Girls basketball: Poly advances to face Narbonne in regional final

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Behind Jasmine Dixon and a strong defensive performance, Long Beach Poly’s quest for a third consecutive state title took another step forward Thursday with an 87-58 victory over Fontana Miller.

Poly (29-2) used its physical advantage to suppress the pesky Rebels (30-3), who led by 12 points in the first quarter before Poly closed to 20-16 heading into the second behind Dixon’s seven points.

Dixon finished with 25 points, 16 rebounds, three steals and three blocked shots. The other post for the Jackrabbits, Monique Oliver, had 24 points, 20 rebounds and seven blocks.

Their combined 36 rebounds was 20 more than Miller had as a team.

Poly will play City champion Narbonne at 6 p.m. Saturday at the Sports Arena for the right to play for the state championship the following weekend in Sacramento. Narbonne defeated City runner-up Chatsworth, 54-48, in the other Division I semifinal.

Briana Hall had 21 points, six rebounds, seven assists and four steals for Miller, and Lola Wells had 16 points.

Miller’s last hurrah came midway through the second quarter. It held a 27-25 lead after a driving layup by Chloe Wells, who scored 11, but Poly scored the next six and took a 43-36 halftime lead.

After a three-pointer in the opening minute of the third quarter, Miller went more than five minutes without scoring and itrs deficit reached 63-43 heading into the foutrth quarter.

‘We just tried to stay poised and took their best shot early,’ said Poly Coach Carl Buggs. ‘They came out with a lot of intensity and fire. Last year, they were starry-eyed. But you could tell this year they were seasoned.’

But Miller was no match physically as the Rebels wore down.

‘We felt we were more physical than they were and it would take its toll,’ Buggs said.

Miller Coach Mel Wilkins agreed.

‘The bottom line is for 32 minutes, they have too many athletes,’ he said. ‘Their inside game was just phenomenal.’

-- Martin Henderson