Despite the best attempts by Torrent-Alex Dupree, the third seeded Birmingham Boys Basketball Team fell at number 2 King/Drew 62-56 in the semi-finals of CIF City Section Open Division Playoffs on Saturday at Lamino College.
Golden Eagles faced the number 8 Seed Los Angeles Cess in the title game on Saturday, February 24 at Pasadena City College.
Dupri put a game-high in 26 points, including 12 as he tried to return to the fourth quarter.
Birmingham coach Nicholas Helik said, “He could take as far as he could,” said Birmingham coach Nicholas Helik. “Overall, as a team, we did not play enough to win just.”
King/Drew stimized patriots during the very second quarter. Birmingham scored just six points and lagged behind 26-21 in Haftime.
“They were able to dishonest – a lot – and we were not allowed to be dishonest,” Helik said. “That’s what I think is the difference. We go to the basket, we do not get any call. They breathe, they get a call.”
Lightning-Lightning-led by Mandel Anthony, Patriots looked like a separate team in the third period. Anthony scored 12 out of 14 points in the quarter.
“Just try and play it and Alex together, it’s the most difficult part,” said Helic. “Mandel was outside when Alex was playing. Now that both of them are back, it is difficult to balance it, so we have to find out.”
King/Drew always felt a shot to slow down a Birmingham run.
Sofomore Jaishen Kibal scored nine out of 16 points in the fourth quarter, helping to keep the Patriots away.
A junior, Donald Thompson also added 16 points and Sophomore Joshan Webster 14.
“He did a good job,” said Helik. “I do not want to distance anything from King/Drew, they played a good game. How the crime of the game is committed, nothing to do with them. They did a good and ‘saluted them.”
Patriots will continue their season in CIF state playoffs.
Other open division semi -finals:
Les 52, Chatsworth 49: Chancellor (16–14) faced a surprising defeat by Les, which crossed the three-point deficit with 18.6 seconds in the competition.
Ryan Konner formed a pair of 3-pointers in the last second to win Les.
Alija Arenas led Chatsworth with 19 points.