Bell-Jeff Beats Harvard, Clinches 1st Title in 4 Years

Bell-Jeff High’s two-year rebuilding process under Coach Steve Wahl reached an apex Friday night as the Guards clinched their first San Fernando League basketball title in four years.

The 77-72 victory over Harvard-Westlake gave the Guards a two-game lead over the Wolverines with two games left. Bell-Jeff would win a tiebreaker by virtue of two head-to-head triumphs.

Trailing, 70-64, with four minutes left, Harvard fought back and tied the score, 70-70, with 2 minutes 11 seconds left. But Brian Lee--who had nine fourth-quarter points and 19 in the game--made a three-point basket to make it 73-70 and a two-point shot to make it 75-72. Bryan Camacho’s free throws with 33 seconds left secured the title.

“For three years, we’ve been waiting for this,” said Camacho, a senior guard who had 17 points and 13 assists. “I just can’t believe it.”

Wahl took command after a sudden illness to Joe Dunn left the Guards without a coach before the 1990-91 season. While becoming acquainted with Wahl and his plays, the Guards finished 12-12 last season, 6-4 in league play and tied for third.

One year later they are 17-4, 8-0 in league play and winners of 10 in a row.

“It was a manner of maturing and being with me for that year,” Wahl said. “We’ve been looking forward to this.”

Bell-Jeff has been beating teams in the third quarter all season, and this game was no exception. Down, 41-38, at halftime, the Guards outscored Harvard, 22-14, in the third.

“I told our kids at halftime,” Wahl said, “ ‘We’re only down by three points and we haven’t been playing well.’ That’s not the first time it’s been like that.”

It was also not the first time an otherwise-quiet Ignacio Castro stepped up and beat the Wolverines (14-7, 6-2). He scored 25 points--10 in the third quarter--after scoring 17 in an 82-78 victory over Harvard on Jan. 17.

Castro averages only nine points a game.

Bell-Jeff took its first lead since the early going on a 10-foot jump shot by Damien Scott with 6 minutes 51 seconds left in the third quarter. The lead switched hands several times before Bell-Jeff went on a 14-2 run in which Castro made two three-point baskets and a field goal.