Harvard-Westlake Doesn’t Let Down

As Harvard-Westlake High rolls through the Best in the West basketball tournament, the question has become not whether the Wolverines will win--but by how much.

They blasted Westchester, 76-51, Saturday night at Long Beach City College in a semifinal, further establishing themselves as the best in a tournament that features 32 of the top prep teams on the West Coast.

The Wolverines will play Artesia in the final at 8:30 Monday night.

The victory did not come as easily as their first three of the tournament, games in which the Wolverines (14-1) won by margins of 46, 14 and 19 points despite twins Jason and Jarron Collins sitting out at least a quarter of each game.

The Comets (9-3) sizzled from the field in the first quarter, making five of their first seven shots, and took an early 13-2 lead, the largest deficit Harvard-Westlake has faced this season.

The Wolverines fought back and took their first lead at 24-23 on a pair of free throws by Jarron Collins with 4 minutes 30 seconds remaining in the second quarter, and took a 36-33 lead by halftime.

Harvard-Westlake opened the second half with an 18-2 run.

“Getting behind was a good test to see how the team responded,” Wolverine Coach Greg Hilliard said. “That was the first time we’ve been down by more than four points.”

Jason Collins had 21 points and 12 rebounds, and said he was pleased with the way the team bounced back.

“We knew we were the better team but we just needed to get focused,” he said.

Jarron Collins, who hit an off-balance three-point shot at the third-quarter buzzer to give Harvard-Westlake a 57-40 lead, finished with 17 points, eight rebounds and three blocked shots. Victor Munoz and Rico Cabrera each added 15 points.

Harvard-Westlake has advanced to the championship game of its second major tournament in as many weeks. Last Monday the Wolverines lost to Mt. Zion of Durham, N.C., the nation’s top-ranked team, 63-59, in the Las Vegas Christmas Classic.

“It would be nice to win one of these,” said Hilliard, whose team finished third and fifth in prestigious tournaments last season.

Antelope Valley 56, Washington 55--Ziaire Williams had 22 points and Le’Tre Kelly had 15 in the Antelopes’ second game of the day.

The Antelopes (9-5) had a 51-33 lead after three quarters but tired in the fourth quarter before Tony Walker and Kelly made free throws to seal the victory.

Earlier, Kelly had 17 points in a 70-29 victory over St. John Bosco. Williams had 14 points and Walker added 15.

Los Angeles 88, Canoga Park 81--Carloes Harper sat on the bench after picking up his third foul two minutes into the second quarter and a 26-17 Canoga Park lead disappeared when the Romans (7-6) went on an 18-3 run in a consolation game at the Lakewood Y.M.C.A.

Canoga Park (8-6) pulled to within 84-79 with 1:20 to play, but Harper--who finished with 32 points--fouled out.

Earlier, the Hunters fizzled in the fourth in a 72-64 loss to Bakersfield. Harper had 31 points.