Crenshaw Survives Final Drive By Sylmar, 73-72

Willie West missed a good game Wednesday night at Crenshaw High. But at least his team won.

Jeremiah Turner’s driving layup amid heavy traffic with two seconds to play was unsuccessful and Sylmar High fell short against Crenshaw, 73-72, in a City Championship quarterfinal game.

Turner, who led Sylmar (23-6) with 15 points, nearly capped an impressive comeback, taking an inbounds pass with seven seconds to play and driving down the lane.

Bodies appeared to collide, but no foul was called.

Turner said he wasn’t fouled.

“It just didn’t fall, that’s all,” Turner said. “It just didn’t fall. I got a clear shot and everything. It just didn’t go in. It hurts.”

The victory was exhilarating for Crenshaw (26-5) and its followers, who packed its gym.

There was, however, one conspicuous no-show.

Willie West, the legendary Cougar coach who has commanded a program that has won eight state championships, left the team this week because of his father’s death.

West was on his way to attend the funeral Friday in Texas. Maurice Duckett, a 17-year assistant to West, took charge of the Cougars.

Duckett said it was the first time he can remember having to fill in.

“I’m not going to have to call him, he’s going to call me tonight,” Duckett said. “This is a good win for us. A win to grow on. There was a lot of stuff going on around here this week. I thought we did all right.”

Sylmar threatened to make it a rout early, taking a 20-11 first-quarter lead and holding off a spirited second-quarter charge by the Cougars to lead, 38-36, at the half.

The turning point was a 9-2 Crenshaw run to begin the third quarter. Guards E.J. Harris and Tommy Johnson, cold in the first half, each connected from three-point range during the run.

Harris led Crenshaw with 15 points. Johnson pointed to the coach’s absence as inspiration.

“They sank a lot of layups in the first half and we had to go in and talk about it and think about what the coach would say,” Johnson said. “We just had to stop them from penetrating so much.”

Crenshaw led by as many as 11 points in the third and fourth quarters. Sylmar whittled the Cougars’ lead away to 71-68 on a layup by Turner with 1:20 to play.

Sylmar tried to pull even seconds later, but Brandon Jacobs’ three-point attempt fell short.

Jacobs missed again from the corner with 42 seconds left, leading to a breakaway dunk by Harris and a 73-69 Crenshaw lead.

Jacobs banked in a three-point basket to make it close at the end.

On the final play, Harris put his body between Turner and the basket.

“I tried to take the charge,” Harris said. “I was scared. I was thinking, ‘Don’t make it!’ ”