Chaminade Downsizes Wolverines

Chaminade High definitely had a size advantage over Harvard-Westlake on Friday night and the Eagles certainly weren’t shy about flaunting it.

Truth is, Chaminade has had it up to there with losing year after year to three-time Mission League champion Harvard-Westlake and 6-10 “Twin Towers” Jason and Jarron Collins.

Different year. Five different Harvard-Westlake starters. Different story.

With an impressive lineup full of size, Chaminade thoroughly dominated Harvard-Westlake inside for a 90-75 Mission League victory at Chaminade.

Chaminade (15-1, 4-0 in league play), The Times’ No. 2-ranked team with starters standing 6-foot-5, 6-6 and 6-7, outrebounded Harvard-Westlake, 55-17.

“We definitely had the size advantage,” said 6-6 guard Justin Beach, who had 24 points. “We definitely got a lot of second chances off misses.”

That was a reversal of fortune.

“I remember the last six games,” said Chaminade Coach Jeff Young, who was winless in six games against the Collinses. “[The rebounding statistics] looked like that, but the other way around.”

Scott Long, a 6-5 senior forward, pulled down 16 rebounds to go with 21 points for Chaminade.

“The kid’s awesome,” Young said. “He got fouled every time he went up.”

Scott Borchart, a 6-7 freshman, scored 13 points and had 10 rebounds.

Despite the glaring disparity in rebounding, Harvard-Westlake didn’t go easily. With 10 lead changes and four ties, the first three quarters were very competitive.

Chaminade led by six points heading into the final quarter.

That’s because Harvard-Westlake’s Russell Lakey kept nailing the outside shot. Lakey, who made his first three three-point shots, finished with 30 points.

Harvard-Westlake (14-4, 2-2), which has lost two of its last three games, took its final lead, 53-52, late in the third quarter on two free throws by Todd Karihara, completing a 7-0 run.

Chaminade answered with a 7-0 run of its own to close out the quarter, but could have made it more if it wasn’t for dismal free-throw shooting. The Eagles made three of eight free throws in the final 1:13 of the third quarter.

The Wolverines, who used six three-pointers to stay within four points at halftime, got to within, 62-58, on a three-pointer by Alex Minn 90 seconds into the fourth quarter. Minn had 15 points.

But Chaminade continued to capitalize on rebounds, seemingly getting a second and third opportunity on every shot.

An 11-0 run, capped by Justin Beach’s three-pointer, gave Chaminade a 15-point lead with five minutes remaining.

The Wolverines pulled to within 77-66 on two free throws by Lakey, but missed two three-pointers and got no closer.