Granada Hills Steals Show, Defeats Chatsworth, 81-59

Chatsworth High guard Eric Isaac sported a white towel with black lettering tucked into his pants during the Chancellors’ warm-up drills before a Northwest Valley Conference game at Granada Hills.

The towel read “SHOWTIME” in capital letters and was topped by the various uniform numbers of his teammates.

Chatsworth, however, was bumped from prime time Friday night and replaced by Granada Hills, starring Jerry Allen, Adrian Sellers and Gene Barshtak.

Allen and Sellers combined for 25 points and 27 rebounds and Barshtak scored a game-high 19 points as the Highlanders defeated Chatsworth, 81-59.

Granada Hills (14-2 overall, 3-0 in conference play) went on a 12-5 run during the final 3 minutes 14 seconds to seal a win against a pesky opponent.

“It was a game of spurts,” Granada Hills Coach Bob Johnson said.

Trailing, 45-30, at halftime, Chatsworth scored 10 of the first 12 points in the second half and pulled to within 47-40.

J. P. Labrador scored six of his 11 points in the first 1:50 of the third period to head the charge.

Momentum reversed over the next 5:41 and the Highlanders, behind Randy Eason’s six points, built a 13-point advantage, 58-45, going into the final period.

Eason finished with 13.

Granada Hills continued the rampage in the fourth period, scoring nine of the first 11 points to take a 67-47 lead.

Chatsworth (4-8, 1-2) mounted a minor attack over the next 3:20 and pulled to within 71-57 with 2:41 to play before the Highlanders closed the deal.

Chatsworth’s defense late in the game was not particularly impressive.

“We don’t protect the ball and take care of ourselves,” Chatsworth Coach Gary Shair said. “We helped people beat us. We had chances to make some easy two-point shots but we gave the ball up, they’d pass to someone down court and make a three pointer.

“That becomes a five-point swing and instead of being close, we were down a lot.”

Granada Hills’ aggressiveness on the boards also paid off: The Highlanders outrebounded the Chancellors, 44-28.