Inland Area Prep Basketball Top 10
1. Murrieta Valley (13-1) — The Nighthawks dominated their bracket at the Torrey Pines Holiday Classic. Coach Steve Tarabilda’s team won four consecutive by an average of more than 21.2 points per game.
LAST RANKED: No. 1.
LAST GAME: def. Redlands 64-23 in a non-league game on Wednesday, Jan. 4.
NEXT TIPOFF: at San Diego TONIGHT.
2. Rancho Cucamonga Etiwanda (14-1) — The Eagles have won 11 consecutive, including a clean sweep through the Holiday Hardwood Tournament. Hmm. That sounds familiar.
LAST RANKED: No. 3.
LAST GAME: def. Westlake Village Oaks Christian 60-28 in championship game of Holiday Hardwood Tournament at Oaks Christian HS on Saturday, Dec. 30.
NEXT TIPOFF: vs. Los Angeles Crenshaw at Great Inland Empire Shootout at Rialto Eisenhower HS on SATURDAY.
3. La Verne Lutheran (11-4) — The Trojans went 3-2 at the Torrey Pines Holiday Tournament, but had wins over regional powers San Diego Lincoln and Compton along the way.
LAST RANKED: No. 2.
LAST GAME: def. Chino Hills 61-36 in non-league game on Thursday, Jan. 5.
NEXT TIPOFF: vs. Carlsbad La Costa Canyon in the San Diego Lincoln HS Showcase on SATURDAY.
4. Fontana Summit (11-5) — The SkyHawks may have ran out of gas in the second half of the S.B. Kiwanis final. Fortunately, a weak Sunkist League schedule is just around this weekend’s (sharp) corner.
LAST RANKED: No. 4.
LAST GAME: lost 77-69 to Las Vegas Centennial in championship game at the San Bernardino Kiwanis Tournament on Saturday, Dec. 30.
NEXT TIPOFF: vs. No. 6 Rialto Eisenhower at Great Inland Empire Shootout at Eisenhower HS on SATURDAY.
5. La Verne Damien (13-1) — The Spartans scored their biggest win of the season, defeating No. 7 North in the final of the Covina HS Tournament. Coach Matt Dunn’s team has now won nine consecutive.
LAST RANKED: No. 9.
LAST GAME: def. No. 7 Riverside North 53-36 in the championship game of the Covina HS Tournament on Friday, Dec. 29.
NEXT TIPOFF: vs. Claremont on Jan. 11.
6. Rialto Eisenhower (5-6) — The Eagles face the last in a Murderer’s Row of opponents, No. 4 Summit, this weekend as hosts of the Great Inland Empire Shootout.
LAST RANKED: No. 6.
LAST GAME: def. No. 10 Upland 49-37 in consolation bracket play at Holiday Hardwood Tournament at Westlake Oaks Christian HS on SAturday, Dec. 30.
NEXT TIPOFF: vs. No. 4 Fontana Summit at Great Inland Empire Shootout at Eisenhower HS on SATURDAY.
7. Riverside North (11-3) — The Huskies lost by 17 points (53-36) to No. 5 Damien in the Covina HS Tournament title game. That’s just not good enough.
LAST RANKED: No. 5.
LAST GAME: def. Corona Centennial 64-63 in a Big VIII League game on Wednesday, Jan. 4.
NEXT TIPOFF: vs. Riverside Poly TONIGHT.
8. Riverside King (7-2) — The Wolves made a go of things at the MaxPreps.com Holiday Classic in Palm Springs, losing in the title game to Pleasant Grove, a CIF-San Joaquin Section powerhouse.
LAST RANKED: No. 8.
LAST GAME: lost 74-58 to Corona in a Big VIII League game on Wednesday, Jan. 4, 2011.
NEXT TIPOFF: vs. Norco TONIGHT.
9. Victorville Silverado (8-2) — The Hawks took down No. 10 Upland at the Inland Empire Classic en route to the consolation championship. To wit: Coach David Brannon team’s only two losses are to ranked teams (No. 2 Etiwanda, No. 7 North).
LAST RANKED: Not Ranked.
LAST GAME: def. Barstow 75-40 in a Desert Sky League game on Thursday, Jan. 5.
NEXT TIPOFF: vs. Victor Valley on TUESDAY.
10. Upland (9-5) — The Highlanders have lost four of their last seven, including three consecutive at the prestigious Holiday Hardwood Tournament.
LAST RANKED: No. 7.
LAST GAME: lost 49-37 to No. 6 Rialto Eisenhower in consolation bracket play at Holiday Hardwood Tournament at Westlake Oaks Christian HS on Dec. 30.
NEXT TIPOFF: vs. Los Angeles Cathedral on SATURDAY.
DROPPED OUT: Moreno Valley Rancho Verde (11-4).
JUST MISSED: Montclair (13-1), Temecula Chaparral (13-3), Corona (10-4), Riverside Poly (10-4).
INLAND FIELDHOUSE 