San Francisco Opens 2016-17 Season as State’s Top Ranked Team

It has been 25 years since the California Community Colleges Men’s Basketball Coaches Association has crowned a repeat champion.

San Francisco Opens 2016-17 Season as State’s Top Ranked Team

City College of San Francisco Opens 2016-17 Season as State’s Top Ranked Team

It has been 25 years since the California Community Colleges Men’s Basketball Coaches Association has crowned a repeat champion. Will City College of San Francisco snap that streak in 2017? The Rams, the defending CCCAA champions, will open the 2016-17 season as the state’s No. 1 ranked team after a vote of coaches.

The last team to win back-to-back titles as Rancho Santiago College (now Santa Ana) after Dana Pagett coached the Dons to victories over Chabot (72-65) in 1990 and Long Beach City (73-70) in 1991. Ventura won consecutive titles in 1995 and 1996, but the 1996 title was vacated.
 
San Francisco was far from a unanimous selection by coaches. Four teams in the north earned at least two No. 1 votes — San Francisco, Yuba, Las Positas and Fresno. So, San Francisco should be looking over its shoulder.
 
Saddleback, which was trying to win consecutive titles last March after winning the 2015 title, looks to try and reach its fourth Final Four in seven years and its third state title in 2017. The Gauchos will open the season as the state’s No. 2 ranked team and the South’s top-ranked team. However, there are indications that several teams will push the Gauchos. Some six teams received a No. 1 vote among southern California coaches, and some coaches believe as many as 11 teams in the south are capable of playing for the state title come March.

The 2016-17 season officially gets underway on November 3. For complete team schedules, rosters and tournament schedules, log on to www.cccmbca.org.

 

CCCMBCA State Preseason Poll

1. San Francisco

2. Saddleback

3. Las Positas

4. Yuba

5. Chaffey

6. Fresno

7. Feather River

8. East Los Angeles

9. Fullerton

10. El Camino-Compton Center

11. Antelope Valley

12. Santa Rosa

13. Cerritos

14. Ohlone

15. Butte

16. Sierra

17.  San Bernardino

18. Mt. San Jacinto

19. Diablo Valley

20. Citrus

 

Northern California Preseason Poll

1. San Francisco

2. Las Positas

3. Yuba

4. Fresno

5. Feather River

6. Santa Rosa

7. Ohlone

8. Butte

9. Sierra

10. Diablo Valley

11. Sequoias

12. Cabrillo

13. Merritt

14. West Hills

15. Canada

16. Contra Costa

17. Foothill

18. San Jose City

19. Lassen

20. San Joaquin Delta

 

Southern California Preseason Poll

1. Saddleback

2. Chaffey

3. East Los Angeles

4. Fullerton

5. El Camino-Compton Center

6. Antelope Valley

7. Cerritos

8. San Bernardino

9. Mt. San Jacinto

10. Citrus

11. Glendale

12. Southwestern

13. LA Trade Tech

14. San Diego City

15. Cuesta

16. Pasadena

17. Riverside City

18. Mt. San Antonio

19. Irvine Valley

20. Ventura/Allan Hancock 

Future poll dates: November 29, December 13, December 27, January 3 (poll and annual conference preview), January 10, January 24, February 7, February 14, February 21 (rankings will be based off regional seeding).