With more than 400 wins in 21 years as the girls’ basketball coach at Burroughs High, Vicky Oganyan certainly has the credentials to be a coach playing for a CIF championship.
But that will have to wait for at least one more season.
Just when it looked like the Bears would make their first trip to the finals, visiting Rolling Hills Prep came roaring back, overcoming an eight-point halftime deficit to pull out a 57-45 win in a Southern Section Division 2A semifinal.
“We knew they were a good team. Our foul trouble kind of hurt us a little bit,” Oganyan said.
Burroughs (23-11) jumped out to a 12-7 first quarter lead and increased that lead to 23-14 following a three-pointer by Grace Barton with 1:50 let in the first half.
Burroughs would lead 23-15 at halftime.
The Bears seemed to be in a comfortable position up 27-19 with 5:36 left in the third quarter following a three-pointer by Elizabeth Amoroso.
But from then, Rolling Hills Prep guard Regan Enright turned it up a couple of notches. Enright scored 18 of her game-high 23 points in the second half.
“I think the girls bought into what we always talk about and that is taking care of each other and wanting it for each other,” Rolling Hills Prep coach Moniquee Alexander said. “I think defensively they just buckled down and got the win. We always hang our hat on defense and that’s what we did in the last eight minutes.”
A three-pointer by Rolling Hills Prep’s Keli Quan to make it 45-39 in the fourth quarter was the first time the whole game that Burroughs trailed by more than one possession.
The Bears continued to fight, but a comeback was not to be.
A basket by Enright with 4:35 gave the visiting Huskies their first double-digit lead of the night at 49-39.
Mariam Fahs closed out a fine career with a team high 16 points. Amoroso had nine points. Grace Barton, Valentina Morales and Isabella Amayakyan each had six points. Anna Phillips had two points.
Although Burroughs will not be in a CIF championship, the season does not end as the Bears are expected to be selected to participate in the state tournament in two weeks.
