Girls basketball: See who made Journal News/lohud top 10 list and who's close

Below find the latest Journal News/lohud top-10 girls basketball rankings.

Note: Records reflect games played through Jan. 6.

10. White Plains (7-2) — It wasn't always pretty and this team is still very much a work in progress, but the Tigers beat Rye in the Slam Dunk tourney to show they've still got game, despite losing current D-I player Aliya McIver to graduation. This doesn't look like like last year's section championship team but it's on the upswing and should run the table for the rest of the regular season. Previously: 10

9. Ardsley (7-1) — This will be far from season-defining but the Panthers, who'll play three times this week, will have to sweep, including beating six-win Rye, to show that they deserve being ranked. This isn't a reflection on the Panthers' skill but rather on the fact three of their wins have come against teams with losing records and they've yet to beat a top-10 team. Previously: 9

8. Tappan Zee (4-4) — Its record is hardly impressive but factored into TZ's ranking is just who it has played. TZ lost by two buckets last week to rival Pearl River. Its other losses were to top-five Albertus Magnus, Panas and Ursuline. It will look to bounce back against Nyack this week and should be favored. Previously: 8

7. John Jay-East Fishkill (7-2) — It will be interesting and telling to see how the Patriots respond next week when they face Ketcham again after being crushed by the Storm by 26 points last week. John Jay-EF likely isn't as bad as that score would indicate, but it's also not on Ketcham's level. This week it plays two teams with losing records but its third opponent could prove interesting. That's Mahopac, which has seven wins but lost to Ketcham by 20 last week Previously: 6

6. Pearl River (6-1) — The Pirates found themselves in a 13-0 hole against rival Tappan Zee and dug themselves out to win 50-46. Their only loss so far has been to a team from Delaware. The season is still young but, at this point, Pearl River stands to be Panas' chief rival for the Section 1 Class A crown. Previously: 7

5. Ursuline (5-1) —The Koalas' lone setback this season was to state defending Class A champion Panas. Thursday's game vs. Harrison, which just upended Panas, will be a tough one but also an opportunity for Ursuline to move up in the rankings and, moreover, to show it has improved since its one loss. Previously; 4

4. Panas (8-2) —The Panthers tumble a couple of ranking spots after falling to Harrison by nine in what had been a tight game until late in the fourth quarter. Their vaunted press had only limited success against Harrison, which displayed excellent ball movement. Panas, a smallish team in terms of height but which plays bigger than its size, isn't far removed from last year's level, in part because of its two all-star guards. But, while still likely the best team in Class A (Harrison has moved up to AA with the creation of a new AAA class), it would do well if it could get more points from other players. Previously: 2

3. Harrison (6-3) — There are games you win because you get lucky. Then there are games you win because you clearly earned the W. The latter was the case in Harrison's victory over Panas, the team that beat it twice last year, including for the Section 1 Class A title. Panas didn't play poorly during their Slam Dunk tourney match-up. But, down the stretch, the Huskies, who got key contributions from multiple sources, played better and pulled away. The Huskies have lost only one game to an area opponent (Ketcham by six). What makes them particularly impressive is the fact that, to date, the local teams they've played all have winning records. Previously: 5

2. Ketcham (8-1) —The Storm recorded 20- and 26-point wins last week against squads that both start this week with seven wins. Ketcham's toughest challenge won't come until early next month, when they play Albertus Magnus. Previously: 2

1.. Albertus Magnus (8-0) — Just how dominant have the Falcons been this season? They're outscoring opponents by an average of more than 24 points per game. It's going to be very tough for anyone to knock them off their top perch. Previously: 1

County Center results: Takeaways from the six-team 2024 Slam Dunk Showcase Tournament

On the bubble: Irvington (7-1), Pelham (6-2), Suffern (6-3),

Nancy Haggerty covers cross-country, track & field, field hockey, skiing, ice hockey, basketball, girls lacrosse and other sporting events for The Journal News/lohud. Follow her on Twitter at @HaggertyNancy

This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: Girls basketball: This week's Journal News/lohud top 10 teams revealed