Prep Basketball BOYS : Westlake 55, Camarillo 53

Camarillo High star Steve Banales may have made a mistake. Last week, after a win over Simi Valley, the all-Southern Section guard said the Scorpions had a lock on the Marmonte League title. Second-place Westlake was listening--and it responded Friday night at Westlake.

Trailing Camarillo by two games with only two remaining, Coach Roy Gilmore’s Warriors (8-3 in league, 13-9 overall) needed a victory over the Scorpions to stay in contention for the championship.

They got that win, but it wasn’t without a battle from Banales. Although making only two of eight shots in the first half, he finished with a game-high 23 points. He got 15 of those in the fourth quarter.

Westlake led, 47-38, with 2:29 left when Camarillo forced the Warriors to win from the free-throw line. Westlake made 10 of 14 free throws in the final two minutes and survived Banales’ hot shooting to hold on. Guard Rob Bowen made six of eight from the line and scored 11 of his team-high 16 points in the fourth quarter.

“I think Steve might have forgotten about us when he said everything last week because they beat us so badly the last time we played,” Bowen said.

Guard Greg Smith scored 14 points and center Steve Zeiss added eight for the Warriors, who will travel to Royal on Wednesday. If they beat the Highlanders and Camarillo loses to cross-town rival Channel Islands on Friday, Westlake and Camarillo will both finish league play with 9-3 records.

Forward Mitch Parrot scored 18 points and grabbed 12 rebounds for the Scorpions, who fell to 9-2 in league and 17-5 overall.