Campbell Hall shows its poise in knocking off Windward
HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL
The Vikings get 24 points from sophomore point guard Austin McBroom to defeat the highly regarded Wildcats, 69-52.
All those skeptical about North Hollywood Campbell Hall maintaining its reign as a small schools basketball power after the graduation of All-American Jrue Holiday only need to understand what happened Saturday night before an overflow crowd at Los Angeles Windward.
The No. 16-ranked Wildcats, with players set to attend UCLA and Michigan, were supposed to be the team to finally take down No. 11 Campbell Hall in an Olympic League game.
They held a 50-49 lead with 3:24 left, sending their loud, enthusiastic fans into a frenzy. But Campbell Hall, led by sophomore point guard Austin McBroom, showed that its experience in big games remains invaluable.
The Vikings (11-3, 2-0) went on a 20-2 run and came away with a 69-52 victory over Windward (10-6, 1-1), sending a message that they have no intention of falling back without Holiday, who is now at UCLA.
McBroom finished with 24 points, including nine in the fourth quarter. He was at his best with the pressure turned up and the game in doubt.
"When the game is on the line, I'll give it to the best player on the floor," Campbell Hall Coach Terry Kelly said of McBroom.
The Vikings also received 16 points from Bryce Brady, 14 points from Keegan Hornbuckle and 10 points from James Johnson, who did a splendid job against UCLA-bound Anthony Stover, limiting him to four points.
Windward (10-6, 1-1), the favorite to win a Southern Section Division V-A championship, opened an 18-5 lead at the outset and held a 33-29 halftime lead. Michigan-bound Darius Morris scored 16 points in the first half, but he was held to two points in the second half.
It was a playoff-like atmosphere, with dozens of fans turned away because the gym only seats about 750. Campbell Hall's poise came through.
"We've been in these games," Kelly said. "This doesn't faze us. We had to let them all get it out in the first three minutes. All we said is 'weather the storm.' "
The 6-foot-9 Stover finished with seven blocked shots, but Johnson's ability to hang tough on defense gave Campbell Hall a huge boost.
These two schools will meet again in league play Feb. 10 at Campbell Hall. Fans might have to wait in line for hours to make it into Campbell Hall's tiny gym, but it might be worth it the way these two teams played.
eric.sondheimer@latimes.com
