Inland Area Prep Basketball Top 10
1. Rancho Cucamonga Etiwanda (14-0) – The Eagles are undefeated and only getting better. Need proof? Coach Dave Kleckner’s team led at the end of every quarter in defeating L.A. Loyola in the championship game of the Westlake Village Oaks Christian HS Tournament on Thursday. USC-bound senior forward Byron Wesley (6-foot-5, 200 pounds) scored a game-high 24 points in the victory.
LAST RANKED: (No. 1). LAST GAME: d. Los Angeles Loyola, 70-61, on 12/30.
NEXT GAME: vs. Rancho Cucamonga on 1/7.
2. Corona Centennial (10-3) — The Huskies went 3-1 at the MaxPreps.com Holiday Classic at San Diego Torrey Pines HS, losing their only game to Oakland Bishop O’Dowd, last season’s CIF State Division III runner-up. Coach Josh Giles’ team rebounded to defeat Woodland Hills Taft and L.A. Westchester en route to the consolation championship.
LAST RANKED: (No. 2). LAST GAME: d. Los Angeles Westchester, 59-54, on 12/30.
NEXT GAME: vs. Riverside Poly on 1/4.
3. Murrieta Valley (11-2) – Steve Tarabilda’s team went 2-2 at the Holiday Classic presented by ESPN iScore, losing games to Santa Maria Righetti and San Diego St. Augustine, while both victories (L.B. Wilson, Campbell Hall) were unimpressive. Senior forward Justin Gudger (6-4, 210) had 28 points, 6 rebounds and seven assists vs. Campbell Hall in the Nighthawks’ final game of 2010.
LAST RANKED: (No. 3). LAST GAME: d. North Hollywood Campbell Hall, 66-55, on 12/30.
NEXT GAME: vs. La Puente Bishop Amat on 1/4.
4. Upland (11-3) – The Highlanders were on crash course with No. 1 Etiwanda at the Inland Empire Classic and received the brunt of the blow, losing 70-59 in the title game. Coach John McNall’s team rebounded to win three of its last four games at the Westlake Village Oaks Christian HS Tournament.
LAST RANKED: (No. 4). LAST GAME: d. Pacific Palisades, 69-62, on 12/30.
NEXT GAME: vs. Rancho Cucamonga Alta Loma on 1/7.
5. Rialto Eisenhower (7-6) – The Eagles have lost four of their last six games, but entered the holiday break on a winning note after defeating San Bernardino in consolation bracket play at the Holiday Classic presented by ESPN iScore.
LAST RANKED: (No. 5). LAST GAME: d. San Bernardino, 78-72, on 12/30.
NEXT GAME: vs. No. 6 Fontana Summit on 1/5.
6. Fontana Summit (9-4) – The SkyHawks have had two opportunities to dethrone No. 1 Etiwanda and success has eluded coach Steve Hickey’s team on both occasions. Senior PG Montigo Alford (6-1, 175) has returned a provided a spark, leading Summit to victory in the final of the San Bernardino Kiwanis Tournament for the second consecutive season.
LAST RANKED: (No. 6). LAST GAME: d. Redlands East Valley, 70-66, on 12/30.
NEXT GAME: vs. No. 5 Rialto Eisenhower on 1/5.
7. Moreno Valley Rancho Verde (11-3) – The Mustangs went 2-2 at the Westlake Village Oaks Christian HS Tournament, finishing the tourney just minus-6 in point differential against some of SoCal’s best teams. A 16-point loss to No. 1 Etiwanda on 12/28 aside, coach Travis Showalter’s team has shown marked improvement since losing to No. 3 Murrieta Valley in early December.
LAST RANKED: (No. 7). LAST GAME: lost to Westlake Village Oaks Christian, 53-48, on 12/30.
NEXT GAME: at Riverside Arlington on 1/7.
8. Victorville Victor Valley (12-2) – The Jackrabbits lost to Thousand Oaks in a semifinal at the Cathedral City HS Desert Heat Invitational. Despite the loss, coach Matt Denny’s team remains the best in the High Desert.
LAST RANKED: (No. 9). LAST GAME: lost to Thousand Oaks, 73-56, on 12/29.
NEXT GAME: at Apple Valley Granite Hills on 1/5.
9. Redlands East Valley (12-3) — The Wildcats re-enter the Inland Area Top 10 after winning six consecutive game before losing to No. 6 Summit in the championship of the San Bernardino Kiwanis Tournament. Coach Bill Berich’s team features senior center Paulin Mpawe (6-10, 215), who is averaging 14-plus points and 11-plus rebounds this season.
LAST RANKED: (Not Ranked). LAST GAME: lost to No. 6 Fontana Summit, 70-66, on 12/30.
NEXT GAME: at La Quinta on 1/4.
10. Chino Hills (10-2) — The Huskies lost to both No. 8 Colony and No. 9 Redlands East Valley at the Inland Empire Classic, but rebounded but a strong showing at the Covina HS Christmas Classic. Coach Steve Baik’s team now plays a couple of SoCal heavyweights before beginning league play a week later than most.
LAST RANKED: (No. 10). LAST GAME: d. Rowland Heights, 61-53, on 12/29.
NEXT GAME: vs. Los Angeles Price on 1/4.
DROPPED OUT: No. 8 Colony (4-8).
JUST MISSED: Temecula Chaparral (11-4), Elsinore (10-3), Beaumont (7-3).
INLAND FIELDHOUSE 