
By Rick Assad
Two weeks after the Pacific League girls’ basketball game between Crescenta Valley High and host Burroughs was halted in overtime after the lights went out due to extremely high winds and raging wildfires, it resumed on Tuesday evening with 1:19 left.
When it was played out, the Bears claimed a 55-50 triumph.
The Bears outscored the Falcons 7-2 in the extra session as senior guard Mariam Fahs added two of her game-best 25 points, while junior center Valentina Morales tallied two of her 13 points and sophomore guard Jessica Mena scored three of her six points.
After a slow start, Fahs picked up 18 points in the second half as the Bears, who hit 22 of 55 from the floor for 40 percent, were outscored by the Falcons 34-29 in the third and fourth quarters.
“We played great team defense for most of the game. In the fourth [quarter] we had stretches where we didn’t play well and CV is a good team and their [senior] point guard [Keira Calaguas] really took over for them,” longtime Burroughs coach Vicky Oganyan said. “We fought back, and Mariam made an incredible play off the out of bounds play [to tie it at 48-48].”
Fahs’ game-tying hoop came with the game clocking winding down.
Oganyan sang the praises of the senior floor general who scored 12 points in the fourth period.
“She’s been a steady leader for this team all year and came up big in a big game,” she said. “That’s what you love to see in an All-Leaguer.”
Fahs hit three free throws in the first period as the hosts pulled ahead 13-8.
Fahs added a hoop in the second quarter as Burroughs (14-8 and 2-0 in league) led 19-14 at halftime after hitting six of 23 for 26 percent but nailed five of six for 83.3 percent at the half from the free-throw line.
“It was a very intense game, but me and my teammates were all focused and prepared to execute what we’ve been practicing all week,” Fahs said. “Our execution was close to perfect, our play, thanks to Coach V, ran perfectly and that led to a very important basket.”
Fahs, who hopes to attend UCLA where he older sister Noor is studying, spoke about another aspect of the game.
“Our defense was also very strong and prevented CV from scoring,” she noted. “Overall, a great team effort and an exciting win.”
Morales was up to the challenge as she poured in 11 points during regulation including six points at the intermission.
Calaguas kept the Falcons’ hopes alive with a masterful outing as she finished with a team-best 21 points and scored five points in the third period and tacked on 10 points in the fourth frame.
Five players scored for the Bears in the third period as Fahs added three baskets for six points and junior guard Anna Phillips tossed in a three-pointer for all of her points.
In the frame, the Falcons, who shot 31.6 percent on 19 of 60, outscored the Bears 14-13 and drew within 32-28 after three quarters as Calaguas dropped three of her seven made free throws.
“Overall, I’m just proud of all the girls and how they have prepared and put in hours and hours of work since spring to get better,” Oganyan noted. “It was a great team win, and we have a lot more of the season to play. So, it’s important that we understand we haven’t accomplished anything yet and we need to continue getting better.”
Calaguas, who made two free throws in overtime, continued her hot shooting streak in the fourth period as she continued to drive into the painted area and was effective.
Crescenta Valley (11-7 and 1-1 in league) made 19 of 54 for 35.1 percent during regulation and Burroughs shot 38 percent on 19 of 50.
Others scoring for the Bears were junior guard Elizabeth Amoroso with four points and freshman guard Isabella Amayakyan with four points.