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Basketball Cabrillo Compton Jordan Lakewood Long Beach Poly Millikan Wilson

Basketball Roundup: Playoff Picture Coming Into Focus

Boys’ Basketball

With three days of games left (Friday, next Tuesday and Thursday) it’s all but certain that Long Beach Poly will be the league champion–at 9-0, they’d need to lose all three games to end up tied with Compton. Below them, Compton and Millikan are in second and third with Wilson and Lakewood in the mix for the fourth and final playoff spot. Lakewood hosts Millikan Friday in a critical game.

Poly 76, Lakewood 55 >> The Jackrabbits got out to a 17-0 lead and never looked back in a game that helped wash the taste of a big loss to Rancho Verde last weekend out of Poly’s mouth. “You get your butt kicked, you get back in the gym and get to work and you’re ready to come out sharp,” said Poly coach Shelton Diggs. Poly visits Wilson Friday then faces Fairfax on Saturday in the Nike Extravaganza at Mater Dei.

Click here for our video of Poly’s win over Lakewood.

Millikan 64, Wilson 55 >> The Rams got the win they needed to stay in control of their playoff destiny. Click here to read our article, click here to see our video, and click here to see our photo gallery.

Compton 108, Cabrillo 9

Girls’ Basketball

Poly went into Wednesday up a game on Millikan and Lakewood, then created some space by beating the Lancers. A win over Millikan next Tuesday would virtually assure them a league title. With the Rams and Lancers shoe ins for playoff spots, the bigger intrigue is whether Wilson or Compton will take the fourth and final guaranteed slot. If the two teams tie at the end of the regular season, there would be a one-game playoff on Friday of next week.

Poly 68, Lakewood 22 >> Long Beach Poly and Lakewood were separated by just one game coming into Wednesday’s matchup in the Ron Palmer Pavilion, but the Jackrabbits proved to be a step ahead. Poly applied its typical brand of stifling defense in a 68-22 victory.

The Jackrabbits led 19-7 after the first quarter and 38-10 at halftime. Lakewood was led by Kendall Stanley, who had 11 points, and Asia Jordan, who had five. The Jackrabbits were led by Ashley Lewis’ 13 points and 10 points apiece from Simone Morris and Kalaya Buggs. Poly is still the only undefeated team in the Moore League and could clinch another league title with a win at home against Millikan on Tuesday. The Jackrabbits host Windward on Saturday at 5 p.m.

Click here for our video.

Millikan 71, Wilson 33 >> Click here for our story, click here for our photo gallery, and click here for our video highlight.

Compton 72, Cabrillo 38

Mike Guardabascio
An LBC native, Mike Guardabascio has been covering Long Beach sports professionally for 13 years, with his work published in dozens of Southern California magazines and newspapers. He's won numerous awards for his writing as well as the CIF Southern Section’s Champion For Character Award, and is the author of three books about Long Beach history.
http://The562.org