The Millikan Rams are hoping it will be a little bit of history repeating tonight at 5pm on their home court, when they square off against the Poly Jackrabbits, a nationally-ranked power with hopes for their fourth-straight state championship this season.  Seem like a stretch?  That’s exactly what the Rams did last season in the league opener, shocking Poly on their home court with a 51-46 win, holding Poly’s All-American Jasmine Dixon to just 12 points and limiting the entire Jackrabbits squad to just 36% shooting.  Poly won their next two matchups, the first a 55-42 League rematch and the second a 66-33 CIF championship victory.  But it’s the loss, one of just two all last season for the ‘Rabbits (who finished 31-2), that’s likely stuck in their heads.

“They know us,” said Poly head coach Carl Buggs of Millikan.  “They know what we do well, they know what we don’t—they’re always ready.”

Millikan coach Lorene Morgan is a big part of that readiness—she’s done an excellent job with her squad again this season, despite graduating some top talent last year.  This year’s team features a totally revamped playing style, as coach Morgan has them scoring a lot of transition buckets and running the floor, since her team is smaller and faster than the 2007-2008 Rams.  Expect to see more of junior transfer Hilary Drinovsky in this game—at 6’4″, they’ll need her height to hang with Poly’s bigs, Monique Oliver and Thaddesia Southall.

Since Millikan took care of business in their first two games, as Poly did in theirs, this will be a matchup of 2-0 undefeateds.  And, in the raucous Millikan gym, it’s likely to be a matchup to remember.  “Yeah, it should be a pretty good game,” says Moragn.  Amen, coach.  Get there early if you want a seat!