SBLive's California Top 25 boys basketball rankings: Notre Dame jumps four spots to No. 5
As league playoffs begin in some parts of the state, California's elite boys basketball teams are positioning themselves for hopefully a deep CIF run.
The team that appears to be peaking at the right time is Notre Dame-Sherman Oaks, which beat Sierra Canyon (minus Bronny James) at Pauley Pavilion 66-62, then the best team in San Diego (St. Augustine) on consecutive nights.
It was an impressive double, the second half Saturday in the 28th Nike Extravaganza at Mater Dei.
Houston commit Mercy Miller, son of rapper Master P, went off against St. Augustine with 39 points, including five 3-pointers, in an 84-72 win.
The night before Gonzaga signee Dusty Stromer was impressive at Pauley Pavilion, before a national ESPNU audience and almost 8,000 fans in attendance, with 22 points. His 8-0 personal run in the third quarter broke open a tie game and Notre Dame was never caught, though Sierra Canyon put up a gallant effort.
Duke-bound guard Caleb Foster was superb in both wins for the Knights, who will likely have a rematch with Sierra Canyon in a Mission League semifinal game on Wednesday. We expect Bronny James, last week selected a McDonald's All-American, to be ready to go.
The state's top two teams flexed their collective muscle with some impressive performances.
* No. 1 Corona Centennial outclassed a couple league opponents by a combined total of 103 points, before running Henderson (Nev.) power Liberty off the floor, 90-64 behind 34 points from junior guard Eric Freeny. McDonald's All-American Jared McCain didn't have to score much (seven points), but he had 10 rebounds and 10 assists. UCLA-bound Devin Williams added 18 points.
* Second-ranked Harvard-Westlake also went 3-0 last week, capped off with an absolutely dominating 63-42 win over a red hot De La Salle-Concord team that came in ranked seventh in the state.
The Wolverines' length and ability to stay with DLS's ball movement was impressive, as was 18 points from Brady Dunlap.
* De La Salle, ranked 10th, will travel to 12th-ranked Dougherty Valley in East Bay Athletic League play on Tuesday. The host Wolverines were without prolific scorer and USF signee Ryan Beasley with an ankle injury. He should be back for the showdown with the Spartans, which will likely decided the round-robin championship. The league has a playoff so the two powers could face off again, and even again in section and regional play.
SBLIVE'S CALIFORNIA POWER 25 BOYS BASKETBALL RANKINGS
- 1. Corona Centennial (23-3)
Last week: 1.
Results (3-0): Beat Santiago (Corona) 104-36, Norco 92-57, Liberty (Henderson, Nev.) 90-64.
Next game: Tuesday vs. Roosevelt (21-5)
- 2. Harvard-Westlake-Studio City (26-1)
Last week: 2
Results (3-0): Beat Chaminade (West Hills) 70-53, St. Francis (La Canada) 68-55, De La Salle (Concord) 63-42
Next game: Wednesday vs. St. Francis (20-9)
- 3. West Ranch-Valencia (25-1)
Last week: 3
Results (2-0): Beat Hart (Newhall) 91-39, Bishop O'Connell (Arlington, Va.) 78-68
Next game: Tuesday at Golden Valley (14-12)
- 4. Bishop Montgomery-Torrance (24-2)
Last week: 4
Results (1-1): Beat St. Anthony (Long Beach) 78-55; lost to St. Bernard (Playa del Rey) 70-61
Next game: Wednesday vs. St. Paul (17-10)
- 5. Notre Dame-Sherman Oaks (19-8)
Last week: 9
Results (3-0): Beat Crespi (Encino) 57-49, Sierra Canyon 66-52, St. Augustine 84-72
Next game: Wednesday vs. Sierra Canyon (20-6)
- 6. Sierra Canyon-Chatsworth (19-6)
Last week: 5
Results (1-1): Beat Alemany (Mission Hills) 101-49; Lost to Notre Dame (Sherman Oaks) 66-62
Next game: Tuesday vs. Chaminade
- 7. St. Augustine-San Diego (20-4)
Last week: 6
Results (2-1): Beat Hoover (San Diego) 92-61, San Diego 80-54; Lost to Notre Dame (Sherman Oaks) 84-72
Next game: Tuesday at Patrick Henry (3-18)
- 8. Modesto Christian (19-6)
Last week: 11
Results (3-0): Beat Tokay (Lodi) 95-40, Lodi 78-31, St. Mary's (Stockton) 65-47
Next game: Wednesday at Tracy (5-17)
- 9. St. Joseph-Santa Maria (19-5)
Last week: 12
Results (3-0): Beat Cabrillo (Lompoc) 88-16, Pioneer Valley (Santa Maria) 116-41, Righetti (Santa Maria) 98-43
Next game: Wednesday vs. Lompoc (11-10)
- 10. De La Salle-Concord (19-5)
Last week: 7
Results (2-1): Beat Granada (Livermore) 59-57, Foothill (Pleasanton) 61-40; Lost to Harvard-Westlake 63-42
Next game: Tuesday at Dougherty Valley (21-3)
- 11. St. John Bosco-Bellflower (22-4)
Last week: 8
Results (1-1): Beat Mater Dei (Santa Ana) 65-57; Lost to JSerra Catholic 58-53
Next game: Tuesday at Orange Lutheran (16-8)
- 12. Dougherty Valley-San Ramon (21-3)
Last week: 10
Results (2-1): Beat Amador Valley (Pleasanton) 79-56, California-San Ramon 59-46; Lost to Monte Vista (Danville) 64-61
Next game: Tuesday vs. De La Salle (19-5)
- 13. Inderkum-Sacramento (20-2)
Last week: 13
Results (3-0): Beat River Valley (Yuba City) 93-36, Roseville 94-40, Woodcreek (Roseville) 64-54
Next game: Wednesday at Yuba City (12-12)
- 14. St. Bernard-Playa del Rey (20-5)
Last week: 14
Results (3-0): Beat St. Paul (Santa Fe Springs) 69-63, Serra (Gardena) 73-61, Bishop Montgomery 70-61
Next game: Wednesday at St. Anthony (14-12)
- 15. Etiwanda (20-4)
Last week: 15
Results (3-0): Beat Rancho Cucamnga 68-60, Upland 70-48
Next game: Wednesday at Los Osos (12-14)
- 16. Mira Costa-Manhattan Beach (24-1)
Last week: 16
Results (3-0): Beat Peninsula (Rolling Hills Estates) 82-47, Palos Verdes 70-52, Saugus 67-41
Next game: Tuesday at Santa Monica (16-10)
- 17. Mater Dei-Santa Ana (20-6)
Last week: 19
Results (2-1): Lost to St. John Bosco 65-57; Beat Orange Lutheran 74-47, St. Mary's (Phoenix) 96-69
Next game: Tuesday vs. Santa Margarita (21-6)
- 18. Clovis West (23-2)
Last week: Bubble
Results (2-0): Beat Clovis 85-50, Clovis North 64-51
Next game: Tuesday at Central (7-16)
- 19. JSerra Catholic-San Juan Capistrano (18-8)
Last week: Bubble
Results (3-0): Beat Santa Margarita 48-39, St. John Bosco 58-53, Crean Lutheran (Irvine) 61-56 (OT).
Next game: Tuesday at Servite (12-14)
- 20. Orange Lutheran (16-8)
Last week: 17
Results (1-1): Beat Servite (Anaheim) 71-54; Lost to Mater Dei (Santa Ana) 74-47
Next game: Tuesday vs. St. John Bosco (22-4)
- 21. Santa Margarita-Rancho Santa Margarita (21-6)
Last week: 18
Results (1-1): Lost JSerra Catholic 48-39; Beat Servite 67-36
Next game: Tuesday at Mater Dei (20-6)
- 22. Rancho Christian-Temecula (16-9)
Last week: 21
Results (3-0): Beat Elsinor (Wildomar) 77-44, Poly (Riverside) 73-53, Victory Christian Academy (Chula Vista) 80-65
Next game: Tuesday vs. Rancho Verde (15-11)
- 23. Archbishop Mitty-San Jose (16-3)
Last week: 23
Results (3-0): Beat Valley Christian (San Jose) 76-49, Bellarmine (San Jose) 53-50, Serra 67-56
Next game: Tuesday vs. St. Francis (11-7)
- 24. Archbishop Riordan-San Francisco (15-4)
Last week: 22
Results (2-1): Beat Sacred Heart Cathedral (San Francisco) 69-58, St. Francis (Mountain View) 62-44; Lost to St. Ignatius (San Francisco) 65-59
Next game: Tuesday at Serra-San Mateo (10-8)
- 25. Salesian-Richmond (17-7)
Last week: Bubble
Results (3-0): Beat Pinole Valley 66-59, St. Mary's (Berkeley) 82-37, Vallejo 60-37
Next game: Tuesday vs. St. Patrick-St. Vincent (14-9)
Bubble: Atwater (25-0), Branson-Ross (20-2), Canyon-Anaheim (21-5), Carlsbad (20-4), Clayton Valley Charter-Concord (20-2), Clovis North (19-6), Foothill-Santa Ana (23-4), Folsom (21-2), Oxnard (20-2), Moreau Catholic-Hayward (14-5), San Ramon Valley-Danville (19-5), Village Christian-Sun Valley (21-5).