By Brian Deakyne | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
Rob Samuels | For NJ Advance Media
Wild holiday week forces shakeup in rankings
As it usually does, the week of holiday tournaments saw a ton of upsets and other surprising results. Those games had a big impact on the new girls basketball Top 20, which can be seen below.
Keith Muccilli | For NJ Advance Media
20-Watchung Hills (5-0)
Last Week: No. 19
Watchung Hills accumulated holiday week wins over Pequannock and Kinnelon to remain unbeaten this season at 5-0.
David Gard | For NJ Advance Media
19-Paul VI (6-0)
Last Week: No. 18
Paul VI improved its record to 6-0 with holiday week wins over Caravel (Del.), 50-46 and Sterling, 65-28, before opening up 2018 with a convincing 55-25 win against Cherry Hill West.
Alexandra Pais | For NJ Advance Media
18-Morristown (4-1)
Last Week: No. 17
Morristown pushed a strong Newark Tech team to the brink 45-40 loss at the Lady Knights Showcase in Paterson last week. Morristown added wins at the showcase over Montclair Immaculate and Paterson Kennedy to improve to 4-0.
PLUS: 18 can't-miss games for the week of Jan. 2
Joe Warner | For NJ Advance Media
17-Gloucester Catholic (6-1)
Last Week: Not Ranked
Gloucester Catholic, one of a handful of South Jersey teams that has a case to be the best from that area, took down Notre Dame (Pa.), 74-52, before a 57-47 loss to Villa Maria Academy Erie (Pa.) during the holiday week. The Rams rebounded with a 87-30 win over Glassboro.
David Gard | For NJ Advance Media
16-Rancocas Valley (3-0)
Last Week: Not Ranked
Rancocas Valley had impressive wins over Lenape and Seneca to improve to 3-0 and throw its name in the ring as one of South Jersey’s best teams to this point this season. Rancocas Valley will get a big road test against Saddle River Day this weekend.
Scott Faytok | For NJ Advance Media
15-University (7-1)
Last Week: No. 16
University won the Newark Public Schools Tournament with a 47-39 victory against Arts in the final before kicking off 2018 with an impressive 42-29 win against Lodi Immaculate on the road.
Andrew Mills | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
14-Manchester Township (7-0)
Last Week: Not Ranked
Manchester Township vaulted in the Top 20 this week after rolling to its first-ever WOBM Holiday Tournament title in Toms River. Manchester Township, still unbeaten at 7-0, had double-digit wins over Colts Neck and Middletown South before a 61-48 result over host Toms River North in the final.
Michael Mancuso | The Times of Trenton
13-Notre Dame (3-0)
Last Week: No. 15
Notre Dame was idle during the holiday week, but will get a tough test in Staten Island Academy (N.Y.) on Jan. 6.
John Munson | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
12-Franklin (1-3)
Last Week: No. 3
Franklin sputtered during the holiday week, falling in back-to-back games against Shore giants St. John Vianney and Rumson-Fair Haven. Franklin, the defending Tournament of Champions winner, has lost three games already this year – all to teams ranked in the Top 10 – and will look to right the ship against rival Gill St. Bernard’s this week.
PLUS: Stat leaders through the first two weeks of the season
David Gard | For NJ Advance Media
11-Camden Catholic (5-1)
Last Week: No. 14
Camden Catholic took down Neshaminy (Pa.) for a 46-45 win before falling to Archbishop Ryan (Pa.), 53-48, during out-of-state playing in the holiday week.
David Gard | For NJ Advance Media
10-Cherokee (3-1)
Last Week: No. 10
Cherokee produced a 42-35 win over a stingy Sterling team before falling to Caravel (Del.), 39-32, during the holiday week.
Alexandra Pais | For NJ Advance Media
9-Newark Tech (4-2)
Last Week: No. 5
After winning its first two games at the Lady Knights Showcase in Paterson, Newark Tech fell to Life Center, 58-49, for its second loss of the season. The Terriers, expected to be a real contender in Group 2 this year, had wins over Paterson Kennedy, 51-26, and Morristown, 45-40, in the first two games.
Alexandra Pais | For NJ Advance Media
8-Rumson-Fair Haven (5-1)
Last Week: No. 9
Tori Hyduke-led Rumson-Fair Haven captured its first signature win of the season with a 60-57 win over defending Tournament of Champions winner Franklin, one day after a 23-point loss to Rutgers Prep. Rumson-Fair Haven added its first win of 2018 by way of a 56-44 decision over Marlboro to improve to 5-1.
Matt Smith | For NJ Advance Media
7-Saddle River Day (4-2)
Last Week: No. 11
Saddle River Day was impressive at the Lady Knights Showcase in Paterson, recording wins over Life Center and Montclair Immaculate by double digits before falling short in a shootout with Manasquan in the final game of the week.
Andrew Mills | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
6-Pascack Valley (7-0)
Last Week: No. 6
Pascack Valley went unbeaten during the holiday week and won the Joe Poli Tournament with a 42-33 win over Bergen County rival Immaculate Heart. The Indians also racked up wins over Northern Highlands and Holy Angels in the tournament to improve to 7-0 on the year. Jeff Jasper is now three wins away from becoming the first girls basketball coach to win 1,000 games.
Andrew Mills | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
5-Red Bank Catholic (5-1)
Last Week: No. 8
Red Bank Catholic produced a pair of impressive out-of-state wins over Caesar Rodney (Del.) and Conrad Science (Del.) at the Diamond State Classic during the holiday week before returning to N.J. with a 70-26 decision against Red Bank Regional. Legendary coach Joe Montano sits one win shy of No. 600.
John Munson | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
4-Rutgers Prep (4-1)
Last Week: No. 2
Rutgers Prep took down Rumson-Fair Haven with an impressive closeout win, 70-47, before falling short against St. John Vianney, 52-49, at the Holiday Joust in Holmdel to suffer its first loss of the season. Rutgers Prep, with some key players out with injuries, has looked impressive to this point.
George McNish | For NJ Advance Media
3-St. Rose (6-1)
Last Week: No. 4
After a buzzer-beating loss to Pickerington Central (Ohio) to open play at the Diamond State Classic in Delaware, St. Rose battled back for wins over St. Anthony (Calif.) and Ursuline Academy (Del.) to take fifth in the prestigious tournament. St. Rose opened 2018 with a resounding win over Keansburg.
Rob Samuels | For NJ Advance Media
2-St. John Vianney (6-0)
Last Week: No. 7
St. John Vianney continued to impress through the holiday week with home wins in back-to-back days against defending Tournament of Champions winner Franklin and Rutgers Prep. St. John Vianney enters 2018 with three wins against ranked opponents and has played as well as any team in the state to this point.
Andrew Mills | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
1-Manasquan (6-0)
Last Week: No. 1
Manasquan went 3-0 at the Lady Knights Showcase in Paterson with impressive wins over Lodi Immaculate, Life Center and Saddle River Day to keep retain its No. 1 ranking. Dara Mabrey scored a career-high 38 points in the Warriors’ 87-77 win against Saddle River Day to close out 2017.
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Brian Deakyne may be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @BrianDeakyne. Like NJ.com High School Sports on Facebook.
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