First, I don't really know who Alex Carbonel is, and I don't coach with the Cal Stars (except in a spring rec league with sixth graders who sign up through Ultimate Fieldhouse in Walnut Creek). I saw the Cal Stars Elite team play once this year, in Rocklin.
Doc and I get along well, and to reference one of the points made, I don't think he cares that much about national rankings -- which is fine. Many programs don't, and don't tailor their schedules for rankings, which is also fine. Doc has never said a word to me about national rankings, and my impression is he really doesn't care that much about them. If he did, he knows what he needs to do, which is travel, and he's told me he doesn't like to travel. (I don't like to travel either, so I'm with him.)
I basically do the national rankings for MaxPreps, though I connect with contacts around the country. My name is on them, and I own them (for whatever they're worth).
Salesian did beat Centennial, my mistake, and here's one time knowing too much hurts: In that win, in the first round of the Nike TOC, Centennial coach Karen Weitz benched her best player and three other D-1 players for being consistently late. Of course the scoreboard doesn't lie, so that's a win for Salesian over a top 10 team. My bad ... and Pinewood beat Salesian, so indirectly, Pinewood gets some credit there.
But still, "doing more with less" implies "doing more" -- and that would be beating another team in the top 25 head-to-head, which Pinewood has not done. There are a lot of undefeated teams around the country with not much talent, and they also have done "more with less" -- should they be ranked too? Or only Pinewood?
Now if Pinewood had gone to the Nike TOC, or the Crescom, or Title IX, and beaten two or three teams with multiple Power 5 girls and multiple D-1s, then indeed they would be doing more with less. As I see it, Pinewood is beating quality teams that are about its level, and not necessarily by large margins. Pinewood lacks a true post, and is small up and down the lineup. They are well coached, play great defense, can shoot well, and play smart, all to their credit. But truthfully, there are a lot of teams around the country that fit that description.
Still Pinewood is deservedly in the top 25, and presumably will stay there until deep into the California postseason, given the relatively weak upcoming schedule. Realistically, it's a two- or three-game season, with Mitty and the SoCal champ the only potentially elite opponents they will play that they haven't already beaten. If they win those games, and finish unbeaten, the top ten seems likely, and maybe the top five. But the resume is really a little thin for that rarefied ranking ... though again, I don't think Doc really cares that much about it.
