Upper Marlboro, Md. (6-1)

9. Cardinal O'Hara, Springfield, Pa. (2-1)

10. Oakland Catholic, Pittsburgh (2-1)

 

South

1. Sacred Heart Academy, Louisville (4-0)

2. Collins Hill, Suwanee, Ga. (9-0)

3. West Monroe, La. (12-0)

4. Dulles, Sugar Land, Texas (19-1)

5. Stephenson, Stone Mountain, Ga. (5-0)

6. Lexington (Ky.) Catholic (4-0)

7. Mount Juliet, Tenn. (7-0)

8. Bellaire, Houston (16-1)

9. Oakland, Murfreesboro, Tenn. (6-0)

10. Bay St. Louis, Miss. (10-0)

 

Midwest

1. Chaminade-Julienne, Dayton, Ohio (7-0)

2. Incarnate Word, St. Louis (8-0)

3. Fenwick, Oak Park, Ill. (10-0)

4. Detroit Country Day, Beverly Hills, Mich. (26-1)

5. Mount Notre Dame, Cincinnati (4-1)

6. Kickapoo, Springfield, Mo. (5-0)

7. Ankeny, Iowa (6-0)

8. Bloomington (Ind.) North (8-1)

9. St. Thomas Aquinas, Overland Park, Kan. (3-1)

10. East Chicago (Ind.) Central (9-0)

 

West

1. Piedmont, Calif. (7-0)

2. ThunderRidge, Highlands Ranch, Colo. (4-0)

3. St. Mary's, Phoenix (5-0)

4. Poly, Long Beach (4-0)

5. Oakland (Calif.) Tech (1-1)

6. St. Mary's, Stockton, Calif. (4-0)

7. Mountain View, Orem, Utah (6-0)

8. Carondelet, Concord, Calif. (2-0)

9. Centennial, Las Vegas (9-0)

10. Garfield, Seattle (1-0)

[addictedtosports.com]

Its only a dream but I would love to see how our local teams would stack up against these national "powerhouses"

[basketballfan2003]

These have to be OLD rankings. The #5 team, Sacred Heart Academy lost before Christmas and left the Sweet South Classic with a 7-4-1 record. Plus Oakland lost to Mt. Juliet and Mt. Juliet has more wins so these rankings have to be old.

[clevelandblueraiderfan]

I think they are a little old.

[lpmarlowe]

the new rankings for usa today top 25 come out on wednesday