Frank Burlison

LAKEWOOD, Ca. – It was, to pounce on a cliché, old school high school basketball at its best:

*The Long Beach Poly High and host Lakewood boys’ teams hooked up Thursday evening, with a Moore League title on the line;

*The Lancers’ gymnasium was filled (as much as a high school gym can be “filled” in the COVID Era) with students, family members, alumni and faculty members who were vested, emotionally, in the outcome of the game;

*Head coaches Sheldon Diggs (LBP) and Duane Cooper (Lakewood) are graduates of, and former standouts for, their schools;

*At class reunions 20 years hence, the seniors involved in the game will be asked by their fellow alumni about the game and this season.

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LONG BEACH, Ca. – The St. Bernard and Bishop Montgomery squads get two pops at one other this weekend with a Del Rey League boys’ basketball championship – and playoff implications – at stake.

Wednesday night, in Jack Errion Gymnasium and on Darrick Martin Court on the St. Anthony campus, the visiting St. Bernard Vikings rallied from 12-point deficit at intermission to topple the Saints, 52-48.

And, in Torrance, the host Bishop Montgomery Knights, leading by just three points at the half, dominated the third quarter and knocked off Serra, 68-50.

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LA VERNE, Ca. – “Senior Night” had a two-fold meaning at Damien High Monday night.

With the last regular-season home game on tap with its Baseline League clash on tap a few minutes later in the school’s Athletic Center, the Spartans’ program honored its senior class in a ceremony.

And, appropriately enough, four of those seniors had big roles in their 59-45 victory over the visiting Eagles.

Class of 2022 starters Spivey Word, R.J. Smith and Kaleb Smith combined for 13 of their team’s 15 fourth-quarter points to help the Spartans snap a nine-game losing streak to Etiwanda while bringing a halt to the Eagles’ 26-game Baseline winning streak, as well.

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SANTA ANA, Ca. – Four CIF Southern Section boys’ basketball teams collected important “Open Division-related” victories during Saturday’s second day of the 27^th Mater Dei/Nike Extravaganza.

The Open Division’s defending champions – the Corona Centennial Huskies – wrapped up the nine-game slate on Saturday by rallying from a 12-point deficit in the first half and edging Henderson (NV) Coronado, 80-71.

The other victories that figure to makeup and/or seedings in the eight-team field that is unveiled on February 7 were:

*Studio City Harvard-Westlake (76-68 vs.

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SANTA ANA, Ca. – The Valley Christian and Rolling Hills Prep high teams pulled out down-to-the-wire victories in the first two games played Friday during the first day of the 27^th Mater Dei/Nike Extravaganza in the on-campus Meruelo Athletic Center.

*Senior guard Nathan Medina hit a turn-around, 21-footer from the top of the key with 4.9 seconds to go to give Valley Christian its 63-60 victory over St. Margaret’s.

Sophomore guard Jacob Bayla led the Defenders with 26 points and three steals while another sophomore guard, Russell Frye, scored 20 with six assists for the Tartans.

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