SBLive's Southern Section girls basketball top 25 (Feb. 13-19)
We're now a full week into the Southern Section girls basketball playoffs. While there haven't been any shakeups in our top 15 yet, last week brought plenty of shakeups to the final nine teams in our CIFSS top 25. And it's only going to ramp up from here.
Here are SBLive's Southern Section girls basketball rankings for the week of Feb. 13-19. Note that there were no rankings last week as week as the last release was the end-of-season edition on Feb. 4.
READ: Last week's rankings
1. Sierra Canyon (26-0 – 1st)
The Trailblazers kicked off CIFSS Open Division pool play with a 74-35 blowout of Bishop Montgomery.
2. Etiwanda (27-2 – 2nd)
Saturday brought another one of the Eagles' biggest statement wins of the season, an 82-43 victory over Santiago (Corona). They're likely to roll again on Wednesday with Windward coming to town.
3. Mater Dei (27-2 – 3rd)
On Wednesday, Mater Dei is either going to get sweet revenge or a major setback. It hosts Santiago (Corona) – the only California team to defeat MD this season – looking to keep its Open Division title hopes alive.
4. Sage Hill (20-8 – 4th)
With four players scoring in double-figures, fourth seed Sage Hill defeated Ontario Christian in the teams' fourth meeting of the last three seasons.
5. Ontario Christian (26-3 – 5th)
While the Knights still can't break through against Sage Hill, their 63-53 loss on Saturday didn't change the fact that they're still currently a top-five team in the CIFSS.
6. Windward (18-7 – 6th)
Windward fell to Mater Dei in its playoff opener, but it avoided getting dismantled in its 67-54 setback.
7. Santiago-Corona (21-8 – 7th)
Playing Etiwanda closely was probably out of the question, but the Sharks would've liked to lose by 39 against the only higher-ranked public school squad in the Inland Empire. However, from here it does lighten up for them... slightly... heading to Mater Dei, which they already beat this season, and then Windward.
8. Rosary Academy (22-6 – 8th)
Somehow, Rosary continues flying under the radar. RA defeated Crean Lutheran and North (Torrance) by 20 points to open the playoffs, and now faces Esperanza.
9. Brentwood School (24-6 – 9th)
While many would consider Brentwood School the heavy favorite, Brentwood has to hit the road on Wednesday to face Cypress in the 2-A quarterfinals. Cypress is probably overmatched here, but it's a fearless group that's on a 13-game tear with every win coming by double-digits other than a close win against Redondo Union. So Brentwood will have to remain sharp.
10. Lynwood (19-10 – 10th)
With the quarterfinals already upon us, Division 1 is filled with juicy matchups from here on out, and Lynwood at Chaminade should be just that. After a first round bye, the Knights opened the postseason with a 58-50 win against St. Paul.
11. Leuzinger (25-4 – 11th)
After opening the playoffs with a bye and then a domination of Shadow Hills, Leuzinger is in the 2-A quarterfinals. It'll be the heavy favorite this week against Culver City, but Culver City is too dangerous to sleep on.
12. Los Osos (22-4 – 12th)
If we've said it once, we've said it a dozen times – Los Osos really has to like its chances to make a 3-AA finals run. The competition is picking up though with Louisville up next and then the winner of Pioneer and MoVal in the semifinals.
13. Bishop Montgomery (20-7 – 13th)
As the eighth seed in the Open Division, it's no secret that the Knights are the underdog in each of their pool play games. But don't rule them out from picking up an upset win – they lost by their next two opponents, Sage Hill and Ontario Christian, by a combined three points in regular season games this season.
14. Chaminade (18-12 – 14th)
The Eagles have been patently dangerous all season, but they're finding their consistency now at the ideal time. After their last conference loss to Sierra Canyon, they won their last four Mission League games and opened the D1 playoffs with double-digit wins against Mira Costa and M.L. King. Full-blown championship threat.
15. Orange Lutheran (21-7 – 15th)
For a reigning CIFSS 2-AA champion that brought back nearly its whole team, OLu probably hasn't gotten the hype it's deserved this season. After defeating Brea Olinda and Sonora (Sonora) to start the D1 playoffs, it now has a chess match with Harvard-Westlake coming to town.
16. Village Christian (24-5 – 16th)
After starting the playoffs with a first round bye, the Crusaders nearly got upset by Los Altos (Los Altos) in their postseason opener, but they prevailed by a score of 55-53. Still on a brilliant 13-game tear, they could go all the way in 2-A, but will need to be even better heading to upset-savvy Riverside Poly before potentially facing the winner of Leuzinger and Culver City.
17. Harvard-Westlake (20-10 – 18th)
For very young H-W to be a legitimate D1 title threat in what was supposed to be its second straight rebuilding year is extremely impressive. After rolling against Camarillo and Oxnard to start the playoffs, it's now tasked with knocking off reigning 2-AA champion Orange Lutheran on the road.
18. Marlborough (20-8 – 19th)
Since falling down to 19th last rankings, Marlborough is back on the way up after a great start to the postseason. It defeated Vista Murrieta and Woodbridge by a combined 38 points, and is now tasked with taking down Oaks Christian in what should be quite a frontcourt battle.
19. Oaks Christian (19-6 – 21st)
It's been a resilient season for the injury-affected Lions, and their last game was one of the best examples yet. After an anticlimactic loss to league rival Westlake, they had to wait nine days for a chance to bounce back and then defeated Corona Centennial in a slight upset.
20. Corona Centennial (20-11 – 17th)
What was widely expected to be a reloading year for the Huskies admittedly ended earlier than expected as they fell to Oaks Christian in the second round of the D1 playoffs. Now they'll be tasked with replacing star senior PG Sydni Summers, but they could still be better next year as they return the entire rest of their team as upperclassmen.
21. Canyon-Canyon Country (20-7 – 24th)
Going under the radar but looking scary. Canyon hasn't lost since a Jan. 6 loss to Hart, which it avenged later in league play to force a tie for first in the Foothill League. It blew out Covina and easily took care of a dangerous Paramount squad to punch its ticket to the 2-AA quarterfinals, where it will take on La Salle.
22. Hart (25-3 – 24th)
Could we see a Canyon/Hart rubber match in the section title game? Hart held off Bonita 55-46 in its playoff opener after a bye week, and will be something of a favorite on Wednesday against Santa Monica.
23. Esperanza (25-4 – Bubble)
With a squeaky-clean track record, Esperanza has beaten the teams it's supposed to beat all year long, but didn't have the big-name wins to get into the top 25. But in four games since a Jan. 27 loss to Mater Dei, the Aztecs have continued moving up. They beat Brea Olinda 59-37 for a league title, blew out El Modena, outdueled Central Section heavyweight Caruthers, and now defeated red-hot Long Beach Poly.
24. La Salle (27-3 – Bubble)
La Salle cruised past Summit and Rolling Hills Prep to open the 2-AA playoffs. Its quarterfinals matchup with Canyon just feels like a lock to be an outstanding game. With both teams known for their guard play and high motors, it'll be a chess match.
25. Long Beach Poly (22-8 – Unranked)
Here's something you don't see every day – a team debuting posthumously, especially when its season-ending loss came to a previously-unranked foe. The Jackrabbits' just took a one-point loss to Esperanza, but not before they reeled off seven straight wins including a 52-25 rout of King/Drew and a first round playoff upset of Alemany.
ON THE BUBBLE:
Flintridge Prep, Alemany, Fairmont Prep, Redondo Union, Rancho Christian, Long Beach Poly, San Juan Hills, North (Torrance), Westlake
