Central hanging tough in National Ranking

image and story from ESPN Hoopgurlz

Georgia Tech bound, Aaliyah Whiteside

Memphis Central has three losses, did not play in the Nike Tournament of Champions, and recently dismissed one of its most talented players.

Yet the Lady Warriors continue to lurk around the POWERADE FAB 50 top 10, checking in at No. 11 this week after beating then-No. 27 North Little Rock.

Despite a bit of an up-and-down start to this season, Memphis Central has been able to maintain its foothold near the top of the rankings because it plays an aggressive schedule and its state and region are in an up cycle, as evidenced by fellow Tennesseans No. 8 Riverdale and No. 9 Clarksville.

Memphis Central started the season with a victory over Twinsburg, now No. 14, followed by a narrow, three-point loss to McEachern, now ranked No. 4. It has split with Riverdale, which it beat in the state AAA championship game last spring.

In other significant developments, Incarnate Word lost to unranked Lafayette and Trenton Catholic lost for the first time, to unranked Mount St. Dominic. La Jolla Country Day also upended St. Mary's in a battle of Golden State titans.

Memphis Central's ability to maintain or improve its ranking will depend on how it handles the absence of Danielle Ballard, the LSU recruit who is ranked No. 24 in the 2012 class by ESPN HoopGurlz and was dismissed for repeated violations of team rules. The Lady Warriors' "big three" has been reduced to Aaliyah Whiteside, the Georgia Tech signee ranked No. 23 in 2012, and Nina Davis, ranked No. 58 in 2013. Both stepped up during the victory over North Little Rock and will be tested Sunday by No. 49 Potter's House Christian.

2011-2012 POWERADE FAB 50 Girls' Basketball Rankings Week 5 Rankings