Men's Basketball Conference Races Heat Up In Home Stretch

1. West Valley (25-0)--City College of San Francisco was the last team to go undefeated in a season (30-0)--and didn't win the state championship as it was the fateful 2019-2020 season when the COVID-19 pandemic wiped out the state tourney and left the sport without a champion. But now the Vikings are inching closer to matching that last perfect regular season by CCSF if it can win three more games. West Valley tops the Coast South at 9-0 after picking up wins over #6 Cabrillo and #12 San Jose City. WV also owns the state's second-best defense at 60.8 points allowed per contest. 
2. Fullerton (22-4)—The Hornets saw a 13-game win streak spoiled by Santiago Canyon, 69-65, but recovered quickly with resounding wins over Orange Coast by 41 points and a 29-point win over Irvine Valley. Fullerton clinched at least a tie for the Orange Empire title at 13-1 with two games remaining. Fullerton moves up a spot and top all SoCal squads.
3. City College of San Francisco (19-5)—The Rams have won six straight, including an 84-80 triumph over now #20 Chabot. CCSF leads the Coast North at 7-0 and look for a remarkable 13th consecutive conference title with four games to play. CCSF jumps five slots. 
4. Mt. San Antonio (22-2)—The Mounties are 6-0 and looking to end East Los Angeles' 5-season reign on solo South Coast Conference championships. Mt. SAC posted an important 71-63 win over Pasadena City. They "Take a Ride on the Reading" to climb seven spaces.
5. Mt. San Jacinto (22-2)—The Mount schools are on fire as the Eagles have won five straight and avenged one of its two defeats by edging #16 Cerro Coso, 100-98. MSJC was 13-0 v. non-IEAC opponents and yet still trail #10 Chaffey at 10-2, one game back of the Panthers with four games left on the conference schedule. They are the state's #2 team in scoring at 93.6 points per contest. Mt. San Jacinto moves up to the high rent district, up four spots. 
6. Cabrillo (22-3)—The Seahawks can't be disappointed in the fact that two of their losses are v. #1 West Valley. They beat #12 San Jose City, 85-74, on Feb. 7. Cabrillo skipped up a step. 
7. San Diego City (21-4)—The Knights have won five in a row and top the PCAC at 12-1, just ahead of #26 MiraCosta at 11-1. The two square off on the final day of the conference seaon on Feb. 23. Despite the recent run, they slip two rankings spots. 
8. Yuba (22-2)—The 49ers have won 16 in a row and are in control of the Bay Valley at 12-0 with four games remaining. The strength of their conference just isn't enough to keep up with the others thus a two ratings point drop. 
9. West LA (21-3)—The Wildcats were feeling good after knocking of Citrus for their 16th straight win, only to see unranked Antelope Valley stop the streak in a 101-89 upset win on Feb. 3. The Wildcats shook off the defeat with wins over Glendale and Bakersfield and now are in a tie for first with #15 Citrus in the Western State South at 9-1. Still that loss to AVC caused a rough 7-slot fall. 
10. Chaffey (21-3)—The Panthers are the state's highest scoring team at 98.5 points per game and are #1 in the Inland Empire standings at 11-1 with four games to go. With a 104-72 win over Copper Mountain, Chaffey has eclipsed the century mark eight times this season--all victories. Chaffey will have its hands full when it has to face #5 Mt. San Jacinto and #16 Cerro Coso in the last two conference matchups. Chaffey leaps over the high jump bar four spots. 
11. Allan Hancock (20-4)—The Bulldogs are en fuego with 16 straight wins as they lead the Western State North at 8-0. They play a Valentine's Night affair with #19 Moorpark, now 8-1, in what could be its last true obstacle to a conference title. 
12. San Jose City (18-7)—Hard to fault the Jaguars for being 0-4 v. #1 West Valley and #6 Cabrillo. Twice, SJCC played West Valley tough, losing by six on Feb. 2 after a 4-point loss in their first encounter. The elevator ride was enjoyable as it went up six floors. 
13. Sacramento City (22-3)—The Panthers couldn't be in a more tighter race than the one for the Big 8 title. Sacramento is tied for the conference lead with #21 Santa Rosa at 11-2 while San Joaquin Delta is just one game back. The Bear Cubs held off Sac City for the second time in Big 8 play, 70-69, on Jan. 30. Only a one ranking drop.
14. College of the Sequoias (19-5)—Here come the Giants. COS scored a big 17-point win over current Central Valley first-place #24 Fresno City, overcame an upset loss to Reedley, 64-63, then paid back earlier conference defeats v. #17 Columbia and #25 Merced with two more wins. Sequoias is tied for second in the CVC with Columbia, both at 7-3, and each one game behind 8-2 Fresno. It's two rungs up the ladder.
15. Citrus (18-6)—The Owls have won nine of their last 10 with the only loss to #9 West LA (87-78) as they remain tied with the Wildcats for the WSC South lead at 9-1. The two teams face-off in the conference finale on Feb. 23. The drive up the rankings continues--up four positions. 
16. Cerro Coso (20-5)—The Coyotes had won three straight before being stung by #23 San Bernardino Valley, 83-68, Feb. 10. Still, Cerro Coso is 10-3 in third place in the very tough IEAC battle for first. Cerro Coso hitched a ride on a mule in moving up four spots. 
17. Columbia (19-5)—The Claim Jumpers overcame back-to-back losses to Fresno and #14 Sequoias by reaching the 100-point mark in consecutive victories over West Hills Coalinga and Reedley. They stay in their second-place tie with Sequoias in chasing Fresno. Just a small two slot descent.
18. Santiago Canyon (19-6)—The Hawks have won four straight, including its upset win over #2 Fullerton. SC has second place secured at 10-3 in the Orange Empire. Funny how one win over the top SoCal team can catapult Santiago Canyon 10 rankings up, or make up the 10 spots it dropped from the last poll. 
19. Moorpark (19-6)—The Raiders have won five consecutive contests and stand in second place in the WSC North at 8-1 just behind #11 Allan Hancock. Moorpark needed two free throws by Avi Halpert with two seconds left to edge Ventura, 72-71. A rematch v. Hancock looms on Wednesday. MC falls back two ratings. 
20. Chabot (18-7)—The Gladiators are high in the winning index up North, but an inexplicable 3-game losing streak followed their 6-game win string. Two of the defeats came against Canada in overtime, 76-72, and then a 10-point loss to San Mateo. Chabot is second in the Coast North at 6-3. It's a stumble of 16 spots for a team that will try to regain some footing in its final three games. 
21. Santa Rosa Junior College (18-6)—The Bear Cubs have used a 9-game win streak to move into a first-place tie in the Big 8 with #13 Sacramento, a team they have beaten twice in conference play. SRJC only made the rankings last poll and now they float on the air balloon up seven positions. 
22. East Los Angeles (17-7)—The Huskies were in a slumber early in South Coast North play, but the have won four in a row, including avenging an earlier loss to Pasadena City with an 85-70 win last week. ELAC jets up five positions. 
23. San Bernardino Valley (16-9)—The Wolverines weathered the storm in two straight single-digit losses to #10 Chaffey and #5 Mt. San Jacinto by scoring a 15-point win over #16 Cerro Coso. Fourth place in the IEAC not too shabby at 9-4. A two slot reverse. 
24. Fresno City (15-9)—The Rams are the surprising leaders of the Central Valley at 8-2 with four consecutive wins. This includes an 18-point win over #17 Columbia and a win over #24 Merced by 14. Others strong performances kick back Fresno one spot. 
25. Merced (18-6)—The Blue Devils endured a 3-game losing streak, falling against #27 West Hills Lemoore, #24 Fresno and #14 Sequoias. Still, Merced only trails Fresno by two games in the wild CVC race with four games remaining. It was an unfortunate "Do Not Pass Go" card as Merced was sent back 12 ratings spots. 
26. MiraCosta (17-7)—The Spartans had a 9-game PCAC win streak snapped in an upset 90-87 overtime loss to unranked Palomar. MiraCosta is 11-1 just behind #7 San Diego (12-1).
27. West Hills Lemoore (16-7)—The Golden Eagles followed a nice 6-point win over #25 Merced with an upset loss to Porterville, a 37-point win over Reedley and a 16-point defeat against #14 Sequoias. Tied for fourth in the CVC, Lemoore slides down five spaces. 
28. LA Southwest (16-8)—The Cougars are 4-2 in a tie for second place in the SCC South and responded to a 12-point loss to first-place Cerritos by winning three in a row. LASW is still trying to get through the Los Angeles freeway downtown traffic and divisional jam, slowed up four places.
29. Skyline (18-7)—The Trojans were upset by Las Positas, 80-76, then scored wins over Ohlone and Canada. Things get tough now for Skyline in facing #20 Chabot, then #3 San Francisco this week. Tied for third in the Coast North, Skyline plays a smart chess move up one.
30. Tie-Los Medanos (17-7)—The Mustangs have rattled off six consecutive wins and stay in second place in the Bay Valley at 10-2. 
    Tie-Cerritos (15-9)--The Falcons were at one time 3-6, but have since played solid basketball and behind an 8-game win streak join the rankings as the first place team in the South Coast Conference South at 6-0.
    
    OTHER NOTABLES: Pasadena City, South Coast North, 15-9 (LW #25), Irvine Valley, Orange Empire, 16-9, Saddleback, Orange Empire, 15-11, San Joaquin Delta, Big 8, 14-11, College of the Redwoods, Golden Valley, 15-11, College of the Siskiyous, Golden Valley, 12-13 (clinched at least share of title at 7-1), San Diego Miramar, PCAC, 14-10 (state's top defense at 60.4 points allowed average), Glendale, WSC South, 13-11, Santa Monica, WSC South, 13-11, Mendocino, Bay Valley, 13-11, Cosumnes River, Big 8, 14-12, Ohlone, Coast North, 13-11, Monterey Peninsula, Coast South, 14-11, Mendocino, Bay Valley, 13-11. Las Positas, Coast North, 15-9

Recaps written this week by pinch hitter Robert Lewis; Photo courtesy of Country Boi Photogrophy