The562’s coverage of Long Beach Poly is sponsored by Bryson Financial.
Long Beach Poly’s boys’ basketball team has bounced around in different playoff divisions the last few years, but the Jackrabbits felt they were a top-tier team this year, and they proved they belong in Division 1 on Wednesday night in their playoff opener against St. Bernard. Both teams played physical, smart defense and both teams knocked down big shots when they needed to. In the end, the playmaking and scoring combo of Jovani Ruff and a clutch basket from Austin Unegbu were enough to send the Jackrabbits to the second round with a 54-50 victory.
“This feels great, it’s a blessing to be in one of the top divisions and it’s good to get that first win,” said the Cal signee Ruff, who had 22 points in the game. According to The562’s historical research and records, Ruff is now just 11 points away from the all-time Poly and Long Beach city career prep scoring record. He’ll have a chance to set that record on Friday as the Jackrabbits travel to Los Alamitos for a game that’s sure to be a blockbuster second-round contest.
St. Bernard came out on the front foot in the first quarter and the physicality of their defense seemed to bother the Jackrabbits, who found themselves in a 15-4 hole after the first quarter.
“We just weren’t playing hard enough, we were playing cool,” said Poly coach Shelton Diggs. “No offense but this is not a Moore League game–that’s a tough team with seniors that’s not trying to lose either. They took it right to us, we took that first punch then came back.”
Ruff said that he and his teammates looked up at the scoreboard after the first and told each other, “we’re not going out like this.”
Sure enough in the second quarter they turned up the defensive intensity and Ruff began to assert himself offensively, keying a 12-0 Poly run and scoring a dozen himself in the quarter. Isaac Hagens provided a spark off the bench including a big corner 3-pointer that helped push the Jackrabbits ahead. They won the second quarter 18-4 to take a three-point lead into halftime.
Poly threatened to pull away for much of the second half, but every time they came close to putting the game away, St. Bernard would get a big 3-pointer to keep themselves in it. With less than five minutes into the game, the Jackrabbits surged ahead by nine points after a layup by big man Jonas Oware and a fast break by Nana Ofoegbu. But St. Bernard didn’t quit, and back-to-back threes by Josh Palmer (22 points) would end up tying the game with just under two minutes left.
To Poly’s credit, the senior-laden squad did not panic. Instead they got the ball to Ruff, who drew the double-team then kicked to Austin Unegbu, who confidently drained the go-ahead 3-pointer.
“They were sending multiple guys all game and I wasn’t seeing the reads well enough earlier, but I drove to the basket and Austin was wide, and he hit a big shot like he always does,” said Ruff.
Diggs was happy with his team’s effort and to see them succeed at a high level.
“It’s Division 1 playoff basketball, there’s no easy game to ramp up,” he said. “It’s ready right from the jump. I told the guys we got to take this as a championship game today and let it all out. Now it’s get it back and let it all out again Friday. That’s what this playoff bracket is about.”
Poly will visit Los Al Friday at 7pm.
