Hoophall West: D Is Key For Harvard-Westlake!

After defeating FAB 50 No. 2 Gonzaga (Washington, D.C.) in Friday’s semifinals, No. 31 Harvard-Westlake (North Hollywood, Calif.) stamps itself as one of many nation’s finest groups by downing No. 49 De La Salle (Harmony, Calif.) within the Hoophall West championship recreation, 58-44. Gonzaga takes third place. 

RELATED: Harvard-Westlake Downs No. 2 Gonzaga!

Consideration to element makes a distinction in championship degree highschool basketball. For the group at Harvard-Westlake (North Hollywood, Calif.), it is the eye to element on the defensive finish that was a key think about its back-to-back California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) Open Division titles. In an identical token, it put forth a pristine defensive effort in knocking off De La Salle (Harmony, Calif.), 58-44, within the title recreation of the Nike Event of Champions that includes Hoophall West on Saturday night in Gilbert, Ariz.

After Duke-bound Nik Khamenia hit a fall-away jumper to present Harvard-Westlake a 35-17 lead with 9.4 seconds to go within the second interval, Wolverines’ head coach Dave Rebibo shortly known as a timeout. Regardless that his group was enjoying terrific protection, he needed to ensure he had the correct defensive alignment for the state of affairs. The consequence? A De La Salle airball 3-pointer within the closing seconds because the Spartans have been held to 5 made subject targets within the first half and no made 3-pointers.

Harvard-Westlake made seven 3-pointers within the first half and continued to attach on attractiveness within the second half though De La Salle (14-1) picked up its defensive stress and made the sport attention-grabbing within the third interval. De La Salle trialed at one level by 20 factors (47-27) after a 3-pointer by junior sharpshooter Joe Sterling (9 factors) with 2:34 to go within the third interval, however the Spartans continued to struggle to get again within the recreation.

The sport’s key second got here early within the fourth quarter when De La Salle star ahead Alec Blair had a step by means of basket in the important thing that made the rating 48-36 and De La Salle got here up with a defensive cease. Blair then drove the important thing and dished it to the nook for a possible open 3-point look however he was known as for his fourth private foul on an offensive cost after the move. De La Salle head coach Marcus Schroeder needed to take away his two-sport star dedicated to Oklahoma from the sport with 6:59 remaining and from there the result was by no means actually unsure.