Sierra Canyon sits comfortably atop my California Top 30 ratings

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LAGUNA NIGUEL – There weren’t six state championship games over March 13 and 14 in Sacramento to solidify this pecking order.

But this will have to do, as Sierra Canyon – based on its 11-1 record against the “field” – sits atop my Top 30 California high school boys’ basketball teams’ ratings for the 2019-20 season.

Three of those wins came against my choice for No. 2 in the state, Etiwanda, with Ziaire Williams’ buzzer-beating jump shot giving the Trailblazers the third of those in the State Southern Regional Open finale on March 10 at Cal State Northridge.

Williams (pictured) also scored 25 points in his team’s Feb. 28 Southern Section Open Division 59-48 championship win over Mater Dei, at Long Beach State.

“Game of the Season” kudos goes to the March 5 Southern Regional D-1 quarterfinal played at Martin Luther King in Riverside and won by Damien in six overtimes against Riverside Poly, 128-123.

Two of the players in the game, junior Malik Thomas (41) of Damien and UC Irvine-bound D.J. Davis of Riverside Poly, combined for 100 freaking points!

And half of the Top 30 teams were part of the fourth Classic at Damien (Dec. 26-28 and 30), six of those among the Top 10, including Sierra Canyon and Etiwanda.

 

Final 2019-20 California Top 30 Boys’ Basketball Teams

1. Sierra Canyon (Southern Section and State Regional Open champion/30-4).
2. Etiwanda (Regional Open runner-up/30-4).
3. Sheldon (San Joaquin D1 champion and NorCal Open finalist/28-5)
4. Mater Dei (SS Open runner-up/25-8).
5. Harvard-Westlake (SS Open/25-7).
6. Corona Centennial (SS Open/27-5).
7. Rancho Christian (SS Open/22-8).
8. Ribet Academy (SS 2A and State Regional D-I champion/30-3).
9. Windward (SS D-1 champion/28-8).
10. Saint John Bosco (SS Open/23-9).
11. Bishop O’Dowd (North Coast D-1 champion and NorCal Open finalist/23-7).
12. Renaissance Academy (SS 4AA champion/27-10).
13. Damien (SS D-1 semifinalist/26-9).
14. Riverside Poly (SS D-1 runner-up/27-7).
15. Cathedral Catholic (San Diego Open champion/24-8).
16. Santa Clarita Christian (SS 2AA champion/24-6).
17. JSerra (SS D-1 semifinalist/25-9).
18. Saint Anthony (SS Open/26-6).
19. Fairfax (L.A. City Open runner-up/26-6).
20. Westchester (L.A. City Open champion/22-9).
21. Dublin (North Coast D-1 runner-up and NorCal Open semifinalist/24-7).
22. Chaminade (SS 2AA semifinalist/26-9).
23. Saint Francis (SS 2AA runner-up and State Regional D-II champion/30-8).
24. Heritage Christian (SS 2AA quarterfinalist/24-4).
25. Torrey Pines (SD Open runner-up/27-6).
26. Campolindo (North Coast D-1 semifinalist and NorCal D-1 champion/26-6).
27. Saint Bernard (SS 2AA/22-7).
28. Richmond Salesian Prep (North Coast D-1 semifinalist and NorCal D-1 semifinalist/25-7).
29. San Jose Mitty (Central Coast Open champion and NorCal Open quarterfinalist/23-5).
30. Saint Augustine (SD Open semifinalist/24-7).