Fast-Finishing Crenshaw Leaves No Doubts This Time

Santa Ana Valley had spent a year thinking about its rematch with perennial power Los Angeles Crenshaw, having come so close to upsetting the Cougars in their gym last season.

Meeting at the second annual Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday Challenge at UCLA’s Pauley Pavilion, Santa Ana Valley was pressed, exhausted and eventually routed by the Cougars, 102-67.

Crenshaw (14-4), which only led 39-36 at halftime, pulled out to a 61-53 advantage after three quarters, and then went on a a 20-1 run in the fourth quarter.

In fact, Santa Ana Valley (10-7) did not make a fourth-quarter basket until Ike Harmon, who led all scorers with 20 points, dunked with 3 minutes 18 seconds to play.

By that time Santa Ana Valley had turned ragged in the face of the Cougars’ tenacious full-court press, which forced the majority of the Falcons’ 32 turnovers.

Falcon Coach Kevin Stipp said there were other factors as well.

“I know it will sound like sour grapes, but I don’t think we got one call in the second half,” Stipp said, in talking about the officiating. “Sure we got worn down. When you’ve got people beating on you and there are not calls, you’re going to get worn down.

“Do credit Crenshaw. There’s no doubt they do the job. They keep sending people at you and they do wear people out. They got us out of rhythm and I also think we let the officiating get to us more than we should have.”

Crenshaw Coach Willie West, who has put his team through “a more rugged nonleague schedule than we usually do,” said the Cougars are starting to round into the form he expects.

“I’d like to think today was a combination of our press and talent getting to them,” West said. “We’re still trying to find ourselves. We still make mistakes, but we’re getting there.”

Bryan Reed led Crenshaw with 19 points.

In other games:

Long Beach Millikan 74, Lake Elsinore 72--Erron Maxey had a game-high 37 points for Lake Elsinore. Robert Anderson scored 15 points for Millikan.

L.A. Westchester 73, Fontana 67--Corey Benjamin, one of the Southland’s top prep players, scored 33 points and had 11 rebounds for Fontana.

North Hollywood Harvard-Westlake 60, Bellflower 46--Jason Collins scored 21 points for Harvard-Westlake, which built an 18-point lead after the first quarter.

Compton Dominguez 75, Inglewood 62--Jason Hart returned to the Inglewood lineup, scoring 16 points. He was suspended last week while officials looked into charges he had been improperly enrolled.

Santa Monica Crossroads 71, Bellflower St. John Bosco 52--Kwun Woods scored 16 points for Crossroads (13-8). Brian Johnson scored 23 for St. John Bosco (10-8), which played without Schea Cotton, who has a broken hand.