ROUNDUP : North Hollywood Girls Hold Off Sylmar, 76-66

Sylmar High’s girls trailed North Hollywood by 24 early in the fourth quarter Thursday night. Then Nadra Manley took over, scoring 13 of her team-high 25 points to bring the Spartans within seven.

However, North Hollywood (14-6, 10-0 in league play) held on to win, 76-66, and remain undefeated in Valley Pac-8 Conference play, spoiling a chance for the Spartans (17-2, 10-1) to do the same.

Senior Forward Darvena Merritt led all scorers with 31 points and hauled down 10 rebounds for the Huskies. Teammate Anna Celaya scored 23 points and had nine of her team’s 24 steals. Sylmar’s Manley took 17 rebounds.

Monroe 64, Sherman Oaks CES 26--Led by Allana Torres (21) and Mirna Martinez (13), the Vikings outrebounded the Knights, 47-12, in a Valley Pac-8 Conference game.

Ese Akpou scored a game-high 20 points for Sherman Oaks CES.

BOYS’ BASKETBALL

Birmingham 47, Poly 44 (OT)--Scott James made a three-point basket with two seconds left in overtime for host Birmingham (8-10, 5-6) in the Mid-Valley League game.

Monroe 98, Canoga Park 72--Kenyatta Niles recorded a triple-double for the Vikings (9-12, 6-5), scoring 18 points and grabbing 11 rebounds while also posting 13 assists. Monroe had five players score in double figures, including Shaka Steiner who had 21.

Grant 55, Van Nuys 37--Junior Guard Ron Patterson scored 20 points to lead the Lancers (18-4, 9-1) in a Valley Pac-8 Conference game.

BOYS’ SOCCER

Van Nuys 4, Fairfax 1--Carlos Carillo and Willie Tovar each scored two goals to lead the Wolves (9-2-2) at home in the first round of the City Section playoffs.

Monroe 2, Los Angeles 1--Monroe, last season’s City Section runner-up, upset the Romans in a wild-card match with second-half goals by Wilson Lopez and Juan Juarez. Goalkeeper Herbert Oliva made 10 saves for the Vikings (5-2-3).

GIRLS’ SOCCER

Louisville 5, San Marcos 4 (2 OTs)--Arial Garcia scored with a minute left in the second overtime period to cap the Royals’ come-from-behind victory in the Southern Section Division II wild-card match at San Marcos.

Simi Valley 5, Santa Monica 0--Heather Stanley scored two goals for Simi Valley in the Southern Section Division I wild-card match at Santa Monica.