Four days after downing city rival Burbank High on the road by nine points, the Burroughs boys’ basketball team played host to Crescenta Valley in a Pacific League showdown.
Matters did not start well for the Indians on Tuesday as they fell behind by 10 points at the intermission, but eventually found their legs in the eventful third quarter and held off the Falcons, 61-59.
With the victory, Burroughs is in control of second place behind first-place Pasadena.
The Indians will travel and face the Bulldogs (13-8 and 7-1 in league) on Friday with the game scheduled to begin at 7 p.m.
“We weren’t prepared for them in the first half,” Burroughs coach Adam Hochberg said. “But you have to give Crescenta Valley credit.”
Hochberg went on: “We did a great job in the second half. They did what they do well in the first half and we did well what we do in the second half.”
This was somewhat of a revenge match given that the Falcons won the first meeting by 11 points to kick off the league schedule.
The third quarter helped the Indians (16-4 and 6-2 in league) even the contest at 51-51 after falling behind 38-28 at the intermission.
“We found the matches that we wanted in the second half,” Hochberg said. “We went inside.”
Burroughs (21 of 52 for 40.3 percent) canned eight of 14 in the third quarter and made five of six free throws.
Leading the charge was junior power forward Tristen Hull, who scored 11 of his team-best 17 points in the quarter. Hull also added 11 rebounds, one block and two assists.
Hull’s block late helped preserve the win as senior small forward Angelo Solis snared the loose ball, was fouled and drained the free throw to make it 61-59 with 9.2 seconds left.
“We played with great resolve,” Hochberg said. “We had big stops when we needed them.”
Solis (16 points, 18 rebounds and two blocks) sparkled at the free throw line in the fourth quarter as he converted five of six.
Like Solis, most of Hull’s work was done in close range.
Hull also made three free throws in the third quarter.
Solis scored five points in the third quarter after scoring two points in the second quarter and four points in the first period.
Junior small forward Justin Henderson (nine points and five caroms) and senior shooting guard Steven Hubbell (five points) both dropped in a three-pointer in the third quarter.
A follow-up hoop and free throw by Solis lowered Crescenta Valley’s lead to 43-40 with 4:16 showing in the third quarter.
Hull’s bucket and charity toss with 2:06 remaining in the same quarter trimmed the Falcons’ lead to 49-48.
Burroughs outscored Crescenta Valley 23-13 in the third quarter, but then struggled in the fourth quarter, making two of 11 from the field.
The Indians converted six of eight from the charity stripe in the final frame, with senior point guard Ross Lee III hitting one and finishing with six points and eight assists.
The Falcons (20 of 51 for 39.2 percent) drilled three of 10 from the floor in the fourth quarter, and nailed one of four from the free-throw line.
On the night the Indians were successful on 16 of 23 from the charity line while the Falcons (15-6 and 5-3 in league) made 14 of 21.
“It’s a big game, but we’re going to put this behind us,” Crescenta Valley coach Shawn Zargarian said. “We’re going to move forward.”
Crescenta Valley came out red hot in the opening quarter as it connected on six of 13 and all four free throws.
Junior guard Trey Ballard (five points) splashed in a trey and a hoop for the Falcons in the initial stanza.
Senior small forward Arin Ovanessian, who dropped in a game-best 19 points, also had five points in the quarter while junior guard Journey Shank (five rebounds) had four of his 10 points.
Ovanessian added nine points in the second quarter and senior guard Tadeh Tarverdians (12 points) tossed in four points as the Falcons connected on five of nine from the field and eight of 11 free throws.
A three-pointer by Tarverdians with 1:09 left in the fourth quarter cut the Indians’ advantage to 60-59 and forced Burroughs to ask for a time out.
“With kids this age, sometimes they think the game is over because you have a big lead. I think they felt that we’re okay when we were ahead by 10 points at the half,” said Zargarian, whose team made six of 19 shots in the third quarter.
Senior point guard Eric Allen came off the bench and scored eight points for the Indians, including six points in the second quarter and then tossed in a hoop in the fourth quarter.
