HS HOOPS: Butler's shot propels Harvard-Westlake in OT over Crespi

Jordan Butler scored on a driving layup in traffic with nine seconds left in overtime Monday to lift Harvard-Westlake High to a 60-58 victory at Crespi to clinch the Mission League basketball championship for the third consecutive season while preserving the top spot in the Southern Section Div. III-A rankings over the No. 2 Celts.

"I saw the clock was running down, so I knew I had to put the ball up and hopefully it would go in," Butler said. "At first I thought it was going to come up short, but it bounced in, and I was so happy and so grateful."

Harvard-Westlake (22-3, 10-1) overcame a 10-point deficit with four minutes remaining in regulation, as Crespi had plenty of opportunities but shot just 27 percent (17 of 62) and can now finish no better than third.

The Wolverines have one more game left Wednesday against Alemany, while Crespi (20-7, 8-4) is finished until the playoffs.

"This was definitely huge," Butler said. "We didn't want it coming down to the last game, so we really needed to play our best tonight."

Down 46-36 midway through the fourth quarter, Nicky Firestone came off the bench to spark Harvard-Westlake, dishing to Zena Edosomwan for a slick assist, then hitting a 3-pointer - his second of the night - to help the Wolverines reel off a 13-2 run.

Crespi's Reggie Coates had 11 points, 11 rebounds, five steals and five assists, but with Crespi down by one point with seven seconds left, he missed one of two free throws.

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