by Nazaret Jarekian
The Mirror Staff
SPORTS
WOLVES WIN CITY CHAMPIONSHIP
BASKETBALL PLAYOFFS: Tyree Winborn drops 41 points; Van Nuys Varsity Team headed to State Playoffs
PHOTO BY NAZARET JAREKIAN MIRROR STAFF
ON TO STATE PLAYOFFS: Van Nuys defeated Sotomayor in the finals to take the City Championship title for the first time since 1996.
Behind an explosive 41 point performance from star guard Tyree Winborn, the
Van Nuys Wolves won the City Section Division III champions after defeating Sotomayor High School on Thursday, March 2. The final score was 73-56.
The last time the Wolves won the City title was in 1996, over 20 years ago.
The battle of the Wolves kicked off with Van Nuys bouncing into a 15-8 lead in the first quarter, pressuring Sotomayor into a corner.
Sotomayor started to click on the offensive end in the second quarter, but Van Nuys did not slow down, ending the half with a 30-23 lead.
The Sotomayor team, also known as the Wolves, came out with something to prove in the second half, cutting Van Nuys’ lead to one and eventually taking the lead.
Van Nuys continued to attack Sotomayor and ended the third quarter with a 1-point lead, but not before getting outscored 23-17 by Sotomayor.
Entering the final quarter, Van Nuys looked to put Sotomayor to sleep. Starting off the quarter on a 16-2 run to go up 63-48. Tyree Winborn sparked this run, nailing two quick three-pointers in the fourth quarter.
Van Nuys made sure that any sort of a comeback by Sotomayor was squelched, eventually outscoring them 26-10 in the fourth quarter, winning the game 73-56.
Seniors Kevin Hurlic III and Anthony Daniels both scored double-digit points and converted on clutch buckets down the stretch of the game.
An emotional Tyree Winborn carried Van Nuys, scoring 41 points in the game, 25 of those points in the second half, and 17 in the fourth quarter leading the Wolves to their first city title since they were under Coach Kevin Kanemura.
Winborn repeatedly kept Sotomayor from gaining any traction on Van Nuys’ lead during the game.
Basketball season is not over for the Varsity boys squad as they now enter State playoffs and await to find out who they will play in the first round.