STATE BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT / SOUTHERN REGIONAL : Boys Division II : Wilson Advances With 52-34 Win

Scott Williams scored only 13 points, but the 6-foot 10-inch center for Hacienda Heights Wilson was his usual imposing self on defense Wednesday night, especially facing a Fresno Washington team that had no players taller than 6-2.

That, along with 11 points from Neil Weingarten and 10 from Paul Barriga, was enough to help Wilson overcome long-distance scorer Dwayne Tucker and a sluggish start to defeat Washington, 52-34, in a Boys Division II Southern Regional semifinal at Nogales High in La Puente.

“There’s no question about Williams,” said Washington Coach John Pestorich, whose team won the State title last season. “He’s the greatest player I’ve ever seen in high school.”

Now, Wilson (29-3) is one win away from a trip to Oakland. It will play Oceanside El Camino Saturday for the Southern California championship at the Sports Arena.

There was little question from moment the teams took the court that Washington, although winner of 81 of previous 83 games coming in, could not match up with Wilson. But Wilson, despite practically controlling the court 10 feet within the basket, had a problem, too: The Wildcats could not get the emotional intensity they had in beating Pomona Ganesha, 54-53, last Saturday at the Sports Arena for the Southern Section 3-A title.

“All we talked about all year was winning CIF,” Wilson Coach Mike Lowe said. “Then we got to practice on Monday, and they (the players) weren’t ready to practice. I wasn’t ready for it.

“For this group of kids, what happened Saturday was such an emotional thing. Not only did we win the CIF championship, but in such a close game.”

Thus, an emotional letdown and a slow start Wednesday night. Wilson led, 10-6, after the first quarter and only 22-16 with three minutes left in the first half. Tucker, a 5-9 guard who averaged 16.5 points during the season, kept Washington (27-2) close with 12 of his game-high 14 points in the first half.

Wilson took control at the start of the third quarter, though, getting consecutive baskets from Dwain Daniels and Barriga after a pair of Washington turnovers to stretch the lead to 12. After the cushion was trimmed to eight, 31-23, on a basket by 6-2 sophomore center Marc Jones, it went back up to 13 at the start of the fourth quarter and finally reached 19 on Barriga’s jumper with 32 seconds left in the game.