The562’s coverage of Cabrillo Athletics is sponsored by the Cohn Family.
The562’s coverage of Long Beach Wilson Athletics is sponsored by Joel Bitonio, Class of 2009.
The wild and crazy Moore League boys’ basketball season added another thrilling chapter on Thursday night at Browning High School.
With Wilson’s gym leaking due to heavy rain overnight, the Bruins found a temporary home for a must-win game against Cabrillo. Things got close in the final minute, but the Bruins held on for a wire-to-wire 57-52 victory. Their win sets up a rematch with Cabrillo on Friday night to determine the Moore League’s fourth automatic qualifier for the CIF playoffs.
“I’m extremely, extremely proud,” said Wilson head coach James Boykin of his team’s victory. “You never know what you’re gonna get with a young team like we have. So for these guys to step up in a must-win game, I attribute a lot of that to all the battles we’ve been through this year … That’s our senior night, and we’re not even at home. But for all the stuff that we’ve been through, and I always tell the team, there’s no excuses. No matter what happens, we have to figure it out to be successful. And they did.”
The young talent came through for the Bruins, who relied on a pair of ninth graders to play big minutes in the win. Freshman big man Andre Alvarez-Smith was a major x-factor for Wilson, helping his team create separation in the third quarter.
After Wilson led 17-14 at halftime, the Bruins took charge in the third to take their biggest lead of the night, 36-23, and ultimately led by 10 going into the final quarter. Alvarez-Smith scored the first 10 Wilson points of the second half, and actually scored 14 consecutive points for his team going back to the first half.
Boykin and his coaching staff decided to start both of their post players to begin the third quarter, pairing Alvarez-Smith with senior Hayden Rodriguez. The result was the Bruins dominating on the offensive glass, getting extra opportunities to score in a game starved for offense.
“Both teams weren’t really making shots all night, so we wanted to go inside and see what happens,” Boykin said. “And the freshman stepped up, I was proud of him. He really stepped up and was dominant in the paint for that first five-six minutes of the third quarter.”
“I feel good,” said Alvarez-Smith after scoring a team-high 16 points. “We all have chemistry, we’re all a family, and my teammates are helping me get better. We don’t care if we mess up, we learn from that mistake and keep going.”
Things intensified dramatically in the fourth quarter as Cabrillo was able to double its score from the first three quarters. The Jags pulled within two, 54-52, with 16 seconds left on the clock. After a Wilson turnover on the ensuing in-bounds pass, the ball went back to the Jags with the chance to tie or take the lead.
However, the Wilson defense came up with another huge play, as junior Natahniel Parris intercepted the Cabrillo inbounds pass, then drove the length of the floor for a game-clinching three-point play, setting off an uproar from the traveling Wilson faithful.
Parris finished with 11 points for the Bruins while senior Airus Allen was also in double figures with 10.
Kaleb Curry (17 points) and Lincoln Dean (22 points) carried the scoring load for the Jags, especially in the fourth quarter. After Wilson’s defense bogged down the Jags with their length and shot-blocking, things finally opened up for Cabrillo in the final eight minutes. After making just six buckets in the first three quarters combined, the Jags made seven field goals (and 10 free throws) in the final period.
Dean had 11 of his points in the fourth quarter, while Curry added 10, going a perfect 6/6 at the charity stripe. Irvin Choice drilled a three-pointer for Cabrillo to cut the Wilson lead down to three points with 37 seconds left on the clock, getting the Jags within striking distance. Then after a Parris bucket the other way, Dean quickly splashed his second three of the night, getting the Jags as close as they’d been since it was 13-13 in the second quarter.
Wilson was able to weather the storm in the fourth thanks in large part to sophomore point guard Jeremiah Graham, who scored all eight of his points in crunch time. He was able to score on three consecutive floaters in the lane, and each time they helped thwart a Cabrillo run.
“I’m really proud of that kid, and I’ll tell you why–I’m so hard on him,” said Boykin of Graham. “I’m hard on him just as a point guard and because I know how good he can be, and the steps he needs to make to be better. For him to come out and take how I am on him, and to be able to step up in this game says a lot about him, and how far he’s come as a player and as a young man to step up like this. So I’m really proud of that kid.”
Unfortunately, the evening ended on a sour note that took the attention away from the game. Following the postgame handshake, a Wilson parent attempted to confront Coach Boykin on the court, and another hit a campus security officer in the face. The Long Beach Police Department was then called out to deal with another altercation involving parents in the parking lot.
Thursday night’s drama now sets a compelling backdrop for Friday’s rematch between these two schools. The winner will claim fourth place in the final Moore League standings, which comes with an automatic playoff berth. The Bruins are seeking their second consecutive playoff appearance while the Jags are looking for their first trip to the playoffs since 2013.
The game will be played at Lakewood High School at 7 p.m. on Friday.
