By Rick Assad
Roughly four months ago, the Burroughs High girls’ basketball team came within one point of winning the CIF Southern Section Division V title, which would have been the first for the program.
There were several key seniors on that squad and included guard Grace Barton, guard Elizabeth Amoroso and center Valentina Morales but the current team is considerably younger and eager to learn.
On Tuesday night at the Brian Hurst Gymnasium, Burroughs routed visiting Golden Valley 48-19 in a Summer League game.
These contests are four, 10-minute quarters with a running clock. The clock does stop for injuries and during time outs.
The Bears outshot, outrebounded and were much quicker to the ball than the Grizzlies and also employed their potent defense to throttle their opponent.
Vicky Oganyan is the Burroughs head coach and envisions a bright future for her team.
“We are very young so it’s a learning process and the summer is a great time for it,” she said.
Burroughs was paced by freshman guard Milana Amayakan who tossed in a game-best 11 points including eight points in the second half.
Senior forward Rielle Waddell tallied seven points for the Bears who converted 20 of 51 for 39.2 percent from the field as did junior forward Natalie Sepulveda.
Golden Valley and Burroughs had trouble scoring in the first quarter as the Bears led 7-5 with Sepulveda scoring five points.
The game was put out of reach in the second frame as Rielle tallied all seven points including a three-pointer as the Bears led 23-8 and drilled seven of 16 for 43.7 percent from the floor.
“We moved the ball better and made better plays on offense,” Oganyan said. “Defensively we did a good job pressuring and communicating.”
The Grizzlies made one of six for 16.6 percent in the second frame after making two of six for 33.3 percent in the opening period.
On the night, Golden Valley shot 19.4 percent after making seven of 36 and scored on a three-pointer in the second quarter.
The Grizzlies missed all 10 shots in the third quarter and made converted one free throw and fell behind 33-8.
Senior guard Krystal Villalta added six points and freshman forward Delilah Powell also scored six points for the Bears.
Villalta accounted for four points in the second period and then added two free throws in the third quarter.
Powell tossed in two points in the third quarter and four points in the fourth period.
The Bears, who outrebounded the Grizzlies 36-23. nailed six from three-point range and saw Milana Amayakyan drill three from long distance.
Junior Isabella Amayakyan finished with five points and nailed a three-pointer in the third period
Sophomore forward Angelina Salazar accounted for four points and Sophia Estrada tallied two points in the fourth period for Burroughs which hit 10 of 23 for 43.4 percent in the second half after making 10 of 28 for 35.7 percent in the first half.
The Bears were successful on two of seven from the free-throw line for 28.5 percent and the Grizzlies made three of four for 75 percent.
