Harvard-Westlake Gets Final Word

SHERMAN OAKS — After four trips to the semifinals, Harvard-Westlake High finally will play for a Southern Section championship after polishing off Duarte, 60-53, Tuesday night at Notre Dame High.

Harvard-Westlake (26-2), which reached the semifinals last season, will play Dos Pueblos for the Division III-A title Saturday at 9:30 a.m. at The Pond in Anaheim.

“We’re about to become the best team in Harvard history,” said guard Ben Robbins, who scored nine points, including six of six free throws in the final 1 minute 40 seconds. “Everyone has been expecting us to win all year. Now, we’ve just got to do it.”

Indeed, it doesn’t take a statistician to see that the top-ranked Wolverines, with 6-foot-10 sophomore twins Jason and Jarron Collins anchoring the middle, entered the playoffs as the team to beat.

Still, numbers told the story.

Duarte (24-6) made only 20 of 62 shots and weathered spells of 0 for 16 in the first half and 0 for 7 to begin the third quarter. Yet the Falcons were streaky enough--at least from three-point country--to make it close.

With Harvard leading, 41-25, after three quarters, Duarte guard Eric Holmes made three three-point shots--including two within 15 seconds--to key an 18-8 run that pulled Duarte to within 49-43 with two minutes to play.

But Harvard, which made 20 of 39 shots, was even hotter from the free-throw line down the stretch. In addition to Robbins’ accuracy, Jason Levin, who finished with 11 points, was three of four in the fourth quarter.

Jason Collins, who collected 24 points and 13 rebounds, made four of six from the line in the fourth quarter.

Collins spent several minutes of the second quarter on the bench with four fouls. But Jarron Collins, who had 10 points and 14 rebounds, maintained control.