MaxPreps Northern California Top 25 high school basketball rankings

Video: Archbishop Mitty vs. Moreau Catholic
See what happened when ranked teams Archbishop Mitty and Moreau Catholic met earlier this season

With high school basketball sectional play in the books, the CIF Northern California Regional Playoffs begin this week. Teams in these rankings are dotted throughout all divisions, from the prestigious Open Division to Division V.


1. Bishop O'Dowd (Oakland) (Last week 1) 24-4
Section: North Coast
League: West Alameda County
Update: Top ranked by the San Francisco Chronicle and No. 1 in the state, the Dragons are unbeaten in state play, losing only to national powerhouse programs. O'Dowd won its fourth-consecutive NCS Division III title, beating ranked Campolindo 70-48 and Moreau Catholic 70-51. Ivan Rabb had 25 points, 19 rebounds and six blocked shots against Moreau Catholic. The clear No. 1 seed for the NorCal Open Division, the Dragons play eighth-seeded St. Francis on Friday.

2. Monte Vista (Danville) (3) 27-3
Section: North Coast
League: East Bay
Update: The defending Division I state champions repeated as NCS Division I champions, beating rival De La Salle 50-49 in a thriller down to the wire with another masterful coaching job by Nick Jones. Stefan Mitu scored 36 points. The Mustangs open the Open Division playoffs as a 2-seed and play No. 7-seeded Modesto Christian.

3. Moreau Catholic (Hayward) (2) 23-6
Section: North Coast
League: Mission Valley
Update: The defending NorCal Division IV champions had a 20-game winning streak halted at the hands of No. 1 O'Dowd 70-61. Oscar Frayer, Damari Milstead and Terrell Brown lead the Open Division No. 3 seed against Serra on Friday.

4. Folsom (8) 25-4
Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Sierra Foothill
Update: The Bulldogs edged No. 9 Sheldon 50-49 in a thrilling Division I SJS finale and earned the No. 4 seed in the Open Division, opening against No. 5-ranked El Cerrito. Jordan Ford, The Sacramento Bee Player of the Year last season, was superb down the stretch against Sheldon, as was energizer guard Jared Wall and cogs such as Josiah Deguara, Colin Russell and Alec Andrews.

5. El Cerrito (4) 29-3
Section: North Coast
League: Tri-County Rock
Update: The Gauchos won the NCS Division II title, beating Montgomery (Santa Rosa) 71-57 as Carlos Johnson went for 22. An earlier loss was 62-61 to Sheldon, which lost to No. 4 Folsom 50-49 on Friday. El Cerrito opens Open Division play at Folsom on Friday.

6. Modesto Christian (10) 28-3
Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Modesto Metro
Update: The Crusaders, top ranked by The Modesto Bee, captured their ongoing section-record 16th title over various divisions since 1997 with a 49-46 win over then-Sacramento Bee No. 1 Sacramento in the SJS Division II finals. Modesto Christian is the No. 7 seed and opens Open play at No. 2 Monte Vista.

7. Sacramento (6) 26-5
Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Metropolitan
Update: Top-ranked by The Sacramento Bee entering the playoffs, the Dragons lost 49-46 to No. 6 Modesto Christian in the SJS Division II finals yet still earned the No. 1 seed in the NorCal D-II playoffs. Solomon Young, Christian Terrell and Stephen Matthews are among the leaders.

8. De La Salle (Concord) (9) 26-4
Section: North Coast
League: East Bay
Update: The Spartans lost to rival and No. 2 Monte Vista 50-49 in the NCS Division I finals and emerged with the No. 1 seed in the NorCal D-I field, opposite of Sheldon, which would make a great title game. De La Salle has an opening bye.

9. Sheldon (Sacramento) (11) 21-7
Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Delta
Update: The Huskies lost in the final seconds to No. 4 Folsom in the SJS Division I finals, a nice showing for a team that has no senior starters. Sheldon was granted the No. 2 seed in the D-I NorCal field, opposite of De La Salle, and has an opening bye.

10. Campolindo (Moraga) (5) 25-4
Section: North Coast
League: Diablo Foothill
Update: The Cougars lost to No. 1 Bishop O'Dowd in the NCS Division III semifinals yet still earned the No. 2 seed in the NorCal D-III playoffs. Campolindo has an opening bye.

11. Serra (San Mateo) (13) 22-5
Section: Central Coast
League: West Catholic
Update: The Padres beat Mitty 55-52 to move to 3-0 against the Monarchs this season and beat rival and No. 12 Saint Francis for the CCS Open Division title 40-38 on two late free throws by Jake Killingsworth. Serra starts Open Division play against No. 3 Moreau Catholic.

12. Saint Francis (Mountain View) (12) 22-5
Section: Central Coast
League: West Catholic
Update: The Lancers lost the CCS Open Division title game to rival Serra 40-38 on two late free throws and start Open play at No. 1 O'Dowd.

13. San Ramon Valley (Danville) (15) 23-6
Section: North Coast
League: East Bay
Update: The Wolves lost to De La Salle in the NCS Division I semifinals 62-55 and settled for a No. 3 seed in the NorCal D-I field.

14. Woodcreek (Roseville) (7) 25-5
Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Sierra Foothill
Update: The Timberwolves lost to Sheldon 62-55 in the SJS Division I semifinals and wound up with a No. 4 seed in the D-I field and an opening bye. Two losses were to Folsom and one to Monte Vista, all close.

15. Archbishop Mitty (San Jose) (14) 17-10
Section: Central Coast
League: West Catholic
Update: The Monarchs lost for the third time to rival Serra, this time in the CCS Open Division, of which they went 2-1. Mitty is the No. 2 seed in the NorCal D-II playoffs, opposite of Sacramento, the top seed.

16. Pleasant Grove (Elk Grove) (16) 21-9
Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Delta
Update: The Eagles lost to No. 4 Folsom in the SJS D-I semifinals and settled happily for a 6-seed in the D-I field. Pleasant Grove opens against Fremont (Oakland) on Wednesday.

17. Drake (San Anselmo) (17) 28-4
Section: North Coast
League: Marin County
Update: The defending NorCal Division III champions lost to No. 3 Moreau Catholic 80-69 in the NCS D-III semifinals and earned the No. 1 seed in the NorCal D-III race. Drake has an opening bye.

18. Capital Christian (Sacramento) (18) 22-8
Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Golden Empire
Update: The Cougars have won three successive SJS Division V titles and just won their first in D-IV, downing Liberty Ranch (Galt) with a great defensive effort. Justice Shelton-Mosely is the leader, on and off the floor. Capital Christian is the 4-seed in the NorCal D-IV field, opening against Lassen (Susanville).

19. Sierra (Manteca) (22) 29-2
Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Valley Oak
Update: The Timberwolves beat Vanden 77-72 and Weston Ranch (Stockton) 67-51 to win the program's first SJS title, in D-III, earning a 3-seed in NorCals behind Drake and Campolindo.

20. Bellarmine College Prep (San Jose) (NR) 17-10
Section: Central Coast
League: West Catholic
Update: The Bells won the CCS Division I championship by beating Salinas 52-47, earning a 5-seed in the NorCal D-I field. Bellarmine opens against Freedom (Oakley).

21. Vanden (Fairfield) (24) 22-4
Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Solano County
Update: The quick and athletic Vikings lost to No. 19 Sierra 77-72 in the SJS D-III semifinals yet remain a serious threat in the NorCal field.

22. Palma (Salinas) (22) 21-4
Section: Central Coast
League: Monterey Bay
Update: The Chieftains beat No. 22 Half Moon Bay in the CCS Open Division playoffs and enter the NorCal D-IV field as a dark horse.

23. Half Moon Bay (21) 24-4
Section: Central Coast
League: Peninsula North
Update: The Cougars lost to No. 21 Palma 45-42 in the CCS Open Division playoffs and open the NorCal D-IV field as a 7 seed, facing St. Patrick-St. Vincent (Vallejo).

24. Albany (NR) 28-2
Section: North Coast
League: Tri-County Stone
Update: The Cougars lost to Campolindo in the NCS D-III playoffs and open against Riordan (San Francisco) in a NorCal opener.

25. Stuart Hall (San Francisco) (24) 29-3
Section: North Coast
League: Bay Counties West
Update: The small-school powers behind standout Armani Collins beat University (San Francisco) 90-76 for the NCS D-V title and earned a No. 1 seed in the NorCal D-V playoffs. Stuart Hall has an opening bye.

Click here to see The Sacramento Bee on why the Open Division doesn't make sense

Click here to see The Sacramento Bee on what to look for in the NorCal playoffs

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.