Westchester Seeding Raises Ire

In a surprising move that figures to change the course of the City Section boys’ basketball playoffs and dilute the state Division I tournament, Westchester has been seeded fourth in the 16-team Championship Division behind Woodland Hills Taft, Los Angeles Fremont and top-seeded L.A. Fairfax.

From the beginning of the season, the Comets have been ranked ahead of Taft and Fremont in regional, state and national rankings, but a 13-member panel that included representatives from each of the section’s 10 leagues voted to seed the defending state champions fourth.

That puts Westchester and Fairfax on course to meet in a semifinal, assuring that one of California’s top teams will not advance to the state playoffs. The two had met in the City championships four times in the last five years.

Westchester and Fairfax, which compete in the Western League, have won the last four state titles between them.

Fairfax Coach Harvey Kitani, whose team lost to Westchester in four of the last five City finals, said the votes bordered on collusion.

As the league representative, Kitani grew increasingly agitated as he argued against what he perceived was an intentional slight.

“What a joke,” he said afterward.

Taft Coach Derrick Taylor admitted during the meeting at L.A. Manual Arts that he was protecting his team’s best interest.

“There’s always the part of self-preservation,” Taylor said.

As the fourth-seeded team, Westchester will be headed for a semifinal Feb. 24 at Fairfax. With only the City finalists advancing to the Southern California Regional playoffs, semifinal losers are finished for the season.

“I can’t believe you’re going to put us and Westchester on the same side,” Kitani said before standing and pacing behind his chair. “That is weak.”

Westchester, ranked No. 5 in the Southland by The Times, did not play No. 11 Fremont or No. 12 Taft during the regular season. The Comets defeated Compton Centennial by 16 points in a semifinal of the Westchester tournament Dec. 9, the day before Centennial defeated Taft by eight points in the third-place game.

Later that month, the Comets defeated Seattle Rainer Beach by 11 points in a semifinal at the San Luis Obispo Mission Prep tournament, a day after Rainer Beach beat Fremont by four.

Fremont Coach Sam Sullivan argued that the Pathfinders have improved significantly since December, when a number of new players were getting accustomed to the system.

Not mentioned during the meeting was an investigation by the City Section regarding the eligibility of five out-of-state transfer students and one in-state transfer at Fremont.

Section Commissioner Barbara Fiege said that because the investigation began before the City playoff seeding meeting, Fremont could be removed from the playoffs if any of its players are ruled ineligible.