Orange County boys basketball Top 25: Mater Dei moves up to its usual position at No. 1

This week’s Orange County high school boys basketball rankings.

BOYS BASKETBALL TOP 25

(Records through Sunday, Dec. 11)

Notable this week: The Monarchs, who were No. 2 in the county rankings last week and in the preseason Top 10, move up to what has been their usual position at No. 1. … JSerra also moves up one position, to No. 3, after winning the championship of the Beach Bash tournament. … Fountain Valley breaks into the Top 25 after its win over Sonora. … Tesoro and Pacifica Christian both played well in the Beach Bash and remain in the Top 10.

1. Mater Dei 3-1: The Monarchs, who did not play last week, probably would beat the La Serna team that defeated Canyon last week.

Previous ranking: 2

2. Canyon 10-1: The Comanches lost to La Serna 55-50 in the championship game of North Orange County Championships at Sonora High. Brandon Benjamin and Jaden Goodall were selected to the all-tournament team.

Previous ranking: 1

3. JSerra 8-0: The Lions, led by tournament co-MVP Aidan Fowler, won the Beach Bash tournament with a 61-55 win over Tesoro in the final.

Previous ranking: 4

4. Santa Margarita 8-1: The Eagles beat San Gabriel Academy, ranked No. 4 in CIF Southern Section Division 3-A, in their only game last week.

Previous ranking: 3

5. Fairmont Prep 11-1: The Huskies lost to Walnut (10-1) by three points, but had wins over Rancho Dominguez, Gahr and Dominguez.

Previous ranking: 5

6. Orange Lutheran 7-2: The Lancers did not play last week. They have wins over Damien and Rolling Hills Prep, and a one-point loss to Fairmont Prep.

Previous ranking: 6

Tesoro guard Carson Brown looks for someone to pass to around Los Alamitos guard Liam Gray in the semifinals of the Beach Bash Tournament at Corona del Mar High School in Corona del Mar on Friday, December 9, 2022. (Sam Gangwer, Contributing Photographer)

7. Tesoro 11-2: The Titans lost to Serra in OT in the Beach Bash tournament championship game. Carson Brown was the tournament’s co-MVP.

Previous ranking: 7

8. Pacifica Christian 7-2: The Tritons finished third in the Beach Bash. They beat Los Alamitos by seven points in the third-place game. They also beat San Clemente, Portola. EJ Spillman and Parker Strauss were named to the all-tournament team.

Previous ranking: 8

9. Orangewood Academy 7-3: The Spartans lost to Palos Verdes (7-1) and defeated Arrowhead Christian (6-3) last week.

Previous ranking: 10

10. Foothill 8-1: The Knights went 3-1 in the Beach Bash. They defeated Newport Harbor in the consolation championship game. Travis Paleo made the all-tournament team.

Previous ranking: 9

11. Los Alamitos 7-4

Previous ranking: 12

12. Crean Lutheran 4-3

Previous ranking: 11

13. La Habra 8-2

Previous ranking: 13

14. Edison 6-4

Previous ranking: 14

15. Portola 8-5

Previous ranking: 16

16. Fountain Valley 6-4