The Villa Maria girls basketball team received some high praise Wednesday when the Victors were ranked No. 17 in the East Region by ESPN Rise, ESPN's high school Web site.

Led by junior guard Kayla McBride, the Victors beat nationally ranked Oak Hill Academy 60-49 in overtime and beat Bishop McCort 51-45 this past weekend. McBride had 32 and 18 points, respectively, in those two games.

Villa is just a Class AA team, but the Victors were one of only five Pennsylvania schools listed in the East Region. Cardinal O'Hara (No. 3), Archbishop Carroll (No. 6), Germantown Academy (No. 8) and Central Dauphin (No. 11) also were ranked.

Villa Maria will play rival Girard today at 7:30 p.m. at Penn State Behrend. The game will feature a showdown between two of the best players in northwestern Pennsylvania -- McBride and Girard senior guard Raegan Moore.