SOUTHERN SECTION BOYS’ BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP GAMES : 4-A : Santa Monica vs. Westlake

Westlake and Santa Monica, teams that two weeks ago seemed headed for failure, play for the 4-A title Saturday night at 7:30 at the Sports Arena.

Santa Monica, which lost six straight games in one stretch, has roared into the final with upset wins over top-seeded Simi Valley and Diamond Bar. Westlake, which upset Lynwood in the semifinals, had never even won a Southern Section playoff game prior to this season.

“When I started coaching, I never thought I would make it to the Sports Arena,” Westlake Coach Roy Gilmore said following the Warriors’ 51-42 win over Lynwood in the semifinals. “You think of the Mater Deis, Crenshaws, the Long Beach Polys when you think of the Sports Arena and the finals.”

You certainly don’t think of Westlake, at least until now. Not to take anything away from the Warriors, but playing in the Marmonte League with Simi Valley has shaded the spotlight from one of the divisions better-rounded squads.

Santa Monica was not taken very seriously when the Vikings entered the playoffs with a 13-9 record. But the team that lost six straight in December and January has won 13 of its last 14 games, including a last-second, 55-54 quarterfinal win over Simi Valley, the dominant team in the 4-A this year.

Santa Monica (17-9) relies heavily on the shooting of senior guard Danny Price, who helped put away Diamond Bar, 69-60, in the semifinals with 28 points on 10-of-15 shooting.

“We knew he was an outstanding player,” Diamond Bar Coach Bill Murray said. “With our half-court press, I thought we did a good job. But they just kept getting the ball to 30 (Price) and he would knock it in.”

Price has made 27 of 41 field goals attempts (65.9%) in playoff wins over Santa Ana, Simi Valley and Diamond Bar.

Keith Neal--who made the second shot of a one-on-one with one second left remaining to lift the Vikings to the win over Simi Valley--Trane Hunter, and point guard William Benjamin should also be offensive factors for Santa Monica. Hunter scored 15 points and Neal had 14 against Diamond Bar.

Very few would have expected Westlake (20-7) to advance to the final, especially when leading scorer Paul Keenan could manage only four points against Lynwood in the semifinals. But center Dave Heckman, off-guard Charlie Cangelosi, power forward Jim Henderson and point guard Rick Welch picked up the scoring for what had been a lopsided offensive team against Muir, when Keenan scored 38.

“Keenan’s a fine player,” Santa Monica Coach Cliff Hunter said. “But we can’t cheat off on one player. The other people can hurt you, too.”

Westlake has proven it can win without Keenan, but Santa Monica hasn’t done the same without Price, which could give the Warriors a slight advantage--given they can do something to slow the 6-4 guard.