ROSEVILLE, CA: Week 1 Power Rankings | Respect is earned

ROSEVILLE, CA: Week 1 Power Rankings | Respect is earned

Week one is in the books, and what a great first week it was! A lot of great talent showed up for our first season in Roseville, CA. Although the season has just begun, some teams have already began to emerge as top contenders. Let’s take a look at the power rankings.

1 - Gonzaga
We ranked Gonzaga first mainly because of their superior team play. Under the leadership of guard, Erik Thomas and 6’8” center, Lavin Peets, Gonzaga has the potential to go far this season. Thomas put up the most complete game of all the players in week one with 24 pts, 13 rebs, and 8 assists. He almost got a triple double, and his selfless play helped lead his team to victory.

2 - Syracuse
Next we have Syracuse, who played really well together under guard Ryan Nakamura. Ryan scored 30 points, and Juston Willis registered 16 rebounds! Syracuse should be a top contender moving forward.

3 - Michigan
Ranked third is Michigan, who also had a really good game. Clarence Lee put up 28 points and 5 assists, and Prescott Johnson grabbed 17 boards! Look for them to compete all season.

4 - North Carolina
North Carolina also grabbed the W on Monday night thanks to Austin Brewer’s 28 point performance. Can they climb the rankings? We shall see.

5 - Pepperdine
Out of all the teams that lost, Pepperdine may have the most talent. If Ralph Sanders, Jose Zaragoza, and the rest of the guys can put it together as a team, they may be the sleepers to lookout for. They definitely have the skill to do it.

6 - Duke
Duke actually has a lot of talent as well. John Pichon is a beast and was dunking on everyone. He finished with 34 points and 13 boards. They were a little short handed and didn’t have a full team on Monday. A little more depth might be what they need to move up the rankings as the season progresses.

7 - Arizona
It’s hard to put Arizona so low with Deon Robinson on the squad. He was the high scorer of the evening with 40 points and is an extremely skilled basketball player. However, he won’t be able to do it alone and needs some help from his teammates in order to compete the rest of the season.

8 - Oregon
Max Comerford had a solid night with 28 points, but Oregon will also need to play more together as a team in order to move up the rankings this season. It’s a long season though, so let’s see what develops.

Don’t like your ranking? Change it on the court next Monday!