Millikan boys basketball pulls out overtime playoff thriller

LONG BEACH >> After the Millikan boys basketball team saw its lead slip away late against Upland in a first-round CIF-SS Division 1AA playoff game, it looked like the Rams were headed for heartbreak.

But senior Mason Dickerson stepped up when his team needed him to, hitting a trio of 3-pointers in the fourth quarter. The last of those shots gave Millikan a one-point lead with just over a minute left.

A late Millikan tuover opened the door for Upland, who tied it up with 7 seconds in the game.

The Rams and junior standout Ofure Ujadughele took over again in overtime to pull out a dramatic 65-60 victory.

“Man I don’t even know what to say,” said Rams coach Chris Francis. “That’s playoff basketball — two teams who don’t know each other, you’ve got to play 32 minutes. Sometimes you’ve got to play 36 minutes.”

The Rams led 26-15 in the second quarter and 43-40 early in the fourth. But the Highlanders caught fire from behind the arc and jumped out to a 53-48 lead with less than two minutes in the game.

That’s when Dickerson, a Cal Poly Pomona signee, stepped up. He drained one 3-pointer to pull his team within one, then another deep one to give them a 55-54 lead. The senior had 11 of his 14 points in the fourth quarter.

It was Ujadughele who left his fingerprints all over the extra period though, as he scored six straight points to put Millikan up 64-60 late in overtime. Ujadughele led the way with 23 points.

“O is playing on a sprained ankle,” said Francis. “He stepped up big. And Mason, I keep challenging him and tonight he really stepped up. He showed why he’s a senior who eaed his scholarship tonight.”

The Rams will travel to either Corona Santiago or Great Oak on Friday evening for a second-round game.

ST. JOHN BOSCO 60, PACIFICA 32 >> In other Division 1AA first-round action, JJ Watson scored 13 points and Alpha Okoli added 12 points as the Braves (18-9) advanced to face Knight in the second round.

JORDAN 63, ALISO NIGUEL 47 >> The Panthers (15-12) got an impressive win on the road and will host Rancho Verde on Friday night.

KNIGHT 68, LAKEWOOD 65 >> The Lancers (12-16) put up a great fight on the road but fell in Palmdale.

J.W. NORTH 65, WILSON 24 >> The Huskies (22-4) easily dispatched the Bruins (5-24) in the first round.

DOWNEY 73, MONTCLAIR 39 >> It was never close as the Vikings (19-9) grabbed a victory on the road and will take on San Clemente in the second round.

SANTA MONICA 74, CABRILLO 59 >> In Division 1A action, the Vikings (25-2) scored 30 points in the fourth quarter to put the Jaguars (10-15) away.

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— JJ Fiddler contributed to this report

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