Acalanes junior Karyss Lacanlale, positioned at center, successfully scores two points while facing the defense of Karena Eberts on the right side, representing the Miramonte Matadors, during the league championships held at Ygnacio Valley High School in Concord, California on Saturday, February 10, 2024. The Acalanes Dons secured a significant victory over the Matadors with a dominating score of 77-41. (Don Feria for Bay Area News Group)
Bay Area News Group Top 20 Season Wrap-Up
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No. 1 ARCHBISHOP MITTY (30-1)
Previous rank: 1
Season Outcome: Emerged victorious against Clovis West with a score of 71-34 to claim the NorCal Open championship title, but faced a defeat against Etiwanda, scoring 60-48, in the CIF Open State championship.
No. 2 SAN RAMON VALLEY (28-3)
Previous rank: 2
Season Outcome: Suffered a loss to St. Mary’s-Stockton, scoring 67-61, in the NorCal Open Division quarterfinals.
No. 3 BISHOP O’DOWD (24-7)
Previous rank: 5
Season Outcome: Experienced a defeat against Bishop Montgomery-Torrance, with a score of 52-40, in the CIF Division I championship.
No. 4 CARONDELET (29-7)
Previous rank: 3
Season Outcome: Faced a narrow loss to Bishop O’Dowd, scoring 48-47, in the NorCal Division I championship.
No. 5 SACRED HEART CATHEDRAL (23-5)
Previous rank: 4
Season Outcome: Battled against Carondelet, resulting in a 62-58 loss in the NorCal Division I quarterfinals.
No. 6 PINEWOOD (21-7)
Previous rank: 6
Season Outcome: Encountered a defeat against McClatchy, scoring 66-64, in the NorCal Division I first round.
No. 7 ARCHBISHOP RIORDAN (17-11)
Previous rank: 10
Season Outcome: Faced a loss against Oak Ridge, scoring 60-51, in the NorCal Division I quarterfinals.
No. 8 ST. IGNATIUS (19-11)
Previous rank: 9
Season Outcome: Suffered a defeat in the NorCal Division I quarterfinals against Bishop O’Dowd.
No. 9 ACALANES (26-6)
Previous rank: 7
Season Outcome: Experienced a loss in the NorCal Division I first round against Archbishop Riordan, with a score of 64-55.
No. 10 PIEDMONT (20-8)
Previous rank: 8
Season Outcome: Faced a defeat in the first round of the NorCal Division I playoffs against Whitney-Rocklin, scoring 53-41.
No. 11 LOS GATOS (23-5)
Previous rank: 11
Season Outcome: Encountered a challenging loss against Carondelet, scoring 77-39, in the first round of the NorCal Division I playoffs.
No. 12 ST. FRANCIS (15-12)
Previous rank: 12
Season Outcome: Faced a tough loss against Bishop O’Dowd, scoring 76-27, in the first round of the NorCal Division I playoffs.
No. 13 OAKLAND TECH (14-17)
Previous rank: 19
Season Outcome: Battled against Pleasant Valley-Chico, resulting in a 64-62 loss in the NorCal Division II playoff semifinals.
No. 14 BRANHAM (23-4)
Previous rank: 13
Season Outcome: Encountered a defeat against Maria Carrillo, scoring 52-49, in the NorCal Division II playoff quarterfinals.
No. 15 SALESIAN (20-12)
Previous rank: 14
Season Outcome: Faced a loss against Sacred Heart Cathedral, scoring 61-41, in the first round of the NorCal Division I playoffs.
No. 16 EVERGREEN VALLEY (21-7)
Previous rank: 15
Season Outcome: Suffered a defeat against Redwood, scoring 52-48, in the first round of the NorCal Division II playoffs.
No. 17 CALIFORNIA (25-6)
Previous rank: 16
Season Outcome: Encountered a loss against Oakland Tech, scoring 65-53, in the first round of the NorCal Division II playoffs.
No. 18 ST. PATRICK-ST. VINCENT (23-9)
Previous rank: 17
Season Outcome: Faced a close loss of 67-66 against Colfax in the first round of the NorCal Division II playoff.
No. 19 PRIORY (15-13)
Previous rank: Not ranked
Season Outcome: Encountered a defeat against Oak Ridge, scoring 47-35, in the first round of the NorCal Division I playoffs.
No. 20 MONTA VISTA (22-6)
Previous rank: 20
Season Outcome: Suffered a loss against Maria Carillo, scoring 59-52, in the first round of the NorCal Division II playoffs.
Anticipated Top Five for 2024-25 Season
No. 1 ARCHBISHOP MITTY
Early Outlook: Despite McDonald’s All-American Morgan Cheli’s departure to UConn, the team retains rising junior McKenna Woliczko and the expertise of Hall of Fame coach Sue Phillips. While the graduation of three starters might impact the team slightly, the Monarchs are still expected to lead the Bay Area.
No. 2 BISHOP O’DOWD
Early Outlook: With the return of Devin Cosgriff, Jayla Stokes, and Madison Gordon, the team, now equipped with championship experience, is poised to be a formidable contender in the East Bay. Expectations are high for Malik McCord’s squad to compete for a NorCal Open spot.
No. 3 CARONDELET
Early Outlook: The duo of sophomores Layla Dixon and Sophia Ross has showcased potential in leading Carondelet towards a successful NorCal playoff run. Under the guidance of coach Kelly Sopak, the Cougars are anticipated to be strong contenders in the East Bay Athletic League.
No. 4 PINEWOOD
Early Outlook: Despite a disappointing early exit as the No. 1 seed in the NorCal Division I, the future looks promising for the program based in Los Altos hills. The return of three-point sharpshooters Katherine Garr, Vallory Kuelker, and Jolyn Ding as seniors bodes well for the team’s future.
No. 5 OAKLAND TECH
Early Outlook: The recent season’s record of 14-17 and the controversial loss in the NorCal Division II semifinals are viewed as a temporary setback for a program with a history of three consecutive state titles. The talented forwards Jhai Johnson and Terri’A Russell are expected to return for their junior years, indicating a strong future for the team.
Editor’s note: The rankings compiled by BANG’s Darren Sabedra and Joseph Dycus focus on teams primarily from leagues in Alameda, Contra Costa, San Mateo, and Santa Clara counties.