CITY ROUNDUP : Westchester Rallies for Victory Over San Pedro

With its best player benched because of disciplinary reasons, Westchester High’s basketball team spent most of Wednesday’s non-league game against San Pedro trying to make the adjustments.

It took 3 1/2 quarters, but the Comets finally succeeded, pulling away in the last five minutes for a 64-54 come-from-behind victory at San Pedro.

Senior guard Damian Wilson did not play because he violated team rules by failing to wear a necktie to school on game day, Coach Ed Azzam said.

Asked what it meant not to have Wilson, who was named MVP and led the Comets to the championship of the Malibu Rotary/Palisades Tournament last week, Azzam replied, “Twenty points and some defense. And a little bit of continuity too. It took our guys a little getting used to.”

Azzam said Wilson will most likely be back in the lineup Friday when the Comets open Coastal Conference play against University High at Westchester. “If he comes to practice (today) and follows the rules,” the coach added.

The players who did take the court for Westchester appeared in jeopardy of losing to a small but scrappy San Pedro team.

The Pirates were forced to go with a four-guard attack because of a calf muscle injury to center Roger Traynham. But what they gave up in size, they made up in hustle, opening a 10-point lead in the second quarter and holding an advantage until Westchester went on a 12-0 run to take a 59-50 lead with 1:30 remaining.

The Comets improved to 9-6. San Pedro, which visits Crenshaw on Friday in a Southern-Pacific Conference opener, fell to 8-4.

Forward Mike Mitchell led Westchester with 20 points, nine coming in the fourth quarter when the Comets outscored San Pedro, 19-8. Point guard Kelly Robinson added 16 and sophomore forward LaValle Ball scored 11 in a reserve role. LeRoi O’Brien, the team’s 6-8 junior center, wasn’t a factor until the fourth quarter, when he scored four points and blocked three shots.

San Pedro, which managed only one basket in the fourth quarter, got 16 points off the bench from junior guard Gary Herrera, a 5-6 ball of energy who helped give the Pirates a 35-29 halftime lead with eight points in the second quarter. He was the only Pirate in double figures.

Despite the loss, Pirate Coach Jack Kordich was pleased with his team’s effort in its final tune-up before conference and league play.

“It’s hard to believe you can gain confidence from a loss, but I think we did,” he said. “We just ran out a gas against a bigger team.”

Granada Hills 71, Carson 66--Senior guard Jermoine Brantley scored 12 of his game-high 27 points in the fourth quarter to rally the Highlanders (9-6) to a non-league victory at Granada Hills.

Carson (10-6) led going into the final period but was outscored 25-14 in the last eight minutes. Guard Bobby Kelly paced the Colts with 18 points and forward Chris Aaron had eight points and 15 rebounds.