Cleveland High Basketball Triumphs in Overtime Against Fairfax

The Cleveland High School boys basketball team made the trip to Los Angeles Southwest College on Saturday night for a high-stakes Open Division semifinal showdown against Fairfax High School — and walked away with a statement victory in overtime, 68-62.

The Cavaliers entered the contest at 19–9 overall, fresh off a gritty 57–52 home win over Narbonne in the quarterfinals. Fairfax, 19–10 on the season, earned its semifinal berth with a 66–58 victory over Birmingham, setting the stage for an evenly matched battle.

High school basketball players in action during a game, featuring players from Cleveland and Fairfax teams, with a player dribbling the ball while being defended.

Two young male basketball players facing off, one in a black jersey and the other in a white jersey with red accents, both in an indoor gym setting.

From the opening tip, the game lived up to its billing. Cleveland and Fairfax traded buckets and defensive stops in a physical, high-intensity first half. Senior Sergine Deme anchored the Cavaliers defensively, protecting the paint and altering shots.

A basketball player in a red and white uniform jumps to shoot the basketball while being defended by two players in black and red uniforms during a game on a gymnasium court.

Head coach Dagem Asfaw noted the significance of Deme’s performance, explaining that the senior had been working his way back from a knee injury and hadn’t been at full strength. Having him closer to 100 percent made a major impact.

Offensively, Cleveland found rhythm through junior TJ Wansa and sophomore Charlie Adams, who attacked the rim and converted key layups. Their production helped the Cavaliers carry a 31–25 lead into halftime.

A basketball player in a red and white uniform performs a slam dunk while another player attempts to block him during a game, with spectators in the background.

A basketball player in a white and red uniform dribbles a basketball on the court, with teammates sitting in the background.

Cleveland maintained control through much of the third quarter, stretching the advantage to as much as 8–10 points. But Fairfax refused to go away. The Lions stormed back in the fourth, tightening up defensively and capitalizing at the free-throw line. In the final two minutes of regulation, both teams traded fouls and clutch free throws in a tense back-and-forth sequence. As Cleveland’s defense began to show signs of fatigue, Fairfax seized the moment and knotted the score, forcing overtime. “We had it where we wanted it.” said Asfaw “We have a really young group, and in the fourth quarter just mental mistakes turning the ball over, it’s stuff that we can get better at.”

A high school basketball player wearing a red and white uniform prepares to shoot a basketball, with teammates and spectators visible in the background.

A basketball player in a white jersey prepares to shoot the ball while another player in a black and yellow jersey attempts to block the shot. The setting is a gymnasium with spectators in the background.

In the extra period, the Cavaliers regained their composure. With just over two minutes remaining and Cleveland clinging to a 61–60 lead, Sho Evans delivered the turning point — knocking down a contested jumper while drawing a foul. The three-point play shifted the momentum firmly back to the Cavaliers. Evans calmly converted the free throw, and Cleveland closed the door from there. Asfaw praised his effort, “Sho had a lot of great looks, we trust him to shoot the ball, he’s one of the best shooters in California in my opinion, he had a slow night but he made the one that counted and made the free throws we needed.”

Two basketball players in white and red uniforms celebrate joyfully on the court during a game, with spectators in the background.

When the final buzzer sounded, the Cavaliers had secured a 68–62 overtime victory, punching their ticket to the Open Division final.

Cleveland will now turn its attention to top-seeded Palisades Charter High School in the Open Division championship game on Friday, February 27, with a title on the line.