Westchester and Chatsworth will meet in City Section Open Division basketball final

With his team clinging to a seven-point lead and the 35-second shot-clock about to expire, Tajh Ariza, while falling backwards, released a shot from the right baseline that only could be seen in a game of H-O-R-S-E.

“That’s a playground shot,” his Westchester teammate, Jordan Ballard, said.

It went in for a three with 40 seconds left and was the dagger that took down Cleveland 68-57 in a City Section Open Division semifinal game at Roybal on Monday night. No. 2-seeded Westchester, seeking a 16th City title and the first without Hall of Fame coach Ed Azzam, will play in Friday’s 8 p.m. final at L.A. Southwest College against top-seeded Chatsworth.

“When it left his hands, one kid on the bench said, ‘It’s going in,’” coach Dewitt Cotton said.

Did anyone believe him?

“I work on it,” Ariza said

Ariza, a 6-foot-9 junior, picked up three fouls in the first quarter and sat for most of the second quarter. He gained traction with a three-point play in the third quarter to ignite the Comets (21-9). He ended the third quarter making a three-pointer as the buzzer sounded. He finished with 20 points.

“I got into foul trouble, but it’s cool,” he said.

Helping overcome his absence was Patrick Ramos, who made three of his team’s nine threes and finished with 13 points. Roman Finney led Cleveland (23-6) with 23 points.

For months, Chatsworth and Westchester have been the favorites to face off in the championship. It will be a rematch from Westchester’s opening game of the season, won by Chatsworth 59-55.

“We’re winnin’,” Ariza said.

“No, absolutely not,” Chatsworth’s Alijah Arenas said after his team’s 77-47 semifinal win over Palisades.

It will be Ariza against Arenas, sons of former NBA players.

Arenas scored 31 points and got contributions from his teammates against Palisades.

Taj Unuakhalu picked up 21 rebounds. CJ Gore and Tekeio Phillips each scored 13 points.

Unuakhalu, a 6-foot-8 volleyball standout, missed his team’s volleyball match against Venice, a loss. “I wanted to be there,” he said.

He has won two City titles with the volleyball team and wants to get a ring in basketball.