Washington goes inside for quarterfinal victory over Fairfax

Three-point fever was spreading in the gym at Los Angeles Washington, where the host Generals and Los Angeles Fairfax were engaged in a long-range shooting competition during a City Section Division I quarterfinal playoff game.

Fairfax Coach Harvey Kitani liked what he saw early on, with his team making seven three-pointers in the first quarter.

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FOR THE RECORD:
L.A. high school basketball playoffs: An article in Thursday’s Sports section about Washington’s victory over Fairfax misspelled the first name of Washington guard Stephon Dafney as Stephen. —

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Washington players got caught up in the challenge and started launching their own flurry of threes, including five made by Stephon Dafney.

But it was junior point guard Chris Brown who stepped forward Wednesday to settle down his team and lift Washington to a 71-56 victory over the Lions with 22 points and nine assists.

It’s the first time since 1994 that the Generals have advanced to the semifinals.

“It was a great win for the program and a great win to beat a big-name school like Fairfax,” Washington Coach Leonard Johnson said.

It was Brown’s 17th birthday, and he decided to intervene with his dribble penetration, which allowed the Generals (22-6) to pull away in the fourth quarter.

He finished nine for 11 from the field, including eight points in the fourth quarter.

Few of his shots were from outside 10 feet.

“He took over the game,” Johnson said. “Once he started attacking the basket, that opened up everything.”

Said Brown: “I had to calm us down.”

Washington, the Marine League champion, will need to play a lot better to have a chance against its Friday opponent at USC’s Galen Center, top-seeded Westchester, which defeated Fremont, 84-48. In the other semifinal, No. 2 Woodland Hills Taft takes on No. 3 Crenshaw.

Taft defeated Reseda Cleveland, 85-43.

Crenshaw beat Birmingham, 84-76.

Fairfax and Washington combined to make 17 three-pointers. Jordan Weathers of Fairfax finished with 25 points, including four three-pointers.

Fairfax (17-11) trailed, 36-30, at halftime, but the Lions made only one three-pointer in the second half.

eric.sondheimer

@latimes.com