It took eight months of rehabilitation, but on Saturday night in the City Section Open Division semifinals, Akil Hall Reese of Westchester finally got back on the basketball court after tearing a knee ligament last summer.

The senior guard made his first shot attempt of the season, a three-pointer in the first quarter. He made another three-pointer in the second quarter. It was a hint of what might be still possible, because the Comets are very much alive in the postseason after a 78-38 rout of Dorsey that earned them a spot in next Saturday's championship game at Cal State Dominguez Hills.

Westchester will play Fairfax, a 67-52 winner over El Camino Real in Saturday's second semifinal.

"I try not to get down on myself," Reese said. "Everybody said to stay positive and I'd be back. I wish I could have played all year, but I'm back for the playoffs. It feels real good."

Reese was a key player for last season's Division I runner-up team. He was cleared by his doctor to resume contact a week ago, and Coach Ed Azzam decided to hold him out until he got a week of practice. How much he'll be able to contribute the rest of the way will depend on his progress in practice.

"He played well," Azzam said. "He's still not 100%, but he's a smart player."

From a 9-0 start to a 16-point halftime lead to a 34-point margin after three quarters, the Comets (21-11) had little trouble against Dorsey (23-4) before a packed gym at Roybal High. Keith Fisher, a rapidly developing 6-foot-8 junior, finished with 21 points.

"We played real well," Azzam said. "They're a good team and our defense was excellent and we made shots. When we do that, we're tough to beat."

Lindsey Drew scored 22 points and Lorne Currie had 16 in Fairfax's win over El Camino Real. Drew and Currie took charge in the third quarter, leading an 11-0 surge to wipe out a two-point halftime deficit.

"We just picked it up," Drew said. "We knew weren't playing to our full potential. We wanted to come out strong and just win the game."

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Comets shoot into City Open Division title game