The Bee’s boys basketball Top 20: Destiny Christian, Monterey Trail top early-season rankings
It’s technically a new school with a new logo, a new mascot and new school colors, but the goals remain the same within the halls and the gymnasium of a school located just off Highway 50 heading east toward Rancho Cordova: Compete and chase championships.
Capital Christian is no more, a school of the past that was closed at the end of last academic year during a church takeover, thus becoming Destiny Christian Academy, home of the new-look Lions with the throwback fundamentals of how to play this game.
The Lions, with a host of returners from last season, start this season as The Sacramento Bee’s top-ranked boys basketball team. Veteran coach Michael Lorente returns a wealth of talent from a 23-win team that reached the CIF Sac-Joaquin Section Division II semifinals last season. A 14-game winning streak ended with a two-game losing streak, falling to Vanden in section play and Oakland in triple-overtime in NorCal action.
DCA earned a measure of revenge by opening this season with a 65-52 victory over Vanden, ranked 10th by The Bee.
Jaylen Valdez is back at point guard for DCA after averaging 19.1 points, 5.8 rebounds, 4.4 assists and 2.1 steals per game. He is a 6-foot-3 senior team leader who was The Bee’s Large School Player of the Year in 2023-24.
Other returners for the newcomers of the Metro League include 6-6 junior forward Myles Wiggins, who scored 11.6 points and pulled down 7.1 rebounds last season. Valdez and Wiggins are team captains, as is 6-6 junior wing/post Mohamed Kamara. You want a leaper? Jephte Tambala is a 6-6 high flyer who revs up the student body by dunking over as many as five bunched-together classmates standing under the rim.
Monterey Trail is ranked second by The Bee, fielding another formidable team under coach Robert Fields despite graduating 2023-24 Bee Player of the Year Brandon Gibson Jr.
The Mustangs of the Elk Grove Unified School District are 4-0 this season and have one of the state’s top freshman stars in 6-6 forward Devaughn Dorrough, who has quickly drawn the attention of college suitors. He is averaging 18.5 points and 8.8 rebounds. Guards Rashawn Inglemon and Derron White will push the pace and lead the defense for Monterey Trail in a Delta League race that also includes No. 5 Franklin and No. 9 Sheldon.
Folsom is ranked third as longtime coach Mike Wall has the experienced Bulldogs off to a 4-1 start behind returners in 6-6 forward Joven Dulay, who led the team in rebounding last season, and 6-5 guard/forward Chase Rawlins, who led the Bulldogs in scoring at 17.4 points a year ago.
Folsom is a member of the Sierra Foothill League that includes defending champion and No. 8-ranked Rocklin, headed by forward/center Mark Lavenrov, a Sacramento State signee; and guards Josiah Andrews, Connor Delaby, Reeve Slone and Ely Willis.
Inderkum coach Fred Wilson has another talented and tall group that is ranked fourth. A big win this season included a 90-56 rout of Rocklin. Star guard Siincere Hudson can score inside and out and pass, backcourt mate LJ Chadwick is a ball-hawk defender and forwards Malachi Johnson and Taylen Goodman crash inside for Inderkum, which will battle No. 11 Christian Brothers, No. 12 Rio Americano and No. 17 Woodcreek in the revamped Capital Valley Conference.
No. 5 Franklin could have the best team that coach Ken Manfredi has had in his 10 seasons there. The Wildcats are led by 6-3 junior guard Aiden Rollins. Franklin is 5-0 after topping Oak Ridge for the Jack Scott Tournament championship at Rio Americano.
No. 6 Sacramento will battle Vanden in the reconfigured Monticello Empire League after more than 60 years in the Metro League in Sacramento. The Dragons of Oak Park are led by last season’s Bee Medium School Player of the Year in guard Sir Marius Jones, headed to UC Irvine on scholarship.
Sacramento seeks a section championship three-peat, meaning a third consecutive season reaching Golden 1 Center, home of the Kings.
No. 7 Natomas also seeks another title run behind returning Bee All-Metro guard Manno Jenkins, who this season eclipsed the 1,000-career scoring mark for coach Brian McKenzie, last year’s Bee Coach of the Year.
▪ Other returning Bee All-Metro players include: junior guard Andre Gomez of Grant, senior guard Michael Butcher of Burbank, junior guard Zach Villanueva of West Campus, senior forward Jace Thompson of Rio Americano, senior forward Stephan Hewitt of Christian Brothers, sophomore guard Jaylan Virgil of Laguna Creek, senior guard Benny Ambriz of Casa Roble and junior center Max VanLaningham of Woodcreek.
Jesuit hosts classic: The 50th Father Barry Christmas Classic at Jesuit runs Thursday through Saturday in as great of a gym as there is in the state. Jesuit, ranked 14th by The Bee, opens against St. Mary’s of Stockton at 6:30 p.m. Thursday in a Catholic school showcase of teams from across the state and Brophy Prep of Arizona.
All games will be broadcast on the streaming NFHS Network.
The Bee’s Top 20
(With last season’s record)
1. Destiny Christian (23-9)
2. Monterey Trail (27-5)
3. Folsom (17-12)
4. Inderkum (23-8)
5. Franklin (23-7)
6. Sacramento (25-8)
7. Natomas (25-10)
8. Rocklin (28-4)
9. Sheldon (20-10)
10. Vanden (24-9)
11. Christian Brothers (19-14)
12. Rio Americano (17-12)
13. Del Oro (26-9)
14. Jesuit (24-9)
15. Whitney (17-13)
16. Oak Ridge (16-13)
17. Woodcreek (23-7)
18. West Park (24-8)
19. Grant (17-11)
20. Burbank (20-10)
Bubble: Antelope (15-15), Bradshaw Christian (18-14), Casa Roble (22-7), Cordova (17-11), Cosumnes Oaks (15-14), Elk Grove (10-17), Granite Bay (9-21), Kennedy (15-13), Laguna Creek (18-11), Nevada Union (17-13), Placer (25-5), Roseville (18-11), Twelve Bridges (25-5), Vacaville (14-13), West Campus (19-8).
This story was originally published December 11, 2024 at 6:00 AM.