Updated BurlisonOnBasketball SoCal Top 25

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LAGUNA NIGUEL, Ca. – The top-two boys’ basketball teams in California – and across a whole lot of states beyond – will hook up Saturday night at Cerritos College in Norwalk as part of the eighth James Samson/Fairfax State Preview Classic.

But Chino Hills and Torrance Bishop Montgomery – each 19-0 and No.’s 1 and 2, respectively, in the latest BurlisonOnBasketball Southern California Top 25 – have potential potholes facing them this week on the road to their 7 o’clock “Game of the Season” (until this point of the season, of course) Saturday.

The Huskies of Coach Steve Baik have Baseline League games at Etiwanda (Tuesday) and at home to Los Osos (Friday) before heading west on the 91 Freeway Saturday afternoon.

And the Knights of Coach Doug Mitchell have Del Rey League games at Cantwell-Sacred Heart (Tuesday) and home to Gardena Serra (Thursday) before they can travel east on the same freeway en route to Cerritos College (located on 11110 Alondra Boulevard).

The Chino Hills-Bishop Montgomery contest is one of three games this week matching teams in the BurlisonOnBasketball rankings.

The others: No. 2 Bishop Montgomery at No. 23 Montebello Cantwell-Sacred Heart (Wednesday, Del Rey League); and No. 21 Inglewood at No. 5 Redondo Beach Redondo (Friday, Bay League);

Updated Southern California Top 25 teams (Southern, L.A. and San Diego CIF sections)

(Record plus previous rating)

1. Chino Hills (19-0/#1)

COMMENT: The Huskies wrapped up the non-California portion of their schedule in fine fashion, blistering one of North Carolina’s best teams (McDonald’s All-American Bam Adebayo-led High Point Christian) for the second time this season on Jan. 18 during the nationally televised HoopHall Classic contest in Springfield, MA. The Huskies also rolled against then-No. 8 Damien in a Baseline League game Friday in LaVerne. Next: at Etiwanda Tuesday.

2. Torrance Bishop Montgomery (19-0/#2)

COMMENT: The Knights kept cranking along with Del Rey League victories over Gardena Serra, Playa del Rey St. Bernard and L.A. Cathedral. Next: at No. 23 Montebello Cantwell-Sacred Heart.

3. Chatsworth Sierra Canyon (16-3/#3)

COMMENT: The Trailblazers are keeping a whole lot of fingers and toes crossed on behalf of Marvin Bagley III winning his appeal for eligibility this season. Next: Three games this week, the most challenging of which should be vs. Maranatha (and Trevor Stanback) Saturday night at Cerritos College.

4. El Cajon Foothills Christian (13-3/#5)

COMMENT: Potential seeding for the State Southern Open Regional will be on the line when T.J. Leaf and the rest of San Diego County’s best team take on the host Monarchs in the Nike Extravaganza at Mater Dei on Feb. 6. Next: at San Diego Parker Tuesday night.

5. Redondo Beach Redondo (16-3/#6)

COMMENT: Other than Chino Hills, no team in this Top 25 has a better collection of non-league and “non-California” victories than the Sea Hawks. Next: home to Mira Costa Tuesday night.

6. Santa Ana Mater Dei (18-3/#4)

COMMENT: The Monarchs were over-matched vs. Oak Hill Academy during the HoopHall Monday then needed a strong fourth quarter to rally to knock off visiting St. John Bosco in a Trinity League game Friday night. Next: at Anaheim Servite Wednesday night.

7. Encino Crespi (20-1/#7)

COMMENT: The Celts zipped to their 20^th win in a row vs. then-No. 20 Alemany Friday night in a Mission League showdown. Next: at La Canada St. Francis Monday night.

8. La Verne Damien (19-2/#8)

COMMENT: The home Baseline League shellacking at the hands of Chino Hills aside Friday night, this is at least one of the eight or so best teams in all of the Southern Section. Next: home to Rancho Cucamonga Los Osos Tuesday night.

9. Santa Monica (17-2/#13)

COMMENT: The Vikings haven’t lost in two and a half months after scoring a big Ocean League win at Beverly Hills Friday night. Next: at El Segundo Wednesday night.

10. Corona Centennial (14-6/#10)

COMMENT: Come Open Division announcement time, don’t forget that three of the Huskies’ losses came minus UCLA-bound Ike Anigbogu and three others came to No. 4 Foothills Christian, Utah’s best team (Bingham) and at No. 19 Roosevelt. Next: at Norco Wednesday night.

11. Los Alamitos (17-3/#15)

COMMENT: The remaining games that will impact the Griffins’ possible first-ever inclusion into the Open Division playoffs and their possible seeding: At Edison (Friday night, Sunset League) and vs. No. 16 Fairfax (Feb. 6 Nike Extravaganza). Next: vs. Marina Tuesday night.

12. Westchester (16-5/#16)

COMMENT: The Comets took a huge step toward landing the No. 1 seed in the L.A. City Open playoffs by winning at then-No. 9 Fairfax Friday night.

13. Harbor City Narbonne (13-5/#17)

COMMENT: Neutral-floor wins over No. 17 Fairfax and 22 Taft will be impressive come L.A. City Open Division seeding and bracketing time. Next: at L.A. Washington Wednesday.
14. Chino Hills Ayala (17-2/#18)

COMMENT: The Palomares League games with a tough Bonita squad could prove team’s toughest remaining tests of regular season. Next: at Bonita Tuesday night.

15. Orange Lutheran (16-4/#22)

COMMENT: Buzzer-beating (via a Joseph Riley 3) Trinity League win over Santa Margarita win Friday night was Lancers’ most significant of the season. Next: home to St. John Bosco Wednesday night.

16. San Diego Cathedral Catholic (11-4/UR)

COMMENT: The San Diego Western League rematch with No. 18 St. Augustine is on tap Feb. 5. Next: at San Diego Lincoln Tuesday night.

17. Fairfax (18-3/#9)

COMMENT: Round 1 of the biggest L.A. City rivalry went to No. 12 Westchester Friday night at Fairfax. Next: vs. Palisades Monday (5:30 p.m.).

18. San Diego St. Augustine (15-4/#11)

COMMENT: The Saints don’t have a “bad” loss and have impressive wins over Trinity League members No. 19 Santa Margarita and “tapping at the window” St. John Bosco. Next: at San Diego Mission Bay Tuesday night.

19. Rancho Santa Margarita/Santa Margarita (13-7/#12)

COMMENT: The Eagles have a habit of losing tight games with quality opponents. Will they reverse that pattern this season? Next: at JSerra Wednesday night.

20. Eastvale Roosevelt (15-5/#24)

COMMENT: A three-game slate this week, with the outside-of-league contest Tuesday being one that can give the squad’s Open Division hopes’ and potential seeding some juice. Next: at Village Christian Tuesday night.

21. Inglewood (14-6/#14)

COMMENT: The Sentinels Bay League title hopes took at hit with an upset loss to the league’s third-best team (Peninsula) last week. Friday it’s a rematch at No. 5 Redondo. Next: home vs. city rival Morningside Tuesday night.

22. Woodland Hills Taft (19-4/#21)

COMMENT: The Toreadors face their strongest West Valley League foe Wednesday night. Next: at Lake Balboa Birmingham Wednesday.

23. Montebello Cantwell-Sacred Heart (14-7/#19)

COMMENT: No one will be more prepared or play any harder vs. a highly touted foe than this team. It will have a nice chance to emphasize that point this week, too. Next: at home to No. 2 Bishop Montgomery Wednesday at 7 p.m.

24. Mission Hills Alemany (15-6/#20)

COMMENT: The Warriors will get their Mission rematch vs. Crespi, at home, on Feb. 8. Next: at Sherman Oaks Notre Dame Wednesday night.

25. La Canada (18-3/UR)

COMMENT: After watching the Spartans Saturday night Azusa Pacific, my thought is that this is the best group of jump shooters I’ve seen on any Southern California squad this season. Next: at Blair Wednesday night.

TAPPING AT THE WINDOW (alpha listing): Bellflower St. John Bosco 16-5, Compton 12-7, Etiwanda 15-5, Lake Balboa Birmingham 16-4, Long Beach Poly 12-8, Moreno Valley Rancho Verde 20-1, Riverside JW North 15-4, Santa Barbara 21-1, Studio City Harvard- Westlake 15-5 and Sun Valley Village Christian 18-3.