It took eight months of rehabilitation, but on Saturday night in the City Section Open Division semifinals, Akil Hall Reese of Westchester finally got back on the basketball court after tearing a knee ligament last summer. <\/p>\n
The senior guard made his first shot attempt of the season, a three-pointer in the first quarter. He made another three-pointer in the second quarter. It was a hint of what might be still possible, because the Comets are very much alive in the postseason after a 78-38 rout of Dorsey that earned them a spot in next Saturday's championship game at Cal State Dominguez Hills. <\/p>\n
Westchester will play Fairfax, a 67-52 winner over El Camino Real in Saturday's second semifinal. <\/p>\n
\"I try not to get down on myself,\" Reese said. \"Everybody said to stay positive and I'd be back. I wish I could have played all year, but I'm back for the playoffs. It feels real good.\" <\/p>\n
Reese was a key player for last season's Division I runner-up team. He was cleared by his doctor to resume contact a week ago, and Coach Ed Azzam decided to hold him out until he got a week of practice. How much he'll be able to contribute the rest of the way will depend on his progress in practice. <\/p>\n
\"He played well,\" Azzam said. \"He's still not 100%, but he's a smart player.\" <\/p>\n
From a 9-0 start to a 16-point halftime lead to a 34-point margin after three quarters, the Comets (21-11) had little trouble against Dorsey (23-4) before a packed gym at Roybal High. Keith Fisher, a rapidly developing 6-foot-8 junior, finished with 21 points. <\/p>\n
\"We played real well,\" Azzam said. \"They're a good team and our defense was excellent and we made shots. When we do that, we're tough to beat.\" <\/p>\n
Lindsey Drew scored 22 points and Lorne Currie had 16 in Fairfax's win over El Camino Real. Drew and Currie took charge in the third quarter, leading an 11-0 surge to wipe out a two-point halftime deficit. <\/p>\n
\"We just picked it up,\" Drew said. \"We knew weren't playing to our full potential. We wanted to come out strong and just win the game.\" <\/p>\n
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Comets shoot into City Open Division title game<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" It took eight months of rehabilitation, but on Saturday night in the City Section Open Division semifinals, Akil Hall Reese of Westchester finally got back on the basketball court after tearing a knee ligament last summer. The senior guard made his first shot attempt of the season, a three-pointer in the first quarter. He made another three-pointer in the second quarter Continue reading