Burroughs boys’ basketball overcomes persistant Hoover for league victory
GLENDALE — Although the Burroughs High boys’ basketball team possessed a size advantage over Hoover, the Tornadoes’ speed frustrated the Indians in the opening quarter of their game Friday.
Hoover’s pressure forced seven Burroughs turnovers in the first quarter to keep it at a three-point margin at the end of the quarter.
However, the Indians hit their stride from three-point range in the second quarter and the their defense came alive in the third to set up a lengthy lead.
With the help of a strong defensive third quarter, Burroughs muscled its way to a 52-31 Pacific League victory on the road.
“Our biggest thing we were trying to do today was limit [Hoover senior Derik Eliasi] and make sure we did our job, defensively, which we did,” Burroughs coach Allan Ellis said. “They had a really low-scoring game. I know when they played Arcadia, they put up 72 points, but we wanted to make sure they wouldn’t score as easily.
“Offensively, we have to take better care of the basketball, but we got into a better flow in the second half and what we tried to accomplish on that side of the floor.”
Though Hoover had seven steals in the first half, Burroughs outrebounded the hosts, 20-9, in that span to take a double-figure lead at the half.
“We just didn’t execute on offense — simple as that,” Hoover coach Jack Van Patten said. “I thought, defensively, we were OK, except when their big guy hurt us early. But if you can’t make shots, you can’t win. We missed layups early on and our three-ball wasn’t going. Too many shots we missed.”
Indians center Corwin Smith led the way with 20 points, seven rebounds and three blocks and senior Carson Cardenaz recorded 13 points, six rebounds and seven assists.
The Indians (16-7, 5-5 in league) were without starting senior Emery Goulet, who suffered a concussion on Monday in a nonleague game and had to sit out against the Tornadoes.
Hoover senior Derik Eliasi scored 11 points and grabbed six steals in the first half and finished with eight steals.
Hoover’s defense held its own in the first quarter, recording seven steals, four from Eliasi, to trail Burroughs, 11-8, at the end of the quarter.
Burroughs’ size advantage was apparent in the opening quarter, as the offense filtered under the post to Smith, who finished with six points in the quarter.
Hoover’s pressure carried onto the second quarter, as Eliasi stole possession and scored in transition to cut the Burroughs lead to 14-10.
After Smith put the Indians ahead, 16-10, with a basket at 5:03, the visitors knocked down four three-pointers to end the half on a 14-3 run and a 28-13 lead.
The Indians collectively went five for nine from three-point range in the second quarter, as Evan Zamora and Cardenaz finished with six points in the quarter.
“I think we just had to wake up,” Cardenaz said. “Coach called a timeout and we were talking. Things went well after that. We just needed to take care of the ball and value the basketball more.”
The Indians held the Tornadoes (3-18, 0-10) to just a pair of free throws in the third quarter to take a 40-15 lead at the end of three. Hoover’s only points came from a trip to the line by Diego Swingler with 53.5 left.
“We didn’t run the offense really well,” Van Patten said. “Now guys are forcing stuff and it snowballed.”
Burroughs benefited from six points from Smith in the quarter to take the 25-point lead at the break.
“We were trying to limit [Eliasi’s] touches” said Ellis of his team’s third-quarter defense. “We knew he was their main guy, so we were denying him and putting a lot of pressure on him, sending some doubles at him. That kind of disrupted their offense, I’m assuming, so that helped us get stops.”
