HS HOOPS: Finally at full strength, Van Nuys defeats N.H. 64-44

Van Nuys High finally has its whole team together now that transfers Victor Rudd, Will Hankins and Mat Hankins finally are eligible, and the Wolves won their third game in a row tonight, a 64-49 victory at North Hollywood that puts Van Nuys (12-15, 7-2) in position to tie first-place North Hollywood (19-7. 8-1) for the Sunset Six League championship with one game remaining.

Van Nuys needs to defeat Poly on Friday, while North Hollywood must lose at Verdugo Hills of Tujunga.

With Rudd, whose arrival has coincided with Van Nuys' winning streak, Van Nuys has its final piece. The 6-foot-8 junior scored 23 points, putting an exclamation point on the performance with nine points in the final minute -- a jumper and two free throws, followed by a double-pump reverse slam dunk, then a 3-pointer from the corner as time expired.

Will Hankins added 23 points, and freshman Dominique Evans scored nine, as Van Nuys finished with a 20-7 run over the final six minutes after North Hollywood, down by as much as 19, had pulled to within 44-37 on Jordin Carroll's 3-pointer.

"North Hollywood isn't the best team in the league anymore. We are," Hankins said. "It's a great feeling to finally have everyone together."

North Hollywood was without third leading scorer Julio Mejia (flu), while returning All-City guard Jesse Zarate, who said he also was sick, was held to nine points, going scoreless over the final 14 minutes. It was the first time this season Zarate didn't manage to score in double digits.

"I don't know what happened. I just tried to do everything possible to get the victory," Zarate said.

gerry.gittelson@dailynews.com
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