jason day 1/10

SoCal High School & Prep Report

Jason Day: Washington Gives
Westchester A Scare--(January 10, 1998)

While we were "indisposed" Jason Day sent us this article. It was originally written and sent to us on January 7, and so we apologize for being a little bit late. But here it is, better than ever. Thanks Jason. Oh yeah, Jason says that if you want to contact him directly via e-mail he can be reached at elgee333@pacbell.net. So feel free to write to him if you'd like to, or just post your inquiries on our message boards and we're sure that you'll get a response. Anyway here's the article.

WASHINGTON GIVES WESTCHESTER A SCARE

WEDNESDAY JANUARY 7^THby Jason Day

On top of being "deathly" ill with this almost medieval flu that everyone seems to have, I was beginning to have "bball withdrawals" caused by not being in some gym somewhere. So I dragged myself out of bed and schlepped on over to Washington High School to see them tangle with Westchester.

Both teams are winding down the "exhibition" part of the season and start conference play next week. Westchester will visit University on the 14^th and Washington will host Carson on the same day. Westchester has an international date tomorrow against the Japanese Junior National Team, at Westchester.

Tonight’s game attracted a lot of attention. The crowd was almost capacity, and there were several b-ball luminaries in the house. Dominguez coach, Russell Otis, was there, surely scouting Westchester as he prepares for the showdown between the Dons and the Comets on January 19^th at the MLK Classic at Pauley. That game is being touted as the battle between the two best teams in SoCal.

Also in the house were, Belmont Shores honcho, and co-director (with Otis) of the MLK, Dino Trigonis, UCLA frosh Billy Knight, there to see little bro Eric of Westchester, and UCLA teammate Travis Reed. Several Crenshaw players also attended, including the Shaw’s BIG big man, Anthony Garrison.

So a packed house, a talented athletic home team in Washington, and a powerhouse visitor in Westchester and you’ve got the makings of a great game. Almost.

Don’t get me wrong, it still turned out to be a good game, but before it ever started, it lost something. Three somethings to be exact. Bluthenthal, Bland, and Osborne. These three Westchester starters did not play.

Chris Osborne (6’9 Jr PF) was out of town on family business.

Tony Bland (6’5 Sr SG) is still nursing a sore ankle and a sore knee, both of which he injured in last week’s march to the championship of the Best in the West Tournament. Tony said he plans to be back in the lineup by Friday the 16^th when Weschester hosts Manual at Westchester. (BE AT THAT GAME)

And David Bluthenthal (6’7 Sr PF) has some discomfort in the knee he had surgery on before the season started. He told me he just needed to rest it after playing so hard on it during the BIW and he too plans to return by the 16^th.

So get to the game already. Cool.

Washington is one of those teams that can be inconsistent in a game, coming on strong, then seeming to lose focus, and falling back. I saw that in a game earlier this season where they gave up a 14 point third quarter lead to Verbum Dei and lost.

In this one they played a pretty consistently strong all-around game. Led by Rodney Patrick (6'-4 1/2" Sr. PF), they used an inside game to bully Westchester around the glass. Patrick finished with 19 points and almost all of them were in the paint. This kid is quick and uses his good size (all 220 lbs., I'd guess) to his advantage when getting position. He didn’t display much of an outside game, but then again, with David AND Chris not there, he didn’t really need one. I really liked Patrick’s hustle and leadership in this one.

You would think that the lack of big men for Westchester would force them to a perimeter game. They tried that early, and the shots just weren’t falling. So, since Washington was in a half court zone (1-3-1, 2-3) the Comets started to attack along the baseline. Albert Miller (6'-3" Sr. SG) the hero here, AGAIN, used that very quick and experienced 6’3 frame to get closer looks at the basket for some nice short jumpers, or acrobatic layins off the dribble. Young Lou Wright (6'-5" So. PF), already a crowd favorite because of his pretty high arching jumper, hit a couple of outside J’s and Westchester was keeping it close. Lou had 9 for the game.

Neither team could really dictate play in the first half. While Washington was getting much easier shots, they were mostly inside, Westchester was still able to find ways to score on the other end. They were deadlocked at 25 at the half.

The second half was a different story. The tempo shot up because Westchester came out with more defensive pressure. Washinton still did a great job of working it into Patrick, who continued to respond, and B.J Laffite (6'-3" Sr. SG/SF) who finished with 15 points hit some key shots. But the difference was Westchester’s defense. Brandon Granville (5'-10" Sr. PG), who had another game where he seemed to be in slow motion in the first half, was much more agressive in the second. The pressure that he and C.J. Williams (6'-1" Sr. G) put on the Washington guards caused some poor or hurried passes that Miller, or Wright, or Eric Knight (6'-2" Jr. SG) picked off and ran the other way. Knight had a strong game defensively and added 9 points including a three.

Washington moved out to six point leads twice, but each time Westchester’s D would caused a rash of turnovers and the Comets would be right back in it. Washington had a one point lead 41-40 at the end of the third.

We all got our money’s worth in the fourth as both teams slugged out. Granville, who was finding the range a little, hit a big 3 and followed with a nice drive. He finished with 13. Washington’s Curtis Slaughter (6'-5" Sr SG), who had 4 points in the first half, started lighting up the place with jumpers, he finished with 15. Miller would make a great drive to the rack for Weschester, and Lafitte or Patrick would answer on the other end. Mackenzie Dent (6'-6" Jr. PF) for Westchester, who usually plays sparingly, made the best of his minutes, by playing some pretty effective defense, fighting hard for offensive position, and scoring a big basket during Westchester’s comeback.

At 3:03 left to play, Washington was still up by one, 52-51. C.J. Williams goes to the line for two, drops 'em both and gives Westchester their first lead since the beginning of the game 53-52. They never trailed again. In probably the biggest play of the game, Miller out leaped over three Washington defenders to snatch the rebound off a Knight miss. He was fouled on the attempted putback and sank both of his freethrows. 55-52 Westchester.

Couple of possessions back and forth.

Washington fought right to the buzzer, with Slaughter trying to get two off balance prayers to fall with 3 seconds showing on the clock. No dice.

Final Westchester 59, Washington 56.

I didn’t get full stat counts for this game, but Miller was the MVP hands down. I had him down for 18 points, at least 8 boards, and enough big plays to talk about till next week. A great effort by a senior to step up and lead his team.

Speaking of leaders. During a time out near the end of the game, I saw one of those things that make you think there is hope for our young athletes and the lessons team sports will teach them. With his five teammates nearly exhausted after fighting back to take the lead, Westchester guard, Tony Bland was shuttling back and forth to the Gatorade barrel and bringing each one of em something to drink. True teamwork, contribute in anyway that you can even if you’re the "STAR".

Good game, good time, back to bed.

See ya later.

Jason Day