Canoga Park Puts Huskies in Future Shock

The past battled the present. When it was over, one team had a brighter future.

That would be Canoga Park High, which swamped traditional power North Hollywood, 94-78, in a Valley Pac-8 Conference opener Wednesday at Canoga Park.

The Hunters (12-2) were faster, stronger and had a sweeter shooting touch than North Hollywood (3-12), which has won eight of the last 10 Valley Pac-8 titles.

But Canoga Park Coach Ralph Turner wasn’t quite ready to label his team a dynasty.

“We’re trying to build and build and build,” said Turner, in his second year. “I don’t want it to be a phase and then have it over with. I want to build a program.”

With the materials he has, the building isn’t about to crumble.

Carloes Harper scored 30 points and Anthony Ellison had 26 as Canoga Park, which likes to shoot within eight seconds on each possession, ran the Huskies up and down the court.

The Hunters also caused problems on defense, wearing down the Huskies in the second half with a full-court press and a half-court trap.

North Hollywood stayed in the game until Shannon Johnson, who helped the Huskies to a 38-36 lead, fouled out with 2 minutes 49 seconds left in the second quarter.

Johnson picked up his fourth foul and argued the call. He was then hit with a technical foul, which counted as a personal foul, his fifth.

Goodbye Johnson, goodbye game.

“I think he’s an All-City player . . . but he’s got to learn to control his temper,” North Hollywood Coach Steve Miller said of Johnson, who had 12 points on six-of-eight shooting. “He was on his way to 30 points.”

Instead, it was Harper who hit the 30-point plateau. He scored from inside and outside and even found time to pull down 11 rebounds.

The third quarter was especially fruitful for Harper, who nailed back-to-back three-point baskets to give Canoga Park a 72-53 lead heading to the fourth quarter.

“Our shooters felt it,” said Harper, who made 14 of 24 shots.

Ellison did some sharpshooting of his own with four three-pointers. The Hunters made 13 of 26 from beyond the arc.

Aaron Lasley, who was benched at the start of the game because he missed a Canoga Park practice, also got into the act, finishing with 15 points.

Melvin Goodman scored 31 for the Huskies.

The Hunters led by as many as 27 points and had a legitimate shot at 100 until Turner pulled his starters with 3:11 left.

But the Hunters, who were eliminated in the second round of last year’s City Section 3-A playoffs by Birmingham, had set their sights elsewhere.

“City finals, hopefully,” Ellison said.