GLENDALE COLLEGE TOURNAMENT : Valley Blows 17-Point Lead in 69-65 Loss

After building a 17-point lead early in the second half, Valley allowed a hot-shooting Cypress team to battle back for a 69-65 win in the first round of the Glendale tournament Thursday night.

With 6-foot guard Grayle Humphrey, a bowlegged bomber, scoring 19 of a career-high 21 points in the second half, Cypress (9-1) pulled into a 50-50 tie with less than seven minutes to play.

Steve Ward, one of Valley’s top scorers and most experienced players, missed the game because of strep throat and Valley (6-4) failed to counterpunch effectively.

“We just don’t know how to win,” Valley Coach Jim Stephens said. “Not that they’re losers. We don’t have one guy who can grab the bull by the horns.

“Steve does that generally, but I didn’t think we’d need Steve tonight.”

Valley needed something it didn’t have to stem the Cypress surge. After building a 41-24 lead, Valley allowed Cypress to score 10 unanswered points.

The teams traded baskets and the score was 49-40, but Humphrey hit consecutive three-point shots and added a two-point jump shot to pull Cypress to within 49-48.

With Cypress leading, 57-55, Humphrey made a jump shot and was fouled by Andre Harrell, who fouled out on the play and was subsequently given a technical.

Humphrey made the free throw and Vince Hizon made one of two technical shots.

Cypress never trailed thereafter.

McArthur Wells tied for the Valley scoring lead with 12 points. Valley went to Wells while leading, 14-13, in the first half.

Wells scored 12 of the Monarchs’ next 14 points to put his team ahead, 28-17.

Shelton Boykin scored 10 points and tied center Cliff Barnes for the team rebound lead with 10.

Shawn DeLaittre scored 10 points, and Rick Garrick added 12, nine in the last seven minutes.

In another first-round game:

Harbor 99, Canyons 89--After falling behind by 10 points early, Canyons was unable to catch Harbor (11-4) and high-flying forward Terry Nelson, who scored 33 points and powered down several dunks.

“I just don’t think we were ready to play,” Canyons Coach Lee Smelser said. “We just didn’t come into this game as emotional as I’d like (us) to be.”

Forward Larry Allbritton led Canyons (5-6) with 25 points and guard Steve Valenzuela scored 16.

Nick Sanderson (12) and Mike Beal (10) contributed off the bench.

Canyons will play East Los Angeles today at 3 p.m.