MaxPreps Northern California Top 25 high school basketball rankings

One thing about the NorCal basketball programs: they don't duck each other.

As league races wind up, teams have squeezed in big nonleague showdowns, with two Saturday: No. 6 Campolindo vs. No. 10 El Cerrito and No. 9 Sheldon against No. 12 Modesto Christian.

1. Bishop O'Dowd (Oakland) (Last week 1) 17-4
Section: North Coast
League: West Alameda County
Update: Top ranked by the San Francisco Chronicle and No. 1 in the state, the Dragons suffered their second setback to national powerhouse Oak Hill Academy (Virginia) 65-51 in the Nike Extravaganza despite strong games from Ivan Rabb and Paris Austin. This is the clear top team in NorCal, favored to repeat as Open Division NorCal champions.

2. Monte Vista (Danville) (2) 20-2
Section: North Coast
League: East Bay
Update: The defending Division I state champions won two more in league play, downing Foothill (Pleasanton) 62-35) and California (Danville) 71-28. Rival De La Salle looms this week, as Monte Vista won the first meeting in overtime. An earlier win includes 66-64 over then No. 2 Folsom.

3. Folsom (3) 22-3
Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Sierra Foothill
Update: The Sacramento Bee No. 1-ranked team takes on Bee No. 3 Woodcreek on Wednesday for the Sierra Foothill League title. Folsom won the first meeting as Jordan Ford took over in the fourth quarter.

4. De La Salle (Concord) (4) 20-2
Section: North Coast
League: East Bay
Update: The Spartans remain in a first-place tie with rival Monte Vista after beating Granada (Livermore) 70-55 and Foothill (Pleasanton) 72-33. The losses were in double overtime to No. 2 Monte Vista and to defending CIF State Division IV champion Bishop Montgomery (Torrance) 61-55 in the finals of the SoCal Christmas Classic championship.

5. Moreau Catholic (Hayward) (5) 17-5
Section: North Coast
League: Mission Valley
Update: The NorCal Division IV champions have a 13-game winning streak entering the week as Damari Milstead scored 20 in an 83-61 win over Irvington.

6. Campolindo (Moraga) (6) 20-2
Section: North Coast
League: Diablo Foothill
Update: The Cougars are rolling in league play with more routs and will be tested against No. 10 El Cerrito in nonleague play on Saturday. Campolindo beat the Gauchos 67-63 in December. Other ranked wins include Sacramento (66-65) and Modesto Christian (72-63).

7. Sacramento (8) 20-4
Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Metropolitan
Update: Ranked second by The Sacramento Bee, the Dragons are running away with the Metropolitan Conference behind Solomon Young and Christian Terrell, highly recruited juniors.

8. Woodcreek (Roseville) (10) 20-4
Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Sierra Foothill
Update: The Timberwolves face Folsom on Wednesday for the SFL title. Folsom won the first meeting. Noah Blackwell and Jordan Brown lead Woodcreek, a major contender in the Division I playoffs. Another loss was to No. 2 Monte Vista 45-44.

9. Sheldon (Sacramento) (11) 15-5
Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Delta
Update: The Huskies had a 3-0 week in league play and are alone in first place with rival Pleasant Grove looming Friday for the title. PG won the first meeting 65-61. Matt Manning had 21 of his 33 points in the second quarter of a 77-72 win at Jesuit (Carmichael). An earlier win was over No. 12 El Cerrito, 62-61.

10. El Cerrito (12) 22-3
Section: North Coast
League: Tri-County Rock
Update: The Gauchos finished regular-season league play unbeaten and prepare for the league playoffs. They will play No. 6 Campolindo on Saturday, seeking to avenge an earlier 67-63 loss. Another setback was 62-61 to No. 9 Sheldon.

11. Half Moon Bay (13) 23-0
Section: Central Coast
League: Peninsula North
Update: The Cougars roll on with routs of El Camino (San Francisco) 65-20 and Westmoor (Daily City) 55-27 as Case DuFrane and Tommy Nuno led the way.

12. Modesto Christian (15) 20-3
Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Modesto Metro
Update: The Crusaders, top ranked by The Modesto Bee, beat No. 20 Capital Christian 67-46 in a nonleague game of Sac-Joaquin Section powers as Anthony Townes had 22 points and Christian Ellis 13. On Saturday, the nonleague schedule brings in No. 9 Sheldon.

13. Saint Francis (Mountain View) (8) 17-3
Section: Central Coast
League: West Catholic
Update: The Lancers, for weeks top-ranked by the San Jose Mercury News, suffered a 37-36 loss to Bellarmine (San Jose) but remain in first place in league play. The loss came on a late three-point play in a defensive standoff.

14. Pleasant Grove (Elk Grove) (14) 18-6
Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Delta
Update: The Eagles had a 13-game winning streak snapped but got back on track and face first-place No. 9 Sheldon on Friday for the league title. Behind Johann Tate, James Fox and Marquese Chriss, Pleasant Grove won the first meeting 65-61.

15. Serra (San Mateo) (16) 15-5
Section: Central Coast
League: West Catholic
Update: The Padres beat Riordan (San Francisco) 54-44 and lost to Sacred Heart Cathedral (San Francisco) 57-52 but remain in the thick of the league race. An earlier loss was to No. 13 Saint Francis 59-53.

16. Archbishop Mitty (San Jose) (21) 13-7
Section: Central Coast
League: West Catholic Athletic
Update: Coming on strong again, the Monarchs are in a league race with Saint Francis and Serra. Mitty avenged an earlier loss to Bellarmine 68-40 and then rolled Valley Christian (San Jose) 43-23. Ben Kone is one of the top front-court players in the state.

17. Kennedy (Sacramento) (18) 18-5
Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Metropolitan
Update: The Cougars have three losses to No. 7 Sacramento but won't see those Dragons in the upcoming Division I playoffs as Sacramento is in D-II. Colin Uda and Austin Alexander have had big seasons. An earlier win was over No. 20 Capital Christian.

18. San Ramon Valley (Danville) (17) 18-4
Section: North Coast
League: East Bay
Update: The Wolves raced past Livermore 66-32 and Granada (Livermore) 69-33 to remain in the league race with higher-ranked Monte Vista and De La Salle.

19. Drake (San Anselmo) (9) 20-4
Section: North Coast
League: Marin County
Update: The defending NorCal Division III champions, led by Jesse Hunt, are in a a sudden league race with Marin Catholic and San Marin. Dane Wells has played well of late. An earlier win includes No. 6 Campolindo.

20. Capital Christian (Sacramento) (18) 14-8
Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Golden Empire
Update: The Cougars are on their way to another league title with speed and balance and will be a force in the Division IV playoffs. The 67-46 to No. 12 Modesto Christian in nonleague play was a good wake-up call.

21. Albany (22) 25-1
Section: North Coast
League: Tri-County Stone
Update: The Cougars have an 18-game winning streak and won the league title outright, unbeaten. Now they earn a week off before the league playoffs start.

22. Salesian College Preparatory (Richmond) (23) 16-8
Section: North Coast
League: Tri-County Rock
Update: A longtime NorCal power, the Pride finish regular-season play against Swett (Crockett) and Vanden (Fairfield) before the league playoffs start. The last loss was to No. 10 El Cerrito 71-66. An earlier win was over No. 24 Berkeley 72-69.

23. Berkeley (24) 16-6
Section: North Coast
League: West Alameda County
Update: The Yellowjackets take on the mother of all challenges in top-ranked O'Dowd. Other earlier losses were to ranked El Cerrito 78-65 and Pleasant Grove 59-56.

24. Sierra (Manteca) (NR) 22-2
Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Valley Oak
Update: Coached by Scott Thomason, son of retired University of Pacific coaching great Bob Thomason, the Timberwolves are rolling behind defense, depth and balance.

25. Stuart Hall (San Francisco) 20-2
Section: North Coast
League: Bay Counties West
Update: The Division V powers roll on in beating University (San Francisco) 70-66 and Lick-Wilmerding (San Francisco) 63-33. Armani Collins leads the way.

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Joe Davidson has covered high school sports for The Sacramento Bee since 1988. He co-hosts with Mike Finnerty the weekly Bee Preps Show that airs on ComcastSportsNet California and can be found on sacbee.com. Follow him on Twitter: @SacBee_JoeD and through facebook.com/sacbeepreps.