Cleveland Now Up by 2 Games, 64-57

Bob Braswell had a simple message for his Cleveland High basketball team at halftime of its game with Kennedy on Wednesday afternoon.

“I told them that I didn’t want to pick up the paper and see that we were tied for first place,” he said. “I wanted first place--outright.”

The Cavaliers are two games ahead of its closest Valley 4-A League opponent today after defeating the Golden Cougars, 64-57, in a wild game at Cleveland. The Cavaliers are 6-0 in league, two games ahead of Kennedy, which fell to 4-2. Fairfax, which defeated Reseda on Wednesday, 75-55, also is 4-2.

Braswell called his halftime oration “very loud, very heated.”

The coach was upset because his team lost its intensity in the second quarter and allowed Kennedy to erase a 16-point deficit and tie the game at 30 by the half.

Braswell hardly could complain about the Cavaliers’ play in the first four minutes. Cleveland (9-5 overall) scored the game’s first 14 points, most of its baskets coming after offensive rebounds.

It wasn’t until Greg Fontenette hit a jumper with 3:52 left in the first quarter that Kennedy (9-5 overall) took the “00” off the scoreboard.

By the end of the first quarter, Cleveland led, 24-10.

When Antoine Shofner hit two free throws with 4:43 left in the half, Cleveland led, 30-18. But the Cavaliers then watched Kennedy, behind Andrew Como, score the last 12 points of the half.

Como had 10 points in the quarter, including a follow shot with three seconds left that tied the game.

The third quarter belonged to Cleveland’s Joey Manliguis and Kennedy’s Marcus Jones. Manliguis hit six field goals in the quarter, most from long range. Jones had eight in the quarter and 14 in the game, which tied him with Como for team-high scoring honors.

Each team scored 16 in the third quarter, and no team held more than a two-point lead.

Cleveland scored the first seven points of the fourth quarter, as Manliguis, a 5-11 sophomore guard, continued his brilliant play.

He opened the quarter with another outside jumper. After Richard Branham scored, Manliguis drove up the middle before dishing off to Branham, who was fouled as he made a layup.

Kennedy never rallied closer than four points as Manliguis made three free throws in the final minute.

“I like having the clutch shots,” said Manliguis, who scored 17, all in the second half.