At best, Turlock High coach Doug Cornfoot thought his boys basketball team could be a No. 12 or 13 seed in the playoffs. That’s because, he said, “there are so many good teams in Division I this year.”

So imagine his reaction after he found out his Bulldogs’ position in the Sac-Joaquin Section’s first power ratings in D-I. Yes, that’s right: Turlock is seeded eighth, which means the Bulldogs would host a first-round playoff game if the playoffs started this week.

“I hope the kids see that we have a good chance to host a home playoff game,” Cornfoot said. “We need to keep winning in order to do that. We can’t come into any game taking a team lightly. I think you can say every game from here on out will be a playoff game.”

The basketball power ratings released Monday were the first of three this season that will determine the top 16 playoff teams for each division. In all, seven teams from the Turlock area are in good standings.

Turlock and Turlock Christian girls earned the highest seeds, as they’re at No. 3 in D-I and D-V, respectively — followed by Pitman at No. 7 in D-I. The top eight teams will open the playoffs at home.

Rounding out girls basketball are Hilmar (No. 12 at D-IV) and Denair (No. 16 at D-IV).

“I like our chances at numbers 1-3 seedings,” Turlock Christian girls coach Edwin Santiago said. “After that, it becomes more challenging. If these were the final seedings, I would be very happy.”

The only other boys team to be seeded high enough for a playoff berth is Denair, which holds down the No. 7 position in D-IV.

The second power rating will be released Feb. 7, with the third one coming on Feb. 14 before the final playoff brackets are posted Feb. 20.

To contact Chhun Sun, e-mail csun@turlockjournal.com or call 634-9141 ext. 2041.