I haven't been in the L.A. Sports since USC's last season (2005-06) as a basketball tenent.
Suffice to say, the place hasn't changed much. But I don't remember a large diet coke costing $5 the last time I was was here.
Anyway, I'm here for the whole day for the State Southern Regional Divisions I, II & II finals, on the boys' and girls' levels.
It's going to be a long day . . .
Oh, way a moment: I was wrong. The place has changed. There is no longer an overhead scoreboard. That was removed, I was told, because American Gladiator is produced here. Not sure why they wanted it removed, though.
So, to follow the time remaining in a quarter, you have to look at the shot clocks above each basket. The score is on a large TV monitor high above and behind one basket.
It'll do.
11:05
This day has been tooo long.
Poly's girls prevailed in overtime, 60-57, over Narbonne.
And the Dominguez-Martin Luther King boys D-I final didn't start until about 8:50 and wrap up until 10:20 with the Dons in front, 83-74, meaning, like the Jackrabbits, they'll play in state a title game next Saturday night in Sacramento.
Overtimes: I can do without them.
But let me tell you: Jasmine Dixon of Poly? She's the real deal, baby.
7:32
Three quarters have been played . . . and Narbonne is still in front, but barely, 33-32.
Monique Oliver scored four buckets to for Poly but Jasmine Dixon is on the bench with four fouls for the Jackrabbits.
7:05
Halftime, girls D-1: Narbonne 25, Poly 17
Very sloppy game . . .
6:01
I just heard Donovan Morris hit a mid-court shot to send Long Beach State's game with UC Santa Barbara. Incredible!
A little more than 16 minutes before tipoff for the Poly-Narbonne girls' D-1 final.
As I wrote earlier . . . it's going to be a long night.
5:45
The horn sounds . . . and the Monarchs have rolled over Fresno Edison, 75-59.
I'm guessing (though I haven't heard a NorCal final yet) that it will be Mater Dei vs. San Jose Mitty new weekend in Sacramento in a rematch of last season's D-II final, won in OT by the lads from Santa Ana.
Drew Gordon vs. David and Travis Wear will be entertaining.
5:20
Mater Dei 52, Edison 40 . . . one more quarter to go.
Mater Dei has too much balance and too many ways to score for Edison. Greg Smith, Edison's junior big man, has size and talent but is still a bit raw to do much against a team as big and solid as the Monarchs are.
4:05
Six more minutes of warmup for Mater Dei vs. Fresno Edison, Div. II boys final.
I just bought popcorn for $5. Total expenditures on concessions: $17.
3:39
Remind me never to comment on how "fast' games are transpiring. Mira Costa 72, Ayala 64 in three OTs.
At this rate, Dominguez and MLK are tipping off at about 9:30 p.m.
3:03
It's OT for Mira Costa and Ayala (score is 50-all). It figured, after I commented to someone "This thing is going to be over after just one hour!"
It sounds as if UCLA pulled off an even more improbable victory against Cal just now than it did against Stanford Thursday night . . . The Bruins are living life dangerously.
2:27
Dean Crowley, former CIF Southern Section commissioner, runs the Southern Regionals. Good guy.
A big of history: He was the Dean of Boys at Gahr High way back when I was a Gladiator a few years ago.
2:20
Intermission of the girls' Div. II game: Mira Costa 25, Ayala 24
Tone-Loc's "Wild Thing" is cranking over the sound system. Whatever happened to Tone-Loc?
1:55
Ayala vs. Mira Costa, for in the girls Div. II game, just tipped . . .
I just made a solid $7 investment . . . two grilled chicken tacos, flooded with mild salsa, onions and lettuce on soft shells . . . now I need a nap.
I see UCLA is losing by nine with about 16 minutes to go in Pauley Pavilion. I can't figure that team out.
1:15
It's a wrap: Santa Margarita 67, Bishop Montgomery 39.
The Eagles dominated the second half, using a 13-1 spurt in the first 3 1/2 minutes of the third quarter to remove the miniscule doubt that existed before the game about the outcome.
Santa Margarita has lost just to Campbell Hall (playing in the Div. IV game at Mater Dei today), Mater Dei (twice; the Monarchs are in the DIv. II game here in a couple of hours) and Dominguez (twice; the Dons are in the Div. I game tonight at 8).
The Eagles are one of the half-dozen best teams in SoCal, along with the aforementioned three squads, Riverside Martin Luther King (playing Dominguez in the Div. I final) and Taft (the L.A. City champion that MLK upset Thursday night).
12:30 p.m.
It's halftime of the boys' Div. III tilt and Santa Margarita is holding a 30-25 advantage over Bishop Montgomery.
It's been a pretty well played first half, with both teams playing solid man to man defense. Justin Cobbs, a very good junior guard, has 11 points for Bishop Montgomery, despite being guard by the Eagles' Klay Thompson most of the way.
Klay's dad, Mychal, is in the stands behind the Eagles' bench. I'm not sure if the Lakers play tonight.
The stats were just handed to me: Cobbs if five of 11 from the field for 13 points. Thompson missed his first four shots but hit three of five the rest of the way and had 10 points.
11:30
Girls Div. III: Magnolia 40, Muir 39
As Bill Paxton, as one of the space marines, said in Aliens 2, "Game over man, game over!"
10:30 a.m.
There is no hospitality room (at least that I can find). So I just forked out $5 for the diet coke. What is this, a movie theatre or something?
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