usa today week 8 comparison

Since we just got done with the Long Beach Press-Telegram's version of the "National" and "West Coast" Polls, why not see how they stack up against Dave Krider's USA Today Super 25 for "week 8", which presumably is as of last week, ending with January 31. So here's USA Today's Super 25 Boys' Basketbal Rankings

Last week: 1. Update: Winning streak at 28 with 70-47 victory against then-No. 24 Mount Zion Christian (Durham, N.C.) towin Charm City Classic northwest bracket at Towson State University. MVP Damien Wilkins had 31 points. Jeff Capel had 28 points in 66-43 semifinal victory against Newport (Kensington). Next: Tuesday vs. Chambersburg (Pa.) at Frederick Community College.

Last week: 3. Update: Quentin Richardson had 20 points and 20 rebounds in 68-55 victory against Farragut (Chicago). Next: Tuesday at Marshall (Chicago).

Last week: 4. Update: Handed then-No. 9 Plymouth-Whitemarsh (Plymouth Meeting, Pa.) its first loss, 63-57, in Lehigh Valley Hoop Festival at Bethlehem, Pa. Al Harrington had 22 points and Jermaine Clark 21. Harrington had 21 points and 17 rebounds in 70-47 victory against Marist (Bayonne). Jerome Holman had 10 rebounds and 11 assists. Played Monday vs. Piscataway. Next: Saturday vs. Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.) in Nike Extravaganza at Cal-Irvine.

Last week: 6. Update: Shawn Fields averaged 15.5 points and David Graves 14.5 points in victories against West Jessamine (Nicholasville) 91-70 and Lexington Christian 88-24. Next: Tuesday vs. East Jessamine (Nicholasville).

Last week: 14. Update: Handed then-No. 2 DeMatha (Hyattsville, Md.) its first loss, 68-63, before 9,112 in DeMatha Invitational at MCI Center in Washington, D.C., as Derrick Jones scored 21 points. Eric Bush had seven steals. Bush scored 13 points in 64-51 victory against Carmel before 6,000. Next: Tuesday at Kokomo.

Last week: 2. Update: Suffered first loss, 68-63, to then-No. 14 Anderson (Ind.) in DeMatha Invitational at MCI Center in Washington, D.C. Keith Bogans scored 30 points, but team had 19 turnovers to four for Anderson. Bogans had 27 points and six steals in 58-56, double-overtime victory against Gonzaga (Washington, D.C.). Daryl Greene hit winning 10-foot jump shot with 0:03 remaining. Next: Tuesday vs. St. Vincent Pallotti (Laurel) at Catholic University.

Last week: 7. Update: Winning streak at 17 with 58-46 victory against Aiken (Cincinnati) in final of Ryle Raider Classic at Union, Ky. MVP Souleymane Camara and Kevin Lyde each had 16 points. Each struck for 16 points in 75-28 rout of Ryle. Lyde had 18 points in 82-55 victory against Redemption Christian (Troy, N.Y.). Played Monday vs. Victory Christian (Charlotte). Next: Tuesday vs. Providence Day (Charlotte).

Last week: 8. Update: Winning streak at 16 with 73-46 victory against Coral Gables as Udonis Haslem scored 14 points. Next: Wednesday vs. Killian (Miami) in semifinals of GMAC County tournament.

Last week: 10. Update: Steve Logan averaged 21 points and six assists in victories against Maple Heights 87-72 and Benedictine (Cleveland) 74-58. Sam Clancy had 27 points and 16 rebounds against Benedictine. Next: Tuesday at Bedford.

Last week: 5. Update: Thirty-game winning streak ended with 58-56 upset loss to Adelphi (Brooklyn, N.Y.). Amin Norris had 15 points. Josh Moore scored 19 points in 86-49 victory against Bishop Brady (Concord, N.H.) at Rutgers University. Next: Saturday vs. No. 13 Bishop Loughlin (Brooklyn, N.Y.) in Battle of the Bay at Atlantic City High.

Last week: 11. Update: Marshall Williams averaged 17 points in victories against Milwaukee teams South 88-36 and Juneau 76-48. Next: Tuesday vs. Hamilton (Milwaukee).

Last week: 12. Update: Defeated De La Salle (Chicago) 74-65 as Corey Maggette had 32 points, 17 rebounds and eight steals. Maggette and Chris Williams had 24 points each in 67-60 victory against St. Francis De Sales (Chicago). Next: Friday at Weber (Chicago).

Last week: 13. Update: Brian Brown scored 30 points in 91-46 rout of St. Francis (Queens). Clifford Strong had 21 points and 19 rebounds in 71-48 victory against Monsignor McClancy (Queens). Next: Tuesday vs. Holy Cross (Queens).

Last week: 9. Update: Winning streak stopped at 25 with 63-57 loss to then-No. 4 St. Patrick (Elizabeth, N.J.) in Lehigh Valley Hoop Festival at Bethlehem, Pa. John Salmons scored 18 points. Salmons had 23 points in 51-39 victory against Quakertown. Next: Tuesday at Cheltenham.

Last week: 15. Update: Tayshaun Prince averaged 30.3 points and 10.6 rebounds in victories against Downey 90-48, Lynwood 94-81 and Compton 72-47. Keith Kincade averaged 16.6 points. Next: Wednesday vs. Gahr (Cerritos).

Last week: 16. Update: Tim Lyles had 26 points, six assists and five steals in 71-55 victory against Southwestern (Baltimore). Next: Tuesday at Forest Park (Baltimore).

Last week: 17. Update: Kenny Crandall averaged 21.5 points in victories against Gilbert 52-43 and Mesa 59-49. Next: Tuesday at Cibola (Yuma).

Last week: 18. Update: Ronald Curry averaged 27 points in victories against Newport News opponents Denbigh 79-65, Woodside 61-54 and Menchville 70-59. Bobby Blizzard scored 23 points and Johnny Story had 17 rebounds against Menchville. Next: Tuesday at Phoebus (Hampton).

Last week: 19. Update: Casey Rogers averaged 18.5 points and 13 assists in victories against Alexander Central (Taylorsville) 80-40 and McDowell (Marion) 86-46. Dennis Mims set school record with 13 blocks against Alexander Central. Next: Tuesday vs. East Burke (Icard).

Last week: 20. Update: David Bluthenthal scored 21 points in 85-71 victory against Fairfax (Los Angeles). Tony Bland andAlbert Miller each scored 21 points in 87-70 victory against Los Angeles High. Next: Wednesday at Venice.

Last week: 21. Update: Shane Schilling averaged 28.5 points in victories against Cooper (Robinsdale) 85-48 and St. LouisPark 72-62. Jake Kuppe scored 23 points against St. Louis Park. Next: Friday at Armstrong (Robinsdale).

Last week: 22. Update: D.A. Layne averaged 16.6 points in victories against Milton (Alpharetta) 79-40, Sequoyah (Canton) 89-51 and Campbell (Smyrna) 80-69. Next: Tuesday at Walton (Marietta).

Last week: Not ranked. Update: Eric Jackson scored 14 points in 49-46 victory against American Fork. Next: Wednesdayat Payson.

Last week: 25. Update: Defeated Parkway West (Ballwin) 52-46 to win Maryville Coca-Cola Classic at St. Louis. Scott Brewster had 20 points. Terry Laney scored 21 points in 57-40 semifinal victory against Eureka. Next: Tuesday at Parkway South (Ballwin).

Dropped out: No. 24 Mount Zion Christian (Durham, N.C.) (19-5), lost to No. 1 St. John's at Prospect Hall (Frederick, Md.)
70-47.

So maybe Huff and those other 35 guys aren't so wrong after all. But I still believe that if you matched up Mt. Zion with Westchester or with Dominguez, that Mt. Zion would still probably come out on top.

USA Today West Rankings

West Coast Poll--Press-Telegram

1. Dominguez, Compton, Calif. (16-3)

2. Mountain View, Mesa, Ariz. (25-1)

3. Westchester, Los Angeles (18-3)

4. Provo, Utah (13-2)

5. Artesia, Lakewood, Calif. (22-1)

6. Columbine, Littleton, Colo. (14-0)

7. St. Joseph Notre Dame, Alameda, Calif. (18-3)

8. Crenshaw, Los Angeles (12-2)

9. Mercer Island, Wash. (18-1)

10. Churchill, Eugene, Ore. (15-1)

1. Mountain View, Mesa, Az (25-1)

2. Dominguez, Compton, CA (16-3)

3. St. Joseph-Notre Dame, Alameda, CA (16-3)

4. Westchester, Los Angeles, CA (16-3)

5. Mercer Island, Seattle, Wa. (18-1)

6. Artesia, Lakewood, CA (18-3)

7. Vallejo High, Vallejo, CA (20-1)

8. Franklin High, Seattle, Wa. (14-2)

9. Washington Union High, Fresno, CA (18-3)

10. Mt. Vernon High, Washington (14-1)

So who is more "accurate"? We don't know. Which one do we like better? We don't know. And really, after all is said and done, what does this really mean, except a lot of exposure for a lot of good programs, which on any given day could probably all beat each other. Truly "mythical" rankings if you ask us.