Long Beach Poly didn’t face much trouble in the opening game of the Bosco/Gahr Classic. The Jackrabbits relied on great defense and great team offense in an 80-41 blowout of Palisades.
“Defense, that’s what we’re built on always,” said Poly coach Shelton Diggs.
The Jackrabbits fell behind 8-3 and then proceeded to absolutely shut down Pali, going on a 17-5 run to finish the first quarter. In the second quarter they yielded just one field goal, with 1:55 left in the frame, taking a 38-16 lead into halftime. The running clock victory also let Poly fans get a glimpse of a very bright future, as sophomore Peyton Watson dominated in the third quarter, finishing the game with 13 points, six rebounds, three blocks, and three assists.
“He’s a huge weapon coming in off the bench,” said Diggs. “To have instant offense like that coming in is huge.”
Poly was led by 22 points from Justine Rene, with Malik Salahuddin chipping in 17 and Giordan Williams scoring 10.
The Jackrabbits will face Cabrillo in their Moore League opener on Tuesday, then return to the Bosco/Gahr Classic with a game against Bishop Amat at 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday.
