HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL PLAYOFFS : Semifinals in Harvard’s Not-So-Distant Future

MORRO BAY — Harvard-Westlake High’s boys’ basketball team traveled four hours to play a Southern Section Division III-A quarterfinal game Friday night.

But the top-seeded Wolverines needed only 11 minutes in the second half to put away unseeded San Luis Obispo, 65-56, at Morro Bay High and advanced to Tuesday’s semifinals, where they will play Duarte, a 96-94 double-overtime winner over Santa Paula.

Harvard (25-2) put together a 13-0 run midway through the second half to overcome a 45-41 San Luis Obispo lead.

Jason Collins, a 6-10 sophomore center, scored six of the Wolverines’ points during the surge and finished with a game-high 21 points and 10 rebounds.

Jarron Collins, a 6-9 sophomore forward, added 20 points and 17 rebounds while senior guard Ben Robbins scored 18 points.

Harvard made 57% of its shots (27 of 47).

San Luis Obispo, which missed seven shots in a row during the Wolverines’ decisive run, made only 32% of its shots in the second half and 41% for the game.

With the Collins brothers controlling the boards, Harvard posted a 37-19 rebounding advantage.

San Luis Obispo, which finished 18-8, twice led by four points.

The Tigers scored the first five points of the third quarter for a 37-33 cushion and also led, 45-41, when Dustin Barnes made a three-point shot from the left corner with three minutes left in the quarter.

But Harvard outscored San Luis Obispo, 24-11, the rest of the way, holding off a late Tiger run by making seven of eight free throws in the final 43 seconds.

Senior guard Michael Keller scored 17 points for San Luis Obispo and senior forward Brian Williamson added 15.

Both made three of six three-point shots.