Gold Mountain California News boys basketball rankings: Teams heating up down home stretch

The margin for error is shrinking as league play rolls on and postseason positioning comes into focus. Some teams are asserting themselves as clear frontrunners, while others are finding their stride after early bumps in the road. With head-to-head results and league battles carrying added weight, here's how the Top 10 stacks up entering the stretch run. 1. Folsom 16-5 (Previous ranking: 1) The Bulldogs have blown through the first half of Sierra Foothill League play, winning every game by double digits. Folsom also showed it can hang with the section's elite last Saturday, only falling to Modesto Christian by two in a rematch of last year's D-I section championship. 2. Placer 20-2 (Previous ranking: 2) Placer stumbled out of the gate to start league with an overtime loss to Roseville, but since then it has won four straight including gritty triumphs over Nevada Union and Twelve Bridges. Kannon Rector is now the school's all-time leader in assists and the Hillmen sit atop the FVL after a rugged first round of league games. 3. Woodcreek 15-7 (Previous ranking: 3) The Timberwolves battled back from close losses against Inderkum and Sacramento to pick up solid victories over Bella Vista and Roseville. Woodcreek sits at 5-1 through the first stretch of CVC play and has all the pieces in place for a deep run. 4. Whitney 15-6 (Previous ranking: 4) The Wildcats lost a triple overtime thriller to Granite Bay on Wednesday night, having run out of gas after coming from behind to tie it in the final seconds of regulation. Whitney responded to that with a road win over rival Rocklin in overtime to claim the first leg of the Quarry Classic. 5. Oakmont 20-1 (Previous ranking: 6) How did the Vikings respond to their first loss of the season last week? With a 31-point drubbing of Colfax and thanks to the Falcons' win over Marysville, there is now a three-way tie for first in the PVL. The Vikings are a dark horse in Division III and just keep finding ways to win games. 6. Twelve Bridges 18-4 (Previous ranking: 5) Twelve Bridges had some unforced errors that cost it in losses against Placer and Nevada Union, but the Rhinos responded to that with a big win over Roseville last week and only sit one game back in the FVL with six games remaining. Twelve Bridges still controls its destiny moving forward. 7. Colfax 17-4 (Previous ranking: 9) Colfax had a tough night against Oakmont last week in Roseville, but it responded in a big way on Friday night, defeating league leader Marysville 80-77 to force a three-way tie for first place through the first stretch of PVL play. Colfax is tough, gritty, and getting better each week. 8. Del Oro 12-8 (Previous ranking: 10) Don't look now but here come the Golden Eagles. Del Oro has won three straight and made a statement with decisive wins over Davis, Oak Ridge and Granite Bay in the last few days. Those wins snap a five-game losing skid as the Golden Eagles are starting to find their rhythm at the right time. 9. Rocklin 11-11 (Previous ranking: 7) Rocklin has had a tough stretch of games, losing three of the last four against Jesuit, Granite Bay and Whitney. That being said, the Thunder still have a strong body of work with some solid nonleague wins and this young team is showing signs of what it could be. 10. Granite Bay 9-12 (Previous ranking: NR) Winners of three of their last four, Granite Bay is emerging as one of the most dangerous teams in the SFL heading into the postseason. The senior-laden Grizzlies play with urgency and emotion, and any team that takes a night off against them in the postseason risks seeing its season come to an abrupt end. Bubble (alphabetical): Bear River, Roseville, Oak Ridge, West Park. Jordan's SJS Top 25 (Entering Monday) 1. Sheldon (19–3) 2. Franklin (19–2) 3. Modesto Christian (14–6) 4. Folsom (16–5) 5. Stockton Lincoln (15–5) 6. Vanden (17–5) 7. Jesuit (13–7) 8. Placer (20–2) 9. Inderkum (15–9) 10. McClatchy (17–4) 11. Sacramento (14–8) 12. Woodcreek (15–7) 13. Destiny Christian (15–6) 14. Antelope (17–5) 15. Christian Brothers (12–9) 16. Monterey Trail (10–10) 17. Casa Roble (17–4) 18. Whitney (15–6) 19. Grant (13–7) 20. Oakmont (20–1) 21. Stockton-Venture Academy (17–5) 22. Fairfield-Rodriguez (15–7) 23. Modesto-Enochs (18–4) 24. Mountain House (18–5) 25. Twelve Bridges (18-4)