HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL : Crenshaw Gains Top Seeding Despite Losses

Despite two losses in the past week, the Crenshaw High boys’ basketball team did not fall from the good graces of the City Section playoff committee.

The nine-member committee overlooked Dorsey’s recent two-game sweep of Crenshaw in the Pacific League by making the Cougars (20-5) the top-seeded team in the upcoming Division 4-A playoffs.

In what is expected to be one of the most competitive 4-A fields in years, Fairfax (20-5) was seeded second, Fremont (25-3) third and Westchester (20-6) fourth.

The committee also announced 16-team brackets for the boys’ Division 3-A and girls’ 4-A and 3-A on Saturday. First-round games are Friday night at 7:30. The championship games are March 4 at Pauley Pavilion.

The boys’ 4-A bracket was the most difficult to set because of the balance among the schools, but the committee considered Crenshaw’s overall record, strength of schedule and tradition sufficient in selecting the top-seeded team.

The Cougars suffered a rare home loss last Friday, 80-77, to Dorsey in overtime, but finished as Pacific League champions. All four of the league’s teams, including Washington and Carson, qualified for the playoffs.

Crenshaw defeated Dorsey, 72-53, in last year’s championship game and is the two-time defending State Division I champion.

In the boys’ 3-A, defending champion Wilmington Banning (16-8) is seeded first and Franklin (18-5) second.

In the girls’ competition, Crenshaw (24-0) is top seeded in 4-A and Belmont (15-5) in 3-A. Crenshaw is the division’s defending champion.