Overtime Right for Van Nuys

Playing in its first City championship basketball game in nearly 50 years, Van Nuys High made sure it didn’t return to school with another runner-up trophy.

Van Nuys took advantage when Carloes Harper fouled out and defeated Canoga Park, 70-65, in double overtime Friday night in the City Section 3-A Division championship game in front of an estimated 3,500 at Cal State Los Angeles.

“Our confidence level just kept getting higher and higher,” said senior Devon Berry , who scored 16 points off the bench for Van Nuys, including 14 after intermission.

Four starters, two from each team, fouled out in the fourth quarter. But when Harper (15 points, seven rebounds) fouled out with 2 minutes 51 seconds to go in regulation, Van Nuys got the break it needed.

“When Harper fouled out it gave us a big boost. He’s one of the best players in the Valley,” Berry said.

Van Nuys (17-9), which last played in a City final in 1947 (a 56-39 loss to Fairfax) shared the Mid-Valley League title with Canoga Park after splitting in head-to-head matchups. But the Wolves weren’t about to share a City title.

With Harper and senior guard Jamal Haqq out of the game, the weight of the game fell to Anthony Ellison. In the overtime periods, Ellison responded with 10 of his 20 points, all five baskets coming off of drives.

But Ellison found little support elsewhere.

In a game with 12 lead changes and nine ties, Van Nuys took the lead for good, 64-63, when Berry buried one of two free throws with 2:15 remaining in the second overtime.

Lasley scored his last points on a drive with 21 seconds left to get the Hunters within, 67-65.

But Van Nuys was able to hold on despite its meager three-for-six shooting from the free throw line in the final 14 seconds.

The pace was varied throughout, but neither team was able to run away, which is what Van Nuys Coach Kevin Kanemura had hoped.

“I said before the game we cant play in the 80s,” said Kanemura, who coached the Wolves to a title in only his second season as a varsity coach. “We went double overtime, scored 70 points and look what happened.”

Canoga Park (22-5) had a chance to win it in the first overtime. With the game tied, 59-59, Ellison drove to the basket with five seconds left, but his shot bounced off the rim andOnaje Longmire grabbed the rebound.

Longmire, who made just two of eight free throws in the overtimes, converted all three of his field goals in that time span and finished with 18 points and 15 rebounds.

Canoga Park’s Aaron Lasley, who had 12 rebounds in the first half, cooled off after intermission and finished with 19 rebounds and nine points.

* ALL BASKETBALL RESULTS: C11