N. Hollywood Exploits Grant’s Lack of Height

Grant first-year Coach Howard Levine and North Hollywood assistant coach Eli Essa were discussing the relative merits of their teams after the game Thursday night when Essa offered a friendly critique on Grant’s progress this season.

“I’ll tell you what,” Essa said, “Come playoff time, I sure don’t want to have to face you guys again. You’re just one player short of being right there with anybody.”

Levine nodded in agreement. Essa was right on target and he knew it. Especially the part about short .

North Hollywood’s taller front line controlled the tempo of the game as the East Valley League champion Huskies won their ninth straight league game, 56-47, over Grant in the regular-season finale for both teams.

The North Hollywood trio of forwards Dominic Nappi and Alan Breslauer and center Ralph Topps combined for 32 points and 33 rebounds as the Huskies (14-6, 9-1) held off a persistent and pesky Grant (10-10, 6-4).

Grant stayed close throughout the first half as forward Mike Fried scored six of his game-total seven points in the second quarter to keep Grant within two at halftime, 26-24.

But North Hollywood shut down the Grant offense in the third period as the Lancers scored just five points, and North Hollywood took a seven-point lead into the fourth quarter. Nappi had six of his game-high 17 in the third period.

North Hollywood took a commanding 48-35 lead when Ralph Topps scored on an inside bank shot with 3:30 remaining and Breslauer was fouled underneath on the play. Breslauer made both free throws for a four-point play, and Grant never got closer than nine after that.

Grant lost its last two games but finished in a tie for second with Poly in league and will advance to the 3-A City playoffs next Friday.

Grant played most of the game without it’s number-one gunner, junior guard Danny Enowitz, who is averaging 12.5 points per game. Enowitz is recovering from walking pneumonia, and scored four points in limited action.

N. HOLLYWOOD--D. Nappi 17 and 13 rebounds, Breslauer 9, Topps 6 and 12 rebounds, P. Nappi 12, Klein 10, Davidson 2.

GRANT--Parker 8, Fried 7, Schirn 10 and 13 rebounds, Weber 10, Sutton 4, Rothstein 4, Enowitz 4.