Inland Area Prep Basketball Top 10
1. Murrieta Valley (8-1) — The Nighthawks let an 11-point second-half lead slip through their claws in losing for the first time this season.
LAST RANKED: No. 1.
LAST GAME: lost 69-62 to Elsinore in a non-league game on Tuesday, Dec. 20.
NEXT TIPOFF: vs. La Canada Flintridge Prep at Torrey Pines Holiday Classic on TUESDAY.
2. La Verne Lutheran (7-2) — The Trojans traveled across the country and won two of three at the plucky Chick-fil-A Classic in Columbia (S.C.).
LAST RANKED: No. 2.
LAST GAME: def. Hopkins (S.C.) Lower Richland 64-56 at Chick-fil-A Classic at Columbia (S.C.) Richland Northeast HS on Thursday, Dec. 22.
NEXT TIPOFF: vs. Newark (Ca.) Memorial at Torrey Pines Holiday Classic on TUESDAY.
3. Rancho Cucamonga Etiwanda (10-1) — The Eagles have won seven consecutive, including a clean sweep through the Inland Empire Classic. Jordan McLaughlin is averaging 15.8 points per game.
LAST RANKED: No. 3.
LAST GAME: def. No. 6 Rialto Eisenhower 77-58 in a non-league game on Thursday, Dec. 22.
NEXT TIPOFF: vs. Inglewood Morningside at Holiday Hardwood Tournament at Oaks Christian HS.
4. Fontana Summit (8-4) — The SkyHawks have lost back-to-back games for the first time this season, including their second loss to No. 3 Etiwanda in a seven-day span.
LAST RANKED: No. 4.
LAST GAME: lost 79-76 to Ontario Colony in the consolation championship at the Inland Empire Classic on Saturday, Dec. 17.
NEXT TIPOFF: vs. Apple Valley Granite Hills at San Bernardino Kiwanis Tournament on TUESDAY.
5. Riverside North (7-2) — The Huskies twice lost to schools from Florida at the Mission Prep Classic. Hard to imagine of a place where they grow them any bigger than Aaron Peck and Marcus Baugh.
LAST RANKED: No. 5.
LAST GAME: def. Oxnard Santa Clara 68-39 at Mission Prep Classic on Tuesday, Dec. 20.
NEXT TIPOFF: vs. Covina Charter Oak at Covina HS Tournament on TUESDAY.
6. Rialto Eisenhower (3-4) — The Eagles have lost two in a row and face another ranked opponent next. Coach Steve Johnson must firmly believe that tought times make teams.
LAST RANKED: No. 6.
LAST GAME: lost 77-58 to No. 3 Rancho Cucamonga Etiwanda on Wednesday, Dec. 21.
NEXT TIPOFF: vs. No. 10 MoVal Rancho Verde at Holiday Hardwood Tournament at Oaks Christian HS on TUESDAY.
7. Upland (8-2) — The Highlanders dropped a couple of games at the Inland Empire Classic and fall a little further than their talent indicates.
LAST RANKED: No. 7.
LAST GAME: def. Perris 54-43 in 7th place game at Inland Empire Classic on Saturday, Dec. 17.
NEXT TIPOFF: vs. TBA at Holiday Hardwood Tournament at Oak Christian HS on TUESDAY.
8. Riverside King (7-2) — The Wolves’ losses are by a combined total of five points.
LAST RANKED: No. 8.
LAST GAME: def. Corona Santiago 74-54 in a Big VIII League game on Thursday, Dec. 15.
NEXT TIPOFF: vs. Corona on Jan. 4, 2011.
9. La Verne Damien (9-1) — The Spartans have been near unstoppable, and recently marched their way through the Pride Of The Foothills Classic.
LAST RANKED: No. 9.
LAST GAME: def. Covina Northview 66-45 in the championship game at Pride Of The Foothills Classic at Glendora HS on Saturday, Dec. 17.
NEXT TIPOFF: vs. Hacienda Heights Wilson at Covina HS Tournament on TUESDAY.
10. Moreno Valley Rancho Verde (7-3) — The Mustangs have a surly coach, but face an even surlier opponent coming up.
LAST RANKED: No. 10.
LAST GAME: def. MoVal Vista del Lago 55-46 in an Inland Valley League game on Thursday, Dec. 15.
NEXT TIPOFF: vs. No. 6 Rialto Eisenhower at Holiday Hardwood Tournament at Oaks Christian HS on TUESDAY.
JUST MISSED: Montclair (9-0), Victorville Silverado (10-2), Temecula Chaparral (9-2), Ontario Colony (8-1)
INLAND FIELDHOUSE 