HARVARD-WESTLAKE HAS TWO LEFT FEET CHAMINADE SPOILS DANCE WITH EASY VICTORY CHAMINADE 74, H.-W. 58.

Byline: Gerry Gittelson Staff Writer

The Harvard-Westlake High of Studio City boys' basketball game at Chaminade of West Hills on Saturday was moved from the evening to the afternoon to accommodate a formal dance at Harvard-Westlake.

After shooting just 31.6 percent (19 of 60) and committing 21 turnovers during a ragged 74-58 loss, the Wolverines must be asking themselves: Can they do more than dance? Their best moves certainly weren't on the gym floor, that's for sure.

``We stunk today,'' said Harvard-Westlake guard Craig Weinstein, who usually is one of the team's most dependable starters but managed just one field goal with four turnovers. ``Yes, we have a busy day but that's no excuse. We needed to show up and play.

``I'm afraid to find out what our shooting percentage was because once we fell behind we just starting jacking the ball up. But it's better to lose like this now than in the playoffs.''

Chaminade (19-6, 8-3) took sole possession of second place in the Mission League behind Loyola of Los Angeles with one regular-season game remaining, Tuesday against St. Francis of La Canada Flintridge.

Harvard-Westlake (19-5, 7-3) probably needs to win its last two games - against Alemany of Mission Hills on Tuesday and Notre Dame of Sherman Oaks on Thursday - to avoid an away-berth against a league champion in the first round of upcoming Southern Section Division IV-AA playoffs.

Chaminade sophomore Adrian Aye-Darko scored 20 points, including two 3-pointers, and had three rebounds Saturday. He was at his best during a 12-0 spree midway through the third quarter, hitting two jumpers, a 3-pointer and tip-in to give Chaminade a 53-36 lead.

``I went to the gym last night and worked on my shooting for two hours, and it made a big difference,'' Aye-Darko said. ``I was just playing as hard as I could, and it turned out to be a big win for us because we didn't want to be tied for second place. We needed to beat them after losing at their court last time.''

Harvard-Westlake had its moments, opening a six-point lead late in the first quarter on a pair of baskets by Ed White. But a 3-pointer by Aye- Darko three minutes later tied the game 20-20, and Chaminade never trailed again.

Chaminade's Gerred Link added 16 points, Marcus Everett scored 13, Jon Todd had nine, and Dion Cook scored four points with 12 rebounds. Even fan favorite Jesse Taylor, a 6-foot-4, 240-pounder who has committed to play football at Washington State, got into the action, scoring four late points, including a rebound basket at the buzzer.

Sophomore Bryce Taylor led Harvard-Westlake with 16 points. But aside from two crowd-pleasing, two-handed dunks, he was 3 of 16, including 0 for 6 from 3-point range.

No one else scored in double figures for the Wolverines.

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Harvard-Westlake's Craig Weinstein (12) tries to keep the ball away from Chaminade's Marcus Everett on Saturday.

Joe Binoya/Special to the Daily News