North Hollywood Shows Off Top Derby for the Playoffs

Markia Derby has come a long way, in more ways than one.

The sophomore forward transferred to North Hollywood High early this season after moving from North Carolina.

Friday night she played her best game with 24 points and 14 rebounds to help the Huskies to a 63-47 victory over El Camino Real in a City Section 4-A Division first-round basketball playoff game at North Hollywood.

“We’ve been trying to lift Markia,” North Hollywood Coach Rich Allen said. “We know she has the ability. She can flat-out play. She’s so athletic.”

Derby proved that against the Conquistadores, making 11 of 19 shots and taking control of the boards. She had 16 points in the second half--most coming on shots near the basket.

“I think I played real good, and if I put my mind to it, I could do it every night,” Derby said.

She will get her chance for an encore when the Huskies (22-3) play in a quarterfinal game at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday.

North Hollywood will enter that game on an 11-game winning streak. Before Friday night, El Camino Real’s only losses were two league defeats to Kennedy. The Conquistadores finish at 14-3.

The Conquistadors fell short despite 21 points from sophomore guard Cara Blumfield. Crissy McClain added 10 points and eight rebounds.

Tashean Thomas added 12 points and 11 steals for North Hollywood and Claudia Villa had 11 points and nine rebounds.

The balance was reflected in a 10-4 run by the Huskies in which five players scored a basket to open the third quarter and turned a 26-22 halftime edge into a 36-26 advantage.

El Camino Real got no closer the rest of the way.

North Hollywood built a 13-point lead in the first quarter after a steal and layup by Thomas, who had three steals in the first quarter and scored after two of them.

El Camino Real, which made only nine of 25 shots in the first half, trailed, 16-5, after the opening quarter but got close at halftime with the help of 10 turnovers by North Hollywood in the second quarter.