Ibekwe Able to Get Carson a Victory

Ekene Ibekwe might have already committed to Maryland, but he’s not ready to begin his college career.

Carson High’s 6-foot-9 senior forward scored 16 points, grabbed 11 rebounds, blocked three shots and had two dunks for the third-seeded Colts, who held off Los Angeles Dorsey, 63-55, Friday in a first-round game of the City Championship boys’ basketball playoffs.

Ibekwe was forced to impose himself more than usual because Carson was playing without center Kenneth Lyles, who was ill.

“Yeah, it was on my mind that this could be my last game,” Ibekwe said. “I think defense was the key in the second half. We played decent, but not as good as we can.”

Bryan Harvey scored 11 of his 17 points in the second half for Carson (22-3), which has won 16 of its last 17 games.

Drew Gibson had 14 points and five steals for the 14th-seeded Dons (14-9), who closed to within 59-55 with 46 seconds left on a layup by Joseph Lewis.

Carson outscored Dorsey by one point in each of the first three quarters to take a 46-43 lead before Harvey opened the fourth quarter with seven consecutive points. Harvey made three of four free throws in the final 15 seconds to clinch the game.

Jonathan Heard had 11 points and Lewis and Jerome Johnson added 10 each for Dorsey.

Steve Galluzzo

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Compton Centennial 46, West Hills Chaminade 44 -- Down by 15 points after the first quarter, host Centennial (16-8) rallied behind Arron Afflalo’s 19 points to pull out the second-round victory in a Division III-AA game.

Dion Cook had a chance to tie the score with two seconds remaining, but he missed a shot in the lane. It was the third time in the last four seasons that the two schools have met in the playoffs, with Centennial winning each time in the final seconds.

Chaminade (17-11), which was limited to 12 points in the second and third quarters, was led by Marcus Everett’s 10 points.

Eric Sondheimer

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In girls’ soccer:

Placentia El Dorado 3, Riverside Poly 2 -- Tasia Duarte scored seven minutes into overtime to lift the visiting Golden Hawks (12-10-2) to the upset over fourth-seeded Poly in a Southern Section Division II first-round game. Duarte scored in the 56th minute to cut a 2-0 lead by Poly (22-2-1) in half. Darcie Gwartz tied the score on a penalty kick nine minutes later.

Oxnard Rio Mesa 1, Lompoc Cabrillo 0 -- Jennie Lessel scored on an assist from Bethany Monka in the 15th minute for the host Spartans (18-3-4) in a Division IV first-round game. Rio Mesa goalie Denise Camarena had six saves to record her 18th shutout.