Mission League: Crespi Celts vs Harvard-Westlake Wolverines Recap

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Championship Game! The new and improved, 23-6 Crespi Celts traveled 15 minutes east on the 101 on Friday, February 2 to compete against the #1 team in the state of Califorina, the 25-3 Harvard-Westlake Wolverines. Crespi surprised everyone with an incredible Overtime win on Wednesday against the favored Sierra Canyon Trailblazers. Both Crespi and Harvard Westlake came out ready to play on this championship Friday. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>As the game got started, coach Derek Fisher had his Crespi players ready to go. The Celts did not back down from the immediate pressure from Harvard-Westlake. [player_tooltip player_id='1502826' first='Christian' last='Horry'] came out and started the game with 3 3 pointers within the first 4 minutes, but the Celts were able to keep the game close keeping the Wolverines off the offensive glass as HW was up only 17-11. Harvard Westlake was finally able to go on a run in the 2nd quarter, as [player_tooltip player_id='1188984' first='Robert' last='Hinton'] could not miss from the midrange extending the lead to 28-13 in the 2nd quarter. Even with Harvard-Westlake on fire from the field, a late 1st half run by [player_tooltip player_id='1956504' first='Joe' last='Sterling'] brought the Celts back to close the deficit just before halftime to 33-21.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The 3rd quarter was where the physicality really picked up in the game, and I'm not just talking about the game-suspending potentially physical off-court altercation with Crespi parent, Matt Barnes. Harvard-Westlake seemed to be getting whatever shots they wanted on the offensive end, whether it was [player_tooltip player_id='1502769' first='Trent' last='Perry'] and [player_tooltip player_id='1630618' first='Nik' last='Khamenia'] driving and kicking, Horry and Hinton being assassins from the field, or [player_tooltip player_id='1956502' first='Dominique' last='Bentho'] operating from the nail, the Wolverines were able up to put points up at will. Harvard-Westlake blowing the lead open to 57-32 at the end of the 3rd. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Just when you thought the game might be over, the game became even more exhilarating. Both teams picked up the intensity even more and the crowd became even louder as Crespi's full court press defensively, and some [player_tooltip player_id='1956504' first='Joe' last='Sterling'] magic offensively were able to put HW on their back foot as the deficit was only 16 halfway to go in the 4th quarter. Although unfortunately that wouldn't be enough, as the Harvard-Westlake Wolverines win their 5th straight Mission League championship by a final score of 72-54. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Crespi Celts have an abundance of young talent, as I feel they may have been ahead of schedule ending up in the Mission League championship game this year. They have a lot to look forward to as a program with 1st year head coach Derek Fisher and young players who will continue to grow and improve over the next few years. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Your back-to-back-to-back-to-back-to-back (5) Mission League Champion Harvard-Westlake Wolverines add to their legacy. So many college and potential NBA prospects were on display for a memorable season this team will never forget. They have achieved their first goal which was a Mission League Championship. Will they be able to add more hardware this season? We will find out in the coming weeks. Below I breakdown some of the supreme talent that was in this game tonight. Congratulations and what a season it has been for Harvard-Westlake, your 2023-2024 Mission League Champs. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1188984"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"My player of the game goes to [player_tooltip player_id='1188984' first='Robert' last='Hinton'], because the basket seemed to be 5 feet wide for him from the jump. The Harvard commit used his great floor spacing and off-ball movement to be able to come off of screens from all over the court to find his lethal midrange jumper. He didn't cool down throughout the game, and the Crespi defenders could not stay with him as Hinton ended the game with a team high 19pts.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_1_player":["1956504"],"_player_evaluations_1_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_1_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_1_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_1_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_1_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_1_evaluation":"What a week it has been for [player_tooltip player_id='1956504' first='Joe' last='Sterling']. A buzzer beater to beat Sierra Canyon in the semi-final on Wednesday, to the big championship game on Friday, and Sterling did not shy away from the moment either. What an incredible and composed young player. It is rare to see a Sophomore carry such gravity for his team and for the other team to strategize against. It takes NBA top end shooters years to be able to polish the skills he already has the makings of. Off the dribble going left or right, off the catch left or right, even left foot in front sometimes if thats how he'll get the cleanest look. However he's going to get his looks from deep, his team is going to trust him to make them within 30+ feet. He has already passed the 1,000 points mark and is only a sophomore. Sterling was given his 1st D1 offer in the 8th grade from the Washington Huskies. Seems like he will have many of those to choose from over this next 2 seasons.","_player_evaluations_1_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_2_player":["1502769"],"_player_evaluations_2_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_2_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_2_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_2_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_2_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_2_evaluation":"Prep Hoops SoCal's #3 Ranked Prospect came to play in this championship game. One of very few guards in the high school level you can tell has a real college and potentially NBA level point guard brain. Perry sees the game and plays it at a speed that is faster than anyone else on the floor. He stays composed and is able to make the right decision for this team, rarely turning the ball over. Trent is going on to play for USC this season, and will be a great fit with Andy Enfield as Enfield has shown the consistency to build NBA level guards and take them to the next level.","_player_evaluations_2_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_3_player":["1630618"],"_player_evaluations_3_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_3_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_3_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_3_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_3_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_3_evaluation":"The 6'8 wing is building himself to be an all-around player. A player who lacks deficiencies and can be used in several different roles for his team. That is something that all NBA teams crave from a player. Khamenia reminds me of Matas Buzelis, 2024 NBA draft prospect with the G League Ignite, who is a player that with development to his strength could be able to play 4 positions at a high level in the NBA in several different roles. Nik has great ball handling and playmaking skills for someone at his size already. I am excited to see him build off that as he picks from his several D1 offers as he heads into his senior season next year.","_player_evaluations_3_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_4_player":["1502826"],"_player_evaluations_4_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_4_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_4_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_4_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_4_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_4_evaluation":"Horry has turned into a smart 3-D player who has become invaluable to his Wolverine team. A player that can hit big shots from all over the court... must be in his blood. His 3 early 3's in the 1st quarter of this game put Harvard Westlake in the driver seat from the beginning. This season has been a big improvement for CJ and I expect his hot shooting to carry over into the CIF and State tournaments.","_player_evaluations_4_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":5,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-65bdcd1cf37a2"} /-->