LONG BEACH — The Millikan boys basketball team was more than ready for its debut in the CIF Southern Section Division 1 playoffs under second-year coach Stephon Price.
The Rams’ stifling defense locked in from the jump and carried them to a 79-34 victory against Thousand Oaks at home in the first round on Wednesday night.
“I told them it’s going to get harder and harder,” Price said. “Division 1 basketball is going to be harder and harder. It doesn’t get easier. You don’t get another round that’s going to be easier than the first one.”
All five Millikan starters reached double figures in the scoring column for the first time this season, led by freshman guard Quali Giran, who scored a game-high 21 points. He also had five rebounds and four assists.
“We played great as a team, getting stops on defense and turning it into points,” Giran said.
Senior guard Jeremiah Hunt scored 18 points and grabbed five rebounds. Junior forward Christian Parron scored 15 points and grabbed six rebounds. Senior guard Joseph Wicker had 12 points and eight rebounds. Senior guard Jalen Stewart added 12 points and six rebounds.
Millikan, the Moore League champions, improved to 23-6 overall. They will play at Windward in the second round on Friday.
“It feels great,” said Hunt who is a three-year starter. “I’ve never won a playoff game. Last year, we made it for the first time in my career but we fell short and this time, we won. I’m just excited to keep going, keep playing.”
Junior guard Jaydon Nwene led Thousand Oaks (23-5) with eight points.
Lancers coach Logan Baltau said it was his program’s first Division 1 playoff game.
“We just didn’t come and give them our best shot,” Baltau said. I think they were obviously the heavy favorite either way. I think had we given them our best shot, we would have had a more competitive game but when you’re off some things and not on your A-game and then you play against such a talented team like that, it goes tough like it did.”
Parron’s layup off an assist by Stewart put Millikan up 2-0 early. Hunt’s three-point play made it 5-0 with 6:49 left in the first. Thousand Oaks sophomore guard Micah Chin’s three-point play cut it to 5-3.
Wicker’s deep 3-pointer pushed it to 8-3. Stewart’s 3-pointer made it 11-3 with 4:22 remaining in the first. Giran’s baseline jumper extended Millikan’s lead to 13-3.
Wicker’s offensive board and layup made it 15-3. Parron’s three-point play via a putback made it 18-3 with 1:31 left in the first. Hunt’s pull-up jumper made it 20-3. Hunt’s four-point play pushed Millikan’s lead to 24-3 at the end of the first.
Millikan outscored Thousand Oaks by an 18-8 margin in the second quarter to establish a 42-11 advantage at halftime. Wicker scored 12 points in the first half. Hunt had 11 points in the first half.
Giran’s layup through contact made it 44-11 with 7:45 left in the third quarter. Hunt’s three-point play made it 54-18.
Parron’s steal and slam dunk pushed it to 60-21 with about two minutes left in the third.
Millikan led 70-26 heading into the fourth quarter. A running clock was instituted for the final eight minutes of the game.
Millikan basketball guards Quali Giran @qualigiran2029 and Jeremiah Hunt @jeremiah_hunt26 and coach Stephon Price @coachstephprice on the team’s dominant 79-34 win at home against Thousand Oaks in the first round of the CIF-SS boys basketball Division 1 playoffs.
Millikan will… pic.twitter.com/cgc4tAcoyU
— John W. Davis (@johnwdavis) February 12, 2026
Thousand Oaks basketball coach Logan Baltau on his team’s first appearance in the Division 1 playoffs that ended with a 79-34 loss in the first round at Millikan in Long Beach. pic.twitter.com/5ZxVc9Vv5n
— John W. Davis (@johnwdavis) February 12, 2026