Nick Hamilton was one of four Westchester players to score in double figures when team beat J.W. North of Riverside last Friday. Taylor Berry (right) has been a key starter for Berkeley St. Mary’s girls for the last two seasons. Photos: Ronnie Flores & Harold Abend.
After loss in L.A. City final, the Westchester boys shake up this week’s State Top 20 with an eye-opening win over previous No. 4 J.W. North. That spot also wasn’t a good place to be on the girls side either as St. Mary’s of Stockton tumbles after loss to Miramonte.
Check below for this week’s new list of the State Top 20 boys and girls basketball rankings.
To read our breakdowns on each Top 20 team, why some of these rankings moves were made, which teams are on the bubble and for the CIF divisional state rankings for both boys and girls basketball, you need to be a member of our Gold Club. Join our team today by CLICKING HERE.
Coach and trainer Chris Asher works with state stat stars and players from state-ranked teams of all ages, helping them to improve their speed, quickness and agility. He is based in Hollywood, also has a role with the UCLA track program and serves athletes within many miles of his location. For more about him, CLICK HERE. For a video about his Gold Medal Excellence training program, CLICK HERE.
NEW BOYS BASKETBALL
STATE TOP 20 OVERALL RANKINGS
Most top teams in the state are moving up one spot in this week’s State Top 20 after previous No. 4 J.W. North got walloped by L.A. Westchester in the opening round of the CIF SoCal Open Division playoffs.
It was still a great season for the Huskies, but they have to drop behind nine teams still playing, including one team, Centennial of Corona, that they have beaten. If Centennial doesn’t win the CIF Division I state title, then J.W. North would go back in front.
There also are three newcomers this week, including two from the loaded SoCal Division IV regional and Modesto Christian, which is peaking at the right time after a slow start. The Crusaders may give No. 2 Bishop O’Dowd a test in Tuesday’s NorCal Open Division semifinal.
El Camino Real, which beat Westchester for the L.A. City Section Div. I title, is out for now to make room for teams still playing, but adjustments will be made after all games are complete.
(Compiled by Ronnie Flores with assistance from Mark Tennis; updated through games played Saturday, March 8; previous rating in parentheses)
1. (1) Mater Dei (Santa Ana) 32-0
2. (2) Bishop O’Dowd (Oakland) 26-4
3. (3) Chino Hills 28-5
4. (5) Redondo Union (Redondo Beach) 25-5
5. (6) Etiwanda 27-4
6. (7) Centennial (Corona) 27-3
7. (8) Capital Christian (Sacramento) 27-3
8. (9) Monte Vista (Danville) 29-1
9. (10) Loyola (Los Angeles) 27-3
10. (11) Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth) 29-3
11. (12) Bishop Montgomery (Torrance) 25-6
12. (14) Westchester (Los Angeles) 29-6
13. (4) J.W. North (Riverside) 26-2*
14. (16) Folsom 30-2
15. (17) Archbishop Mitty (San Jose) 27-4
16. (19) St. John Bosco (Bellflower) 20-11
17. (20) Cathedral (Los Angeles) 24-5
18. (NR) Modesto Christian 24-8
19. (NR) Serra (Gardena) 22-9
20. (NR) Cantwell-Sacred Heart (Montebello) 22-8
*Forfeit loss or forfeit losses not included
Dropped Out: Previous No. 13 El Camino Real (Woodland Hills); No. 15 Long Beach Poly (Long Beach); No. 18 La Costa Canyon (Carlsbad).
McKynzie Fort of No. 7 Etiwanda will play next at the University of Oregon. Photo: Harold Abend.
NEW GIRLS BASKETBALL
TOP 20 OVERALL RANKINGS
If you are a fan of furious guard play and offenses both capable of going to 90 points, then Tuesday’s matchup in the CIF NorCal Open Division semifinals between Carondelet of Concord and Miramonte of Orinda is the game for you.
Miramonte advanced into that game with a 94-79 win over previous No. 4 St. Mary’s of Stockton, which earned its ranking based on its entire season of work but was not the same team as it was early in the season. Still, it was a watershed win for the Matadors, who have moved up to No. 8 in this week’s State Top 20. The winner of the Carondelet-Miramonte game will meet either St. Mary’s of Berkeley or Salesian of Richmond in the CIF NorCal Open Division final on Saturday in Sacramento.
From a rankings standpoint, Tuesday’s biggest game is in Southern California in the Open Division semifinals with No. 2 Mater Dei and No. 3 Long Beach Poly colliding. Both have lost recently to No. 1 Windward, who must get past No. 7 Etiwanda in the other semifinal.
(Compiled by Harold Abend with assistance from Mark Tennis; updated through games played Saturday, March 15; previous rating in parentheses)
1. (1) Windward (Los Angeles) 25-2
2. (2) Mater Dei (Santa Ana) 26-2
3. (3) Long Beach Poly (Long Beach) 24-3
4. (5) St. Mary’s (Berkeley) 27-7
5. (6) Salesian (Richmond) 28-6
6. (7) Carondelet (Concord) 28-3
7. (8) Etiwanda 21-6
8. (9) Miramonte (Orinda) 29-1
9. (4) St. Mary’s (Stockton) 25-4
10. (10) Bishop O’Dowd (Oakland) 23-4
(Disqualified for section playoffs; ranked according to season performance)
11. (11) Serra (Gardena) 24-4
12. (12) Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth) 25-4
13. (14) Chaminade (West Hills) 26-4
14. (15) Bishop Alemany (Mission Hills) 24-7*
15. (16) Bishop’s (La Jolla) 27-6
16. (18) Canyon Springs (Moreno Valley) 22-6
17. (13) Clovis West (Fresno) 27-4
18. (NR) Hanford 25-3
19. (NR) Troy (Fullerton) 24-7
20. (20) Enterprise (Redding) 24-2
Dropped Out: Previous No. 18 Ventura, No. 19 Camarillo.
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, Ronnie Flores and Harold Abend on the Cal-Hi Sports Twitter handle: @CalHiSports
