Long Beach Poly tops Etiwanda

Facing the possibility of a second defeat against Etiwanda in less than two weeks, Long Beach Poly turned to its biggest player.

And Ryan Anderson, a 6-foot-8 junior forward, came up huge.

Anderson took a pass from guard Alexis Moore for the go-ahead layup with six seconds remaining during a 67-64 victory over the host Eagles on Thursday night in a Southern California Division I regional quarterfinal.

“Revenge always feels good,” said Anderson, whose basket gave the Jackrabbits a 65-64 lead. “Man, we wanted this game really bad.”

Poly (28-4) will play at second-seeded Westchester on Saturday in a regional semifinal, the farthest the Jackrabbits have advanced since playing the Comets in a regional final in 2002.

Etiwanda had defeated Poly, 55-52, last month in a Southern Section Division 1AA semifinal, and the Eagles appeared poised for another victory when junior guard Jordan Daniels made two free throws to give them a 64-63 lead with 16 seconds left.

Then Anderson made his crucial basket after his defender went to help out on Moore.

“That was just too easy,” Etiwanda Coach Dave Kleckner said of the decisive score.

Daniels had one last chance for the Eagles after scoring five points in the final 1:28, including a dazzling over-the-shoulder layup that he turned into a three-point play after drawing a foul.

But Daniels could not come up with more heroics. He dribbled past midcourt along the sideline before losing the ball out of bounds with 1.7 seconds left. Poly’s Robert Nixon Jr. was fouled and made two free throws to seal the victory.

Freshman forward Roschon Prince scored 21 points and Anderson had 15 for the Jackrabbits, who utilized their superior size for numerous offensive rebounds and putbacks.

Junior forward Byron Wesley scored 14 of his 18 points in the second half for Etiwanda (24-10).

--Ben Bolch

Centennial rallies

Senior Kurt Davis came off the bench to score all 10 of his points in the fourth quarter as host Compton Centennial rallied from a 15-point deficit early in the second half to defeat Orange Lutheran, 75-69, in the Division III quarterfinals.

Kevin Smith made a 10-foot baseline jumper to break a 69-69 tie with 35 seconds left, then Deonte Burton stole a pass in the backcourt and dunked to put the third-seeded Apaches (27-6) ahead, 73-69, with 20 seconds remaining. After Lutheran missed two shots on its last possession, Davis made a fastbreak layup at the final buzzer for the final margin.

Smith finished with 26 points, including an alley-oop dunk that gave Centennial a 53-52 lead heading into the fourth quarter. Burton also had 26 points, including six in a row to cap a 10-0 run that cut Lutheran’s lead to 45-40 midway through the third quarter.

Gabe York had 29 points for the Lancers (24-9), who outscored Centennial 20-11 in the second quarter to take a 42-30 halftime lead. Tyler Funk added 17 points, including a free throw that gave Lutheran its largest lead, 45-30, less than two minutes into the second half. Lutheran made seven three-pointers in the first half — four by York —-but only one over the final two quarters.

-- Steve Galluzzo

Santa Monica girls win

Thea Lemberger made two free throws for Santa Monica with just under 10 seconds left in overtime to clinch a 59-56 victory over Moreno Valley Canyon Springs in a Division I quarterfinal at Santa Monica High.

The game was sent into overtime after Santa Monica’s Bianka Balthazar nailed a three-pointer with 18 seconds left in regulation to tie the game at 51-all.

Lemberger had a game-high 20 points and Moriah Faulk added 17 for third-seeded Santa Monica (28-6). Tear’a Laudermill led sixth-seeded Canyon Springs (27-5) with 17 points.

Melissa Rohlin