PREP BASKETBALL : Crenshaw Passed Over for At-Large Berth

Crenshaw High School, which won the boys’ State Division I title a year ago, will not get a chance to defend its title because it failed to receive an at-large bid in the Southern Regional pairings announced Sunday.

Eight teams were selected in the five girls’ and boys’ divisions, with champions from the City 4-A and 3-A divisions, Southern Section 5-AA and 5-A divisions and Central and San Diego sections receiving automatic entry. The Southern California Selection Committee, composed of representatives from each section, decided at-large berths.

In Division I boys play, Long Beach Poly (26-2), Santa Ana Mater Dei (30-1), Manual Arts (26-3), North Hollywood (23-3), National City Sweetwater (29-1) and Bakersfield (26-3) all received automatic bids.

The committee narrowed its choices for the two at-large bids to Lynwood (30-2), which lost to Poly in the Southern Section 5-AA Division final; Los Angeles Loyola (23-4), which lost to Mater Dei in the 5-A final; and Crenshaw (22-5), which lost to Manual Arts in the City 4-A Division final.

After comparison of each team’s records, schedules and common opponents, Lynwood and Loyola were chosen over the defending state champions.

“It ended up that the committee’s vote was split between Loyola and Crenshaw for the final spot,” said Southern Section representative Dean Crowley. “I feel that a major contributing factor for Loyola was that it was ranked ahead of Crenshaw in the final Cal-Hi coaches’ poll.”

Crenshaw Coach Willie West, who has won four of the eight modern era State titles, was not pleased with the decision.

“This is something that I was afraid would happen,” he said. “It was just a political move by the committee to get their teams in the tournament. I expected something like this all along.

“I don’t like the way they go by in selecting the teams. It just seems to change year to year. I know teams that win titles qualify automatically, but there was a time when the Southern Section just had a 5-A Division, and now there is a 5-AA Division, too. Who’s to say that they won’t have a 5-AAA next year?”

Manual Arts Coach Randolph Simpson, whose Toilers are 25-3, also was upset. “Crenshaw simply deserves to be in the playoffs, without a doubt. They are the defending state champions and runner-up in the toughest section to play in. They have a right to defend their title on the court playing.”

The City’s history in the State Tournament speaks for itself. City representatives have won six of the last eight titles. Two City runners-up have won State titles.

In 1983 Crenshaw lost the City title to Wilmington Banning and then defeated Oakland Bishop O’Dowd for the State championship. Two seasons ago, Manual Arts defeated Bishop O’Dowd for the State title after losing to Crenshaw in the City finals.

“The City should be given more respect just based on its past history,” Simpson said. “It is a shame that something like this could happen. Not only do Southern Section teams get to play more games and often against weaker opponents, but we don’t have an option of moving up or down in divisions to play.”

For the Southern Section, every division finalist in boys and girls tournaments qualified for the playoffs, which begin Tuesday, with the regional semifinals Thursday, and finals Friday and Saturday.