David Elliott scores 30 points to lead Birmingham basketball to LA City Section Open Division championship

David Elliott scored 30 points to lead Birmingham to the LA City Section boys basketball Open Division championship.

LOS ANGELES -- Westchester has won 15 City titles in boys basketball, but the Comets past triumphs didn't scare Birmingham senior guard David Elliott.

"That don't matter," he said when he was asked how intimidating it was to play in a Westchester gym with so many banners. "I put one up in my school."

Elliott scored 30 points to lead the Patriots to a 73-68 title win, their second Open Division boys basketball crown in school history.

Birmingham led comfortably for the majority of the game. They were up 57-43 after three quarters, but in the fourth Westchester fought back and got within four points of the Patriots with 12.7 seconds to play.

"You just knew that they were going to come back and make a game of it," Birmingham head coach Nick Halic said. "I'm just proud of how we hung on."

Elliott, a Loyola Marymount signee, hit his final four free throws to see the game out in the last minute.

"I know I put in the work to knock them down," Elliott said. "I put in countless hours and I just knocked them down."

Birmingham senior James Nobles finished with 16 points in the win. He scored 13 in the second quarter. TJ Wainwright paced Westchester with 29 points.

ED AZZAM ANNOUNCES RETIREMENT

Legendary Westchester head coach Ed Azzam announced his retirement following the Comets defeat. His final game(s) as coach will come next week in the regional playoffs. Azzam began coaching in 1979 and has guided Westchester to 15 City titles. He's won 932 career games.