HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL PLAYOFFS : Towers of Power Lead Harvard Again, 62-45

The Harvard-Westlake High basketball team continues to tower over and overpower opponents.

With 6-foot-10 sophomore twins Jason and Jarron Collins muscling inside, the Wolverines bullied their way to a 62-45 victory over La Quinta on Friday night in the second round of the Southern Section Division III-A playoffs.

Harvard (24-3), the division’s top-seeded team, will play a third-round match on Tuesday.

Jason Collins scored 26 points, including 11 in the third quarter, when the Wolverines, ranked third in The Times’ regional poll, stretched a five-point lead to 47-39.

Jarron Collins added 10 points, and both players ignited the partisan crowd with authoritative dunks minutes apart in the third quarter.

“They do great things,” La Quinta Coach Jim Perry said. “Obviously, their height is a factor.”

Jason Collins, who drew a crowd whenever he handled the ball, gestured with both arms after making the slam that gave the Wolverines a 41-33 lead.

“That dunk really got me going,” Collins said. “We were too big and strong for them. They had one guy who was tall, but he really wasn’t strong.”

La Quinta (15-12), tri-champion of the Garden Grove League, tried to stop the Wolverines inside tandem with 6-4 center Scott Ogilvie and help from forwards Jason Gondringer and 6-7 Dino Dukovic.

Their double-team efforts worked best in the second quarter, when the Aztecs rallied from a 21-9 deficit to pull to 29-24 at halftime.

Jason Collins was held to four points in the second quarter and Jarron was held to two.

But in the third quarter, Jason Collins made three quick baskets, including the dunk.

“This is the playoffs,” Collins said. “And this is what we’ve been working for all year.”

The Wolverines would gladly pick on someone their own size, Coach Greg Hilliard said, but have not seen their match all season.

“We have a huge inside advantage against most teams,” Hilliard said.

La Quinta guard Greg Greenfield, who finished with 23 points, led the second-quarter rally by scoring eight points.