Down by 16 points in the first quarter, down by six points in the fourth quarter, Harvard-Westlake is a high school basketball team that thrives on adversity.
Answering the call was junior guard Pierce Thompson, who made consecutive threes with just over five minutes left to tie the score. Then came two clutch free throws each by Joe Sterling with 28.9 seconds left and Cole Holden with 10.8 left, helping Harvard-Westlake to defeat Santa Maria St. Joseph 56-52 in the Southern California Open Division regional semifinals on Saturday night in Studio City.
Harvard-Westake (27-6) advances to play top-seeded Sierra Canyon (28-1) for a third time on Tuesday night at Sierra Canyon with a trip to the state championship game in Sacramento on the line. Sierra Canyon defeated Santa Margarita 72-60 behind 23 points and 10 rebounds from Brandon McCoy.
Thompson’s intervention in the fourth quarter was exactly what the Wolverines needed. St. Joseph (31-3) was taking advantage of turnovers and fouls to open a 48-42 lead until Thompson changed the momentum and the game.
“I feel once I see one go in, the next is also going in,” Thompson said. “I feel this year I had to step out of my comfort zone and have confidence to step up and make shots.”
Thompson finished with 15 points. Sterling had 18 points.
Early on, the Wolverines trailed 19-3 as brothers Malcom and Julius Price of St. Joseph made open shots. Malcolm finished with 20 points and Julius 12.
Then Harvard-Westlake got back into the game with a 10-0 surge at the end of the first quarter and led at halftime 31-27. Two of St. Joseph’s big men fouled out in the fourth quarter.
St. Joseph went cold shooting in the final three minutes of the fourth quarter, and Harvard-Westlake got to celebrate.
Remember the Wolverines started the Southern Section Open Division playoffs last month as an afterthought after losing three of the last four regular-season games. Then came regrouping and new opportunities.
“We’re taking it personally,” Thompson said of people dismissing the Wolverines. “We’re grinding every day.”
St. John Bosco 75, Mater Dei 71: The Braves pulled out the Division 1 semifinal in overtime behind Christian Collins, who scored 32 points. The Braves will host Damien, which defeated Crean Lutheran 49-44. Elijah Smith scored 18 points for the Spartans. St. John Bosco coach Matt Dunn won a state title coaching at Damien.
Palisades 81, Torrey Pines 67: The City Section Open Division champion Dolphins advanced to the Division II regional final against Bakersfield Christian. EJ Popoola had 25 points and seven rebounds while brother OJ scored 21 points.
Birmingham 82, Poway 69: The surprising Patriots have made the Division III regional final as Tekeio Phillips finished with 30 points and X’zavion McKay 23 points.
Sylmar 102, Canyon Country Canyon 94: During the season, coach Bort Escoto changed his team’s offense, switching to run-and-gun style put in by Paul Westhead years ago at Loyola Marymount and now the Spartans are in the Division V regional final. Rob Winn scored 34 points, Aiden Garcia 27 and Andrew Galvez 17.
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