Crescenta Valley leapfrogs Burroughs, 70-59
LA CRESCENTA — Throughout the season, the Crescenta Valley and Burroughs high boys’ basketball teams have taken turns going on winning streaks in the Pacific League to put themselves in position to qualify for the playoffs in two weeks.
There are still two league games left for each team, but the Falcons might have lowered the boom on the Indians with respect to jockeying for a higher placement in the standings entering the final week.
Crescenta Valley broke a tie for third place with the Indians on Friday night with a 70-59 victory.
Crescenta Valley (15-9, 8-4 in league) got 22 points, 10 rebounds and a game-high four blocks from junior forward Coltrane Powdrill to complete the two-game season series sweep of the Indians (15-10, 7-5). The Falcons, who picked up a 40-38 win against Burroughs on Jan. 16, limited the Indians to nine second-half field goals.
“We have destiny in our own hands right now,” said Crescenta Valley Coach Shawn Zargarian, who got 21 points, eight rebounds and four blocks from junior center Nick Dragovich. “Beating and sweeping Burroughs is huge for us because it was a scary time to play Burroughs.
“We did two things well on defense in we contained their transition and ran them off the three-point line.”
The Falcons won for the fifth time in six games. The Indians lost for the second consecutive time after rattling off a five-game winning streak.
Not much went right for the Indians after they knotted the game at 34 with 7:16 left in the third quarter.
“We shot the ball horribly,” said Burroughs Coach Art Sullivan, who got a team-high 15 points and four steals from senior forward Chris Morris and 13 points and five assists from senior guard Kyle Hart. “We’ve had some games where we’ve shot the ball well, but tonight was real bad.
“The bottom line was that [Crescenta Valley] made the shots.”
Burroughs’ last four league losses have come against Pasadena, the defending league champions, and Crescenta Valley.
Dragovich led the charge in the first half for the Falcons, who held a 34-29 halftime lead. He finished with 17 first-half points.
“This week meant a lot to us,” said Dragovich, who made a pair of three-pointers. “It’s been a lot about preparation and practicing hard throughout the week.
“If we get second place in league, then we might play a team similar to us in the [first round of the] playoffs. Fourth place would mean we would have to go on the road.”
Crescenta Valley junior guard Adam Dassad made a three-pointer to give the Falcons a 48-39 lead with 3:10 left in the third quarter. Dassad finished with 12 points, all beyond the three-point arc.
Burroughs had earlier taken a 25-23 lead on a three-pointer by senior forward Michael Washington. Senior forward Cameron Blocker contributed a game-high 11 rebounds for the Indians.
Powdrill had two blocks on consecutive Burroughs possessions midway through the first quarter.
Both teams will return to action at 4:45 p.m. Tuesday with league road games. Crescenta Valley will face Burbank, and Burroughs will meet Muir.
