Welcome back, Dougherty Valley.
Last season’s North Coast Section Open Division champions have entered the Bay Area News Group Top 20 for the first time this season after navigating through the powerful East Bay Athletic League with a 6-3 record, losing only to De La Salle, Granada and San Ramon Valley.
The Wildcats, who had to replace four key seniors from last season’s team, finished the regular season on Friday with a 45-32 victory over then-No. 11 Dublin.
Dougherty Valley also has beaten Monte Vista, which was ranked 10th last week.
The Wildcats make their debut at No. 14.
Oakland, which fell out of the Top 20 after opening the season at No. 8, returned to the rankings this week after an impressive victory at home Monday over Northern California powerhouse Modesto Christian.
The Oakland school is ranked 16th.
On the flip side, Campolindo (two losses last week) tumbled to No. 20 and Bishop O’Dowd, which also lost twice last week, fell out of the Top 20.
Half Moon Bay also slipped out of the rankings.
On to the new Top 20 …
Bay Area News Group Top 20
(Mercury News & East Bay Times)
(Records through Monday)
No. 1 SALESIAN (25-1)
Previous ranking: 1
Since last ranking: Beat St. Patrick-St. Vincent 69-36, De Anza 80-61
Up next: TCAL tournament, TBA
No. 2 DE LA SALLE (23-3)
Previous ranking: 2
Since last ranking: Beat San Ramon Valley 60-58, California 59-47
Up next: Thursday in EBAL tournament, TBA
No. 3 ARCHBISHOP RIORDAN (17-4)
Previous ranking: 3
Since last ranking: Beat Serra 74-48, Valley Christian 88-59
Up next: Tuesday vs. Archbishop Mitty, 7:30 p.m.
No. 4 GRANADA (22-2)
Previous ranking: 4
Since last ranking: Beat Monte Vista 68-61, Livermore 80-55
Up next: Thursday in EBAL tournament, TBA
No. 5 SAN RAMON VALLEY (21-5)
Previous ranking: 5
Since last ranking: Lost to De La Salle 60-58, beat Monte Vista 62-53
Up next: Wednesday in EBAL tournament, TBA
No. 6 ARCHBISHOP MITTY (16-5)
Previous ranking: 6
Since last ranking: Beat St. Francis 66-27, Sacred Heart Cathedral 64-43
Up next: Tuesday at Archbishop Riordan, 7:30 p.m.
No. 7 ST. IGNATIUS (15-5)
Previous ranking: 9
Since last ranking: Beat Sacred Heart Cathedral 75-55
Up next: Tuesday vs. Bellarmine, 7:30 p.m.
No. 8 SACRED HEART PREP (17-4)
Previous ranking: 12
Since last ranking: Beat Priory 66-40, Pinewood 68-38
Up next: Tuesday at Menlo School, 7:30 p.m.
No. 9 YGNACIO VALLEY (20-6)
Previous ranking: 14
Since last ranking: Beat Campolindo 70-59, Miramonte 70-58
Up next: Tuesday vs. Miramonte in DAL tournament, 7 p.m.
No. 10 LIBERTY (21-3)
Previous ranking: 15
Since last ranking: Beat Antioch 69-48, Deer Valley 83-75
Up next: Tuesday at Pittsburg, 7 p.m.
No. 11 SERRA (15-6)
Previous ranking: 8
Since last ranking: Lost to Archbishop Riordan 74-48, beat Bellarmine 66-59
Up next: Tuesday at St. Francis, 7:30 p.m.
No. 12 OAKLAND TECH (20-5)
Previous ranking: 18
Since last ranking: Beat Fremont-Oakland 66-62, Castlemont 85-14
Up next: Wednesday at Skyline, 7 p.m.
No. 13 BERKELEY (18-6)
Previous ranking: 17
Since last ranking: Beat San Leandro 73-44, Bishop O’Dowd 49-42
Up next: Tuesday at Castro Valley, 7 p.m.
No. 14 DOUGHERTY VALLEY (17-9)
Previous ranking: Not ranked
Since last ranking: Beat Foothill 61-57, Dublin 45-32
Up next: Wednesday in EBAL tournament, TBA
No. 15 MONTE VISTA (20-6)
Previous ranking: 10
Since last ranking: Lost to Granada 68-61, San Ramon Valley 62-53
Up next: Tuesday vs. Foothill, 7 p.m.
Related Articles
Prep roundup: Oakland High dominates in huge upset over Northern California powerhouse
Police investigating referee-spectator incident at East Bay high school basketball game
Vote now: Bay Area News Group girls athlete of the week
Vote now: Bay Area News Group boys athlete of the week
Prep roundup: South Bay power routs Salesian, SRV rolls and Texas commit burns Oakland Tech
No. 16 OAKLAND (19-6)
Previous ranking: Not ranked
Since last ranking: Beat McClymonds 60-48, Skyline 55-34, Modesto Christian 79-69
Up next: Wednesday vs. Fremont-Oakland, 7 p.m.
No. 17 DUBLIN (19-7)
Previous ranking: 11
Since last ranking: Beat California 81-59, lost to Dougherty Valley 45-32
Up next: Tuesday vs. Amador Valley in EBAL tournament, 7 p.m.
No. 18 BRANHAM (19-2)
Previous ranking: 16
Since last ranking: Lost to Santa Teresa 70-66
Up next: Wednesday at Independence, 7 p.m.
No. 19 CLAYTON VALLEY CHARTER (19-7)
Previous ranking: 20
Since last ranking: Beat Benicia 58-46, Berean Christian 59-29
Up next: Tuesday vs. Acalanes in DAL tournament, 7 p.m.
No. 20 CAMPOLINDO (20-6)
Previous ranking: 7
Since last ranking: Lost to Ygnacio Valley 70-59, Northgate 68-64
Up next: Tuesday vs. College Park in DAL tournament, 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.
