Crenshaw High School's Moriah Johnson shoots over the outstretched arms of Manual Arts' Gaellan Bewernick. (Photo by Rob Helfman)
Story Created:
Feb 17, 2009 at 1:05 PM PST
Story Updated:
Feb 17, 2009 at 1:05 PM PST
It’s almost become a rite of spring: Jordan and Crenshaw high schools meeting in the opening round of the City Section boys basketball playoffs.
For the third time in four years that will be the case when Coliseum League champion Crenshaw (19-3) hosts Eastern League champ Jordan (22-4) at 7 p.m. Thursday in a Division I first-round game.
These two have split the last two meetings with the road team winning on each occasion. Last year, the Cougars won at Jordan. In December, Crenshaw defeated the Bulldogs, 73-58.
Crenshaw, which has been playing well down the stretch, closed the regular season with a 93-62 rout of View Park Prep.
Much of Crenshaw’s offensive production comes from junior guards Raynaul Baker, averaging 17.6 points per game, and Adeuceman Zaid, averaging 15.0.
Jordan is led by a familiar face in center James Boyd, a USC football signee and Wave Newspapers player of the year in that sport. The 6-foot-5 Boyd averages 23.7 points, 22.4 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 2.1 blocked shots per game. He leads the state in rebounding average, according to maxpreps.com.
Junior guard Chris Ashanti, who averages 17.0 points, 10.9 rebounds and 2.8 blocked shots per game, has been an effective complement. Junior point guard Damian Wilson has been solid for the Bulldogs, as well.
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Westchester (26-2), the top seed, hosts
Carson (10-16) and No. 2 seed Fairfax (23-3) hosts Southern League champion West Adams Prep in other first-round games Thursday.
Fremont (17-8) hosts Palisades (17-12) and Dorsey (15-10) is at Washington Prep (19-7) in other Division I openers.
DePaul-signee Tony Freeland, who averages 21.8 points, 11.4 rebounds and 2.5 blocked shots per game, paces Coliseum League runnerup Fremont.
Dorsey gets a major share of its scoring from Lee Lark (15.4) and Jordan Mackie (13.4).
Washington Prep is led by guard Joshua De La Torre, who averages 18.1 points and 2.3 steals per game.
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