Edgar Melik-Stepanyan
LA CANADA HIGH -- For three quarters the Verdugo Hills High boys'
basketball team -- playing with only five players -- fought and scratched
to keep pace with Glendale High in a consolation bracket game of the La
Canada Holiday Classic.
Without their three focal players, Leon Usher, Daniel Dingman and
Danny Castro, the Dons surprisingly managed to keep the game tight
against a more experienced Nitro squad.
But like it has many times in the young season, Verdugo Hills crumbled
in the fourth quarter.
Playing with four first-time starters, the Dons fell, 62-41, Saturday
at La Canada High.
"Lack of height and lack of talent was the main factor," Verdugo Hills
Coach Scott Kemple said. "We were just outmanned today. We knew Glendale
was going to make a big run. The players stepped up and played well."
The Dons were missing seven players due to personal reasons and one to
suspension.
Verdugo Hills (1-12) kept close throughout the first three quarters,
but fatigue proved to be too much. It trailed by only seven at halftime
and cut the lead to as low as three in the first three minutes of the
third quarter.
During a six-minute stretch between third and fourth quarters Glendale
scored 16 unanswered points to take a commanding 55-35 lead. The Nitros
(5-5) shot nine for 16 (56.3%) in the fourth quarter and 29 for 66
(43.9%) overall.
The Dons first point of the final quarter came in the fourth minute
when Jimmie Mamon sank one of his two free throws. Mamon scored their
first field goal with less than a minute remaining.
Verdugo Hills shot just two for 10 (20%) in the final quarter.
"I think we underestimated them," Nitro guard Riley Van Patten said.
"The mentality in the fourth quarter was just to put the hammer to them.
I thought in the first quarter we came out pretty strong, but we let it
go in the second and third. As soon as we came out at halftime we slacked
off a little bit."
Van Patten had a career-high 23 points and 11 rebounds.
The junior guard and Hugo Guerrero took control in the final quarter.
The duo combined for 17 points in the fourth quarter, including the final
16 Nitro points.
Guerrero had a tournament single-game high 15 rebounds and 16 points.
Verdugo Hills was led by guard Terrance Staley, who had a team-high 18
points and six rebounds. The Dons finished 17 for 43 (39.5%) from the
field.
BOX SCORE
Glendale 20 10 13 19 -- 62
Verdugo Hills 13 10 12 6 -- 41 Glendale -- Van Patten 23 and 11 rebounds, Guerrero 16 and 15
rebounds, Hall 8, Karibyan 5, Baroni 4, Calton 2, Nicoals 2, Abed 2.
Three-pointers: none.
Verdugo Hills -- Staley 18, Mamon 9, Urbina 8, Lee 4, Bandari 2.
Three-pointers: Staley.
