BOYS' HOOPS: It's a final: North Hollywood 64, Verdugo Hills 57

By Gerry Gittelson
Staff Writer

North Hollywood's talent wore down Verdugo Hills tonight. Final: Huskies 64, Dons 57.

North Hollywood's Julio Mejia said he was never worried when Verdugo Hills opened its 15-point lead.

“You always have to keep the mentality that you’re going to win,” he said.

Verdugo Hills pulled to within 57-52 on Bobby Blake’s two free throws with 2 minutes, 51 seconds remaining. But Mejia scored six points over the next minute on a three-point play, followed by three free throws, and the cold-shooting Dons managed just one field goal the rest of the way.

“It’s the same thing again. My team doesn’t contain for a whole game – just spurts,” first-year coach Gregory Gibson said. “It’s almost like we’re schizophrenic to tell you the truth. North Hollywood is a good team, and they adjusted to what we were doing.”

North Hollywood’s Jesse Zarate scored 20, and Mejia and Jordin Carroll both added 15.

gerry.gittelson@dailynews.com