Cleveland Flashes Playoff Form in 98-74 Win

The year may be winding down for most basketball teams, but a season opener was held Friday night at Cleveland High.

At least in tone, it’s the beginning of the second season for the Cavaliers--the one they hope will wind up at the Sports Arena, site of the City Section 4-A Division final.

And it was open season on Granada Hills, which fell, 98-74, to the Cleveland juggernaut. The Cavaliers are 1-0 or 18-2, depending on how you look at it.

“I told the players to throw everything out the window and take it from the beginning,” Cleveland Coach Bob Braswell said. “We’re trying to set up a tournament atmosphere, where if you lose, you’re out of it, and if you win, you continue.

“Hopefully, our next away game will be at the Sports Arena.”

The Cavaliers, who improved to 8-0 in the North Valley League and clinched at least a tie for the title, finish league play with 2 home games next week, then expect to host all playoff games leading up to the City final.

Granada Hills Coach Bob Johnson, whose club has absorbed losses of 29 and 24 points to Cleveland this season, wouldn’t be surprised to see the Cavaliers go all the way.

“They seem to play well against us,” Johnson said. “We just don’t have the players to go slow, so we go at them--and this is the result. This is as close as it’s going to get.”

Close was a relative term as far as the Highlanders (11-8, 3-5) were concerned. They never really made a game of it.

Cleveland jumped to a 10-4 lead less than 3 minutes into the game and built the advantage to 19-8 as forward Lucious Harris took the Highlanders apart both inside and out. Harris scored 12 first-period points, hitting a 3-point shot in addition to an array of driving baskets and layups.

The Cavaliers led, 28-16, after 1 period and stretched the lead to 51-31 by halftime. It only got worse from there.

Cleveland’s full-court press was in fine tune, forcing 16 Highlander turnovers in the first half and 31 overall. Harris finished with game highs of 28 points and 14 rebounds. Warren Harrell added 18 points and 9 rebounds and Adonis Jordan had 14 points for Cleveland.

Forward Alvin Brown--all 6-4, 250 pounds of him--led the Highlanders with 24 points and 13 rebounds. Guard John Johnson had 14 points for Granada Hills.