Reseda 79, University (L.A.) 66
City Section Division II Playoffs
Jack Pollon
March 7, 2009
Randall Harris got it all started for the Reseda boys basketball team with a thunderous slam dunk with one minute remaining the third quarter of the City Section Division II championship game at Roybal Learning Center of Los Angeles.
It was a nip and tuck affair up until that point with no team leading by more than four points.
Harris’ dunk ignited a 13-0 run and the Regents went on to a 79-66 victory against No. 2 University of Los Angeles for its first City title in boys basketball.
“I was trying to do a momentum changer,” Harris said. “I knew if I had just made a lay-up it wouldn’t have been as important. I got the momentum on our side.”
Reseda’s full-court pressure didn’t seem to bother University in the first half.
The Wildcats (23-10) continually got the ball into the front court for David Nwaba lay-ups or one of their four 3-pointers.
Nwaba had 10 points and 12 rebounds and Anthony Harris had 12 rebounds all in the first half for University but couldn’t keep up that production in the final 16 minutes.
The last minute of the third quarter and the first two minutes of the fourth quarter was a totally different story as University crumbled amid a flurry of turnovers.
Darius Moore and Ryan Watkins led the charge with seven and six points respectively during the run.
The Regents, who begin play in the Division II state tournament next week could have fallen apart themselves when sparkplug guard Rasheem Harris was forced to the bench with four fouls only two minutes into the second half.
Randall Harris wouldn’t let it happen though.
The heady senior, who transferred from Taft of Woodland Hills with four other players to get more playing time two years ago, settled down the offense and came through with his defense for the game-changing dunk and ensuing Auri Clavelle 3-pointer giving Reseda the largest lead of the game to that point.
“I knew that stretch was important,” Harris said. “We had to slow the ball down and get it down in the post until Rasheem came back. We just had to keep going low.”
Watkins, who has been the most improved player in the region this season finished with 25 points and 17 rebounds for the Regents.
Darius Moore had 14 points, 10 rebounds and four steals including 13 points in the second half.
Rasheem Harris had 13 points and four steals and Auri Clavelle scored all of his 11 points in the deciding second half for Reseda.
Randall Harris finished with nine points, 10 assists and four steals.
Nwaba had 17 points and 16 rebounds for University.
Harris had 16 and 15 rebounds and Alex Brooks made five 3-pointers for the Wildcats.
Reseda forced 24 turnovers but will have to keep working on its free throws after making only 18 of 40.
“This is a once in a lifetime feeling for the kids and the school,” Reseda coach Keith Higgins said after getting doused with Powerade during the post-game celebration. “We are not done yet. We are looking forward to next week. This was only the first step. We want to accomplish more.”