A SPECIAL REPORT: VALLEY BASKETBALL PLAYOFFS

Head of the Class

The Valley isn’t considered a basketball hotbed, but the Harvard-Westlake boys team is about as good as there is. The Wolverines (28-1) are the top-ranked team in the state, having lost only to Mt. Zion Christian of Durham, N.C. Within the Southern Section, Harvard-Westlake competes in Division III-A, meaning it will never meet any top teams from the Southland’s larger schools, even during the playoffs.

Small but Mighty

When Harvard-Westlake has competed against top big-school competition, it has fared quite well. Earlier this season, the Wolverines pounded nationally ranked Mater Dei, a Division I team, 64-38.

Girls Teams Soar

Palmdale and Crescenta Valley are among the best large-school girls teams in the Southland. Palmdale (23-3), led by Monique Nolan and Edniesha Curry, is top seeded in the Southern Section Division I-AA. Nolan averages 16.6 points and Curry 15.4. Crescenta Valley (24-2), which is paced by star forward Michelle Greco, is second seeded in Division I-A. Greco averages 21 points and 11.2 rebounds.