In his more than three decades as the boys basketball coach at Fremont High School, Sam Sullivan has had more formidable teams, not to mention, taller ones.

But there’s something about the current edition that appeals to him.

“It’s a scrappy team that competes,” he said following Friday’s 74-69 loss to visiting Crenshaw that gave the Cougars first place in the Coliseum League.

With a lineup that has 6-foot-3 Michael Sullivan, the coach’s son, as its tallest starter, scrappiness, quickness and good perimeter shooting are essentials.

Sullivan is getting plenty of that from this group, which takes records of 14-5 overall and 5-1 in league into the week.

The Pathfinders actually had a half-game lead over Crenshaw (12-5, 5-0) leading into the showdown.

However, positives could be taken from this one, considering the Cougars had beaten their previous three league foes by margins of 65, 38 and 88 points.

It appeared this one was heading in a similar direction when Crenshaw stretched an 11-point halftime lead to 15 early in the third quarter.

Then Fremont began raining 3-pointers and suddenly the contest was in doubt.

The Pathfinders hit five of their six 3-point baskets in the second half, three by Savion Udeh (20 points) and one each by Foote Daraye (10 points, eight rebounds, five assists) and Tim Johnson (16 points).

Daraye’s 3-pointer cut the Crenshaw lead to 53-51 with seven minutes left, the closest the Pathfinders had been since early in the game.

However, every time Fremont got within striking distance, Crenshaw had an answer.

Often it was All-City guard Raynaul Baker (21 points, 14 rebounds), who scored on offensive putbacks on three consecutive possessions, increasing the Cougar lead to 71-65.

Johnson’s driving layup got the Pathfinders within 72-69 with 40 seconds left and they would have a chance to tie the score on their next possession. But Aaron Willis’ contested 3-pointer from the side bounced off the rim with 15 seconds remaining and Crenshaw rebounded. Brandon Baker then hit a pair of free throws at the 12-second mark to account for the final score.

Sullivan likes the way his team is progressing.

“I learned from this game that we are not that far off,” he said. “Crenshaw is the best team in this league and we stayed within five points of them. There are still things we can work on, like rebounding. We’re not big, but we can do a better job of boxing out.”

Looking at the City Section as a whole, he sees defending State Division I champion Westchester and Taft as the top two teams, with the remainder of the section wide open.

“I think we can get one of the top spots in the City (playoffs), which is what we are shooting for,” he said.

Juwan Thomas scored 19 points and hit three 3-pointers for Crenshaw. Brandon Baker and Darnell Taylor had eight each.

Crenshaw hosts Dorsey Wednesday. Fremont returns to action Friday at Manual Arts.

In another Coliseum League game Friday, View Park Prep (9-12, 1-4) raced past Manual Arts, 67-39.

Moore League
Long Beach Poly took over sole possession of first place in the Moore League with a 73-40 rout of Compton, which had its seven-game winning streak snapped.

Ryan Anderson’s 24 points and 18 rebounds and Alex Carmon’s 20 points led the way for the Jackrabbits, 16-3 overall and 5-0 in league.

Compton, 10-10, 5-1, got 18 points from Cliff Sims.

San Gabriel Valley League
Raymond Alexander III scored 20 points as Lynwood (14-6, 4-0) defeated Downey, 45-40 in the San Gabriel Valley Legue. David Rivera paced the Vikings (9-11, 2-2) with 14 points.

Kevin Guthrie’s 19 points, six assists and six rebounds enabled Paramount to edge Dominguez, 73-71 in another SGVL game. Juaquin Zavala had 14 rebounds for the Pirates (12-8, 2-2).

Suburban League
Artesia routed Glenn, 67-29 behind Santiago Fajardo’s 19 points. The Pioneers are 9-10, 4-2.

La Mirada got past Norwalk, 43-39 behind Connor Gillett’s 17 points. The Matadores are 9-12, 3-3).

Anthony Holliday and Manuel Castaneda had 11 points each for Norwalk (10-11, 3-3).

GIRLS BASKETBALL
Coliseum League
Danielle Pruitt had 19 points and nine rebounds to lead View Park Prep (17-5, 5-0) to a 63-42 win over Manual Arts in a Coliseum League game. Sydney Labot and Angel Smith scored 14 points each.

Jessica Thornton led Manual Arts (6-7, 2-2) with 17 points. Ashley Joseph and Evondra Davis added 10 each for the Toilers.

Crenshaw (13-6, 4-1) got 18 points from Andrea Edwards in a 53-31 win over Fremont in Coliseum League play. Tierra Robinson had 10 points, 17 rebounds and eight blocked shots and Samone Kelly had nine assists.

Mary Allison had 10 points and Priscilla Valdovinos added eight for Fremont (8-8, 1-5).

Kyndal Charleston scored 27 points and Ashley Ware had 20 to lead Dorsey (13-7, 3-1) to an 83-69 win over Jefferson (3-8, 1-4). Charleston also had eight rebounds and seven assists.

Asia Watts added 14 points and 17 rebounds for the Dons, who jumped out to a 24-11 lead after the first quarter.

Marine League
Tiffany Moorehead had 17 points and Annie Currie added 16 as Carson (13-6, 5-1) routed Gardena, 65-36 in a Marine League game. Janitha Iamaleava had 11 points and 12 rebounds for the Colts.

Western League
Adijat Adams had 12 points and 13 rebounds and Justina Cummings added seven points and 15 boards as Westchester (10-8, 4-2) got past Palisades, 33-26 in a Western League game.

Suburban League
Alexis Love had 17 points and Brittany Jimenez added as Norwalk (10-10, 2-4) toppled La Mirada, 48-26.