TODAY’S GAMES : Lynwood Meets Long Beach Poly in 5-AA Final

Long Beach Poly will make a record-breaking 24th appearance in a Southern Section basketball championship game tonight when it meets Lynwood for the 5-AA Division boys’ title at the Sports Arena at 8:30.

The second-seeded Jackrabbits (25-2), seeking their 13th Southern Section title, will play top-seeded Lynwood (30-1) for the first time this season.

Long Beach Poly’s top players are Roderick Hannibal, Willie McGinest and Melvin Jones.

For Lynwood, senior Earnest Killum has been averaging more than 30 points a game in the playoffs. In the first game of the doubleheader, top-ranked Santa Ana Mater Dei (29-1) will face Loyola (23-3) for the 5-A Division title at 6:45 p.m.

This morning at the Sports Arena, Laguna Beach (22-5) will play Santa Maria St. Joseph (19-7) in the 2-A Division final at 9:45, and undefeated Oxnard Santa Clara (23-0) will play Verbum Dei (14-12) at 11:30 in the 2-AA final.