By Rick Assad
Behind an effective 2-3 zone press by the Burroughs High girls’ basketball team, host Burbank turned the ball over in bunches which opened the path for the Indians to claim a 52-35 Pacific League win on Friday.
With the help of turnovers, Burroughs marched ahead 26-5 in the first quarter and were in front 40-15 at halftime as junior shooting guard Dyani Del Castillo tallied all of her 13 points and junior power forward Kayla Wrobel added 10 of her 13 points.
Wrobel’s basket with 4:36 remaining in the initial frame made it 11-0 and the Indians were on their way.
“I think that just playing solid defense is what we focus on because that’s how we contribute to our wins,” Del Castillo said.
Always a perfectionist, Del Castillo was happy with the victory, but wanted to do even more.
“I think I could have done more to help out my team,” she said after hitting three from three-point range.
On the night, the Indians (14-5 and 5-1 in league) shot 36.3 percent from the floor (20 of 55) and limited the Bulldogs (8-10 and 2-4 in league) to 12 of 26 for 46.1 percent.
“Recently we’re trying to pressure up more,” said Burroughs coach Vicky Oganyan of the press. “The last three or four games it’s worked well for us. I think the girls are getting the hang of it. They’re getting better at it. It makes us a better team.”
Burroughs, which is the CIF Southern Section’s No. 9 ranked team in Division II-A, outrebounded Burbank 33-23 with sophomore shooting guard Noor Fahs grabbing a game-best seven rebounds along with six steals, four assists and scoring five points.
“That’s when we’re really good is when we have multiple players and we don’t just rely on one player,” Oganyan said of her offense.
On many occasions, the Bulldogs tried to get the ball inside or even try crosscourt passes, but too many defenders were there and a turnover would result.
“After that we settled down and realized that we have to play one possession at a time,” Burbank coach Jett Del Mundo said. “They’re trying to win or lose the game on one possession.”
Del Mundo spoke about the team trying to do too much.
“We’re not making passes. We have to make the simple pass,” he said of the litany of mistakes. “We don’t have to make the terrific pass. We got going a little bit in the second half.”
Wrobel’s nine points led the Indians in the first quarter while Del Castillo tallied eight.
Junior power forward/center Faith Boulanger (seven steals), who many times brought the ball up the floor, accounted for four of her eight points in the opening period as the Indians converted 10 of 17 from the field for 58.8 percent.
Burroughs junior power forward Sydney Martin scored four of her six points in the second period and Del Castillo tacked on five points in the frame.
Senior shooting guard Sophie Hawkins added seven points and tossed in a three-pointer in the same period.
Both squads scored eight points in the third quarter while Burbank outscored Burroughs 12-4 in the fourth period.
Burbank had only 10 attempts from the field in the opening half and made six.
The Bulldogs converted two of two shots from the floor in the first period and four of eight in the second.
Senior power forward Khyla Lipscomb and sophomore point guard Christina Ohanians both poured in six points to lead Burbank.
Sophomore point guard Alle Tarvirdi tacked on five points while sophomore center Tabitha Cruz sprinkled in four points.
Senior shooting guard Bri Castro, junior point guard Erika Montoya, sophomore shooting guard Emily Megerdichian and freshman power forward Karen Casillas, all added three points and senior center Adelina Bandarian had two points.
