MaxPreps Northern California Top 25 high school basketball rankings

The real fun starts now.

The CIF Northern California Regional playoffs include six of the top 10 teams in the Open Division, including the top two squads. The top seed in the NorCal D-I field is No. 3 Monte Vista with No. 6 Jesuit the 2-seed. No. 4 Folsom is the top seed in the NorCal D-II race.

See the Northern California boys basketball playoff brackets and CIF state tournament brackets


*Season Complete

1. (Last week 1) Bishop O'Dowd (Oakland) (26-4)
The Dragons, top-ranked in NorCal most of the season here, beat No. 10 El Cerrito 89-69 to win the program's 16th North Coast Section title, including a three-peat and four of the last five in Division III. O'Dowd is the No. 1 seed in the NorCal Open. And they deserve applause for giving their section championship medals to members of the O'Dowd girls team, the defending State Open Division winner who was disqualified from the NCS tournament for exceeding its allowed number of games by one. Ivan Rabb and Paris Austin make this team jet.

2. (2) Capital Christian (Sacramento) (27-3)
The Sacramento Bee's No. 1 team all season steamed through the Sac-Joaquin Section D-V field, capped by a 62-41 victory over a good Central Catholic (Modesto) team in the finals to three-peat as champions. The effort was led by D.J. Wilson (19 points, 18 rebounds) and a host of others such as Tyler Jennings, Nifae Lealao, Justice Shelton-Mosely and Uchenna Iroegbu. This is the No. 2 seed in the NorCal Open, eager for a rematch with No. 1 O'Dowd, the last team to beat the Cougars. Capital takes on the winner of the Mitty-El Cerrito opener.

3. (3) Monte Vista (Danville) (28-1)
The Mustangs beat Freedom (Oakley) 57-41 to win their first North Coast Section D-I title since 2009. The lone loss to San Ramon Valley was avenged in East Bay Athletic League action. Monte Vista players voted to remain in D-I for the NorCal D-I race as it doesn't have the overall criteria to be a sure-thing Open team. Monte Vista is the No. 1 D-I seed, led by Trevor John, who had 20 against Freedom.

4. (4) Folsom (29-2)
The Bulldogs beat a terrific field to win the Sac-Joaquin Section D-II championship in moving to 6-0 in title games. It's the program's third title since 2008 under coach Mike Wall and it comes a year after limping through a 12-win season. Jordan Ford, a smooth sophomore guard, had 33 points. Role players for the NorCal D-II No. 1 seed include Lukas Hendricks, Alec Andrews, Gavin Smith and a host of others. The winning streak is 19 after beating Cosumnes Oaks 79-62, using an 18-2 run in the mid fourth to blow it open.

5. (5) Newark Memorial (23-7)
The Cougars stretched their winning streak to 21 after beating Concord 74-70 to three-peat as North Coast Section D-II champions. Joey Frenchwood had 24 points and had two late free throws to ice it. Newark is the No. 4 seed in the NorCal Open Division, is superbly coached by Craig Ashmore and has size, bulk, speed and skill to reach the finals. Newark opens against No. 9 Modesto Christian.

6. (6) Jesuit (Carmichael) (28-3)
The Marauders won 13 games last year, missed the playoffs and worked tirelessly in the offseason to improve. The results include steaming to a Sac-Joaquin Section D-I title, mowing down good teams with offensive balance and defense. Lake Lutes had 28 points and Brady Anderson had 21 points and 11 rebounds in the finals rout of Rodriguez
(Fairfield). Isaiah Bailey had 21, and role players such as Nick Hilton and Josh Soriano continue to push the tempo for a team that earned the No. 2 NorCal D-I seed behind Monte Vista. De La Salle looms for Jesuit.

7. (7) Archbishop Mitty (San Jose) (26-4)
The Monarchs lost one big man of note in All-American Aaron Gordon to Arizona, so say hello to the next in line in 6-8 sophomore Ben Kone. He had 26 points and 16 rebounds as Mitty beat West Catholic Athletic League rival Serra (San Mateo) 68-60 to repeat as Central Coast Section Open Division champions. Mitty is the No. 3 seed in the NorCal Open, having won the WCAL, the WCAL tournament and the CCS Open. It starts with El Cerrito.

Read Mitch Stephens' feature on Mitty standout Ben Kone

8. (8) St. Joseph Notre Dame (Alameda) (26-5)
The Pilots, a power since the early 1990s with Jason Kidd, are mighty again, having won the NorCal D-V title last season for a three-peat and beating Branson (Ross) 49-48 with two late free throws by Jade Smith in the North Coast Section D-V finals. The Pilots are seeded second in the NorCal D-V race but are battle-tested enough to be deemed the favorite here.

9. (12) Modesto Christian (22-8)
The Crusaders rolled to the program's 16th Sac-Joaquin Section title since 1997 in various divisions, this one in D-III, as retiring coach Gary Porter passed the 500-win barrier in a stellar career. The Crusaders, who beat No. 10 El Cerrito earlier this season, are the No. 5 seed in the NorCal Open and take on No. 5 Newark Memorial.

10. (9) El Cerrito (28-4)
The Gauchos competed through three quarters with No. 1 O'Dowd in the North Coast Section D-III finals before stalling. One loss was to No. 8 St. Joseph's, another to No. 9 Modesto Christian. Tyrell Alcorn and Sayeed Pridgett lead the way for El Cerrito, the No. 6 seed in the NorCal Open. The first game is No. 7 Mitty.

11. (19) Moreau Catholic (Hayward) (24-6)
The Mariners beat longtime powerhouse Salesian (Richmond) 73-68 to win their first North Coast Section title, this one in D-IV. Moreau Catholic is the last team to beat No. 4 Folsom, in a December non-league game. The Mariners are the No. 1 seed in the NorCal D-IV playoffs and seemingly a heavy favorite to win it, though Salesian (Richmond) looms.

12. (10) Cosumnes Oaks (Elk Grove) (14-17*)
The Wolfpack fell to No. 4 Folsom in the Sac-Joaquin Section D-II finals, buckling under an 18-2 run in the fourth quarter after team leader Alex Van Dyke fouled out in a foul-fest (52 total). Cosumnes Oaks had its 28-game on-court winning streak halted. It is the No. 3 seed in the NorCal D-II field and can make a run with L.J. Reed, Eric Toles, Jr., Matt Muldavin and Jaaron Stallworth.

13. (13) Del Oro (Loomis) (28-2)
The Golden Eagles had their 24-game winning streak snapped to No. 11 Cosumnes Oaks in a Sac-Joaquin Section D-II semifinal, a game that went to the wire. Del Oro is the No. 12 seed in the NorCal D-II field, led by guard Danny Becker and center Connor Drake, and this is your classic darkhorse.

*14. (14) St. Mary's (Stockton) (27-2)
The season ended in the Sac-Joaquin Section D-II quarterfinals to No. 11 Cosumnes Oaks 76-74. Gabe Vincent had 40 in his final outing.

15. (15) Sacred Heart Cathedral (San Francisco) (19-11)
The Fightin' Irish beat West Catholic Athletic League rival Archbishop Riordan (San Francisco) 75-73 in the Central Coast Section Open Division third-place game. They beat Serra earlier in the playoffs, then lost to Mitty before beating Half Moon Bay and suffering another loss to Mitty in the Open. Sacred Heart is the No.1 seed in the NorCal D-III field and looms as the favorite.

16. (16) Serra (San Mateo) (21-8)
The Padres fell to West Catholic Athletic League rival Mitty in the Central Coast Section Open Division finals 68-60 after leading by 16 in the second quarter. Danny Mahoney and Trevor Brown lead Serra, which is the No. 4 seed in the NorCal D-II playoffs, a year after competing in the Open.

17. (22) St. Ignatius (San Francisco) (22-6)
The Wildcats, led by standout guard Trevor Dunbar and battle-tested with two wins over NorCal Open and MaxPreps No. 7 Mitty, won the Central Coast Section D-II title. No. 4 Folsom, the top seed, looms in a second-round game.

18. (24) Freedom (Oakley) (24-6)
The Falcons are a very dangerous draw in the NorCal D-I scramble after beating previous No. 11 San Ramon Valley 71-62 in the North Coast Section D-I semifinals before falling to No. 3 Monte Vista. Rodney Pope leads the way for the 3-seed.

19. (11) San Ramon Valley (Danville) (23-5)
The Wolves lost to No. 18 Freedom in the North Coast Section D-I finals and are now a 4-seed in the NorCal D-I race, opening with Kennedy (Sacramento). San Ramon Valley is the one team to beat No. 3 Monte Vista.

20. (17) De La Salle (Concord) (21-8)
The Spartans again reached the North Coast Section semifinals but fell to East Bay Athletic League rival Monte Vista for the third time, 46-39. This just might be the best defensive team in the NorCal D-I playoffs, and DLS may face Jesuit in the second round to renew a basketball rivalry that dates back to the 1990s.

21. (23) Archbishop Riordan (San Francisco) (17-11)
The Crusaders of the West Catholic Athletic League beat No. 24 Burlingame before losing to Serra and Sacred Heart Cathedral in the Central Coast Section Open playoffs. Riordan is the 3-seed in the NorCal D-III playoffs.

22. (18) Campolindo (Moraga) (22-7)
The Cougars lost to El Cerrito 70-59 in the North Coast Section D-III semifinals, a field that included top-ranked O'Dowd. Campolindo is a major threat in the NorCal D-III race as a 2-seed.

23. (21) Grant (Sacramento) (26-6)
The Pacers lost a heartbreaker to No. 4 Folsom in the Sac-Joaquin Section D-II semifinals, stalling a bit when star player Cameron Oliver fouled out. With Oliver and guards Donovan Brown and Jeremee Churchill, Grant is a great darkhorse pick in the NorCal D-II race.

24. (NR) Burlingame (26-4)
The Panthers beat previously ranked Half Moon Bay 56-39 in the Central Coast Section Open consolation final after losing to No. 24 Riordan. Burlingame is a 4-seed in the NorCal D-III playoffs with an opening bye.

25. (25) Montgomery (Santa Rosa) (23-6)
The Vikings had a nine-game winning streak snapped when they fell to Concord 54-49 in the North Coast Section D-II playoffs. They open NorCal D-II play against 28-2 Del Oro.

The Sacramento Bee breaks down the NorCal playoffs, all Divisions, with insight and projections

The Sacramento Bee on surging D-I contender Jesuit and other news and notes

The Sacramento Bee forecasts the NorCal playoffs with favorites, contenders and darkhorses

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