Highlander Giveaways Lead to Loss

Reminders of Osiris Nalls abounded Friday night at Granada Hills High, even if the Highlander guard was conspicuous by his absence.

Nalls’ name was taped to the back of Aaron Lattimore’s warm-up jersey and the back of one of Ryan Cravens’ shoes. Nalls’ number 10 was clearly printed on Cravens’ armband as well, and the Highlanders yelled Nalls’ name as they broke the huddle to face Washington in a first-round City Section 4-A basketball playoff game.

But the senior guard, who was suffering from chickenpox, was not where Granada Hills needed him most--on the floor. The Highlanders could have used another ballhandler against Washington, which forced 19 second-half turnovers in an 87-85 come-from-behind overtime win.

Granada Hills (17-9), which led comfortably at halftime, 50-33, wilted under Washington’s intense full-court pressure in the second half. The Highlanders committed 11 turnovers in the third period alone, giving the ball away six of the first seven times down the floor, and finished with 29 turnovers.

“They were just very aggressive,” Granada Hills Coach Bob Johnson said of Washington. “I thought we were getting knocked all over the court, but the officials didn’t see it that way.”

Washington (13-9) cut Granada Hills’ lead to 66-63 after three periods, then tied the score for the first time, 68-68, with 6 minutes 55 seconds left in regulation.

The Generals built an 82-76 lead with a little more than a minute to play, but Nalls’ replacement, Sagy Koren (13 points, five rebounds) hit a jump shot and Lattimore (26 points, 19 rebounds) converted two free throws to cut the deficit to 82-80. A free throw by Isaac Burton (28 points) put Washington ahead by three, but Lattimore sank a three-point shot to force the overtime.

Washington took the lead in overtime, but Lattimore tied the score, 85-85, with a jump shot. Washington center Barnabas James, who led all scorers with 29 points, scored inside to put the Generals ahead.