Another Banner Year

Blue-and-gold basketball championship banners adorn the gymnasium walls at Crenshaw High, a tribute to the success of Coach Willie West and his disciples.

For 27 years, the Crenshaw boys’ basketball program has dominated the City Section, winning a state-record 15 sectional titles.

The top-seeded Cougars (22-3) will try to win their 16th--and an unprecedented fifth consecutive--when they take on second-seeded Westchester (24-5) in the Division 4-A final Friday at 8 p.m. at the Sports Arena.

The game is one of 23 this weekend that will determine sectional champions. Boys’ and girls’ titles in the City and Southern sections will be at the Bren Center. Winners qualify for the state tournament Southern Regional playoffs, which begin Tuesday in five divisions.

Besides dominating the City Section, Crenshaw has won a record seven state Division I championships. It defeated Concord De La Salle for the title last year.

Considering the Cougars had only three players from last season’s team--starting guards Kevin Bradley and Alastair Faux, and reserve Ollie Brent--it’s a surprise even to West that they are back in the title hunt.

Thirteen players are newcomers to the varsity program.

“This has not been one of my most talented teams,” West said. “The kids have worked hard and things have slowly come together. But I think they have accomplished more than we had anticipated.”

Southern California has some of the most talented Division I college prospects in more than a decade and West has always had his share of talent, most recently UCLA forward Kris Johnson, Fresno State transfer Tremaine Fowlkes and Long Beach State point guard Tommie Davis.

But this season, West has won without superstars.

“No one on this team has a name,” said Bradley, who is a close friend of Baron Davis of Santa Monica Crossroads. “Baron got to travel to Europe and was invited to all the national camps. I was invited to Nike and the Long Beach NIT.”

Of the 16 players on this season’s team, only Faux has accepted a scholarship offer. The 6-foot-2 shooting guard said he would sign with Minnesota in April. Bradley, a 6-foot point guard, is being recruited by Oregon, Pepperdine and three other schools. Both players, however, need to earn qualifying scores on college entrance examinations to accept scholarships.

“We don’t have any marquee players,” West said. “We don’t have great leapers or dominating big men.”

What Crenshaw has is a successful program and a deep talent pool. Through open enrollment and the school’s teacher magnet program, Crenshaw lures potential athletes the way Hamilton High attracts performing arts students.

Nearly 150 players try out each year for the Crenshaw basketball program, hoping to share in the school’s athletic success. Some players, such as Paul Pierce, leave before the first cuts are made. Pierce returned to star at Inglewood High before getting a scholarship to Kansas.

The K&E; Bulls youth program also has been a feeder for Crenshaw, what with former Cougar junior varsity coach Edmond “Tiny” Flournoy teaching basketball fundamentals and conditioning at the Willie West Gym.

But West wins with an up-tempo style of basketball that requires interchangeable players playing tenacious defense. The Cougars play a full-court press, hoping to force opponents to get out of their pattern offenses and to rush the ball up court.

When a team breaks the press--as Compton Dominguez did in its 101-90 victory during the Martin Luther King Holiday Challenge featured game in January--the Cougars give up easy baskets.

But even Davis, the area’s outstanding point guard, struggled in the second half against the Cougar press in a 98-93 season-opening Crossroads loss at Crenshaw.

“We had a 15-point lead and their press got to us,” Crossroads Coach Daryl Roper said. “Baron wasn’t coming to the ball, and we started making stupid turnovers. We started to relax and they kept coming, and they have the horses to do it.”

And West takes advantage of his depth, constantly moving fresh players into the game. In a 92-68 semifinal victory over Manual Arts last Saturday, 11 Cougars scored, and three were in double figures.

The key to the Cougar offense is Bradley, who has started at point guard since his sophomore season. He averages 17 points and eight assists, and plays his best when the game is on the line. He made two critical shots during last season’s semifinal victory over Palisades.

Faux, also a three-year letterman, is a talented three-point shooter who single-handedly shot down Fremont in the last season’s City 4-A final.

ShereKhan Jones, a 6-foot-6 senior, and Anthony Garrison, a 6-3 junior, are powerful post players. Marcus Hadley, a 6-3 senior, and Marvale Washington, a 6-9 senior, share the other starting forward spot.

“This team has its own flavor,” Faux said. “We don’t press as well as past Crenshaw teams and we don’t play man [to man] defense as well. But we believe in each other, and I think a lot more players are capable of scoring.”

Despite his team’s success, West has struggled against Westchester in previous finals. The Comets won consecutive 4-A titles in 1990-91 and 1991-92, and were the last team to beat Crenshaw in a City final.

Said West, “Westchester has more nationally rated talent than we do.”

The teams have similar personnel and records to support their championship appearances.

Westchester had a 10-0 mark in the Coastal Conference, arguably the toughest in the section. The Cougars were undefeated in the Southern Pacific Conference.

“They don’t have the publicity or the star status like they have had in the past,” Westchester Coach Ed Azzam said. “But I have to tell you, their guards are exceptional.”

The Comets feature 6-4 point guard Tony Bland, one of the nation’s premiere juniors, and 6-5 shooting guard Billy Knight, who has said he will sign with UCLA. Six-foot-two Albert Miller, 6-3 Jermery Turner, and 6-5 Thomas Warren round out the Comets’ starting lineup.

Said Faux, “They have a good perimeter game, but they don’t have the big men to compete with us.”

Azzam believes the game will come down to scoring streaks.

“We do pretty much what Crenshaw likes to do,” he said. “We like to push the ball downcourt and pressure you to get back. I think whoever puts out the biggest run and whoever attacks the pressure the best will win.”

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX / INFOGRAPHIC)

Crenshaw’s Success

Since Willie West took over as the boys’ basketball coach at Crenshaw High 27 years ago, the team has achieved unparalleled success in the Southland. A look at the Cougars’ title victories:

City Section Championships

* 1971 Crenshaw 79, Jordan 74

* 1973 Crenshaw 71, Jordan 66

* 1974 Crenshaw 62, Fremont 56

* 1978 Crenshaw 69, Kennedy 64

* 1979 Creshaw 109, Manual Arts 67

* 1980 Crenshaw 66, Kennedy 62

* 1984 Crenshaw 112, Westchester 59

* 1985 Crenshaw 73, Manual Arts 62

* 1986 Crenshaw 95, Cleveland 79

* 1988 Crenshaw 83, Manual Arts 67

* 1989 Crenshaw 85, Manual Arts 72

* 1993 Crenshaw 92, Dorsey 71

* 1994 Crenshaw 72, Dorsey 53

* 1995 Crenshaw 78, Fairfax 76

* 1996 Crenshaw 82, Fremont 81

--Record in finals, 15-6

State Championships

* 1983 Crenshaw 62, Oakland Bishop O’Dowd 55 (OT)

* 1985 Crenshaw 72, Union City James Logan 62 (OT)

* 1986 Crenshaw 70, Bishop O’Dowd 69

* 1989 Crenshaw 70, Oakland Skyline 63

* 1993 Crenshaw 73, Carmichael Jesuit 66

* 1994 Crenshaw 89, Jesuit 79

* 1996 Crenshaw 91, Concord De La Salle 81

--Record in finals, 7-0

CHAMPIONSHIP GAME SCHEDULE

BOYS

TODAY

Southern Section Division III-A

Harvard-Westlake vs. Morningside at UC Irvine Bren Center, 8 p.m.

FRIDAY

City Section Division 4-A

Crenshaw vs. Westchester at Sports Arena, 8 p.m.

Southern Section Division IV-AA

Twentynine Palms vs. St. Paul at Bren Center, 8 p.m.

Southern Section Division IV-A

Crossroads vs. SA Calvary Chapel at Bren Center, 6:15 p.m.

Southern Section Division V-AA

Pasadena Poly vs. Santa Clara at Bren Center, 4:30 p.m.

SATURDAY

City Section Division 3-A

Bell vs. Franklin at Cal State L.A., 3 p.m.

Southern Section Division I-AA

Long Beach Poly vs. A.B. Miller at Pond of Anaheim, 6:45 p.m.

Southern Section Division I-A

Mater Dei vs. Etiwanda at Pond, 8:30 p.m.

Southern Section Division II-AA

Woodbridge vs. Villa Park at Pond, 2:45 p.m.

Southern Section Division II-A

Artesia vs. Dominguez at Pond, 1 p.m.

Southern Section Division III-AA

West Valley vs. Cathedral City at Pond, 11:15 a.m.

Southern Section Division V-A

Pilgrim vs. Pacific Hills at Pond, 9:30 a.m.

GIRLS

FRIDAY

City Section Division 4-A

Crenshaw vs. Narbonne at Sports Arena, 6 p.m.

Southern Section Division I-A

Ventura Buena vs. Crescenta Valley at Pyramid, 8 p.m.

Southern Section Division IV-AA

Santa Ynez vs. St. Bernard at the Pyramid, 6:15 p.m.

Southern Section Division IV-A

Cerritos Valley Christian vs. Bell-Jeff at Pyramid, 4:30 p.m.

Southern Section Division V-A

Santa Maria Valley Chr. vs. Pilgrim at Pyramid, 3 p.m.

SATURDAY

City Section Division 3-A

Gardena vs. Hamilton at Cal State L.A., 1 p.m.

Southern Section Division I-AA

Oxnard vs. Lynwood at Pyramid, 8:30 p.m.

Southern Section Division II-AA

Laguna Hills vs. Gahr at Pyramid, 6:45 p.m.

Southern Section Division II-A

Brea Olinda vs. Moorpark at Pyramid, 2:45 p.m.

Southern Section Division III-AA

Muir vs. Alemany at Pyramid, 1 p.m.

Southern Section Division III-A

Bishop Montgomery vs. Nordhoff at Pyramid, 11:15 a.m.

Southern Section Division V-AA

Western Christian vs. Capo Valley Christian at Pyramid, 9:30 a.m.