Lynwood Gains Title Game by Beating Poly

Lynwood High knocked off Long Beach Poly, 72-62, Tuesday night and advanced to the Southern Section CIF boys I-AA championship game.

The Knights (25-5) will play Capistrano Valley of Mission Viejo (27-3) at the Los Angeles Sports Arena Saturday at 8:30 p.m. The Cougars defeated Jordan, 67-55, Tuesday night.

In one of the feature games of the finals, second-seeded Artesia (25-3) meets top-seeded Glendora (30-0) in the boys II-AA final at 2:45 p.m. Saturday at the Sports Arena. The game features the younger brothers of UCLA teammates Ed O’Bannon and Tracy Murray.

Junior Charles O’Bannon scored 26 points Tuesday night to pace the Artesia Pioneers to a 58-47 semifinal victory over Rio Mesa of Oxnard. O’Bannon averages 23 points a game. Sophomore guard Cameron Murray sank two free throws with two seconds remaining Tuesday night to lift the Tartans over Tustin, 57-55, in the other semifinal. He averages 20 points a game. The two underclassmen are expected to be among the top recruits in the country in their senior seasons.

The game also showcases Artesia’s Avondre Jones, a 6-foot-11 center, who averages 17 points and 12.5 rebounds a game. But in the playoffs he has excelled at blocking shots. During one stretch of the third quarter against Rio Mesa he blocked eight consecutive shots. He averaged six blocked shots during the regular season.

Glendora junior guard Adam Jacobsen, ranked third in the Southern Section in three-point efficiency, is another key player for the Tartans.

In another boys Southern Section final, Pius X (22-5) plays top-seeded Santa Clara (24-3) at Ventura College at 7:30 p.m. for the Division IV-AA title. Pius X defeated Banning, 73-66, Tuesday night, and Santa Clara ousted St. Anthony, 62-60.

South Gate plays Fremont at 6:30 p.m. Friday at the Sports Arena in the City Section 3-A title game.

In girls basketball, Olympic League champion Valley Christian (24-4), the second-seeded team in Division IV-A, plays in Santa Maria against St. Joseph (14-12) Friday night at 7:30. Valley Christian is headed by Coach Eleanor Dykstra. Dykstra led the Crusaders to a Southern Section title in 1987.

In boys soccer scheduled for Saturday, Cerritos plays Chaffey at 6 p.m. in the 3-A title game and Millikan plays Redlands at 8 p.m. Both games will be played at Gahr High in Cerritos.