But if BM wins... clearly they are number one
Bishop McNamara hasn't been tested yet. New Hope (a familiar opponent) is their only legit win IMO. And I would have loved to see them play New Hope at the Nike TOC. Or to see them play the new and improved New Hope that came away from the Nike TOC. River dale (TN ) and SE Raleigh were over ranked just as Christ the King was coming into the season. Pre season ranking before teams are challenged are just opinions. Who have any of those team beaten? What did any of them do at the Nike TOC? Even Riverdale Baptist (MD)
the real Riverdale team I think might beat Bishop McNamara. When Bishop McNamara plays St. Johns that will be their biggest test yet. And it's not even during a tough tournament like the Nike TOC where they would have had to travel, and play 4 tough games back to back, against teams they don't know well enough to game plan for, under much more national exposure/pressure.
If they can come within 10 points of St. Johns in either of the two games they play them I would be surprised. And at that time I'd feel like they "might" deserve to be mentioned in the top ten. But to rank them number 1 over teams like MCD, Windward, Redondo Union, Mater Dei, Centennial, St. Johns, and a few others
who played well at the Nike TOC is IMO not warranted at this point.
They shouldn't have been ranked as high as they came into the season ranked IMO. Just like previously I think Christ The King was ranked #1 in the preseason poll and after the Nike TOC they now have 4 loses. Obviously they also came into the season ranked too high. Teams like Paul VI, Bishop McNamara, and others who don't travel to get tested like St. Johns and New Hope(who is in their league does) should never be considered the #1 team in the nation when they don't have the SOS to validate calling them that.
I think Pinewood, Sierra Canyon, Etiwanda, Redondo Union, Mater Dei, and a few other well coached California teams might beat Bishop McNamara. And not only will Reguis Jesuit beat them, but they'd dunk on them too.
Undefeated teams that don't really play anybody are just that until they get into a real challenging contest or challenging tournament. Preferably on the road which is typically harder than rolling out of bed to play. So claiming any teams that are undefeated and therefore the best team in the nation at season's end, that hasn't truly been challenged, isn't so on the SOS ranking poll.
Tampa Bay Tech beat MCD by 1 point, and then loss to Plant by 4 points. So does that mean Plant is better than MCD? Or Tampa Bay Tech who beat MCD a team they most likely knew and because of that knew how to game plan and prepare, should we list Plant or Tampa Bay Tech ahead of MCD and everyone else? Just because they won a game head to head in their own backyard? And discount all that (SOS) THAT MCD accomplished
winning the Nike TOC a much more impressive feat? Knowing MCD has a stronger SOS than both Plant and Tampa Bay Tech combined. If Bear Creek were the only team to beat the number 1 team in the nation at season's end would Bear Creek take the number 1 spot because as Clay often says ( which I disagree because it doesn't take enough things into consideration) scoreboard never lies.
