It’s never a good idea to fall behind by double digits, and it’s especially true when facing a good team that can shoot and defend.
Well that’s exactly what the Burbank High girls’ basketball team did against visiting Crescenta Valley on Friday.
The Bulldogs fell behind by 10 points after one quarter, 18 points at the half before rallying in the fourth quarter, but eventually lost 53-37 in a Pacific League match.
Three Falcons scored more than 12 points with senior forward Josie Brock tallying a game-best 17 points, followed by junior guard Polin Megerdichian’s 13 points and senior center Alisa Shinn’s 12 points.
The Bulldogs (16-7 and 6-3 in league) shot 34.5 percent from the field (13 of 38) and were paced by senior power forward Christina Mkrtchyan with 12 points.
Also helping the cause was freshman shooting guard Osanna Tirityan and junior small forward Sabrina Zakarian, as each scored 10 points.
“It’s really simple. We came out flat and didn’t come to play,” Burbank coach Bruce Breeden said. “We weren’t ready to play. I think we may have had too much confidence. It’s very disappointing, but we just didn’t show up.”
Burbank’s most productive quarter was the fourth when it outscored the Falcons 15-7.
Over that eight minute span, the Bulldogs canned four of 10 from the floor and hit five of six from the free-throw line. Burbank connected on six of 13 charity tosses.
At this point, though, most of the Crescenta Valley starters were on the bench, but still it made the game appear somewhat closer.
The Falcons, who made eight of 15 from the field in the opening quarter, pulled ahead 19-9 as Megerdichian nailed two three-point shots and a hoop had eight points.
Shinn added six points and Brock collected five points including a trey as the Falcons were on their way.
Zakarian led the Bulldogs with four points while Mkrtchyan dropped in a three-pointer as Burbank converted four of 10 from the floor.
Burbank drilled only one of eight from the field in the second quarter as Zakarian made a hoop, while the Falcons (14-9 and 7-2 in league) were successful on five of 16 and were paced by Brock’s six points.
Crescenta Valley, which made 23 of 58 from the field for 39.6 percent, scored 17 points in the third quarter after drilling seven of 15 from the field and two of five from the free-throw line with Megerdichian scoring five points and Shinn adding four points.
The Bulldogs countered by making four of 10 in the third period with Tirityan accounting for a trey, a hoop and a free throw, while junior small forward Stephanie Grigorian drilled a three-pointer and Zakarian a bucket as Burbank trailed 46-22.
Brock scored four points in the final quarter as the Falcons made three of 12 from the field.
Crescenta Valley hit only three of nine from the charity line on the night, but made four from three-point range with Megerdichian hitting three and Brock one.
Burbank splashed in five three-point attempts with Mkrtchyan and Tirityan each nailing two and Grigorian making one.
The Bulldogs have a home game versus Hoover on Monday with a 5:00 p.m. start.
