Birmingham Holds Off Granada Hills

With an 83-78 win at Granada Hills on Wednesday, Birmingham High moved a step closer to a sweep in the Northwest Valley League’s first round and a step closer to respectability, Braves Coach Jeff Halpern said.

“I think today we put to the rest the doubt that we couldn’t play with Granada Hills and San Fernando,” Halpern said. “This team came out today and showed that they can play with anybody.”

Birmingham (14-1), ranked No. 4 by The Times, is undefeated in league and on Friday will play Monroe, the only league opponent the Braves have not faced.

“I suspect that they’re the best team we have played all season,” Granada Hills Coach Bob Johnson said of Birmingham.

Much of Birmingham’s recent success can be credited to the play of its two biggest players, Ennerea Maxwell and Keith Owens (both 6-6), whose performances offset that of high-scoring Gary Gray (6-9) of Granada Hills. Gray, who averages nearly 28 points a game, scored a game-high 27 points and had 17 rebounds but fouled out with 4:40 left in the game. During the last two minutes of the third quarter, Gray sat on the bench with four fouls.

Maxwell, who scored five straight field goals to begin the third quarter, finished with 19 points and 12 rebounds. Owens had a team-high 24 points.

“Those two guys move inside real well,” Johnson said. “With one of them, it’s not too hard to defend. But with two of them in there it’s hard to get ahead.”

The Highlanders found out the hard way. After Sam Puathasnanon scored the first basket of the game, Granada Hills fell behind and wasn’t able to catch up. In the first six minutes, Owens scored eight points as Birmingham took a 17-12 lead before Granada Hills, ranked fifth in the Valley, could call a timeout to regroup.

In the second quarter, Granada Hills (10-4, 2-2) appeared to be making a comeback. With 2:10 left before halftime, Gray scored seven points, including a field goal with three seconds left to bring Granada Hills to within two, 39-37.

Todd Lytle of Granada Hills scored at 4:55 of the third period to tie the score, 47-47. But Birmingham outscored the Highlanders, 10-4, before the quarter ended. Lytle finished with 16 points, nine rebounds and seven assists.

“I’m happy to be coaching this team,” said Halpern, who is in his first year at Birmingham. He had coached successfully at Grant and Van Nuys before taking last season off. “I haven’t slept since September. But this game got us over a big hump. We’re pretty excited.”

BIRMINGHAM--Zuckerman 8, Owens 24, Maxwell 19, Johnson 18, Moore 2, Buford 8, Gold 2, Bush 2.

GRANADA HILLS--Gray 27, Puathasnanon 18, Brown 2, Lytle 16, Smith 13, Johnson 2.