Harvard-Westlake beats St. Joseph for Open Division title in state basketball

To watch a 16-year-old sophomore basketball player blossom over the course of a five-month high school season, evolving from a player with potential to someone who can take three-pointers in an NBA arena and play such a stifling defense as the others, the team’s star player was almost invisibly explained how valuable six-foot-tall Nikolas Khamenia was to Harvard-Westlake during March Madness.

It culminated on Saturday night on the biggest stage at the Golden 1 Center as Harvard-Westlake (33-2) emerged as the No. 1 team in California after a 76-65 victory over Santa Maria St. Joseph in the State Open Division- championship game. While Harvard-Westlake has five starters who are definitely going to college, Khamenia was the player who made the Wolverines state champions in the toughest division.

He finished the three-time Southern Division Open Division Corona Centennial defender last week with a 20-point performance. This time he became St. Beguard Joseph’s talented 6-8 Tonde Yessoufou averaging 28.2 points. He was limited to six points in the first half and 14 points in 32 minutes. Khamenia also scored 16 runs and made three 3-pointers.

“As with anything, maturation takes place and he just matured,” said coach David Rebibo. “To see him thrive at this time of year when the pressure is at its peak is incredible.”

Harvard-Westlake led 35-31 at halftime. The Knights were able to hang out because Luis Marin, the 6-6 guard, used his size to maneuver in and had 15 points, making seven of his eight shots. As usual, the Wolverines received contributions from all five starters, and Christian Horry came off the bench for a three-run baseline that gave his father Robert, who was on the sidelines, a good feeling.

In the third quarter, the Wolverines made a big change. Brady Dunlap was assigned to cover for Marin at 6-8, who suddenly stopped scoring. He made one shot for the rest of the game. Harvard-Westlake took a 7-0, 48-35 lead.

The players who had to come through did it for Harvard-Westlake. Goaltender Trent Perry, the Mission League’s Player of the Year, had 16 points, 10 assists and eight rebounds. The 10 assists were a state record for the Open Division. Dunlap scored 16 points. Jacob Huggins had 15 points and 11 rebounds.

The legacy of this Harvard-Westlake team may be up for grabs for the best in school history. The 1996 and 1997 teams that won back-to-back State Division III championships with the Collins twins Jason and Jarron have always been used as a benchmark of basketball greatness. The 1997 team went 36-1, ranked No. 1 in California, losing only to national power Mt. Zion Christian Academy of Durham, NC, 33-2 with narrow losses to Henderson (Nev.) Liberty and Bellflower St. John Bosco were the only losses this season. And each time, the Wolverines reacted with vengeance and learned from their mistakes.

“I feel like it’s humbled us,” Perry said of a playoff loss to St. John’s Bosco. “We came together and we made it.”

Rebibo said, “Sometimes a reset is a good thing.”

The future also looks rosy.

Three of their five starters are underclassmen – Perry, Robert Hinton and Khamenia. Add in Horry, the sixth key man, and newcomer Dominique Bentho, and the Wolverines have what it takes for another strong starting lineup for 2023-24.