HS FOOT: Get ready for high school hoops

For many years, the San Fernando Valley's top two Southern Section
boys' basketball programs, Harvard-Westlake of Studio City and
Campbell Hall of North Hollywood, have wanted to play each other.

It has never happened, even though the campuses are just two miles
apart.

They were always in different playoff divisions, and because
Harvard-Westlake participates in the seven-team Mission League there
were never extra nonleague games after the Wolverines filled their
quota of three tournaments.

But things have changed.

The new Southern Section playoff divisions have been released, and
this season both are in Div. III-A. That means Harvard-Westlake,
which has won nine section titles and two state titles, and Campbell
Hall, which has won five section titles and three state titles, could
meet in the playoffs.

It's something to think about, as the first day of basketball
practice is right around the corner. City Section teams begin Monday,
and Southern Section teams start the following Saturday, Nov. 14. The
City season opens Nov. 23, followed by the Southern Section on Nov.
30.

"I would love to play Campbell Hall. It would be great because
they're right down the street," Harvard-Westlake coach Greg Hilliard
said. "I guess now there's a reasonable chance we could see them in
the playoffs, but that's so far ahead it would be conjecture. But if
the draw worked out, even though it's so far down the line, if we're
both still around, I would love to have that chance to play them."

Both return two of their top players. Damiene Cain and Erik Swoope
are back for Harvard-Westlake, and James Johnson and Austin McBroom
are back for Campbell Hall.

Some of the area's other elite returnees are Bryce Jones and De'Andre
Daniels from Taft of Woodland Hills, Lonnie Jackson of Valencia and
Alex Tiffin of Thousand Oaks.

-- Gerry Gittelson