Toon, Resurgent Van Nuys Face Narbonne in Girls’ Semifinal

Surprising Van Nuys High, which unseated North Hollywood as Mid-Valley League girls’ basketball champion and qualified for postseason play for the first time in four years, hopes to continue its unexpected success today at the Sports Arena.

Van Nuys will meet Narbonne in the City Section 3-A Division semifinals at 2:30 p.m. The Wolves are 22-3, 10-0 in league play, and have undergone a resurgence under second-year Coach Tony Magnante.

Magnante has fashioned a winning season around 6-foot center Stacie Toon, a three-year starter and a second-team All-City selection last season as a junior. Toon has been joined by Huong Thai, a 4-11 point guard who directed the junior varsity to a 21-0 record and a City title in 1989.

Still, much of the success in 1990 is attributable to Toon’s maturation. Toon is averaging 19 points and 12 rebounds a game, and the improvement of her inside game has made her one of the dominant 3-A players, Magnante said.

“She does well around the boards,” he said. “She can get the rebounds and put the ball back up. . . . That’s where she gets most of her points.”

Toon, also an All-City volleyball player, has been selected athlete of the week by both the Los Angeles Unified School District and United Cable, but she said her top priority remains a City title.

“It would make my whole senior year,” she said. “Van Nuys isn’t known for sports, so it would mean a lot to the school.”

For Toon, a championship also would mean more exposure to college recruiters. She has received letters from UCLA, Michigan and Cal State Northridge.