Husky Twosome Not Enough

Richelle Sherman and Kaipresha Price are capable of winning a lot of games by themselves.

The final of the Crescenta Valley girls’ basketball tournament was not one of them.

Sherman and Price, North Hollywood High’s prolific scoring tandem, combined for 30 points but the rest of the Huskies managed only five in a 43-35 loss to Alhambra on Saturday night at Crescent Valley.

“The other kids are going to step up down the line,” Coach Rich Allen said. “They just need a little experience.”

For three seasons, North Hollywood (3-1) relied on All-Valley players Tashean Thomas and Markia Derby, but they and two other starters graduated from a 22-4 team that reached the City semifinals, leaving only Sherman to rebuild around.

She and Price, a reserve last season, have combined to average 37 points through four games, but the rest of the team is averaging 11.

Their importance was magnified midway through the fourth quarter against Alhambra, when Price fouled out with 14 points.

Sherman, who had 16 points, 10 rebounds and seven blocked shots, tried but couldn’t rally the troops.

She connected on consecutive jumpers to close the margin to 34-32, but the Moors answered with seven points for a nine-point lead.

Guard Allison Welsh scored 21 points for Alhambra (3-1), which took 24 free throws. North Hollywood shot four.

Allen wasn’t about to use the free-throw differential as an excuse.

“That’s not because of poor officiating,” he said. “That was because of a lack of aggression. If we had been more aggressive driving to the basket, we would have gone to the line too.”

In other Crescenta Valley tournament games:

Crescenta Valley 47, Grant 43--The Lancers closed a 10-point second-half deficit to two in the last minute, but Ashley Powell made a layup in the final seconds and the Falcons won the third place game.

Laura Zerebko scored 13 points and Powell added 12 for Crescenta Valley (3-1). Alexis Weatherspoon scored 19 for Grant (2-2).

Littlerock 55, La Canada 52--The Lobos led, 54-44, with less than two minutes left and held on in the fifth-place game.

Kristel Jones scored 13 points and Kristen Jones added 12 for the Lobos (3-2). Lyndsay Fujimoto had 19 for La Canada (2-2).

Canyon 57, Bell-Jeff 26--Julianna Diaz scored 22 points and Katie Holdaway added 12 points for the Cowboys (1-3) in the seventh-place game.

Ana Cooado scored nine points for Bell-Jeff (0-4).