Providence of Burbank and Santa Clara of Oxnard continue to lead their respective packs in the latest CIF-Southern Section boys’ basketball rankings released Jan. 14.

Providence (16-5) leads Division 4A, while Santa Clara (17-5, and winners of 12 of their last 13) is atop Division 5AA, making the Pioneers and the Saints the only Catholic school poll leaders as playoff time nears.

The boys’ Open Division “watch list” of 25 teams again includes nine Catholic schools: Bishop Montgomery, Damien, J.Serra, Loyola, Mater Dei, Notre Dame/Sherman Oaks, Santa Margarita, St. Anthony and St. John Bosco.

In Division 1, Mater Dei is third, Bishop Montgomery sixth, Santa Margarita seventh, Damien ninth (down from eighth, St. John Bosco tenth, Loyola 14th (up from 16th) and Crespi 15th. Elsewhere:

  • D-2AA: Notre Dame/Sherman Oaks sixth, Chaminade 13th (down from 12th) and Cathedral 15th.
  • D-3AA: St. Francis fifth (down from third) and Paraclete seventh.
  • D-3A: Mary Star seventh (up from ninth), Salesian eighth (down from sixth) and St. Bonaventure 15th (down from 14th).

Nationally, Mater Dei (10-1 entering this week) is 11th (up from 14th) in Maxpreps’ Computer Rankings.

Girls’ basketball

St. Bonaventure of Ventura (19-1, eight straight wins) again leads Division 3A while St. Mary’s Academy of Inglewood (20-2) is again second in 2A, the best divisional rankings among local Catholic school girls’ basketball teams.

The same six Catholic schools are among the 18 teams listed in the girls’ Open Division “watch list”: Alemany, Bishop Montgomery, Chaminade, Mater Dei, Rosary and Serra. (Mater Dei is also third nationally in Maxpreps’ Computer Rankings.)

In CIF-SS divisional polls:

  • D-1: Mater Dei fifth, Bishop Montgomery sixth (down from fourth), Rosary seventh (down from sixth), Serra tenth (up from 14th) and Alemany 15th (down from 11th).
  • D-2AA: St. Paul eighth (up from tenth).
  • D-4AA: Marymount third and Providence seventh (up from (12th).
  • D-5A: Villanova sixth (up from tenth).

Soccer

Division 1 in the Jan. 14 boys’ soccer rankings looked just like Jan. 7, at least among Catholic schools. Loyola and Cathedral were listed 1-2 for the fourth straight time, with Servite fourth, Mater Dei eighth and Santa Margarita ninth.

In Division 7, however, Paraclete rose from sixth to fourth, while Bishop Diego entered the poll for the first time at No. 8.

J. Serra continued to lead the Division 1 girls’ soccer poll with Santa Margarita replacing Mater in tenth. Notre Dame/Sherman Oaks was still tenth in D-3; La Salle climbed from fourth to second in D-4; St. Genevieve slipped from first to second in D-5; Pomona Catholic remained third in D-6; and St. Bonaventure held at eighth in D-7.

Girls’ water polo

Villanova Prep rose from third to second in Division 6 of in Jan. 14 rankings. The only other Catholic schools ranked were in the combined Divisions 1 and 2 poll, in which Mater Dei dropped from sixth to 13th, and Santa Margarita from seventh to ninth.

Mike Nelson is the former editor of The Tidings (predecessor of Angelus News).

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