Byline: Jacob H. Pollon Special to the Daily News
The Harvard-Westlake of North Hollywood boys' basketball team had no trouble regrouping from a lopsided first-round loss to Serra of Gardena at the 23rd annual Nike Fairfax Summer Classic tournament Friday afternoon.
After watching Serra of Gardena outplay and outhustle them Tuesday, the Wolverines took out their frustration on La Canada High of La Canada Flintridge in an impressive 88-58 victory in a consolation quarterfinal.
Four Wolverines scored in double figures, led by Nate Bullock's 18 points. Damiene Cain had 15, Erik Swoope had 13 and Austin Kelly contributed 11 points as the Wolverines dominated in the paint.
Cain had 11 rebounds and Swoope had 10.
Harvard-Westlake is trying to keep its edge this summer after having won the Div. III-A championship last March.
All of its key players return next season, led by the trio of Swoope, Cain and Kelly. Harvard-Westlake is not only trying win another section championship but add a state title.
'We just try and keep our edge by looking back at the past and knowing we can do it,' Cain said. 'We have a saying every time we break, 'State, on three.' We want to end our season next year winning our last game. That will mean we have won a state championship.'
Crespi of Encino led at halftime for the second game in a row against a solid City Section opponent but couldn't hang on in a 67-65 overtime defeat to Dorsey of Los Angeles.
The Celts lost to Fairfax on Wednesday after leading by 12 points during a stretch in the first half.
Playing without starters Blake Stanton and Matt Mounier again, Crespi had a 40-33 lead at halftime and led 55-48 with six minutes remaining but couldn't finish.
'It is all about inexperience and turnovers,' forward Reggie Coates said. 'We juts have to fight through it. This is good practice for everybody, me included. I think myself and coach (Russell) White take it a little harder because we want to win these games. We can't close out games.'
Ten players scored for Crespi. Sophomore-to-be Christian Johnson had 16 points, including an 18-footer as time expired in regulation to force overtime.
Marqueze Coleman and Keywhon Powns each had 14 points to lead Dorsey.
Wolverines teammates Swoope and Kelly dont' know where they will be heading to when high school is over next June but Swoope is on the radar of the University of Portland, and Kelly is being recruited by Penn.
The best prospect could end up being Cain, a 6-foot-7, 230-pound forward who will be entering his junior season.
Cain has already been offered scholarships by UNLV, Oregon State and San Diego State but would love to go to Duke or Stanford.
'My dream school is Duke,' Cain said. 'If they offered me, I would go there for sure. We will see what happens. There is a lot of time left.'
Crespi suffers
another close defeat
College plans for
Harvard-Westlake players
Locals in action today
Among the eight games on today's schedule, Taft of Woodland Hills plays La Canada at 9 a.m., Mission League rivals Crespi and St. Francis play at 10:30 a.m., Mission League favorites Harvard- Westlake and Loyola square off at noon and Campbell Hall takes on Dorsey at 1:30 p.m.
