SOUTHERN SECTION BASKETBALL PLAYOFFS : 5-A Quarterfinals : Lakewood Slips Past Marina : Lancers’ Robinson Leads Overtime Win With 2nd-Half Rally

Lakewood High School overcame a five-point deficit in the final three minutes and defeated Marina in overtime, 73-68, Friday night in front of 1,100 fans at Long Beach Millikan High.

The Lancers (19-7) advanced to the semifinals of the Southern Section’s 5-A division while Marina (22-5) was left to ponder what might have been. The Vikings had plenty of chances to win the game, but in the end, it was the play of Lakewood center Milton Robinson that decided the outcome.

Robinson scored 14 of his 22 points in the second half, including two three-point plays in the final two minutes to force an overtime period. The 6-foot 5-inch senior picked up three fouls in the first quarter and wasn’t a factor until the game was on the line.

Marina was in control most of the game but the Vikings committed nine turnovers in the decisive fourth quarter and watched their seemingly safe lead slip away.

Marina held a 64-61 lead with 1:11 remaining after center Mark Georgeson scored on a dunk, but Robinson answered with a three-point play to tie the score, 64-64. Marina had two opportunities to win the game, but forward Steve Guild missed a short bank shot and forward Dan Floyd’s follow was blocked by Robinson as regulation play ended.

The Vikings fell apart in overtime with point guard Mike Meyers on the bench with five personal fouls. Lakewood took a 68-66 lead on Robinson’s jump shot and didn’t trail after that. The victory set up a showdown with Moore League rival Millikan (23-3) in the semifinals Wednesday night at the Los Angeles Sports Arena.

“The key was when Meyers fouled out of the game,” said Lakewood Coach Tim Sweeney. “Our two guards (Donald Brown and Isiah Anderson) are two of the quickest guards around. Meyers handled the pressure beautifully all night.

“When he fouled out, they lost their quarterback. All of a sudden, our defensive pressure got to them.”

Viking guard Matt Hattabaugh tried to pick up the slack, but he threw the ball away at three critical points in the fourth quarter.

The Vikings should have put the game away in the first half when Lakewood’s Brown and Robinson each picked up three fouls in the first quarter. Somehow, Lakewood managed to stay with Marina and trailed by only one point, 36-35, at halftime when reserve Anthony Hill made a 23-foot jump shot at the buzzer.

“I thought coming out of the first half down by only one point with those guys on the bench was a key,” said Marina Coach Steve Popovich. “It was an excellent game, but we took some bad shots at the end of the first half and then made some bad passes at the end of the second half.”

The game was tied five times in the third quarter, but Marina regained control late in the period when Guild got hot. The Vikings had a 48-43 lead going into the last quarter and that’s when Robinson went to work.

“Our scouting report said that (Marina center) Georgeson was soft inside, so we decided to take the ball inside to Robinson,” Sweeney said. “We made the big free throws (5 of 7) in the last quarter and that’s something we’ve been working on improving.”