Here’s a quick look at the top 10 teams that will be highlighted in this week’s new Cal-Hi Sports State Top 20 rankings for boys and girls basketball.
Note: For more complete breakdowns on each top 10 team and for the next 10 teams plus more teams on the bubble, all of that info is for our Gold Club members only. We do have a three-month subscription going right now, however, that is just $9.99 and in addition to all of our rankings that also will include state record updates plus additional, exclusive Gold Club content. For details, CLICK HERE.
(After games of Saturday, March 12)
(Previous ranking in parentheses)
(Ronnie Flores is our lead analyst for the boys; Harold Abend for the girls)
TOP 10 STATE BOYS
BASKETBALL TEAMS
1. (1) Chino Hills 32-0
Lonzo Ball scored 36 points as the Huskies won their CIF SoCal Open Division playoff game 103-71 over Immanuel and tied the Cal-Hi Sports state record for most 100-point games in a season.
2. (3) Bishop Montgomery (Torrance) 27-2
With previous No. 2 Sierra Canyon ousted from the CIF Open Division playoffs, the Knights move back up to No. 2 despite losing to Sierra Canyon in CIF Southern Section semifinals.
Solomon Young will lead Sac High when it plays at De La Salle of Concord on Tuesday . Photo: Ronnie Flores.
3. (5) Foothills Christian (El Cajon) 25-4
This is now the highest ranked team from the CIF San Diego Section in 13 years after the win over previous No. 4 Mater Dei and Sierra Canyon’s loss.
4. (6) Modesto Christian 31-1
St. Francis of Mountain View hit some late 3-pointers to make it close, but the Crusaders still won in Friday’s NorCal Open Division contest. They’re also now on a 31-game win streak.
5. (2) Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth) 26-5
This is where the Trailblazers fall in the rankings after losing to Cathedral Catholic. They have other positive results and Cathedral Catholic also has some bad losses so they can still be ranked higher than the Dons for the overall season.
6. (7) De La Salle (Concord) 29-2
We’ll stick with Modesto Christian being higher despite NorCal seedings until proven incorrect. DLS also had to go into overtime to beat Salesian of Richmond so Spartans only move up one position this week.
7. (4) Mater Dei (Santa Ana) 27-5
Due to owning an earlier win over Foothills Christian, look for MD to move up higher and close to being back where they were once other teams lose in the Open Division.
8. (9) Sacramento 30-1
It was a stirring comeback win for the Dragons to get past Folsom in overtime last Friday. They now meet No. 6 De La Salle in Concord on Tuesday.
9. (17) Cathedral Catholic (San Diego) 21-6
The Dons don’t get to come all the way into the top five after upsetting Sierra Canyon, but they have to go into the top 10 and get a giant boost. Bishop Montgomery is next.
10. (10) Crespi (Encino) 29-4
USC-bound De’Anthony Melton is playing very well for the Celts, who face St. Augustine of San Diego in D1 South semis on Tuesday.
TOP 10 STATE GIRLS
BASKETBALL TEAMS
1. (1) St. Mary’s (Stockton) 28-0
As the playoffs are getting deeper, teams like Carondelet of Concord can hang around longer, but eventually this team’s phenomenal depth just wears them out. St. Mary’s plays Pinewood on Tuesday in NorCal Open semis with 57-game win streak.
2. (2) Miramonte (Orinda) 30-0
Salesian of Richmond knocking off previous No. 3 Mitty last Friday just ensures that the Mats know they’ll have to be focused and playing their best to move on. Salesian plays at Miramonte on Tuesday.
Ayanna Clark is shown as a freshman when she helped Long Beach Poly win the CIF Open Division championship. Photo: Willie Eashman.
3. (4) Chaminade (West Hills) 28-4
The CIFSS Open Division champs hope to add SoCal Open crown on Saturday. To get to that game, however, Eagles need to get past No. 5 Mission Hills in Tuesday’s semis.
4. (5) Long Beach Poly (Long Beach)
26-4
Although the offense wasn’t good in the team’s first time out following the loss to Chaminade, the defense only gave up 11 points in the first half of last Friday’s win vs. La Jolla Country Day.
5. (6) Mission Hills (San Marcos) 29-3
Yes, we thought about jumping Clovis West to fifth to match the SoCal seedings, but the Grizzlies won their game 49-45 over Windward and have won 19 in a row.
6. (8) Clovis West (Fresno) 30-3
By this time next week, the Golden Eagles could be sitting at No. 3 and planning to play No. 1 St. Mary’s for a third time in the CIF Open Division state final.
7. (10) Pinewood (Los Altos Hills) 22-5
The Panthers go up after topping previous No. 8 Bishop O’Dowd in the NorCal Open Division. Although a daunting trip to Stockton on Tuesday to play No. 1 St. Mary’s awaits, Pinewood also has a head-to-head win over fast-rising Salesian.
8. (18) Salesian (Richmond) 27-5
This is actually an obvious spot of where to jump the Pride after their 70-66 win over previous No. 3 Mitty. They alsao have an earlier win over previous No. 7 La Jolla Country Day.
9. (3) Archbishop Mitty (San Jose) 23-4
The CIF Central Coast Section Open Division champs have to go right behind Salesian this week and also have to be behind a Pinewood team they beat by 19 at least for one week only because the Panthers are still playing and they are not.
10. (7) La Jolla Country Day (La Jolla) 24-5
The Torreys fell to Long Beach Poly in the SoCal Open Division, but have had enough of a season so that they are hanging on to the No. 10 position this week.
Mark Tennis is the co-founder and publisher of CalHiSports.com. He can be reached at markjtennis@gmail.com. Don’t forget to follow Mark on the Cal-Hi Sports Twitter handle: @CalHiSports
