MaxPreps Northern California Top 25 high school basketball rankings

Most all teams in Northern California are gearing up for the playoffs, except for two Bay Area leagues wrapping up league play.

Then it's March Madness time with the NorCal and CIF state finals again set for Sleep Train Arena, the home of the NBA's Sacramento Kings. The top five teams held steady, and newcomers include one-loss Leigh (San Jose).


1. (Last week 1) Bishop O'Dowd (Oakland) (20-4)
The Dragons roll along with a 15-game winning streak. The emotional twister was when team manager Lucas Cortez made a 3-pointer late in a win over Berkeley in a sign of team unity. The Dragons are unbeaten in NorCal play, including a rout of No. 2 Capital Christian. This is your NorCal Open Division favorite.

2. (2) Capital Christian (Sacramento) (23-3)
The Cougars, ranked No. 1 by The Sacramento Bee, are unbeaten in Sac-Joaquin Section play and lost in NorCal only to No. 1 O'Dowd. Led by D.J. Wilson, Capital seeks a section D-V three-peat — and then seek a run in the NorCal Open playoffs. The goal is a rematch with top-ranked Bishop O'Dowd, which belted the Cougars in the Martin Luther King Jr. Classic.

3. (3) Monte Vista (Danville) (24-1)
The Mustangs played well in downing previous No. 15 De La Salle 49-46 in East Bay Athletic League action as Grant Jackson led the charge. A home game against No. 17 San Ramon Valley allows Monte Vista a chance to avenge its only loss, and then the North Coast Section D-I playoff fun starts.

4. (4) El Cerrito (24-2)
The Gauchos were idle last week and loom as the favorite to win the Tri-County Athletic League playoff title before embarking on the North Coast Section D-III playoffs. The losses are to NorCal-ranked St. Joseph (Alameda) and Modesto Christian. This is as fast and fun a team as there is in NorCal.

5. (5) Folsom (25-2)
The Sacramento Bee-ranked No. 2 Bulldogs beat previous No. 6 Jesuit 73-69 to sweep the Marauders 2-0 and to claim the Delta River League championship in earning the No. 1 seed in the Sac-Joaquin Section D-II playoffs. Folsom is led by guard Jordan Ford, wings Jared Wall, Alec Andrews and Josiah Deguara and emerging post Colin Russell. The winning streak is 15 with losses coming in the MaxPreps Holiday Tournament.

6. (9) Newark Memorial (17-2)
The Cougars are in control of the Mission Valley League and have rolled since starting 2-7, though some games have been close. One win was against No. 7 Jesuit when the Marauders were 18-0. Newark is in the North Coast Section D-II playoffs as a major favorite with size, skill and depth.

7. (6) Jesuit (Carmichael) (24-3)
The Marauders have lost only to No. 5 Folsom in two close games in Sac-Joaquin Section play, with another setback to No. 6 Newark Memorial. Jesuit seeks a D-I section title behind senior leaders Lake Lutes, Nick Hilton and Brady Anderson, a shot-blocking force at 6-foot-9, and versatile junior Isaiah Bailey.

8. (8) Archbishop Mitty (San Jose) (21-4)
The brutally competitive West Catholic Athletic League has top teams toppling each other, but here are the Monarchs standing as the four-time regular season champions and the top seed for the WCAL playoffs. Mitty beat No. 13 Serra twice and lost to No. 14 St. Ignatius twice, making these rankings a real challenge. Rematches loom.

9. (11) Cosumnes Oaks (Elk Grove) (10-16)
Ignore the record that includes 15 forfeit losses for a player deemed by the Sac-Joaquin Section as an "athletically motivated transfer." This team is loaded — and a real threat to win the D-II section playoffs that includes NorCal-ranked teams in Folsom, Sacramento and Del Oro. The Wolfpack are led by L.J. Reed, Eric Toles, Jaaron Stallworth and Alex Van Dyke, all football players.

10. (12) St. Mary's (Stockton) (26-1)
The Rams have rolled the "209" behind versatile leader Gabriel Vincent. The last on-court loss was to No. 9 Cosumnes Oaks, 86-82, a game later forfeited due to an ineligible player. The last official loss was to No. 7 Jesuit, 80-69, on Dec. 14. The Rams are a major threat in the Sac-Joaquin Section D-II playoffs, and could face Cosumnes Oaks again.

11. (13) St. Joseph Notre Dame (Alameda) (22-5)
The Pilots, home of Jason Kidd and scores of other stars over the decades, are in the Tri-County Athletic League playoffs and then loom as a favorite in the North Coast Section D-V playoffs — and could be a NorCal Open team. The Pilots beat Capital Christian in the D-V NorCal semifinals last season.

12. (10) Sacramento (21-5)
The Dragons are a force as always in the looming Sac-Joaquin Section D-II playoffs despite an all-sophomore starting lineup, but those players such as Tre Finch and Christian Terrell are skilled. Two losses were to No. 2 Capital Christian.

13. (15) Serra (San Mateo) (19-6)
The Padres went 12-3 in the WCAL regular season and now are in the WCAL playoffs as the 2-seed with the Central Coast Section playoffs looming. Serra swept No. 14 St. Ignatius. Danny Mahoney has played big.

14. (7) St. Ignatius (San Francisco) (19-5)
The Wildcats finished in a second-place tie in the WCAL regular season and now will rely on guard Trevor Dunbar to lead the way from here, including the WCAL playoffs and the Central Coast Section playoffs.

15. (17) San Ramon Valley (Danville) (21-3)
The Wolves avenged an earlier East Bay Athletic League loss to previous No. 15 De La Salle with a 51-44 victory as Jerry Karczewski had 22 points. Next is a showdown with No. 3 Monte Vista, which San Ramon Valley beat earlier.

16. (19) Modesto Christian (19-8)
The Crusaders own an earlier win over No. 4 El Cerrito and battled top-ranked Bishop O'Dowd admirably. This is the clear favorite in the Sac-Joaquin Section D-III playoffs.

17. (23) Del Oro (Loomis) (26-1)
The Golden Eagles are unbeaten in Sac-Joaquin Section play and could run into No. 5 Folsom — or Cosumnes Oaks or St. Mary's — in the D-II playoffs. Key players include Danny Becker, Keenan Finney, Kyle Setterlund and Connor Drake.

18. (20) Half Moon Bay (22-2)
The Cougars expect to win the Central Coast Section D-IV playoffs and make another NorCal run, like they did last season with players such as Corey Cilia.

19. (15) De La Salle (Concord) (17-7)
The Spartans lost crushers to No. 2 Monte Vista (49-46) and No. 14 San Ramon Valley (51-44), but it gets no easier without Nikhil Peters, a key player who is out for the rest of the season with a thumb injury.

20. (24) Campolindo (Moraga) (18-6)
The Cougars are Diablo Foothill League champions and exacted a measure of revenge with a 73-52 win over Miramonte (Orinda), which won the earlier meeting. Looming are the North Coast Section D-III playoffs.

21. (NR) Leigh (San Jose) (23-1)
Champions of the Mount Hamilton League and charging a Central Coast Section D-II title, the Longhorns and coach Patrick Judge are led by Joe Giacchetti, averaging 17.2 points. The loss was to No. 15 San Ramon Valley.

22. (23) Burlingame (21-3)
The Panthers are riding a 12-game winning streak behind star Frankie Ferrari. Beyond the Peninsula postseason, Burlingame seeks some Central Coast Section success.

23. (21) Moreau Catholic (Hayward) (19-6)
The Mariners own an early win over No. 5 Folsom and lost a crusher to No. 6 Newark Memorial, 65-64, and loom as a favorite in the North Coast Section D-IV playoffs.

24. (NR) Sacred Heart Cathedral (San Francisco) (16-9)
Too many teams from the WCAL? Have you seen the WCAL? It's a meat grinder unlike any other.

25. (18) Archbishop Riordan (San Francisco) (16-9)
Teams emerge from the WCAL battered, bruised and better for the experiences, and playoff ready. This is one.

The Sacramento Bee breaks down the Sac-Joaquin Section playoffs

The Sacramento Bee on the complexities of the Sac-Joaquin Section playoff format and how humans "lie, steal and cheat to get a team into the playoffs"

The Sacramento Bee on rivals facing off - and teams that could wind up winning section titles in Division I and II, respectively

Joe Davidson has covered high school sports at The Sacramento Bee since 1988. Follow him on Twitter @SacBee_JoeD and on www.sacbee.com.