Cleveland Runs Away From Agoura to Reach Final

In its first two games in the Beverly Hills basketball tournament, Agoura High kept pace with two teams--Canoga Park and Hamilton--that like to run.

But the Chargers ran out of breath in a 71-63 loss to fast-breaking Cleveland in the semifinals Friday night at Beverly Hills.

Using a relentless full-court press, the Cavaliers (5-3) wore down Agoura (3-1) and forced 20 turnovers.

Cleveland will play two-time defending champion Palisades in the championship game at 7:30 tonight.

Agoura stayed close for awhile and took a 35-33 lead at the half on a jump shot by guard Garrett Lepisto.

The pressure finally took its toll in the third quarter, when Cleveland outscored the Chargers, 23-15, to surge ahead for good.

Four Cleveland players scored in double figures. Brian Smith had 21 points and 10 rebounds, Kent Dennis had 13 points and 11 assists, Simmagin Smith had 12 points and 12 rebounds and Quante Randolph had 10 points and seven rebounds.

Agoura played without forward Marcus Helfman, who was on a football recruiting trip to Brigham Young. Helfman scored 40 points in Agoura’s first two games in the tournament.

In other semifinals:

Hart 50, Loyola 49--Guard J.T. Stotts made a three-point basket with 16 seconds remaining to lift the Indians (5-2) in a ninth-place game.

Culver City 63, Buena 51--Despite 21 points by Ryan Fay, the Bulldogs (2-5) fell in a ninth-place game.