Freshman Crowe leads Lynwood to first state title
SACRAMENTO » After a few of Jason Crowe Jr.'s baskets the Lynwood cheerleaders voiced the familiar chant, “He's a freshman!”
So is Chace Holley and Jahaz Wright.
Crowe scored 36 points, Holley scored 24 points and Wright scored 14 in Lynwood's 89-58 win over Sierra of Tollhouse in the CIF State Division V boys basketball championship game Friday at Golden 1 Center.
Crowe's 36 points are the third most points in CIF boys basketball finals history. The record is held by Tracy Murray, who scored 64 for Glendora in 1989.
Crowe, the son of Lynwood coach Jason Crowe Sr., also had a game-high six assists.
Lynwood (27-11) turned a 12-point halftime lead into a rout by outscoring Sierra (31-6) 35-15 in the third quarter.
It is the first CIF State boys basketball title for Lynwood, which, like Sierra, was making its first state finals appearance.
Sierra junior Logan Kilbert, who led the Chieftains with 19 points, was impressed by Crowe and enjoyed playing against him.
“He's a heck of a player,” Kilbert said. “Gotta give him props. It was a pretty cool experience.”
The 36 points equaled Crowe's season average.
“We keep waiting for him to not have a great game,” Crowe Sr. said. “He just doesn't do it. If he scores 28 he's had an off night.”
Crowe Jr. said his great season was a product of instruction and inspiration from Lynwood's coaches.
“They told me every game to keep attacking,” he said. “Find the open guy, make the right play, play your position.”
It did not take long for the scoring to start. Sierra won the opening tip and one quick pass later Kilbert was laying in the ball off the glass for a 2-0 lead. Then Crowe got going, scoring on a drive with his weak hand (he's a lefty) and on another drive with his strong hand.
Crowe also hit a 25-foot 3-pointer in the first quarter, finished the period with 11 points and Lynwood took a 21-20 lead into the second quarter and had a 44-32 lead at halftime.
Holley scored the third quarter's first seven points. The Knights made 14 of their 19 shots in the third quarter, including 4 of 5 on 3-point shots, two by Wright, to extend the lead to 79-47.
Lynwood made 33 of 63 shots for 52%, a fine percentage for any high school game, but especially so in an NBA arena like Golden 1 Center with its deep backdrops that can affect shooters' depth perception.
The Knights were 10 of 22 on 3-pointers and made 13 of 14 free throws.
Division V is the lowest of the CIF State basketball divisions. After it won Friday by a 31-point margin, with a starting lineup that included four freshmen, it seems likely Lynwood will be in a more challenging division in the years ahead.
Coach Crowe said that moving up to a higher division, perhaps even the elite CIF-SS Open Division, is in the plan.
“I just think we need to earn it,” he said. “Whatever you want, you have to earn it. We set a goal that before they (the freshmen) leave that we want to be in the Open Division.”