Maxpreps Final 2015 Northern California Top 25 high school basketball rankings

Video: Ivan Rabb hits free throw to win CA championship
Bishop O'Dowd big man comes up clutch.

The season is over. Players and coaches — and moms, dads, administrators and fans alike — can exhale.

Bishop O'Dowd was the wire-to-wire No. 1 team in Northern California by MaxPreps, and showed it in the final weekend.


1. Bishop O'Dowd (Oakland) (Last week 1) 28-4
Section: North Coast
League: West Alameda County
Update: Top ranked by the San Francisco Chronicle, the Dragons started the season with great promise and finished as CIF State Open Division champions, edging powerhouse Mater Dei (Santa Ana) 65-64 in overtime at Cal in a thriller. Ivan Rabb made the winning free throw with less than a second to go as the Dragons won their first state title since 1981. So ends the careers of Rabb and Paris Austin, whom coach Lou Richie called, "great champions."

2. Modesto Christian (2) 30-4
Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Modesto Metro
Update: The Crusaders, top-ranked by The Modesto Bee, enjoyed another terrific season as the Sac-Joaquin Section's best club, losing to No. 1 O'Dowd in the Open Division finals 56-47. Head coach Richard Midgley was masterful, as were leading players such as Anthony Townes, Jeff Wu, Robinson Idehen and Christian Ellis.

3. Monte Vista (Danville) (2) 27-4
Section: North Coast
League: East Bay
Update: A year after winning the CIF State Division I title, coach Nick Jones calmly rebuilt an entire starting lineup, and enjoyed the view of the Mustangs repeating as North Coast Section D-I champions. Monte Vista lost to Modesto Christian 47-44 in the Open Division playoffs. Monte Vista beat rival De La Salle three times this season and split with San Ramon Valley. The top player for Monte Vista was guard Stefan Mitu.

4. Folsom (4) 28-4
Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Sierra Foothill
Update: Top ranked by The Sacramento Bee, the Bulldogs won the Sac-Joaquin Section Division I title, then beat El Cerrito 78-75 in the Open Division playoffs before falling to No. 1 O'Dowd in the semifinals. Guard Jordan Ford was a repeat pick as The Bee's Player of the Year.

5. El Cerrito (11) 29-4
Section: North Coast
League: Tri-County Rock
Update: The Gauchos lost to Folsom 78-75 in an Open opener, though a lot of players return for another run next season. El Cerrito won the NCS Division II title.

6. San Ramon Valley (Danville) (13) 27-6
Section: North Coast
League: East Bay
Update: They didn't win the East Bay League, or the North Coast Section Division I title, but new life offered new results as the Wolves wound up winning the CIF State Division I title, beating Chino Hills 79-71. It was a masterful coaching job by Brian Botteen.

7. Woodcreek (Roseville) (14) 27-6
Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Sierra Foothill
Update: Under coach Paul Hayes, four-year starting guard Noah Blackwell and impressive 6-foot-9 freshman center Jordan Brown, the Timberwolves reached the D-I NorCal finals, falling to San Ramon Valley. The semifinal win was at De La Salle.

8. De La Salle (Concord) (8) 27-5
Section: North Coast
League: East Bay
Update: Coach Frank Allocco had another fine team, one that earned the NorCal D-I top seed. The season ended against Woodcreek in a semifinal. Plenty of pieces return.

9. Campolindo (Moraga) (14) 28-5
Section: North Coast
League: Diablo Foothill
Update: Longtime coach Matt Watson pulled more magic, winning the NorCal D-III title before falling to Damien (LaVerne) 70-57 in the CIF State finals.

10. Serra (San Mateo) (7) 23-6
Section: Central Coast
League: West Catholic
Update: Three wins over rival Mitty was part of the resume that led to the Central Coast Section Open Division championship. The run for coach Chuck Rapp this season ended 53-49 to powerhouse Modesto Christian.

11. Archbishop Mitty (San Jose) (15) 20-10
Section: Central Coast
League: West Catholic
Update: It took awhile for Mitty to get warmed up amid injuries and a brutal schedule, but coach Tim Kennedy worked wonders as his fundamentally sound and hard-working group emerged as NorCal D-II champions, beating Sacramento. The season ended in double overtime, to La Mirada. Ben Kone and Sebastian Much return, meaning this is one loaded lot for next season.

12. Sacramento (6) 28-6
Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Metropolitan
Update: Coach Derek Swafford led the Dragons to the section D-II finals, a three-point late loss to Modesto Christian, and then to the NorCal D-II finals, another close loss, this one to Mitty. A ton of talent returns, including Christian Terrell and Solomon Young.

13. Berkeley (9) 21-11
Section: North Coast
League: West Alameda County
Update: The Yellowjackets eliminated Sheldon in a NorCal D-I contest before bowing out to San Ramon Valley in a semifinal.

14. Sheldon (Sacramento) (9) 21-8
Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Delta
Update: The Huskies lost to Berkeley 79-74 in D-I play, ending a season for a team that a week earlier lost to Folsom in the SJS D-I finals 50-49. Sheldon has no senior starters so the title push is on again next season, including anchors such as Devin Greene and Matthew Manning.

15. Moreau Catholic (Hayward) (12) 23-7
Section: North Coast
League: Mission Valley
Update: The 2014 NorCal Division IV champions lost to No. 7 Serra 79-51 in an Open opener. A lot of players return, including leading scorer Oscar Frayer.

16. Cosumnes Oaks (Elk Grove) (16) 23-9
Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Delta
Update: The Wolfpack battled through the NorCal D-II playoffs and finally fell to eventual champion Mitty, closing out the terrific careers of Jaaron Stallworth and Eric Toles Jr.

17. Capital Christian (Sacramento) (18) 27-9
Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Golden Empire
Update: The Cougars won their first CIF NorCal title, any division, and battled to the end in falling 47-44 to Crespi (Encino) in the D-IV state finals. Tiegen Jones returns as the next leader, replacing all-time school great Justice Shelton-Mosely.

18. Drake (San Anselmo) (17) 28-6
Section: North Coast
League: Marin County
Update: The 2014 NorCal Division III champions lost in the NorCal D-III playoffs but return plenty for another title run.

19. Sierra (Manteca) (19) 30-2
Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Valley Oak
Update: The Timberwolves had a breakthrough season, storming through the playoffs as a first-time section champion before falling to eventual NorCal D-III winner Campolindo in the semifinals.

20. Saint Francis (Mountain View) (20) 22-6
Section: Central Coast
League: West Catholic Athletic
Update: The Lancers lost the CCS Open Division title game to rival Serra 40-38 on two late free throws and then lost to top-ranked O'Dowd 76-55. Saint Francis won the WCAL.

21. St. Mary's (Stockton) (21) 23-9
Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Tri-County
Update: The Rams beat Dublin 83-72 in a D-II game and then lost to Sacramento in a semifinal as Lance Coleman II had another strong season.

22. Marin Catholic (Kentfield) (NR) 23-10
Section: North Coast
League: Marin County
Update: The Wildcats earned the top seed in the NorCal D-IV playoffs but lost to Capital Christian, ending the season for standout Charlie Duysen. Sophomore Joey Calcaterra returns.

23. Pleasant Grove (Elk Grove) (16) 21-10
Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Delta
Update: The Eagles lost to No. 12 San Ramon Valley in D-I play, ending the stellar career of Marquese Chriss and Johann Tate. Earlier wins include ranked Berkeley and Sheldon.

24. Saint Mary's (Albany) (NR) 20-12
Section: North Coast
League: Tri-County Rock
Update: The Panthers lost to Cardinal Newman 73-56 in the NCS D-IV playoffs, then won the rematch 61-43 before falling to Capital Christian in the finals. Kevin Warren averaged 19.9 points.

25. Cardinal Newman (Santa Rosa) (23) 30-4
Section: North Coast
League: North Bay
Update: The Cardinals beat Saint Mary's (Berkeley) in NCS D-IV play and then lost to the same Panthers in the NorCals. Leading scorer Connor Rubattino returns after averaging 18.3 points.

The Sacramento Bee's Bee Preps Show on the CIF State Basketball Championships

The Sacramento Bee on all-time area great basketball teams

The Sacramento Bee on why Haas Pavilion at Cal is a perfect CIF State Basketball Championship venue

Joe Davidson has covered high school sports for The Sacramento Bee since 1988. He co-hosts with Mike Finnerty the weekly Bee Preps Show that airs on ComcastSportsNet California and can be found on sacbee.com. Follow him on Twitter: @SacBee_JoeD and through facebook.com/sacbeepreps.