The Modesto Bee basketball rankings: Unexpected teams continue to rise
Before the season, Hilmar boys basketball coach Craig Peterson told coaches he thought this year’s team could be special.
The Yellowjackets returned virtually their entire team from last year and had a core of three-year varsity starters in seniors Aidan Azevado, Justin Barros, and Will Tate.
The trio combined for 51 points as Hilmar ended its Jan. 31 game on a 18-0 run to beat Ripon, 72-71.
Azevado led the Yellowjackets with 25 points while Tate added 19 and Barros had 7.
“This team put a lot of time in the gym during the summer,” said Peterson, who is in his 10th year at Hilmar. “They show up early and do the extra shooting work after practice.”
Hilmar started the season, 18-3, which was the school’s best since 2003, and both Hilmar and Ripon are tied for the Trans-Valley League lead with a 6-2 record. Ripon Christian is a half game back at 5-2.
The top teams on the boys side have started to falter as of late with The Bee’s No. 1 ranked boys team, Modesto Christian, losing to Lincoln-Stockton, 64-60, on Feb. 1. No. 3 Gregori lost to Enochs, 86-68, on Jan. 29.
No. 2 Sonora and No. 8 Beyer have combined to win their last 19 games in a row.
On the girls’ side, No. 5 Orestimba has been unbeatable as of late, winning its last nine games by double digits.
Only two weeks remain in the regular season before the CIF Sac-Joaquin Section playoffs begin on Feb. 17 for the girls and Feb. 18 for the boys.
Note: Teams’ records do not include Monday’s results
THE BEE’S TOP 10 BOYS BASKETBALL RANKINGS
1. Modesto Christian (16-9)
2. Sonora (20-3)
3. Gregori (19-4)
4. Central Catholic (17-7)
5. Denair (21-2)
6. Hilmar (19-5)
7. Ripon (12-12)
8. Beyer (15-8)
9. Ripon Christian (16-6)
10. Pitman (11-8)
THE BEE’S TOP 10 GIRLS BASKETBALL RANKINGS
1. Pitman (18-6)
2. Modesto Christian (13-10)
3. Ripon (16-7)
4. Hughson (15-7)
5. Orestimba (22-3)
6. Ripon Christian (11-9)
7. Turlock (11-12)
8. Gregori (14-10)
9. Oakdale (15-9)
10. Patterson (12-11)
Games of the Week: Here are some of the top high school sporting events for this week.
Boys Basketball: Beyer at Mountain House (Wednesday, 7:15 p.m.), Pitman at Gregori (Wednesday, 7:15 p.m.), Ripon at Escalon (Thursday, 7 p.m.), Ripon Christian at Hilmar (Friday, 7 p.m.), Central Catholic at Weston Ranch (Friday, 7 p.m.), Modesto Christian at St. Mary’s (Friday, 7 p.m.), Gregori at Beyer (Saturday, 3 p.m.)
Girls Basketball: Gregori at Pitman (Tuesday, 7:15 p.m.), Livingston at Ripon Christian (Thursday, 7 p.m.), St. Mary’s at Modesto Christian (Thursday, 7 p.m.)
Boys Soccer: Turlock at Gregori (Wednesday, 3 p.m.), Weston Ranch at Oakdale (Thursday, 7:15 p.m.)
Girls Soccer: Waterford at Ripon Christian (Thursday, 4 p.m.)
Three local wrestling teams win team titles: Hilmar, Oakdale, and Pitman boys wrestling teams all won CIF Sac-Joaquin Section Team Dual Championships on Feb. 1 at Lincoln High School in Stockton.
Oakdale, which beat Vacaville in the Div. I championship, won its 12th title in a row.
Pitman beat Bella Vista in Div. II and Hilmar beat Escalon in the Div. V championship.
Big Valley Christian lost to Mariposa in the Div. VI championship.
New championships coming to the CIF State: At its federated council meeting on Jan. 31 in Long Beach, the CIF State passed two new championships which will begin in the 2020-21 school year.
Baseball and softball regional championships passed, 88-53, while traditional cheer championships passed, 127-14.
Turlock’s Soderstrom named preseason All-American: Turlock senior catcher Tyler Soderstrom was named a Preseason All-American by Baseball America on Jan. 31.
Soderstrom, The Bee’s Baseball Player of the Year in 2019, signed with UCLA and is a projected early round draft pick in the 2020 MLB Draft.
This story was originally published February 3, 2020 at 1:16 PM.
