The562’s coverage of Long Beach Wilson Athletics is sponsored by Joel Bitonio, Class of 2009.
The562’s coverage of Lakewood Athletics is sponsored by J.P. Crawford, Class of 2013.
It’s been a three-team race in the final weeks of the Moore League girls’ basketball season, with a new champion set to be crowned for the first time in 20 years.
The second-to-last week of the season featured two of those three teams in Wilson and Lakewood, as the first-place Lancers entered Wilson’s gym with a chance to clinch a Moore League title. But any championship crowning will have to wait after Wednesday night’s result, as the Bruins overcame an eight-point fourth-quarter deficit to earn a 28-26 senior night win and keep the title race open.
“It was really special because tonight was by far our best game in terms of effort,” Waddles said. “Effort is contagious. Once one girl hit the floor, you saw other girls hitting the floor, and they wanted it. Even when we were down going into the fourth, we hit a couple big shots and got us right back into it, and they believed. They never stopped believing, and that’s just what this team does.”
One of those players with contagious effort was sophomore Emily Alvarez-Smith, who suffered an ankle sprain midway through the second half. Alvarez-Smith rushed to the trainer’s table to get it checked out before returning to the game, finishing with a team-high nine points, including a huge three-pointer in the fourth quarter.
“The trainers told me that they couldn’t wrap it and that I wouldn’t be able to play, but I told them I’d just try and stay off of it until the game ends because I know my team really wanted this win,” Alvarez-Smith said. “Lakewood is one of the top teams and we just really wanted to get the win.”
“She’s got a lot of heart,” Waddles added. “We’re a young team and we’re learning on the go, so a lot of mistakes were made. But Emily is a great player and she works hard for us. She takes a beating every night but she just keeps on keeping on.”
The sophomore’s spark came at the right time after a monstrous third quarter from Lakewood. It was the only quarter in which the Lancers outscored Wilson, knocking down five field goals—all from beyond the arc. After coming out of the half trailing by four, Lakewood’s 15-point swing gave it an eight-point lead heading into the fourth.
That’s when Alvarez-Smith nailed her three-pointer to open the fourth, before a bucket down the lane from Ty’shana Alexander. Junior Kennedy People then stepped up with back-to-back three-pointers, including one to tie the game and another to take the lead.
Both teams made trips to the line in the final minute, as Alvarez-Smith knocked down a free throw to extend the lead to three. Then, with three seconds remaining, Lakewood’s Aniyah Lindsey was fouled from behind the arc and sent to the line with a chance to tie the game. Lindsey went one-for-three at the line, allowing time to expire as Wilson held on for the win.
“Again, our team just does not give up,” Waddles said. “We were down 18-2 to them the last time we played before playing one of our best quarters of the season. So this team doesn’t surprise me, especially with their defense, and that’s what we saw tonight.”
Wilson can no longer win the championship outright but still has a chance to claim a share. The Bruins would need a win over Jordan and a Lakewood loss to split the title with the Lancers. Wilson could also be part of a three-way tie with Lakewood and Jordan if it beats Jordan, Lakewood loses to Compton, and Jordan falls to Long Beach Poly. A title would be the Bruins’ first since splitting with Millikan in 2006.
“All we can control is our preparation for Jordan,” Waddles said. “We had a great game with them here earlier this season. Jordan has a great team and a great coach, and they will 100% be prepared. We just have to make sure that we’re prepared too, and it starts with effort and defense.”
Lakewood has still all but clinched at least a share of the Moore League title and can win it outright with a win over Compton on Friday and a loss by Jordan to either Long Beach Poly or Wilson. An outright title would be Lakewood’s first since 1991, while a shared title would be its first since a year later in 1992.
Jordan has a chance to claim a share of the title if it can win out against Poly and Wilson and Compton defeats Lakewood. It would be Jordan’s first title since winning it outright in 1996.
