mens basketball.
a first for a Section team in Div II
its a big fuckin deal.
props
_
The teams celebrating at the CIF State Basketball Championships usually are California's hoops bluebloods, the schools that make a habit of getting here and winning here.
That's not San Diego-Lincoln. The Hornets were 7-17 two years ago and didn't qualify for the state tournament last year, but there they were on the Rabobank Arena floor Friday night, celebrating a Division II boys championship with a 74-59 win against Mountain View-St. Francis.
"The last couple years we've struggled," senior forward Victor Dean said. "To come out on top means everything."
Dean and fellow senior Norman Powell led all scorers with 24 points, and Lincoln (29-2) ran to a 15-2 lead against smaller St. Francis, then used the third quarter to expand a 10-point halftime lead into a 23-point cushion after three.
"We noticed on tape they were shooters," Dean said. "I guess we just kept running up and down the court, and they couldn't keep up."
Because of past years' struggles and early losses to L.A.-Crenshaw and Compton-Centennial this season, Lincoln flew largely under the radar. Even after a San Diego Section championship, it didn't break into Cal Hi Sports' top 20 until the state playoffs, when a lopsided win against Pasadena got it there and another against Compton kept th eHornets there.
"I felt like coming into this season, we had all the pieces to the puzzle," Lincoln coach Jason Bryant said. "... We finally broke into the top 20. I felt like we should have been there some time ago. The wins kept piling up, and I felt we deserved to be there. But I'm happy to be there now."
The Hornets became the first team from the San Diego Section to win a Division I or II title in CIF championship history.
"L.A. has been the top city for basketball, at least in California," said Dean, who will play football at Fresno State. "It feels good to kind of put San Diego on the map."
a first for a Section team in Div II
its a big fuckin deal.
props
_
The teams celebrating at the CIF State Basketball Championships usually are California's hoops bluebloods, the schools that make a habit of getting here and winning here.
That's not San Diego-Lincoln. The Hornets were 7-17 two years ago and didn't qualify for the state tournament last year, but there they were on the Rabobank Arena floor Friday night, celebrating a Division II boys championship with a 74-59 win against Mountain View-St. Francis.
"The last couple years we've struggled," senior forward Victor Dean said. "To come out on top means everything."
Dean and fellow senior Norman Powell led all scorers with 24 points, and Lincoln (29-2) ran to a 15-2 lead against smaller St. Francis, then used the third quarter to expand a 10-point halftime lead into a 23-point cushion after three.
"We noticed on tape they were shooters," Dean said. "I guess we just kept running up and down the court, and they couldn't keep up."
Because of past years' struggles and early losses to L.A.-Crenshaw and Compton-Centennial this season, Lincoln flew largely under the radar. Even after a San Diego Section championship, it didn't break into Cal Hi Sports' top 20 until the state playoffs, when a lopsided win against Pasadena got it there and another against Compton kept th eHornets there.
"I felt like coming into this season, we had all the pieces to the puzzle," Lincoln coach Jason Bryant said. "... We finally broke into the top 20. I felt like we should have been there some time ago. The wins kept piling up, and I felt we deserved to be there. But I'm happy to be there now."
The Hornets became the first team from the San Diego Section to win a Division I or II title in CIF championship history.
"L.A. has been the top city for basketball, at least in California," said Dean, who will play football at Fresno State. "It feels good to kind of put San Diego on the map."
