Beating Westlake Is a Tall Order--Even for Simi Valley

Simi Valley might sew up its third consecutive Marmonte League title against Westlake tonight, but to hear Westlake Coach Greg Hess tell it the bulk of the future needlework will be left to the Warriors’ banner makers.

A new coach, a new system and new players contributed to Westlake’s 0-3 start in league play, but after Hess moved 6-foot, 7-inch Kevin Logan from a wing to the frontcourt, Westlake won five consecutive league games.

Tonight at 7:30, Westlake has a chance to hand Simi Valley its first league loss since Don MacLean and Shawn DeLaittre were sophomores, more than two seasons ago.

“It’s the right kind of matchup, isn’t it?,” Hess said of the game at Westlake High. “I think we’re going to show that in the future, those banners are going to be moving our way.”

Westlake lost to the Pioneers, 86-71, in the first meeting but has not lost since. The Warriors are in second place, a half-game ahead of Channel Islands. In its past two games, Westlake (13-7, 5-3 in league play) handily beat Camarillo and Royal, avenging earlier losses.

“It’s funny how a couple wins changes everything,” Hess said. “My kids are excited about the game. They’re thrilled to have the opportunity to play the No. 1 team. What an opportunity for us.”

Simi Valley is 19-3, 9-0 in league play and has beaten 10 consecutive opponents. The Pioneers, ranked No. 1 in the Southern Section, have scored 90 or more points 10 times and no league team has been closer than 10 points at game’s end.

Westlake, on the other hand, has yet to score more than 75 points in a game. Still, Hess sees things going the way of the Warriors.

“I think the chances are leaning toward us,” he said. “At the same time, they can come out and hit everything. But I do know that we have the size to play them.”

Then there were five: Del Rey League athletic directors will meet Monday at Alemany to decide whether the 1988-89 basketball season will be a two- or three-round affair.

League members Notre Dame and Bosco Tech will leave after the conclusion of the school year. Notre Dame will compete in the newly formed San Fernando Valley League and Bosco Tech, in Rosemead, will join the Camino Real League. The realignment could leave a big hole in a few Del Rey schedules in December.

“After we decide on whether we play eight or 12 league games we’ll have to start setting up our schedules for the preseason,” said Crespi Coach Paul Muff, who is also the school’s athletic director.

No repeat: When Kennedy defeated Taft, 72-65, three weeks ago in the first round of Valley League play, Kennedy essentially stopped guarding two Toreadors in order to concentrate on Taft’s scoring threats.

Hamilton tried the same trick against Taft a week ago, often leaving Taft forwards Lamont Koonce, Tony Moten and Tony Middleton unguarded to concentrate on guards Quincy Watts and Dedan Thomas. Middleton responded with a career-high 14 points and Moten also took advantage of the alignment, scoring 29, as Taft won, 87-59.

Taft Coach Jim Woodard said the Hamilton game should better prepare Taft if Kennedy employs a similar defense in Thursday night’s rematch.

“I’m hoping Middleton is on a real streak,” Woodard said. “He’d never even scored in double figures before. Those guys have to shoot the ball for us to be successful.”

Warring neighbors: North Hollywood football Coach Fred Grimes, who already had added Notre Dame, has included Harvard on next season’s schedule. Both opponents are nearby Southern Section schools.

“I’m really happy because we wanted competition with tougher schools,” Grimes said. “I feel really good about both schools.”

Harvard competes in the Frontier League and Notre Dame played in the Del Rey League last year but will move to the San Fernando Valley League next season. Both schools are located within five miles of North Hollywood.

Last year the Huskies, who competed in the City Section’s 2-A Division, beat Hollywood, 53-6, and Verdugo Hills, 36-28, in the preseason but then lost three of their first four league games.

Halfway home: Since losing to Grant, 47-41, two weeks ago, North Hollywood has played 1 1/2 excellent games, according to Coach Steve Miller.

Actually, Miller said his team has played well in the first half of each of the past three games.

“We’ve had three straight great first halves,” Miller said. “But then, either physically or mentally, we’ve let up in the second half.”

North Hollywood has scored 190 points in those games, 103 coming in the first half.

Satisfaction: Oakwood Coach Roz Goldenberg scheduled a nonleague game Friday against Faith Baptist, a 1-A Division school, to give the Gorillas, in the Small Schools Large Division, a “challenge” before the playoffs begin. Oakwood (15-2, 6-0 in league play) got that challenge and them some as Faith Baptist walked away with an 87-50 victory.

“When you schedule a really good game, it points out the areas you’re weak in,” she said. “In the Liberty League, we only get a good game once every four games. This shows us you can’t walk through league play and think we’re a good team.”

No Ty required: Campbell Hall will be without its leading scorer, Ty Leatherman, for the rest of the season after the 5-9 junior guard tore ligaments in his right foot a week ago.

Without Leatherman (19.9 points a game), Campbell Hall struggled against Crossroads and Faith Baptist, losing to the league opponents by a combined 63 points. But against Bel-Air Prep on Friday, the Vikings won, 50-47.

Good press: Coach Bob Braswell said that Cleveland proved it was more than a team that runs a good full-court press when it defeated Fairfax, 54-50, last week.

“I think a lot of people perceive us as a one-dimensional team,” he said. “We showed we can run our half-court offense, slow it down, or do whatever it takes to win.”

The Cavaliers were successful against Fairfax All-American Chris Mills--who had 42 points and 17 rebounds against Cleveland six weeks ago--by spreading out the Lions’ offense. Cleveland denied Mills the ball with a modified zone defense and forward Damon Charlot, who was assigned to guard the center.

Steven Fleischman and staff writers Steve Elling, and Chris Parker contributed to this notebook.