Cleveland Enjoys Transition Game

James Morris and Andre Chevalier played basketball at Cal State Northridge in 1991-92 and ‘92-93.

More recently, the former backcourt mates were involved in a changing of the guard at Cleveland High.

When Chevalier left his post as Cavalier coach earlier this year, Morris and Adam Levitt took over as co-coaches of one of the region’s proudest City Section programs.

“It hasn’t hit me yet, but it probably will once the regular season comes,” said Morris, 30, who served with Levitt, 26, as an assistant to Chevalier last season. “But it is exciting.”

Under Morris and Levitt, Cleveland is 11-4 this summer.

The Cavaliers advanced to the quarterfinals of the War on the Floor tournament at Chatsworth High, where they lost to Inglewood, 51-49, on Thursday.

Sandy Fletcher’s layup with four seconds left broke a 49-49 tie and sent the Sentinels (3-1) into the semifinals against Harvard-Westlake today.

Cleveland’s coaches have instituted a motion offense, but changed little else during the smooth transition.

“The kids already know what we expect of them, and James and I really mesh well,” said Levitt, a Cleveland graduate.

Of course, the transition has been made easier by the presence of All-Northwest Valley Conference guard Kent Dennis, forward Brian Smith and an improved Kenny Mason.

Dennis scored 16 points against Inglewood, while Smith had 12 points and Mason eight.

Fletcher had 15 points for the Sentinels.

In other quarterfinal games:

Harvard-Westlake 63, Clovis West 61--The Wolverines outlasted the defending Central Section Division I champion in double overtime.

Russell Lakey hit a three-point shot with 42 seconds left in regula-

tion to tie it, 53-53, and force overtime.

Alex Holmes hit a three-pointer with eight seconds left in overtime to force a second overtime, and John Karavas made a three-pointer with 33 seconds left in that overtime to give Harvard-Westlake a 59-56 lead.

Holmes, a 6-foot-5 junior, added another three-pointer with 12 seconds left and finished with 17 points. Eric Geffner added 16 points.

Ash Knowlton, who scored 16 points for Clovis West, missed an off-balance three-point shot at the buzzer.

Sylmar 50, Compton Centennial 33--Gilbert Arenas made four three-point shots and scored 19 points, and George Wrighster added 15 points for the Spartans (4-0).

Sylmar will play Notre Dame tonight in the other semifinal. Steve Sims had 18 points for Centennial (2-2).

Notre Dame 59, Simi Valley 45--The Knights led by as many as 18 points, 52-34, and rolled over the Pioneers. Cody Pearson scored 28 points and Dante Ward added 25 for Notre Dame (4-1).

Branduinn Fullove had 14 points and Rafael Berumen added 10 for Simi Valley.

In other games:

Notre Dame 73, Canoga Park 65--Dante Ward scored 20 of his 33 points in the first half and Notre Dame moved into the quarterfinals.

Ward, who hit eight three-point shots, sparked the Knights to a 17-point advantage early in the second half.

Mike Gomez scored 26 points and David Franklin had 14 points for Canoga Park.

Harvard-Westlake 65, Fresno Buchanan 52--Eric Geffner scored 13 points and Russell Lakey added 12 for Harvard-Westlake and the Wolverines advanced to the quarterfinals.

Burbank 58, Montclair Prep 53--Burbank took the lead for good, 49-48, on a rebound basket by Jack Holwahjian with 1:50 left.

Holwahjian finished with 19 points and Eric Rowher added 13 for the Bulldogs (2-2).

Mike Falcon had 21 points for Montclair Prep (0-4).

Santa Monica 69, Granada Hills 40--Ohad Pearl and Jorge Price each had eight points for Granada Hills (0-4).

Crespi 58, Kennedy 32--Pat Casella had 11 of his 12 points and Tim McDonough scored all 10 of his points in the first half for Crespi.

Burbank 74, Granada Hills 44--Holwahjian scored 24 points and Rowher added 17 for the Bulldogs.

Chatsworth 2, Taft 0--Chatsworth (3-1) gained a forfeit victory when Taft did not show.