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Tigers storybook season comes to crushing end against Long Beach Poly in state playoffs
Unfortunately, the Tigers, despite some solid performances, couldn’t quite get past their opponent’s aura and lost 70-59 to Long Beach Poly, a perennial powerhouse from the CIF Southern Section.
The loss came in the opening round of the California State Basketball Championships.
The Long Beach Poly Jackrabbits, who fell behind early, turned in an impressive second-half performance to end Lemoore’s hopes of a state title. All this came about despite yet another impressive performance from Lemoore’s Jaylunn English. All the talented center did Wednesday night was score 22 points to lead all scorers, and along with his double-figure rebounds and shot blocking prowess, kept his Tigers in the game in the first half.
The Tigers, implementing a no-holds barred offense and a stingy defense, led Poly at the quarter 17-15. It was a pair of 3-point shots by Jaylunn English and then Roger Wilson that had the Tigers up 6-4 early. Matt Borba and English added a pair of baskets for a 10-5 advantage before Poly’s Harrison Bonner sank a 3-pointer to take his team’s first lead at 13-12.
Jerold Campbell got the lead back with a pair of free throws and then Reggie Davis, with less than a second on the clock, calmly tossed in a half-court shot at the buzzer to hand his Tigers the lead at 17-15.
In the second quarter the Jackrabbits kept chipping away, and despite a thunderous dunk from English to close the gap to 30-28, Poly took a 34-30 advantage into the half.
The second half was pretty much all Long Beach as 6-3 guard Drew Buggs and Zafir Williams kept chipping away at the Tigers, and at one point, extended Poly’s lead to 19 points midway through the final period.
Buggs and Williams each finished with 21 points with most of their points coming in the second half. Buggs, a deft playmaker and ball handler, helped put the Tigers away with a big third quarter, scoring 9 points. Williams had 13 in the second half.
Davis and Wilson were also impressive in the Tigers’ loss. Each scored 9 points while Matt Borba turned in another solid performance with 10 points.
The Jackrabbits improved to 21-10 overall and will move on to the next round. Lemoore fell to an impressive 26-4, a record that includes a West Yosemite League title and Central Section Division II championship.
Long Beach will play El Camino Real High School in the next round. El Camino surprised No. 2 Cantwell-Sacred Heart Wednesday night.
