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Boys’ basketball: Almost time for King-Dominguez

Los Angeles Times staff writer Ben Bolch
By Ben Bolch
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The last time I covered a boys’ basketball playoff game involving Riverside King, the Wolves were winning a Division II state title in Sacramento in 2002 behind the play of Marvin ‘Sweet Pea’ Lea.

So guess who was one of the first people I saw nearly seven years later upon entering the gym this evening at Rancho Verde High?

That’s right, Lea himself, whose dreadlocks are now shoulder length but I bet his jumper is still as smooth as ever. The former Pepperdine guard came over and hammed it up with King players, coaches and fans.

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Lea is getting ready to cheer on second-seeded King (25-2) in its Southern Section Division I-AA semifinal against third-seeded Compton Dominguez (25-5). The winner will play the winner of the semifinal between Mater Dei and Etiwanda next weekend.

Should be a good one.

--Ben Bolch

Sports Now
Ben Bolch

Ben Bolch has been a Los Angeles Times staff writer since 1999. He is serving his second stint as the UCLA beat writer, which seems fitting since he has covered almost every sports beat except hockey and horse racing. Bolch is also the author of the recently released book “100 Things UCLA Fans Should Know & Do Before They Die.” He previously covered UCLA basketball from 2010-11 before going on to cover the NBA and the Clippers for five years. He happily traded in gobs of hotel points and airline miles to return to cover UCLA basketball and football in the summer of 2016. Bolch was once selected by NBA TV’s “The Starters” as the “Worst of the Week” after questioning their celebrity journalism-style questions at an NBA All-Star game and considers it one of his finer moments.

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