When Poly takes the floor tonight against Crenshaw in a first-round Division 1 state playoff game, it will be in a parallel dimension.  A dimension in which two league champions are facing off, one of whom lost in the CIF semis three, the other by 21, one of whom beat a CIF champion in Leuzinger, the other of whom played a much weaker schedule…but a dimension in which the team with the weaker schedule, who lost by 21 points in the semis is seeded six, and the other 11.

In other words, this game is being played at Crenshaw, tonight at 7pm: it should have been at Poly, at 8pm, the second game in a doubleheader after the girls’ game at 6pm.  For whatever reason, Poly got the low seeding it did, and will now face a tough task, going on the road to C-House, and then to a rematch with Etiwanda on Thursday should they win.

The Cougars are a guard-centric team that scores in unbelievable runs—they’re averaging 84 points a game this year.  That style will clash with the more methodical Jackrabbits, who play sound defense and wear teams down, getting a run or two throughout to seal the lead.  If Poly wants a shot at revenge against Eitwanda, they’ll need Robert Nixon Jr. and Alex Carmon to play their usual lock-down defense, on Abdul Zaid, and Reynaul Baker, Crenshaw’s hottest guards.  

We’ll have live updates, so come back after tipoff for updates!