SoCal Top 25 Rankings: No’s 21-25

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The first week of high school basketball action tips Monday with tournaments spread out across the southland. We've taken the time to watch countless fall ball events and done endless research on the key departures, returners and new additions to SoCal high school programs and below are the teams who come in ranked No.'s 21-25.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":3} --> <h3 class="wp-block-heading">21. Long Beach Poly</h3> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Head Coach:</strong> Shelton Diggs</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>2023-24 Record/Result: </strong>24-11 overall; 11-1 Moore League; Lost to Marina in Division 2A championship game</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Capsule:</strong> The Jackrabbits are one of the more experienced teams in the region this season as they return all five starters from last year's team that reached the CIF Southern Section Division 2A championship game. Four-star prospect and California-signee [player_tooltip player_id='1630619' first='Jovani' last='Ruff'] leads the way and will be flanked by athletic wings [player_tooltip player_id='2323687' first='Giovanni' last='Ofoegbu'] and [player_tooltip player_id='2119933' first='Austin' last='Unegbu'] in addition to 6-foot-8 junior Jonas Onware and point guard [player_tooltip player_id='2131799' first='Nana' last='Ofoegbu']. The biggest question mark and key to Poly's success this season will be finding a steady scoring punch off the bench.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":3} --> <h3 class="wp-block-heading">22. Rancho Christian</h3> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Head Coach: </strong>Jalen Lake</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>2023-24 Record/Result: </strong>18-10 overall; 7-1 Ivy League; Lost to Crossroads in first round of Division 1 playoffs</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Capsule: </strong>The Eagles have a pair of dynamic playmaking and scoring guards in seniors [player_tooltip player_id='2119934' first='Jayden' last='Smoot'] and [player_tooltip player_id='2638238' first='Jaiden' last='Agbo'] - both of whom were key members of last year's Rancho Christian squad. That guard duo will be joined by a pair of big men in [player_tooltip player_id='2647209' first='Daniel' last='Wol'] and John Odihambo who transferred in over the summer to shore up the front line. Look for 6-foot-3 point guard Nikoloz Abuladze and 6-foot-4 sophomore wing [player_tooltip player_id='2647227' first='Langston' last='Ford'] to have a major impact on the perimeter.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":3} --> <h3 class="wp-block-heading">23. Rancho Cucamonga</h3> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Head Coach:</strong> Bill Burke</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>2023-24 Record/Result: </strong>18-11 overall; 7-3 Baseline League; Lost to Anaheim Canyon in the first round of Division 1 playoffs</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Capsule: All-CIF performer [player_tooltip player_id='1630625' first='Aaron' last='Glass'] is the headliner for the Cougars as the senior has established himself as one of the top shooters and scorers in the region. Glass, a 6-foot-3 senior, recently trimmed his list of colleges down to three: Stanford, Texas A&amp;M and Wyoming. Ace will be joined by returning contributors in Chu Chu Osuji and [player_tooltip player_id='1969520' first='Izaiah' last='Fiallos'] but the player to keep a close eye on is senior [player_tooltip player_id='1630646' first='McKel' last='Shedrick'], a transfer from Riverside Hillcrest. Shedrick, a smooth lefty scorer, will take some of the burden off of Glass' shoulders and is eligible immediately for the Cougars. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":3} --> <h3 class="wp-block-heading">24. St. Anthony</h3> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Head Coach:</strong> Alan Mitchell</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>2023-24 Record/Result:</strong> 25-9 overall; 6-4 Del Rey League; Defeated Rolling Hills Prep in Division 2AA championship</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Capsule:</strong> Six-foot-5 forward [player_tooltip player_id='2571712' first='Aman' last='Haynes'] is the player that opposing teams will zero in on stopping for the Saints, but coach Mitchell and his staff have plenty of firepower around the versatile senior. Mikey Cortez, [player_tooltip player_id='1630670' first='Darius' last='Williams'] and freshman Fox Navarez are all capable perimeter scorers and [player_tooltip player_id='2425653' first='Jayshawn' last='Kibble'], a transfer from King/Drew, is the perfect replacement for Quincy Phillips who was the team's go-to guy last season and is already making noise at NAIA The Master's University. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":3} --> <h3 class="wp-block-heading">25. Westchester</h3> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Head Coach:</strong> DeWitt Cotton</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>2023-24 Record/Result:</strong> 20-9 overall; 10-2 Western League; Lost to Chatsworth in first round of City Section Open Division playoffs</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Capsule:</strong> The Comets open the season as the City Section's most talented squad thanks to an influx of transfers. [player_tooltip player_id='1956464' first='Tajh' last='Ariza'], one of the nation's top 2026 prospects, heads up the road from St. Bernard to play at his father's alma mater and talented point guard [player_tooltip player_id='2436268' first='Gary' last='Ferguson'] made his way to Westchester, as well. Six-foot-5 lefty wing/forward [player_tooltip player_id='2131781' first='Jordan' last='Ballard'] made a quick trip down the 405 from Sherman Oaks Notre Dame and [player_tooltip player_id='1956478' first='Ty' last='Ingram'] left the confines of San Diego Cathedral Catholic to join the L.A. City power. Westchester also returns All-City Section performers Khaeden Asher-Grady and [player_tooltip player_id='1630652' first='Dillon' last='Chelsea'] from last year's team.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->