Harvard-Westlake aims for Open Division title

Before the start of the season, the Harvard-Westlake boys basketball team identified three overarching objectives for the year.

Having already accomplished their first goal of a Mission League title, the Wolverines will have the opportunity to check off their second goal, a CIF Southern Section Open Division championship.

The third objective is to repeat as CIF State Open Division champions.

Standing in Harvard-Westlake's way is Roosevelt, a team that lost just two games all season and is riding a 12-game winning streak.

Like the Wolverines, the Mustangs went 3-0 in the Open Division pool competition, setting up a battle of two of the state's top programs in the Open Division final Friday at 8 p.m. at Cal Baptist University in Riverside.

“We know what's ahead of us and we know they're a really good team,” Harvard-Westlake head coach David Rebibo said about the matchup against Roosevelt. “We're very excited for the opportunity.”

Led by McDonald's All-American and USC signee Trent Perry, Harvard-Westlake runs an efficient and fluid offense that gets all five players on the court involved.

On any given night it could be Robert Hinton, Nikolas Khamenia, Christian Horry or Perry himself who leads the team in scoring. The Wolverines have been getting solid contributions off the bench from junior Isaiah Carroll and sophomore Amir Jones as well.

But Harvard-Westlake prides itself on defense and effort. The Wolverines held Sierra Canyon and St. John Bosco to season lows in points in their last two games.

The Wolverines will face maybe their toughest challenge defensively yet, going up against a Roosevelt team led by the foursome of Brayden Burries, Darnez Slater, Issac Williamson and Myles Walker.

The Mustangs also have 6-foot11 center Kevin “Tochi” Anigbogu clogging up the middle.

Burries, a junior and five-star prospect, averaged 20 points per game in Roosevelt's three wins in pool play.

Slater, who will be playing at Colorado State in the fall, is a combo guard who can score and dish the ball.

“Our makeup is built on toughness, discipline and defense,” Rebibo said. “Our guys are believers, they're bought in and they're competitors. The

work speaks for itself.”