Sylmar Finishes the Long Climb to Mountaintop

Two seasons ago, the Sylmar High boys’ basketball team won two games.

In comparison, the team’s five victories last season were cause for a ticker-tape parade.

Then came this season, which became unforgettable for a different reason Friday afternoon, when the Spartans defeated Poly, 58-57, at Sylmar to share the Mid-Valley League title with the Parrots.

The victory gave the Spartans (14-9, 8-2 in Valley Pac-8 Conference play) a school single-season record and only their second boys’ basketball title in the school’s 35-year history.

But Sylmar’s good fortunes don’t end there.

Because Sylmar won the two league meetings with the Parrots (17-7, 8-2), the Spartans will receive a higher seed in the City Section 3-A playoffs that start next Friday.

The Spartans can thank their fourth-quarter defense and the free-throw shooting of Jeremiah Turner.

After a sleepy third quarter in which they were outscored, 21-7, the Spartans turned to a full-court press.

Poly’s 42-34 lead with 7:44 to play disappeared about three minutes later after five turnovers and a 13-0 run by the Spartans.

That meant it was time for Poly to foul.

Turner, a sophomore, responded by hitting nine of 13 free throws, including a pair with three seconds left that put Sylmar ahead, 58-54.

“We practice free throws every day,” said Turner, who finished with 19 points, 13 in the fourth quarter. But Turner wanted to talk defense instead.

“Everybody was revved up, ready to go,” Turner said. “That was the turning point.”

Poly Coach Jay Werner was upset by Sylmar’s defense.

“They used their hands illegally,” Werner said. “The refs needed to clean that up.”

After a rough second quarter in which they made one of 11 field-goal attempts, the Parrots needed to clean up their shooting.

They did, making eight of 12 third-quarter shots, and turning a 27-19 halftime deficit into a 35-31 lead on a three-point basket by Eric Owens with 1:10 to go in the quarter. Owens finished with 17 points.

But the Parrots, who were without leading scorer Ellis Richardson for the fifth straight game because of a sprained right ankle, tailed off in the fourth quarter.

The Spartans also played without starting point guard Brandon Jacobs, who last week was declared academically ineligible.

Turner and Daron Wilson, who scored 17 points, picked up the slack.