Basketball star Jeremy Tyler's decision to turn pro after his junior year at San Diego High was the most talked about story in the state during the 2008-09 school year. Other stories among our top 15 include Sacramento Grant's historic win over Long Beach Poly in the CIF Open Division state football bowl game and one of the most stunning upsets any team in any sport in state history has ever pulled off.

By Mark Tennis & Ronnie Flores
Contributing: Paul Muyskens

1. Jeremy Tyler Leaves High School For Pros

This one is a no-brainer at the top of our list and might be the biggest story of the school year nationally, too. In a move orchestrated by summer basketball pioneer Sonny Vaccaro, San Diego High's Jeremy Tyler, a 6-foot-11 junior who previously committed to Louisville, decided to skip his senior season of high school to play professionally in Europe for two years before entering the 2011 NBA Draft.

One year earlier, Vaccaro aided EA SPORTS National Player of the Year Brandon Jennings in skipping college to play professional ball overseas, but Tyler's decision was different and drew stronger reactions since he actually has not yet finished high school.

Recently, Las Vegas High baseball sensation Bryce Harper decided to skip his final two years of high school so there is no telling where this trend is headed. While many in the local basketball community opposed Tyler's move, it was pretty obvious he was not going to finish his prep career at San Diego High, regardless. What happened with the Cavers and the players that were supposed to be playing alongside Tyler is another story.

2. Grant Wins First CIF Open Division Bowl Game

One of the biggest stories of the 2007-2008 school year came when the CIF Federated Council approved the expansion of the CIF State Championship Bowl Games from three to five games for the 2008 season. It wasn't much of a surprise, but two events that transpired from that decision were eye-openers, that's for sure.

The first came when Sac-Joaquin Section Div. II champion Grant of Sacramento was selected to play in the Open Division bowl game, which was created to pit the best team in Northern California versus the best from SoCal regardless of enrollment. Grant's selection proved the CIF Bowl Games were not just created for an annual match up of De La Salle of Concord versus the best Southern California has to offer.

Second, Grant showed the prep football world that quality football in Northern California does exist outside the Spartans' legendary program, as they upset a Long Beach Poly team that was looking to become the first program to win a CIF state championship in the early era (1915-1927) and the modern CIF bowl game era.

With its 25-20 victory, Grant was the first victorious NorCal team in the expanded bowl game setup. And to say that Grant's win boosted the prestige of the entire Sacramento community would be an understatement. It is arguably the biggest win any team in the city's history has ever had.(Read full post)

Next week, the 2009 Mr. Basketball State Player of the Year honoree will be announced. It's not an obvious choice like it is in some years, either. Two are from the L.A. City Section and three are from the Inland Empire.

Note: To check out extensive lists of all previous state players of the year (by class and by CIF divisions), please see new CalHiSports.com State Record Book & Almanac. You can order one today by calling 1-800-660-1334, ext. 4431.

Andrew Bock (Eisenhower, Rialto)
Ike's rock named Bock capped off his high school career by scoring 17 points to lead Eisenhower to a 73-61 win over Rocklin for the CIF Division II state championship. He did more than just score as he averaged 21.3 points, 6.9 assists, 5.6 rebounds, and 3.2 steals per game. He won the three-point shooting contest back in December at the Holiday Classic and has already been named All-CIFSS Division IIA co-player of the year with Derrick Williams of La Mirada. The Creighton University signee also has already been chosen for the Los Angeles Times All-Star team.

Brendan Lane (Rocklin)
In being already picked as the Sacramento Bee's Player of the Year (over a strong field including Sacramento's Chase Tapley), Lane was compared to some of the best centers ever from that area, including (dare we say it) Elk Grove's Bill Cartwright. Lane does have three-point shooting skills at 6-9 and in the CIF Div. II state final he showcased himself with 27 points, 19 rebounds and 10 blocks in Rocklin's loss to Eisenhower. On the season he averaged 22.1 points, 12.1 rebounds, and 4.8 blocks while maintaining a 4.2 grade point average that is likely higher than that of any other finalist. With Lane leading the way, Rocklin captured league, section and NorCal championships to finish 32-3. He will play next at UCLA.

Kawhi Leonard (M.L. King, Riverside)
Facing an undefeated and top ranked in the state and nation Mater Dei squad, the Wolves had one of the biggest upsets of the season when they defeated the Monarchs by a surprising 71-56 final as Leonard finished with 11 points, 20 rebounds, and six blocks to capture the Southern Section Division I-AA title. His 20 rebounds in the title win was eight more than the North-Carolina bound Wear twins (David and Travis) would finish with combined. On the season, he averaged 22.6 points, 13.1 rebounds and 3.4 assists and had at least 20 points and 20 rebounds in a game six times. Leonard's list of accolades so far include the L.A. Times Player of the Year and co-player of the year by the Riverside Press-Enterprise.

Dominique O'Connor (Westchester, Los Angeles)
The Comets captured their first state title since 2005 and their fifth overall with O'Connor leading the way. In the state finals against McClymonds, he showed why he was named Western League MVP as he scored 16 points and had five steals in the 49-31 win. He finished the season with averages of 16.7 points, 6.3 assists and 2.3 steals and was selected as the L.A. City Section Player of the Year. O'Connor has yet to declare where he'll go to college next season but San Francisco and Fresno State are reportedly the two schools he's still deciding between.

Renardo Sidney (Fairfax, Los Angeles)
At times, it looked like Sidney was coasting during games this season due to his superior talent but when he turned it on he was like no other as he averaged 24.8 points and 11.2 rebounds per game. Since moving to California from Mississippi in 2006, his much written about  high school career came to a sudden end in the So-Cal Division I regional semifinals to Westchester, which got a basket at the buzzer for a one-point win. The USC commit is playing in the McDonald's All-American Game on Wednesday night.

Mike Snaer (Rancho Verde, Moreno Valley)
The 6-5 combo guard has a chance to add Mr. Basketball to his multiple awards he has earned this season as he already has McDonald'sAll-American and Gatorade state player of the year labels on his mantle. Averaging 28.1 points, 10.8 rebounds, and 5.2 assists per game, he helped lead the Mustangs to the Inland Valley championship. Despite his 32 points, their season came to an end in the CIF Southern Section Division I-AA quarterfinals to fellow finalist David Wear and Mater Dei.  Snear is next heading to the ACC to become a Seminole from Florida State.

Brandon Smith (De La Salle, Concord)
This is probably the most surprising pick of the bunch, but Smith is the consummate point guard leader. He was very impressive in a head-to-head matchup against Will Cherry of McClymonds and was the star on the court when DLS defeated Dominguez of Compton at the Nike Extravaganza. Smith, who is headed to Cal, is a three-year starter and leaves DLS as one of the best players yet under head coach Frank Allocco. His numbers don't pop out as amazing but that's partly due to a structured low-scoring offense as he averaged 12.1 points, 6.8 assists and 3.1 rebounds a game. Smith made 78 percent of his free throws and turned the ball over on average just 1.1 times per game despite having the ball in his hands a majority of the time. He was a finalist for Gatorade's State Player of the Year award and will join former Spartan teammate Theo Robertson at Cal. His season and the Spartans' season came to a surprising end in the North Coast Section semifinals to Newark Memorial.

David Wear (Mater Dei, Santa Ana)
On a team with all its starters committed to major colleges, Wear led Mater Dei in points and rebounding with a team-high 16.4 points and 7.5 rebounds a game. With all that talent, it wasn't a surprise to see why the Monarchs were undefeated and ranked No. 1 in the state as well as the nation before suffering a surprising loss to King of Riverside in the Southern Section Division I-AA semifinals and a season-ending loss to Fairfax in the So-Cal Regional second round. Wear was picked last week as the Orange County Register's Player of the Year and is a McDonald's All-American. He and his twin brother, Travis, will both be headed to North Carolina.

Corrections or comments? Email mark@studentsports.com and be sure to leave a comment so others can check out what you have to say.

First five teams will all be in action during four-game monster event at Mater Dei this Saturday. Newcomers to this week's rankings are Bishop Montgomery, Monte Vista of Danville and Berkeley.

By Ronnie Flores, Managing Editor

(Contributing: Mark Tennis, Steve Brand, Paul Muyskens, Harold Abend; Through games of Saturday, January 31; previous rating in parentheses)

1. Mater Dei (Santa Ana) 22-0 (1)
It was a relatively easy week on the court for the Monarchs as they rolled past two Trinity League foes. Off the court, they got some terrible news when it was learned 6-foot-7 Stanford-bound Andy Brown tore a knee ligament in Wednesday's 102-57 victory over Servite of Anaheim. He will miss the remainder of the season. The Monarchs still have four of the best players in the state in their lineup, but as ESPN RISE senior writer Chris Lawlor observed in watching the Monarchs three times at the City of Palms Tournament, their lack of depth is noticeable against national-level programs, so it will be a tougher road for Mater Dei to secure the CIF Div. I state and FAB 50 national titles without their "glue" player. According to the Orange County Register, the fifth starter will be "by committee" based on opponent and whom has the hot hand. Without Brown, Mater Dei downed JSerra, 90-54, but his presence will be missed when the Monarchs take on FAB 50 No. 3 St. Benedict's of New Jersey at the NIKE Extravaganza on Saturday night. That game will be shown nationally on ESPNU.

2. Westchester (Los Angeles) 21-1 (2)
It was a ho-hum week for the Comets as they rolled past two Western League foes, but Westchester will be busy this upcoming weekend as they take on Fairfax in another league showdown on Friday and battle with Seattle's Rainier Beach the next day. Rainier Beach was nationally ranked until suffering three losses two weeks ago. Junior Dwayne Polee controlled the paint in a 75-30 victory over L.A.C.E.S. With 12 points, 13 rebounds and three blocks while junior Jordin Mayes added 13 points. Senior all-city guard Dominique O'Connor added 12 points and eight assists and had an identical stat line during a 84-46 win over University of Los Angeles. Mayes actually led the way with 22 points and seven assists.

3. De La Salle (Concord) 18-1 (3)
After a huge week with wins over McClymonds and Monte Vista, the Spartans kept focused with two easy wins in East Bay Athletic League play. First came a romp past California of San Ramon, 68-35, and then Livermore got stampeded, 73-27, as De La Salle remained unbeaten in league play. The Spartans will have another test at the end of this week when they take on FAB 50 ranked Dominguez at the NIKE Extravaganza in a game that will be televised on ESPNU. Against Mack, the Spartans took high-flyin' Damon Powell out of his game from the jump and they'll look to do the same against Dominguez offensive catalyst Keala King.

4. Dominguez (Compton) 18-4 (4)
The Dons crushed two San Gabriel Valley League foes as they look to remain focused heading into their nationally-televised showdown this weekend with No. 3 De La Salle at the NIKE Extravaganza. The Dons received a combined 31 points from Kendle Warren and Keala King in a 88-37 victory over Warren of Downey. The defending CIF Southern Section Div. I-AA champs closed out the week with a 99-54 victory over Gahr of Cerritos as first-year coach Duane Cooper was pleased that his talented group came ready to play. Some SGVL coaches have mentioned that, naturally with a coaching change, the Dons' players don't take to instruction and discipline like they would under Russell Otis and that makes Dominguez vulnerable. That didn't come to fruition in the first round of league play and the Dons' discipline will definitely be tested against De La Salle.

5. Fairfax (Los Angeles) 17-3 (6)
The Lions, who are eyeing a victory over longtime league rival Westchester this week to stay in contention for one of the top two seeds in the L.A. City Section playoffs, nearly got caught looking ahead against Palisades. It took a late free throw by three-year veteran Lance Bailey in the final seconds to close out a 84-83 win. Bailey, if you recall, missed some crucial free throws in the second round of league play against Westchester last season, so he was thrilled to get off the snide. Senior Renardo Sidney continues to play like a serious Mr. Basketball candidate as he put the Lions in position to win with 37 points and 12 rebounds. To close out the week, Sidney pumped in 30 points in a 82-44 victory over Hamilton of Los Angeles. After their tussle with Westchester on the road, the Lions have to come right back and play Whitney Young of Chicago the next day at the NIKE Extravaganza.

6. McClymonds (Oakland) 19-1 (7)
After dropping a tough game against De La Salle at the MLK Classic, Mack bounced back with two OAL victories as it looks to close out the regular season on a strong note. In a 60-48 win over Fremont of Oakland, senior guard Will Cherry had 15 points, seven assists, four rebounds and four steals. The Warriors then closed out the week with a 68-55 victory over Skyline of Oakland. The game was actually closer than the score indicates as Mack trailed by two points in the third quarter until Damon Powell tied the game up on spectacular tip-jam. After one of those signature dunks he's well-known for, Mack went on a 23-10 run as Cherry finished with 22 points, including a dozen in the fourth quarter.

7. Martin Luther King (Riverside) 17-2 (9)
It was a big week for the Wolves with three victories, including a resounding 79-62 victory over state-ranked Centennial of Corona that avenged an earlier loss to the Huskies. Centennial did deserve to be ranked ahead of King coming into the week, although the Wolves proved that with Chris Harriel (who missed the first game with Centennial) they are one of the best teams in the West Region as they took control from the start. The 6-foot-4 Harriel, bound for Portland State, gave King a big boost with 23 points and 11 rebounds while Kahwi Leonard led all scorers with 29 points and 17 rebounds. The taller Wolves out rebounded Centennial, 42-26, and scored 27 second chance points. Earlier in the week, King rolled past Riverside Poly (58-35) and Riverside North (61-47).

8. Los Alamitos 21-1 (10)
After picking up a tight road win at Marina of Huntington Beach by a 73-66 final score, the Griffins ended the week with an easy home win over Newport Harbor as their winning streak has now reached 19 games. Led by the duo of Clark Evans with 27 points and 11 rebounds and James Walker with 24 points, the Griffins rallied from a halftime deficit and defeated the Vikings, who received 49 points from the tandem of Garrett James and Brendan Holmes. Everyone got to see action in Los Al's final game of the week in a 71-36 win as 12 of their 15 players who saw action put points on the board. This week, the Griffins will play two road games in league play at Esperanza and Fountain Valley before ending the week with a game against Servite of Anaheim in the morning session of the Nike Extravaganza.

9. Etiwanda (Rancho Cucamonga) 18-4 (11)
Similar to No. 7 King, the Eagles avenged an earlier loss last week, only it came in an intersectional matchup against L.A. City Section power Taft of Woodland Hills. After losing to the Toreadors in the finals of the Modesto Christian Tournament by two points, Etiwanda received 16 points from senior guard DeRonn Scott and some clutch play from Air Force-bound Jordan Finn to pull out a 50-44 victory at the Greenway Fairfax State Preview Classic. Taft had cut the lead down to a basket (46-44) on a three-pointer, but Finn went to the line and canned both free throws to put the game on ice. Finn finished with 11 points for Etiwanda, who earlier in the week downed CalHiSports.com State Athlete of the Week Kendall Williams and his team at Los Osos (89-54) in addition to Rancho Cucamonga (87-68).

10. Taft (Woodland Hills) 18-3 (5)
This is the spot the Toreadors fall to following their six-point loss to Etiwanda. We thought about dropping them behind Folsom, but they do own a previous victory over Etiwanda, which beat San Leandro by 15 points, not to mention victories over Campbell Hall, Sacramento and Dominguez, a team that defeated Etiwanda. In league play last week, Justin Hawkins and Michael Williams combined for 31 points in a 66-40 victory over cross-town El Camino Real and came back to score 15 points apiece in a 66-54 win over Granada Hills.

11. Folsom 20-1 (12)
The Bulldogs move up one spot this week in the rankings as their winning streak moves to 18 games after defeating Florin 74-54 and completing a league sweep over Sheldon with a narrow 58-56 victory. Tony Johnson had a game-high 28 points and seven steals as the Bulldogs outscored the Panthers 39-23 in the second half to blow the game open. Against Sheldon, Johnson's free throw with 33 seconds remaining gave the Bulldogs the lead for good as they made 5-of-6 free throws in the final minute to hold on for the win. Brandon Babineaux led the victors with 15 points, while Johnson finished with 14 and Kori Babineaux added 12 points. Folsom will play two road games this week at Jesuit of Carmichael and Monterey Trail of Elk Grove as it looks to match double-digit victories over each team during the first round of league play.

12. San Leandro 17-3 (14)
The Pirates get a two-spot bump after disappointing a sell-out crowd on the road in Castro Valley. There, the boys from just over the hill reversed an earlier home defeat by the previously state-ranked Trojans, in a 61-53 victory, the team's 10th straight win. The visitors went on a 10-0 run late in the first quarter that broke the game open and the result was San Leandro handed Castro Valley its first league home loss in two years. Nick Armas had a team-high 16 points off the bench, while Oregon State-bound senior Jared Cunningham added 11, two of which came on an emphatic dunk with 4:39 left in the fourth quarter to give the Pirates their largest lead at 50-31. Earlier in the week. they posted a 77-52 home win against Moreau Catholic of Hayward. Next up are home games against Mt. Eden and Tennyson, both of Hayward.

13. St. Francis (Mountain View) 18-0 (16)
Two weeks ago, this team wasn't in the rankings. Now, Coach Mike Motil's boys are 9-0 in the tough West Catholic Athletic League after two easy wins last week and looking to crack the top 10. First it was 71-49 over Valley Christian of San Jose with Shawn Grant leading the way with 18 points and Kyle Hypes chipping in with 14. On Saturday in a 85-52 blowout of San Mateo Serra, it was Grant again with 19 points, with 15 from Tim Wang and 12 from Tyler Johnson. On tap are home games against San Jose Mitty and St. Ignatius of San Francisco. The naysayers will continue to challenge their record and it probably won't get answered until NorCals. But the Lancers have answered critics before. Remember 1995 when they stunned Dominguez at ARCO to win the Div. II state title?

14. Diamond Ranch (Pomona) 16-4 (17)
The Chargers played just their second and third home games of the season last week and looked more than comfortable as they defeated Nogales of La Puente in a non-league game and Charter Oak of Covina in league play. Santa Clara-bound Chris Cunningham scored 21 points and grabbed 17 rebounds while Fresno State-bound Garrett Johnson scored 27 points in a 63-46 win ending the Nobles' five-game winning streak.   After winning against the Chargers earlier in the year by 14, they completed the league sweep with a 59-40 home win and remain undefeated in Miramonte League play. This week, Diamond Ranch heads to La Verne to take on Bonita before returning home to end the week with a likely large margin win against Los Altos.

15. Murrieta Valley (Murrieta) 20-1 (18)
Revenge can be sweet and the Nighthawks exacted every measure they could in an impressive 65-42 win over Chaparral of Temecula for their fifth straight victory. That lone blemish on their record was a 58-52 setback to the Pumas, who slipped two games back in the Southwestern League chase with the loss. Dylan Bohanan and Bryce Lenhart led the way, each scoring 17 points. Bohanan made 7 of 10 from the field, including 3 of 5 from long range, and added 10 rebounds for a double-double. The steady Lenhart went 7 of 11 from the free throw line and was 5 of 11 from the field. The Nighthawks tuned up for the showdown with a 65-46 win over Vista Murrieta. There will be no easing up for Murrieta Valley as Great Oak of Temecula looms Friday. The Nighthawks barely escaped with a 68-67 win a month ago but that game was on the road.

16. Rocklin 21-2 (19)
Since their loss against Eisenhower of Rialto on December 27, the Thunder have not only won 10 in a row but have won each of those games by double-figures after easy wins last week over Del Oro and Woodcreek. Making sure it wasn't a golden night for the Golden Eagles of Del Oro, the Thunder struck for a 84-51 victory and were able to clear their bench as 13 different players put points in the stat book, with Brendan Lane scoring a team-high 16 points. Against Woodcreek, Rocklin led 41-16 as the Timberwolves rolled to the 71-47 win. This week's schedule sees two more likely easy wins against Oakmont of Roseville and Roseville.

17. Sonora (La Habra) 21-1 (20)
Make it 18 straight wins for the Raiders, who are just three points away from having a perfect record. Jumping into the Top 20 for the first time last week, Coach Mike Murphy's club leaped three spots with a pair of Freeway League victories. In a 64-48 win over Troy of Fullerton, Christopher Bearden collected 15 points and Conner Kjer had 17 as Sonora sped out to a 23-9 lead and never trailed. Next up, the Raiders collected a 75-62 win over Sunny Hills as four players scored in double figures, led by a 21-point effort from Kjer and 19 points from the 6-foot Bearden. Sonora could clinch the league title Wednesday against La Habra, a team the Raiders limited to 39 points in a 53-39 win where Bearden collected 15 points and 12 boards.

18. Bishop Montgomery (Torrance) 18-3 (NR)
Coach Doug Mitchell's squad has rebounded well from a loss to Serra of Gardena two weeks ago, including a 73-55 win over Cathedral of Los Angeles that tightened the standings in Del Rey League play. The Knights outscored the Phantoms, 47-27, in the second half to hand them their first loss in league action as they now each stand tied for first along with Serra. Michael Panaggio had 19 points in the victory while Chris Miller added 13 points, and Richard Solomon filled the stat sheet with 12 points, seven rebounds, and four blocks. Bishop Montgomery's number of quality wins is the main reason the team has gone back into the top 20 higher than any other newcomer.

19. Monte Vista (Danville) 18-2 (NR)
After making an appearance during an unbeaten run to open the season, the Mustangs are back in the top 20 after putting back-to-back losses against De La Salle and St. Mary's of Berkeley behind them. Last week they got two easy wins in EBAL action. Both victories were at home and by almost identical 57-39 and 59-39 scores over San Ramon Valley of Danville and Granada of Livermore, respectively. Foothill of Pleasanton and California on the road in San Ramon is up this week before a rematch with De La Salle on Feb. 13 at home. With Berkeley making a run and nipping at their heels, the boys from Southern Contra Costa County will have to keep winning to maintain their ranking.

20. Berkeley 17-3 (NR)
It was a tough call for the final spot in this week's rankings, but we have called it for the Yellowjackets. They've won 10 games in a row and their last loss was by just four points to No. 12 San Leandro. Berkeley's last loss before that was to No. 6 McClymonds and the only other loss was in the second game to Newark Memorial. Senior Mark Samuels led the scoring for the Yellowjackets in their 87-63 road win last week over Hercules with 23 points while Isaiah and Tobias Smith each scored 10 points. Samuels would once again finish with 23 points as they moved to a perfect 6-0 in Alameda Contra Costa League play with a 84-57 win at home against El Cerrito.

Dropped out: Previous No. 8 Centennial (Corona); No. 13 Poly (Long Beach); No. 15 Castro Valley.

On the Bubble: Centennial (Corona) 18-3; La Mirada 19-2; Leuzinger (Lawndale) 17-5; Poly (Long Beach) 19-3; Sacred Heart Cathedral (San Francisco) 14-3; St. Mary's (Berkeley) 20-3, Windward (Los Angeles) 16-6.

Corrections or comments? Email mark@studentsports.com and be sure to leave a comment so others can check out what you have to say. 

By Steve Brand, Special to CalHiSports.com

Coming into the season, San Diego High School expected to showcase to the country that its team was one of the nation's best. But without its head coach nor three expected transfers in the lineup, the Cavers were routed by ESPN RISE FAB 50 ranked Fairax of Los Angeles on Friday night before a national television audience despite a strong effort from top junior Jeremy Tyler.

SAN DIEGO – Nothing could have been more apropos than the numbers on the back of Fairfax High's Renardo Sidney and San Diego's Jeremy Tyler.

	Scott Kurtz
	Renardo Sidney got a little more help from his friends in showcase game against Jeremy Tyler.

No. 1.

The 6-foot-10 Sidney is the No. 5 ranked player in the ESPNU 100 and serious EA SPORTS Mr. Basketball USA candidate while the 6-foot-11 Tyler could be the nation's best junior.

When they squared off Friday night in Jenny Craig Pavilion at the University of San Diego, their battle was certainly closer than the game's outcome as Fairfax (15-3), ranked No. 7 in the state, buried San Diego, 86-47, before a national ESPN2 audience.

Sidney, easily 25 pounds heavier than Tyler, scored a game-high 28 points and pulled down 12 rebounds. The San Diego High standout countered with 27 points, eight rebounds and three blocked shots before fouling out with 3:02 to play.

That's a far cry from a year ago when Sidney schooled Tyler early in the season in Florida, outscoring him 33-0, the only time in his high school career Tyler has been shut out.

"I thought about that, it's been on my mind since last year” said Tyler, who scored his first bucket 1:40 into the game, ending the drought. "I know I could have played better tonight, I could have been stronger.”

They were like the center ring of a circus, slamming over each other or anyone else who got in their way. The difference was Fairfax's other players, golden side rings as it were, not to mention what has become a season of chaos for San Diego High.

When this game was scheduled, coach Kenny Roy expected to have three quality transfers suited up for the game with a half-season of experience.

But the closest 6-foot-5 Terrence Boyd (Oak Hill Academy two years ago), 7-foot Zechariah Smith (McLoud, Oklahoma) and 6-foot-1 LaBradford Franklin, a high-scoring guard from Temecula, came to playing was having their names in the scorebook.

The California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) San Diego Section has declared all three ineligible and although the battle is still on at the state level for Boyd and Smith, Franklin's appeal was denied this week.

Meanwhile, Roy himself has been placed on administrative leave by the San Diego Unified School District.

"That's really been on my mind,” said Tyler. "I've tried not to allow it to affect my play, but it's hard. I want to think it's OK what has happened, but it's not.”

As a result, Tyler collected 27 and the rest of the team scored 20-combined. Conversely, Fairfax supported Sidney with double-figure scoring from all-state candidate Soloman Hill (15 points, 10 rebounds), Kendrick Thomas (12 points) and Lance Bailey (11 points).

All the numbers favored Harvey Kitani's Lions, who used a 12-0 run to turn a 7-6 lead into a 21-10 first quarter bulge that just grew and grew until at it reached 84-40 before the host Cavers saved some face at the end.

Fairfax outboarded San Diego, 33-15, and forced 28 turnovers while committing just 16.

"Our half- and three-quarter court press have been effective for us,” said Kitani. "We knew they had the big man in the middle and he was forced to carry them and to his credit, he did that.”

It was easy to just focus on the two big men, one who has not yet decided where he will go to school next year and the other who has committed early to Louisville.

There wasn't much else to watch.

By Steve Brand, Special to CalHiSports.com

San Diego High School boys basketball coach Kenny Roy and two assistants placed on leave of absence by San Diego Unified School District amid recruiting allegations of three transfer students to a program that won the section Div. I title last season. These removals come on the heels of the Cavers' highly-anticipated match up with state No. 2 Fairfax of Los Angeles this upcoming Friday, January 23 on ESPN2 (6:30 pm PST).  

San Diego High head boys basketball coach Kenny Roy and two of his assistants have been placed on a leave of absence by the San Diego Unified School District in the midst of an investigation into possible undue influence regarding three high-profile transfers.

Roy, whose Cavers captured the San Diego Section Division I championship a year ago, had steadfastly maintained he exerted no undue influence and that the three players transferred in on their own, possibly attracted by the possibility of playing on the same team with 6-11 Louisville commit Jeremy Tyler, last seaon's CalHiSports.com State Sophomore Player of the Year.

The three players are 6-5 senior Terrance Boyd, who did not play at all last year in Oklahoma after transferring out of Oak Hill Academy in Virginia; 7-foot junior Zechariah Smith, who also attended school in Oklahoma last year; and 6-1 junior guard LaBradford Franklin, who played at Temecula Valley High, about 90 miles north of San Diego.

Boyd is considered a Top 50 national prospect in the Class of 2008 and has received interest from Kentucky, Oklahoma, USC and Oklahoma State. Smith is a solid prospect who would complement Tyler inside and Franklin brings a strong outside game from the perimter.

San Diego High (8-3) was ranked high in the state and ESPN RISE FAB 50 before the season and based on the expectation that those three players would become eligible, are to play nationally-ranked and state No. 2 Fairfax of Los Angeles this Friday night on ESPN2.

That game will still see a highly-anticipated rematch between Fairfax's 6-10 Renardo Sidney and Tyler, who earlier this year had back-to-back 41-point games in the top National Division of the MaxPreps Holiday Classic at Torrey Pines, where the Cavers finished fourth, losing to Rialto Eisenhower in the semifinals.

A year ago, at the start of the season, Sidney, last season's state junior player of the year, outplayed and shut out Tyler during a holiday showcase game and this Friday's game in highly-anticipated by San Diego's basketball community.  

The three transfer students turned their paperwork over to the San Diego Section of the California Interscholastic Federation before the start of the season but almost immediately hit a roadblock when the San Diego Unified School District investigated their arrival and turned over their findings to the San Diego Section.

That governing body denied eligibility, citing questionable living accommodations for Boyd and Franklin. The section said that Boyd's mother came to San Diego looking for work and established residence in a downtown condominium that rents for $2,400 a month. Section rules also state you can not reside in two houses at the same time and officials claim the Franklins have not sold their home in Temecula – not exactly an unusual situation in today's housing market.

Smith's paperwork reportedly has been lost and he has already reapplied.

The basis of the denials, though, also involve undue influence, claiming that Roy, and/or his assistant coaches, had contact with the three players before they transferred to the school right on the edge of downtown San Diego.

Not only has Roy denied those claims, he has produced affidavids from several individuals that the San Diego Section cited, denying any involvement.

However, the investigation also focused on what the district claimed was a less-than-adequate graduation rate of Roy's players (Roy is not a teacher at the school) and the past history of one of his assistants who had been fired from another city school for alleged violations several years ago.

The cases went all the way to state appeals panel hearings for Boyd and Franklin but when the section produced new evidence, those hearings were postponed, giving attorneys for Boyd and Franklin an opportunity to respond.

"Until all the findings come in and all the facts, I'm just a parent now cheering my son, Xavier, on,” Roy told the San Diego Union-Tribune. "I feel very strong that I'll be vindicated. There is nothing there to show that I've done anything. I'm not worried about it.”

In his stead, Tyler's uncle, Maurice Tyler, coached San Diego High on an interim basis to a 63-42 victory over Serra of San Diego on Friday night.

There are two views on what placing Roy and his two assistants on a leave of absence will have on the cases.

One is that now the district has taken action, there is no longer any reason to punish the players, especially Boyd who has not played in almost two years. The other is that by taking the action, the district is admitting there was wrongdoing, dooming any chance the three will gain their eligibility.

By Ronnie Flores, Managing Editor

Contributing: Mark Tennis, Steve Brand, Paul Muyskens

(Through games of Saturday, January 3; Preseason rating in parentheses; Check back next week for first regular season rankings for Northern California, Southern California and for each of the five CIF state enrollment divisions.)

1. Mater Dei (Santa Ana) 14-0 (1)
Since the Monarchs are No. 1 in the nation in the ESPN RISE FAB 50, being No. 1 in the state is obvious. Head coach Gary McKnight's club won the loaded City of Palms tourney in Florida with a title game win over then national No. 2 St. Patrick's of New Jersey. Mater Dei returned to win the Orange Holiday Classic and downed a solid Gahr of Cerritos team, 90-66, at the Pangos Dream Classic last Saturday as David Wear netted 26 points and junior Tyler Lamb added 18.

2. Westchester (Los Angeles) 14-1 (6)
Even though the Comets did not play last week, they moved up in the regional and national rankings for what they did earlier in several top-tier tournaments. With Fairfax losing its first game at the Les Schwab tourney in Oregon to Dominguez, they are now clearly No. 2 in California with only a six-point loss to Winter Park of Florida at the City of Palms event. Westchester's string of quality wins have included those against Word of God of North Carolina, Lincoln of Brooklyn (N.Y.), Leuzinger of Lawndale twice, Etiwanda of Rancho Cucamonga and Windward. Plus, the Comets have an easy win against Dominguez, which is the team that just beat Fairfax.

3. McClymonds (Oakland) 13-0 (7)
Senior slam dunk machine Damon Powell and sweet-shooting senior guard Will Cherry have prevented the Warriors from dropping much, if at all, in their level of play from a year ago when they were unbeaten and won the CIF Division I state title. West Oakland's finest won four games last week, including a 72-40 rout of Hanford to win the Clovis Elks Christmas Classic in Fresno. Then Friday night back home, they routed Fairfield, 67-44, as Cherry dropped in 26 points. Mack's winning streak is up to 45 games and the Warriors will play De La Salle on January 19.

4. De La Salle (Concord) 9-1 (4)
The Spartans won two games last week, capturing the Merv Lopes Holiday Classic in Hawaii with a 41-20 rout of previous West Region-ranked Campbell Hall of North Hollywood. The only loss so far for head coach Frank Allocco's crew is a 54-50 stinker against Oakland Tech. The loss of expected transfer Hollis Thompson, who is now going to enroll for spring classes at Georgetown, probably will hurt DLS in a comparison to McClymonds, but the team's defense and execution appears to be as solid as ever.

5. Martin Luther King (Riverside) 9-1 (11)
After winning their opening game at the Beach Ball Classic in South Carolina over the host club, 56-48, the Wolves beat Cedar Hill of Texas in the second round before dropping a 78-73 contest to previous FAB 50 national No. 26 Wheeler (Ga.) in the third game. The Wolves' talent level is not what some of these other teams possess, but they pull out close wins and they have one of the best coaches around in Tim Sweeney. We have them ranked fifth because they lost by a similar margin to Wheeler as Dominguez did and they have three fewer losses. Among its wins is an impressive 20-point romp over No. 12 Los Alamitos.

6. Dominguez (Compton) 11-4 (3)
It was a slow start to the season for the Dons, but they are coming on strong now and seem to be gaining confidence as it becomes more likely that All-American Jordan Hamilton won't be playing at all this season. It was a big week for the Dons as they won the Les Schwab in Oregon with a 58-56 victory over previous No. 3 Fairfax and beat previous No. 8 Etiwanda by the same score. Dominguez has a loss to Reno, Nevada (75-68) and a bad loss to Westchester, but that is offset by wins over Mt. Vernon (N.Y.), Fairfax and Etiwanda.

7. Fairfax (Los Angeles) 11-2 (2)
If the Lions had not lost to Dominguez in the finals of the Les Schwab tourney, they would be No. 2 in the state behind Mater Dei. Instead, Fairfax has to drop to seventh after the 58-56 loss to the resurgent Dons. Fairfax led by seven points with five minutes remaining. The team's only other loss is to Montrose Christian, 45-38, in the semifinals of the Iolani Classic in Hawaii. The best win would be the third-place victory in Hawaii over All-American DeMarcus Cousins and his team at LeFlore of Mobile, Alabama. Renardo Sidney, Fairfax's All-American center, had a strong outing in that game and has been playing much better so far this year than what he displayed last spring and summer.

8. Leuzinger (Lawndale) 12-3 (NR)
One of the surprise teams in the state this year, the Olympians recorded a 59-49 victory over Windward of Los Angeles, 59-49, as Jerry Evans made nine of 14 field goal attempts good for 19 points to go along with five rebounds and four steals. They have two close losses to No. 3 Westchester with the third loss to Long Beach Poly, which went on to win its division at the MaxPreps tournament. Leuzinger can stay in front of Poly because tit has more quality wins and one of Poly's losses is to Ocean View of Huntington Beach, a team Leuzinger beat.

9. Taft (Woodland Hills) 11-2 (5)
Tourney MVP Michael Williams had 28 points including a three-pointer with 15 seconds left as the Toreadors won the Modesto Christian Holiday Hoop Classic last Tuesday night with a 63-61 victory over Etiwanda after defeating Sacramento High in the semifinals. The Toreadors then defeated Colony of Ontario, 69-55, at the Johnnie Cochran Classic last Saturday after a sluggish start. That win over Etiwanda plus an early loss to Leuzinger places Taft logically right between the two.

10. Etiwanda (Rancho Cucamonga) 10-3 (9)
To get recognized, you must play a challenging schedule. And when you do that, you risk losing as the Eagles have by a total of nine points to No. 9 Taft (Woodland Hills), No. 6 Dominguez (Compton) and No. 2 Westchester. Etiwanda, which also owns wins over Ocean View (Huntington Beach) and Sylmar, now knows it can play with the big boys. University of San Francisco-bound center Perris Blackwell has been leading in scoring with 16.6 ppg, although the team could be hurt down the line by the academic ineligibility of wing Rome Draper.

11. Monte Vista (Danville) 11-0 (NR)
The Mustangs are on the move up after defeating highly-regarded St Mary's of Berkeley (67-56) in the semifinals and Moeller of Cincinnati (66-58) in the finals of the Don Bambauer Classic. They also own a 74-62 victory over the same Oakland Tech team that defeated De La Salle. Those two teams will play each other twice in the East Bay Athletic League so their rankings will get decided on the court. One of Monte Vista's top players is 6-6 Zach Ertz, a top football tight end who is going to sign with Stanford. Senior guard Brian Barbour also already has had a 36-point outing.

12. Los Alamitos 13-1 (27)
"We're No. 2, we're No. 2." OK, they probably aren't chanting that at Los Alamitos but being No. 2 in Orange County would be No. 1 most other places considering Mater Dei is No. 1. Winning the KSA Holiday Tournament in Orlando was part of an 11-game winning streak the Griffins have built since that forgettable 68-49 setback to No. 5 Martin Luther King (Riverside) in the semifinals of the Cerritos/Gahr Tournament. Los Al also owns a victory over Centennial of Compton, which beat the same Long Beach Poly team that just won the MaxPreps Tourney American Division title.

13. Bishop Montgomery (Torrance) 14-2 (NR)
Top point guard Justin Cobbs has been a force for the first month of the season for the Knights. They just lost their second game of the year last Saturday, 52-49, to a solid Diamond Ranch of Pomona club at the Johnnie Cochran Classic. Had they won that game, they'd be probably at least five spots higher in these rankings and on the verge of the FAB 50. Bishop Montgomery's only other loss is to No. 6 Dominguez.

14. Eisenhower (Rialto) 11-2 (NR)
If the Eagles develop a killer instinct in the final quarter, they will be moving up in the rankings quickly. Ike fell behind Sylmar early, rallied and faded. In the MaxPreps Holiday Classic at Torrey Pines, they had Bellevue, Wash., on the ropes in the National Division championship, leading by six going into the final eight minutes, but let the Wolverines escape, going scoreless in the last 1:41. Two tournament titles and a second are a good springboard into Citrus Belt League play. Andrew Bock had a strong junior season for the Eagles, and so far the senior headed to Creighton is hitting for 20.8 ppg.

15. Folsom 12-1 (NR)
This is the Sacramento Bee's No. 1-ranked team so far this season. The Bulldogs' best win is against Fairfield, which has a win over Rocklin, the preseason No. 1 team for the Sac-Joaquin Section. Folsom's only loss also is to No. 11 Monte Vista of Danville. Leading the way has been returning Delta Valley League MVP Tony Johnson, who already has been MVP of three tournaments.

16. Poly (Long Beach) 10-2 (NR)
The Jackrabbits made some noise by taking the title over the holiday break in the American Division of the MaxPreps tournament. They have a win over Leuzinger, but not as many quality wins as the Olympians. Poly's losses to Centennial of Compton and Ocean View of Huntington Beach also hurts in these rankings. Julian Camper, a tight end on the CIFSS championship football team, has averaged nearly 14 ppg since he's joined the lineup.

17. San Leandro 10-3 (NR)
Jared Cunningham has been sizzling for the Pirates so far in his senior season with nearly 21 ppg. They have a head-to-head loss to league rival Castro Valley, but their wins have been better and their other two losses were to McClymonds and Etiwanda. Shaheed Young also has been strong with 13.0 ppg.

18. Diamond Ranch (Pomona) 10-3 (NR)
Head coach Loren Grover is no stranger to success on the statewide scene. The former Artesia of Lakewood head coach for one season (when the Pioneers featured probable lottery pick James Harden and Renardo Sidney and won the Div. III state title) now has Diamond Ranch in the state rankings, especially after it just beat Bishop Montgomery. Grover's team includes Santa Clara signer Chris Cunningham (14.5 ppg) and Fresno State signer Garrett Johnson (16.5 ppg).

19. St. Mary's (Berkeley) 11-2 (17)
Last year's CIF NorCal Division IV champions are once again looking good. One of the losses is to unbeaten Monte Vista of Danville while another came to Sheldon of Sacramento. Key wins have come against Archbishop Mitty of San Jose and Sacred Heart Cathedral of San Francisco.

20. Bishop O'Dowd (Oakland) 9-3 (NR)
Huge news was made by the Dragons down in San Diego two weeks ago when they knocked off defending FAB 50 national champ St. Anthony of New Jersey. They also have a win over San Diego High, but losses to Strake Jesuit of Texas, Berkeley and Bellevue of Washington drops them down. O'Dowd has been getting its usual balanced scoring, this year so far from Justin Brue (13.8 ppg), Nick Capiti (11.3 ppg) and Brandon Ashley (10.3 ppg).

On the bubble: Castro Valley 11-1 (BB); Newark Memorial (Newark) 9-3 (25); Serra (Gardena) 14-3 (NR), Rocklin 13-2 (14).

Comments or corrections? Email mark@studentsports.com and be sure to leave a comment so others can check out what you have to say.

Compiled by Ronnie Flores, CalHiSports.com Managing Editor

Contributing: Mark Tennis, CalHiSports.com Executive Editor 

(We are in the midst of our 30th year of releasing state rankings every week for California high schools) 

(Last year's final state rating in parentheses)
(Teams written up for top  20; next 15 ranked in order; plus more teams to watch)
(Go to ESPNRISE.com for national and regional preseason rankings)

1. (3) Mater Dei (Santa Ana) 35-1
An underclass-dominated lineup from last year that won CIF Division II state title is a top five team nationally in the ESPN RISE FAB 50 preseason rankings, especially with the addition of Colony of Ontario transfer Tyler Lamb (6-5). With him and the four starters returning -- PG Gary Franklin (6-0) SF Andy Brown (6-7), and the Wear twins David (6-10) and Travis (6-10)  Mater Dei is a definite threat to win City of Palms tourney in Florida like it did two seasons ago. The Monarchs were better than anticipated last season, but they will have a bulls-eye on their chest this year. Also look for head coach Gary McKnight to earn his 800th milestone win early in the season.   

2. (8) Fairfax (Los Angeles) 27-6
Everyone knows about Renardo Sidney (6-10), but the player that makes this team go is 6-6 Solomon Hill. He had an outstanding summer and is a legit top 75 national prospect. With Lance Bailey (6-2) coming back as well as a thee-year letter winner and he continues to step up his game, this team, which absolutely routed San Diego last season, could be very good if Sidney stays focused. The Lions beat Westchester two out of three times last season and are always well-coached under L.A. City veteran Harvey Kitani.     

3. (2) Dominguez (Compton) 31-3
Coach Russell Otis is being investigated for criminal conduct. If he's back and Jordan Hamilton (6-7) is eligible, they are a top 7-10 team nationally. If Hamilton is eligible and Otis doesn't come back, they are still a top 20 team. No Otis and no Hamilton and they are still perhaps a top 25 team. Even if Hamilton doesn't play at all, the Dons will have 11 letterwinners returning. Interim coach Duane Cooper (the former USC and NBA player) should help smooth things over as well.

4. (12) De La Salle (Concord) 28-4
Two of the Spartans' losses last year were to undefeated McClymonds of Oakland, including a two-point loss. They have a strong nucleus coming back, led by 6-1 point guard Brandon Smith (signed with Cal) and only one senior played last season. They were already going to be stronger this season than last and when you throw in transfer Hollis Thompson (6-5) from Loyola of Los Angeles, you have the makings of a real juggernaut. Thompson, headed to Georgetown, was projected to be one of the top players in Southern California this season. De La Salle was badly beaten by Westchester at the NIKE Extravaganza so there is still some concern how well the Spartans might fare against national-level teams with a ton of athleticism.
 
5. (7) Taft (Woodland Hills) 27-4
The Toreadors had a fine 2007-08 season led by L.A. City Section Player of the Year Larry Drew Jr., whose ball-handling and leadership were key in victories over Fairfax and two routs of Dominguez. He will be missed, but the roster is loaded with talent. Though head coach Derrick Taylor lacks a true big man, the key veterans include stellar defender Justin Hawkins (6-2) and no-nonsense rebounder Terran Carter (6-5). Taylor's team should also benefit when his young players, such as freshman Landon Drew (5-7), gain experience.        

6. (9) Westchester (Los Angeles) 28-5
The Comets will remain perimeter-oriented and could have trouble with national teams with size and bulk. Junior Dwayne Polee (6-8) will be counted on for more than just rebounding and dunking with the graduation of veteran guards Oscar Bellfield and Jarred Dubois. PG Dominique O'Connor (5-10) really emerged late last season and is a returning All-City pick while Jordin Mays (6-2) gained valuable experience last season. Another player to watch is junior Kareem Jamar (6-4), who greatly improved over the summer. Coach Ed Azzam always restocks his roster but Fairfax has gotten the best of the Comets lately.   

7. (1) McClymonds (Oakland) 32-0
Mack was indeed all the way back last year as it won the CIF Div. I state title win a 73-54 victory over Dominguez and capped an unbeaten season. Two of the top three players on the team are back, but the inside strength of graduated Frank Otis will be missed. Coach Dwight Nathaniel also has retired but a undefeated state champ deserves some recognition. PG Will Cherry (6-0) and leaper Damon Powell (6-6) lead a group of five returning letterwinners. The Warriors may not be quite as good as last year, but still definitely should be among the state's top teams.

8. (15) San Diego 23-5
Coach Brandon Roy has been raving about his club all off-season and the roster is stacked with talent. It all starts with junior Jeremy Tyler (6-11), last season's state sophomore of the year by CalHiSports.com. Xavier Roy (6-2) is the coach's son and a talented sophomore. Well-traveled Terrance Boyd (6-5) also is quite a talent who played at Oak Hill Academy two years ago. To compliment Tyler inside, Zach Smith (6-11) is supposed to make a huge impact and the team has also added steady guard LaBradford Franklin (6-1). Still, Fairfax beat San Diego fairly comfortably last season, so we are reluctant to put the Cavers too high until they start winning some of these big games against strong competition. Three of their losses last year were to out-of-state foes and they again play a national schedule. The possibility for a quick rise up these rankings toward the top five is not far-fetched.

9. (11) Etiwanda (Rancho Cucamonga) 31-3
Coach Dave Kleckner has done a great job with this program although the Eagles have traditionally not won the big games against inner city Los Angeles schools such as Dominguez and Fairfax. A group of 10 letterwinners return, led by all-state level talents Jordan Finn (6-4) and Rome Draper (6-6). The development of guard Tim Pendergraph (6-1) will be key to Etiwanda's fortunes as well. Last season, the Eagles defeated Sacramento and Modesto Christian to win the Modesto Christian holiday tourney and are a year older and better.  

10. (12) Sacramento 30-4
Returning Sacramento Bee Player of the Year Chase Tapley (6-3) has this team gunning for a return trip to the CIF Div. III state title game. Tapley scored 37 points in a losing cause against Santa Margarita. The Dragons also lost to El Camino of Sacramento in the section title game and by just two points to Reno and Etiwanda. Veteran coach Derrick Swafford welcomes back 10 letterwinners plus talented newcomer Josiah Turner (6-1). With Sac High grad Kevin Johnson now in mayor's office, good things could just be in the air for this program.         

11. (6) M.L. King (Riverside) 32-3
Coach Tim Sweeney has done a great job with this program and the Wolves are starting to attract the best players in the Riverside area of the Inland Empire. The Wolves will miss all-state standout Eric Wise but welcome back wing Kahwi Leonard (6-7), a fast-rising top 100 national recruit. King lost to Dominguez twice last year, including the SoCal Div. I Regional final, and with Leonard back and Sweeney's coaching they should have another fine season.    

12. (10) Campbell Hall (North Hollywood) 31-5
This team played a national level schedule and with Mr. Basketball Jrue Holiday it had a chance against everyone except Dominguez, which beat them 76-53. The Vikings routed St. Mary's of Berkeley to win their second consecutive CIF Div. IV state title and third in four years. They won't have Holiday but in the state title game freshman Austin McBroom (5-11) stepped up big-time, has grown a few inches and is getting better every time we see him. Eight other letterwinners return, including junior forward James Johnson (6-7) and the team's glue, Keegan Hornbuckle (6-6).

13. (23) Modesto Christian 29-5
The Crusaders advanced to the CIF Division IV Northern Regional championship game where they lost to St. Mary's of Berkeley after winning 20 consecutive games. UCLA-bound Reeves Nelson (6-7) is the top player and is complimented by his younger brother, sophomore Raymond (6-5). Even with Nelson and Cal-bound guard D.J. Seeley, this team somewhat underachieved last season after starting off the season as a bubble FAB 50 national team. Nelson is clearly one of the state's top talents and could lead the team to a higher ranking, but he also could start slowly due to an injury from his participation in football.

14. (21) Rocklin 30-3
The Thunder should have quite a team after winning their second CIF Sac Joaquin Section Div. II title last season, the first coming in 2001. Coach Steve Taylor's team will build around senior Brendan Lane (6-10), who averaged 20 points and 11 rebounds per game and just signed with UCLA. The program loses two seniors that provided near double-digit scoring, but Taylor only had three seniors on his roster, so another gaudy record is definitely possible against the moderate schedule Rocklin will face. Another stellar athlete to watch is junior point guard Jackson Cummings, one of the top three-sport athletes in the Sacramento region. If we were picking teams for CIF state finals in the preseason, this looks like the most likely foe that Mater Dei would face in Division II.   

15. (29) West Valley (Hemet) 25-4
The Mustangs won the CIFSS Div. III-A title game last year, 90-80 in overtime, over Sunbelt League rival Perris. Coach Chuck Peebles' squad avenged two earlier losses to the Panthers during the regular season. Peebles counts back seven letterwinners, including Oregon State recruit Joe Burton (6-8), who scored 23 points and 17 rebounds in that title game and is finally living up to the acclaim bestowed upon him entering high school. The top player on the perimeter is Eric Lawton (6-1), the returning CIFSS Div. III-A co-Player of the Year, while Dakota Downs (6-5) is another talented returnee for a team that fell in the first round of the SoCal Div. I regional playoffs to San Diego.

16. (nr) Windward (Los Angeles) 24-5
With the right combination of talent, size and coaching, the Wildcats look like legitimate state title contenders in Division IV. They have a great one-two punch with Michigan-bound Darrius Morris (6-3) and UCLA-bound Anthony Stover (6-10). Last season, Stover helped Renaissance Academy advance to the Div. V state title game and he is the defensive presence this team needs. The one concern for coach Miguel Villegas is depth, so that is why we would start off Windward behind league rival Campbell Hall in the state ratings until the Wildcats actually beat the Vikings on the court.    

17. (14) St. Mary's (Berkeley) 33-2
The Panthers won 33 of their first 34 games last year with the lone loss to Sacramento by just two points. The reason they start off behind Windward in these ratings is due to the fact the Wildcats played Campbell Hall pretty tough in league while St. Mary's was beaten much worse in the Div. IV state title game, 83-61, even after Campbell Hall called off the dogs and was outscored 25-18 in the final period. The good news for St. Mary's is the return of 10 letterwinners, including Dominque Lee (6-4), who led St. Mary's with 15 points in that state title game loss. The Panthers lose standout guard Will Brew to UC Santa Barbara, but welcome back younger brother Chris (6-4), who is expected to shine this season.     

18. (37) Perris 25-7
Yes, we've got two teams from the Inland Empire's Sunbelt League in the preseason state top 20, which is just another example of the shifting tides of power in the state out towards the suburbs and away from the cities. The Panthers beat West Valley twice in three tries last season, but fell in overtime when it counted most in the post-season. The Sunbelt League champions were a balanced club led by Kevin Young (16.1 ppg), Robert Smith (15.5 ppg), Myron Samuel (15.4 ppg) and Jeremy West (14.4 ppg) with CIFSS Div. III-A co-Player of the Year Smith (6-0) and Samuel (6-2) returning to the fold. They start off three spots behind West Valley and have to show they can effectively slow down the Joe Burton-Eric Lawton combo.      

19. (39) Hoover (San Diego) 27-7
The Cardinals overcame an 11-point second-quarter deficit against Mission Hills of San Marcos to win the CIF San Diego Section Division II title. Coach Ollie Goulston loses grid-hooper Corey Trisby off a team that advanced to the SoCal Div. II regional semifinals, but does welcome back a whopping 10 letterwinners including six that were either freshman or sophomores last season. One of those players is sophomore Angelo Chol (6-9), a talented shot-blocker that should have a bigger offensive role this season.  

20. (nr) Sacred Heart Cathedral (SF) 21-13
Don't let the losses from last year fool you since most were in the rugged West Catholic Athletic League. The Irish did play in the CIF Div. III Northern Regional final and this year will be led by two four-year starters in 6-8 Jerry Brown (just signed with Fresno State) and rugged 6-5 muscle-man Kevin Greene. With league champ Archbishop Mitty turning over its roster and with a new head coach, SHC should be tough to beat in the WCAL this season.

Next 15 On The Bubble:
(Last year's final rating in parenthesis)

21. (nr) Rancho Verde (Moreno Valley) 23-7
22. (46) Hanford 31-4
23. (40) Serra (Gardena) 23-5
24. (25) Bishop Montgomery (Torrance) 26-7
25. (26) Newark Memorial (Newark) 24-7
26. (nr) Ocean View (Huntington Beach) 20-7
27. (nr) Los Alamitos 20-9
28. (nr) Garces (Bakersfield) 23-9
29. (47) Price (Los Angeles) 28-4
30. (44) Fremont (Los Angeles) 21-8
31. (5) Santa Margarita (Rancho SM) 30-5
32. (24) Oakland 23-9
33. (nr) Poly (Long Beach) 19-9
34. (nr) Sheldon (Sacramento) 19-11
35. (nr) Centennial (Corona) 27-5

Others to watch (listed alphabetically with last year final rating):

(4) Archbishop Mitty (San Jose) 31-2
(15) Branson (Ross) 31-3
(nr) Cabrillo (Long Beach) 6-20
(33) Castro Valley 24-4
(nr) Clovis West (Fresno) 21-7
(45) Colony (Ontario) 22-11
(18) Compton 24-6
(31) Eisenhower (Rialto) 27-4
(38) El Toro 26-2
(20) Fairfield 28-6
(32) Gahr (Cerritos) 21-10
(19) JSerra (San Juan Capistrano) 19-11
(nr) Jordan (Long Beach) 14-13
(41) Kennedy (Richmond) 27-6
(48) Mayfair (Lakewood) 24-5
(22) Simi Valley 25-2
(34) Wilson (Long Beach) 20-10

Comments or corrections? Email mark@studentsports.com or ronnie@studentsports.com and be sure to leave a comment so others can check out what you have to say.