Burroughs Wraps Up Title as Last-Second Shot Fails

Burroughs High clinched its second consecutive Foothill League championship with a dramatic 79-78 victory Thursday night at Alhambra as Alhambra’s Hung Duong missed a desperation jump shot with no time on the clock.

Duong, a remarkable shooter and dribbler, scored a game-high 42 points, including three three-point baskets. But his shot on the run from the top of the key rattled inside the rim and caromed out.

“Geez,” an exhausted Burroughs Coach Ira Sollod said. “That thing looked good on the way to me. That guy shot the lights out.”

Burroughs (14-6, 8-0 in league play) failed twice in the final 23 seconds to put the game away with free throws. Both John Peebles and Ray Velasquez missed the front end of one-and-one situations.

After Velasquez missed with three seconds to play, Duong grabbed the rebound and dribbled the length of the court.

The Indians shot 62% from the field, sinking 31 of 50 shots. Moreover, for the eighth consecutive game, four players scored in double figures.

Senior forward S. J. Boldvich, who fouled out with 1 minute 27 seconds left, led the Indians with 18 points. Guard Marnie Calderon scored 16, Velasquez 13 and guard Doug Castaneda 12.

“That’s the thing about this team,” said Velasquez, a 6-foot-4, 260-pound senior forward, “we don’t really have a guy that you can key on. All five players can play hoop.”

Velasquez sank a three-point shot eight seconds into the game to give Burroughs thelead, but Alhambra parlayed a 13-4 run into a five-point advantage after one quarter.

Duong, a 5-8 senior guard, scored 14 points in the first quarter, mostly on quick-release jump shots off the pass, as Alhambra (17-5, 5-3) grabbed a 21-16 lead.

Burroughs began the second quarter with a 14-2 run and built a 42-37 halftime lead. Calderon penetrated for five consecutive baskets and added a pair of free throws in the quarter.

The game seesawed in the second half, but Burroughs took a 79-72 lead with 1:03 to play. Forward Brian Lui made two jump shots and Duong made another to pull the Moors close.