First published in the Dec. 11 print issue of the Burbank Leader.
In a heart-stopping matchup, Burroughs High School’s varsity boys’ basketball team was edged out at Glendale, 51-49, in a Pacific League game on Tuesday.
With the score tied 41-41 in the fourth quarter, Nitros sophomore guard Mo Shareef, who scored a team-high 14 points, drained back-to-back 3-pointers to help Glendale open up a six-point lead with two minutes to play.
Burroughs senior point guard Nick Schlander’s 3-pointer cut the deficit to 51-49 but the Bears failed to convert a potential game-tying field goal with half a second remaining.
Burroughs went on a 9-0 scoring run early in the third quarter, highlighted by junior guard Sam Horning, who converted a four-point play and a 3-pointer on two consecutive trips down the floor. Bears junior center Tj Lumpkin’s basket then gave Burroughs a 32-31 lead.
Lumpkin registered a double-double with 14 points and a game-high 16 rebounds while Horning scored a game-high 16 points, including three 3-pointers, five rebounds and three steals.
“Tj was phenomenal. He was extremely exhausted trying to do it on both ends of the floor,” JBHS head coach Allan Ellis said. “I am very proud of what Sam’s been doing. He worked extremely hard over the summer, extremely hard in the fall, and he’s improved a lot from last year to this year. He’s knocking down open shots and just putting in hard work has helped him excel on the court.”
After Bears freshman point guard Jagger Topp registered a field goal behind the arc, Glendale sophomore forward Haig Jivalagian tied it 37-37 to set up an exciting fourth quarter.
Glendale snapped a three-game losing streak with the victory and moved to 1-1 in league play (5-5 overall).
Meanwhile, Burroughs (4-2 overall record, 1-1 in league) will travel to Yeshiva of Los Angeles for a nonleague game on Wednesday, Dec. 15, at 8 p.m.
