Lawrence White’s 44 points leads Burroughs basketball by Glendale
BURBANK — Lawrence White wasn’t aware that he nearly became a part of history pertaining to the Burroughs High boys’ basketball team.
With each point recorded, White paved the way for the Indians.
They needed every point he could muster, as he finished with a career-high 44 points Friday night to spark the Indians to a 73-70 Pacific League win against visiting Glendale.
Hampered recently by a right high ankle sprain, White finished two points shy of matching the program’s top mark of 46, set by Gabe Colon against Hart in 1993.
“It’s pretty cool to have a big game like that,” said White, who had 22 points in each half, as the Indians improved to 13-8, 3-6 in league despite Burroughs nearly squandering an 18-point lead in the fourth quarter. “I mentally played through the injury.
“We held on and got a win and that’s the most important thing. It’s not so much about me.”
Glendale (8-13, 3-6) fought back valiantly in the fourth quarter, but couldn’t solve White. After White made one of two free throws to make it 73-70 with 5.2 seconds left, Glendale’s Rene Saavedra hurled a three-point shot from near half-court as time expired.
“We had a shot at the end,” said Glendale Coach Steve Snodgress, whose team defeated Burroughs, 62-46, at Glendale on Jan. 4. “This was an important game for us because this is the time in league where the pack starts to fray and we went in the wrong direction.
“We knew about [White] before the game started. Hats off to him because he was fantastic.”
White and the Indians closed out the first half on a high note as time expired. White was fouled on a three-point shot. After he missed the first free throw, Glendale’s bench received a technical foul for arguing. White made his last two free throws from the three-point shot and then made both technical foul shots to give Burroughs a 35-26 edge.
White made a three-pointer with five seconds left in the third quarter to extend Burroughs’ lead to 53-35.
Glendale, which got 20 points and 14 rebounds from Vahe Aristakessian, made a late charge, ending when Sioun Elieh Janvisloo made a three-pointer to cut the deficit to 72-70 with 5.7 seconds left.
Burroughs Coach Adam Hochberg said White’s contributions carried the Indians a long way before the Indians needed one last defensive stand.
“He’s a good shooter and he stayed with it while battling the ankle,” said Hochberg, who got 15 points from Kalen Verhoeven. “He carried us.
“We knew Glendale would go on a run. We have to get better mentally. Credit Glendale because they have some good shooters. I’m happy with the win, though we played only three solid quarters.”