Hornets claim top spot in Socal

As the 2022-2023 season approaches Southern California will be a gauntlet as it usually is when it comes to being a top 15 team within our rankings to start the season. There are plenty of teams worthy of being named into our preseason rankings but only 15 can be named. Fullerton starts the season as our number one team in Southern California as the Hornets will enter the season as one of the elite teams in the state. Citrus, San Bernardino, San Diego, Santiago Canyon, East Los Angeles and Ventura are all teams that have the ability to play late into the season as well. Southern California will be competitive with good teams from every conference and we look forward to watching the season unfold.

Signal The Light Basketball Southern California Preseason Rankings

1. Fullerton (25-4): The Hornets come into the season as our top team in Southern California coming into the 2022-2023 season. Fullerton has high expectations and will have a target on their back as being an elite team for the upcoming season. Kobe Newton, Shaquil Bender, and Sean Newman are going to be a problem for opposing defenses and the Hornets will be tough to score on as well. This week the top ranked team will be in action twice as the Hornets open up the season tomorrow on the road against 13th ranked Los Angeles Trade Tech and follow that up with a home game against Moorpark on Thursday.

2. Citrus (23-7): The Owls are coming off a season where they made the Elite Eight and Citrus returns nine players to the team. Citrus will be an elite team and the Owls have a solid back court and a lot of versatility that will help them win a lot of games. The Owls play hard at both ends of the floor and have the ability to put points on the board as well this upcoming season. We really like this squad to make a deep post season run and the Owls will open up their 2022-2023 season on the road when they face Mt. San Antonio on Wednesday for their lone game of the week.

3. San Bernardino (25-6): The Wolverines enter our rankings at number three coming into the season and will be one of the better teams within the state. The starting five for this team is scary and can play with anyone in the state. The Wolverines should be a team that will make a deep post season run and San Bernardino has Daniels, Muldrew and Mendoza in the back court. The Wolverines will have this week off and open up their season on November 11th against Compton.

4. East Los Angeles (25-5): The Huskies come into our rankings at number four for the upcoming season. East Los Angeles returns a lot of experience as seven players return from their 25 win team that won the South Coast North Conference championship last season. East Los Angeles has a chance to make a deep post season and the Huskies will open up their season on November 11th when they face Santa Monica at the Alvin Hunter Classic in San Bernardino

5. Ventura (25-3): The Pirates enter our pre season rankings at number five for the upcoming season. Ventura won 25 games a year ago and return some key pieces to the upcoming roster. Adrian McIntyre, Anthony Garza and Aaron Dawoodjee are three reasons why we think this team will make a run at the Western State North Conference title and a possible deep post season run. The Pirates open up their season on Thursday when they face Saddleback at home, on Friday they will face Pasadena and end their weekend on Saturday when the Pirates host Antelope Valley.

6. San Diego (26-4): The Knights come into our rankings at number six for the upcoming season. Coach Mitch Charlens returns to the team and has put together a very talented group that will make some noise this upcoming season. Kailen Rains, Anjay Cortez, and Chase Courtney are all division one transfers and the Knights come into the season as the Pacific Coast Conference favorites. The Knights open up thier season on Thursday in Santa Monica against Compton and follow that up against Santa Monica on the road on Saturday.

7. Santiago Canyon (22-6): The Hawks start the season off at number seven and will be a standout team in Southern California for the upcoming season. Santiago Canyon is a team that continues to win games year in and year out. Aaron Wadman will be a standout this season for the Hawks and Santiago Canyon will be in the race for the Orange Empire Conference championship. The Hawks will face off against 8th ranked Long Beach on Thursday in Santa Ana and follow that up on Saturday against Glendale in Santa Ana.

8. Long Beach (18-12): The Vikings start the season at number eight in our Southern California rankings. Long Beach has a starting five that can play with anyone in the state and have depth to be a post season threat to go pretty far in the post season. The Vikings start the season off with a game against 7th ranked Santiago Canyon on Thursday in Santa Ana and follow that up with a road game against Santa Ana on Saturday.

9. Riverside (23-7): The Tigers will be our 9th ranked team in Southern California coming into the 2022-2023 season. Riverside is the third team from the Orange Empire Conference in our top 10 and should be a team that will be in the upper half of the conference and make the post season this upcoming season. Riverside will be in action three times this week as the Tigers open up against Pasadena on Thursday, Antelope Valley on Friday and finish their weekend against 13th ranked Los Angeles Trade Tech all at Ventura.

10. Allan Hancock (17-10): The Bulldogs round off our top 10 as the Western State North runner up from a year ago have a very talented team and will challenge Ventura within conference at the top of the standings. Hancock is deep and are a very physical team and will be a team to watch this upcoming season. The Bulldogs won 17 games a year ago and Hancock will be in action twice this week as they will face 7th ranked Porterville on Wednesday at home and follow that up with another home game against Hartnell on Friday.

11. San Diego Miramar (19-11): The Jets start the season at number eleven and Miramar will look to make another post season run and challenge San Diego at the top of the Pacific Coast Conference standings. Milling and Doffing are two solid pieces and the Jets will be a fairly competitive team for the upcoming season. Miramar starts their 2022-2023 campaign at home against Desert on Thursday and face the winner/loser of Los Angeles Valley/Palomar game on Friday and follow that up with one more game on Saturday.

12. Cerritos (17-11): The Falcons come into the season as a top team in Southern California and Cerritos will look to have another standout season. Cerritos has some solid pieces and will be a team that will look to make a deep post season run. The Falcons open up their season against a very good Santa Monica team at home on Tuesday night for their lone game of the week.

13. Los Angeles Trade Tech (6-18): The Beavers start the season ranked at 13 and will come into the season with high expectations. Los Angeles Trade has tons of potential and will be a team that will make some noise this season. Coach Marcus Bryant and company will look to make a post season run and challenge East Los Angeles in the South Coast North Conference. The Beavers start the season at home against top ranked Fullerton at home on Tuesday and follow that up with games against Antelope Valley on Thursday, Saddleback on Friday and end their week with a game against 9th ranked Riverside.

14. Canyons (15-11): The Cougars appear in our rankings and take the 14th spot coming into the new season. Canyons returns six players and three of them averaged in double figures and the Cougars return Chris Bradford who averaged 17.8 points in 2019-2020. Canyons returns a lot of players that took a big part of their 15 win season and we see them as a team that will make the post season from the Western State South Conference. Canyons will open up their season on Friday against Cuyamaca at home and will face the winner/loser between Barstow and Oxnard on Saturday in opening weekend action.

15. Copper Mountain (17-13): The Fighting Cacti come into the season ranked 15th in our Southern California rankings after finishing in 2nd place a year ago in Inland Empire Conference action. Jaylan Bradberry and Nathan Kennedy are two bright spots that are back and throw in Jaylon Lee and Copper Mountain has a chance to make a post season run. The Fighting Cacti’s season will begin on Thursday against Southwestern in 1st round action at the Don Gehler Memorial Tournament hosted by San Diego Miramar. On day two on Friday, Copper Mountain will face the winner/loser of West Los Angeles and MiraCosta and follow that up with one last game on Saturday to close out their week of basketball.

Signaling a Light: MiraCosta (17-15), Saddleback (17-12) Los Angeles Southwest (19-10), Cuesta (13-15), Santa Monica (11-17), West Los Angeles (28-4), Pasadena (1-26), Mt. San Jacinto (18-11).