The562’s coverage of Long Beach Poly Athletics for the 2025-26 school year is sponsored by Former Jackrabbits Wendell “WoWo” Moe, Jr. & Tyson Ruffins.
The562’s coverage of Millikan Athletics for the 2025-26 school year is sponsored by Brian Ramsey and TLD Law.
The Millikan boys’ basketball team has spent this season rewriting the history books.
With at least a share of the Moore League title in hand, the Rams crossed another item off their list of to-dos as they went into the Ron Palmer Pavilion and defeated Long Beach Poly 66-57 in front of a packed house.
The victory clinched an outright title for the Rams and the victory was the first time Millikan swept the Jackrabbits since the 2005-2006 season.
Senior Jojo Wicker did the heavy lifting for the Rams scoring 27 points while making seven 3-pointers as he had an answer anytime the Jackrabbits tried to mount a comeback. The Rams scored 13 threes on the night.
It was exactly the performance Millikan needed after freshman Quali Giran went down with a lower leg injury midway through the first quarter.
“I think I’m capable of moving up to those moments,” Wicker said of his clutch buckets. “Seeing quality come down, it was tough. So I knew somebody had to step up on the scoring because that’s our leading scorer. So I knew we had to do something.”
After Jeremiah Hunt gave Millikan a 5-0 point lead with the first of many threes the Rams would send through the net on the night. They’d eventually take a 10-4 run as they kept the Jackrabbits on their heels until Giran returned to the game with five minutes remaining in the first quarter.
Junior Isaac Hagens provided a big lift off the bench for Poly scoring seven points to cut Millikan’s first quarter lead to 15-11.
Wicker and Hagens scored the first three baskets of the second quarter as Millikan pushed their lead to 20-13. Nana Ofoegbu and Jonas Oware scored six straight points to cut the Rams’ lead to 20-19.
That’s when Giran responded with five points as the two teams went on runs. Wicker stopped a 5-0 run with his fourth three of the night to bring his total on the night to 16 as the Rams took a 30-28 lead at halftime.
“We all know that basketball is a game of runs,” Wicker said. “So we know they were going to go on their runs and we’re going to have our runs too.”
After the break Christian Parron made a quick basket and drawing a foul, he made the free throw that put Millikan up 33-28. However, Hagens responded with a three as Poly eventually tied the game 36-36.
That’s when Wicker continued his phenomenal night as he made his sixth three on the night as the Rams went on a 9-2 run to take a 45-38 lead. After Hunt made a basket to make it a 7-point lead Kamarie Smith responded for Poly making a three and after baskets by Ofoegbu and Hagens the Jackrabbits tied the game at 47.
That’s when Wicker answered right back as the Rams took a 49-47 lead after the third quarter.
“He came to us last year,” Millikan coach Stephon Price said of the impact Wicker has made. “He had that championship experience with his last school, so he knows how to win. So games like this, when stuff is going against you. He’s going to come through. So, I’m not surprised.”
Millikan led the rest of the way as Hunt scored his fourth three to bring his total to 16 on the night and Giran brought his total to 13 points.
Hagens scored a team-high 15 points, Smith had 11 and Jonas Oware had 10 for the Jackrabbits.
The Rams will look to complete their undefeated Moore League championship run when they host Compton on Tuesday, while Long Beach Poly will be back at home against Cabrillo.
