Burbank boys’ basketball wins overtime thriller over Burroughs
BURBANK — It probably shouldn’t have gone to overtime.
But a thrilling game, another in the storied Burbank High-Burroughs boys’ basketball rivalry, needed four extra minutes to settle. How it got there was about as heart-wrenching for one team as it was fortunate for the other.
The regulation buzzer sounded with the teams knotted after a wide-open layup off a pretty drive and dump-down by Tristen Hull was missed by Burroughs on the final play.
With the Indians seemingly devastated, Burbank was the more lively team in the extra session, en route to a 57-54 victory, Thursday evening in the season finale.
“I said we’re fortunate to have another quarter and their spirits are broken,” Bulldogs Coach Jamayne Potts said. “Let’s take advantage and win the game.”
Burbank held its largest lead in the overtime frame, highlighted by a corner three-pointer from Thomas Clark, prompting a Burroughs timeout.
Zion Bazzell provided Burroughs with its first field goal in the four-minute period, a three that would cut Burbank’s lead down to two at 56-54 with less than a minute remaining. A crucial turnover in the waning seconds did the Indians in, however, despite Stefon Foster’s half-court prayer that went off the rim as clock expired.
“I told them to keep their spirits up and keep playing,” first-year Indians Coach Allan Ellis said when asked what he told his team after the fourth quarter. “We still competed, but we made some mistakes. I couldn’t be prouder.”
“That’s basketball. You’re going to make and miss shots.”
Burbank (19-8, 8-6) will advance to the postseason after finishing fourth in the final Pacific League standings. Ellis confirmed he will bid for an at-large berth after finishing the season with a 13-13 record, 5-9 in league.
The Bulldogs, who were led by 20 points from Michael Woods, including his first three dunks of the season, swept the season series.
The dunks were catalysts for a raucous capacity crowd as Thursday night’s meeting was tightly contested throughout, to the tune of ten ties. Neither team held a lead of more than one possession in the second half.
The fourth quarter made up for five of the tie scores, as the teams kept answering each other with baskets. Seniors Woods and Hull (13 points) acted as such for their respective teams in their final rivalry game. Foster hit a pair of free throws late to give Burroughs a 50-48 lead. Burbank answered with a tough basket inside. Burroughs called a timeout with 9.7 left, but couldn’t convert.
“We had our chances, just couldn’t get it done,” Ellis said. “They gave it their all.”
Ellis’ squad led by as many as 10 in the second quarter, on one of three from behind the arc by Omar Searcy. The Bulldogs responded with a 10-0 run going into halftime, setting up the thrilling second half and overtime.
“We battled and played hard,” Potts said. “We got heart. We were down in the first half and fought back.”
“This is what rivalries are about. The thing I like about this rivalry is it’s friendly, not nasty. That’s how games should be; that’s how high school basketball should be.”