Prep Basketball GIRLS : Van Nuys 70, Granada Hills 50

The chances of Granada Hills High winning its game against Van Nuys High seemed pretty slim at the start.

Van Nuys came into the game undefeated in the Valley 3-A League and Granada Hills was playing without its starting center, Brooke Hoppe, who has an injured foot. So did the Wolves really need any extra help?

No, but they got it anyway.

Granada Hills Coach Carolyn Gunny had to leave before the start of the game for personal reasons, leaving Athletic Director Don Stone to coach the team. Then, point guard Dawn McClary was lost late in the second quarter when she sprained her knee.

The Wolves, who are 8-0 in league, took a 17-7 first-quarter lead and gradually pulled away. Van Nuys penetrated the Highlanders’ defense, scoring a number of baskets from inside the lane and getting second, third and even fourth chances off offensive rebounds. Van Nuys outshot the Highlanders, 82-51, and out-rebounded them, 46-34.

“We’ve done that all year,” said Van Nuys Coach Tony Magnante. Referring to Bernadette Tillis, he added: “We’re fortunate to have a point guard who handles the ball well and is able to penetrate defenses.”

Van Nuys was led by center Shawn Price, who had 17 points and 17 rebounds, and forward Charnessa Holmes, who scored 13 points and had 15 rebounds. Tillis added 18 points.

Granada Hills, 3-5 in league, was paced by Kristi Barber’s 21 points and Jennifer Goodman’s 12 rebounds.