Compton Gives a First-Rate Effort

When you’re in the same city as Dominguez and the same league (Moore) as Long Beach Poly--the defending champions in Division II-A and I-AA--it can be difficult to get noticed.

Which is why the Division II-AA playoffs are so important to Compton--the Tarbabes being determined to show they are worthy of the division’s No. 1 seeding.

Showing few signs of rust despite a week’s layoff, Compton pressed and ran past Anaheim Canyon, 62-40, before an estimated 1,500.

It didn’t matter whether it was the inside game of Compton center David Hamilton (game-high 22 points, six rebounds) or the stifling, man-to-man pressure defense that forced the Comanches to shoot 35%, Compton was in total control. The Tarbabes, who led at halftime, 30-20, never trailed and wore down the Comanches.

“I’d say we did OK,” Compton Coach Rod Palmer said. “We didn’t run as well as I’d hoped, but overall we played well against a good team.”

Canyon Coach Rob Alexander had no complaints about the loss.

“Their speed defeated us,” Alexander said. “But I was proud that we hung in there for three quarters. We battled them. The final score is not indicative of the game.”

Compton (24-5) will meet Whittier California in Tuesday’s quarterfinals. Canyon ends its season 19-9.

Palmer said the Tarbabes so far have gotten respect but that there’s work to be done.

“We haven’t won anything yet,” Palmer said. “If we win a [section] championship, then we can look for other accolades. But we still have to prove ourselves. Poly, Dominguez, their programs speak for themselves. We’re still up-and-coming.”

Being seeded first in Division II-AA, Palmer said, was “a big sign” the program was getting noticed.

Three of Palmer’s starting five--Deandre Moore, Hamilton and Milton Riley--are headed to Division I universities; Moore is going to Vanderbilt, Hamilton to Auburn and Riley to Washington State.

And each played a role in the victory.

Moore (10 points) guided the Tarbabes’ attack with aplomb, keeping the offense flowing and firing three-point shots whenever the Comanches’ 1-2-2 zone collapsed around the 6-foot-9 Hamilton and 6-8 Riley.

Riley, meanwhile, worked on the defensive end and had three rebounds.

Ali Goodman led Canyon with 12 points. Drew Gaulden added nine and had a game-high 11 rebounds.