Oakland Tech’s Caleb Rollins (11) expresses his joy by raising his hand in triumph following his team’s victory over Centennial-Bakersfield with a score of 79-55 in the CIF Division II state championship held at the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento on March 9, 2024. (Jose Carlos Fajardo/Bay Area News Group)
Bay Area News Group Top 20 for the Season’s End
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No. 1 SALESIAN (31-2)
Previous rank: 1
Final Outcome: Secured a win against Archbishop Riordan with a score of 49-44 in the CIF NorCal Open title game but faced defeat against Harvard-Westlake with a score of 50-45 in the Open state final.
No. 2 ARCHBISHOP RIORDAN (25-5)
Previous rank: 2
Final Outcome: Emerged victorious against Clovis North with a score of 69-57 in the NorCal Open semifinal but lost to Salesian with a score of 49-44 in the regional final.
No. 3 SAN RAMON VALLEY (29-8)
Previous rank: 4
Final Outcome: Triumphed over Granada with a score of 58-55 in the NorCal Division I final but faced a defeat against St. John Bosco with a score of 78-62 in the D-I state final.
No. 4 DE LA SALLE (25-6)
Previous rank: 3
Final Outcome: Suffered a loss to Modesto Christian with a score of 51-40 in the NorCal Open Division quarterfinal.
No. 5 GRANADA (26-5)
Previous rank: 6
Final Outcome: Achieved a victory against Clovis West with a score of 70-53 in the NorCal Division I semifinals but was defeated by San Ramon Valley with a score of 58-55 in the championship game.
No. 6 ARCHBISHOP MITTY (23-8)
Previous rank: 5
Final Outcome: Faced a loss against San Ramon Valley with a score of 52-49 in the NorCal Division I semifinals.
No. 7 OAKLAND TECH (30-5)
Previous rank: 14
Final Outcome: Secured a win against Centennial-Bakersfield with a score of 79-55 in the Division II state title game.
No. 8 ST. IGNATIUS (21-8)
Previous rank: 7
Final Outcome: Faced a defeat against Granada with a score of 68-66 in the NorCal Division I quarterfinal.
No. 9 SERRA (20-9)
Previous rank: 8
Final Outcome: Suffered a loss against Clovis West with a score of 68-64 in the NorCal Division I quarterfinal.
No. 10 CLAYTON VALLEY CHARTER (23-10)
Previous rank: 9
Final Outcome: Lost to Archbishop Mitty with a score of 48-37 in the NorCal Division I quarterfinal.
No. 11 OAKLAND (25-9)
Previous rank: 18
Final Outcome: Faced a defeat against Oakland Tech with a score of 73-66 in the NorCal Division II final.
No. 12 SACRED HEART PREP (21-7)
Previous rank: 10
Final Outcome: Lost to Clayton Valley Charter with a score of 63-50 in the NorCal Division I first-round game.
No. 13 DOUGHERTY VALLEY (21-11)
Previous rank: 11
Final Outcome: Faced a defeat against Archbishop Mitty with a score of 75-54 in the NorCal Division I first-round game.
No. 14 DUBLIN (24-10)
Previous rank: 12
Final Outcome: Lost to Clovis West with a score of 79-57 in the NorCal Division I first-round game.
No. 15 LIBERTY (25-4)
Previous rank: 16
Final Outcome: Suffered a loss against Dublin with a score of 58-55 in the NCS Division I semifinal.
No. 16 MONTE VISTA (22-8)
Previous rank: 17
Final Outcome: Lost to Dougherty Valley with a score of 50-49 in the NCS Division I quarterfinal.
No. 17 BRANHAM (23-5)
Previous rank: 13
Final Outcome: Faced a defeat against Clovis East with a score of 78-69 in the NorCal Division II first-round game.
No. 18 BISHOP O’DOWD (20-10)
Previous rank: 15
Final Outcome: Suffered a loss against Bellarmine with a score of 62-60 in the NorCal Division II quarterfinals.
No. 19 YGNACIO VALLEY (26-9)
Previous rank: 20
Final Outcome: Lost to Santa Cruz with a score of 57-40 in the NorCal Division III semifinals.
No. 20 BENICIA (22-11)
Previous rank: Not ranked
Final Outcome: Faced a defeat against Jesuit with a score of 54-53 in the NorCal Division II first-round game.
Top Five Predictions for 2024-25
No. 1 ARCHBISHOP RIORDAN
Early Outlook: With standout players Andrew Hilman and Jasir Rencher, along with Nes Emeneke, returning for another season, Archbishop Riordan is poised to contend for league, section, regional, and potentially state titles.
No. 2 SALESIAN
Early Outlook: Despite losing key contributors from the previous season’s NorCal Open championship team, Salesian retains a solid core with players like Alvin Loving, Elias Obenyah, Isaiah Davis, and Carlton Perrilliat returning to the rotation.
No. 3 DE LA SALLE
Early Outlook: De La Salle, a consistent contender for the North Coast Section Open Division title, aims to break through this season with the return of star player Alec Blair leading the charge.
No. 4 SAN RAMON VALLEY
Early Outlook: With key players Luke Isaak, Mason Thomas, and Elliot Conley returning, San Ramon Valley is well-positioned for the upcoming season after clinching the league tournament and the NorCal Division I championship.
No. 5 OAKLAND TECH
Early Outlook: ArDarius Grayson, the MVP of the Oakland Athletic League, guided his team to victory in the Division II state championship, showcasing his talent with 20 points and 12 rebounds in the final. His return sets the stage for another competitive season.
Editor’s note: Teams included in the Bay Area News Group rankings primarily represent leagues in Alameda, Contra Costa, San Mateo, and Santa Clara counties. The rankings were compiled by BANG’s Darren Sabedra and Joseph Dycus.