Boys’ basketball: Harvard-Westlake pulls out overtime victory
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Down by 10 points with less than five minutes remaining in regulation, North Hollywood Harvard-Westlake turned to guards Jordan Butler and Nicky Firestone to ignite a comeback that ended with Butler making a layup with 10 seconds left in overtime to give the Wolverines a 60-58 victory over Encino Crespi on Monday night.
Harvard-Westlake (22-3, 10-1), ranked No. 1 in Southern Section Division 3A, clinched at least a share of the Mission League championship. Crespi, ranked No. 2, dropped to 20-7 and 8-4.
The Wolverines seemed to be in a trance until the fiery Firestone, who had been sidelined much of the year recovering from a torn anterior cruciate ligament, sparked a 10-0 run. He made a three-pointer, and so did Butler. Regulation ended in a 51-51 deadlock after Crespi’s Reggie Coates made one of two free throws with seven seconds left.
Harvard-Westlake won even though Josh Hearlihy fouled out in regulation and Zena Edosomwan fouled out in overtime. The Wolverines also made just 11 of 25 free throws. Edosomwan finished with 14 points and Damiene Cain, who was scoreless in the first half, added 10 points. Firestone made three three-pointers.
‘Nicky got us going and took some brave shots,’ Harvard-Westlake Coach Greg Hilliard said. ‘He’s fearless. We’re just happy to survive.’
Crespi received 17 points from Matt Mounier. Harvard-Westlake needs to defeat Alemany on Wednesday to win the Mission League title outright. Sherman Oaks Notre Dame defeated Alemany, 77-63. Jonathan Bell scored 18 points; Anthony Swan, 17; Kennedy Edwards, 15; and Antwon Johnson, 15. St. Francis defeated Chaminade, 64-60, despite 30 points from Jaron Martin.
-- Eric Sondheimer