From the outset, it seemed that everything was going wrong for the Burbank High girls’ basketball team.
The Bulldogs trailed by six points heading into the second period, were down by 16 at the half and 14 points through three frames and eventually lost 53-43 to host Crescenta Valley on Friday evening in a Pacific League matchup.
“We didn’t handle their pressure very well,” said Burbank interim coach Bruce Breeden. “We didn’t come ready to play. They took it to us early. We fought back, but it’s too hard to come back from 12 and 14 point deficits.”
Senior small forward Osanna Tirityan and sophomore guard Erika Montoya each scored 12 points for the Bulldogs, who trailed 13-7 after one quarter and 30-14 at the intermission.
Burbank made four of 18 shots (22.2 percent) from the field at the break and 12 of 40 (30 percent) during the game, while Crescenta Valley drilled 15 of 59 (25.4 percent) from the floor.
The Bulldogs (8-5 and 2-2 in league) outscored the Falcons 12-10 in the third quarter and tallied 17 points to 13 points for the Falcons (7-5 and 3-1 in league) in the fourth frame.
Montoya’s three-pointer with 5:43 left in the game sliced Crescenta Valley’s advantage to 42-31.
“She had kind of a breakout game offensively,” Breeden said of Montoya. “We look to her to continue that growth.”
When junior guard Brianna Castro (six points) knocked down a trey with 3:29 showing it trimmed the Falcons’ lead to 46-38.
Senior guard Georgina Kregorian scored 11 of her 16 points.
Kregorian nailed three of her four three-pointers in the opening period.
The Falcons made three of 12 (25 percent) from the floor and four of six from the free-throw line in the initial period.
The Falcons hit six of 18 (33.3 percent) from the floor in the second quarter with Kregorian scoring five points.
The Bulldogs hammered three of 10 (30 percent) from the field in the initial frame and one of eight (12.5 percent) in the second period, but made five of eight (62.5 percent) of their free throws.
Burbank was successful on six from three-point range and Crescenta Valley dropped in five treys.
On the night, Burbank converted 13 of 20 (65 percent) of its charity tosses, while Crescenta Valley hit 18 of 26 (69.2 percent).
Sophomore small forward Jayla Flowers (12 points) scored two points in the opening frame. Flowers then added five points in the second quarter and after not scoring in the third period, made five free throws in the fourth quarter.
Tirityan scored only two baskets, but was on the money from the free-throw line, making eight of 10.
Junior power forward Adrianna Cabrera had two points for the Bulldogs and senior point guard Emily Monterrey tossed in one point.
Crescenta Valley senior shooting guard Caity Bouchard tallied 12 of her 16 points in the second half and junior point guard Denise Dayag collected nine points.
