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Basketball Millikan Wilson

Boys’ Basketball: Millikan In First After Win Over Wilson

STORY AND VIDEO BY MATT SIMON

The Millikan boys basketball team needed to recalibrate after a disappointing loss on Saturday at the Ron Massey Tip Off Classic.

The Rams (12-5, 4-0) did just that as they cruised to a 52-36 win over Long Beach Wilson on Monday night.

After a frustrating offensive night, Rob Diaz got things going early with two quick layups to put Millikan up 6-0 forcing the Bruins to take a timeout.

Diaz wasn’t the only Ram to get into the action as Millikan had nine different players score; he did lead all scorers with 14 points.

“We’re just glad to survive a win here,” Millikan coach Nate Berger said. “Defense was our focus here tonight and holding them down.”

Kalen Goland was a big part of that as the senior helped hold Wilson’s Jackson Barnhill and Tommy Brascia to seven points total on the night.

That was a big feat for Millikan as Wilson (11-8, 1-3) was forced to rely on its outside shot and fell short going 3-for-20 from behind the arc.

“The disappointing thing about tonight, is that we’ve been playing some really good basketball,” Wilson coach James Boykin said. “This game indicative of how we were playing in the Fall league. The game plan we had in place; the guys kind of went the exact opposite way.”

Wilson will look to rebound when they host Long Beach Poly on Wednesday and Millikan will look to remain unbeaten in league play when they host Lakewood.

VIDEO: Millikan vs. Wilson Boys’ Basketball

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.
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