Westlake could end up making a quick exit from playoffs

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The Westlake boys’ basketball program did what it needed to do in order to qualify for the Southern Section playoffs by finishing among the top four teams in Marmonte League play this season, earning an automatic berth in Division I-AA. But, is this group simply satisfied with making a postseason appearance or do they plan on making a run?

We’ll find out soon enough. The Warriors host El Segundo in a wild-card game Wednesday night. Things don’t get any easier beyond that. The winner moves on to Friday’s first-round game against a Harvard-Westlake team eager to prove its late-season swoon was a fluke. Westlake could be standing in the way. Or the Warriors could be one-and-done.

‘We don’t like to think that there’s nothing to lose at this point because then people are going to say we don’t belong,’’ Coach Tom Donahue said. ‘There’s some great teams out there with some great reputations in our division. It’s going to be tough anyway you slice it. But we’re here for a reason and plan on playing like it.’’

Second-seeded Mater Dei figures to be waiting in the quarterfinals, provided Westlake manages to somehow, some way, get past its first two opponents. Can’t imagine the Warriors ending up in a situation where they’re a couple of victories away from the title game, though. Then again, they made it this far. Perhaps Westlake will prove me wrong.

--Sean Ceglinsky