Crenshaw Has Answer for Those Who Doubt : High school basketball: State-champion Cougars have host of heroes as they romp past host Thousand Oaks, 121-66, in tournament championship game.

NEWBURY PARK — Most participants in the Thousand Oaks High boys’ basketball tournament figured the event became a battle for second place as soon as the ink dried on Crenshaw’s entry form.

On Friday night, the Cougars convinced all.

Crenshaw ran, jumped and dunked--often--on its way to a 121-66 victory over host Thousand Oaks in the tournament championship game before a capacity crowd of 1,500 at Newbury Park High. The tournament site was moved to Newbury Park after Crenshaw’s Leon Watson tore down a rim Wednesday at Thousand Oaks with a dunk.

The defending state-champion Cougars--ranked first in the nation in some polls--were led by forward Kristaan Johnson’s game-high 40 points and point guard Tommie Davis, who set a school record with 21 assists. He added eight points and five steals.

How dominant was Crenshaw (5-0) in the four-day tournament?

Consider: Neither Johnson nor Davis won the MVP award. That distinction went to forward/center Tremaine Fowlkes, who had 27 points and 12 rebounds in the title game. Sharpshooter Ronnie Arch was only slightly less scintillating, connecting on eight of 12 three-point attempts and scoring 28 points.

Said Cougar Coach Willie West: “This was good for us because we still have a lot of things to work on--especially defensively. We gave up too many layups, but the guys will get better as we go along.”

Better?

The Lancers (5-2) don’t see how.

“They are an amazing team,” forward Jason Hartman said. “We hoped they would come out cold, but they didn’t.

“I just don’t think there could be a better team in the country. Well, maybe the (Seattle) SuperSonics.”

Guard Peter Lauer led Thousand Oaks with 28 points and Hartman added 15 points and 10 rebounds.

Westlake 74, Washington 51--Steve Aylsworth scored 18 points and Billy Miller added 14 to help the Warriors win the third-place game. Daniel Moore led the Generals with 22.

Huntington Park 55, Faith Baptist 54--Joe Covarrubias scored a team-high 14 points to lead the Spartans past the Contenders for the consolation championship. Tony Hoggatts led Faith Baptist with 17.

Rio Mesa 76, St. Monica 52--Chad Harmon scored a game-high 19 points as the Spartans cruised in the seventh-place game. Herman Schultz led the Mariners with 18.