Boys basketball rankings: No. 1 Modesto Christian excited about Pearson’s return

In a season marred by injury, the Modesto Christian High School boys basketball team has received encouraging news from the disabled list.

Michael Pearson Jr.’s foot injury has been downgraded from a fracture, and the freshman point guard may play Wednesday against Modesto (13-8, 7-2 Modesto Metro Conference).

Pearson returned to practice this week after spending the last three games at the end of the bench in a walking boot. Modesto Christian coach Brice Fantazia said he won’t rush Pearson back but is encouraged by the revised prognosis.

Pearson is averaging 9.4 points, 2.2 assists and a team-high 1.7 steals in 15 starts. He was instrumental in the Crusaders’ 80-68 victory at Modesto on Jan. 11, scoring 20 points on 6-of-10 shooting. He also had six assists and three rebounds.

“He was super excited,” Fantazia said. “He was one of those kids telling his dad (assistant coach Michael Pearson), ‘I’m fine. I’m fine.’ I just want to make sure he’s 100 percent ready to play.”

Whether Pearson plays or not, reinforcements are on the way. Junior guard Tyler Williams will play after missing two games. Williams was the hero in a 58-57 victory over Beyer on Jan. 23, scoring the winning points with a dunk, then blocking the Patriots’ potential winning 3-pointer.

However, he tweaked his groin and sat out against Johansen and Davis, teams stuck in the MMC basement at 1-8.

Junior guard Kwaheri Rue started against Beyer but didn’t play in the second half because of pain in his knee. The Patterson transfer also missed Friday’s game. He’ll be reevaluated before Wednesday’s game.

With the Sac-Joaquin Section Division I postseason tournament fast approaching, Modesto Christian (16-5, 9-0) welcomes a little good fortune. A season that began with high hopes has been tempered by season-ending injuries to Aaron Murphy (knee) and Issima Caldwell (arm) and eligibility issues for Dathan Satchell, all projected starters.

“It doesn’t really change a lot. We still have to do the same thing – stick to our philosophies,” Fantazia said. “But it helps depth-wise, and we don’t have to worry about foul trouble.”

Despite its rash of injuries, Modesto Christian remains the No. 1 large-school team in the Stanislaus District. The Crusaders have won 12 straight games, “so it could be worse,” Fantazia said.

Here’s a closer look at the Stanislaus District’s large- and small-schools boys basketball rankings, which consider potential and performance, schedule and MaxPreps’ Sac-Joaquin Section rankings as of Jan. 30:

Large schools

1. Modesto Christian (16-5, 9-0 MMC): Four of the Crusaders’ next five games are on the road, including a clash with Capital Christian of Sacramento, ranked sixth in the section, on Saturday. MaxPreps: 19.

2. Manteca (17-5, 9-0 VOL): The Buffaloes survived two daunting road challenges – against Central Catholic, without Tydus Verhoeven in the starting lineup, and East Union – and have a three-game lead in the Valley Oak League with two weeks left. Dwight Young had a team- and season-high 27 points in the win over the Lancers, a good sign as the postseason nears. MaxPreps: 9.

3. Beyer (15-7, 7-2 MMC): The Patriots haven’t won a league title in 12 years, when they competed in the Central California Conference. After beating Gregori on Friday, Beyer remained in a dead heat with Modesto at 7-2. Brian Perry netted 28 points in the win. The title could be decided next week when coach Kyle McKim’s team travels across town to Panther Palace. MaxPreps: 24.

4. Central Catholic (15-7, 6-3 VOL): Amrit Dhaliwal, Conor Fenton and Jared Rice have galvanized a team playing without junior point guard Josh Hamilton and reserve Dash Von Stade, whose statuses remain unclear. School officials won’t comment on the missing players. Instead, the senior trio is letting their play do the talking. Fenton (21), Dhaliwal (20) and Rice (16) accounted for 57 of the Raiders’ 74 points in a rout of Oakdale. MaxPreps: 14.

5. Ceres (13-9, 5-1 WAC): The Bulldogs beat up on Central Valley and Los Banos last week to keep pace with Patterson atop the Western Athletic Conference, but the party won’t last long. The co-leaders meet Wednesday in Patterson, where the Tigers have won their last three. Ceres won the first meeting 56-54, but a loss would open the door for a host of teams looking to crack the top five. MaxPreps: 79.

Others: Modesto (13-8, 7-2 MMC), Gregori (11-10, 6-3 MMC), Merced (17-5, 7-0 CCC), Patterson (13-10, 5-1 WAC).

Small schools

1. Ripon (17-4, 6-0 TVL): At the start of the season, the Indians set lofty goals. With a fluid and talented starting five, including the new “Triple Threat” in Cole Stevens, Aaron Paschini and Noah Hernandez, Ripon wanted to make a run at the 2004-05 team’s 29 wins. The Indians entered this week with 17, and with six regular-season games left, including a home game Tuesday against Hughson, they would need to win out through the section playoffs to have a chance. As the Trans-Valley League crumbles around the Indians, that may be just the carrot they need. MaxPreps: 28.

2. Calaveras (21-2, 8-0 MLL): Calaveras took a nine-game winning streak into Tuesday’s Mother Lode League showdown with Sonora. Calaveras has been buoyed by the play of junior Dillon Autrey, but the return of coach Kraig Clifton has been the ultimate lift. Beloved as a coach and competitor, Clifton has taken that same fighting spirit to pancreatic cancer, which forced him to sit out last season. MaxPreps: 38.

3. Sonora (16-4, 7-1 MLL): The Wildcats trailed Calaveras by one game entering Tuesday’s meeting. Three of Sonora’s final four MLL games are on the road; the one outlier is the regular-season finale against Linden at Bud Castle Gym on Feb. 14. Sonora will travel to No. 4 Argonaut next Tuesday and defending champion Summerville on Feb. 10. MaxPreps: 35.

4. Argonaut (18-4, 6-2 MLL): The Mustangs go out of conference Wednesday to face reigning Division V section finalist Brookside Christian and electric scorer Tre Simmons. Argonaut has won three straight games and returns to MLL play at Calaveras on Friday and home against Sonora on Tuesday. The next three games will speak volumes about Argonaut’s postseason potential. MaxPreps: 52.

5. Hilmar (13-8, 5-2 TVL): Mathematically, the Yellowjackets could catch Ripon in the TVL. There’s only a two-game difference in the standings with another head-to-head in Hilmar on Feb. 14. But, there’s a much greater disparity between the two on the court, as witnessed in last week’s 77-49 loss to the top-ranked Indians. MaxPreps: 83.

Others: Orestimba (17-5, 7-0 Southern League), Riverbank (11-9, 5-2, TVL).

This story was originally published January 31, 2017 at 2:21 PM with the headline "Boys basketball rankings: No. 1 Modesto Christian excited about Pearson’s return."