Boys’ basketball: Crenshaw vs. Taft, the rematch

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It seems as if Crenshaw fans have been waiting for a year to get a rematch against Woodland Hills Taft after losing to the Toreadors, 74-62, in last year’s City Section Division I quarterfinals. Well, it’s about to happen.

The Cougars (21-3) knocked off Birmingham, 84-76, on Wednesday, with Reynaul Baker and Abdul Zaid each scoring 18 points. Taft (23-4) defeated Cleveland, 85-53, with DeAndre Daniels and Bryce Jones each scoring 26 points.

Now it’s the 16-time City champion Cougars taking on Taft on Friday at USC’s Galen Center in one semifinal. Game time is 8 p.m., with Westchester playing Washington at 6 o’clock in the other semifinal.

All season, everyone has expected the City final to be between Taft and Westchester, and that’s likely to happen unless Crenshaw can come up with a scenario for victory.

Coach Ed Waters has waited patiently for this game, so we’ll see how his team can respond. Taft respects the Cougars and won’t take them lightly. It should be fun.

I know I’m not going to miss it.

-- Eric Sondheimer