Welcome to The Standard’s weekly high school basketball top 10. Since last week's rankings, league play has started in the West Catholic Athletic League (WCAL), Bay Counties League (BCL) and Academic Athletic Association (AAA), with one AAA member making its first appearance in this season’s boys rankings.
Please note that only schools within San Francisco are eligible. Other members of leagues that include San Francisco teams, such as the southern members of the WCAL and the Marin County members of the BCL, are not eligible.
Boys
- Riordan (9-2)
The 11-point margin of victory in Riordan’s WCAL-opening win over St. Ignatius suggests a closer game than was actually played. The Crusaders opened up a 35-15 lead in the second quarter after going on an 18-2 run, and the lead was never in any real doubt the rest of the way.
- University (14-3)
The Red Devils jump Lincoln for the second spot after posting a pair of dominant wins, including a 75-38 thrashing of Half Moon Bay on the road in a non-league contest on Saturday.
- Lincoln (10-2)
Lincoln has just one league game this week, a Wednesday showdown with Mission, before playing in back-to-back MLK showcases on Saturday and Monday. The Mustangs will face Mt. Eden on Saturday at Miramonte, then square off with Liberty, led by Riordan transfer Quinton Bundage, on Monday at Merritt College.
- Sacred Heart Cathedral (7-4)
Friday night’s 22-point win over Bellarmine was SHC’s largest margin of victory in a WCAL game since Jan. 21, 2020. The Fightin’ Irish’s seven wins this season have already exceeded their total of the past two years combined.
- St. Ignatius (7-5)
Even though Valley Christian is expected to finish at the bottom of the WCAL, there’s no easy game against the Warriors, especially on the road. The Wildcats did win, 62-49, giving Jamal Baugh his first win as a head coach. Jason Greenfield will return to the sidelines for SI this week.
- Urban (10-5)
The Blues lost their lone contest last week, 56-55 at San Domenico. Past frontrunner University, the BCL West is incredibly tight.
- Lowell (11-4)
The Cardinals stand pat in the seventh spot after beating Galileo, 60-42. Lowell has three games on tap this week, all against teams with losing records.
- Stuart Hall (8-7)
A strong non-league schedule is already paying dividends for the Knights, who beat Lick-Wilmerding 58-50 to improve to 1-1 in BCL West play. They’ll host San Domenico and Marin Academy this week before facing Sacred Heart Prep at Miramonte’s Martin Luther King Jr.-John Lewis Memorial on Saturday.
- Lick-Wilmerding (11-4)
The Tigers are on their second two-game losing streak of the year, a skid they’ll try to snap out of on Tuesday at Marin Academy. They also host Urban on Friday.
- Washington (5-7)
The Eagles make their first appearance in the Top 10 after losing to Lincoln by just nine and posting a 73-43 win over Balboa. Miles Hammons had 23 points and 10 rebounds, including nine on the offensive glass, in the victory over the Buccaneers.
Girls
- Sacred Heart Cathedral (12-1)
The Fightin’ Irish got off to a sluggish start in Saturday’s WCAL opener at St. Francis, falling into an early 12-2 hole, but still managed to turn it around for a 63-35 win. They’ll travel to nationally ranked Mitty on Wednesday.
- University (10-4)
The Red Devils went 3-0 last week against Convent, Marin Academy and Head-Royce, winning each game by at least 22 points.
- St. Ignatius (5-7)
Mitty dealt the Wildcats a 72-37 beating in the Sunset on Saturday night, with San Bruno native McKenna Woliczko scoring 21 for the Monarchs. This week’s challenges seem much more surmountable, with St. Ignatius visiting Valley Christian and hosting Presentation.
- Riordan (6-7)
The Crusaders picked up a 56-53 win over Crystal Springs Uplands at the Priory Winter Classic, beating a Gryphons team that had held three opponents to single digits.
- Lick-Wilmerding (7-6)
Lick-Wilmerding opened BCL West play on Saturday with a comfortable 45-25 win over Convent.
- Lincoln (6-9)
Despite squandering an early nine-point lead, the Mustangs pulled off a stunner with a 57-52 overtime win over Lowell to open AAA play. Kelis Powell scored 24 points and finished a rebound shy of a double-double in the victory.
- Lowell (6-7)
The Cardinals are on a three-game losing streak, but none of those losses are by more than nine points.
- Washington (6-4)
Unsurprisingly, the Eagles had little trouble with ICA and Academy, beating the Spartans and Wolves by an average of 36 points.
- International (7-3)
The Jaguars opened BCL Central play with a 39-25 win over Drew. They’ll host Waldorf on Tuesday in an early matchup of presumptive favorites.
- San Francisco Waldorf (3-2)
According to MaxPreps, the Wolverines have played just five games, but they picked up a 37-25 win over previously eighth-ranked Bay on Friday. The win earns Waldorf its first appearance in the girls Top 10.