SOUTHERN SECTION BASKETBALL PLAYOFFS : 3-A : Magnolia Becomes a Giant Killer With Its Victory Over Ganesha

It’s time to recognize Magnolia High School as legitimate contender for the Southern Section 3-A division basketball championship.

The Sentinels proved that they can play with the best teams in the 3-A Tuesday night by upsetting No. 3-seeded Ganesha, 85-72, in front of 1,100 fans in Cypress High’s gymnasium.

Magnolia opened a 14-4 lead in the first quarter with a fullcourt press, and Ganesha never recovered. The Giants (21-5) finished second in 3-A last season.

But Magnolia outplayed, out-hustled and outrebounded Ganesha to advance to the quarterfinal round on Friday night where the Sentinels (20-5) will play Palos Verdes. Palos Verdes (19-6) advanced with a 60-50 victory over Ridgecrest Burroughs.

Center Mark Lyon scored a career-high 35 points, including 17 in the second quarter, to lead the Sentinels. Forward Mike Goff added 20 points, including 12 in the last quarter.

Though Ganesha was seeded, Magnolia Coach Al Walin questioned the team’s ballhandling skills. He also wondered how center Antonio Johnson, the giant among the Giants at 290 pounds, could handle defensive pressure by a quicker opponent.

Walin’s game plan was to pressure Ganesha’s guards in the backcourt and deny Johnson the ball with Goff fronting him. The result? Ganesha committed 27 turnovers and Johnson, who earlier this season set a school scoring record with 40 points, was held to 10.

Ganesha had averaged 89.5 points in its last two games, but the Giants could never get their offense going against Magnolia’s matchup zone. Offensively, the Sentinels had no problems scoring against Ganesha.

“Offensively, this was my best game,” Lyon said. “Our coach read us a letter that said Magnolia was nothing but a bunch of puppy dogs, and that really fired me up.”

Walin said he had received a letter from an Orange League school that questioned whether Magnolia belonged in the playoffs.

“It was a nasty note that I really don’t want to get into, but it sure fired up my players,” Walin said. “There was fire in their eyes when they ran onto the court.”

The Sentinels made 16 of 30 field-goal attempts in the first half and opened a 42-39 lead. Ganesha managed to tie the score late in the second quarter, 29-29, but it was the closest the Giants ever got after failing behind by 10 points at the outset.

“I thought if we could get out quick and get something started, the crowd would be behind us,” Walin said. “That’s exactly what happened.”