Pacific League previews for Tuesday
Peter Fuertes
GLENDALE -- In past seasons, the Crescenta Valley High girls’
basketball team used to consider the Pacific League season an
afterthought.
Last season, the rest of the league began to show it may be catching
up to the Falcons. They ended up sharing the title with Muir High in
1998-99.
This season may prove to be an even bigger test for the Falcons.
Today’s contest against surprising Hoover High in the Hoover gym at
3:30 p.m. could be an indicator of just how much the league has caught up
with the Falcons -- or how much the Tornadoes have improved.
The Falcons (10-6) lost their opening league contest at Muir, 56-49.
CV could not overcome a slow start, making two of 27 shot attempts in the
first half.
Hoover -- which has struggled in recent seasons in girls’ basketball
-- has shown a steady rise under first-year Coach Jack Van Patten.
Friday night, the Tornadoes picked up a 52-51 victory over Arcadia
High in the league opener, raising their overall record to 7-9.
But even if Hoover doesn’t win another game this season, the 1999-2000
season will already have been a success compared to last, when it won
three games.
The Falcons will need to have big games from Sinnamonn Garrett and
Kristie Umemoto.
Garrett finished with 25 points and 12 rebounds in Friday’s loss, but
also suffered through the same shooting woes her team went through
Friday, making eight of 30 shot attempts.
Umemoto finished with eight points. But if she gets hot from the
outside, she could help give the Falcons a lift.
Though Tenie Hartounian is the main force for the Tornadoes, they
showed on Friday they have other weapons as well.
Christine Hayrapetian nailed five three-pointers against Arcadia, and
Razan Ezzedin chipped in 11 points.
In other girls’ basketball games today:
Glendale at Muir, 3:30 p.m.: The Nitros (9-7) lost their Pacific
League opener to Pasadena High, 63-43.
Like the Falcons, the Nitros also struggled from the field,
particularly from the outside. That helped Pasadena turn a 15-12
first-quarter deficit into a 29-17 halftime lead.
Glendale must find a way to cure those woes quickly, especially
against the Mustangs (11-5, 1-0), ranked No. 2 in CIF Southern Section
Division IIA. In Pacific League boys’ basketball today:
Hoover at Crescenta Valley, 3:30 p.m.: Though the Falcons (13-4)
dropped a 73-69 decision to Muir Friday, they will continue to be a
factor in league -- as long as youth serves them.
Freshman Jimmy Goffredo and sophomore Chris Tarne continued their
stellar play Friday, with Goffredo netting 19 points and Tarne 15.
But junior James Jenkins will be the toughest obstacle for the
Tornadoes.
Size-wise, they have no one who can match the 6-foot-6 CV center.
Jenkins, who blocked six Muir shots, could have a field day today.
Kris Rubio continues to be Hoover’s main weapon on offense. The senior
point guard scored 28 points in Friday’s 64-63victory over Arcadia High
in the Tornado league opener.
It was only Hoover’s second victory in 16 games this season.
Muir at Glendale, 3:30 p.m.: After losing, 59-47, to the No. 4 team in
CIF Division IIAA in Pasadena, Glendale faces the Mustangs, fresh off a
73-69 victory over CV Friday.
The injury bug has hit the Nitros (9-7) at the worst time, with Eddie
Karibyan sidelined due to torn ligaments in his ankle.
That puts pressure on Gilbert Yousefian to pick up even more slack for
Glendale, minus Karibyan’s points.
The Mustangs, ranked fourth in CIF Division IIA, are led by Darelle
Rowe, who scored 31 points Friday.