CITY SECTION BOYS': QUICK START CAN'T CARRY CLEVELAND WESTCHESTER OVERCOMES EARLY DEFICIT TO ADVANCE TO CITY SECTION TITLE GAME WESTCHESTER 86, CLEVELAND 65.

Byline: Matthew Kredell Staff Writer

Cleveland High of Reseda has the championship mindset. In a game no unbiased observer thought it could win, the boys' basketball team entered the game expecting victory.

For nearly two quarters, Cleveland made believers out of everyone else. The Cavaliers raced around Westchester's size, hoisting up 3-pointers with accuracy and forcing turnovers with quickness.

It looked like Cleveland was on its way to pulling off a shocking upset. But a 12-point second-quarter lead evaporated with sudden swiftness Friday as the Cavaliers fell in the City Section semifinals for the second year in a row, losing 86-65 at top-seeded Westchester.

``We knew we could play with them,'' Cleveland senior Jason Hill said. ``We knew we had a chance, and we wanted to prove everybody wrong.''

The fourth-seeded Cavaliers (21-7) forced four turnovers in the first three minutes and received two 3-pointers from Corey Duncan to jump out to an 8-0 lead. When Hill, the team's leading scorer, finally made his first shot of the game on a 3-pointer late in the quarter, the Cavaliers led 16-4.

Matt Harrison was shutting down Westchester standout Amir Johnson, a Louisville-bound center who has been selected as a McDonald's All- American. Harrison gave up four inches to Johnson, but made up the difference with his bulk and physical play.

Then Hill picked up his second foul, and the referees started calling Harrison for the pushing he was doing to keep Johnson away from the basket.

When Westchester (20-3) increased its defensive pressure and rebounding, Cleveland had trouble getting the ball inbounds past the long arms of Comets defenders. The Cavaliers turned the ball over three times on inbounds passes in the second quarter.

Westchester took its first lead of the game with two minutes remaining in the half, then finished on a 13-5 run that included Ahmaad Cook's 3- pointer with a second remaining. Cleveland never got back in the game. Westchester started the second half with a 23-8 run.

``They started playing physical with us, and we weren't allowed to play physical back,'' Hill said. ``I thought the referees in the city allowed more physical contact.''

Westchester advances to face rival Fairfax of Los Angeles for the City title next Saturday at the Forum.

Westchester coach Ed Azzam said he wasn't worried when Cleveland took a big lead because his team is notorious for its slow starts.

``We start slow all the time,'' Azzam said. ``I don't know what it is. But I knew we would come back eventually.''

It was much different from the Cavaliers' semifinal loss to Fairfax last season, a game Cleveland never led.

Westchester has expected nothing less than a City title all season, as evidenced by the school's Web site. Following the regular-season and City Section playoffs schedules, the dates for the state playoffs and state championship already are laid out with opponents yet to be filled in.

Cleveland has never won a City title and was trying to make the final for the first time in 19 years. Just to reach the semifinals again was an unexpected accomplishment after the graduation of standout Nick Young, now starting as a freshman at USC.

``With the way we were being overlooked, we surprised a lot of people this season,'' Hill said. ``I feel with the coaching staff here, it's only a matter of time before Cleveland is one of the top teams in the country.''

Matthew Kredell, [phone]

matthew.kredell(at)dailynews.com