For Crenshaw, New Cast, Same Result

Crenshaw High has 13 players who were new to the boys’ basketball program this season, but Friday night at the Sports Arena, the Cougars got the same old result.

Led by Alastair Faux, Crenshaw defeated Westchester, 87-70, to win its fifth consecutive City Section 4-A title.

It is the 16th overall City Section championship for the Cougars, who have been to the City finals 22 times. Crenshaw also has had unprecedented success in the state finals, going 7-0 in state title games.

Crenshaw Coach Willie West, who has coached the Cougars for 27 years, said there was nothing ordinary about the latest title.

“This one was special in that it was number five in a row,” he said. “To do it with different players--well, it’s not like the NBA. We graduated 14 kids last year.”

Faux (pronounced Fox), who hopes to attend Minnesota next year, scored 29 points. He had plenty of help, including 14 points from Kevin Bradley.

It was a game of big leads for Crenshaw, but the Cougars had to withstand a strong fourth-quarter push by Westchester.

The Cougars led several times by as many as 16 points and were ahead, 63-48, after three quarters. But Westchester’s Jermery Turner scored eight points--six on free throws--while trying to bring the Comets (24-6) back into the game. With Turner and Albert Miller’s extra efforts, they pulled to within eight points with 3:24 left to play.

But Bradley made four free throws as Crenshaw went on a 10-2 run to effectively finish the game.

“I think with that size of a lead, we were going to make sure we could preserve it,” West said. “They have some great players, so it was no surprise [that they made a run].”

Turner finished with 19 points, Billy Knight and Miller added 14 apiece for Westchester.

Perhaps the most surprising thing is how well Westchester hung in the game in the first half. Not surprisingly, it was a free-wheeling, closely contested opening five minutes. Leading, 11-10, with just under five minutes left in the first quarter, Crenshaw went on a 10-3 run to close the quarter.

It didn’t get much better for Westchester, which fell behind by as many as 12 and trailed, 40-29, at halftime.

The bounces off the boards were also Crenshaw’s.

It was frustrating enough for Westchester when Crenshaw grabbed four offensive rebounds on one series--but when Westchester’s Tony Bland inadvertently tipped in the ball for Crenshaw, it was downright disgusting for the Comets.

Both teams will advance to the state tournament; pairings will be announced Sunday.