PREP BASKETBALL CHAMINADE TOURNAMENT : Wilson, Riordan Catch Chatsworth in 2nd Half

Chatsworth High’s chances of winning the Chaminade basketball tournament Saturday rode on the Chancellors’ ability to stop San Francisco Riordan’s Jaha Wilson.

And at the end of the first quarter, Chatsworth seemed more than ready for the challenge, having held the talented center to just two free throws. But, Wilson, a 6-foot-6 junior who was named tournament most valuable player at the end of the championship game, scored 24 points in the final three periods and carried the Crusaders to a 55-52 victory.

Chatsworth Coach Sandy Greentree said the defense was not there to stop Wilson.

“We wanted to force him left and it didn’t work.”

Wilson, who missed his first five shots, hit his last eight, including a three-point attempt at the third-quarter buzzer. He also took 13 rebounds.

Chatsworth (9-4) played a near-perfect first half with Dennis Byrd and Brady Mertes combining for 19 points and a 30-27 intermission lead.

The Chancellors expanded their lead to 39-31 before Riordan (8-4) countered with a 14-2 run to close the third quarter.

Byrd finished with 15 points and Mertes added 13 for Chatsworth. Both were selected to the all-tournament team.

The tournament championship was the first for Riordan, which has made the trip south three times.

In other games:

Harvard-Westlake 82, Chaminade 80--The Wolverines (8-4) nearly squandered an 18-point lead with a defensive collapse in the second half, but James Daniels’ basket with eight seconds remaining enabled Harvard to claim the consolation championship.

“Defense has been a problem for us this whole tournament,” Wolverine Coach Greg Hilliard said. “In the second half, nothing we did worked.”

Chaminade rallied to tie the score, 80-80, on Richard Fei’s layup. Fei and Bobby Holland each scored 23 points for the Eagles (5-7).

Jeremiah Aguolu led the Wolverines with 19 points.

St. Monica 82, Crossroads 72--Jahi Bacon scored 36 points as the Mariners took third place.