LONG BEACH — In overtime, Millikan senior guard Kamaury Washington was not going to let his team lose. Neither was Millikan senior guard Eric Bonales.

The duo combined for 10 of the Rams’ 11 points in overtime, leading Millikan’s boys basketball team to a 57-51 win against Sunny Hills in the second round CIF State Division IV regional playoffs Thursday at Millikan High School.

No. 5 seed Millikan will host No. 16 Valley Torah on Saturday, March 5.

“I had to come out the game with four fouls and I knew it was going to be a tough game and it was going to be a hard win to accomplish,” said Washington, who finished with 21 points and eight rebounds. “I told myself, ‘I can’t get myself taken out of this game. I have to keep my head in the game and I have to focus.’ and I came out and made important plays when we needed them.”

Millikan senior guard Kamaury Washington was not going to let @mhsramshoops lose. Washington’s 21 points and 8 rebounds powered them to a 57-51 overtime win against Sunny Hills in the second round of @CIFState Boys Basketball Division IV playoffs. pic.twitter.com/NxoVknDUQR

— John W. Davis (@johnwdavis) March 4, 2022

“I’ve had faith in those guys for two years now that I’ve run with them and knew they could do it,” said Millikan coach Curtis Boyer.  “It was an intense game but I’m glad they preserved.”

Defensively, Millikan was anchored down low by 6-foot-8 freshman center Jackson Cryst, who had four points, 10 rebounds and seven blocks against the Lancers.

“(Jackson’s height) was the one thing that we were missing,” Boyer continued. “I knew he was going to be on varsity because he filled a need for us. …

“I knew what (Jackson) could do and I knew there was going to be growing pains, but my expectations for him at the start of the season have been exceeded from the simple fact that he’s had major growth and he’s starting to believe in himself.”

Millikan coach Curtis Boyer breaks down his team’s 57-51 overtime win against Sunny Hills in the second round of the CIF State Boys Basketball Division IV playoffs. @mhsramshoops have won their first two wins ever in the CIF State playoffs this week. pic.twitter.com/eziIKkbncd

— John W. Davis (@johnwdavis) March 4, 2022

The Rams improved their record to 17-18 after starting the season 1-6. Millikan has won 10 out of its last 11 games, including the first two rounds of the CIF State Division IV regional playoffs, which are the first two Millikan wins in CIF State boys basketball history.

“We started this season a little bit slow,” Boyer shared. “I always had faith in these kids and believed in them. That’s why the back of our shirts says our season. It took them some time to hit their stride but they’re hitting at the right time.”

Boyer said it wasn’t until mid-January that his players truly started to believe in themselves.

“We started to approach it towards the middle of the season, (by saying) focus on what’s in front of you. Don’t worry about what’s behind you or what’s ahead of that next game… You start winning one, then we can go on to the next one and move on from there,” Boyer said.

That confidence has been rewarded with a playoff run to the CIF-SS Division 3A semifinals and now deep into the CIF SoCal Regional Division IV playoffs.

“We’ve played with confidence and faith ever since,” Washington said.

In the first quarter, Washington got the Rams on the board with a 3-pointer, which was preceded by a nice crossover, putting them up 3-2.

Sunny Hills led 6-5 with 5:19 left in the first quarter, which forced coach Boyer to call a timeout. The Lancers were up 15-12 at the end of the first quarter.

Millikan tied it 15-15 before a bucket by Sunny Hills sophomore guard Justin Shim put the Lancers back up by two points early in the second quarter. Shim finished with 12 points.

However, the Rams continued to push the pace, running in transition as Washington scored another bucket on his way to 11 points in the first half.

Millikan also stepped up its defensive intensity in the second quarter, which enabled the Rams to go on an 18-9 run for a 30-24 lead at halftime.

Millikan led 38-34 heading into the fourth quarter.  An and-one by sophomore guard Donovan Desha put the Rams up 41-34 with 7:40 left in the fourth quarter.

Sunny Hills kept fighting and tied the score at 46 with 23 seconds to go on back-to-back clutch 3s by junior guard Johann Kwon, who finished with 16 points.

With 9.9 seconds to go in the fourth quarter, the game was tied at 46 but Shim missed what would have been the game-winning shot, forcing overtime.

A Shim 3 put Sunny Hills up 51-50 with a minute to go. However, Bonales came right back down and hit what would be the game-winning 3-pointer, putting Millikan up 53-51 with 33 seconds to go in overtime.

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Sunny Hills senior forward Dylan Lawson had 14 points, 11 rebounds and three blocks.

The Lancers finished the season with a 25-9 record.