Crenshaw Captures City Title

With its star player sitting on the bench in supposed foul trouble, the Crenshaw High boys’ basketball team watched helplessly as Fremont took control in the City Section Division 4-A championship game Saturday at the Sports Arena.

Believing guard Alastiar Faux had picked up his third foul early in the first half, Crenshaw Coach Willie West sat his floor leader out the entire second quarter. By the time West found out Faux had only two fouls, Fremont had taken a 14-point halftime lead.

But Faux scored the game-winning shot with seven seconds remaining to help the Cougars to an 82-81 victory before 4,687.

Fremont had one last scoring opportunity, but guard Danny Walker’s layup with 1.5 seconds to play rolled off the rim and into the hands of Crenshaw’s Allison Carter.

“The scorekeeper told our coaches I had three fouls, but I kept telling them I only had two,” said Faux, a 5-foot-11 junior who scored 17 second-half points and finished with four three-point baskets. “I guess nobody wanted to believe me.”

The title was the fourth in a row for Crenshaw (25-5) and its 15th since 1971, the most of any team in the section. The Cougars and Fremont (26-4) automatically qualify for the State Southern Regional tournament, which begins Tuesday. Pairings will be announced today.

In two previous playoff games, Faux had scored 61 points, including 30 in a 90-88 double overtime victory over Palisades in the semifinals on Feb. 23. On Saturday, he scored five points in the first quarter as Crenshaw pulled ahead, 21-17.

Without Faux, however, the Cougars managed only 11 second-quarter points as top-seeded Fremont built a double-digit lead. The Pathfinders went on a 10-0 run in the quarter with Walker contributing eight of those points.

It was a different story in the second half with Faux in the lineup. Crenshaw went on a 9-0 run to open the half and continued to chip away at Fremont’s lead, outscoring the Pathfinders, 21-14, in the third quarter.

Fremont, playing in its first 4-A final since moving up from 3-A division three years ago, appeared to have regained momentum when forward Jermel Jones’ layup put it ahead, 68-59, with 5 minutes 30 seconds remaining.

But Crenshaw scored 10 of the next 14 points, including seven from Faux, and trailed by only 72-69 with 3:25 to go.

Clinging to a 79-76 lead with a little over a minute to play, Fremont guard Korrey Taylor was assessed a technical foul when he asked for a timeout and his team didn’t have left. Faux made one of two free throws to cut the lead to two, and the Cougars tied it seconds later on Corey Williams’ driving layup with 50 seconds remaining.

After Crenshaw’s Carter made a free throw to put his team ahead, 80-79, Fremont took a final lead at 81-80 after two of free throws by Matthew Holyfield with 32 seconds remaining.

The Cougars called a timeout and then worked for a final shot, which was intended for guard Kevin Bradley. Under pressure, Bradley passed to Faux, who was all alone when he made the winning basket from the left side of the court.

“This hurts a lot,” Fremont Coach Sam Sullivan said. “I’m numb right now.”

Walker led Fremont in scoring with 19 points. Taylor added 13. Crenshaw spread the scoring around, with Carter contributing 15, Bradley 12 and Williams nine.