BURBANK � With both teams averaging just less than 60 points per game,
Saturday's game between the Renaissance Academy and Burbank High boys'
basketball teams in the championship of the 38th annual Bulldog Tip-Off Classic
figured to be a shootout.
What transpired instead was a gritty defensive battle, in which the two teams
labored to combine for 57 points by the end of three quarters, leading to a
final period in which the Wildcats came from behind to defeat the Bulldogs,
51-44, to win the title.
Renaissance Academy played in the CIF Southern Section Division IVA
championship game the past two seasons.
"You've got to give Burbank credit because they came out and took it to
us, and they took the game away from us in the beginning," said Wildcats
Coach Sid Cooke, whose team was four of 24 from the field in the first half.
"By letting them dictate the pace, it put us on our heels and we did
things that are uncharacteristic.
"After halftime, we had to come back, play smarter, make runs and play
better defense."
Doing those things in the second half allowed the Wildcats to close to within
one point of Burbank (3-1) � which had led the most of the game � 29-28, by the
end of the third quarter. The Wildcats took their first lead in the opening
seconds of the final period.
Hector Harold, who scored six of his nine points in the fourth quarter, gave
the Wildcats a 31-29 lead on a put-back with 7:42 remaining.
Justin Cook, who led Renaissance Academy with 17 points, six steals, four
rebounds and two blocks, then pushed the lead to 34-31 with a layup before
Burbank's Sevak Amranyan answered with a three-pointer at the 6:18 mark for a
e.
The Wildcats rode a 10-4 run to gain a 44-38 advantage with 2:45 remaining, but
Burbank had another opportunity when it forced a turnover on an inbounds play,
trailing, 46-41, with just 37 seconds to play.
Josh Thomas (five points, four assists and three steals) stole the ball right
back for the Wildcats (4-0) and made one of two free throws following an
intentional foul. Cook iced the game with two more free throws after rebounding
a missed layup by Burbank's Robert Linda with 25 seconds left.
"[The Wildcats] came out and played really hard and we lost momentum there
in the third quarter," Burbank Coach Jose Hernandez said of the period in
which the Bulldogs scored only three points on one-of-five shooting, while committing
10 turnovers.
"We stopped attacking and started being a little tentative. We just didn't
put the pressure on them offensively."
Renaissance Academy's fourth-quarter comeback might not have been possible if
not for the strong play in the third quarter by sophomore guard Matt Raya, who
had 13 points, four rebounds and four steals.
With the Wildcats trailing, 29-21, Raya made a transition layup off his own
steal, followed that up with a teardrop runner, and then hit a three-pointer
from the wing, all in the last two minutes of the third period.
"Matt's the kind of guy who steps up in the big game," Cooke said.
"Without Matt the momentum wouldn't have swung our way."
Burbank was led by the physical play of Linda, who had 12 points, nine rebounds
and two steals, but was held to five points in the second half.
"In the first half, we got the ball inside, but in the second half we went
away from that," Hernandez said. "We've just got to go back to work.
"It was a good tournament, and it's a young season."
The Bulldogs will have some time off before they play their next game. After no
contests this week, Burbank will play in the Bell-Jeff Holiday Classic
beginning Monday at Bellarmine-Jefferson High.