City’s 4-A Playoffs an Obstacle Course

The Washington High boys’ basketball team won the City Southern League title and earned the second seeding in the Division 4-A playoffs, but the Generals did not end the regular season on a positive note.

With an opportunity to gain a two-game sweep over league rival Dorsey last Friday, the Generals blew a six-point lead in the last two minutes and lost, 74-72, at Washington.

Even though Washington entered the game with an 18-3 record and fresh off a road win over Crenshaw, the Generals’ loss did not come as a total surprise considering the wild happenings in the City this season.

In the 1980s, it was easy to judge the best 4-A teams because Crenshaw, which won five titles in a six-year span during the period, always led the pack.

This season, however, parity has ruled.

Crenshaw no longer dominates and as many as seven squads have a legitimate chance to win the 4-A title based on regular-season play.

Westchester (23-2), the defending champion, is the favorite. It earned the top-seeding by sweeping Western League rivals Manual Arts and Fairfax during the season. Washington, Crenshaw (16-4), Dorsey (17-5), Carson (17-7) and even Manual Arts (17-6) and Fairfax (14-9) all have a chance to go home from the Sports Arena March 6 as City champion.

“Teams have been going after us all year, but we have been handling it pretty well,” Westchester Coach Ed Azzam said. “It has been a fun year and we’re enjoying every bit of it. So far, we haven’t gotten a big head being the top seed.”

This season, Westchester has done its best to keep its No. 1 ranking by not losing to a City team and posting a 7-0 record against schools ranked in The Times’ poll.

Unlike last year, though, when Westchester defeated Manual Arts for the title behind 6-foot-8 LeRoi O’Brien’s 24 points and 10 rebounds, the Comets do not have a true dominate force inside.

“We haven’t had that inside guy to go to like last season, but we do have a couple of guys who do the job in Marty Cotwright (6-9), Lavelle Ball (6-6) and Walter Walker (6-5),” Azzam said. “I think we have enough power there.”

One coach qualified to rate the 4-A playoffs is Sam Sullivan of Fremont, whose Pathfinders are the top-seeded team in 3-A. Fremont has a 4-2 record against The Times’ top 10 teams, with its only losses coming to Westchester.

“There definitely has been a changing of the guard in the 4-A,” Sullivan said. “Westchester has a great program and has had a great season, but I think any of those seven teams are capable of knocking off each other on a given night and it would not be considered an upset. There are now more quality players spread out all around the City and that makes it difficult to be dominate.

“Once you get into the playoffs, you have to have a strong inside game of some sort. The little guys get you there but the big man can finish you off.”

Westchester will open the playoffs Wednesday by hosting Granada Hills, while Washington will be at home against Wilmington Banning. Third-seeded Dorsey will host Cleveland, while fourth-seeded Fairfax will play at home against Reseda Cleveland.

The City playoffs begin Wednesday with first-round action in the boys’ and girls’ 3-A and 4-A Divisions. Defending champion Fremont is the top-seeded team in boys’ 3-A, followed by North Hollywood, Lincoln and Chatsworth. This will probably be Fremont’s last season in the 3-A before moving up to the major division after reaching the 3-A championship game the last three seasons.

In girls’ 4-A, three-time defending champion Washington is the top-seeded team, followed by Banning, Granada Hills Kennedy and North Hollywood. In the girls’ 3-A Division, Huntington Park is the top-seeded team, with University seeded second, followed by Grant and Belmont.

Times’ Prep Polls

CITY SECTION, FINAL

BOYS

No. School Div. Record LW 1. Westchester 4-A 23-2 1 2. Fremont 3-A 26-3 2 3. Washington 4-A 18-4 4 4. Crenshaw 4-A 16-4 3 5. Dorsey 4-A 17-5 5 6. Manual Arts 4-A 17-6 6 7. North Hollywood 3-A 24-1 7 8. Carson 4-A 17-7 9 9. Taft 4-A 17-4 NR 10. Fairfax 4-A 14-9 8

GIRLS

No. School Div. Record LW 1. Washington 4-A 24-2 1 2. Banning 4-A 15-5 2 3. Crenshaw 4-A 18-4 4 4. Carson 4-A 15-6 3 5. Van Nuys 3-A 19-2 8 6. North Hollywood 4-A 17-4 5 7. Huntington Park 3-A 16-4 NR 8. Dorsey 4-A 11-6 7 9. University 3-A 16-4 9 10. Belmont 3-A 16-7 10