The Times’ boys’ basketball rankings
The Times’ preseason high school basketball rankings by Ben Bolch (last season’s final records are listed):
| Rk. | Team (Rec., Sec.-Div.) | Comment |
| 1 | WESTCHESTER (35-2, City-Div. I) | Loaded Comets will be a force as long as they follow The Jordin (Mayes) Rules. |
| 2 | TAFT (27-5, City-Div. I) | Coach Derrick Taylor and Mater Dei counterpart Gary McKnight agree to co-write “Impact Transfers for Dummies.” |
| 3 | MATER DEI (31-2, SS-Div. 1AA) | Transfers Keala King and Max Hooper follow in the Nike Air-cushioned footsteps of Tyler Lamb, Jamal Sampson, etc. |
| 4 | CORONA CENTENNIAL (24-4, SS-Div. 1AA) | Super sophomores Gelaun Wheelwright and Dominique Dunning are now jump-through-the-roof juniors. |
| 5 | HARVARD-WESTLAKE (28-7, SS-Div. 3A) | Season should be one long high-five for Wolverines, who return all their starters from last year. |
| 6 | LOYOLA (26-7, SS-Div. 1A) | Coach Jamal Adams wants Cubs to know that character counts -- and so does winning the Mission League. |
| 7 | GARDENA SERRA (23-8, SS-Div. 3A) | Cavaliers have enough college-bound talent to compete in Big West Conference right now. |
| 8 | LONG BEACH POLY (23-6, SS-Div. 1AA) | With football team in rebuilding mode, fans chant “Wait ‘till basketball season” for first time in decades. |
| 9 | EISENHOWER (32-3, SS-Div. 2A) | Eagles bring their sneakers and industrial-strength earplugs to first practice. |
| 10 | FAIRFAX (27-5, City-Div. I) | Lions have massive hole in middle of lineup but fewer headaches with Renardo Sidney gone. |
| 11 | LEUZINGER (26-7, SS-Div. 1A) | It’s an Olympic year in 2010, but will it be year of the Olympians? |
| 12 | ORANGE LUTHERAN (25-6, SS-Div. 4AA) | UC Irvine Coach Pat Douglass asks Lancers counterpart Chris Nordstrom if they could trade backcourts. |
| 13 | OCEAN VIEW (27-8, SS-Div. 3AA) | Coach Jim Harris glad he got to experience state title game before it was moved to Bakersfield. |
| 14 | THOUSAND OAKS (30-3, SS-Div. 1AA) | UC Davis-bound forward Alex Tiffin should relish final year of big-time hoops before heading to Big West Conference. |
| 15 | SIMI VALLEY (22-7, SS-Div. 2AA) | Deep and balanced Pioneers could be a bigger attraction than retired Air Force One at the Reagan Library. |
| 16 | SANTA MONICA (22-9, SS-Div. 1A) | Perimeter-oriented Vikings are seeking fifth consecutive 20-win season and first trip to The Lobster that isn’t overpriced. |
| 17 | CRENSHAW (19-4, City-Div. I) | Highly touted freshman Isaac Hamilton hopes to help Cougars recapture a taste of their glory days. |
| 18 | PRICE (29-6, SS-Div. 4AA) | As usual, small-school Knights are stockpiled with inordinate number of big-time prospects. |
| 19 | PACIFIC HILLS (28-7, SS-Div. 4A) | Crenshaw transfer Geoffrey Allen wanted to test the waters elsewhere for senior year. |
| 20 | ETIWANDA (25-6, SS-Div. 1AA) | Even with no returning starters, Eagles expect to soar with newcomer Byron Wesley and reserve Jordan Daniels in the fold. |
| 21 | KING (30-3, SS-Div. 1AA) | Wolves might feel as if they’re starting every game down 5-0 with nobody back from starting lineup. |
| 22 | RANCHO VERDE (24-6, SS-Div. 1AA) | Mustangs’ underclassmen thought last year that having a McDonald’s All-American entitled team to free McDonald’s. |
| 23 | LOS OSOS (18-12, SS-Div. 1AA) | David Smith, returning to coach Grizzlies after colon cancer diagnosis, is the inspirational story of the year. |
| 24 | CLEVELAND (20-9, City-Div. I) | Guards Jason Johnson and Jalen Bland will lead up-tempo attack that is anything but dull. |
| 25 | REDONDO (15-13, SS-Div. 2AA) | Sea Hawks don’t expect to be anywhere near .500 this year with four returning starters. |
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