Burroughs still reigns supreme

Jeff Tully

The girls’ basketball game between Burbank and Burroughs highs

Friday night wasn’t primarily about getting caught up in a frenzy of

cross-town rivalry hoopla.

With one win between them in their first four league games, the

contest was instead about the Bulldogs and Indians attempting to

reestablish themselves in a league thick with talented teams.

For Burroughs, a 57-51 victory at home gives the program a little

boost in its quest to return to the CIF Southern Section playoffs.

For Burbank, it will have almost week off to regroup and get ready

for the second half of the league campaign.

“This is a game we had to win, there’s no doubt about that,” said

Burroughs Coach Doug Nicol, whose team is 11-8, 1-4 in league. “I

told my team that if we didn’t win this game, I didn’t know what I

would do.

“But this was a classic high school game. This is for sure the

most exciting Burroughs-Burbank game I have been involved with in my

10 years here.”

The first half featured an entertaining battle between Bulldog

senior Christine Kepenekian and Indian junior Tulyah Gaines. While

Kepenekian was busy pouring in 17 first-half points, Gaines countered

with 15.

“We figured Tulyah was going to get her points. She is just a good

player,” Burbank Coach Ricky Hawthorne said.

“I’m just happy with the way we battled and stayed in the game.”

Kepenekian ended with 22 points and Gaines had 21.

Gaines suffered a head injury in the third quarter and sat on the

bench for most of the fourth quarter. However, she did reenter the

game with just over three minutes remaining, scoring three clutch

points.

Roxy Quintero kept Burbank (12-9, 1-4) in the game in the second

half, as she tallied 16 of her 18 points after halftime.

BOX SCORE

Burbank 15 13 13

10 -- 51

Burroughs 16 13 10

18 -- 57

BURBANK

Kepenekian 22 and 13 rebounds, Quintero 18, Galeas 5,

Ovasapyan 4, Perillo 2.

* Three-pointers: Quintero 4. Kepenekian 3, Galeas.

BURROUGHS

Gaines 21, 4 assists and 3 steals, Rico 11 and 8

rebounds, Stephen 8 and 8 rebounds, Dennis 6 and 7 rebounds, Zavala

6, Davies 3, Tuler 2.

* Three-pointers: Zavala 2, Rico, Davies, Gaines.