Los Angeles City section Player of the Year candidate Miriah Blake of Westchester celebrates Senior Night on Feb. 2 at Westchester Enriched Science Magnet. Westchester girls are the No. 2 seed in the Open Division. (South Bay Black Journal Photo/KENNETH MILLER)
Girls will be without its coach; boys playing with house money
The CIF Los Angeles City Section released its girls and boys basketball playoff brackets on Saturday Feb. 3 and Westchester Enriched Sciences Magnet is the only South Bay school with both teams in the most competitive Open Division.
Westchester girls, the reigning and defending Open Division champions are led by City Player of the Year candidate Miriah Blake who averaged 23 points and 8 rebounds en route to leading the Comets to a share of the Western League and 20-5 record.
However, the Comets will begin its repeat effort without its head coach Domonic Grimes who has been removed from the team.
Sources have confirmed to SBBJ that Grimes was removed because one of his players had been residing at the home of the family of one of his assistant coaches and that player’ mother brought police to the school.
It was also reported that the mother of the child had known for a year the living arrangements, the alleged length of time the minor was living with the family, but only decided to protest during the final week of the season.
One Westchester official stated that Grimes had been sit down for a while, but others have indicated that the coach who was responsible for elevating Westchester’s girls basketball team to title prominence is likely to not return to the school.
He has been banned from campus and text messages and phone calls to his cell phone were not responded to or answered.
In the meanwhile, the Comets are being led by the capable Errol Jackson who will pilot to No. 2 seed in the first round against No.7 seed El Camino Real.
Blake emerged as a budding star for Westchester last season as a junior and has continued her outstanding play. She is complemented by Serenity Johnson and junior Reign Waugh along with the quality of depth that should make the Comets tough to beat. Their worst enemy could be themselves.
Meanwhile, Dewitt Cotton, the first boys Black coach in the school history, has demonstrated that he is quite capable of replacing the legendary Ed Azzam, who is the winningest championship coach in Los Angeles City section history.
Cotton led his team to the Open Division semifinals in year one, the Division 1 semifinals in year two and now with the youngest squad that he’s ever had in his three years at the helm has them poised for a deep run coming off a surprising Western League title and earning the No. 4 seed.
Cotton’s outfit will be tested right out of the gate when it faces star powered Chatsworth led by the son of former NBA star Gilbert Arenas, Alijah Arenas who is 15th in the nation, 6th in the state in scoring with a 33 point per game average.
Elsewhere in the LA City, Gardena boys piloted by the highly successful Ernie Carr earned a No. 5 seed in D1 and will play host to No. 12 Kennedy, Carson is No. 2 in D3 and will host the winner of No. 15 West Adams and No. 18 Middle College. Yes, every team in the LA City Section qualifies for the playoffs regardless of how inept you might be.
Most intriguing first round match-up in D1 is No. 6 Crenshaw hosting No. 11 Rancho Dominguez, with Coaches Ed Waters of Crenshaw and Tony Thomas of Rancho Dominguez colliding. Thomas coached DeMar DeRozan at Compton High, and Waters has aptly filled the shoes of iconic Willie West by winning a City title in 2017.
Gardena girls is No. 1 in D4 and will host the winner of No. 16 Sun Valley Magnet and No. 17 Math & Science College on Feb. 9.
Meanwhile, Carson girls are the No. 6 seed and will host No. 11 Hollywood on Feb. 7 at 4p.m.
All Open Division teams automatically qualify for the Southern California State Regional tournament, but only the finalist will advance in other divisions.
