SoCal Preseason Top 25: No. 6-10

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Southern California high school basketball teams are just about a week away from the official tip-off of the 2025-26 season. We spent the fall watching team and individual events to get the best read on the top teams and players in the region. We continue our SoCal Top 25 reveal with a breakdown of the teams ranked No. 6-10.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":3} --> <h3 class="wp-block-heading">10. Crespi</h3> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>2024-25 Record: </strong>21-9 overall; 4-3 Mission League (4th)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Key Returners: </strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2194390' first='Carter' last='Barnes'] (6-2 | G | Jr.); [player_tooltip player_id='2194692' first='Isaiah' last='Barnes'] (6-2 | G | Jr.); [player_tooltip player_id='1956505' first='Malakai' last='Perrantes'] (6-1 | G | Sr.); [player_tooltip player_id='2435364' first='Nickon' last='Daei'] (6-3 | G | Jr.); [player_tooltip player_id='1671933' first='Christian' last='Tshina-Nzambi'] (6-4 | SG | Sr.); Phoenix Smith (5-7 | PG | So.)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Key Newcomers:</strong> [player_tooltip player_id='2435388' first='Jasiah' last='Williams'] (6-5 | WF | Jr.); [player_tooltip player_id='2916734' first='Cayman' last='Martin'] (6-6 | F | Jr.); [player_tooltip player_id='2949571' first='Rodney' last='Mukendi'] (6-9 | C | Jr.)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>2025-26 Outlook:</strong> The Celts are a deep and experienced group led by a mix of skill and toughness at the guard positions. The Barnes twins - Carter and Isaiah - are two of the hardest-playing prospects in SoCal with their defensive capabilities, hard-hat approach to the game and confidence as scorers standing out as their separators. Perrantes is a steady-handed decision-maker at the point guard spot while Tshina-Nzambi is among the more underrated shooters in SoCal's senior class. Of the newcomers, look for [player_tooltip player_id='2435388' first='Jasiah' last='Williams'] to have the biggest impact. The physical and athletic wing is a big time transition finisher who has improved his pull-up jumper. We're starting Crespi at No. 10 but with their roster makeup and the way they compete, I can see them rising.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":3} --> <h3 class="wp-block-heading">9. Crean Lutheran&nbsp;</h3> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>2024-25 Record:</strong> 18-13 overall; 7-1 Crestview League (1st)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Key Returners: </strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2435386' first='Hunter' last='Caplan'] (6-3 | G | Jr.); [player_tooltip player_id='2425674' first='Jacob' last='Majok'] (6-7 | F | Sr. | Committed: UC Riverside); [player_tooltip player_id='2436262' first='Caden' last='Jones'] (6-2 | G | Jr.); [player_tooltip player_id='2622332' first='Will' last='Malual'] (6-8 | C | Sr.)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Key Newcomers:</strong> [player_tooltip player_id='2888673' first='Chadrack' last='Mpoyi'] (6-10 | C | Sr. | Committed: Minnesota); [player_tooltip player_id='2622343' first='Nick' last='Giarrusso'] (6-5 | G | Sr.)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>2025-26 Outlook:</strong> The Saints have one of the best front-court duos in the region, anchored by Mpoyi, a Minnesota-commit, who was in school last year but unable to play due to international transfer rules. The 6-foot-10 big man's stock exploded over the spring and summer which led to his high major recruitment and eventual signing with the Golden Gophers. Mpoyi is a defensive anchor with a mix of skill and physicality on the offensive end that will make him one of the tougher interior covers in the state. Majok, the second part of the forward/center duo, has some perimeter game in his arsenal with driving and finishing ability at the rim. The back-court of Caplan, Jones and Giarrusso blends a mix of scoring, shooting and playmaking that will have Crean in the mix late in the season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":3} --> <h3 class="wp-block-heading">8. Corona Centennial </h3> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>2024-25 Record: </strong>17-18 overall; 5-2 Big VIII League (2nd)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Key Returners:</strong> [player_tooltip player_id='1956524' first='Isaiah' last='Rogers'] (6-3 | G | Sr. | Committed: Stanford); [player_tooltip player_id='2425656' first='Jaidyn' last='Smith'] (6-6 | F | Sr.); [player_tooltip player_id='2336388' first='Josh' last='Agbo'] ( 6-4 | WF | So.); [player_tooltip player_id='2436255' first='Jayden' last='Yim'] (6-0 | G | Jr.); Kai Patton (6-3 | G | So.); [player_tooltip player_id='2948285' first='Karter' last='Butler'] (6-0 | G | So.); [player_tooltip player_id='2436254' first='Jaden' last='Berry'] (5-10 | G | Jr.) </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Key Newcomers:</strong> [player_tooltip player_id='2948296' first='Carter' last='Brown'] (6-7 | F | So.)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>2025-26 Outlook: </strong>The Huskies took some bumps last season as coach Josh Giles' talented, but very young group, played as tough a schedule as you'll find for a public school program with so many underclass contributors. Centennial should be much improved this season as then-freshmen Agbo, Patton and Butler have a year of experience under their belts as do then-sophomores Yim and Berry. Rogers, a senior bound for Stanford in the ACC, is one of the state's premier perimeter scorers while Smith, a 6-foot-6 senior, has blossomed into a versatile and impactful defender. Brown, a wiry and fluid sophomore who played JV last season, is an x-factor type of player with a ton of upside.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":3} --> <h3 class="wp-block-heading">7. Mater Dei</h3> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>2024-25 Record:</strong> 22-9 overall; 6-4 Trinity League (4th)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Key Returners:</strong> [player_tooltip player_id='1956507' first='Luke' last='Barnett'] (6-3 | G | Sr. | Committed: Kansas); [player_tooltip player_id='1956508' first='Malloy' last='Smith'] (6-5 | G | Sr.)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Key Newcomers:</strong> [player_tooltip player_id='2436287' first='Richie' last='Ramirez'] (6-2 | G | Jr.); Zain Majeed (6-6 | F | Jr.); [player_tooltip player_id='2056718' first='Trey' last='Price'] (6-2 | G | Jr.)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>2025-26 Outlook:</strong> This year's Mater Dei team will be an interesting one to watch as the Monarchs had to retool their roster after a handful of losses due to graduation and transfers, but you can always count on Mater Dei to be well-coached, prepared and win a ton of games. The Monarchs brought back Barnett, last year's leading scorer at 21 points per game and one of the best three-point shooters in the country who recently committed to Kansas. MD will rely on Smith, a returning starter, and Ramirez, a transfer from North County San Diego-based San Marcos, to handle the point guard duties. Majeed, a transfer from Florida, will fit right in to the Mater Dei system with his shooting and driving abilities while Price, a transfer from West Linn in Oregon who averaged 14.7 points, 5.1 rebounds and 4.4 assists per game as a sophomore, will be a major piece once eligible.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":3} --> <h3 class="wp-block-heading">6. St. John Bosco</h3> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>2024-25 Record: </strong>26-7 overall; 8-2 Trinity League (1st)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Key Returners:</strong> [player_tooltip player_id='2131780' first='Christian' last='Collins'] (6-8 | WF | Sr.); [player_tooltip player_id='2131806' first='Gavin' last='Dean-Moss'] (6-0 | G | Sr.); [player_tooltip player_id='2425654' first='Max' last='Ellis'] (6-5 | WF | Sr.); [player_tooltip player_id='1956510' first='Dominic' last='Perfetti'] (6-6 | F | Sr.); [player_tooltip player_id='2628542' first='Howie' last='Wu'] (7-0 | C | Sr.); [player_tooltip player_id='2888833' first='Leon' last='Shingo'] (6-3 | G | Sr.); [player_tooltip player_id='2948301' first='Chace' last='Patterson'] (6-1 | G | So.)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Key Newcomers: </strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2425657' first='Tariq' last='Iscandari'] (6-4 | SG | Sr.)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>2025-26 Outlook: </strong>What a whirlwind off-season it was for the Braves and clouds of uncertainty about who was coming and who was going finally cleared up in the fall. [player_tooltip player_id='2131779' first='Brandon' last='McCoy'], Jr., one of the country's top prospects, is out to Sierra Canyon. His replacement was supposed to be [player_tooltip player_id='1956464' first='Tajh' last='Ariza'], another nationally-rated recruit who committed to Oregon and then departed the Bellflower-based school for Link Academy - a national prep program in Missouri. While all of that movement could bury a different program, it left head coach Matt Dunn with a roster similar to the ones he won big with while the coach at Damien and early in his days at Bosco. Collins, widely considered a Top 10 player in the country, will assume the role of the go-to guy and will have plenty of help via a role playing supporting cast. Dean-Moss, Ellis and Perfetti are four-year program guys who have played a ton of minutes and Corona Centennial transfer [player_tooltip player_id='2425657' first='Tariq' last='Iscandari'] is a productive "three and D" type of player at the high school level.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->