Ramos, Poly Run Over North Hollywood, 78-71

Thanks to a peppery point guard from Puerto Rico, the Polytechnic High basketball team is in first place today in the East Valley League.

Jorge Ramos scored 23 points and had 10 assists Friday night in leading the Parrots to a 78-71 win over North Hollywood in the Huskies’ gym. Poly is 7-1 in league, 12-6 overall. The Huskies are 6-2, 8-10 overall.

“He was just too quick for us,” North Hollywood Coach Steve Miller said. “We had nobody who could guard him.”

Ramos, a 5-8 junior, came out on fire, hitting his first four shots and scoring 10 points to help Poly to a 22-10 lead after the first quarter.

“I could feel it,” Ramos said. “I really felt great out there. I like it when the crowd comes out and supports us. It gets me excited.”

Ramos excited the crowd a little more in the second quarter, scoring eight more points. The Parrots built their lead to as much as 22 before settling for a 45-30 lead at halftime.

North Hollywood switched defenses in the second half, going to a zone and cutting off the driving lanes that Ramos had used so effectively in the first half. With his path to the basket blocked, Ramos did not attempt a field goal in the second half.

Instead, he found teammates underneath for easy baskets. Alex Ruzich was one of the main beneficiaries of Ramos’ passes, scoring 21 points.

North Hollywood managed to creep to within nine points in the third quarter behind the play of Cliff Barnes and Ron Patterson. Both scored eight points in the quarter, which ended with the Parrots ahead, 59-47.

Barnes, who had an outstanding game with 31 points and 18 rebounds, led a fourth-quarter charge that brought the Huskies to within six with 3:02 left. Barnes had 10 points in the fourth quarter.

But Ruzich, Ramos and Dean Ehrlich all hit clutch free throws down the stretch to give the Parrots first place--for now. On Wednesday, Poly will play at home against Van Nuys, which is 6-2 in league after beating Grant, 64-55, on Friday night.