Nitros get needed victory

SOUTHEAST GLENDALE — With a difficult stretch of Pacific League home games slated for next week, the members of the Glendale High girls’ basketball team looked to close out this week on a winning note.

Thanks to the offensive display turned in by Serah Mirzaeian and Stella Ghazarian, the Nitros accomplished that feat.

Mirzaeian finished with a game-high 28 points and Ghazarian collected 20 on Friday night to lift host Glendale to a 61-49 victory against Arcadia in a league contest.

The Nitros (9-5, 1-1 in league) regrouped Friday after beginning league competition Tuesday with a 38-28 home loss against Pasadena.

Glendale Coach Tania Adary said had the Nitros lost their first two league games, it would have made things even tougher with Burbank, Muir and Burroughs scheduled to visit Glendale next week.

“It’s going to be a tough week next week, so we wanted to get a win and go into next week with some momentum,” said Adary, whose team improved to 7-1 in its last eight games. “I told them going into the game that we were either going to be 1-1 or 0-2 and we needed to gain some confidence.

“It takes a little pressure off them by getting the win.”

Glendale held a 30-27 halftime lead before using a hot shooting performance in the third quarter to pull away from the Apaches, who dropped to 8-4, 1-1

The Nitros used a 10-0 run during a two-minute stretch in the third quarter to take a 41-33 lead.

Mirzaeian got the rally started when she made a three-pointer to give the Nitros a 34-32 lead with 5:41 remaining. Ghazarian followed with a three-pointer 17 seconds later to make it 37-33. Two consecutive layups by Nina Sahakian completed the run to make it 41-33.

“Once it starts going in, we can build more confidence,” said Mirzaeian, who finished with three three-pointers in the third quarter. “We wanted to get back into a rhythm.

“Honestly, I think we can play better. We prep to win every game.”

Ghazarian, who helped the Nitros win the Don Lugo Tournament on Dec. 30, hit a pair of three-pointers late in the fourth quarter to seal the victory.

Arcadia, which will play host to Glendale on Jan. 28, got 15 points from Julianna Okamoto and 13 from Joy Kang.

Glendale will face Burbank at 5:15 p.m. Monday.