LONG BEACH – Corona del Mar’s boys basketball team wanted a freshman to take the most important shot of the game.
It was no ordinary freshman the Sea Kings were relying on with nine seconds left in the game and trailing Long Beach Poly by three points in the CIF Southern Section Division 2A semifinals. Maxwell Scott had scored 33 points.
Scott got the ball behind the 3-point arc. Long Beach Poly expected that. Two taller Poly players converged quickly on Scott whose challenged 3-point shot was two feet short of the rim, and the Sea Kings lost to the Jackrabbits 57-54 at Long Beach Poly High.
Long Beach Poly (24-8) will face San Gabriel Academy or Marina, who play their semifinal on Saturday night, in the 2A championship next week. The date and location for the final will be announced Monday.
The season continues for Corona del Mar (25-7) in the CIF Southern California Regional playoffs that begin Feb. 27.
Scott, a 6-foot-2 guard, made four 3-pointers. He is a very polished high school freshman. His ability to see openings, to get open and shot selection is unusually mature for his grade level.
“That’s a good freshman,” said Poly coach Shelton Diggs. “He played well. He made some big shots.”
Poly junior guard Jovani Ruff made big shots, too. He scored 24 points.
Scott made a 3-pointer with 1:01 left in the game to give Corona del Mar a 54-52 lead. Ruff made a 3-pointer 10 seconds later to Poly back on top 55-54.
Jackrabbits sophomore Nana Ofoegbu made two free throws with 9.9 seconds left to supply the final three-point margin.
When Corona del Mar coach Jason Simco drew up the play that he hoped would get the Sea Kings a game-tying 3 he figured Poly would be all over Scott. He wanted Scott to get the last-shot opportunity, but figured that might be unrealistic.
“He was kind of our secondary option,” Simco said. “I wanted to go to a senior. I thought (the situation) was a senior thing and I thought (Poly) was going to take (Scott) away so he was our secondary option.”
Scott, scoring on drives and from an abundance of spots on the floor including a couple of corner 3s, scored nine points in the first quarter and nine in the second to give him 18 points at halftime. He then scored 12 in the third quarter to lead Corona del Mar to a 45-44 lead going into the fourth quarter.
The Sea Kings had a 50-46 lead on a 3 by Luke Mirhashemi with 5:15 left in the game. They were outscored 11-4 from there.
Corona del Mar 6-6 junior Jackson Harlan scored six points with eight rebounds. Mirhashemi scored 9 points.
Long Beach Poly has advanced to its 33rd CIF-SS boys basketball championship game. The Jackrabbits are 16-16 in CIF-SS boys basketball finals.