Van Nuys Girls Stun Huskies

Throughout the season, North Hollywood High girls’ basketball Coach Rich Allen has allowed Jacinda Sweet and Suzi Shimoyama to play despite foul trouble.

However, that strategy backfired Tuesday in the Huskies’ Mid-Valley League finale against defending league champion Van Nuys. Sweet and Shimoyama, both All-City 4-A Division selections last season, fouled out in the Huskies’ 56-53 loss to host Van Nuys on Tuesday.

“They have been able to play through foul trouble before,” Allen said. “They wanted to play in the championship game and I wanted them on the court. We took a gamble and it didn’t work.”

Van Nuys (21-4, 10-1 in league play), which snapped North Hollywood’s 11-game winning streak and avenged a 72-49 defeat, finished in a tie for the league title with North Hollywood (21-4, 10-1).

North Hollywood also lost a coin flip after the game and will enter the playoffs as the league’s second-place entrant.

North Hollywood led, 47-46, when Sweet fouled out with 6 minutes 52 seconds to play in the game. Shimoyama picked up her fifth foul 29 seconds later.

Sweet finished with a game-high 22 points, connecting on 10 of 20 shots from the field, and Shimoyama scored seven points.

“We played good defense, but two of their girls fouled out, which made a big difference,” Van Nuys Coach Tony Magnante said.

Van Nuys went ahead, 48-47, on a pair of free throws by Huong Thai and increased its lead to 54-49 with less than four minutes left.

The Huskies got within, 54-53, on a basket by Rachel Fogelhut with 2:16 to play but could get no closer.