It’s a Van Nuys Turnaround, 62-57 : Silberman’s 28 Lead the Wolves Past North Hollywood

It figured that in a game marred by poor shooting, the top scorer would be the guy who spent the least time looking at the basket.

Center Terry Silberman scored 28 points Wednesday, most on turnaround jumpers inside the key, to lead Van Nuys High, 62-57, over North Hollywood. The win avenged a loss to North Hollywood earlier in the season.

Silberman was covered closely by North Hollywood’s rangy Cliff Barnes, but several times the Van Nuys center took passes with his back turned to the hoop, wheeled and shot without so much as focusing on the basket.

Silberman was 13 of 18 from the field and had 12 points in the fourth quarter to help fend off a late Husky rally.

“At first, I was surprised that I could shoot over Cliff,” Silberman said. “But as the game wore on, I gained confidence.”

Said North Hollywood Coach Steve Miller: “Hats off to Terry Silberman. He was the difference in the game. He was the only guy who shot well from start to finish.”

Silberman’s performance was doubly important because he had to fill a void left by teammate Alonzo Galloway, who broke an ankle earlier in the week. Galloway had averaged 12 points a game.

Silberman, who also had 15 rebounds, was the silver lining in a game clouded by inaccurate shooting.

The teams shot as if the hoop was bent, and, sure enough, it was. Timeout had to be called to straighten one of the baskets after an aborted dunk by Barnes. He tried to follow teammate Cedric Nelson’s layup attempt and was called for goal tending--and goal busting.

North Hollywood made only 7 of 27 in the first half in which Van Nuys opened a 28-15 lead. Barnes missed his only five shots in the first quarter and finished with 19 points by scoring 12 in the fourth.

Other than Silberman, the Wolves made only 11 of 34 shots. And though Van Nuys led, 43-28, after three quarters, North Hollywood pulled within five points because the Wolves made just 6 of 13 free throws in the fourth period.

The loss dropped North Hollywood (6-1 in the East Valley League and 8-9 overall) into a first-place tie in league with Poly. The win virtually assured Van Nuys (5-2 in league and 11-3 overall) of qualifying for the City Section playoffs.

“Our guys had something to prove after the way we got beat the last time we played North Hollywood,” Van Nuys Coach Kevin Duford said. “We needed to prove to ourselves that we’re a quality team.”

North Hollywood beat Van Nuys, 72-60, three weeks ago.

NORTH HOLLYWOOD--C. Barnes 19 and 15 rebounds; Bernstein 11; Patterson 18 and 11 rebounds; Nappi 4 and 7 assists; Nelson 5.

VAN NUYS--Dorsey 4; Granberry 5; Silberman 28 and 15 rebounds; Meyer 16 and 7 assists; Fredieu 8 and 6 assists; Lyles 1.