Crescenta Valley Comes Up Short to North Torrance in Long Run, 68-63

Crescenta Valley High has one starter taller than 6 feet . . . and he’s the shooting guard.

So it would figure the Falcons would have a tough time with undefeated North Torrance in the championship game of the Crescenta Valley boys’ basketball tournament Friday night.

But the Saxons could not gain control until the fourth quarter when Virgil Phillips took over with his offensive rebounding and drives to the basket in a 68-63 victory at Crescenta Valley High.

Phillips’ three offensive rebounds in the fourth quarter helped keep possessions alive. His basket with 1:40 remaining gave North Torrance (8-0) the lead for good, 62-60.

After North Torrance increased the lead to 66-60, Kean Mallory gave Crescenta Valley (6-4) a ray of hope with a 27-footer with 10 seconds left.

But Marcus Perkins hit two free throws to seal the victory.

“We are worse than last year and we had a losing record last year,” Crescenta Valley Coach Jim Smiley said. “But we’ve been in two tournaments and made the finals in both. That says something.”

Alex Tima scored 18 points and point guard Christ Shakhmalian added 17 for the Falcons. Dawson, the 6-foot-2 shooting guard, scored 12, all on three-pointers.

Phillips had 18 points and 10 rebounds and Lawrence O’Keith scored 19 for the Saxons.

The Falcons missed their first eight shots and North Torrance built an 8-1 lead before Dawson hit his first three-pointer with three minutes left in the first quarter.

Crescenta Valley made only one more basket the rest of the quarter.

Crescenta Valley began chipping away at the lead midway through the second quarter, pulling to within two points several times.

The Falcons wouldn’t take a lead until Mark McCauley’s three-pointer late in the third quarter gave them a 45-44 lead.

Crescenta Valley never led by more than two points and there were five ties in the fourth quarter.

“We shouldn’t have been in this game,” Smiley said.

Verdugo Hills 49, Franklin 46--Phil Brathwaite hit two free throws with 21 seconds left to give the Dons the lead for good in the third-place game.

Harmik Hartounian made two free throws with four seconds left and Sam Tamargo missed a three-point shot as time expired for Franklin.

Kevin Baird scored 15 points and Joseph Dural added 14 for Verdugo Hills (5-5).

Poly 55, Maranatha 41--Senior forward Ellis Richardson scored 18 points for the Parrots (4-6) in the fifth-place game.

Andres De La Hoya and Gabino Quiroz each had two three-pointers for Poly.

Ben Hamady scored 15 points for Maranatha (2-7), which forfeited a pool-play game to Crescenta Valley on Thursday.

Reseda 84, Philbos 70--Sophomore Michael Brignac scored 23 points and junior Robert Arceneaux added 22 for the Regents, who won their second game of the season in the seventh-place game.

Reseda (2-5) was winless last season.

Eddie Soukiassian scored 30 points and Bobby Vartanian added 25 for Philbos (1-4).

Vartanian has scored 103 points in his past four games.

Sophomore Larry Knox scored 15 points, Bobby Mitchell added 12 for Reseda and Victor Koopongsakorn had 10.