January 2009 Archives
And despite trailing by 11 points on three separate occasions in the second half, the Broncos battled back and earned a 57-50 victory at Kellogg Gymnasium.
Sophomore Reyana Colson (Compton) led the Broncos with a game-high 20 points and teammate Stephisha Walton (Vallejo) scored 15 points with 12 rebounds for her third double-double of the season. The double-digit night from Colson was her 15th straight after missing the first five games to injury.
Cal Poly Pomona, ranked sixth in the initial NCAA Division II West Region poll, improved to 12-8 overall and 8-3 in the CCAA. Cal State L.A. dropped to 2-16, 1-10.
Cal Poly Pomona trailed throughout much of the game and went into halftime down, 34-26. The Broncos fired just 29 percent from the floor and struggled to create any momentum in the opening 20 minutes.
But CPP got things turned around after it trailed by 11, 42-31 with 14:11 remaining. Freshman Kaitlin Derby (Petaluma) drained a 3-pointer with 13:14 remaining and that triggered a 13-0 run that put CPP ahead 44-42 with 7:07 left.
After Derby's 3, Colson hit a three-point play of her own and Walton later added a pair of free throws. Walton added a layup and reserve Emily Nichols (Riverside) fired a 3-pointer and CPP fought its way ahead for the first time.
CSULA scored four straight points, but it would be its last lead at 46-44 with 6:15 left.
Walton answered right back with a three-point play. She drove inside, scored a layup and drew the foul. She hit the free throw and CPP led 47-46 and never looked back.
The Broncos shot just 30.6 percent from the floor (19-of-62), but outshot CSULA 17-4 at the free-throw line.
CSULA's Shatori Dearman led her team with 12 points and six rebounds. The Golden Eagles went to the free-throw line just once in the final 20 minutes.
The Broncos play host to Cal State Dominguez Hills on Saturday. Tipoff is set for 5:30 p.m.
Neka Mixon, the CCAA player of the week, led the Toros to their 12th win of the season with a double-double - 18 points and 13 rebounds. She also had three steals and two assists in 27 minutes of play.
Brittney Blankenship had 12 points and five assists for the Toros, ranked No. 5 in the first NCAA West Region poll. The Toros are now 12-6 overall and 7-4 in the CCAA.
The Coyotes suffered their sixth straight conference defeat and are now 7-10 overall and 5-6 in the CCAA. Krystal Urzua led the Coyotes with 20 points, two assists and two steals. Urzua hit four of 11 shots from three-point range. Shannon Gholar contributed 11 points.
CSUSB will host Cal State L.A. at 8 p.m. on Saturday night while the Toros are at Cal Poly Pomona for a 5:30 p.m. start.
Cal State Dominguez Hills and Cal State San Bernardino were locked in a close game in the first 10 minutes with the Toros leading 15-13 after a layup by Gholar. The Toros then went on a 12-0 run capped by Ashley Johnson's jumper with 5:37 left in the half to lead 27-15 and took a 38-25 advantage to the locker room at intermission.
In the second half, the Toros led by as much as 18 points at 48-30 with 14:13 left on a layup by Blankenship. The Coyotes then made a run, closing to within eight points at 60-52 with 2:15 left on a free throw by junior Aubrey Duran. Blankenship sank a pair of free throws with 41 seconds left to salt the game away.
The Toros outscored the Coyotes 30-12 in the paint and outrebounded CSUSB 41-28 but were guilty of 19 turnovers to just 15 for the Coyotes. CSUDH shot 54 percent in the first half (15 of 28) and 44 percent for the game (25-56).
The Coyotes shot just 33 percent (18 for 54) and made just seven of 27 three-point attempts (26 percent).
Staff Writer
SAN BERNARDINO - Maybe Cal State San Bernardino coach Jeff Oliver
should bench players more often.
One game after sitting out three athletes, two of them starters,
the Coyotes responded with one of their best outings of the season
and they needed it, turning back CCAA frontrunner Cal State Dominguez
Hills 66-51 Friday at Coussoulis Arena.
The win boosted the Coyotes (10-7, 8-3) into a tie for first place
with the Toros (14-4, 8-3) as well as UC San Diego and Humboldt
State.
What a difference a couple of months make. The last time the teams
played Dominguez won by 20.
Junior big man Brandon Brown, one of those benched, delivered his
best game in awhile with 16 points but he was an even bigger factor
on the boards with 13 rebounds and two blocks.
``We wanted to make a statement,'' Brown said. ``There was that
last game I didn't play and I felt like I had to make up for it. ''
Oliver publicly criticized Brown last week but was more than
complimentary after the most recent outing.
``He was tremendous,'' Oliver said. ``We knew that's the way he
could play and we were waiting to see it. He did it against a great
team, one that came in leading the conference in scoring.''
The Coyotes have been a slow starting team but bucked that trend
this time. The first half was tied at 14 with 8:55 left but the
Coyotes ended it with a 13-1 run, highlighted by back-to-back
3-pointers by Devin Montgomery and Lawrence Tyson.
The Toros started the second half with a 12-2 run, getting within
two points at 30-28 on a driving layup by Tim McGrath.
But the Coyotes tallied the next 10, working the ball in the paint
for all those points. A bucket by Brown made it 40-31 with 12:33 to
go and the Coyotes never looked back. A driving layup by DuBois
Williams seconds later made it 42-31 and the visitors were never
within single digits again.
Cal State led by as many as 18 at 62-3 with 4:53 left on another
bucket by Brown.
The Coyotes shot 47.2 percent from the field and outrebounded the
Toros 35-28. Joining Brown in double figures were Montgomery with 16
and Tyson with 12. Williams had nine points, four rebouds, four
assists, two steals and two blocks.
Ontario High School product Jerrell Smith has 13 points and five
rebounds to lead Dominguez.
``This was do or die for us,'' said Montgomery, another of the
players that came back afer a benching. ``Our backs were to the wall.
We have to keep playing like this.''
The Coyotes will host Cal State Los Angeles at 5:30 tonight. Th
game is being played before the women's game tonight only, to
accommodate national television (CBS College Sports Channel).
DuBois Williams sat at the end of the bench at Wells Fargo Arena on the campus of Arizona State. A sprained ankle sidelined him, and all he could do was watch as the Sun Devils battled Cal State San Bernardino, a Division II school with a solid basketball tradition.
Four years later, the most significant playing time of his career is coming at that school. There were two other stops in-between but Williams has found a home and has emerged as the jack-of-all-trades for the Coyotes (9-7, 7-3), who will host CCAA leader Cal State Dominguez Hills (14-3, 8-2) at 7:30 p.m. on Friday at Coussoulis Arena.
It will be the start of a big weekend for the Coyotes, who host Cal State Los Angeles (10-7, 5-5) in a nationally televised game Saturday.
"I don't know where we would be without him. He has been our most consistent player. We know what he's going to give us every night," Cal State coach Jeff Oliver said. "He is big enough he can be a forward and skilled enough to play point, if that's where we need him. He does a little bit of everything."
Williams' line in the Coyotes' most recent game confirms his all-around contribution. He scored only four points in a 63-57 win over Monterey Bay last Friday, but he also had nine rebounds, five assists and three steals -- all team highs.
On the season, he is averaging 8.5 points but he also is second on the team in rebounding (6.0) and first in assists (3.1) and steals (2.4). He said he doesn't mind the role of an unsung hero.
He ranks second in the conference in steals and seventh in rebounding and field goal percentage (.521).
"Sure, I would I like to score 20 points a game. Every player wants to be the points guy," he said before practice on Wednesday. "But it's a team and everyone has to make sacrifices. I don't mind being the guy that does the cleanup as long as we win."
Williams, a 6-foot-6, 210-pound guard, took the long road to San Bernardino. He drew considerable attention from Division I schools during his prep days at Marcos DeNiza High School in Tempe, Ariz., but it faded considerably after he broke his foot for the second time his senior year.
He settled on Arizona State because it was the local school and hoped to earn a scholarship after walking on a freshman. That never happened and he ended up using his medical redshirt.
He transferred to Fresno City College and helped the Rams reach the state semifinal, where it lost to an unbeaten Fullerton team led by current teammate Tim Denson as well as former Coyotes Michael Earl and Phil Jones.
Then it was on to Division I St. Mary's, which also recruited him out of high school. After playing sparingly for two years he decided to seek a bigger role elsewhere.
"I didn't see my role changing," he said. "They had a lot of really good players. I liked the school and the players and I didn't want to be one of those guys complaining. I just wanted to go and play my senior year where I could have an impact and make a team better."
He planned on going to Division II Grand Canyon University, also in his home state, but that school was undergoing another coaching change. The former coach there suggested Cal State because of its tradition, playing facility and coaching staff.
Williams' father Dave, a former player at Oklahoma State and current coach of the ABA's Phoenix entry, got in touch with Oliver.
"We wanted him to be in a good program close enough we would get a chance to see him play," Dave Williams said. "We also wanted a total experience, not just a good place to play basketball but a good academic environment. It was the best of both worlds."
Williams made a trip to watch the Coyotes play in a summer league game at Cal Poly Pomona, then visited the school and worked out with some of the players. Oliver was sold.
"He was great," Oliver said. "Sometimes guys don't always look that good because you're throwing them into a mix with guys they don't know. But he was super."
It wasn't quite that easy. Williams had to complete an on-line Spanish class to finish off his degree from St. Mary's before he could enroll at Cal State. That grade didn't get posted until late August.
"We got him late, real late," Oliver said. "Late enough we weren't getting anyone else if he didn't get in."
The Coyotes haven't quite lived up to expectations, but Williams has been satisfied with the move. He already has a degree in communications and is seeking another, possibly in architecture so he has something to fall back on if the right professional opportunity doesn't come up.
He doesn't regret not coming to Cal State sooner, even though it might have meant more playing time.
"You can't have regrets," he said. "You have to make a decision and live with it. I have learned something
Chico State, which has won three conference crowns
since 2000, has been selected to capture the 2009 California
Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) regular-season title in a vote
of conference baseball coaches, it was announced on Tuesday.
The Wildcats totaled 73 points and garnered three first-place votes
to finish ahead of UC San Diego in the balloting.
The Tritons collected 70 points and four first-place votes. Defending CCAA
Champion Sonoma State (69), which received two first-place votes, was
third and followed by Cal State Stanislaus (56), Cal State L.A. (43),
Cal State San Bernardino (39), Cal Poly Pomona (37), Cal State
Dominguez Hills (31), Cal State Monterey Bay (17) and San Francisco
State (9).
Chico State, UC San Diego and Sonoma State each received three votes
to capture the CCAA Championship Tournament that is scheduled for May
7-9 at a neutral site to be announced at a later date. Cal State
Stanislaus also garnered a vote to win the postseason tournament.
Chico State begins the 2009 season ranked No. 7, while UC San Diego
is No. 4, Cal State Stanislaus No. 24 and Cal State L.A. is tied for
No. 40 in the Collegiate Baseball preseason poll.
The Wildcats are coming off a 41-17 record and an NCAA West Regional
Championship appearance in 2008. UC San Diego compiled a 43-18
overall record, finished second in the CCAA with a 25-11 mark and
advanced to the NCAA West Regionals.
Defending West Region Champion Sonoma State is un-ranked heading into
the 2009 season. The Seawolves enjoyed their finest season in program
history as they compiled a school-record 52-15 mark and finished
third at the 2008 NCAA Division II Championships Finals.
Cal State Stanislaus posted a 37-23 record and finished fourth in the
CCAA with a 24-12 mark. Cal State L.A. is coming off a 29-22 season
in 2008.
UC San Diego and Cal State San Bernardino will be the first two CCAA
teams to open the 2009 season when they get underway on Sunday, Feb.
1. The Tritons will host San Diego Christian College, while the
Coyotes begin a three-game series against Grand Canyon in Arizona.
California Collegiate Athletic Association
2009 Baseball Preseason Coaches Poll
Rank Team (First place votes) Points
1. Chico State (3) 73
2. UC San Diego (4) 70
3. Sonoma State (2) 69
4. Cal State Stanislaus (1) 56
5. Cal State L.A. 43
6. Cal State San Bernardino 39
7. Cal Poly Pomona 37
8. Cal State Dominguez Hills 31
9. Cal State Monterey Bay 17
10. San Francisco State 9
CBS College Sports Network is available on various cable and satellite providers throughout the country. Charlie Neal and Roland Williams will provide the play-by-play and analysis.
"This will be a great opportunity for Cal State L.A. and Cal State San Bernardino to showcase their programs," California Collegiate Athletic Association Commissioner Robert J. Hiegert said. "The CCAA has a rich basketball tradition and having a nationally-televised game will provide exposure to the conference and its member institutions. People tuning into the broadcast from around the country will have an opportunity to see the high caliber of play that the CCAA is recognized for at the Division II level."
This is the third year of the television agreement between Division II and CBS Sports Network (formerly CSTV).
"Our partnership with CBS College Sports has been a successful and productive Division II initiative," said Mike Racy, vice-president of NCAA Division II. "We are able to provide national exposure for the student-athletes and their institutions while also providing viewers a unique glimpse into the division and the way we balance academics and athletics excellence."
The Cal State L.A.-Cal State San Bernardino showdown will be one of five men's NCAA Division II broadcasts, which will began on Jan. 3 with Chaminade at Dixie State. After the Golden Eagles and Coyotes on Jan. 31, Colorado Christian will be at Metro State on Feb. 14, Northwest Missouri State will be at Central Missouri on Feb. 21 and Wheeling Jesuit will be at West Liberty State on Feb. 28.
In addition, four women's games will also be broadcast. Florida Southern was at Barry on Jan. 10, East Stroudsburg was at Shippensburg on Jan. 17, Incarnate Word was at Saint Mary's (Texas) on Jan. 24 and Northwest Nazarene will be at Seattle Pacific on Feb. 7.
The games will also be syndicated through regional sports networks and made available via broadband at www.ncaa.org.
"NCAA Division II basketball has been a staple of our strategy to serve fans at every level," said Tim Pernetti, executive vice-president for content at CBS College Sports Network. "Our partnership with the NCAA continues to thrive on many fronts, providing a well-deserved national showcase for NCAA Division II athletics and some memorable moments on the CBS College Sports Network."
In addition, the women's game between Cal State L.A. and Cal State San Bernardino will be moved from the normal 5:30 p.m. start time to 8 p.m.
The two teams met earlier this season and Cal State San Bernardino pulled out a 73-70 overtime victory in Los Angeles.
The struggle continues for the Cal State San Bernardino women as
the Coyotes dropped their fifth straight game, this one to the
visiting Otters 65-58.
``We're lacking some maturity and it is showing,'' Cal State coach
Kevin Becker said. ``We have been struggling with it all year. It's
just been tougher because we're not pulling out the games we were
earlier.''
The Coyotes (7-9, 5-5) went on a 19-0 run that started with the
last 7:05 of the first half. They had their biggest lead of the game
after at 38-23 on a jumper from the corner by Shannon Gholar 1:30
into the seconds half.
But Cal State couldn't hold on. The Otters (9-7, 4-6) rallied back
and led 56-52 on a corner jumper by Helen Suarez with 4:30 to go.
The Coyotes trailed 59-56 but missed their next three shots from
the field and the Otters grabbed the rebound each time. The Otters
hit just 14 of 24 free throws but Suarez hit two to make it 61-56
and Andrews added two with 44 seconds left to put the game ot of
reach.
Krystal Urzua tallied 12 points and seven rebounds while Morgan
Pryor added 11. Lisa Takata had a team-high six assists.
Gholar had eight points and four assists but left the game
with a hyperextended knee with 15:06 left and Cal State up 40-30.
|
By Michelle Gardner ``To me we have more talent than nay team in the league,'' Reggie |
to lead the Cal Poly Pomona women to a 69-57 win over visiting Cal
State Monterey Bay Friday at Kellogg Gymnasium.
It was the seventh double-double of Colson's two-year career and
the fifth this season. She also dished out seven assists and had two
steals in helping the Broncos (10-8, 6-3) hold on to a share of
second place in the CCAA.
``At times we really executed,'' Broncos coach Scott Davis said.
``In the second half they made a run and we started speeding up the
game and we got a little chaotic.''
The Broncos led by as many as 15 points in the first half, that
advantage coming on a jumper from the baseline by Colson that made it
33-18 with 3:37 left.
The closest the Otters got in the second half was six points after
LaShawn Johnson nailed a 3-pointer to cut the defcit to 40-34.
The Broncos responded with a 9-0 run with four different players
factoring in. A 3-pointer by Emily Nichols gave Cal Poly a 49-35 edge
and the Broncos never looked back despite getting sloppy in the
closing minutes.
Danah Smith was the only other player in double figures with 11.
The Broncos shot 45 percent (27-for-60) from the field but only
went 10-for-20 from the line and committed 21 turnovers.
Junior guard Helen Suarez had 24 points to lead the Otters (8-7,
3-6) who shot 37.7 percent (20-for-53) from the field, 47.4 percent
(9-for-19) from the line and had 22 turnovers.
is to have others to pick up the slack. The Cal Poly Pomona Broncos
did that and ran away with an impressive 79-60 win over visiting Cal
State Monterey Bay Friday at Kellog Gymnasium.
Senior preseason All-American Larry Gordon managed just nine
points. It was his fifth straight game in single digits after 40
straight in double digits dating back to his sophomore season.
But the Broncos had four players finish in double figures.
Walter Thompson led the way with 19 points, followed by Austin
Swift (17), Tobias Jahn (14) and Robert Summers (10).
``We got a balanced team effort, the most balanced we've had in
awhile,'' coach Greg Kamansky said. ``If we can have that balance
and run that efficient an offense, we'll do alright.''
The Broncos started strong, surging out to a 21-6 lead with
11:21 left in the half. Cal Poly maintained that double digit lead
and was up 39-29 at the half.
Gordon managed just two in the first half, that bucket coming on
a jumper with 3:35 left in the half giving his team a 37-25 lead.
That came only seconds after he missed his first field goal try of
the game, a 3-pointer from the top of the key.
Gordon hit 4 of 7 tries from the field. All but three of Gordon's
field goal attempts came from the perimeter. He traditionally scores
most of his points off rebounds, drives to the basket or from the
free-throw line.
The others took advantage of their openings. It helped that so
many of the newcomers have setttled in and seem to have gotten past
the adjustment phase.
``Coach wants us to take the open shots,'' said Swift, last week's
CCAA Player of the Week. ``They were sagging off a bit since we
hadn't been hitting from outside so I had some open shots. I'm
feeling more confident taking them.''
Kamansky has been pleased with his standout's demeanor through
his uncharacteristic slump. With 7:30 left in the game Gordon broke
free and unleashed a slam dunk, only to be called for traveling. He
just smiled.
The offensive drought hasn't affected his play in other areas.
Gordon, the leading rebounder in the conference, snagged 14 boards,
all on the defensive end. He also had three steals.
Kamansky thinks it's only a matter of time before the Gordon of
old is back.
``He looked a lot better tonight,'' Kamanksy said. ``He played a
lot more in control and he made better decisions.''
Cal Poly finished with a huge 46-30 advantage on the boards.
Gordon was followed by Summers with 11 and Jahn with seven.
Fans that can't make it to Coussoulis Arena can still see the Cal
State San Bernardino men's and women's home basketball games which
are being aired this season on San Bernardino community access
channel 3.
Games are aired live with replays also aired the following week.
Right now that means games are going out to about 50,000 homes. But
Cal State athletic director Kevin Hatcher is hoping to expand that in
the future. His future goal is to have neighboring communities such
as Rialto, Redlands and Fontana pick up the games on their local
community access channels too.
"Our goal is to eventually have the games seen in all of the Inland
Empire," he said. "We can reach as many as 200,000 homes."
The project started in the fall with select volleyball matches being
aired.
The commentary is handled by Dan Hubbard and Ross French.
Hatcher said he isn't concerned that enabling residents to see the
games in their homes will prevent them from coming out in person.
"You have to expose people to your product first," he said. "We want
people to see it and then say , `Hey that looks like a fun thing to
go out and see.'"
Staff Writer
POMONA - Not even Cal Poly Pomona coach Greg Kamansky is sure what is
ailing his star player Larry Gordon. But he'll have another chance to
find out as the Broncos (8-5, 4-4) complete the first round of CCAA
player with a showdown against Monterey Bay (11-4, 5-3) tonight at
Kellogg Gymnasium.
San Francisco State (8-7, 2-6) then comes in on Saturday.
The women's teams from the same schools will square off at 5:30 p.m.
on both nights.
Gordon (13.2 ppg, 10.1 rpg) is a two-time first team All-CCAA
selection and he was a preseason All-American. He scored in double
figures for 40 straight games but has managed just a total of 28 in
the last four games.
The good news is that Gordon's rebounding has not suffered. He leads
the conference in that department and has collected 46 boards in the
same four games in which he has slumped offensively.
``We can win without him but we won't win the big one,'' Kamansky
said. ``He just has to start making some shots. We don't want him to
be afraid to shoot. Hopefully it will come.''
While Gordon has struggled, a couple of others with Division I
experience have picked up the slack. Austin Swift (10.7 ppg, 5.4
rpg), who came to the Broncos from University of Montana, almost two
years ago, scored 41 points in the last two games, earning him
conference player of the week honors.
Walter Thompson (13.3 ppg), in his first year after coming over from
University of Portland, is averaging double figures and is leading
the CCAA in free-throw shooting (.931).
Kamansky's squad is also a bit depleted. He carries a small squad to
begin with but it is getting smaller as reserve forward Kyle Krause
is out with a torn tendon in his thumb.
Sophomore forward Tobias Jahn (7.1 ppg, 5.5 rpg), who has been
playing well of late, broke a finger in Saturday's overtime win at
Sonoma State. He will try and play but if he can't the Broncos would
be left with just one true post player - true freshman Dwayne Fells
(5.4 ppg, 3.8 rpg).
Monterey Bay (11-4, 5-3) is having its best season since joining the
CCAA five years ago. The Otters are just a win away from equaling
their win total of last season and boast one of the leading scorers
in the conference in Steve Monreal (16.5 ppg) and the second-leading
rebounder in Joe Mitchell (11.5 ppg, 8.9 rpg).
San Francisco State (8-7, 2-6) has lost six straight games but of the
team's six losses, five came on the road and five of the six came by
a combined margin of 15 points. One was in overtime.
It returns most of the players from last year's team, one of them
being Apple Valley native Will Logan (8.4 ppg, 4.1 rpg), now a senior.
The Cal Poly Pomona women (9-8, 5-3) are part of a four-way tie for
second place, two games behind UC San Diego. The Broncos have also
struggled with injuries with freshman Megan Ford out for the season
after tearing an ACL.
Staff Writer
Cal State San Bernardino coach Jeff Oliver hopes his team learned a
lesson about complacency last week when it slipped up against sub-par
Sonoma State before taking on Humboldt State.
The Coyotes (8-6, 6-2) survived the road trip and are tied for first
place in the CCAA with Humboldt State (13-5, 6-2) and Dominguez Hills
(12-3, 6-2).
That possibility looms again this week when Cal State opens with
struggling San Francisco State, then faces a Monterey Bay squad that
is just one game behind the three frontrunners. Game time both nights
at Coussoulis Arena is 7:30 p.m. with the women's teams from the same
school squaring off at 5:30 p.m.
"I would hope our guys have learned that you can't take a night off
against the quality of competition we face in this conference,'' he
said. "These two teams are both dangerous teams and we're going to
have to be ready to play.''
The two games will mark the end of the first round of conference play.
San Francisco State (8-7, 2-6) has lost six straight games but Oliver
is leery of the Gators, coached by last year's coach of the year Bill
Tressler. Of the team's six losses, five came on the road and five of
the six came by a combined margin of 15 points. One was in overtime.
It returns most of the players from last year's team, one of them
being Apple Valley native Will Logan (8.4 ppg, 4.1 rpg), now a senior.
Monterey Bay (11-4, 5-3) is having its best season since joining the
CCAA five years ago. The Otters are just a win away from equaling
their win total of last season and boast one of the leading scorers
in the conference in Steve Monreal (16.5 ppg) and the second-leading
rebounder in Joe Mitchell (11.5 ppg, 8.9 rpg).
Oliver criticized his team's lack of intensity and energy early in
the season but the Coyotes have made progress there. He credits
DuBois Williams, Lawrence Tyson and Tim Denson for leading the surge.
Denson (10.6 ppg) is coming off a season-high 25-point showing at
Humboldt State. He was also a key factor in the Coyotes defensive
effort.
``He isn't a real vocal guy. He's more the leader by example,''
Oliver said. ``They see the way he is playing and they have followed
his example.''
While Brandon Brown (17.5 ppg, 8.5 rpg) and Devin Montgomery (13.8
ppg) are also in double figures Oliver isn't overlooking the
contribution of Williams (8.5 ppg, 5.8 rgp), whom he calls a glue
guy. He leads the team in intangible categories such as assists and
steals.
``He was tremendous in the game against Humboldt. He really set the
tone with all the things he did,'' Oliver said. ``He can score, but
it is really the other things he does well.''
The men's game can be heard live on KCAA (1050-AM). Both the men's
and women's games can also be seen on San Bernardino community access
channel 3.
Cal State San Bernardino is sponsoring the NCAA Basketball "Take a Kid to the Game" day on Saturday, Jan. 31, 2009, when the men will host Cal State L.A. at 5:30 pm in a nationally-televised game and the women will host Cal State L.A. at 8 p.m. in Coussoulis Arena.
Area youth are invited to attend this special event and receive a free ticket. Up to two adults accompanying the youth will receive half-priced tickets. Youth will have the opportunity to be a part of a national TV audience, see NCAA mascot JJ Jumper and watch the Coyote men and women compete for wins over the Golden Eagles.
Cal State San Bernardino is promoting one of more than 700 games that will be played across the nation as part of the Take a Kid to the Game (TAKG) program in its 12th season. The project is a grass roots initiative that attracts the nation's youth and encourages adults to take kids to area college basketball games.
"We are thrilled to invite area youth to our campus and have them cheer on the Coyotes to victory. It is our hope that adults in the community will bring their children out to experience a college athletic event at Cal State San Bernardino," said Dr. Kevin Hatcher, Athletic Director.
Tickets for this special game can be purchased in advance or distributed on game day at the Coussoulis Arena Ticket office adjacent to the arena lobby. Reserved tickets are normally $8.00 and general admission is $5.00. Parking is free in Lots G, H and the East Parking Structure.
For ticket sales and information, contact Liza Wilson at 909-537-5048 or lwilson@csusb.edu. For more information on CSUSB basketball, go to www.csusbathletics.com
NCAA Basketball is a national sponsor of the Take a Kid to the Game program. To learn about other NCAA Men's or Women's Basketball initiatives, please visit http://www.ncaa.org/wps/ncaa?ContentID=34504 for more information.
The honors just keep coming for the 2008 Cal State San Bernardino women's volleyball team.
On Tuesday, hours after Barack Obama was sworn in as the 44th President of the
Standing before Mayor Patrick Morris and members of the council and live television cameras, the Coyotes players and Head Coach Kim Cherniss received individual commendations from the mayor.
The Coyotes captured their third straight California Collegiate Athletic Association title and sixth in the last eight seasons. CSUSB then won the West Regional for the third time and advanced to the NCAA national championship in
"This team has brought honor to the city and the university," Mayor Morris said. "They brought us a league championship, a regional championship and ended up oh so close to making history by winning the university's first national (team) championship."
Morris called each player up, one-by-one, to receive a special commendation that recognized the team's outstanding contribution to the university and the community.
He also presented a special commendation to Cherniss who he said was a "great coach who has taken her teams to regional and national competition "time and time again."
Cherniss acknowledged the recognition, saying, "Thank you Mayor and members of the City Council for honoring our girls. What they do on and off the court represents the best of the university they represent. They competed with honor and they continue to make great strides in the classroom as well. Competing at the national tournament and reaching the championship match was a joyous time and I could not be prouder of them."
Following the presentation, senior Jessica Granados, a first-team all-American, all-West Region and the CCAA conference MVP for the second straight year, presented Morris with a CSUSB Volleyball sweatshirt.
The 2003 volleyball team coached by Cherniss made a similar appearance before the City Council after winning the CCAA, the West Regional and reaching the semifinals of the NCAA national championship, which CSUSB hosted in Coussoulis Arena.
Staff Writer
POMONA - All season long Cal Poly Pomona basketball coach Greg Kamansky has been waiting to get some points out of someone other than Larry Gordon or Austin Swift. They finally did and the end result was a 54-51 win over visiting UC San Diego Saturday at Kellogg
Gymnasium.
Senior standout Larry Gordon had scored in double digits for 40 straight games before being held to eight on Thursday by Cal State San Bernardino. He had just five against the Tritons but delivered a pair of clutch free throws with nine seconds left to secure the win.
``He's drawing a lot of attention right now,'' Cal Poly Pomona coach Greg Kamansky said of Gordon. ``He has to make some passes and he needs to finish better. But it's not like he's not trying. And he have to put it in perspective. He had 14 rebounds. He leads us doing
other things.''
The lead changed hands seven times in the second half, doing so for the last time when Swift hit a free throw to give the Broncos a 46-45 lead with 5:11 left. They later led by four at 52-48 on a putback by Dwayne Fells with 2:24 to go.
But the Tritons (6-6, 3-3) have several players capable of hitting from long distance and it was Alan Husted draining his third of the night with 1:18 to play to pull San Diego into striking distance at 52-51.
Cal Poly (7-4, 3-3) turned the ball over on its next possession but the Tritons failed to capitalize as Brett Stuckey missed a 3-pointer from the top of the key. He grabbed the carom off his own miss and Jordan Lawley lofted up a short runner over the outstretched arms of Tobias Jahn.
Stuckey was called for a holding foul on the play, sending Gordon to the free-throw line. He made both but the Tritons got the ball back. An off-balance 3-pointer from the to of the key by Husted wasn't even close and was pulled down by Gordon as time expired.
``Teams have just beat us physically,'' Kamansky said. ``They (San
Diego) were doing it to us in the first half and I challenged them.
We came out in the second half and started winning some battles.''
Jahn and Walter Thompson had 10 each to lead the Broncos, who shot 40.4 percent (19-for-47). Fells chipped in with nine and Dahir Nassir added eight. Cal Poly had a huge 37-20 lead on the boards led by Gordon.
San Diego, which shot 41 percent (16-for-39), got 14 fromn Husted and Shane Poppen.
The Broncos hit the road for games next weekend against Sonoma State and Humboldt State.
By Michelle Gardner
Staff Writer
It has been a tough week for the Cal Poly Pomona women's basketball team. The Broncos started the week in a three-way tie for first place but has dropped off the pace, falling to UC San Diego 62-58 Saturday at Kellogg Gymnasium.
The losses, which came by a combined eight points, came to the teams Cal Poly (8-7, 4-2) was tied with at the start of the week.
Making matters worse freshman center Megan Ford, the team's leading rebounder and second-leading scorer, went down with a knee injury with 12:15 left in the contest.
The game was tied 26-all at the half. The Broncos led by as many as nine points at 45-36 about two minutes after Ford went down battling for a loose ball.
The Tritons (13-2, 6-0) drew even at 46 with 5:03 to play on a 3-pointer by Kristen Cabral and went on to go ahead 51-46.
From there it was all uphill for the Broncos. The host team snapped a five-minute scoring drought at 3:05 on two free throws by Reyana Colson making it 51-48.
Emily Nichol's fourth 3-pointer of the game put the Broncos in striking distance at 57-56 with 32 seconds left. It was 58-56 when the Broncos got the ball back but Stephisha Walton missed inside and San Diego got the rebound with 11 seconds left. The Tritons then put
the game away at the free throw line.
Colson tallied 17 points, five rebounds, five assists and three steals. Nichol had 12. Walton snagged a team-high 16 boards with six assists to go with her seven points.
San Diego senior Michelle Osier led all scorers with 24 points. She also collected 10 rebounds.
| By Michelle Gardner Staff Writer SAN BERNARDINO - The most recent showdown between Cal Poly Pomona and Cal State San Bernardino followed the same pattern as so many others. Hard-fought from the opening tip. Low scoring. Too many dramatic shots to count. But it was the Coyotes emerging with a 67-63 win over their neighborhood rival Thursday at Coussoulis Arena. The win puts the Coyotes (6-5, 4-1) in first place for the moment. They started the night tied for first place with four other teams. ``It doesn't matter who's up or who's down and in the last seasons we've both been up,'' Cal State coach Jeff Oliver said. ``It's always going to be a battle and they hit shots and made it tough down the stretch.'' The second half was a battle the entire way. The Broncos led 29-27 at the half but the lead changed hands 10 times in the last 20 minutes. The Broncos (6-4, 2-3) had a 56-50 lead with 5:35 to go only to have the Coyotes storm back via the long ball. Reggie Brown hit the second of his three 3-pointers on the night and was fouled on the shot. He made the free throw to cut the deficit to 56-54. ``We made some mental mistakes as far as our defensive rotation,'' Cal Poly Pomona coach Greg Kamansky said. ``And that four-point play was huge and put them back in the game. There were just too many times where we didn't finish.'' A turnover at the Bronco end gave the host team a chance to seize the lead and capitalize it did. Again it was Brown coming up with the shot, with another bomb putting the Coyotes back up 57-56 with 5:11 to go. It was even at 61 after Cal State's Devin Montgomery drained a 3 with 2:56 to play. Each team missed its next two shots with the opposing team coming up with the rebound. The Coyotes took the lead for good when Brandon Brown muscled his way inside for a bucket that made it 63-61. The Broncos turned the ball over seconds later with Austin Swift taking a tumble in the lane and Brandon Brown coming up with the loose ball. Lawrence Tyson followed with a fadeway jumper a few feet out, making it 65-61 with 17 seconds left that sealed the Broncos fate. ``We were fortunate enough that we finally stuck to the game plan in the last couple of minutes,'' Oliver said. ``The game plan was to get the ball in the paint. And we finally did that after 35 minutes.'' The Broncos shot 49 percent (25-for-51) in the game while the Coyotes managed 44 percent (22-for-50). One of the biggest differences came from long distance as the Coyotes made 12 of 27 tried from long distance. Cal Poly did better than it has in the past but made just five of 17. Walter Thompson led the Broncos with 16. Tobias Jahn added 15 with seven rebounds. Larry Gordon had just eight, snapping a streak of 40 straight games in double figures. Gordon also collected seven rebounds. The Coyotes were led by Montgomery's 15 points, including a 3-for-4 effort from long distance. Both Browns had 13, with Brandon snagging a team-high 10 rebounds. ``It was a great game tonight. Unfortunately we camne out on the losing end,'' Kamansky said. ``But we've come out on the winning side of those too. We played hard tonight and I'm proud of our guys.'' Both teams next get UC San Diego. The Coyotes will host the Tritons Friday at Coussoulis Arena while the Broncos will do so on Saturday. |
By Lindsay Czarnecki
Staff Writer
SAN BERNARDINO - Cal State's Krystal Urzua was the top scorer in the
CCAA, averaging 17 points a game going into Thursday's contest
against rival Cal Poly.
For the first 33 minutes the Broncos had solved Urzua, holding her
scoreless from the field.
And then overtime came.
Urzua scored eight of her team's 13 overtime points to lead the
Coyotes to a 61-59 victory at Coussoulis Arena.
"I felt like I was just trying to get my shot off and it just wasn't
working," Urzua said. "I was head-faking and my shot was off, I would
drive it and I was still off. It was completely frustrating.
"My coach told me get up and usually when he says that it means I'm
playing like crap and so that just got me going."
With the score locked at 48 apiece, the Coyotes entered the extra
frame and jumped to a 53-50 lead with Urzua scoring all five points.
The game-changer came with 1:10 to go when Urzua hit a 3-pointer,
which extended the Coyote lead to 59-54.
"She took over and that's what good players do. She's been real
consistent for us," Cal State head coach Kevin Becker said.
Both teams entered the game tied for first place in the conference
with UC San Diego. The loss broke Cal Poly's 6-game winning streak
while Cal State (7-4, 5-0) remained undefeated in CCAA play.
Cal State's Morgan Pryor's offensive rebound off a missed free throw
with 17 seconds left put the Broncos in a fouling situation again.
She made one of two free throws, putting the score at 61-59.
The Broncos (8-6, 4-1) had a chance to tie the game and got the shot
they wanted, but Megan Ford's turnaround hook attempt at the buzzer
bounced off the rim and out.
"What ended the game was not the missed shot it was boxing out on the
rebounds, " Cal Poly coach Scott Davis said.
"That would have given us a golden opportunity to win the game with a
lot of time left and we don't box out and it's a two point game.
"They out-toughed us in every aspect of the game."
Urzua, despite shooting just 7 for 23 from the field, finished with
21 points to go with eight rebounds.
The game was fit to be sent to overtime as it was tied at the half at
26 and neither team led by more than six points throughout.
Cal Poly's Reyana Colson posted a game-high 24 and 10 rebounds.
Cal Poly Pomona coach Greg Kamansky thinks he is getting Cal State San Bernardino at a bad time - right when it is starting to play well.
"If the first three guys don't beat you, the next four will. If it's not those four, it could be the next three. They have lots of weapons," he said.
The two local teams renew their rivalry Thursday at 7:30 p.m. at Coussoulis Arena. The women's game between the same two schools will tip-off at 5:30 p.m.
The Coyotes (5-5, 3-1) are close to full strength for the first time, led by 6-foot-7 junior Brandon Brown (18.8 ppg, 11 rpg). Brown was named CCAA Player of the week for his showing in the Coyotes two victories last week.
Cal State's guard trio of Devin Montgomery (14.6 ppg), Tim Denson (10 ppg) and Lawrence Tyson (10.2 ppg) are also averaging double figures individually.
Freshman Jordan Richard will be back after not being playing in the last four games, giving Oliver a full complement of players for the first time.
"We've had a good few days of practice. It's been pretty scarey," coach Jeff Oliver said.
The Coyotes are tied with four other team for first in the balanced CCAA. The competion has been so even that just four games into the 20-game conference schedule all 11 teams have at least one loss.
Oliver also expects the Broncos (6-3, 2-2) to be part of the big picture even if they're slightly off the pace now.
"We thought there was parity last year. There is even more this year," Oliver said. "We're going to beat each other up all season. It will be who can be the most consistent."
The Coyotes biggest trouble spots had been ball-handling and rebounding, although the arrival of Brown has helped with the latter. Cal State was outrebounded in the first six games it played, some bu a significant margin. Since Brown stepped in four games ago the Coyotes have not lost a battle on the boards.
Cal Poly has arguably the best individual player in the conference in senior Larry Gordon (15.9 ppg, 9.4 rpg) but it's weak spot has been outside shooting. The Broncos have made just 32 of 123 tries (.260) from 3-point range.
Opponents have been packing the paint against the Broncos and giving up the perimeter shots. Kamansky doesn't expect that to change.
"That's pretty much the book on us. I expect that from everyone that plays us," Kamansky said. "The only way it will change is if we start making some shots.
Cal Poly has a 19-17 overall edge in the series with wins in three of the last four meetings.
Despite being rivals, the coaches have a mutual respect for each other.
While the Coyotes look to have the edge, Oliver is prepared for a challenge.
"They'll play us tough. They always do," Oliver said. "They're not the deepest team but they always do a great job with what they have."
By T.J. Berka
Staff Writer
POMONA - After a sluggish offensive effort in Friday's loss to Chico
State, the Cal Poly Pomona was looking for the perfect victim to get
back on track against.
Enter Cal State Stanislaus.
The Broncos made short work of the Warriors Saturday night at Kellogg
Gym, outscoring Stanislaus by 16 points in the first half en route to
a 90-66 victory.
With the win, Cal Poly (6-3, 2-2) moved back to .500 in the CCAA in
time for a Thursday showdown with Cal State San Bernardino. But more
importantly, they expunged the struggles against Chico State thanks
to a 28-11 run to end the first half.
"It was a lot better tonight," Cal Poly coach Greg Kamansky said. "We
got on their butts after (Friday) and the guys came out and created
their own energy tonight. They didn't sit back and wait for the other
team to create it for them."
The Warriors (4-5, 0-4) actually started out all right, taking an
11-10 lead with just over eight minutes gone in the first half. But
Cal Poly Pomona's defense got the Warriors off their rhythm, as it
forced Stanislaus into 12 first-half turnovers.
In the process, the Broncos unleashed themselves on the offensive
end, taking the lead and pushing it to 38-22 at halftime - only nine
less than they scored in the Chico State affair.
"The defense really got us going," Kamansky said. "We did a good job
of actually making a few jump shots tonight, but getting the defense
going and getting the turnovers seemed to feed the offense."
The production continued into the second half, guided by five Bronco
players that scored in double figures. Senior forward Larry Gordon, a
Montclair graduate, led the way with 24 points and 10 rebounds, the
40th straight game in which he has scored in double figures.
Walter Thompson was next with 18 points, 11 coming in the first half,
while Robert Summers pitched in 16 points in only his fourth game of
the season. Austin Swift scored 11 points, while 6-foot-9 sophomore
Tobias Jahn had 10 points and eight rebounds.
"For this team to be successful, everyone has to be able to score the
ball," Kamansky said. "No matter who you are, you are going to be
called on to score. When we have five guys in double figures like we
did tonight, we are a tough team to stop."
Stanislaus was led by Casey Cutts, who hit six 3-pointers on his way
to 19 points. Michael Dyson scored 11 for the Warriors, who got
within nine points midway through the second half before a technical
foul by coach Keith Larsen set off a backbreaking Cal Poly run.
Cal Poly Pomona women 65, Cal State Stanislaus 56
Freshman center Megan Ford came up big late to lead the Broncos (8-5
overall, 4-0 CCAA) to their sixth straight game, scoring 11 straight
points in a five-minute span to spark a 22-7 game-ending run.
Ford, who ended up with 22 points and 10 rebounds, personally
outscored the Warriors (6-5, 1-3) 11-2 during a five-minute stretch
starting with 7:35 left in the game, hitting five shots from the
floor and converting a free throw to turn a 49-43 Stanislaus lead
into a 54-51 Bronco advantage. Cal Poly put it away from there.
"Megan came up big tonight, especially for a freshman," Cal Poly
coach Scott Davis said. "She got some shots blocked early in the game
and didn't back down. She was creative with her attack and made some
big shots."
Ford's output, coupled with an aggressive Broncos defense that forced
Stanislaus into 20 turnovers, kept the Broncos tied with Cal State
San Bernardino atop the CCAA standings. The two teams will face off
Thursday at Cal State.
"We did a good job of getting our hands in the passing lanes and
diving on the floor for loose balls," Davis said. "A year ago at this
time a loose ball in the paint would be picked up and put in for a
layup, but now we have four players on the floor. Shows me that their
will to win has increased."
Junior Stephisha Walton added 13 points and six rebounds for Cal Poly
while Reyana Colson filled the box score with 12 points, five
rebounds, five assists and four steals. Katie Busi had 16 points and
10 rebounds to lead Stanislaus, while Lysandra Williams added 15
points.
Junior Morgan Pryor spearheaded a Cal State San Bernardino comeback and the Coyotes rallied for a 68-67 win over defending CCAA champion Chico State. The win keeps the Coyotes (6-4, 4-0) tied for first place with Cal Poly Pomona and UC San Diego.
Pryor scored 14 of her game-high 18 in the second half and had eight in the last four minutes. She nailed a 3-pointer with 43 seconds left just as the shot clock expired to put Cal State up 68-64.
But the Wildcats (5-6, 1-3) came back at the other end with Melissa Richardson hitting a 3 from the top of the key with 26 seconds left to make it 68-67.
Chico fouled to send the Coyotes to the line with 22 seconds left and Lisa Takata, who made a key one in overtime the previous night, missed both and the Wildcats Cory Edwards snagged the rebound.
Chico failed to take advantage as Natasha Smith was called for a ballhandling violation. But it wasn't over yet.
The Wildcats sent Shannon Gholar to the line with nine seconds left and she also missed both. Again Chico corraled the rebound and rushed down court to get a shot off but a 3-pointer by Sam Oelsner from the top of the key was well off the mark.
``It was a good win for us,'' Coach Kevin Becker said. ``We're still trying to figure out who we are with so many new players.''
Pryor was followed by Krystal Urzua with 17 points, 10 rebounds and two steals. Jaclyn Rainville added 15 points, seven rebounds and three blocks.
The Coyotes, who shot just 22 the previous night, managed 40 percent (24-for-60) while the Wildcats shot 54.3 (25-for-46). Chico won the battle on the boards 32-31, but had 16 turnovers to Cal State's six.
Staff Writer
SAN BERNARDINO - Cal State San Bernardino men's basketball coach
Jeff Oliver admits he's a hard man to please. But his Coyotes are doing
better. The Coyotes won their third straight game, upending Chico
State 75-57 in CCAA play Saturday at Coussoulis Arena.
The win moved the Coyotes into a tie for first place as both UC San
Diego and Monterey Bay, who were atop the standings at the start of
the night, lost their respective games.
Oliver had been openly critical of his team's lack of hustle and
intensity in the first eight or so games. But the Coyotes (5-5, 3-1)
have made progress in both those areas.
``We're playing in spurts,'' he said. ``Our bad stretches are
getting shorter but we still have to many of them. But our intensity is
getting better. When we execute and have a high energy level we can
be a pretty good team.''
Early in the season the Coyotes struggled getting out of the gate.
This time that wasn't a problem as the host team led by as many as 16
in the opening half, with a layup off a steal by Tim Denson giving
Cal State a 31-15 lead with 3:16 left.
But the Wildcats (4-7, 1-3) finished the half with a 6-1 run and
started the second with an 8-0 spurt, getting in striking distance on
a bucket by Andy Bocian that made it 32-29.
``It wasn't really what they were doing,'' said Lawrence Tyson,
who scored 18 points. ``We lost our intensity and focus and let them back
in the game.''
That stretch was the most worrisome for Oliver.
``We had a chance to bury them and really take the wind out of
their sails,'' he said. ``We could have really separated ourselves and we
didn't do it.''
Cal State regrouped in the middle of the second half and finally
got some breathing room. Up 47-43, the Coyotes reeled off eight straight
points, punctuated by a 3-pointer from Tyson that made it 56-43 with
6:46 left.
The lead ballooned back to 15 at 60-45 on a pair of Tyson free
throws. The closest the Wildcats would get after that was seven at
62-55.
The Coyotes put the game away at the line with Tim Denson hitting
four in a row that gave Cal State a 72-57 cushion in the closing
minute.
Brandon Brown finished with 19 points and nine rebounds, one short
of his fourth straight double-double. Tyson was next followed by Denson
with 13. He also collected six assists.
Cal State shot 49.1 percent (26-for-53) from the field and held
Chico to 36.5 (23-for-63). Cal State won the boards 39-32.
`` We just had to get back in rhythm,'' Brown said.``We just let
them back in. But then we came back and stepped on them again.''
The Coyotes will square off against local rival Cal Poly Pomona
(6-3, 2-2) Thursday at Coussoulis Arena. The Broncos turned back Cal
State Stanislaus Saturday.
By T.J. Berka
Staff Writer
SAN BERNARDINO - The first game for the Cal State San Bernardino
men's basketball team at Coussoulis Arena since Nov. 16 wasn't just
significant because it was the first home game in a long time. It
also might have been the game that brought the Coyotes back in range
of their preseason predictions.
The Coyotes have struggled for much of the 2008-09 season but
certainly looked good against Cal State Stanislaus on Friday,
breaking out to a 92-68 win over the Warriors.
"This is a big win and we need to have another big effort (tonight)
against Chico State," Cal State coach Jeff Oliver said. "We are still
looking up in the standings, so we got to keep winning games in a row
until we are back on top."
The Coyotes (4-5 overall, 2-1 CCAA) looked more like the previous
versions of Cal State teams that have won CCAA titles, been
nationally ranked and have advanced deep into the Division II
playoffs than it has all year, especially after the midway point of
the first half.
Stanislaus (4-4, 0-3) started off hot, taking a 21-17 with just under
12 minutes left in the first half. Cal State locked the Warriors down
from that point on, finishing the half with a 20-7 run to take the
37-28 lead.
"The two things we have had problems with all year are turnovers and
not playing consistent defense," Oliver said. "In those first 10
minutes, we were going through that same thing. We had five turnovers
in the first five minutes and they got some quick baskets on us. We
did a better job after that."
Brandon Brown ended the half with a bang, going coast-to-coast for an
emphatic right-handed slam dunk as the buzzer sounded. The dunk,
started by a blocked shot by senior point guard Devin Montgomery,
arguably was flushed in the net right after the clock hit zero.
But while his dunk may have been disputed, Brown's impact on Cal
State since his debut in late December. The junior from New Orleans
averaged 20 points, 12.5 rebounds and 3.5 blocked shots per game
coming into Friday and was close to maintaining those numbers,
compiling 16 points, 10 rebounds and a blocked shot.
"Brandon brings lots of energy," Cal State junior guard Lawrence
Tyson said. "He's a big presence in the post and really makes an
impact down there offensively and defensively."
Brown was far from the only Coyote that was feeling it though. The
Coyotes scorched the nets in the second half, shooting 55.0 percent
from the floor while outscoring Stanislaus 55-40.
Tyson was one of the Coyotes who felt it in the second half. After
missing the only shot he took in the first 20 minutes, Tyson was 6 of
8 from the field in the second half, including 3 of 5 from 3-point
range. He ended up with 15 points.
Montgomery and DuBois Williams also finished in double figures for
the Coyotes, scoring 11 and 10 points, respectively. Williams was one
of three Coyotes to have double-figure rebounds, joining Brown and
Tavaris Gilbert, who led Cal State with 12 boards. Benny Koochoie led
Stanislaus with 15 points.
Staff Writer
POMONA - For one game at least the Cal Poly Pomona Broncos reverted
back to their ways of last year. And that isn't a good thing.
Chico State jumped out to a big lead early and the Broncos never recovered, falling to a more physical Wildcat team 55-47 Friday in CCAA play at Kellogg Gymnasium.
The Broncos (5-3, 1-2) didn't do much of anything well. They shot just 36.5 percent (19-for-52) from the field and 50 percent from the line (5-for-10). They were also outrebounded 55-47 and had as many assists (11) as turnovers (11).
``They were hungry and they brought it,'' coach Greg Kamansky said. ``I thought we bottled them up on offense. You hold a team to 55 points you should win. But we were pretty much dysfunctional on offense.''
The Wildcats (4-6, 1-2) led 25-16 at the half and maintained a double-digit lead for most of the second half. They were up by 14 at 34-20 but the Broncos got within single digits again at 36-25 on a bucket by Robert Summers with 13:20 to go.
Chico then got a jumper from Andy Bocian that made it 38-27. After a pair of misses on the Bronco end, the Wildcats got a 3-pointer from Josh Jackson to go up 41-27.
The Broncos didn't cut the deficit to single digits again until it was too late. Down 47-37 Summers drained a 3-pointer with 1:40 left to make it 47-40.
Chico tried to help out by clanking free throws in the last
minute. Up 51-42 the Wildcats missed four straight attempts from the stripe
and the Broncos were able to close it to 51-45 on a putback by Larry
Gordon with 20 seconds left but that was as close the Broncos would get.
Summers, who just started seeing playing time recently because of academic issues early, was the bright spot, tallying a team-high 14 points an six rebounds.
Leading scorer Larry Gordon was held to 11 points and nine rebounds. He extended his streak of double-digit games to 39 but didn't get his last points to do so until a putback with a tenth of a second left in the game.
Cal Poly's three post men delivered a total of just two points and four rebounds.
``We just didn't make shots,'' Kamansky said. ``We had open looks too. And we missed easy ones inside ''
Bocian, the leading scorer in the conference, led the Wildcats with 17 but went just 7-for-22 from the field, including a 1-for-9 from long distance.
The Broncos host Cal State Stanislaus (4-4, 0-3) at 7:30 tonight. The Warriors lost to Cal State San Bernardino 92-67 on Friday.
CHICO STATE (55)
Andy Bocian 17, Nick Lonnegren 13, Junior Russell 9, Roderick Hawkins
6, Zach Graves 4, Josh Jackson 3, Justin Arengal 3.
CAL POLY POMONA (47)
Robert Summers 14, Larry Gordon 11, Walter Thompson 8, Jimmy
Miyasaka
6, Austin Swift 4, Dahir Nasser 2, Tobias Jahn 2.
Chico State 25 30 - 55
Cal Poly Pomona 16 31 - 47
Three-pointers: Lonnegren (Ch) 1, Russell (Ch) 1, Argenal (Ch) 1,
Jackson (Ch) 1, Miyasaka (CP) 2, Summers (CP) 2.
The Coyotes (5-4, 3-0) stayed undefeated in CCAA play in unusual and
rather ugly fashion, outlasting the Warriors (6-4, 1-2) 46-43 despite
shooting only 22.1 percent (15 of 68) from the field.
Neither team got much of anything going from the field in either half
or the overtime, in which both teams were scoreless for the first
2:57 after being tied 41-41 at the end of regulation. There were a
combined seven points in the overtime, with the Coyotes taking the
lead for good at 44-43 on a free throw by Morgan Pryor with 28.6
seconds left.
Lisa Takata came up with a steal for Cal State on Stanislaus' next
possession and hit two free throws with 18.3 seconds left to put the
Coyotes up 3. Katie Busi had a chance to tie the game for the
Warriors with a 3-point attempt from the right corner as time
expired, but the shot caromed off the rim.
Pryor and Krystal Uruza led the Coyotes with eight points each, with
Uruza pulling down 10 rebounds. Artaisha Waters and Jacyln Rainville
added seven points each, with Rainville grabbing 11 rebounds. Busi
led Stanislaus, which shot 20.8 percent (11 of 53) from the field,
with 10 points and 15 rebounds.
Cal State hosts Chico State tonight at 5:30 p.m. at Coussoulis Arena.
By Michelle Gardner
Staff Writer
POMONA - Cal Poly Pomona women's basketball coach Scott Davis couldn't have picked a better time for his 100th career win. It came Friday night at his Broncos edged defending CCAA champion Chico State 65-61.
It was the fifth straight win for the Broncos (7-5, 3-0) who are tied for first pace in the conference heading into tonight's home game against Cal State Stanislaus.
``That's a great win for us,'' Davis said. ``They were picked to win the conference again. They're big. They're well-coached. Every game in this conference is going to be tough and that was us just gutting one out.''
The game was even for the last time at 54-all with 3:50 to play. Rosslyn Beard connected for a 3-pointer, her only bucket of the game, to give the Broncos a 57-54 lead it would never relenquish.
They were still up 61-58 after Chico's Annelise Miller hit a couple of free throws with 55 seconds left but the Broncos converted on the other end with Unique Anderson his a 15-foot jumper to boost the lead back to five with 26 seconds left.
``We did the little things very ell in the last few minutes,'' Davis said. ``We got the rebounds, the loose balls. We made all the hustle plays and it made the difference.''
The Broncos boasted a balanced attack with four players finishing in double figures. Freshman forward Megan Ford tallied 14 points and nine rebounds. Stephisha Walton and Reyana Colson chipped in with 11 each and Ally Smith added 10.
Walton also had nine rebounds and Colson dished out six assists.
The Wildcats (5-2, 1-2) were led by Natasha Smith with 19 points and Christine Vest with 15.
