SOUTHERN SECTION 5-AA BASKETBALL PLAYOFFS : Long Beach Jordan Keeps a Lead for a Change, Defeating Fountain Valley, 74-55

The past few weeks have been filled with strange games for Long Beach Jordan High School’s basketball team.

The Panthers have had these lapses recently, losing apparently safe, double-digit leads at an alarming rate.

Friday night against Fountain Valley in second round of the Southern Section 5-AA playoffs, Jordan once again built a big lead and then started to lose it.

But this time, Jordan halted the slide before it got out of hand and powered away in the fourth quarter for a 74-55 victory at Fountain Valley.

Jordan (18-8) had a 16-point lead midway through the second quarter, but Fountain Valley chipped away and cut it to 34-28 early in the third quarter. It brought back painful memories to Jordan Coach Ron Massey.

Massey remembered the 15-point third-quarter lead against Antelope Valley that almost disappeared before Jordan hung on to win the first-round game Wednesday.

The Panthers had a 14-point lead with 3:45 left in a third-place playoff game against Moore League rival Long Beach Poly and had to limp home with a victory last Saturday.

The week before, Jordan had blown a 20-point lead to Millikan and was strapped with an embarrassing, 98-90, loss.

“The players were telling me at halftime, ‘It’s not going to happen this time, coach,’ ” Massey said.

And they were right. Jordan advances to play Saddleback in the quarterfinals Wednesday.

Jordan’s superior quickness and jumping ability compensated for occasional sluggish spots in the third quarter and helped turn the game into a blowout.

David Mitchell led Jordan with 22 points, most coming on drives to the basket. Mitchell is better known for his fine outside shot, but found room to drive so he took it.

“We knew their defense was going to be slow,” said Mitchell, who averages 19.5 points a game. “The quickness was to our advantage so we used it.”

Neither team shot particularly well from the floor, but Jordan was able to take advantage of second and third shot opportunities.

Fountain Valley (19-7) made 19 of 64 from the field for 30%. Jordan was 29 of 70 for 41%.

“They just killed us on the backboards,” Fountain Valley Coach Dave Brown said.

The intimidating presence of Kasey Brown, a 6-foot 6-inch center, allowed the Panthers to dominate play inside.

Fountain Valley’s starting front line of Mike Cook, who had three points, Carter Hogan (two) and Mike Merle (11), had trouble all night.

“Kasey Brown turned the game around early,” Massey said. “Every time 44 (Merle) would get the ball, he’d look over his shoulder and say, ‘Where is he? Where is he?’ ”