Lawrence Gets 37 as Lynwood Beats Long Beach Poly

Jamal Lawrence scored 37 points, including two three-point shots in overtime, to lead Lynwood to an 81-77 victory over Long Beach Poly in a Southern Section Division I-AA second-round basketball game Tuesday night at Lynwood.

Lynwood, which forfeited 16 games this season for using an ineligible player, will play Rialto Eisenhower Friday in the quarterfinals. The Knights (6-21) lost to Poly in the Southern Section and State playoffs last season.

Lawrence, a junior guard, made nine of 10 shots in the game’s final 19 minutes after Poly rallied from a 12-point deficit to send the game into overtime.

“I felt it all the way tonight,” Lawrence said, who did not miss a shot in the second half until the start of overtime. “I didn’t think that I was going to miss.”

Using a trapping full-court press with 6-foot-6 Nathan Ware and 6-5 Juaquin Hawkins playing in the middle, the Knights created problems for Poly’s standout point guard, Tyus Edney.

Poly, which had 10 first-quarter turnovers, trailed, 40-30, at halftime, but would have been behind by more if not for eight points apiece by Fabian Nixon and Yikeem Craddock.

In the third quarter, Poly was able to slow down Ware, who finished with 21 points, and Hawkins, who had 13, with a press of its own to close within five points going into the final quarter.

“Their press came on all of the sudden and it took us off guard,” Lynwood Coach Bill Lee said. “It took us a while, but we adjusted to it.”

Lawrence, who made eight three-point shots, was the reason Lynwood did not lose its lead completely in the fourth quarter, as Poly rallied to tie the score, 67-67, with three minutes remaining.

The game went into overtime after the teams exchanged baskets, with Edney following up a Craddock miss with 38 seconds to play.

Nixon led Poly with 26 points.