Artesia Defeats Cold-Shooting Long Beach Poly

Lakewood Artesia defended its Southern Section Division I-AA boys’ basketball title with a 49-41 victory over Long Beach Poly Saturday at the Arrowhead Pond, in a game that didn’t win either team many style points.

The Jackrabbits made only five of 26 shots (19%) in the first half and were 16 for 60 (27%) for the game. Junior point guard Wesley Stokes, who usually keys Poly’s offense, made only three of 11 shots and did not score his first point until 7:04 remained in the game. He finished with six.

Senior forward Jason Kapono scored 16 of his 21 points in the second half for Artesia (30-2).

Compton Dominguez 75, Cerritos Gahr 56--Sophomore center Tyson Chandler scored 16 points and had eight rebounds and four blocks for Dominguez (28-3).

Lakewood Mayfair 47, Inglewood 42--The unseeded Monsoons (25-6) overcame an 11-point deficit in the second half to beat the top-seeded Sentinels and win their first section basketball championship in II-A.

San Dimas 62, Torrance Bishop Montgomery 55--San Dimas (25-3), which lost in the finals in 1992, ’93 and ‘94, won its first championship by getting out to an early lead and holding off the top-seeded Knights in III-AA.