PREP BASKETBALL HART TOURNAMENT : West Bakersfield Outplays Hart Down Stretch, 59-51

Most of the baskets were scored inside in West Bakersfield High’s 59-51 victory over Hart on Saturday night in a championship semifinal of the Hart tournament.

The reason is largely because of two large bodies: Hart’s Ali Peek and West Bakersfield’s Makuel Williams.

Peek, a 6-foot-5, 245-pound senior center, scored a game-high 24 points, mostly on soft baseline jump shots and overpowering penetration.

Williams, a 6-5, 260-pound junior, scored 21 points using a similar modus operandi.

Williams was more effective down the stretch, however, scoring five points in the fourth quarter--including a baby hook shot over Peek with three minutes to play--to put the Vikings (12-0) in the final against Culver City on Monday.

Hart (6-7), the defending tournament champion, opened the final period with an 8-0 run and trailed, 52-49, with four minutes to play when Peek hit a short bank shot over Williams.

But a minute later, Williams scored on a five-foot hook and Hart was never again closer than five points.

In other games:

Culver City 76, San Fernando 47--Culver City (7-5) breezed into the final behind strong front-line play. Javier Ramos led San Fernando (6-4) with 13 points.

Quartz Hill 57, Fresno Roosevelt 54--Dan Prince scored 29 points for Quartz Hill, which opened a 15-4 lead after one quarter in the ninth-place semifinal.

Glendale 60, Beverly Hills 49--Mike Wright scored a game-high 23 points to lead the Dynamiters (8-5) in a consolation semifinal.

Saugus 70, Cabrillo 61--Saugus’ Josh Hinrichs scored a game-high 30 points to lead the Centurions (9-3) in a fifth-place semifinal.

Canyon 54, St. Francis 27--Senior forward Joe Ferguson scored 22 points to lead Canyon (6-5) into a fifth-place showdown with Golden League rival Saugus.

Fresno Central 66, Antelope Valley 54--Matt Carrier led the Antelopes with 17 points.