THE TIMES’ TOP 25

The preseason rankings of the Southland’s top 25 boys’ basketball teams:

1. Westchester

(CS--Western) Loaded Comets rival Clippers in talent, average age.

2. L.B. Poly

(SS--Moore) Mr. (Bobby) Jones and Jackrabbits are gonna be big stars.

3. Inglewood

(SS--Bay) Center DeAngelo Collins has gone from troublemaker to playmaker.

4. Fairfax

(CS--Western) Forward Evan Burns, one of four returning starters, could be top player on West Coast.

5. Santa Ana Mater Dei

(SS--Serra) Defending Division I state champions will rely on a freshman point guard and the usual influx of transfers.

6. Fremont

(CS--Coliseum) Big man Darren Brown and transfers Thomas Herring, Geoffrey Clayton put Pathfinders on solid footing.

7. Redondo Union

(SS--Bay) Defending Division II-A champions return four starters and five of top six players.

8. Villa Park

(SS--Century) Sean Phaler-led Spartans should make long-awaited trip to the Arrowhead Pond.

9. Glendora

(SS--Baseline) Tartans return five of top seven players from Division I-AA championship team.

10. Santa Margarita

(SS--Serra) Guard-oriented Eagles will challenge Mater Dei and Villa Park for Orange County supremacy.

11. Rialto Eisenhower

(SS--Citrus Belt) Fontana transfer Cory McJimson boosts Eagles’ hopes.

12. Claremont

(SS--Baseline) Returning forward Shaddean Aaron could lead a handful of newcomers, including Ontario transfer Cameron Munoz, to a league title.

13. Riverside King

(SS--Sunkist) All five starters return for a second-year program that went 20-6 in Year 1.

14. Crenshaw

(CS--Coliseum) Cougars always a threat in the City Section.

15. Mission Viejo Capistrano Valley

(SS--South Coast) Can the Cougars’ three talented returning players make up for their teammates’ lack of varsity experience?

16. Corona Centennial

(SS--Mountain View) Seems as if star forward Lance Soderberg has been around for eight years.

17. Pasadena Muir

(SS--Pacific) Center Ryan Hollins, cut as a 6-foot-2 freshman, will cut through opponents as a 6-11 senior.

18. Thousand Oaks

(SS--Marmonte) Forward Ben Olson will supply a bushel of three-pointers for Ventura County’s top team.

19. Moreno Valley Canyon Springs

(SS--Ivy) Cougar Coach Jeff Stovall says this is the most talented team in school history.

20. Compton Centennial

(SS--Bay) Apaches could be the best team in town for a change.

21. La Habra Sonora

(SS--Freeway) It will be sayonara for Raiders’ Freeway League foes.

22. Compton Dominguez

(SS--San Gabriel Valley) Dons’ run of three straight Division II titles is over--team is now in Division III.

23. Cathedral City

(SS--Desert Valley) Lions looking for their sixth consecutive 20-win season.

24. Downey Calvary Chapel

(SS--Academy) Grizzlies weary of “great small school� label.

25. L.A. Price

(SS--Express) Knights seek third consecutive Division V state title.