Top Performers: LA City Section Open Division Semifinals

<p>LOS ANGELES — L.A. Southwest College played host to Saturday's CIF Los Angeles City Section Semifinal matchups across multiple divisions, with the nightcap double-header featuring the four teams vying for a spot in the coveted Open Division championship game. The 6 p.m. game pitted Westchester against King/Drew and was followed by Fairfax and Birmingham. </p> <p>Westchester defeated King/Drew, 56-44, while Fairfax dispatched Birmingham with ease, 58-39, to set up a familiar and storied rivalry showdown between the two perennial City powerhouses in next Saturday's Open Division title game. We're handing out some hardware to the top performers.</p> <p><strong>Best All-Around Performance: Justin Gladney</strong>, Fairfax</p> <p>The 6-foot-1 combo guard finished with game-high's in both points and rebounds with 18 and 12, respectively, the rebounding stat being the most impressive coming from the guard position. Gladney has thrived in coach Reggie Morris' uptempo system, allowing him the freedom to create shots for himself in the transition setting. The unsigned senior is a crafty left-hander who slices his way into the paint and can finish with touch off the glass or over length at awkward positions. </p> <p><strong>Best Passer: Kymani Pollard</strong>, Westchester</p> <p>The steady senior goes under-the-radar quite often because his game isn't overly flashy and this isn't one of the more loaded Westchester teams in recent memory. All that aside, Pollard is a high IQ point guard who has good command and feel for the game. He rarely gets sped up, always advances the ball in transition and is always looking to dish in drive-and-kick situations.</p> <p><strong>Best Shooter: <a href="https://prephoops.com/player/jojo-johnson/"><a href="https://prephoops.com/player/jojo-johnson/">JoJo Johnson</a></a></strong>, Westchester</p> <p>There were a lot of good shooters on the floor (see: <a href="https://prephoops.com/player/keith-dinwiddie/"><a href="https://prephoops.com/player/keith-dinwiddie/">Keith Dinwiddie</a></a> and <a href="https://prephoops.com/player/tj-wainwright/"><a href="https://prephoops.com/player/tj-wainwright/">TJ Wainwright</a></a>), but Saturday was Johnson's to shine. The 6-foot-1 lefty tied with Wainwright for team-high honors in points with 16, including two 3-pointers and a couple of stop-and-pop mid-range J's. Johnson, a junior, has a low release point, but makes up for that with quick and repeatable mechanics and deep range.</p> <p><strong>Best Prospect: <a href="https://prephoops.com/player/dj-dudley/"><a href="https://prephoops.com/player/dj-dudley/">DJ Dudley</a></a></strong>, Fairfax</p> <p>Dudley improves each time I see him. The rangy 6-foot-4 sophomore wing showed major strides with his perimeter jump shot earlier this season at the Classic at Damien and Saturday let it be known that he has tightened up his ball handling. Dudley has always had the ability to handle in transition, get downhill and finish, but his improved ball skills were on display in the half-court as he confidently drove past defenders in isolation situations and finished at the rim. Dudley tied for game-high honors in points with 18.</p> <p><strong>Best Supporting Performance: Jesse Park</strong>, Fairfax</p> <p>Park turned in one of those prototypical "won't show up in the box score" performances, but everything he did was important Fairfax's dominant effort. Park didn't score a single point, but his interior defensive presence against a Birmingham team that thrives on getting in the paint was impressive. The senior took three charges in the first half and also dished out three assists to open perimeter shooters.</p> <p><strong>Best Shot Blocker: Fidelis Okereke</strong>, King/Drew</p> <p>Inch-for-inch, Okereke might be the best shot blocker in the state. The senior stands at just 6-feet-6, but his length, combined with explosive leaping ability and impeccable timing make him the ultimate rim protector at the high school level. Okereke had five blocks against Westchester, six if you give him the one that was called a goaltend, but wasn't, many of those blocks were kept in play by the unsigned power forward/center prospect.</p> <p><strong>Best Mid-Range Shooter: Uchenna Ndigwe</strong>, King/Drew</p> <p>The 6-foot-3 senior guard provided a major lift off the bench for the Golden Eagles, scoring 12 points though the King/Drew effort eventually fell short. Ndigwe scored eight of his 12 points on jumpers from the 15-foot range, some when elevating off of one or two dribbles and others when slashing off the ball, squaring up, and rising over defenders for a clean look. Ndigwe showed really nice footwork to get into his mid-range  jumper and good balance through his release.</p> <p><strong>Best Motor: Elisha Cofield</strong>, Birmingham</p> <p>The Patriots had one of its worst games of the season at the wrong time, but it wasn't because of a lack of effort. Fairfax outplayed and out-shot Birmingham, but Elisha Cofield showed why he's such a hot commodity among the junior college recruiters. The 6-foot-6 forward leaves everything he has on the floor. He crashes the offensive and defensive glass with reckless abandon, can guard multiple positions and is an active rim protector on defense.</p>