HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL PLAYOFFS : Crenshaw Finds Right Arch in Rout

Since midseason, Crenshaw High basketball fans have wondered what was wrong with Ronnie Arch.

In key moments, the 6-foot-6 shooting guard spent time on the bench.

But Arch couldn’t have picked a better time to shake his slump, scoring 21 points and grabbing 10 rebounds to lead Crenshaw over Westchester, 73-59, in a City Section Division 4-A semifinal game Friday at Cal State Dominguez Hills.

“I was in a real big slump but I had a hard practice yesterday and it paid off,” said Arch, who was 8 of 17 from the field. I feel like taking the championship for the third straight time.”

Crenshaw (22-5) closed out the game with a 12-2 run to finish off Westchester (25-7).

“We tried not to beat ourselves and we did a better job in the second half,” Crenshaw Coach Willie West said.

After Arch rebounded a missed shot and scored on a layup, he stole the entry pass and made a three-point play to give Crenshaw its biggest lead of the third quarter, 51-46.

Westchester’s Ben Sanders played well in his last high school game, scoring 18 points, including 15 in the second half.

“Playing against Ben definitely motivated me,” Arch said.

Westchester opened the second quarter with an 8-0 run but Crenshaw regained the lead, 31-30, when Arch made his second three-point basket, with 1:14 left in the second quarter.

Antonio Simpson scored 14 points for Crenshaw and Robert Parker 11.

Westchester guard Danny Walker, who scored 14 points, missed all 10 of his three-point attempts.