City Prep Basketball Playoffs : Manual Arts Holds Off Carson in Boys’ 4-A Semifinal, 50-44

What started out as a blowout for Manual Arts turned into a close game as the Toilers survived a strong Carson showing to win, 50-44, Friday night in a semifinal of the City 4-A boys’ basketball playoffs before 4,000 fans at the Sports Arena.

Manual Arts will meet Crenshaw in the City finals next Friday night at the Sports Arena.

The Toilers (24-0), the defending state champions, ran off to a 22-8 second-quarter lead before hitting a cold spell, in which they scored only six points in the game’s next 12 minutes.

Carson (16-8) capitalized on the Toilers’ misfires to tie the game, 28-28, late in the third quarter, behind the play of guards Greg Lindsey and Raymond Bennett, who scored four points apiece in their rally.

Manual Arts Coach Randolph Simpson credited Carson’s game plan and the adjustment to a different arena with causing the Toilers’ shooting problems.

“Carson’s coach, Richard Masson, packed his zone against us to take away our inside game,” Simpson said. “He forced us to take outside shots and we just were not used to shooting in a big arena, compared to playing in your common high school gym.”

William Celestine and Kent Bennett helped snap the Toilers out of their shooting slump.

Celestine, a 6-foot-5 senior forward, scored 11 points, including two big baskets late in the fourth quarter.

Bennett, a 6-6 center, had a game-high 15 points, featuring two big dunks, one on a timely alley-oop, and two key free throws in the fourth quarter.

“The lob play (to Bennett) was important for us because we were sleepwalking out there and that brought us to life and turned up our defensive intensity,” Simpson said. “We got a little complacent after running out to that big lead.”

Carson assistant coach Larry Friend said Simpson was correct in his assessment of the Colts’ game plan.

“We wanted to take Bennett out of their offense and make their guards shoot from the outside,” Friend said. “We did not feel that their shooting could beat us.”

Crenshaw 60, Fairfax 47--Senior guard Terry Cannon scored 23 points to lead the Cougars’ victory. After trailing 23-17 at halftime, Crenshaw took over behind Cannon’s 17 second-half points. Fairfax was led by Ryan Hickman, who scored 12, and Norman Francis, who scored 10. Crenshaw improved to 20-2. Fairfax ended the season at 13-12.

In City 4-A girls’ semifinal action:

Washington 62, Reseda 55--Remitha Houston scored 16 points and Detra Lockhart added 15 to lead the Generals’ victory at the Sports Arena.

Washington outscored Reseda, 7-2, in the game’s final 1:40, with freshman Charisse Sampson scoring two baskets and adding a key block.

Crenshaw 53, Dorsey 39--Senior guards Claudia Jones and Allison Jackson scored 14 and 13 points, respectively, to lead the Cougars.

Dorsey was led by Jackie Allen, who scored 13 points, and Telana Courseault, who added 10.