Sylmar Stands Despite Trips

SYLMAR —  In a game marred by 61 turnovers, Sylmar High tripped up less often and came away with a 74-63 victory over North Hollywood on Wednesday in a Valley Pac-8 Conference boys’ basketball opener at Sylmar.

At times, the Spartans looked every bit the City 3-A contender they are supposed to be, but other times . . . not a chance.

“I think we could have played a lot better,” Sylmar Coach Bort Escoto said. “At times we looked great and at other times we looked horrible.”

Sylmar’s full-court trap defense caused most of North Hollywood’s 36 turnovers, but the Spartans, who had 25, frequently gave it right back.

“If we keep doing that against tough teams, we’re gonna get blown out of the gym,” said Daron Wilson, a senior forward who finished with 19 points.

Sylmar (7-7), which got 20 points from Brandon Jacobs, had the opportunity to blow out North Hollywood (6-8) early, but the Spartans didn’t take care of the ball.

Sylmar, which trailed only on the game’s first basket by Jonathan Hicks, watched its 11-point halftime lead dwindle to 37-31 due to six turnovers in the first 3:20 of the third quarter.

The Spartans got back on track with a 14-6 run for a 51-37 lead with 50 seconds to go in the third period, but again couldn’t finish off the Huskies.

Committing six turnovers in the fourth period, Sylmar failed to maintain leads of 15 points with 5:40 to go and 17 points with 3:21 remaining.

“It’s very frustrating,” Escoto said. “In one minute, we look like Kentucky, the next minute like Cal Lutheran trying to play [North] Carolina. I think we just need to mature as a team.”

North Hollywood’s Keron Wilkerson had 12 of his 21 points in the first half. Lance Walker had 15 points and DeJon Lee added 11 for the Huskies.

Sophomore forward Jeremiah Turner, who finished with 12 points and 10 rebounds, had nine points and seven of Sylmar’s 13 steals in the first half.