Sophomore Sho Evans of Cleveland High missed a potential game-winning shot at the end of regulation, but he did not let that reduce his confidence. When the Cavaliers needed help in overtime on Saturday night, he delivered during a 68-64 victory over Fairfax in the City Section Open Division semifinals at L.A. Southwest College. The Cavaliers will face top-seeded Palisades in Friday’s final. Palisades defeated San Pedro 71-56.
Five of Evans’ seven points came in overtime, none bigger than a shot that went in with 50 seconds left while being fouled and Cleveland clinging to a 61-60 lead. He made the free throw, and that was the blow Fairfax couldn’t recover from after showing feistiness and resiliency all night.
“I just had to have that shooter’s mentality when you miss or make, keep shooting,” Evans said. “My teammates and coaches trust me to make shots.”
Charlies Adams finished with 24 points for Cleveland (20-9), which needed a free throw from Harout Posheyan with 2.6 seconds left in regulation to send the game into overtime. He was fouled on an offensive rebound off a missed shot by Evans and made one of the two free throws. Fairfax kept switching from man-to-man to a trapping zone on defense, and it produced lots of Cleveland turnovers in the second half.
Ketrayl Roberson led Fairfax (20-10) with 15 points and Chris Stokes scored 13 points.
It’s going to be a difficult task for Cleveland to topple heavily favored Palisades. No City Section opponent had come closer than 21 points until San Pedro lost to the Dolphins in Saturday’s semifinals by 15 points.
Freshman guard Phillip Reed continues to surpass expectations and come through in a variety of ways. He had 17 points in the first half when the Dolphins trailed early and finished with 29 points. The arrival of the Popoola twins EJ and OJ, from Detroit, gave the Dolphins size and athleticism. EJ had 14 points. Add to all that, junior guard Jack Levey is an exceptional three-point shooter.
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