Gray Leads Westchester to Victory

Westchester High guard James Gray scored 18 of his game-high 24 points in the second quarter to lead the Comets to a 72-61 victory over Venice in a City Coastal Conference boys’ basketball game Friday night at Westchester.

After trailing by 13 points in the first quarter, Gray ignited a second-quarter rally in which the Comets outscored Venice, 30-7. “We took them lightly at the start,” Gray said. “We weren’t concentrating . . . and they hit their shots. But, once we realized that they were a good team, we started to get things going.”

Venice (12-6) gave Westchester (13-5) a scare when it outscored the Comets, 17-4, to begin the game behind the fast-break play of guards Tracey Mills and Damon Durity. After trailing, 21-12, at the end of the quarter, Westchester came alive behind the play of Gray, reserves James Towns and Albert Jones and a trapping defense. The Comets took a 26-21 lead midway through the quarter and a 42-28 lead at halftime.

Mike Demers led Venice with 19 points.