The562’s coverage of Long Beach Wilson Athletics is sponsored by Joel Bitonio, Class of 2009.
It must’ve been a rousing halftime speech.
Wilson trailed Nordhoff by two after the first half of the CIF Southern Section Division 4AA boys’ basketball quarterfinals on Tuesday night in Long Beach. Willem Rutherford scored 22 points for Nordhoff in the first half, but the Bruins defense locked down after the break and held him to only two points in the second half.
“I think I said (Rutherford’s) ‘Number 21’ about a hundred times at halftime,” Wilson coach James Boykin said. “The kid just killed us in the first half, and (my guys) accepted the challenge. In the third quarter it was the effort and intensity that was the difference in the game.”
Wilson senior Michael Kirley sparked the comeback with a trio of 3-pointers in the third quarter that pushed the Bruins past visiting Nordhoff 77-72 and into the CIF semifinals. Wilson will host St. Bonaventure on Friday night in its first semifinal appearance in 15 years.
“Coach got on our butts during halftime and we just had to keep going and push,” Kirley said. “In the third quarter we came out and seemed like a different team. It was a great third quarter.”
Wilson’s Sean Oliver scored a game-high 24 points and fellow senior Keon Young chipped in 16 points while moving over to guard Rutherford in the second half.
“It feels awesome and I’m so happy for these dudes to get this far,” Boykin said. “This is a bid for (CIF State) and that’s how big this game was. They wanted it. We had a great practice yesterday and it carried over into today. The resiliency of this team showed again.”
The Bruins also rode the momentum created by the home crowd, just like they did in the quarterfinals.
“I just feed off the energy, I never feel tired when I hear the crowd,” Kirley said. “They just fuel my energy. It’s great. I’m so glad we have that student section here at Wilson.”
Rutherford was nearly unstoppable while converting four And-1 finishes and giving Nordhoff a seven-point lead in the first quarter.
In the beginning of the second quarter, consecutive And-1 layups from Young and Denis Kayembe sparked an 8-0 Wilson run that tied the game 21-21. Kayembe finished with 11 points.
Oliver then drilled back-to-back 3-pointers to put the Bruins up 27-21, but Rutherford made the last two baskets of the half to put Nordhoff up 34-32 at halftime.
Kirley made the first 3-pointer of the second half on his first attempt from behind the arc, and then forced a turnover at the other end that led to another And-1 finish for Oliver. It was all part of a 9-0 run.
“I thought in the first half that since I didn’t get many (shots) up they wouldn’t be covering me as hard,” Kirley said. “Then once I got my chance I was definitely going to get them up. I would say I felt a little pressure to make them after the last game, but I’ve just got to keep shooting.”
“Mikey hit some big shots in that third,” Boykin said. “He’s been here for four years and he’s seen a lot. There’s no substitution for experience.”
After outscoring Nordhoff 23-9 in the third quarter, Wilson led by as many as 13 in the fourth quarter.
Nordhoff made six 3-pointers in the fourth to pull within one-possession in the final minutes. Beckam Rutherford was key in the visitors with 18 points.
Wilson was able to maintain its lead by making 10 of its 16 free throw attempts in the second half.
Nordhoff made it 74-72 with five seconds left on the clock, but the visitors bench was called for a technical foul when their coach came onto the floor. Wilson would’ve inbounded the ball anyway, but instead Kirley calmly made both free throws to clinch the victory.
“It’s hard to dial in during the tough moments but I think that we’re battle tested,” Kirley said. “I’m glad we got the experience of playing those tough teams early on in the season.”
Wilson hasn’t won a CIF title since 1927.
“We can enjoy this but we have a mission and there’s no let up,” Boykin said. “Our ultimate goal is to put a banner up. We can’t exhale. We have to stay locked in.”
