Boys basketball has become very competitive in recent years within the San Diego Section. A look at the high school hoops rankings at the end of the 2024 calendar year appears to bear that out.
Of the 119 teams listed in the MaxPreps rankings through Dec. 26, the top 50 entries included only six teams with losing records. Four teams were undefeated while four teams had 0.500 records.
The Christian Patriots (6-3) and Steele Canyon Cougars (7- 4) topped East County teams in the early season rankings at No. 16 and No. 37, respectively.
There’s a lot of games yet to be played in the regular season to determine final rankings and seeding for the section playoffs. The first month of the season is usually reserved for tournament play. League play tips off in January. League champions receive automatic entry into the divisional playoffs.
By division, Christian entered the 2025 portion of its schedule ranked third among Division II teams while Helix was ranked 11th, Monte Vista 14th and Steele Canyon 16th to round out the division.
Other East County teams near the top of the divisional rankings included Foothills Christian (third in Division IV), Santana (third in Division V), Liberty Charter (ninth in Division V-AA), Valhalla (10th in Division III), West Hills (10th in Division IV), Mt. Miguel (13th in Division III) and Granite Hills (13th in Division IV),
The Grossmont Hills League alignment for 2024-25 includes Helix, Monte Vista, Steele Canyon, Mt. Miguel and El Capitan. The Grossmont Valley League alignment features El Cajon Valley, West Hills, Granite Hills, Grossmont and Santana.
Christian competes in the City Eastern League for boys basketball and City League for girls basketball.
The Grossmont Hills League alignment for girls basketball includes El Capitan, Grossmont, Helix, Steele Canyon and Granite Hills. The Grossmont Valley League lineup includes El Cajon Valley, West Hills, Santana, Monte Vista, Valhalla and Mt. Miguel.
On the girls side, it’s no less competitive. El Capitan (14-2) and Grossmont (13-3) both appear teams to watch this season after entering the new year both ranked in the section’s top 10. Christian (10-4) and West Hills (9-5) both made the top 20 rankings.
El Capitan is ranked fifth among the section’s Division I teams while Grossmont is ranked eighth, both potential Open Division teams.
Helix (9-5) is ranked 19th among Division I girls teams while West Hills (9-5) is ranked sixth among Division II teams. Granite Hills (6-6) is ranked 10th in Division II while Steele Canyon (7-10) is ranked 14th.
Christian is ranked second among Division III teams while El Cajon Valley (7-5) is ranked fifth among Division IV teams.
Santana (13-2) is ranked second among Division V teams, followed by Mountain Empire (4-1) at No. 3 in the division.
Foothills Christian (3-2) and Liberty Charter (1-8) are ranked fourth and fifth, respectively, among Division V-AA teams.
Playoffs in Division I through Division V-AA feature a first round, quarterfinal round, semifinal round and championship round. The Open Division features eight teams and three rounds (quarterfinals, semifinals, finals).
Overall, champions will be crowned in seven divisions.
Play-in games are scheduled Feb. 17. Division finals are scheduled Feb. 27 to March 1, followed by regional and state playoffs March 4-14.
Valhalla, Helix and Mt. Miguel all competed in the pre- Christmas Frank Pekarek Memorial National City Host Lions Club Tournament at Sweetwater High School.
Helix advanced to the third-place game against Mater Dei Catholic while Valhalla and Mt. Miguel each picked up least one win in tournament play (Mt. Miguel over Sweetwater and Otay Ranch in a pair of overtime contests and Valhalla over San Ysidro). The Scotties also defeated Southwest.
Helix subsequently competed in the Surf N Slam tournament, tipping off play with a 57-35 win over Alaska Wasilla on Dec. 27. The Highlanders were doubled up 62-31 by Broken Arrow, Okla. in their second game on Dec. 28.
Christian defeated Wasilla 61-42 on Dec. 30. The Patriots also paired up with teams from Hawaii and Texas.
Mt. Miguel returns three players from last year’s 24-9 Division IV section championship team: seniors Braylin Cardwell, Hamad Elhamad and Juan Corona.
“We’re young — we have five sophomores,” Matadors coach Jimmy Hurts said. “We also have some transfers. The players are still getting accustomed to each other. It clicked a lot for us last year.”
Valhalla is already starting to make inroads this season behind senior Sameer Monqad (15.6 points per game) and freshman Andrew Mikhail (14.3 ppg).
“We’re a little different team this year,” said Valhalla coach Keith Jackson, whose team finished 7-21 last season. “We just want to be a better team. We’re trying to improve on that. We’re getting better.”
Helix coach Jason Cavazos said his team is in the midst of a rebuilding process.
“We have the potential to be good this year … We should be good next year,” he said.
