By Brian Reed-Baiotto, Sports Editor People outside of the Pasadena High School campus think Tuesday’s CIF State Division 2 Regional Semifinal at 7 p.m. is set up perfectly for Harvard-Westlake. They say the Wolverines are on a 9-game win streak, including its 10-point victory over Pasadena on March 3 in the CIF-SS Division 1-A title […]
By Brian Reed-Baiotto, Sports Editor
People outside of the Pasadena High School campus think Tuesday’s CIF State Division 2 Regional Semifinal at 7 p.m. is set up perfectly for Harvard-Westlake.
They say the Wolverines are on a 9-game win streak, including its 10-point victory over Pasadena on March 3 in the CIF-SS Division 1-A title game at Azusa Pacific University.
Harvard-Westlake (24-11) also just beat Mission League rival Alemany after a pair of regular-season losses to the Warriors by a combined 36 points.
And the critics feel the home-court advantage will be a huge asset for Harvard-Westlake’s young stars, Cassius Stanley and Johnny Juzang.
In the title game loss, Stanley and Juzang combined for 37 points, which accounted for 55-percent of the Wolverines’ offense.
Juzang is a 6-foot-7 freshman guard, who scores 17 points and grabs 8 rebounds each night.
Stanley, a 6-foot-6 sophomore, averages 18 points and 7 rebounds per game.
But here is where they’re underestimating the Bulldogs.
Pasadena (26-6) had won 19 consecutive games heading into the CIF finals, they hadn’t played in a week and they allowed the Wolverines to get out to a 22-point first-half lead.
In the second half, the Bulldogs outscored Harvard-Westlake 36-26, and they kept Stanley and Juzang in check.
Since the loss, Pasadena got what many consider a slap in the face with the No. 12 seed.
Instead of whining about their bracket, the Bulldogs swallowed their pride and won road games at Heritage Christian and Mission Hills on Wednesday and Saturday, respectively.
Pasadena’s dynamic duo of juniors Bryce Hamilton and Darius Brown II stepped up big in both wins, as expected.
Brown II has 46 points in the two state games and Hamilton has 37.
But it was also sophomore Darius Mason that showed his mettle when the Bulldogs needed him most, and helped carry much of the load in the decisive second half in San Diego.
Jesse Watkins and Justin Taylor also contributed on both ends of the court in the victory over Mission Hills.
Pasadena has traveled 276 miles in combined distance (there and back) to get this shot at Harvard-Westlake in the state playoffs.
Obviously, there are a few must-needs if the Bulldogs hope for a different outcome this time around.
First, they likely won’t win if there is a 12-percent gap in field goal shooting (48-to-36 percent) like last game.
They can not be on the wrong end of an 18-6 disparity in assists.
Pasadena knows it would be unlikely to weather a similar (22 point) deficit, and expect to make up the gap on the road, and against a team that is clearly playing their best basketball of the season.
And lastly, slowing down Stanley and Juzang could be the difference between a regional final berth, and their season being over.
It seems almost impossible to think that Pasadena’s most prolific scorer, Bryce Hamilton will go 10-of-33 from the field or anywhere close to those numbers on Tuesday.
If this were college basketball, Harvard-Westlake would likely be a 3-point favorite or thereabout, considering all the factors.
But take Pasadena lightly at your own peril.
They have proven time and again that they play their best basketball after some adversity and even more so when people underestimate the Bulldogs.
For those who saw the dejected faces of Hamilton, Mason, Brown II and the rest of the Bulldogs after their loss 10 days ago, you’d have to believe these elite players are going to do everything in their power not to leave Studio City in similar fashion.
Tip off is set for 7 p.m.
Harvard-Westlake is located at:
3700 Coldwater Canyon
Studio City, CA 91604
Quotable:
Pasadena head coach Tony Brooks: “I see us having every bit of winning as they do.
We have a team in the (CIF-SS Division 1-A) championship game that didn’t play to the best of our abilities. We are looking to correct it. We do know what we need to do. We don’t fear anybody and play anybody anywhere. We have to compete on the glass. The discrepancy between their rebounds and ours was too great. They have a quiet confidence in themselves and each other. We have to make it difficult on them (Juzang and Stanley). They shoot the ball really well. Cassius is a super-athlete. Take away the drive for Cassius and make it difficult for him to see the basket. Juzang is a great shooter, even when there is a hand in their face.”
By The Numbers:
Postseason Schedule-Results:
CIF-SS Division 1-A:
First Round:
Harvard-Westlake 80, West Ranch 62
Pasadena- Bye
Second Round:
Harvard-Westlake 52, Kaiser 50
Pasadena 69, Beaumont 47
Quarterfinals:
Harvard-Westlake 77, Riverside King 48
Pasadena 47, Corona del Mar 44
Semifinals:
Harvard-Westlake 54, Loyola 45
Pasadena 75, Peninsula 66
Championship Game: Harvard-Westlake 68, Pasadena 58
CIF State Division 2 Playoffs:
First Round:
Harvard-Westlake 59, Mater Dei 51
Pasadena 63, Heritage Christian 57
Quarterfinals:
Harvard-Westlake 72, Alemany 64
Pasadena 64, Mission Hills 57
Likely Starting Lineups:
Pasadena:
Bryce Hamilton, Darius Brown II, Darius Mason, Laz Morris and Jesse Watkins.
Harvard-Westlake:
Cassius Stanley, Johnny Juzang, Ray Mueller, Terren Frank and Ali Iken.
