Chatsworth Puts Up a Good Front in Defeat : North Hollywood tournament: Miller and Floyd each score 27 points but Dorsey wins, 87-75.

Despite the spectacular front-court play of Eddie Miller and Trenell Floyd, Chatsworth High could not compete against Dorsey’s thieving defense in the fourth quarter and fell to the Dons, 87-75, Thursday night in a semifinal game of the North Hollywood tournament.

Dorsey (5-0), which beat Chatsworth, 72-68, a week ago in a nonleague game, will face North Hollywood, a 70-59 winner over Banning in the other semifinal, tonight in the championship game at 7.

Chatsworth (5-3), which will play Banning today for third place at 5:30 p.m., trailed by four points at halftime, but turned the ball over 15 times in the second half to thwart its comeback try.

Defense has been the Dons’ focal point, according to Dorsey Coach Kevin Gibson.

“We’ve been trying to teach the kids good solid, fundamental defense,” Gibson said. “We want to make their offense work.”

Chatsworth, which never led, worked all night.

The Chancellors trailed, 64-53, on Ricky Blackmon’s short jumper to start the fourth quarter. But, Chatsworth’s mini-rally cut the lead to six on a driving layup by T.J. McCoy.

Then the Chancellors got sloppy and turned the ball over five times inside 2 1/2 minutes. Dorsey converted on all five turnovers to fuel a 14-1 run that gave the Dons an 80-61 lead with 3:14 remaining.

The loss spoiled 27-point performances by Miller and Floyd.

Miller attributed the setback to heavy legs and breathless lungs, neither of which held up under Dorsey’s running game.

“We need to work on stamina,” said Miller, a 6-7 sophomore transfer from Notre Dame. “We weren’t in good condition. We’re not working hard enough. Everybody’s not giving 110%.”

Floyd, a senior 6-4 forward who came off the bench to do much more than his share, was a virtual one-man show in the first half, contributing 20 of Chatsworth’s 38 points.

Floyd scored 15 points in the second quarter, including 12 consecutive points during one stretch.

Miller picked up the slack in the second half, when he scored 15 points.

Dorsey’s Wil O’Neal scored 22 points, followed by Blackmon with 12.

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In other tournament games:

North Hollywood 70, Banning 59--Damon Ollie scored 13 of his 21 points in the fourth quarter to turn a close game into a decisive victory for the Huskies.

Arthur Lee added 20 points for North Hollywood (5-2).

Jason Pickett scored 28 points for Banning (3-5).

Monroe 89, Granada Hills 55--The Vikings outscored the Highlanders, 48-24, in the second half to reach the consolation semifinals. Kenyatta Niles had 30 points and nine rebounds, and Shaka Stiner added 26 points for Monroe (2-4).

Steve Fisher had 12 points for Granada Hills (1-5).

Grant 42, El Camino Real 40--Rick Forscutt scored 18 points for the Lancers in a consolation game.

Charles Adams scored 18 points for El Camino Real.