Flintridge Prep boys’ hoops overcomes Poly, sluggish start
LA CAÑADA – A missed last-second 6-foot runner by visiting Pasadena Poly preserved an important 37-35 Prep League victory for the Flintridge Prep boys’ basketball team at home Saturday evening in a battle of undefeated squads.
The win over the defending league champion puts the Rebels into the driver’s seat for a title as Flintridge Prep improved to 12-10 and 6-0 in league play with two games remaining.
One of those contests is a rematch versus the CIF Southern Section Division IV-A seventh-ranked Panthers (18-3, 5-1) in Pasadena on Tuesday.
“We have a 24-hour rule where we’re going to celebrate this win for 24 hours and then get ready for Tuesday’s game,” Flintridge Prep coach Garrett Ohara said. “Tonight was wild and loud and the guys really stepped up.
“I expect the same on Tuesday over at Poly. The atmosphere was just great tonight. It didn’t start off a great game, but ended that way.”
On senior night, Flintridge Prep 12th-grader Jonathan Le led all scorers with 15 points, while Nick Davis added six points and 14 rebounds for the Rebels and AJ Nicassio contributed six points and 12 rebounds.
Junior guard Nicholas Tu paced the Panthers with 12 points, while Brandon Szeto added eight points.
The Rebels took their largest lead, 33-24, on a three-pointer from Le 30 seconds into the fourth quarter and maintained a 35-27 advantage at the six-minute mark.
Poly made one last run via an 8-1 spurt capped on a runner from Nick Richard-Craven with exactly a minute left to bring the visitors within 36-35.
Flintridge Prep added a free throw from Zach Kim to lead, 37-35, with 45 seconds left and then watched Poly take 30 seconds off the clock before a three-point try from Tu rimmed out and was rebounded by Davis.
As the Panthers tried to foul Davis, the three-sport athlete was able to pass the ball upcourt and waste precious time as the Rebels were fouled with 4.6 seconds left.
Poly caught a break with Flintridge Prep missing the front end of a one-plus-one bonus, which was rebounded by the Panthers.
Poly’s last gasp ended with a thud as Tu raced the other way, made contact with a Rebels player and chucked up a shot well short as time expired to preserve the win.
The frantic finish could hardly be telegraphed early on as the Rebels and Panthers combined for 20 turnovers versus 18 points in a first half Poly led, 11-7.
Flintridge Prep awoke from its shooting slumber in the third quarter thanks to the exploits of Le, who finished five for five in the quarter with 12 points.
“He’s a senior coming up big on senior night,” Ohara said. “He’s seen [former Rebels guard] Kendall Kikkawa have those type of games all the time and tonight was his night.”
Flintridge Prep won the third quarter, 23-13, to take a 30-24 lead into the fourth.
“I think all the energy in the beginning of the game worked against both teams,” Le said. “We went into the locker room and coach told us to settle down and that our shots would fall. We just had to have confidence.”
