City 4-A Boys’ Semifinals : Manual Arts and Crenshaw Advance

Manual Arts High advanced to the Los Angeles City 4-A boys’ basketball championship game with a stirring 72-70 victory over Banning High in Friday night’s semifinals at the Sports Arena.

The Toilers will meet unbeaten Crenshaw High, the defending City 4-A champion, for the title next Friday. Crenshaw defeated Carson High, 101-64, for its 20th straight win in Friday’s second game.

Manual Arts, which completed a four-game season sweep of the Pilots, built a 42-28 halftime lead, then had to hold off several Banning surges in the second half.

The victory wasn’t secure until a 25-foot shot at the buzzer by Banning’s Eric Cooper went around the rim and out. Cooper, who led the Banning comeback with 21 points in the second half, finished with 27 points.

Manual Arts improved its record to 18-5. Banning finished at 17-8. Manual Arts will be making its first championship appearance since 1981, when Dwayne Polee led the Toilers to the title.

Kevin Dandridge led a balanced Toiler attack with 18 points, followed by Jonathon Owens and James Bledsoe with 15 apiece. Joe Johnson had 16 points and 15 rebounds for Banning.

In Friday’s second game, Crenshaw put on a furious display of defense in building a 53-30 halftime lead.

The Cougars set the tempo for the game in the first half-minute, causing three Carson turnovers and building a 10-0 lead. Crenshaw led, 25-11, at the quarter.

Junior Steve Thompson led the State’s top-rated team with 16 first-half points.