SBLive's Sac-Joaquin Section Fab 15 boys basketball rankings: Final regular-season rank heading into playoffs
The playoffs are here, in a rush, after a whirlwind league race for a number of our SJS ranked teams. These playoffs will especially be daunting in D1, the land of the big boys, where Modesto Christian is the defending champion in an otherwise wide-open race.
The SJS finals are Feb. 24-25 at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, home of the NBA's Kings. Some of these ranked teams have been there, done that. Others have never been.
In these rankings, we will break down a theme for each team and what to expect.
1. Modesto Christian (22-6)
Last week: 1
The Crusaders were a surprise No. 3 seed in D1, despite going unbeaten in the section and being the top-ranked NorCal team all season. Then again, MC has never been a No. 1 seed in D1, and it went on to win five such championships, including last season (and a record 20 overall, mostly in smaller divisions). This is still the team to beat.
2. Folsom (25-2)
Last week: 2
The Bulldogs are the No. 1 seed in D1 and have played like it, including nonleague blowouts over Inderkum and Grant. Micah Johnston leads the show as a senior point guard for longtime coach Mike Wall, who seeks his fifth section banner with this program.
3. Inderkum-Sacramento (25-2)
Last week: 3
The Tigers have their finest team, better than the one that started last season 27-0 as a bulk of players are back with the aim to reach their first section final. Winners of 18 consecutive game, Inderkum is the No. 2 seed in D1
4. Jesuit-Carmichael (23-4)
Last week: 4
The Marauders are a storied bunch, having won 11 SJS championships and reaching a final 18 times, last winning one in 2014. Jesuit has as good of a scoring threat as there is in Northern California in the 6-foot-7, Stanford-bound McDonald's All-American Andrej Stokovic, though the going won't be easy for the No. 4 seed in D1 .
5. Atwater (28-0)
Last week: 5
The Falcons of Merced County are the only unbeaten team in the section, any division, and seek the D2 championship as the No. 2 seed. They run, they defend, they win.
6. St. Mary's-Stockton (22-6)
Last week: 6
The Rams have won 10 SJS titles and seek another, this one in D2 as the No. 4 seed in D2, under coach Ken Green, an alum of the school who played for famed coach Jon Gustorf in the early 1980s.
7. Rio Americano-Sacramento (23-4)
Last week: 7
The Raiders are rolling under coach Chris Jones and the 1-2 punch of guards Miles Lake and Luke Mason and earned the No. 1 seed in D2. This is the only section team to defeat Folsom this season.
8. Lincoln-Stockton (24-4)
Last week: 8
Seeded sixth in D1, the Trojans open against longtime powerhouse Sheldon-Sacramento and then likely draws top-seeded Modesto Christian.
9. Weston Ranch-Stockon (18-9)
Last week: 9
The Cougars have their best team since the 31-2 juggernaut of 2018-19, one that defeated two-time defending D2 champion Grant-Sacramento last week. Now it's a rematch, this time in D1.
10. Grant-Sacramento (18-9)
Last week: 14
The Pacers are in the D1 playoffs for the first time in decades, having won it in 1977 and a handful of other SJS banners in D2, or D3, including the last two seasons in D2. Guard Kiku Parker is a difficult senior to defend.
Bonus:
11. Sacramento (21-7)
12. Laguna Creek (23-5)
13. Monterey Trail-Elk Grove (15-13)
14. Sheldon-Sacramento (14-13)
15. Capital Christian-Sacramento (19-8)
