B y Rick Assad
This was truly a heartbreaker for the Burbank High boys’ basketball team after suffering a last minute setback to visiting Hoover after leading the entire game on Thursday evening.
Ahead after the first period, at halftime and through three periods wasn’t good enough as the Bulldogs lost 57-54 to the Tornadoes in a Pacific League game.
Despite three Burbank players scoring in double figures, including junior point guard Kamran Alborzian tallying a game-best 15 points, Hoover’s balanced scoring proved slightly better as four players scored 12 points.
The game-winner was made by senior shooting guard Zachary Van Patten, who was fouled and canned the free throw for a three-point lead.
In the fourth period, the Bulldogs (5-14 and 1-5 in league) connected on two of nine for 22.2 percent from the floor but made five of eight (62.5 percent) from the free-throw line.
Hoover, which hit 14 three-pointers to four for Burbank, outscored the Bulldogs 36-23 in the second half after making 13 of 30 (43.3 percent) while the hosts converted seven of 18 (38.8 percent).
“We lost our offensive flow in the second half, and they capitalized on it,” Burbank first-year coach Steve Eshleman said.
In the third period, the Tornadoes (11-6 and 2-4 in league) made six three-pointers and hit three in the fourth period.
Hoover drilled six of 15 (40 percent) from the field in the fourth period.
Van Patten came up with five points in the fourth quarter while senior small forward Michael Shamoun (12 points) hit a three-pointer as did junior shooting guard Jaden Duncan (12 points) and sophomore Justin Herrera, who finished with nine points.
Senior power forward Hagop Demirjian added a hoop en route to 12 points for the Tornadoes, who shot 32.8 percent overall on 21 of 64.
Junior point/shooting guard Odartey Blankson tallied five of his 10 points in the fourth quarter after scoring five points in the first period.
Junior point guard Kevin Dehbashian also added four points in the fourth period, but no other Bulldog scored.
Burbank jumped out to a 17-9 advantage after the first eight minutes as Alborzian contributed nine points while Duncan tossed in six points after hitting two from three-point range.
Junior Rami Khozahi knocked down all of his six points in the second period for the Bulldogs, who led 31-21 at the intermission including a trey with 2:44 left for a 28-13 lead, while Van Patten scored four points.
In the fateful third frame, Demirjian tallied eight points that included two from three-point distance including a three-pointer with 1:31 showing that sliced the lead to 42-38 while Shamoun nailed two three-pointers for six points.
Shamoun’s three-pointer with 5:49 remaining in the fourth period trimmed Burbank’s lead to 51-49.
Dehbashian accounted for five of his 11 points for the Bulldogs in the third period and Alborzian dropped four points as Burbank, which made 19 of 43 (44.1 percent), held a 45-41 edge heading to the fourth period.
Junior swingman Areg Aslanyan tallied six points including four points in the second period for the Bulldogs, junior Aren Malekian added three points in the third period and sophomore Christopher Ong tossed in a three-pointer in the first period.
