City Section

CITY SECTION PLAYOFFS

Saturday, March 6

Championships

CHAMPIONSHIP DIVISION

Taft 64, Fairfax 60
Jordan Farmar had wanted this moment ever since he checked into Woodland Hills Taft two years ago. With the City Section boys basketball championship on the line Saturday night, the Toreadors’ star point guard wasn’t about the let this rare opportunity slip away from his hands.

Farmar coolly swished four consecutive free throws to keep top-seeded Fairfax at bay in the end and give Taft its first major division championship with a 64-60 victory before an estimated 6,000 at the Sports Arena.

“This is big,” the UCLA-bound senior said. “I can hang up a banner and put a ring on my finger and enjoy this.”

It is Taft’s first basketball title since winning the 3A division championship in 1980. It is also the first major-division titlist out of the San Fernando Valley in 40 years.

“I told our kids that it was a reality and with Westchester being out [of the postseason], it was even more of a reality,” Taft Coach Derrick Taylor said. “They’re so much better than everybody else. But anytime you have a chance in a one-game setting, you have the opportunity to beat someone.”

Farmar had a brilliant performance with a game-high 29 points, making 10 of 20 shots from the field with three three-point baskets while sinking all six of his free throws. The last four were key as Fairfax needed to foul after JaShon Hampton and Jerron Shipp missed three-point tries that would have tied the game in the final 30 seconds.

“That’s where I want to be at the end of the game,” Farmar said. “As a leader and a big-time player, I want to be taking big shots. It’s no big deal. Just knock them down.”

Taft (27-2) made most of the decisive plays in the final four minutes after trailing 55-51. Sophomore Calvin Haynes, who sat the first 21 games due to academic ineligibility, made two big shots.

Haynes made a three-pointer to spark a 7-0 run. With 43 seconds left, the shooting guard penetrated inside the lane and sank a short jumper to give the Toreadors a 60-57 lead.

“I wasn’t making my shots in the first quarter but my teammates had faith in me and I knew I was going to come through in the end,” said Haynes, who added 11 points.

Josh Shipp led Fairfax (23-5) with 21 points. But the Lions were outrebounded 44-26 and Taft, led by big forwards Maurice Walters and Jabari Samuel, grabbed 20 of them on the offensive end. Matt Cook also chipped in 14 points for the Toreadors.

Walters’ putback gave Taft the lead for good at 56-55. The two also helped hold the Lions’ Jamal Boykin to seven points after the forward went for 26 and 29 in his last two playoff games.

“We know Jamal is a hard worker, a good rebounder and shot-blocker but our big men are one of our strengths,” Farmar said. “They don’t finish well but they cause havoc all the time.”
--Eric Stephens

Taft 19 8 17 20 -- 64
Fairfax 14 14 14 18 -- 60

TAFT--Farmar 29, Cook 14, Walters 4 and 9 rebounds, Ramsey 2, Haynes 11 and 8 rebounds, Brooks 2, Samuel 2.

FAIRFAX--Jo. Shipp 21, Stanback 3, Hampton 9, Farlough 11, Je. Shipp 9, Boykin 7.

INVITATIONAL DIVISION

King-Drew 49, Jordan 37