By Devin Tse
The Mirror Staff
SPORTS
Up For The Challenge
January 10, 2018
Winter Boys Basketball Roundup: Van Nuys participated in two rigorous tournaments as they squared off with several of the premiere schools around Los Angeles.
The Van Nuys Boys Basketball Team had no break in the winter as they looked to progress their experience and team chemistry in preparation for their upcoming playoff run. The Wolves held winter practices and took their budding talents to the Socal Christmas Classic and the JFK Showcase Tournament held at Van Nuys High.
The Wolves had a record of two wins and two losses in the Socal Christmas Classic. Tyree Winborn had a scoring frenzy during the tournament. He racked up impressive stats against some of the top basketball programs in LA, most notably the defending CIF Open Division Champions. Winborn dropped 32 points and drew a huge “buzz” throughout the media. However, Van Nuys fell to a score of 94-46.
The backcourt tandem of Ethan Quiambao and Winborn led the Wolves to victory against South East. Winborn exploded with 44 points, as Quiambao produced on both ends with 10 points and 5 steals.
Van Nuys then faced off against Lynwood in their third game of the tourney. The Wolves demolished Lynwood as Winborn poured in 52 points, 9 steals, and 9 three-pointers, resulting in a 84-41 victory for the Wolves.
The last opponent of the tourney was Price. The match was a back and forth affair with both teams trading leads. Defense became the ultimate factor in the second half as Van Nuys struggled to find quality shots. This allowed Price to gain a closely contested 83-76 victory.
Van Nuys finished the JFK Showcase Tournament with a record 3-1, facing several of the top teams in the valley. It was a chance to scout potential playoff matchups in the near future.
The Wolves commenced the tournament with a matchup against Grant. Matthew Sykes would dominate the glass as he earned a double-double (15 points and 17 rebounds). Joining the double-double party was Winborn who had 32 points and 10 rebounds which allowed Van Nuys to cruise to a 87-51 victory.
The team went against Chatsworth in the second match of the tourney. The Wolves shined through with their strong offensive performances from Winborn, Mijuhaim Ali, Sykes, and Quiambao which would propel Van Nuys to a 84-71 win.
Up next for the Wolves was the undefeated University High School. Initially, led by Winborn’s 32 points and a double-double from Sykes (15 points and 16 rebounds), Van Nuys commanded a 15 point lead with seven minutes remaining in the game. However, a late offensive spark from University would eventually overthrow Van Nuys and seal their 11th victory of the season.
Finally, the Wolves clashed with Venice in the tournament finale. With the game still up for grabs, Winborn led the team to victory during overtime as he finished with 32 points.
After a successful winter campaign with multiple tests and challenges from fellow Division 2 and Division 1 schools, Van Nuys looks to build on their experience as they resume league play and make a deep playoff run.
NEXT GAME: Van Nuys vs Canoga Park on Monday, Jan.8 at 4:00 pm.