PLAYA DEL REY – A Tuesday night matchup between the projected top two boys basketball teams in the L.A. City Section was accompanied by a packed gymnasium, plenty of “star power” – on and off the floor – and a result that wasn’t secured until the final buzzer.
In a mild “upset”, Chatsworth edged the host Westchester Comets, 58-56, in the fourth of four games played on Tuesday in the Westside Tip-Off Classic.
Westchester (No. 20) and Chatsworth (28) were the two highest ranked L.A. City programs in the BurlisonOnBasketball SoCal Top 70.
It was a “preview”, if you will, of a potential L.A. City Section Open Division title game in February.
Senior V’Alijah Miller scored the go-ahead bucket, then snagged a rebound in traffic and hit one of two free throws with .7 seconds to go to secure for the Chancellors.
The packed bleachers – as well as the nearly 20 photographers and videographers who chronicled the affair digitally – were a result of a matchup of two juniors with significant NBA “pedigree”.
Six-foot-six Alijah Arenas – who led Chancellor to a State D-IV runner-up finish in Sacramento last March – is the son of University of Arizona and NBA star Gilbert Arenas.
And 6-8 Tajh Ariza, who transferred to his father’s high school alma mater after playing two seasons at near-by St. Bernard, is the son of UCLA and NBA (includng the Lakers) forward Trevor Ariza.
Their offensive success was spotty, at best:
*Arenas scored 25 points (nine of 24 from the field and five of 11 on free throws) with 12 rebounds and six turnovers before fouling out in the final 30 seconds.
*Ariza missed 14 of 20 shots from the field while scoring 14 points with nine rebounds, three blocked shots and four turnovers.
But each contributed the kind of spectacular plays that fed the social media posters with plenty of highly “clickable content”.
The most consistently impactful players for each team were Chatsworth 6-9 senior Taj Unuakhalu (only six points but nine rebounds and five blocked shots) and Westchester junior forward Khaeden Asher-Gray (17 points and eight rebounds).
In the other three games:
*No. 16 Crespi 65, No. 30 Rancho Christian 59: The Celtics trailed by nine points late in the third quarter before pulling ahead – and away – over the final five minutes.
University of Nevada-bound forward Peyton White (pictured, courtesy the gifted Greg Stein!) scored 23 points for the winners while twin sophomores (the sons of former UCLA and NBA forward Matt Barnes) Carter and Isaiah Barnes added 12 and 11 points, respectively.
Senior guards Jaiden Agbo scored 22 points and Jayden Smoot 17 for Rancho Christian.
*No. 24 Long Beach Poly 54, Beverly Hills 36: The Jackrabbits were never seriously challenged in their opener, as bouncy senior Giovanni Ofoegbu led the way with 17 points.
They’ll face tougher sledding Saturday night in Corona, when they take on host and No. 15 Centennial in the BattleZone.
*L.A. Jordan 49, No. 50 Arcadia 43: Guard Jarell Session, an all-L.A. City selection last season as a freshman, directed the team’s offense and defense to help the Bulldogs overcome a halftime deficit and hang on.
On Wednesday’s Day II of the event, No. 32 St. Anthony faces Leuzinger at 4:30; No. 2 Harvard-Westlake takes on LaSalle at 6, and Crespi and Westchester hook up at 7:30.
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