Incarnate Word is the new No. 1.
For the month of December it was all about Mater Dei, the preseason No. 1 team that won the much ballyhooed Nike Tournament of Champions just before Christmas. But a Jan. 3 rematch with St. Marys (Albany, Calif.) ended the Monarchs reign at the top spot with Mater falling 55-41 in the Real Run Showcase.
Incarnate Word (Saint Louis, Mo.) has ascended to the top spot by virtue of three impressive wins at a post-holiday tournament in Florida proving the Red Knights could win against quality competition outside their region. Words signature win was against Blackman (Murfreesboro, Tenn.) and will be revisited this weekend in another No. 1 team rematch.
Duncanville (Texas) continues to be the class of Texas and a run to a state title in the Lone Star State would create plenty of debate as to the No. 1 overall spot.
California could get interesting as the Jackrabbits of Poly (Long Beach, Calif.) added UCLA-bound senior Lajahna Drummer to the mix after their only loss of the season, to then No. 1 Mater Dei. Serra also saw transfer and USC-bound senior point guard Chyanne Butler gain her eligibility as well. And as for the St. Marys team that knocked Mater Dei off its perch, the team fell twice last week to Windward (Los Angeles, Calif.) and Etiwanda (Calif.), dropping them out of the top 25.
Records as of Jan. 20, 2014
1 Incarnate Word Academy (St. Louis, MO) 14-0
2 Duncanville (TX) 22-0
3 Mater Dei (Santa Ana, CA) 16-1
4 Poly (Long Beach, CA) 13-1
5 Blackman (Murfreesboro, TN) 18-1
6 New Hope Christian Academy (Thomasville, NC) 23-0
7 Homewood-Flossmoor (Flossmoor, IL) 13-2
8 Rockbridge (Columbia, MO) 12-2
9 Lawrence North (Indianapolis, IN) 16-1
10 Regis Jesuit (Aurora, CO) 11-2
11 Windward (Los Angeles, CA) 16-2
12 Saint Marys (Stockton, CA) 13-4
13 Riverdale Baptist (Upper Marlboro, MD) 13-2
14 Leavenworth (KS) 9-0
15 Myers Park (Charlotte, NC) 14-1
16 Whitney Young (Chicago, IL) 16-3
17 Montini (Lombard, IL) 21-1
18 Manvel (TX) 26-2
19 Joliet Catholic (IL) 20-0
20 Riverdale (Murfreesboro, TN) 16-4
21 Shabazz (Newark, NJ) 12-1
22 Fairmont (Kettering, OH) 16-1
23 Rolling Meadows (IL) 18-3
24 Serra (Gardena, CA) 16-2
25 McEachern (Powder Springs, GA) 13-2