Central Cali's Final Top 25 Team Rankings (11-25)

This is the final round of team rankings that I will do for the 2025-2026 basketball season. The top seed remains the same, but some shake-ups throughout, as well as several newcomers. For this final round of team rankings, postseason success (Section and State) is weighted heavier than in previous rounds of team rankings. With the CIF State playoffs finishing up this past Saturday in Sacramento, I have completed the final Top 25 Team Rankings. This article looks at the teams ranked from #11 to #25, and will be followed by a look at the top 10 teams. We begin with the #11 team, the Atascadero Greyhounds.   11. (15) Atascadero Greyhounds (21-11)   Coming in at #11 and moving up 4 spots from the last round of team rankings is Atascadero. The Greyhounds had a solid season with its biggest win during the season coming at the expense of Clovis, which proved to be the main reason it was moved up a division for the playoffs, a base D3 team, and was awarded the #1 seed in the D2 Section playoffs. Atascadero took advantage of being the top seed in the D2 playoffs and defeated Sanger and Hoover of Fresno to earn a spot in the D2 Section title game, where it would face Clovis, the #2 seed. The Greyhounds would put up a fight in the first half, but the Cougars pulled away to win 65 to 47. Atascadero got the #13 seed in the State D3 Regionals and got a first round win over Warren of Downey. Atascadero's season would come to an end in a loss to Colony of Ontario. The Greyhounds were led by standout senior [player_tooltip player_id='2920237' first='Shea' last='Buckley'], who has been one of the leading scorers in the Section the last two years.    12. (18) Central Valley Christian Cavaliers (Visalia) (27-6)   The Cavaliers move up six spots and come in at #12 in these final team rankings. CVC had a great season, and one that I was surprised by if I am being honest, given the youth of the roster and not a ton of height. I figured this would be a rebuilding year and that next year would be their season. But the Cavs showed it was one of the top teams in Division 3 by winning its league, the Tri-County - Kings Canyon League, going undefeated at 8-0, earning the #2 seed in the D3 Section Playoffs, and making a run to the D3 Section title game before falling to Tulare Union in the championship. Wins over North Bakersfield and Garza of Fresno in their playoff run were impressive. CVC received the #4 seed in the State D4 Regional playoffs but fell short to Moreno Valley, 41 to 39 ending its terrific season. The Cavs were led by league MVP sophomore Jayden Bergman and junior [player_tooltip player_id='3269168' first='Grant' last='Hyde'], and will be returning a core from this year with some young guns coming up to varsity next year to keep this year's momentum going into next season.   13. (16) McLane Highlanders (Fresno) (23-10)   The Highlanders move up 3 spots in these final team rankings, landing at #13 and breaking the Top 15 for the first time this season. McLane had a really good regular season, coming in 2nd place in the NYL with a record of 7-2, which earned it the #2 seed in the D4 Section playoffs. The Highlanders would face NYL foe Sanger West in the finale to the trilogy, each team beat each other in league play, and it was the best game of the Boys Section Championships. McLane edged out the Hornets to win the D4 Section title, win its first Section title since the 1960s behind a stellar showing from the team's top scorer all season in senior Keyvon Burcher who scored 21 points and earned Player of the Game honors. In addition to Burcher, McLane was led by Ladell Brooks, Kamani Harris, Demetrius Simon, and [player_tooltip player_id='2953953' first='Keshawn' last='Langenfeld'] to form the core of its rotation.   14. (9) Bullard Knights (Fresno) (19-12)   The Knights began the year with a much younger roster that it had anticipated at the end of June, as seniors Dalen Felder and Sean Smith-Sharkey would leave the Section for prep schools in other states, which meant that expectations of a 3rd CMAC 1 title and a playoff run no longer seemed likely. Nevertheless, Bullard, behind the great play of 4-year varsity starter Ja'Vance Coleman Jr., would defy odds and hung tough with the rest of the D1 teams in the Section, even giving San Joaquin a bit of a scare in the 2nd CMAC 1 meeting. I dropped Bullard out of the Top 10 and into the #14 spot because it did not win its league, and were eliminated in the opening round games of the D1 Section playoffs and D2 State playoffs. Yet, to say that Bullard was not a top 15 team in the Section would be absurd, which is why I kept the Knights at #14 for these final team rankings. The young talent behind freshman Kingston Sligh and Kiyan Wharry are very bright spots for the Knights moving forward.    15. (20) Kingsburg Vikings (23-8)   Rounding out the Top 15 and moving up five spots is Kingsburg. The Vikings had a really good season, but fell short a few times in key moments. Kingsburg earned one of the programs biggest wins ever to start the season, as it would upset Clovis West. Kingsburg had other big wins over North Bakersfield at the Polly and Fresno Christian in the second round of the D3 Section playoffs. Kingsburg would finish in 2nd place in Tri-County - Kings Canyon League play, with a record of 6-2, both losses to CVC. Kingsburg would make it to the D3 Section semifinals against Tulare Union, a team it had already lost to twice this season, and the Vikings played a great game coming up short, 54-50. Tulare Union would go on to beat CVC in the D3 Section title game, winning by 21 points, highlighting how good the Vikings were this season. Kingsburg was led by senior, and baseball phenom, Jensen Hirschkorn, senior [player_tooltip player_id='3271513' first='Peyton' last='Swiney'], junior Alex Hanzak, and standout freshman Izayah Perez. The Vikings will graduate two key pieces this year, but will bring back some core players, as well as some younger guys making the jump to varsity.   16. (17) Sanger West Hornets (Fresno) (30-5)   Moving up one spot and finishing at #16 in these final team rankings is Sanger West. The Hornets are coming off the best season in its short school history, and many predicted it would be a team that would be moved up from its base division (D5) and likely win the NYL. Sanger West accomplished both of those outcomes, as it would win the NYL with a 7-1 record, splitting with McLane, and earning the #1 seed in the D4 Section playoffs. The Hornets would earn a spot in the D4 Section title game against league foe McLane of Fresno, and it would prove to be the best game of the Boys Championships, as both teams would battle back and forth with the Highlanders edging out the Hornets, 61-57. The Hornets would earn the #13 seed in the D5 NorCal Regionals and got a first round upset win over Lincoln of San Francisco before its season coming to an end in a tough two point loss to Half Moon Bay, 56-54. The Hornets were led this season by senior Justin Armbrister, who was named runner-up Player of the Game in the D4 Section championship with 16 points and 9 rebounds, juniors Kharon Parks and Jordan Ruffin, and standout sophomore Aedan Norton. With most of this roster returning and gaining a year of success under its belt, I would expect to see Sanger West have a successful season next year.    17. (NR) Coalinga Horned Toads (29-6)   Making its debut to the Top 20 Team Rankings in the final round is the D5 Section champions of Coalinga, coming in at #17. The Horned Toads would win the West Sierra League going undefeated at 10-0, which would earn it the #2 seed in the D5 Section Playoffs. The Horned Toads played in one of the most entertaining games of the Section playoffs against Santa Maria, as it went down to the wire with Coalinga getting fouled off a steal and transition lay-up attempt with less than one second left on the clock and connected on 1 of 2 to win the D5 Section title, 63 to 62. Coalinga would then make a run in the D5 State playoffs, making it to the State semifinals before falling to Sylmar, 66 to 58. Coalinga was led this year by senior Daymen Tamayo, who was Player of the Game with 26 points and 9 rebounds, sophomore Patrick Salazar, and seniors Devin Contreras and Nehemiah Mejia. The senior heavy Horned Toads will rely much more on sophomore Salazar next season, but this one was a special year.    18. (NR) Santa Maria Saints (26-6)   The Saints had a great season of basketball and ended the season making its debut in the Top 20 Team Rankings after a great run in the postseason. The Saints went undefeated at 10-0 and won the Ocean League outright. This earned the Saints the top seed in the D5 Section playoffs. Santa Maria earned a spot in the D5 Section title game and literally went down to the last second of the game before falling to Coalinga, 63 to 62. Santa Maria was led by seniors Julius Medina, who was the Runner-up Player of the Game with 25 points, connecting on 6 threes, 9 rebounds, and 6 steals, and his brother Jordan Medina. One of the nation's leading three point shooting teams was led by the Medina brothers.    19. (BB) Hoover Patriots (Fresno) (17-10)   Moving into the top 20 and off the bubble for these final team rankings is Hoover at #19. The Pats had an up and down start to the season but settled into a groove once transfer senior Noah Coulton was cleared to play. The Pats would win the CMAC 2 League, in a tie with Garza of Fresno, and earned the #4 seed in the D2 Section playoffs. Hoover would make it to the D2 Section semifinals before falling to top seeded Atascadero, 69 to 52. Along with Coulton, the Pats were led by seniors Keon Hill and Michael Harris, and junior Pamir Olivier. The senior heavy roster will be graduating a lot of core pieces, but Hoover seems to get it together every year by the second half of the season, and I am sure some younger new faces will emerge.    20. (NR) Orosi Cardinals (26-8)   Rounding out the top 20 and making its debut to this list is the D6 Section champs Orosi. The Cardinals won the East Sequoia Redwood League going 7-1, earning it a #1 seed in the D6 playoffs. Orosi defeated Summit Charter of Porterville, 57 to 42. Orosi would fall in the second round of the D5 State playoffs. Orosi would be led by Michael Corrales, Ramiro Garcia, and Miguel Reyes.    Next Five:   Clovis East Timberwolves (14-15)   Fresno Christian Eagles (27-2)      Justin Garza Guardians (Fresno) (21-9)   Porterville Panthers (20-9)   South Bakersfield Spartans (22-8)

This is the final round of team rankings that I will do for the 2025-2026 basketball season. The top seed remains the same, but some shake-ups throughout, as well as several newcomers. For this final round of team rankings, postseason success (Section and State) is weighted heavier than in previous rounds of team rankings. With the CIF State playoffs finishing up this past Saturday in Sacramento, I have completed the final Top 25 Team Rankings. This article looks at the teams ranked from #11 to #25, and will be followed by a look at the top 10 teams. We begin with the #11 team, the Atascadero Greyhounds.