Westchester Takes Lesson in Defense, Defeats Crespi

Westchester High School Coach Ed Azzam had to give his team some impromptu lessons on defense Wednesday night.

Fortunately for the Comets, Azzam’s crash course worked. Westchester turned around an eight-point deficit to defeat Crespi, 55-47, in the quarterfinals of the San Dimas High Tournament of Champions.

“We tried every defense I knew,” Azzam said. “We even used set-ups I hadn’t even taught the players yet, because we weren’t matching up very well with Crespi.”

Westchester’s pressure defense created steals that guards Michael Brown and Sam Crawford used to get the Comets’ wide-open transition game into gear.

Westchester’s opportunistic fast break helped to erase a 33-25 lead that Crespi had mounted with 2:45 left in the third period.

The teams were deadlocked at 21-21 at the half. The Celts pulled away on the long-range gunnery of guards Bill Foudy and Mike Tilkian.

Tilkian, who finished with 14 points, hit four three-pointers and Foudy (high scorer for the game with 19 points) connected for three. Crespi’s dangerous shooters brought the Comet’s guards far out to the defensive perimeter and the Celts responded with several quick inside baskets.

Then Westchester’s press keyed the rally, and Brown (15 points) scored five clutch second-half baskets to pull the Comets in front.

Crawford, the creative point guard, engineered Westchester’s transition game with an array of brilliant passes, including a no-look gem underneath to center Zan Mason that was punctuated by a thundering slam dunk to end the first half.

“Sam Crawford and Michael Brown said there’s no way we’re going to lose,” Azzam said. “Crawford can make great passes like that all night long if we’re in our open-court game. We’re a little better at that now than our half-court game.”

The 6-foot-7 Mason finished with 14 points and forward Booker Waugh added 10 for the Comets. 6-foot-6 junior forward Renaud Gordon also had eight points for Westchester.

“We probably depended a little too much on our outside shooters,” said Crespi Coach Paul Muff, whose Celts dropped to 5-4. “We like to get more of a blend in our offense that we didn’t get tonight.”

Once Westchester’s defense sealed off Tilkian and Foudy, they were able to spread the court against Crespi.

“Crespi were patient but I think the press bothered them,” Azzam said. “That created a faster tempo game than they wanted.”

“We didn’t shoot a single foul shot all night,” Muff said. “But we were responsible for the fouls we were called for. But we were a little tired. This was our ninth game in 12 days.”

Westchester (5-0) advances to Friday’s 7:30 p.m. semifinal against Diamond Bar, who defeated Dominguez 56-53. Diamond Bar’s Brian Hendrick scored 25 points.

In other Tournament of Champions action:

Morningside 57, Verbum Dei 47--Senior guard Dwayne Lucas scored 20 points to lead Morningside (5-3) to a 57-47 victory.