Top 25 California high school boys basketball rankings (12/2/2024)

After two weeks down South, No. 1 and 2 St. John Bosco, No. 2 Harvard-Westlake stay unbeaten, Up North Salesian, De La Salle start strong; In the middle, St. Joseph-Santa Maria wins three in Philippines, without Tounde Yessoufou

St. Joseph-Santa Maria junior guard Julius Price started the 2024-25 season with quite a 3-game stretch in the Philippines with 78 points, 26 rebounds and 24 assists as the Knights scored triple digits in each victory with its top player. / Photo: Dennis Lee

The view from the top always looks better, especially when blessed with all the talent, coaching and resources that the state's top two teams, St. John Bosco, the defending state Division 1 champion, and two-time defending Open Division champion Harvard-Westlake Wolverines possess.

The two teams are off to flying starts, a combined 9-0 record.

While many Southern California squads have managed four and five games, Northern California powers just began with two big events, the 17th annual NorCal Tip-Off, along with the Bishop O'Dowd Thanksgiving Showcase.

Top 10 teams Salesian and De La Salle started impressively, but the team that really looked good, according to basketball junkie and bonafide expert Ethan Kassel, is Oakland Tech, which had its way with Moreau Catholic-Hayward. The next night Moreau Catholic then knocked off previous No. 13 Modesto Christian.

Note: Only teams that play for a CIF State California title were considered for this rankings, thus eliminating Prolific Prep of Napa Christian, which can and will play for a mythical national title. Also notes and rankings below from Southern Section teams supplied by SBLive's Tarek Fattal.

2024-25 TOP 25 CALIFORNIA BOYS BASKETBALL TOP 25

1. St. John Bosco (5-0)

Junior guard Brandon McCoy, the nation's top recruit in the class of 2026, will lead preseason No. 1 St. John Bosco into the 2024-25 season eyeing a CIF State Open Division title. / Dennis Lee

Brandon McCoy, Christian Collins, Elzie Harrington, Chris Komin, Howie Wu ... this team is loaded.

2. Harvard-Westlake (4-0)

Nik Khamenia is on triple-double watch each time HW plays.

Harvard-Westlake forward Nik Khamenia scores against Salesian in the 2024 CIF State Open Division final on March 8, 2024 at the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, Calif. / Greg Jungferman

3. Eastvale Roosevelt (4-1)

Roosevelt's Brayden Burries is one of the most coveted high school basketball players in the country for the class of 2025. / Tarek Fattal

Brayden Burries dropped 47 points in a win over Orange Vista.

4. Notre Dame/Sherman Oaks (4-0)

No Tyran Stokes, no problem. Lino Mark and Zach White leading the way until Stokes comes back from injury (wrist).

5. St. Joseph-Santa Maria (3-0)

Three wins, three triple digit winning scores: 101-80, 102-68, 112-73. At this rate the Knights will hit 150 by the end of next week. Wins were in the Philippines over Thanksgiving and the scary part — 5-star Baylor commit Tounde Yessoufou didn't play. Junior guard Julius Price had 78 points, 26 rebounds and 24 assists in wins over schools we're not familar with. Games do count toward SJ's record, confirmed by Central Section office. Also confirmed, Yessoufou is healthy and will be in starting lineup with team plays Corcoran on Thursday, then Kimball on Saturday. Well beyond basketball, what an experience the Knights must have had in Manila!

Spent the afternoon in Tondo, one of Manila’s poorest slums and one of the most densely populated area in the entire world. An eye opener to say the least! pic.twitter.com/j5Doo7g1XT

— St. Joseph Hoops (@SJ_Hoops) November 29, 2024

Happy Thanksgiving… and Merry Christmas from Manila! pic.twitter.com/ozetkF9mBI

— St. Joseph Hoops (@SJ_Hoops) November 29, 2024

Knights conclude their 3-game road trip with a 108-70 over San Beda. pic.twitter.com/V6fOqVvmT6

— St. Joseph Hoops (@SJ_Hoops) November 30, 2024

6. Santa Margarita (4-0)

Kaiden Bailey's perimeter talents take the Eagles to the next level.

7. Salesian (1-0)

Yale commit Alvin Loving had nine points in Salesian's 63-30 win over Windward at the Cali Live 24 boys basketball event over the summer. Loving is a fourth-year starter for the Pride, the defending Northern California Open Division champions. / Photo: Gary Jones

Nice 68-44 win over Beverly Hills at the Bishop O'Dowd Thanksgiving event. Elijah Stanley 13 points, Alvin Loving 12 for the Pride which has tough game vs. Ygnacio Valley on Tuesday.

8. Riordan (0-0)

Doesn't open until the the Crusader Classic Thursday vs. Sacred Heart Prep. After that, it's the Gridley Classic.

9. De La Salle (1-0)

Alec Blair's midrange game is one of the bet in the state, if not the country. The 6-6 incoming senior wing committed to the University of Oklahoma suring the summer and he opened the 2024-25 season with a near triple-double in an impressive NorCal Tip-off win over Crespi. | Photo: Dennis Lee / Photo: Dennis Lee

At the NorCal Tip-Off Classic, Oklahoma bound Alec Blair had 20 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists in an impressive 71-53 win over Derek Fisher-coached Crespi-Encino, which was led by 22 points from Nevada-bound Peyton White.

10. JSerra (1-2)

Talented and big. The Lions drop a few games out of state, but will likely go on a tear when they get back to California.

11. La Mirada (7-1)

Gene Roebuck and Julian 'Manu' Gomez have the Matadores looking more and more like an Open Division team.

12. Sierra Canyon (4-1)

Windward's Gavin Hightower transferred to Sierra Canyon for his senior season. / Tarek Fattal

The Trailblazers are a mixed bag of talent, but PG Gavin Hightower provides stability.

13. Redondo Union (4-0)

Sea Hawks are rolling with Hudson Mayes, SJ Madison and Chris Sanders. Had little trouble up North with wins over Bishop O'Dowd (85-52) and Folsom (85-68). Chase Holley had 19 points and Zach Khatib drilled six 3-pointers to finish with 22 points for the Sea Hawks.

14. Montgomery (6-0)

The Aztecs have wasted little time racing up six quick wins, breaking 74 points four times, including 94-66 romp over Santa Fe Christian. Closest margin was 59-34 win over University City. They now have couple weeks off before tourney play starts on Dec. 18.

15. Heritage Christian (5-0)

Tae Simmons and Dillan Shaw are among the state's best duo.

16. Carlsbad (4-0)

Already battle tested with wins over ranked teams Mater Dei (74-72 in OT) and Los Alamitos (78-72). The Lancers, led by Jake Hall and head coach Clark Allard, aren't messing around.

17. Mater Dei (2-1)

Gary McKnight gets win 1,275 to tie Morgan Wootten of DeMatha for all-time wins. He can move into sole second with a win at San Juan Hills this week.

18. Damien (5-1)

Damien's only loss is to La Mirada. Big man Nate Garcia is a force down low.

19. Lincoln-Stockton (1-0)

Coming off a 26-win season, the Trojans showed a lot of poise and toughness by pulling out a 70-68 overtime win over previous No. 15 San Ramon Valley at the NorCal Tip-off. Anthony Moore scored 15 of his team's first 30 and finished with a game-high 30. Lincoln lost in last year's Sac-Joaquin Section Division 1 final to Modesto Christian.

20. Oakland Tech (2-0)

Ardarius Grayson (0) during his team's big state Division 2 title win over Centennial of Bakersfield in 2024 at Golden 1 Center. / Photo: Dennis Lee

According to Kassel, ArDarius Grayson had 19 points and seven assists, Saddiq Alarbesh drilled five 3-pointers (20 points) and Xan Myer-Plettner had six blocks in win over Moreau Catholic, which beat Tech by 21 the previous year.

21. San Ramon Valley (0-1)

Tough 70-68 overtime loss to a very good Lincoln-Stockton team at the NorCal Classic. Mason Thomas and Thomas Conley had 18 points apiece in defeat, but the Wolves couldn't hold down Anthony Moore (30 points).

22. St. Pius (4-1)

Warriors come up short against Sierra Canyon and will see St. John Bosco this coming week. Coach Donte Archie is testing his team.

23. Los Alamitos (4-1)

Griffins only loss comes to a good Carlsbad team from San Diego.

24. Inglewood (3-2)

Parker Jefferson, a Minnesota commit, holding down the fort until Jason Crowe Jr. is cleared to play.

25. Rolling Hills Prep (7-0)

Mateo Trujillo was named San Gabriel Tournament MVP after notching 12 points and 16 assists in the Huskies' tournament final victory.