Westchester’s Ariza Met All Challenges

The words, spoken in jest, conveyed a world of meaning to Trevor Ariza.

Maybe we don’t need you.

It was halftime of Westchester High’s most important game of the season, and Coach Ed Azzam was trying to loosen up his star forward, who had just watched his teammates rally from 10 points down to tie Oakland Tech while seated on the bench with three fouls.

Maybe we don’t need you.

Ariza realized his coach was kidding, but he also realized that he was going to have to stop forcing shots and passes if the Comets were going to win a second consecutive Division I state title.

Maybe we don’t need you.

“I just knew I had to come out in the second half and play smarter,” Ariza said.

That was the easy part. Then Ariza went out and followed through on his realization, scoring 21 of his 30 points in the final 16 minutes to help Westchester defeat Oakland Tech, 73-63, for a second consecutive season.

“He just got himself composed and came through,” said teammate Scott Cutley, one of Ariza’s biggest admirers.

That was the theme of Ariza’s senior season, one in which he rebounded from every moment of adversity to become The Times’ boys’ basketball player of the year.

Consider the ultimate challenge: guarding LeBron James.

Ariza struggled while matched against James, the probable No. 1 pick in the NBA draft who scorched a horde of Comet defenders for a career-high 52 points in Akron (Ohio) St. Vincent-St. Mary’s lopsided victory over Westchester in early February.

During the Comets’ next game, against Los Angeles, Ariza glanced in the stands and noticed a Roman fan holding a sign that read, “LeBron scored 52 on you guys!”

Ariza briefly chuckled, then comprehended the meaning of it. From that moment on, Westchester’s opponent was Lost Angeles.

“Everybody was taunting us after that LeBron James game,” Ariza said. “I took it personal. From then on, we couldn’t lose anymore.”

The Comets (32-3) didn’t drop another game, reeling off 10 consecutive victories to close the season. Ariza was the leading man as he had been all season, when he averaged 22 points, eight rebounds, four assists and three steals.

The 6-foot-8 forward, a member of four City Section championship teams, was selected City player of the year and a Parade magazine second-team All-American.

None of which will help him next season at UCLA, where he faces another big test: playing for a coach -- Ben Howland -- he has never met.

“He sounds like a nice guy,” Ariza said. “I know he’s turned programs around.”

Ariza will be counted on to help do the same at UCLA, which is coming off a 10-19 season, its worst in 61 years. How quickly he contributes may depend on how quickly he can add bulk to his 200-pound frame.

“He needs to gain some weight and get stronger,” said Azzam, who used Ariza at all five positions throughout the season. “He doesn’t mind going in and banging. His aggressiveness is not an issue, it’s his size.”

Ariza said he would begin an intense weight-gaining regimen starting next week.

“I eat a lot,” he said. “I don’t know how much more I can eat.”