Jim Riggio
LA CANADA HIGH -- Stoping Russell Lakey is one way to beat the
Harvard-Westlake boys' basketball team.
La Canada High at times did a good job of that. But what the Spartans
couldn't do was hold both Lakey and his teammates down, as the Wolverines
ended the Spartans' season with a 70-51 CIF Southern Section Division
IIIAA victory.
"The biggest problem is they have the other shooters," La Canada Coach
Tom Hofman said. "You have to make the other kids beat you and they did."
Lakey made four of his first five shots, but finished six of 20 to net
21 points.
"He makes it tough for teams' defenses, but they did a good job,"
Harvard-Westlake Coach said of his star guard.
La Canada (15-13) actually did well from the field in the early going,
making 10 of 23 shots in the first half.
The only problem was that the Wolverines (22-5) answeredwith
three-pointers, making five in the first quarter.
After La Canada held a 10-9 lead, the Wolverines went on a 13-0 run,
and were never threatened again.
Harvard-Westlake led by as many as 14 in the second quarter, following
a three-pointer by John Karavas to make it 28-14.
The Wolverines hit eight three-pointers as a team.
But the Spartans cut the lead to 35-25 at the end of the half, as La
Canada held Harvard-Westlake to four of 19 shooting in the second
quarter.
La Canada got as close as 37-27 in the third quarter, following two
free throws by Gary Swaner with 5:35 left.
The Spartans got as close as 60-47 in the fourth quarter, following a
three-pointer by Robbie Neyland with 2:37 left.
"They play very good defense and all year we've struggled to score
points," Hofman said. "We couldn't keep the game in the 50s."
Mark Moore led the Spartans with 10 points.
Harvard-Westlake 25 10 19 16 -- 70
La Canada 14 11 10 16 -- 51
HARVARD-WESTLAKE -- Lakey 21, Austin 7, Weinstein 7, Karavas 13,
Geffner 15, Hooks 2, Ogbunamin 2, Torgan 3.
Three-pointers: Karavas 3, Lakey 3, Austin, Weinstein.
LA CANADA -- Moore 10, Neimann 1, Neyland 6, Crane 5, Racklin 8,
Swenson 9, Swaner 6, Ballard 2, Gaudino 4.
Three-pointers: none.
