By Rick Assad
It began ominously for Burbank High and visiting Burroughs on Thursday night, but the shooting slump ended and when it did the Bears poured in 22 points in the first quarter and blitzed to a 53-17 triumph in a Pacific League girls’ basketball matchup before a loud crowd.
Mariam Fahs, a junior shooting guard, scored a game-best 19 points including nine points in the first period.
“Our pressure defense helped us create scoring opportunities that got us the early lead,” Burroughs coach Vicky Oganyan said. “Second half we did a much better job in the half-court game. The kids played hard and together.”
Next in line was senior shooting guard Ashley Martin with 10 points as she tallied eight of her points in the opening half when the Bears waltzed ahead 28-7.
“We had great energy and came out the second half even stronger,” Fahs pointed out. “Our trap got us many steals and transitions, getting us an early lead.”
Fahs added: “We struggled a bit in the half court offensive but picked it up in the second half and shorted the defense really well,” she said. “Overall, it was a great team win. Everyone got to play and love beating our rivals.”
Sophomore guard Elizabeth Amoroso accounted for eight points for the Bears with six of the points being scored in the opening half.
Burroughs nailed 10 of 17 from the floor in the initial period for 58.8 percent and made 11 of 16 for 68.7 percent from the field at the intermission.
Conversely, Burbank, which was led in scoring by junior shooting guard Mary Mkrtchyan with six points on a pair of three-pointers in the fourth period, failed to convert on five shots in the first period and made one of 16 for six percent at the intermission.
On the night, the Bears drilled 20 of 54 for 37 percent and 11 of 18 for 61.1 percent from the free-throw line.
Burbank made three of 33 for nine percent and nine of 14 for 64.2 percent from the charity stripe.
A 19-point explosion in the third period saw the Bears (23-5 and 12-2 for second place in the league) increase their lead to 47-11 as Fahs scored nine points.
Freshman guard Jessica Mena nailed a three-pointer for the Bears in the third period after adding four points across the first and second frames.
In the fourth quarter, sophomore guard Gabriella Buendia scored two baskets for four points and senior forward Mia Paz tacked on two points for Burroughs.
Sophomore center Valentina Morales added a bucket in the third period for the Bears.
Junior power forward Lauren Navarro tossed in three points, all at the free-throw line for the Bulldogs (7-19 and 4-10 in league for sixth place), while senior guard Nikaela Damasen, junior guard Lili Okhopyan, junior guard Arevita Keshishyan and freshman guard Andrea Aparicio, all scored two points.
“We’re a young team and it showed this year. These kids are resilient and don’t quit,” Burbank coach Kris Jabourian said. “They know to never play the scoreboard and just work on getting better.”
This ended the season for Burbank.
“Tonight was tough. Very tough. Coach V[icky] and her kids played tremendous tonight. The season is over but that doesn’t mean growing is done. I hope I’ve helped change the culture at Burbank,” Jabourian said. “Two out of three years we made the playoffs and for the first time since 2016, Now it’s time for the offseason.”
