Preseason Girls' Top 10

1. LONG BEACH POLY, Long Beach, Calif. (11--25) The Jackrabbits, who forfeited 20 games last season, play in the two toughest tournaments in the country--the Nike Tournament of Champions in Phoenix and the 3-Point Play Holiday Tournament at the University of Maryland. Then they return to California to defend their Division I (largest schools) state title. Leading this loaded squad is junior guard-forward Jasmine Dixon. Candice Nichols, Brittany Brumfield and Taja Edwards are also talented veterans, but watch out for freshman twins Ashley and Brittany Wilson.

2. COLLINS HILL, Suwanee, Ga. (31--1) They have Maya Moore, the consensus No. 1 senior in the country, sharpshooter Jordan Jones and ultratalented 6'1" junior Taylor Dalrymple, but it will be hard for the Eagles to be as good as they were last year because point guard Shantell Black (now at Ole Miss) and two other starters graduated.

3. PROVIDENCE DAY, Charlotte (29--1) With three starters back, including senior point guard Epiphany Woodson and junior twins Britny and Whitny Edwards, the Chargers have plenty of weapons.

4. CHRIST THE KING, Middle Village, N.Y. (30--0) Coach Bob Mackey is working on two nice streaks: 57 wins in a row and back-to-back national titles. Three starters are returning, including senior Lorin Dixon, the human blur. So what's not to like? Tina Charles is now at UConn, and with her went the Royals' post game. And they will again play their usual brutal schedule.

5. THE FIRST ACADEMY, Orlando (30--2) This year the Royals will be making an inaugural trip to the Nike Tournament of Champions. Elite talents 6'4" senior Krystal Thomas and 5'10" junior Alex Deluzio should do just fine in Arizona, but senior point guard Tierra Brown and senior power forward Jaimie Givens will be tested severely.

6. NOTRE DAME ACADEMY, Middleburg, Va. (28--3) The Dragons have four starters back, including point guard Ebonie Williams and 6'2" power forward Mia Nickson. Josette Campbell is 6'1" and Azania Stewart is 6'4", so Notre Dame is big. The school will play a very tough schedule, which should help its ranking.

7. URSULINE, Wilmington, Del. (21--5) Elena Delle Donne--the recruiting prize of the '08 class--is one of those kids who makes everything. And she's 6'4". Put a quick girl on her, and she shoots over her; put a big girl on her, and she steps back and starts draining threes. The Raiders play a tough schedule, which means that Kayla Miller, Erin Edwards and Shannon O'Hanlon are going to have to step up more than once.

8. ARCHBISHOP MITTY, San Jose (27--3) All five starters return for coach Sue Phillips, and she's added a solid transfer, plus a freshman class that Phillips calls one of the best in her very successful 15 years at Mitty. Danielle Robinson (Oklahoma-bound) is the best known Monarch, but Kassandra McCalister, Nicole Anderson, Lindsay Leo and Jessica Torrecillas are tall and talented as well.

9. FENWICK, Oak Park, Ill. (32--2) It's difficult to choose between Fenwick and Bolingbrook as the best in Illinois, but it's a truism in high school coaching that seniors win for you. Since the Friars have four very good ones, they get the nod for a top 10 spot. Devereaux Peters and Alison Jackson are the best of that senior quartet, but Holly Harvey and Erin Power are also excellent players.

10. BELLAIRE, Bellaire, Texas (33--5) The Cardinals don't play out of state this year, and because of their relatively weak schedule this ranking may be too high. But, oh, do they have talent. Antoinette and Annette Davis, daughters of former NBA player Antonio Davis, transferred in to join point guard Jasmine Hartman and center Zoe Rogers.