The Long Beach Unified School District hosted its All-City Middle School boys’ basketball championships last weekend at Millikan High, two out of three favorites took home titles.
Division 1
The Hoover basketball team had unfinished business.
After losing in the division one championship a year ago, the Highlanders went into Saturday’s championship game undefeated and looking to beat No. 2-seed Stanford to complete their redemption season.
King Harris made sure Hoover did just that as he scored 41 points to pace the Highlanders as they defeated the Hawks 82-58 to complete their perfect 8-0 season and claim the division 1 title at Millikan.
“We knew all year that we had the talent to win,” Hoover coach Rick Crabtree said. “It was coming together as a team, that was kind of a difficult process. We see guys that play on different teams come together and be a team.”
The Hawks put their best foot forward as Stanford’s starting five each scored to take an early 14-7 lead in the first quarter. Jamin Harper led that early stretch scoring four points.
“Stanford is a great team,” Hoover coach Rick Crabtree said. “They played great team basketball. Fortunately, we just have a lot of, you know, really good players that can overcome that.”
Harris and Major Gaines combined to score 10 points down the stretch as the Highlanders led 19-17 after the first period.
Harper and Yoni Waxman got off to a nice start in the second period as they combined for five points to tie the game at 21, however Harris and Gaines continued to push the pace as they combined for eight points as Hoover took a 29-21 lead.
The Highlanders kept that pace as Gaines and Harris continued the pace as Hoover scored 23 points in the second period as they took a 42-30 lead at halftime. Harris had a game-high 18 points at the break and Gaines had 13 while Stanford’s Harper had 14.
Hoover extended the lead to 46-30 early in the third quarter, but Harper scored eight of his 29 points in the third period as he looked to keep Stanford in the game. But, Harris had an answer for Harper as he scored 12 points as Hoover extended that lead to 64-44.
“He’s one of the best players, not just in Long Beach, but in the country,” Crabtree said of Harris. “He’s like literally a ranked player. I’m sure that some of the people that were here on the stands were here to watch him play specifically.”
Harris put the game out of reach in the fourth as he scored the Highlanders first 11 points as they pushed the lead to 75-51. Gaines also scored in double digits for Hoover with 17. For Stanford, Waxman scored nine to go with Harper’s 29.
Division 2
Story by 562 high school intern Bella Correa
After suffering a loss to Lindbergh during the regular season, the Lindsey Falcons earned their revenge Saturday morning, defeating the Lindbergh Eagles 45-38 to win the Division 2 title.
The championship game tipped off with neither team having reached last year’s title game.
The opening minutes were scoreless until 8th-grader Chadeyn Young connected on a 3-pointer to jump-start Lindsey’s offense. The first quarter featured missed chances on both sides, but Lindsey began to find rhythm as Young, Donyel Dotson, Donald Sledge and Angel Mendoza each scored. Lindsey led 14-8 after one quarter.
Lindbergh stayed within striking distance behind eighth-grader Leebois-E Word, who scored all eight of the Eagles’ first-quarter points and finished as the team’s leading scorer.
The Eagles opened the second quarter with Sha’mon Williams drawing a foul on a 3-point attempt and converting two free throws. Williams, Word and Jacob Rodriguez led Lindbergh’s offense in the period.
Lindsey continued to extend its lead as Sledge, Young, Mendoza, Knowledge Whalem and Ar’jay Clayton combined for 12 second-quarter points. Whalem and Clayton were the only non-eighth-graders to score in the game, helping the Falcons take a 26-18 lead into halftime.
Physical play and frequent fouls highlighted the third quarter, with Angel Mendoza leading Lindsey in scoring and free-throw attempts.
“My mentality was to just play like any other game and be confident,” Mendoza said.
Lindbergh received points from Sha’mon Williams, Leebois-E Word and Corday Randolph, but trailed 38-28 entering the fourth quarter.
Neither team scored for several minutes in the final period before Donyel Dotson broke the drought. Lindbergh cut the deficit to six late, but Lindsey held on for the win.
“We had to get Lindbergh back,” Lindsey coach Jamaul Huff said.
Division 3
Story by 562 high school intern Preston Holland
In the final contest of the day, the IVA Foxes capped off a perfect season with a 43-29 win over the Jefferson Jaguars in the division 3 title game.
From the opening tip, it was clear both teams were locked in. The Foxes and Jaguars played with urgency and intensity, matching each other possession for possession in a physical first half. Strong defensive efforts on both sides limited clean looks at the basket, as points were hard to come by.
IVA held a slim 18-15 lead at halftime, thanks to disciplined defense and timely scoring that kept Jefferson from gaining momentum.
The pace picked up in the second half as both teams applied full-court pressure early in the third quarter. IVA responded by turning defense into offense, with Amir Knight and Jordan Dorsey leading the charge. The duo helped the Foxes stretch their lead to 34-24 by the end of the third quarter.
IVA head coach Dylan Frazier credited the Foxes’ aggressive press for creating separation.
“We wanted to push the tempo and wear them down,” Frazier said. “The guys executed and stayed locked in.”
Emotions boiled over in the fourth quarter with back-to-back technical fouls, but IVA remained composed. The Foxes continued to control the game, extending their lead while shutting down Jefferson’s attempts at a comeback.
Despite the Jaguars’ effort, IVA’s defense held firm down the stretch, allowing the Foxes to close out the championship victory.
The title marks a significant milestone for IVA, which failed to qualify for the playoffs last season.
