State champion Eagles claim top spot in final CCCSIA poll; Merced run to finals get Blue Devils No. 2

PASADENA, Calif. - Mt. San Jacinto College made history twice on Sunday when it won its first-ever CCCAA state title in women's basketball and the first accomplished by a school from the Pacific Coast Athletic Conference. The Eagles 32-2 season and state crown made them the unanimous No. 1 team in the final 2018 CCCSIA Women's Basketball State Top 20 Poll.

Mt. San Jacinto became the 18th different college to win a women's basketball state title. The Eagles were led by tourney MVP Delacy Brown, who poured in 41 points in the team's semifinal triumph over No. 3 Sierra in the semifinals. 

Merced, the North's No. 4 seed at the state tourney, surprised many by making into the finals and jumped seven places to take the final No. 2 spot. After Sierra, semifinalist Fresno City earned No. 4. Previously top-ranked Palomar was upset by Merced in the quarterfinals and settled for No. 5.

A college that earned respect was state tournament participant Los Angeles Trade Tech, who tied with College of the Sequoias for the No. 6 position. Trade Tech snapped No. 11 Mt. San Antonio's remarkable string of 16 consecutive South Coast Conference titles. Sequoias was one of three Central Valley Conference teams that made it to the 8-team field at the state tourney.

Irvine Valley climbed to No. 8, followed by City College of San Francisco at No. 9 and Diablo Valley rounding out the Top 10 at No. 10. 

While no team in the final regular season top 20 dropped out of the poll, No. 17 Ventura, the host of the 2018 men's and women's championships, had the biggest drop of five places. At No. 20, East Los Angeles was the only state top 20-ranked team that did not win at least 20 games (finished 18-11). 

(Robert Lewis, CCCSIA)