West Valley continues Its undefeated run, remains No. 1

(Courtesy West Valley College Athletics)
(Courtesy West Valley College Athletics)
January 29, 2024
  1. West Valley (21-0)--The undefeated Vikings are 5-0 to top the Coast South, including a convincing 24-point win over #7 Cabrillo. With seven conference games remaining, West Valley has a good chance of finishing perfect in the '23-24 season with a second meeting v. #18 San Jose on Friday and the rematch v. Cabrillo a week later.
  2. West LA (18-2)—The Wildcats have won 15 straight and hold a 6-0 mark in the Western State South. WLAC's biggest test will be Wednesday when #19 Citrus comes to town. West LA has won by double-digit margins in eight of its last nine games. WLAC remains at its SoCal-leading #2 state spot.
  3. Fullerton (18-3)—The Hornets are on an 11-game win streak, including being undefeated in Orange Empire play at 9-0. Fullerton moved up one spot in the rankings and have a 3-game advantage to top the OEC.
  4. Chabot (17-4)—The Gladiators leaped four slots in the Top 30 as they are 5-0 in first place in the Coast North. Chabot hit the 100-point mark for the fourth time this season in downing San Mateo 101-79. They also beat #T30 Skyline by nine.
  5. San Diego City (17-4)—The Knights slipped two spots thanks to a 6-point upset defeat v. #26 MiraCosta last week. SDCC rebounded from that loss by placing seven players in double-figure scoring in its biggest win of the season—112-63 over Grossmont. San Diego is one loss back of MiraCosta in the PCAC standings.
  6. Yuba (19-2)—The 49ers are running away from the competition in leading the Bay Valley at 9-0. On a 13-game win streak overall, Yuba's closest game was a 5-point victory over #30 Los Medanos. They moved up three placings.
  7. Cabrillo (19-2)—The Seahawks have been battle-tested of late as they followed their loss to #1 West Valley by just edging Foothill, 76-75, on a dazzling basket with 29 seconds left by Taray Winfrey, then holding off Monterey Peninsula by five in two wins last week. Cabrillo stays in its #7 spot.
  8. City College of San Francisco (16-5)—The Rams are 3-0 since the last poll, including a 16-point win over Skyline. CCSF's chance to possibly share the Coast North crown comes down to a Feb. 7 rematch v. #4 Chabot. San Francisco got a community chest card to move up two spaces in this week's rankings.
  9. Mt. San Jacinto (19-2)—The Eagles were soaring until #14 Chaffey handed them a 23-point loss to end a 5-game win streak. But MSJC responded with wins over Barstow and avenging a Dec. 20 loss to IEAC foe Cerro Coso, 100-98. That was the seventh time Mt. San Jacinto reached the century mark in points, but it slid three spots in the poll.
  10. Mt. San Antonio (18-2)—The Mounties saw a 9-game win streak go by the wayside in a 2-point loss to #24 LA Southwest. However, Mt. SAC is 2-0 in SCC North Division play as #27 East Los Angeles' string of conference championships may end at seven. Mt. SAC meets another 2-0 division team in #25 Pasadena City this week. The Mounties took a 5-slot drop.
  11. Allan Hancock (17-4)—The Bulldogs have won 13 straight and lead the Western State North at 5-0 with a key victory in defeating #17 Moorpark by three points. AHC is a remarkable 10-1 in games played away from its home court. Hancock moves up one placing.
  12. Sacramento City (19-2)—The Panthers are 8-1 to lead the Big 8 and recovered from an upset, 2-point loss to San Joaquin Delta by rattling off three straight wins. Sacramento plays a key rematch tomorrow v. #29 Santa Rosa, a team it beat in overtime to end 2023. Sac City fell a spot.
  13. Merced (17-3)—The Blue Devils are on fire with five straight wins, including a 3-point win over fellow tied for first in the Central Valley foe #15 Columbia. Merced is closing out hard-fought victories by five over Porterville, three over Columbia, and four ahead of Reedley. Merced makes a 4-slot ascent on this week's poll.
  14. Chaffey (18-3)—The Panthers are leading the IEAC at 8-1, but had a 9-game win streak snapped in a 1-point defeat v. #20 Cerro Coso. Chaffey put up 140 points in a win over Barstow, then notched a 23-point victory over #9 Mt. San Jacinto before its letdown v. Cerro Coso. Chaffey then hit triple digits for the seventh time in a 111-101 triumph over Victor Valley. They stay at #14.
  15. Columbia (17-3)—The Claim Jumpers are 5-1 and tied with #13 Merced for the CVC lead. Columbia responded to its Jan. 20 loss to Merced with victories over Porterville and West Hills Lemoore. Five Central Valley teams are all in the race for this year's crown. It's a 2-slot drop for Columbia.
  16. College of the Sequoias (16-4)—The Giants have won four in a row and you can bet they are circling the calendar for home dates v. the two teams that have beaten them in conference play. They have rematches v. Columbia on Feb. 3 and against Merced on Feb. 7. COS fell a spot.
  17. Moorpark (16-6)—The Raiders took out some frustration over their loss to #11 Hancock by putting up 119 points v. Oxnard and 103 against Cuesta in WSC North wins last week. At 5-1 in the division, Moorpark remains strong in the hunt to catch Hancock. Just a one place descent.
  18. San Jose City (16-5)—The Jaguars are back on track with three consecutive Coast South conference wins, including getting past Monterey Peninsula by two and Gavilan by three. SJCC moves up a slot.
  19. Citrus (15-5)—The Owls are on the prey leading the Western State South at 6-0 and hope to stay perched by themselves if they upset #2 West LA this week. Citrus has won eight of its last nine games, including that impressive 30-point victory over #17 Moorpark to start the new year. It's a catapult rise for Citrus as it climbs eight spots.
  20. Cerro Coso (17-4)—The Coyotes are in a 3-way tie for second place at 7-2 in the IEAC. After edging #14 Chaffey by one, they had to settle for a 2-point loss to #9 Mt. San Jacinto. Hard to find a more competitive race for a conference title than the Inland Empire (Central Valley could argue similarly) with four teams ranked in the top 21. Cerro Coso stays at #20.
  21. San Bernardino Valley (14-7)—Speaking of the IEAC, the Wolverines are part of that 3-way logjam for second behind a 5-game win streak. San Bernardino beat its last four opponents by an average margin of 28.5 points. But its true test happens when it faces #14 Chaffey, #9 Mt. San Jacinto, and #20 Cerro Coso all in a span of seven days next month. A 7-spot rise for SBVC.
  22. West Hills Lemoore (14-5)—The Golden Eagles are part of the hotly-contested Central Valley race in a 3-way tie for third place at 4-2. Losses to #16 Sequoias and #15 Columbia since the last rankings only drops Lemoore one rung on the ratings ladder considering #13 Merced is also part of a hard conference schedule.
  23. Fresno City (11-9)—The Rams are the fifth team from the CVC to occupy the State Top 30 as they stand at 4-2 in conference, still feeling good about their upset of Merced back on Jan. 10. However, Fresno had a 4-game win streak broken in back-to-back losses to #22 WH Lemoore and Sequoias. Things don't get any easier with games this week v. Columbia and a rematch v. Merced. Still they climbed a lofty seven spots on the poll.
  24. LA Southwest (13-7)—The Cougars are 2-2 since the last rankings, defeating #10 Mt. San Antonio and needing 43 points by state leading scorer Chidi Obichere to edge El Camino by two. LASW also had losses to East Los Angeles and a 2-point, South Coast South defeat v. LA Harbor. Cerritos and Harbor now top the division, both at 2-0 with LASW at 1-1. LA Southwest still moves up two placings.
  25. Pasadena City (13-7)—The Lancers are flying high on a 6-game win streak as they ended #27 East LA's 28-game conference win streak and beat the Huskies for the first time in nine years. PCC is 2-0 in the SCC North and now play for first on Wednesday when it travels to face #10 Mt. San Antonio. Pasadena rejoins the rankings for the first time since the Dec. 18 poll.
  26. MiraCosta (14-6)—The Spartans are the surprising leaders of the PCAC at 8-0 and have won seven straight. This includes their upset win over #5 San Diego City, 78-72, last week. MiraCosta started the season at 0-4 and now are part of the Top 30 for the first time this season.
  27. East Los Angeles (13-7)—The Huskies are in unfamiliar territory at 0-2 in the SCC North after back-to-back losses to #10 Mt. San Antonio and #25 Pasadena. ELAC had won 10 straight with a a perfect 6-0 trip through SCC Crossovers, but have found the division to be hazardous. It's a 2-spot fall.
  28. Santiago Canyon (15-6)—The Hawks are in second place, three games back of first-place Fullerton in the Orange Empire. Since the last poll, SC is 2-2 with losses v. unranked Irvine Valley and Saddleback. It's been a rough few weeks as Santiago Canyon slides a whopping 10 spots.
  29. Santa Rosa Junior College (15-6)—The Bear Cubs are the third different team to join the rankings this week as they have won five straight and stand in second place at 7-2, just behind #12 Sacramento City in the Big 8 race. SRJC hopes to defeat Sacramento for a second time in conference play in the rivals' rematch on Tuesday.
  30. Tie-Los Medanos (13-7)—The Mustangs are percentage points ahead of Mendocino (6-3) for second place in the Bay Valley at 6-2. LMC suffered a 5-point loss to conference leader #6 Yuba, then beat Merritt and Mendocino. Los Medanos kept itself again on the rankings in this final spot.
    Tie-Skyline (16-6)—The Trojans had the misfortune of facing #4 Chabot and #8 San Francisco, losing to both. Skyline is 2-3 in its last five contests. It's a 7-place fall for the now fourth-place team in the Coast North, but at least they stay on this week's rankings.

(Robert Lewis, South Coast Conference SID)