SoCalHoops High School News

Jason Day: Manual Arts Beats
Westchester In Thriller, 61-54--(Jan. 14, 1999)

Jason Day worked pretty feverishly to get this report up over at UltraStudentAthletes.com, and we worked pretty feverishly to get it up here, together with the photos taken by Larry Gray. It's pretty self-explanatory. Oh, and we pretty much agree with him:  Fox Sports West 2 ought to take a look at the games played in the City, and we don't mean just on the Westside either. Great game. Great pics. Enjoy. 

MANUAL ARTS BEATS WESTCHESTER IN THRILLER 61-54
by Jason Day
photos by Larry Gray

Ok now look, I got nothing but love for Harvard Westlake, and I don't even know where Chaminade is, so I ain't "hatin" on them because Fox Sports televised their matchup earlier this week. But damn...a whole bunch of y'all missed a helluva game over at Manual Arts High tonight, and there's no godly reason for these city matchups, and consequently the city players that play in them, to continue to go undercovered, underexposed, underreported, etc. etc. And before the chorus of "What about the neigborhood?"; "What about the size of the gyms?"; The lighting. The parking. The whatever.... Simple. Anticipate a match-up like this (hell, any game between any combination of Crenshaw, Fairfax, Manual, and Westchester is a potential game of the year this season) then move the game to a venue like... Southwest College, West L.A. College...whatever...wherever.

There's some great basketball played in the city section every year, and the only time it basks in the glow, and exposure, of TV, is when it has moved out of the city to some venue that is "more comfortable or accomodating". Grab your stack of last year's TV guides and look at all of the High School games that were televised locally, look at the teams, and look at the venues. Think about it. 

First props go to the Manual "Moms Club"...as wild (and sweet) a bunch as you'll ever meet.

As for this one, it was a great game.

Manual Arts has got the whole city buzzing and touting them to be a top contender to dethrone Westchester as City Champ. And guess who beat them in that city final...yep...Westchester. This year many call Manual the team to beat and/or the best team in the City.

Westchester is the defending city and state champ. They've stumbled a couple of times already this season, including a crushing defeat by Crenshaw, and every team is out to unseat them.

Add a packed house, yes there were dozens of people turned away at the door...a Nike sponsored promotion with giveaways, Power 106 deejays, both teams cheerleaders and booster clubs, and you've got all the drama and atmosphere you need. 

Manual's Curtis Millage goes airborne

Manual made their intentions known early. Jump all over the Comets before they get into any rhythm and keep coming at em.  The Toilers took early leads of 12-2; 18-5; 20-8. Much of the damage was caused by the often deadly shooting of Curtis Millage, (5-11 SR PG/SG). He had 16 in the first half and seemed to fill it up from wherever he wanted. He was very tough to guard tonight, he's got great handles so he can go around you, then if you back off, he'll pull up in your face. He's also very active without the ball.  Helluva game. He finished with a game high 28.

Millage is also a terrific ball handler...here on the drive

Westchester's 1st half problems centered around the guard play.  They still haven't developed that guard that can break down a defense, attract the attention then dish, or get his own by finishing at the rack or pulling up for the J. They have all of those attributes in their three main ball handlers, Eric Knight, Lou Wright, and Kevin Brown. But, they don't have em all in one package, one player.

Manual's Johnny Hardwick (left) vies for position against Mackenzie Dent

Manual does. In fact they've got two, Millage, and 6'0 SR PG, James "Mookie" Wright. Add 6'2 SR PG, Larry Dillingham, a slasher, a board man, and a shooter....and you've got a real tough backcourt. And they've played together for a very long time.  That combo, along with big men 6'10 SR C, Johnny Hardwick, and 6'8 SR PF/C, Brandon Moorer just riddled Westchester's vaunted press for most of the night. And Manual's defense was very effective at keeping Westchester in mostly a perimeter game where every shot was challenged and lots of em did not fall.

Chris Osborne shows the form he'll take to AZ State next year

At the half, Manual was up by fifteen 36-21.

At one point in the third quarter, Westchester was down by 21.  TWENTY-ONE !

But this is Westchester folks, and they weren't going down without a fight. Eric Knight (SR PG), Lou Wright (JR F), and Chris Osborne (SR F/C) led a defensive effort that caused some turnovers and missed shots that the Comets were more than happy to run and run and run with. Waymon Rowe, 6'4 SR SG/SF played some significant minutes and made a major contribution on D. He also chipped in 13 points. Knight came alive and scored 10 of his 15 pts. in the second half, as his teammate, "Sweet" Lou dropped 7 of his 16. The Comets were within 8 or so early in the 4th but Manual pulled away to about 11 or 12 on some more of Millage's outside shooting. The Comets still chipped away, little by little, hovering around 4-5 down in the last minutes of the game. They were within 3 four different times in the last 1:30. They were within 3 with 19 seconds left. They just couldn't get any closer.

Ron Cass looks for the  pass against Lou Wright

Millage and Wright were both at the line in those last seconds with opportunities to slam the door. They slammed it loud and hard to take away any chance of a Westchester miracle.  Wright finished with 13.

Big enough to "eclipse" the defender, Cass has a nice J.

There were unsung heroes for Manual. Big men Hardwick (8pts) and Moorer (2) made their presence felt on the defensive end. Hardwick swattin shots like flies, and Moorer sweeping the glass and rejecting a few of his own.

Then there was SR SG/SF, Ronald Cass. This is the kid everybody compares to Anthony Garrison, Crenshaw's former "round mound of rebound". Cass is not quite as big. Not quite. And has a way better jumper. In fact, he's got one of the prettiest J's you'll see in the city this season, and it drops too.   He only scored on 2 buckets today, but both came in the middle of a Westchester surge. He was also real active on the boards on D. 

Comet Coach Azzam gives the last seconds strategy....

The clock tells what he's up against...

"Mookie" (left) and Curtis both had opportunities to slam the door on Westchester's late rally....both dropped the freebies and it was over.  Then "The Man" for Manual in this one...Millage celebrates with a hug.

 

 

 

 

This was a great one folks. Gutty performances by two very high quality teams in the perfect atmosphere, a sweaty gym full of partisan screaming high school kids (of all ages). Big Fun.  Too bad there's no replay on Fox tonight. Oh well.

Later

Jason Day

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