Quality Control for North Hollywood

The knock against the North Hollywood High girls’ basketball team has almost always been the same.

“People always say we pile up a lot of wins against less-than-quality teams,” Coach Rich Allen said. “They can’t say that anymore.”

The Huskies’ 60-55 overtime victory over Harvard-Westlake on Thursday night came against a highly regarded intersectional opponent six days after they won the Beverly Hills tournament.

Last week, North Hollywood defeated City Section powers Dorsey and Washington to win the Washington tournament.

The Wolverines (4-1), ranked third in the region by The Times and favored to win the Mission League, certainly were no patsies.

In a game that featured 17 lead changes and five ties, fifth-ranked North Hollywood (6-0) found itself down by four points with less than a minute left in regulation.

Lindsay Sotero-Higa sank two free throws with 52 seconds left, and Markia Derby took an off-balance, one-handed shot in the lane that bounced off the backboard and rim before falling in to tie it, 50-50, with six seconds left.

Freshman center Richelle Sherman scored five of her 12 points in overtime for the Huskies.

“These kids just refuse to lose,” Allen said.

All-City guard Tashean Thomas had 15 points and six steals for the Huskies, Claudia Villa added 12 points and 11 rebounds, and Derby had 10 points and 10 rebounds.

Sotero-Higa, who made a clinching basket with 35 seconds left in overtime, scored 11 points.

Omelogo Udeze had 16 points and 14 rebounds for Harvard-Westlake. Sophomore guard Brooke Porter added 13 points and five assists and L’Tanya Robnett scored 10 points.