Wilson Emerges to Lead Chatsworth Past Cleveland, 64-54

The battle between Cleveland High forward Shawn Bankhead and Chatsworth center Brady Mertes never materialized during Wednesday’s West Valley League showdown, won 64-54 by the host Chancellors.

Bankhead sat out almost the entire first half with foul trouble, and Mertes was hit by an elbow early in the second half, suffering a cut above his left eye that forced him out of the game.

But a war of words between Bankhead and Chatsworth forward Marcel Wilson emerged instead and proved equally entertaining.

Who won the mini-skirmish?

Was it Wilson, who pulled down a game-high 16 rebounds, scored 11 points and led Chatsworth (12-8, 7-0 in league play) to the upset, or the 6-foot-6 Bankhead, who had a game-high 19 points and a thunderous two-handed dunk over Wilson in the game’s final seconds?

“Shawn was talking a lot out there, saying he was going to try and dunk on me,” Wilson said. “Well, he got his dunk, but I just kept pointing up at the scoreboard. He’s a good player, but it wasn’t going to work today.”

Said Bankhead: “(Wilson) was talking to me all night. At the end there, I had to teach him a lesson.”

Regardless, it was clearly the Chancellors’ night.

Mertes led an 11-0 first-quarter run by scoring nine consecutive points, and Chatsworth took a 22-13 lead after one quarter.

Bankhead, averaging 25.6 points a game, was saddled with his third foul after only 3 minutes 18 seconds and sat out the rest of the half with three points. Cleveland (12-7, 6-1) was outscored, 31-20, when Bankhead was out, and Chatsworth took a 35-27 halftime lead.

Chatsworth’s 6-8 Mertes was elbowed in the left eye under the basket three minutes into the third quarter and suffered a bad cut. He fell to the floor, eventually leaving the game.

With Mertes out, Cleveland closed to within 44-40 late in the third quarter, but drew no closer.

Chatsworth point guard Philbert Hernandez’s quickness and the defensive play of Trenell Floyd and Wilson slowed Bankhead and the Cavalier attack enough to win.

So round one goes to Chatsworth. Round two is scheduled for Feb. 19 at Cleveland.