STATISTICAL WATCH : Quick Game Was Still Painful for Westlake

The first half of Westlake’s Southern Section basketball 4-A final against Santa Monica on Saturday night took just 26 minutes. There were only seven free throws attempted and two timeouts called in the half. . . . Westlake made 70% of its free throws and 50% of its shots during the season. . . . Saugus guard Greg Weber is 25 of 31 (80.6%) from the free-throw line in six playoff games.

Harvard’s missed free throws played a big part in the a 79-55 loss to Crossroads in the Southern Section 1-A semifinals. Harvard, which shot 60% as a team during the season, made only 9 of 20 attempts and missed the front end of six straight one-and-one opportunities in the third quarter. . . . Birmingham’s Keith Owens averaged 17 points during the regular season but scored only 38 points and shot 28% in four playoff games. In the final, Owens scored eight points.

Poly wants to crack one: Poly outfielder Luis Porres, who hit .456 as a sophomore last season, had four hits--including a home run--and three runs batted in in last Tuesday’s 17-6 win over North Hollywood in the East Valley League opener for both teams. . . . Westlake shortstop Matt Franco, a senior who batted a school-record .435 last season, is 7 for 8 with a home run, triple and double after three games. . . . In two games, junior Olonzo Woodfin of Sylmar has 25 strikeouts and has allowed only 2 hits in 10 innings.