There is no doubt at the top of the Bay Area News Group girls basketball rankings.
Archbishop Mitty tightened its vice-grip on the Bay Area (and country’s) No. 1 spot when it defeated top-ranked Long Island Lutheran at the Nike Tournament of Champions, and then beat three other powerhouses in Portland over the holiday break.
San Ramon Valley remains locked at No. 2, and Carondelet, Bishop O’Dowd, Acalanes and Piedmont battle in the next tier of excellent East Bay teams.
Mitty’s West Catholic Athletic League rivals St. Ignatius and Sacred Heart Cathedral are joined by surprising upstart Archbishop Riordan.
But near the bottom of the list, two of the Bay Area’s premier programs, Oakland Tech and Saleisan, are still ranked despite having losing records.
Why is this?
Both have challenged themselves against top-notch competition, which could pay off as they move into their league schedules.
With that said, on to the rankings.
Bay Area News Group Top 20
(Mercury News & East Bay Times)
(Records through Saturday)
No. 1 ARCHBISHOP MITTY (10-0)
Previous ranking: 1
Update: Beat Miami Country Day 62-35, Xavier College Prep-Arizona 72-42, Crestwood-Canada 69-55, Long Island Lutheran 73-72, DeSoto-Texas 50-30, Camas-Washington 77-45, Clackamas 82-67.
Up next: Thursday at Presentation, 7:30 p.m.
No. 2 SAN RAMON VALLEY (12-1)
Previous ranking: 2
Update: Beat Freedom 63-16, Lynwood 50-35, Bonita Vista 65-51, Argyle-Texas 47-41, Bishop Gorman 61-49.
Up next: Wednesday vs. Whitney-Rockln, 7 p.m.
No. 3 CARONDELET (11-1)
Previous ranking: 5
Update: Beat West Linn-Oregon 62-52, Centennial-Corona 56-47, Bob lost to Jones-Alabama 44-36, beat Park Hill South-Missouri 63-35, Livermore (FF)
Up next: Saturday vs. La Jolla Country Day, 1:30 p.m.
No. 4 BISHOP O’DOWD (6-3)
Previous ranking: 3
Update: Beat Centennial-Corona 63-50, lost to Cherokee Trail-Colorado 61-49, Bishop Montgomery-Torrance 57-33, beat Riverdale Baptist-Maryland 46-45.
Up next: Wednesday at Marin Catholic, 6 p.m.
No. 5 ACALANES (11-3)
Previous ranking: 4
Update: Beat Concord 81-6, Westview-San Diego 62-46, Centennial-Corona 72-56, lost to Cardinal Newman 68-45, Village Christian-Sun Valley 73-69.
Up next: Thursday vs. St. Mary’s-Stockton, 6 p.m.
No. 6 PIEDMONT (9-2)
Previous ranking: 7
Update: Beat Encinal 75-38, California 61-55, lost to Oak Park 42-35, beat Scripps Ranch-San Diego 75-58, Valley Christian Academy-Chula Vista 68-61.
Up next: Jan. 10 vs. Bishop O’Dowd, 6:30 p.m.
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No. 7 SACRED HEART CATHEDRAL (8-1)
Previous ranking: 8
Update: Beat Marin Catholic 67-53.
Up next: Jan. 12 at Archbishop Mitty, 7:30 p.m.
No. 8 PINEWOOD (5-0)
Previous ranking: 6
Update: Did not play.
Up next: Thursday at Mission Hills, 7 p.m.
No. 9 ARCHBISHOP RIORDAN (8-1)
Previous ranking: 10
Update: Did not play.
Up next: Thursday at St. Ignatius, 7:30 p.m.
No. 10 ST. IGNATIUS (6-2)
Previous ranking: 11
Update: Beat St. Joseph-Notre Dame 76-25.
Up next: Thursday vs. Archbishop Riordan, 7:30 p.m.
No. 11 BRANHAM (10-1)
Previous ranking: 15
Update: Beat Mountain View 54-46, Mills 42-37, Half Moon Bay 54-27.
Up next: Jan. 9 at Christopher, 7 p.m.
No. 12 LOS GATOS (8-2)
Previous ranking: 14
Update: Beat Pioneer 44-35, Central-Fresno 41-34, Monterey Trail 60-55, lost to Colfax 58-39.
Up next: Wednesday at Lynbrook, 6 p.m.
No. 13 OAKLAND TECH (6-8)
Previous ranking: 12
Update: Beat McNair 92-51, lost to Sage Hill 65-50, beat Edge-Canada 59-52, lost to Rosary Academy 60-57.
Up next: Jan. 10 at Fremont-Oakland, 5:30 p.m.
No. 14 CALIFORNIA (13-2)
Previous ranking: 13
Update: Lost to Piedmont 61-55, beat El Capitan 67-46, Diamond Bar 64-33, Canyon 52-34, Torrey Pines 59-44.
Up next: Wednesday vs. American, 7 p.m.
No. 15 HERITAGE (6-4)
Previous ranking: 19
Update: Lost to Woodbridge 67-60, beat Mater Dei Catholic-Chula Vista 60-40, Carlsbad 51-24, Newport-Washington 83-47.
Up next: Jan. 9 vs. Antioch, 7 p.m.
No. 16 PRIORY (5-2)
Previous ranking: 17
Update: Did not play
Up next: Friday vs. Westmoor, 12 p.m.
No. 17 EVERGREEN VALLEY (7-5)
Previous ranking: 18
Update: Lost to Colfax 64-62, Eureka 64-40, beat Central-Fresno 52-51.
Up next: Saturday at Silver Creek, 3:30 p.m.
No. 18 ST. PATRICK-ST. VINCENT (9-3)
Previous ranking: 20
Update: Lost to Monterey Trail 63-56, beat Central-Fresno 48-35, Eureka 55-48.
Up next: Thursday vs. St. Mary’s-Berkeley, 7 p.m.
No. 19 MOREAU CATHOLIC (5-8)
Previous ranking: 16
Update: Lost to West-Utah 53-45, beat Mercer Island 62-55, Team 62-35, lost to Bishop Gorman 50-36, Whitney 46-28, McClatchy 62-50, Antelope 64-44.
Up next: Tuesday vs. TBA, TBD p.m.
No. 20 SALESIAN (3-7)
Previous rank: 9
Update: Lost to Mesquite 55-51, Perry 55-37, Millennium 49-37, West Linn 51-48, ‘Iolani 45-40, Vanden 54-52, beat Harvard-Westlake 54-52
Up next: Thursday vs. Pinole Valley, 7 p.m.
Editor’s note: Teams eligible for the Bay Area News Group rankings come from leagues based predominantly in Alameda, Contra Costa, San Mateo and Santa Clara counties. The rankings were compiled by BANG’s Darren Sabedra and Joseph Dycus.
