Nitros have right touch in victory
Charles Rich
Leonard Khechumyan had the right shooting touch.
Fortunately for the Glendale High boys’ basketball player, his
team didn’t desert him throughout two overtime sessions.
Khechumyan scored four points in the two extra quarters --
including a key three-pointer -- to rally Glendale to a 43-41
double-overtime victory against Alhambra in a pool-play game of the
fifth annual Vaquero Summer Tip-Off at Glendale Community College on
Friday.
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BOX SCORE
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*--*
Alhambra 15 20 5 1 -- 41
Glendale 20 15 5 3 -- 43 *--*
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ALHAMBRA
White 22 and 8 rebounds, Lopez 5, Punce 4, Garcia 3, Martin 3, Lee 2, Gonzalez 2. * Three-pointers: Garcia, Martin, White.
GLENDALE
Dagher 14 and 8 rebounds, Hovanesepyan 8, Khechumyan 7, Minassian 7, Oganesyan 4, DeJesus 2, Darakjian 1. * Three-pointers: Khechumyan 2, Oganesyan, Hovanesepyan.
*--*
The senior shooting guard made a free throw with eight seconds
left to close out the scoring for the Nitros (5-3) after he made a
three-pointer with four seconds left in the first overtime to knot
the game at 40.
“I’ve been working all summer on making 15-foot jump shots,” said
Khechumyan, who added two rebounds and two assists. “I couldn’t get
excited when I made those shots because there was still time on the
clock.”
Glendale, which will play in a semifinal game at 5:20 p.m. today
against Pasadena La Salle or L.A. Monroe, received a team-high 14
points and eight rebounds from senior forward Raymond Dagher. Dagher
scored 12 second-half points for the Nitros, who extended their
winning streak to four.
Glendale last loss came June 29, when the Nitros fell to La
Canada, 57-33, in a Hoover High Summer League contest.
“We needed some heroics down the stretch,” Glendale Coach Steve
Snodgress said. “It was a hotly contested game, and neither team
could get on track offensively in the beginning of the game.
“I’m glad to see that Leonard could hit that big three-pointer.”
Alhambra (1-5) sent the game into a first overtime when Bryan
Gonzalez scored on a layup with 14 seconds left.
Hoover 33, Van Nuys Grant 31: Emin Khachatoorian made four free
throws in the last 30 seconds to lead the Tornadoes in a tournament
pool-play contest Friday. Hoover trailed by eight with four minutes
left.