February 2008 Archives

In the first-ever SCIAC Women's Basketball Tournament, the University of La Verne held off the University of Redlands 65-60 in a hotly-contested semifinal battle Thursday night at Frantz Athletic Court.

With the win, La Verne (19-7) sweeps the three games against the Bulldogs this season and will face Occidental in Saturday's SCIAC Championship game in Eagle Rock. The Tigers defeated Cal Lutheran 69-47 in the other semifinal. Redlands ends its season at 17-9.

The Leopard defense proved key in holding the Bulldogs to 37.9% from the field while forcing 15 turnovers. Additionally, the Leos won the rebounding battle with 45 boards compared to 38 for the visitors.

ULV took control late in the first half with a 22-9 run to take its largest lead of the game at 34-21 with 3:02 remaining to eventually hold a 36-27 advantage at intermission.

The Bulldogs opened the second half with a 12-5 spurt to close within two points at 41-39 at the 15-minute mark. Redlands, however, wouldn't get any closer as the Leopards were able to sustain their lead throughout. La Verne stretched the margin to eight points at 50-42 before the Bulldogs again whittled down the lead to two points (58-56) with five minutes left.

La Verne was able to subdue the Bulldogs by getting key baskets from Emily Carrillo and Trenecca Jones while not allowing a Redlands field goal for over four minutes. Heather Lokar's three-point basket cut the ULV lead to 62-60 with 21 seconds left, but Jones converted four of five free throw attempts to advance the Leopards to Saturday's championship game.

Jones tallied 17 points while posting a game-high 18 rebounds. In the process, she collected her 14th double-double of the season. Carrillo sparkled in her return to the lineup with 17 points on 8-of-14 shooting to tie for game-high honors with Jones. Marissa Raya added 10 points for the Leopards.

For Redlands, point guard Valarie Katayama posted a double-double of 10 points and 11 rebounds with Lokar totaling a team-high 12 points.

By Michelle Gardner

Staff Writer

SAN BERNARDINO — When Sue Crebbin stepped into the women’s basketball job at San Bernardino Valley College three years ago she inherited a team that won two games at a school lacking the resources of many of its rivals. There did't seem to be any indicators that the program could reach the lofty status of it men’s counterpart.

But it is Crebbin’s Wolverines (26-5) preparing for a playoff run which begins Friday with a 7 p.m. game at Snyder

Gymnasium against Fullerton College (20-13), the same team that eliminated it from the playoffs last year.
Should the No. 7 seeded Wolverines get by this one, defending state champion Mt. SAC (32-1) would likely be next. Not even that fazes the veteran team.

“If you’re going to win it all, you have to beat them all. It doesn’t matter when you play them,” said Crebbin, who came to the school after coaching stints at Yuba College and American River, both in the northern part of the state. “This team would rather play the better teams. They get bored when they’re not playing good teams.”

The program has progressed each year. In Crebbin’s first season the team doubled its win total to four, even though she got the job late in the summer and had no chance to recruit. The positive sign was that three of those wins came in the last four games.

Last season proved to be the breakout year. The Wolverines went 20-10, finishing a respectable third in the Foothill Conference. It served notice by upstaging Orange Coast in the first round of the playoffs for the first postseason win in school history.

That showing and the fact the core of the team returned this season meant higher expectations. Again the Wolverines rose to the occasion, this time winning the conference for the school’s third title but the first since 2001.

A win tonight over the No. 10 seeded Hornets would set a school record for wins and stretch the team’s winning streak to 16 games, also a record. Crebbin, selected conference coach of the year by her peers, said the character of her players has been a big factor.

“It’s easy for kids to go to an established program and jump on board,” she said. “But it’s more rewarding to go to a school where you can make a difference and be a part of the building process. The fact that these girls came here says a lot about them as individuals.”

Team chemistry is another intangible that has been pivotal. Crebbin has 10 players, six of them sophomores. The players spend considerable time together off the court as well, using their bye week to go bowling.

Sophomore Sylvia Roland graduated from Rialto High School and originally went to Division II New Mexico Highlands to compete in track. She didn’t like it there and transferred to SBVC after talking with former teammate Ja’Nae Westmoreland who played at SBVC the previous two seasons.

“Everyone wants to go away. But I got there and didn’t like it,” she said. “Here we’re like a family. Everyone gets along. Now I wish I would have come here first.”

While Crebbin and assistant Julia Smith have put in countless hours attending games at area high schools, word of mouth has also landed them quality players. Sophomore Simeone Baker came to SBVC two years ago because Elizabeth Luke, a former teammate at Twentynine Palms, was playing volleyball for the Wolverines.
Baker looked into the school because of Luke, then found out about its strong nursing program and was sold.

The Wolverines, ranked No. 10 in the state and fifth in Southern California, graduated their two solid post players so this year’s squad has relied on athleticism and a tenacious defense.

The team is balanced with sophomore guard Shy Walter (12 ppg, 4.5 rpg) followed closely by sophomore point guard Jasmine Mashall (10.1 ppg, 4.1 rg, 4.7 spg, 4.3 apg). Those two were first-team all-conference selections along with Baker (8.7 ppg, 7 rpg), whom Crebbin singles out at the most consistent player on the squad.

They are joined in the starting lineup by Roland (7.3 ppg, 6.5 rpg) and sophomore forward Ronisha Edwards (9.2 ppg, 6.6 rpg) with sophomore guard La’Quita Jordan (9.3 ppg, 2.2 spg, 2.3 apg), the spark plug off the bench.

Showings against common opponents favor the Wolverines as SBVC has beaten three opponents to whom the Hornets have lost. Both teams have common losses to Mt. SAC and Pasadena with those by the Wolverines coming by smaller margins.

The Hornets have five sophomores, with two of those - Jessica Duran (11.2 ppg, 5 rpg) and Amy Richard (11.6 ppg, 10.1 rpg) - the team’s top scorers. At 5-11 and 6-1 their height will pose a problem for the smaller but quicker Wolverines.

“We’re happy about getting the chance to redeem ourselves,” Baker said. “It’s always nice to get to knock out the team that knocked you out last time.”

By Michelle Gardner

Staff Writer

When the Chaffey College women’s basketball team takes the court Friday in the first round of the Southern California Regional playoffs, it will be facing a team that plays much the same style.

The No. 9 seeded Panthers (24-7) will play at No. 8 Cerritos (24-8) at 7 p.m. Not only are the teams similar, they have played before. If that game is any indication of things to come the playoff game should be tightly contested.

The Falcons won the first game at a tournament hosted by Orange Coast 71-61. That game went to overtime as the teams ended regulation tied at 57.

“They are very much like us,” third-year Chaffey coach Gary Plunkett said. “They like to run and we like to run.

Both of us play a motion offense where we like to spread the floor. It should be a great game. Our girls were excited about getting another chance at them.”

The winner of the game will advance to face No. 2 seed Orange Coast (29-3).

The Panthers finished tied for third in the Foothill Conference. They have only two sophomores, one of them starting forward Christina Warren (13.5 ppg, 5 rpg) who netted 23 points the first time the teams played.
Joining her in the starting lineup are four freshmen - guards Tamesha Jackson (13.2 ppg, 3.3 apg) and Keisha Mackall (11.9 ppg, 3.6 apg), forward Aundria Anderson (10 ppg, 7.3 rpg) and 6-foot-1 center Johnshunay Parson (4.6 ppg, 7.4 rpg).

Zipporah Brown (5.7 ppg, 6.2 rpg), another freshman, has been a steady performer off the bench.

Cerritos, the first place team out of the South Division of the South Coast Conference, has four players averaging double figures led by sophomore guard Maltresa Neely (13.3 ppg, 7.7 rpg). The Falcons are ranked sixth in Southern California and 12th in the state. Plunkett is also quite familiar with the Falcons coaching staff.
Assistant Steve Johnson went to Alta Loma High School and coached in youth leagues in Rancho Cucamonga. He was also an assistant at Dominguez Hills at the same time Plunkett was there.
Cerritos head coach Karen Welliver is in her 25th year and has won more than 500 games. Plunkett recruited many of her players when he was with Dominguez Hills.

“Knowing them so well will make it that much more fun,” he said. “I a looking forward to it.”

Defending state champion Mt. SAC (32-1) begins defense of its title on Saturday. Coach Laura Beeman’s Mounties will host Santa Ana (18-13), which defeated Cuesta 65-56 Wednesday night in a play-in game.
Mt. SAC has won 32 straight games since dropping its season opener to Orange Coast and is led by conference player of the year Jazlyn Davis (18.7 ppg, 5.7 rpg), a bounceback from USC.

Other key players include 6-2 sophomore center Carmen Deal (15.4 ppg, 9.1 rpg), sophomore guard Sahfiya Brown (8.7 ppg, 6.8 rpg) and freshman guard Blaire Edgardo (9.1 ppg).

Citrus (30-1) is the lone area representative still left on the men’s side. The top-seeded Owls open play against Imperial Valley (21-10) at 7 p.m. Saturday. The teams have not played this season.

Citrus is coming off its first Western States Conference title in 25 years and enters riding an 18-game win streak. Its last loss came to Antelope Valley in quarterfinal play at a tournament in Riverside in December.

After a season that saw her lead Pacific in scoring and rebounding and rank among the conference leaders in both categories, Pacific guard Amy Pedersen, a seniour out Redlands, has been honored by conference coaches with selection to the All-Northwest Conference Women's Basketball Team.

It is the second straight season that Pedersen has earned all-conference accolades.  She was an honorable mention selection during the 2006-07 season.

"Amy is an outstanding competitor that has helped this women's basketball program tremendously for the past four years," said Pacific Head Women's Basketball Coach Sharon Rissmiller.  "To have as many double-double games as she had this season, and in her career, is a true testament to how hard she works on the court at all times.

"It has truly been a privilege to be able to coach Amy this year.  She definitely deserves all-league honors as she is not only a great basketball player, but she's an outstanding student, a quality lady and a phenomenal representative of Pacific University."

Pedersen provided much of the offensive punch for the Boxers, who adjusted to a new offensive system in Rissmiller's first season.  Pedersen led the Boxers with averages of 14.7 points and 8.7 rebounds per game.  She finished the season ranked second in the league in rebounding and third in scoring.

In addition, Pedersen proved to be a presence both inside and outside.  While finishing second for the Boxers with her .431 field goal percentage, Pedersen led Pacific with 1.70 three-pointers made per game and 124 three-point attempts.  She finished the season with nine double-doubles, tying her with Lewis & Clark's Crystal Castle for most in the conference.

Pedersen led the Boxers in scoring on 12 different occasions and posted four efforts of 20 points per better.  In the second game of the season, Pedersen went off for 27 points on 12 of 20 shooting as the Boxers feel just short in a 66-61 loss to Westminster (Utah), a nationally ranked NAIA Division I program.

Pedersen posted a career high of 29 points, also on 12 of 20 shooting from the field and a 5 of 10 effort from three-point range, in a loss to Morningside (Iowa) played on Dec. 20 in Honolulu, Hawaii.  The scoring performance came just hours after Pedersen stepped off the plane from Oregon.

Throughout the season, Pedersen has excelled despite balancing a very strenuous academic schedule.  She is currently finishing course work for her bachelor's degree in biology, while at the same time taking first year classes in Pacific's College of Optometry.

DIVISION II

WEST REGION POLLS

MEN

1. Alaska-Anchorage
2. Cal State San Bernardino
3. Seattle Pacific
4. Chaminade (Hawaii)
5. Central Washington
6. Humbdolt State
7. Brigham Young-Hawaii
8. Seattle University
9. CS Dominguez Hills
10. UC San Diego

WOMEN

1. Seattle Pacific
2. Chico State
3. Cal State San Bernardino
4. Alaska-Anchorage
5. UC San Diego
6. Sonoma State
7. Northwest Nazarene
8. Central Washington
9. St. Martin’s
10. Seattle University

The Big West Conference announced Monday that UC Riverside senior guard Larry Cunningham has been named Big West Player of the Week for his performances last week. Cunningham became UCR's all-time leading scorer with his 31-point effort against Hawaii on Saturday and had a team-high 21 points in the win over UC Irvine on Wednesday.

Cunningham (Downey, CA/ Downey HS) passed Howard Lee with his first of two free-throw makes at the 1:10 mark of the second half of UCR's ESPNU BracketBuster game with Hawaii to move into first place on the all-time scoring list.

He now has 1,390 career points and picks up his second career Player of the Week award after shooting 16 of 28 (57.1%) from the floor and finishing 17 of 19 (87.5%) from the free-throw line during the week. Cunningham averaged 26.0 PPG in the team's two wins as the Highlanders continue to move closer to earning a spot in the Big West postseason tournament.

The Highlanders return to action this Thursday, traveling to face Cal Poly at 7:30 p.m.

By Michelle Gardner

Staff Writer

One can excuse Cal State San Bernardino men’s basketball coach Jeff Oliver for looking for a positive omen as his team heads into the most important game of the season.

The Coyotes (21-5, 14-4) will play at Humboldt State (18-7, 13-5) Thursday with a win over the defending champions giving the Coyotes their seventh CCAA title in nine years.

Because of the importance of the game and the 700-mile distance, the Coyotes left Tuesday - a day earlier than is typical. But a series of delays resulted in the team not arriving until noon Wednesday, not much earlier than the women’s team which left Wednesday and bussed to Oakland.

Oliver tried to take the delay in stride.

“We’re staying in the same hotel and I have the same room that I did last year when we won the West Region here,” Oliver said. “That has to be a good sign.”

The men’s team had a 7:30 p.m. flight out of LAX Tuesday. It was delayed a half hour. Then, after it did leave, had to return to Los Angeles after an emergency light went on.
The problem couldn’t be fixed and another flight was not available so the team ended up checking into a hotel after midnight.

Wednesday morning all went well until it came time to land in Arcata, located on the coast about 50 miles from the Oregon border. Heavy fog made it necessary to circle for more than an hour before finally landing.

Such are the problems when playing a school so remotely located.

The week won’t get any easier. After the tonight’s game the Coyotes will charter a bus and make a 230-mile trip to Rohnert Park to play Sonoma State Friday. That trip can take five hours, even if the weather is good. Oliver is hoping the team can arrive at the second destination by 2 a.m.

Cal Poly Pomona will play the teams in the opposite order. The Broncos (11-12, 10-8) flew into Oakland Wednesday. Coach Greg Kamansky said after tonight’s game with the Seawolves, his team will drive halfway,  then make the other half of the trek Thursday morning.

“It is by far the worst trip,” Kamansky said. “It really isn’t safe to be doing it that late at night. And you really don’t want to have to do it the day you play. There is no easy way to do it.”

Last year the conference gave schools a day in between those games because of the hazards, not present in any of the other road trips between conference schools.

The situation was addressed at a meeting of athletic directors and the vote favored returning to the back-to-back nights. Cal Poly, Cal State and UC San Diego were the schools voting against that, citing safety concerns.
Cal State Los Angeles and Dominguez Hills were the lone South schools who voted for the back to backs.

“It’s tough no matter what you do,” said Cal State L.A. athletic director Dan Bridges. “We felt it was an unfair advantage for those teams to have a day between games.”

But those against the move acknowledge that those schools also have an advantage if their opponent has to drive five hours after a game.

So the schools are doing the best they can to deal with the scenario. The Coyotes usually transport their teams in vans but athletic director Kevin Hatcher got a charter bus at a cost of about $4,000 - four times the cost of rental vans.

Bridges said his school did the same, even putting both the men’s and women’s team on one bus.

“Cost is not an issue,” Hatcher said. “We felt this was the safest thing to do. We don’t want our coaches having to drive their teams that late after a game, especially with the possibility of adverse weather conditions. At least with a charter you have a paid, professional driver trained to deal with all situations.”

The stakes are a bit higher for the Coyotes, but the Broncos also need wins.
Cal Poly has qualified for the conference tournament but needs to finish in the top four to host a tournament quarterfinal at Kellogg Gymnasium Tuesday. They’re currently tied with three teams for fourth.

Several north schools loom as a possible opponent for the Broncos. If they don’t get to host they could be faced with having to head north again on Monday, two days after returning home from Humboldt.
If that happens the Broncos might decide to stay up north.

Despite the tough journey, Oliver expects a memorable game between teams establishing one of the top rivalries in Division II basketball.

“I expect it to be every bit like the game we played in the regional final last year,” Oliver said. “It is a great atmosphere for college basketball, one our kids will never forget. They are very passionate and knowledegable about their basketball.”

By Michelle Gardner

Staff Writer

Mt. San Antonio College women’s basketball coach Laura Beeman had a feeling her team’s lone loss of the season might come back to haunt her, even though it came in the first game.

She was right.

The Mounties will head into the state playoffs as the No. 2 seed despite a 32-game win streak. Orange Empire champion Orange Coast (29-3), which defeated Mt. SAC 63-57 on Nov. 9, is the top seed.

There were different sets of criteria used. While three-time and defending state champion Mt. SAC boasted the best record and a higher winning percentage, Orange Coast had a higher strength of schedule both in and out of conference.

Orange Coast had 20 quality wins, Mt. SAC 19. A win by the Mounties in the head-to-head would have flipped that number.

“I said it to my assistant (Brian Crichlow) that night,” Beeman recalled. “I knew we weren’t going to seem them again so we wouldn’t have a chance to avenge that loss. It just goes to show every game does mean something.”
Beeman, rounding out her 13th year as coach, said that might not necessarily affect the Mounties in the Southern California Regional since they will still get two home games but it would come into play at the eight-team state tournament.

The Mounties open play on Saturday at home against the winner of Wednesday’s play-in game between No. 15 Santa Ana (17-13) and No. 18 Cuesta (21-9).

“This time you can’t take anyone lightly because it’s one and done if you lose, no second chances,” she said.

Chaffey also made it into the 18-team women’s field. The Foothill Conference got four teams in the draw. The others are champion San Bernardino Valley (26-5), runner-up Mt. San Jacinto (21-10) and Antelope Valley (18-13).
The Panthers tied Antelope for the No. 3 spot in the conference but lost the head-to-head with the Marauders, meaning they were relegated to the fourth seed out of the conference.

Coach Gary Plunkett thought his team might get left out but its strength of schedule payed off. The Panthers are seeded No. 9 and will play at No. 8 Cerritos (24-8) on Friday.

“I went from thinking we had a good chance to thinking we probably wouldn’t get in,” he said. “So I am just thrilled we made it. I knew there was pretty much no chance of a home game.”

Area representation on the men’s side is even lighter but it will be a quality team left carrying the banner as Citrus (30-1) was awarded the top seed.

The Owls are riding an 18-game win streak, their last and only loss of the season coming to Antelope Valley 78-70 in the quarterfinals of the Wells Fargo Holiday Classic at Riverside Community College in December.
The overall record and perfect 12-0 in Western States Conference play set school records and the conference title is also a first.

Coach Rick Croy’s team has a first-round bye and will face the winner of Wednesday’s play-in between No. 16 El Camino (20-10) and No. 17 Imperial Valley (20-10) at 7 p.m. Saturday.

Chaffey (17-13) did not make the 20-team field. The Panthers finished fifth in the Foothill Conference and could not make the draw ahead of fourth-place San Bernardino Valley (13-15) which was done in by a 4-10 showing in nonconference play.

While the Panthers beat four 20-win teams, they also lost to two conference teams that finished a combined 20 games under .500. They also lost twice to SBVC which is missing the playoffs for the first time in 10 years.

“We were young and inconsistent. That’s the bottom line,” Coach Jeff Klein said.

By Michelle Gardner

Staff Writer

For the San Bernardino Valley College women’s basketball team there was both good news and bad news when state playoffs pairings were announced Monday.

The Foothill Conference champion Wolverines are getting a home game against the team they lost to last year.

The bad news is that should they advance, the defending state champion will most likely be the next foe.

“We’re playing well right now so I don’t think it matters much who we play,” coach Sue Crebbin said. “The teams that are still playing are all good so there won’t be an easy game. This team seems to get more up for the better teams anyway.”

The seventh-seeded Wolverines (26-5) will square off with No. 10 Fullerton (20-13), the third-place team out of the Orange Empire Conference, at Snyder Gymnasium at 7 p.m. on Friday.

Last year the Hornets eliminated SBVC 77-69 in the Wolverines’ initial second-round appearance in school history. That came days after Crebbin’s squad managed a win over Orange Coast for the its first postseason victory.

“We have everyone back and they haven’t forgotten,” Crebbin said. “I would think that is incentive enough. The girls are excited about getting to play them again.”

Defending state champion Mt. SAC (32-1) is seeded second in the Southern California Regional behind Orange Coast (29-3). The Mounties’ lone loss came to the Pirates the first game of the season.

Mt. SAC starts out by facing the winner of Wednesday’s play-in game between No. 15 Santa Ana (17-13) and No. 18 Cuesta (21-9). Then it would face the SBVC-Fullerton winner.

The Foothill Conference has four teams in the 18-team draw. The others are Mt. San Jacinto (21-10), Chaffey (24-7) and Antelope Valley (18-13).

The Chaffey Panthers tied Antelope for the No. 3 spot in the conference but lost the head-to-head with the Marauders, meaning they were relegated to the fourth seed out of the conference.

Coach Gary Plunkett thought his team might get left out but its strength of schedule payed off. The Panthers are seeded ninth and will play at No. 8 Cerritos (24-8) on Friday.

“I went from thinking we had a good chance to thinking we probably wouldn’t get in,” he said. “So I am just thrilled we made it. I knew there was pretty much no chance of a home game.”

On the men’s side the news was not as good for the local teams. The Wolverines (13-15) settled for fourth in the conference and were done in by a 4-10 showing in nonconference play. It is the first time in 10 years the school did not get into the playoffs.

SBVC’s failure to get in also meant the end for Chaffey (17-13) which finished fifth in the conference and could not get in without the Wolverines making it too.

The Foothill Conference has three teams in, all of whom tied for the conference championship. But Mt. San Jacinto went in as the top team from the conference and was rewarded with a No. 5 seed. Antelope Valley is seeded 10th in the 20-team field with College of the Desert No. 11.

Riverside (25-7), the No. 3 team out of the Orange Empire Conference, is the No. 9 seed and will travel to No. 8 Los Angeles City (24-8).

Citrus (30-1) is the top seed. The Owls have won 18 straight games and await the winner of a play-in game between El Camino and Imperial Valley.

By Michelle Gardner

Staff Writer

Foothill Conference honors have been handed out and local individuals took many top accolades.
Lewis Leonard of San Bernardino Valley College was named Most Valuable Player.

The 6-foot-4 sophomore averaged 25.2 points a game which ranked second in the state in that category behind Harold Cleveland of Pasadena (25.4). Leonard also averaged 6.5 rebounds.
He was also a starter last year for the Wolverines who had three other highly touted players.

Coach Gerry Wright said his standout improved on both ends of the court.

“He put up great numbers but his biggest improvement was in defense. Before he came here he didn’t know the meaning of the word. “The other thing he learned was how to put up numbers in the framework of the offense. He became much more efficient. Instead of going 7-for-30 he could get the same points going 7-for-15.”

Sophomore teammate Johnny Barnes was also named to the first team. Chaffey is represented by Winston Robinson and Nick Turner, both freshmen. The first team also included Kaiser grad Alan Alston of Victor Valley College and Jerome Davis of Barstow.

Bo Harrison and Jacon Letson of SBVC, both products of Redlands East Valley, were honorable mention.

On the women’s side, San Bernardino Valley Coach Sue Crebbin took top coach honors for leading the Wolverines to just their third conference title and the first since 2001.

The first team also included sophomores Simeone Baker, Shy Walter and Jasmine Marshall of SBVC, Christina Warren and Tamesha Jackson of Chaffey, Jallisa Butler of Barstow and Rachel Gordon of Victor Valley.
Mt. San Jacinto’s Michelle Simmons was Most Valuable Player.

Honorable mention selections included La’Quita Jordan of SBVC, Aundria Anderson of Chaffey, Brittney Pham of Barstow and Gennifer Hempel of Victor Valley.

The men's swimming and diving team won the 2008 SCIAC Championship on Saturday in dominating fashion. They scored 1012 points, 252.5 points better than second-place Redlands which had won the last seven in a row.

This was the team's 28th title overall (most of any team in CMS history) and their first since 2000.

The Stags crowned three more champions on Saturday. They completed the sweep of all five relays at the meet by winning the 400 freestyle relay with a team of Andrew Cosentino (FR, Greenwich, CT), Andrew Kishino (FR, Riverside), John Sloat (JR, Lafayette) and Ryan Kristensen (FR, Saugus). Cosentino completed a sweep of his own by adding the 100 freestyle title (46.42) to his wins in the 50 and 200 frees. Nick Ostreim (FR, Phoenix, AZ) swam the second fastest 200 backstroke time in CMS history (1:51.81) in the prelims and won the event in the evening final. Both Cosentino and Ostreim's times were NCAA-qualifying marks.

SCIAC Runner-ups on Saturday included Ian McGinnity (FR, Mesa, AZ) in the 1650 freestyle and Xavier Ramos (FR, Alta Loma) in the 200 butterfly.

CMS had 11 champions in the meet along with seven seconds and eight thirds in the 20 events at the Championships.

The women's swimming and diving team won their sixth straight and tenth overall SCIAC Championship on Saturday. They scored 938 points, 308 points better than second place. 

Annie Perizzolo (FR, Aurora, CO) was named SCIAC Athlete of the Year at the conclusion of the meet.  She won both the 100 and 200 breaststrokes and had NCAA automatic-qualifying times in both events (she was the only swimmer, male or female, to hit an NCAA "A" mark in the meet).  The 200 breast time was a SCIAC record and the 100 breast time was a SCIAC meet record.  She was also on the 200 and 400 medley relay teams which both set SCIAC records.

CMS crowned two additional champions besides Perizzolo (200 breast) on Saturday.  The 400 freestyle relay team of Quirina Mitchell (SO, Kingsburg), Monica Brazelton (SO, Santa Clara), Danielle Peebles (JR, La Mesa) and Jenni Rinker (FR, Eagle River, AK) swam an NCAA-qualifying time of 3:35.16 as did Carliann Brashier (FR, Highlands Ranch, CO) in winning the 1650 freestyle (17:29.52).

SCIAC Runner-Ups on Saturday included Rinker in the 200 backstroke.  She also had an NCAA-qualifying time (2:08.28) as did both Chrysanthia Cheung Lau (FR, Ontario, 17:45.23) and Peebles (17:47.21) in the 1650 free.

CMS had nine champions in the meet in addition to seven seconds and seven thirds in the 20 events at the Championships. 

Senior Larry Cunningham became the UCR all-time scoring leader after he put up a season-high 31 points and led the Highlanders (7-17, 3-9 Big West) to a 79-62 victory over the visiting Hawaii Rainbow Warriors (11-14) in front of a season-high 1,214 fans at the Student Rec Center Saturday night.

Cunningham knocked down a free-throw with 1:10 remaining in the game to surpass Howard Lee (1969-72) who had held the record for nearly 36 years after finishing with 1,386 in his career. The Highlanders knocked down 57.4% of their shots as Cunningham finished 10-for-15 from the floor including three from beyond the arc and all eight of his free-throw attempts.

UCR used 16 first-half points by Cunningham and a 13-4 run half through the half to take a 34-20 lead after the first 20 minutes. The Highlanders had all players hitting their shots as they made 14-of-26 (53.8%) from the floor as a team with seven players recording baskets in the half.

Both teams would trade baskets for nearly all of the second half before the Highlander defense forced some stops down the stretch and then capitalized on the other end, eventually building double digit leads in the final minutes. The Rainbow Warriors were forced to foul in those final minutes but UCR knocked down 11 of their final 12 attempts from the foul line to pick up their third consecutive ESPNU BracketBuster win. They beat Idaho last season and Southeast Missouri in 2005-06.

The first-half run and the second-highest points scored in a half by the Highlanders on the season, proved to be too much for Hawaii. UCR shot 13-of-21 (61.9%) in the second-half and also won the battle on the boards, 30-23 to pick up their second straight victory.

Four Highlanders finished in double-figures with junior Severing Gates putting up 11 points and juniors Cleavon Barlow and Christian Soto each finishing with 10 points. Junior Aaron Scott brought down a game-high eight rebounds and finished with nine points.

Hawaii had all five of their starters finish in double figures led by Kareem Nitoto and Riley Luettegerodt who each put up 13 points.

The 31-point effort was Cunningham's first 30-point effort of the season and seventh 20-plus game for him this season.

UCR returns to Big West action with a trip up north to face Cal Poly on Thursday and UC Santa Barbara on Saturday.

By Michelle Gardner

Staff Writer

PALM DESERT - With four Foothill Conference teams tied for first place on the final day of the regular season, it was only appropriate that a game between two of those came down to the last possession.

College of the Desert emerged with a 68-64 win over San Bernardino Valley College Saturday. Playoff pairings will be decided on Monday but the Roadrunners (21-9, 10-4) will likely be the third-seeded team out of the conference behind Antelope Valley (24-10, 10-4) and Mt. San Jacinto (27-6, 10-4).

San Bernardino (13-15, 9-5), which won the conference a year ago, settles for fourth. While as many as five teams have gotten in before, the Wolverines will probably not advance because of their overall record.

The game also probably marked the end of Gerry Wright’s tenure as coach. His master’s degree is in education rather than physical education which the school requires.

“I told them it was a pleasure coaching them and watching them mature as players and men,” Wright said. “I enjoyed my two years year and I am going to miss them.”

The game was tied at 61 with 3:01 left. The Wolverines went ahead 63-61 on a putback by Sylvester Burel with 2:15 left. It was their first lead since 30-29 at 4;14 of the first half.

SBVC made it 64-61 on a free throw by Burel but that would be the last point the visitors scored. Desert’s Julius Lang nailed the first of two free throws with 1:24 left to make it 64-62.

He missed the second but SBVC failed to block out and Desert’s Spencer Dayton grabbed the rebound. The end result was a 3-pointer from the corner by D’Andre James that gave the host team a 65-62 lead with 1:10 to go.
SBVC’s Lewis Leonard, the second-leading scorer in the state, netted 26 in the game but misfired on a long jumper the next trip down the court and Desert grabbed the rebound.

Down 66-64, Johnny Barnes missed a turn-around jumper that would have tied the game, pretty much sealing the visitors fate.

Foul trouble was a factor for the Wolverines as Wright has nine players but uses only seven. Most of the calls went the way of the home team in the opening half which ended with the Roadrunners up 43-33.
In the first 20 minutes 18 personal fouls were called against the Wolverines with 10 against Desert.

The Roadrunners had just seven field goals but went 20-of-23 from the line while SBVC shot 7-of-10 from the stripe.

Desert led by as many as 12 in the second half, that lead coming at 52-40 on a fast break layup Antoine Davis.

“I was proud of our guys. They fought hard and never gave up, even when we had some things working against us,” Wright said.

Lewis also had nine rebounds and two blocks. Barnes added 14 points, eight rebounds and two blocks. Burel was the third player in double figures with 10 points.

The Wolverines went just 4-10 in nonconference play, making a better finish in conference play crucial. Desert coach Henry Viveros had words of praise for the Wolverines despite the defeat.

"It's a shame they had such a tough time early in the season because they're a quality team," he said. "I think they're one of the top 20 teams."

 

 

 

Foothill Conference men’s standings
 

Mt. San Jacinto               9-4     25-6
Antelope Valley               9-4     23-10
Desert                            9-4     20-9
San Bernardino VC          9-4     13-14
Chaffey                           7-6     17-12
Rio Hondo                       5-8     9-20
Victor Valley                   3-10    11-20
Barstow                          1-12    3-25

Today’s games

San Bernardino at Desert, 3 p.m.
Barstow at Antelope Valley, 7 p.m.
Rio Hondo at Mt. San Jacinto, 3 p.m.
Chaffey at Victor Valley, 3 p.m.

By Michelle Gardner

Staff Writer

San Bernardino Valley College men’s basketball coach Gerry Wright has been stressing a sense of urgency for three weeks now because the Wolverines poor showing in nonconference play didn’t leave room for error when it came to qualifying for the playoffs.

But that phrase has taken on new meaning in the last week. Saturday is the last day of the regular season and the defending champion Wolverines (13-14) are one of four teams tied for first atop the Foothill Conference, all at 9-4.

The others are College of the Desert (20-9), Antelope Valley (23-10) and Mt. San Jacinto (25-6).
SBVC will be at Desert for a 3 p.m. game Saturday while the other two teams face easier finales. Mt. San Jacinto is hosting Rio Hondo (9-20), also at 3 p.m., while Antelope Valley entertains last-place Barstow (3-25) at 7 p.m.

“We have had our backs to the wall for awhile now,” Wright said. “We have had to play likes its a playoff game just to get in this position so this is nothing new for us.”

The 20-team South playoff draw will be announced Monday. Let the jockeying for position begin.

The most likely scenario is that three teams will end up tied. If that happens, all would share conference title honors. Coaches are meeting Sunday to vote on all-conference and coach of the year honors but they also have to submit a ranking of teams in order for consideration by the the executive committee determining the draw.
SBVC is in the most precarious position because of its 4-10 mark in nonconference, with none of those wins coming over a quality foe.

Wright expects the only debate to be over the first seed since Antelope and Mt. San Jacinto split their games. Antelope won one meeting 78-72, Mt. San Jacinto the other 78-75. In the state power rankings Antelope is 12th and Mt. San Jacinto 14th.

The third spot will be decided by the SBVC-Desert head-to-head. The Wolverines won the first meeting 95-88 although Desert beat SBVC 94-89 in a tournament game in December.

It is that close.

“A lot of people say the conference is down this year. I don’t buy that,” said Mt. San Jacinto coach Patrick Springer who is on the executive committee.”Look at how close the competition is between these teams.”

The conference has gotten as many as five teams into the playoffs before but managed just three last year. So the Wolverines need the win today more than Desert does.
Then there’s Chaffey (17-12, 7-6) which will finish fifth no matter what the outcome of its 3 p.m. game at Victor Valley (11-20, 3-10).

The Panthers helped force the logjam by upsetting Mt. San Jacinto in overtime Wednesday. They have also beaten Antelope Valley and have quality nonconference wins over Imperial Valley and Los Angeles Southwest, both first place finishers in their conferences.

But the Panthers can’t make the playoffs unless the other four go too. Coach Jeff Klein’s team slipped up against Rio Hondo a week ago and lost both games to SBVC.

“It would be a shame if we didn’t go because I think we’re a top 20 team,” Klein said. “But if we don’t get it is because there were a couple of games we let get away.”

The other factor that turned the race upside was the reversal of Desert’s forfeiture of 14 games (five in conference). The Roadrunners were dealt the significant penalty on Jan. 25 after an athlete who came out after football was not listed on an eligibililty form for basketball. The school won its appeal earlier this week.
Springer, who played college basketball with Wright at Iowa, said he will fight for all five teams but knows that is asking a lot.

“SBVC and Chaffey are not quite what they have been in the past. But they’re still quality teams,” he said. “I don’t know of anybody that wants to see either of them in the first round.”

By Michelle Gardner

Staff Writer

SAN BERNARDINO _ The Cal State San Bernardino men’s basketball team knew better than to take Cal Poly Pomona lightly. The Coyotes had lost five straight games to the Broncos including the first this season, one in which the once-proud program has struggled.

But the No. 20 Coyotes (20-5, 13-4) righted that wrong, handing their area rival a 69-58 setback Thursday at Coussoulis Arena.

The win extended the Coyotes ' CCAA lead to one and a half games over both defending champion Humboldt State and UC San Diego.

“This was the monkey off my back,” Cal State coach Jeff Oliver said. “I still don’t have a good feel on how to attack them but I think we’re getting closer.”

The Broncos (10-12, 9-8), who were picked to finish second in the conference in a preseason poll of member coaches, need one win in their last three games to earn a spot in the eight-team conference tournament. They have lost four of their last six contests.

Jason Gilzene is among the handful of Coyote seniors who had not beaten the Broncos and he came up big with a team-high 17 points, highlighted by 8-for-8 shooting from the field.

“We talked about it all day,” he said of the Coyotes’ bad showing against the Broncos recently. “We had to get that monkey off our back and it was our last chance to do it. Today the game just came to me.”

The Broncos only lead of the first half came at 2-0. The Coyotes biggest lead came at 35-26 on a 3-pointer by Marlon Pierce. They led 36-28 at the intermission.

Cal State then scored five of the first seven points in the second half with a runner by Gilzene giving the Coyotes a 38-28 lead and a 3-pointer by Lance Ortiz extending it to 41-30.

The Coyotes took control midway through the second half. Cal Poly was still in striking distance at 46-39 but Gilzene got the next two buckets, making it 50-39.

Cal State led by as many as 14 twice, the last time coming at 58-44 with 6:57 left only to have the Broncos cut it to single digits with six straight points from the line.

A Cal State turnover led to a bucket by Kyle Krause that closed the gap to seven at 60-53 with 3:01 left but the Coyotes answered on their end with a putback by Gilzene off a Pierce miss, making it 62-53.

The Broncos were also within seven at 62-55 with 2:01 left but Michael Earl scored inside and was fouled on the play. He missed the free throw but the Coyotes corraled the rebound and ran enough time off the clock to put the game away.

Gilzene was followed in the scoring column by Renardo Bass with 13. Pierce had eight points and a team-high six assists.

The Coyotes did an extraordinary job on Broncos junior Larry Gordon, who was second in the conference in scoring and had reached double digits in every game. Gordon scored 12 points but all of those came from the line. He was 0-for-4 from the field.

Angelo Tsagarakis had 19, including four 3-pointers. He made his first four free-throws on the night to extend his streak to 25 straight but missed on his fifth of the night.

 

The Broncos attempted only 27 shots and were outrebounded 28-17.

Broncos coach Greg Kamansky said the Coyotes bench play made the difference.

“Their bench is one of the better ones in the league. I don’t know that Oliver’s saying his team played that much better. It’s a late-season game and they got it done.”

Added Oliver, “We did a good job of knowing where he (Gordon) was and defending him but we didn’t do a good job of spotting Tsagarakis.''

UC San Diego (15-7, 11-5), which is one game behind the Coyotes, is the next foe for both teams. The Tritons will play Cal State at Coussoulis Arena tonight, then move on to Kellogg Gymnasium to play the Broncos on Saturday. The Tritons beat both teams in the first round of conference play.

The University of La Verne boasted the top four individual finishers and cruised to a a first-place team showing at the first SCIAC tournament of the season at the 6,628-yard par 72 Empire Lakes.

The Leopards, the national Division III runner-up a year ago, tallied 284 while Claremont-Mudd Scripps was second (305) and Redlands third (306). Pomona-Pitzer tied Cal Lutheran for fourth (319).

The Leos Mitchell Fedorka took medalist honors with a 70. Teammates Rizal Amin and Andrew Kramer were one stroke back while Chris Davis was two back. Also representing the school were Jordan Talah (75) and Kevin Smith (78).

John Morris had the best finish for the Stags (74) . His teammates included Luke Redfern (75), Kurt Scheline (76) and Kyle Cassella (80).

Ross Canavao was the top player for Redlands (75).  Other finishers for the Bulldogs were Nick Giordano (76), Scott Pena (77), E.J. Stenftenagel (78) and Ryan Williams (79).l

Aex Nakao led the Sagehens (77).

With 13 points, Tamesha Jackson led four Panthers in double figures in a 61-49 win over Mt. San Jacinto on Wednesday. With the win the Panthers remained third in the conference with one game left.

Christina Warren and Zipporah Brown each had 12 points for Chaffey (23-7, 11-4 Foothill Conference) and Aundria Anderson had 10.

Sophomore Michelle Simmons led Mt. San Jacinto (20-10, 12-3) with 18 points.

Chaffey plays host to Victor Valley at 1 p.m. Saturday in its regular-season finale.

The win by Chaffey gives the conference title to San Bernardino Valley College which did not play Wednesday. The Wolverines had a one-game lead over Mt. San Jacinto entering play.

Senior Jabarri Reynolds of Pomona-Pitzer is this week's SCIAC Male Athlete of the Week.

 Reynolds led the Sagehens to a 2-0 week. In a 52-42 home win over 6th street rival CMS, Reynolds scored 19 points, including 3-5 from three-point range, and grabbed 11 rebounds. Reynolds also committed zero turnovers in 35 minutes of action.

 In a stunning 62-47 road win over the number one team in the conference and West region Occidental, Reynolds shot 8-12 from the field en route to a 19 point, seven rebound performance.

Occidental's Brianne Brown was named Female Athlete of the Week.

Pos.	Institution (1st Place)	Previous	W-L	Pts
1.	Delta State (24)	1	22-0	622
2.	Seattle Pacific	2	22-0	599
3.	North Dakota	3	23-1	565
4.	South Dakota (1)	4	22-1	554
5.	Concordia (Minn.)	5	24-1	520
6.	Drury	6	20-2	488
tie	Holy Family	7	24-0	488
8.	Fort Lewis	8	24-1	449
9.	Indiana (Pa.)	9	22-2	421
10.	West Georgia	10	23-2	408
11.	Alaska-Anchorage	11	22-3	374
12.	Arkansas Tech	12	20-3	345
13.	Stonehill	15	20-4	291
14.	Valdosta State	14	20-4	284
15.	Anderson	16	22-2	269
16.	West Texas A&M	17	19-4	243
17.	Washburn	18	19-4	221
18.	Emporia State	20	18-5	156
19.	Hillsdale	22	21-3	154
20.	Franklin Pierce	21	20-4	150
21.	Chico State	13	20-5	127
22.	Tusculum	NR	21-3	93
23.	Francis Marion	25	18-5	49
24.	Cal State-San Bernardino	NR	19-4	43
25.	Fairmont State	19	20-5	42

Dropped Out: Augustana, Michigan Tech

Others Receiving Votes: Augustana 33; Missouri Science & Technology 25; Assumption 18; Augusta State 17; Michigan Tech 14; West Liberty State 13; Clayton State 12; St. Mary's 12; South Carolina-Aiken 10; California (Pa.) 4; Shepherd 3; Indianapolis 3; American International 2; Bowie State 1; Lander 1; Nebraska-Kearney 1; Tampa 1.<

The Cal State San Bernardino men's basketball team dropped to No. 20 in this's week's NABC national ranking.

The Coyotes, who have been as high  as No. 4, were No. 18 last week but fell two places after last Friday's 63-60 loss to lowly Chico State.

The poll is released every Tuesday.

Rank	Institution (1st Place)	W-L	Pts	Previous
1	Bentley (6)	24-0	198	1
2	Grand Valley State (2)	28-0	194	2
3	Winona State	27-1	184	3
4	Northern State	24-2	176	5
5	South Carolna-Aiken	20-2	166	6
6	Findlay	22-3	159	7
7	Drury	20-3	147	9
8	Augusta State	19-4	142	12
9	Alaska-Anchorage	20-4	135	4
10	C.W. Post	21-2	128	14
11	Mount Olive	20-4	118	16
12	Tarleton State	20-3	113	17
13	Gannon	22-3	110	8
14	Southwestern Oklahoma State	20-4	94	19
15	Lenoir-Rhyne	19-3	85	20
16	South Dakota	19-4	76	10
17	Fort Lewis	20-4	65	25
18	Southwest Baptist	18-5	61	15
19	Minnesota State-Mankato	20-5	39	NR
20	Cal State-San Bernardino	19-5	35	18
21	California (Pa.)	18-4	29	NR
22	Kentucky Wesleyan	22-4	23	22
23	North Alabama	20-7	20	NR
24	Benedict	19-4	18	NR
25	Florida Southern	19-7	13	2

Others Receiving Votes: West Liberty State 11, Chaminade 8, Pittsburgh-Johnstown 8, St. Rose 7, Central Oklahoma 6, Rollins 6, Wingate 6, Seattle Pacific 6, Northwest Missouri State 4, Tampa 4, Edinboro 3, Elizabeth City State 2, Nebraska-Omaha 1.

By Michelle Gardner

Staff Writer

Cal State San Bernardino senior guards Marlon Pierce and Lance Ortiz stood outside the Coyotes lockerroom Saturday after their team dismantled Cal State Stanislaus. The conversation quickly turned to their next opponent - Cal Poly Pomona.

“We can’t leave here without beating them,” Pierce said, looking over at his backcourt mate. “And this is our last chance.”

The duo has one more shot. That will come tonight when the Coyotes (19-5, 12-4) entertain the Broncos (10-11, 9-7) in a 7:30 p.m. CCAA showdown at Coussoulis Arena.

Cal Poly has won four straight meetings with the Coyotes, including a 65-62 overtime game at Kellogg Gymnasium earlier this season. The Broncos swept both in 2006-07 and won the final meeting the previous season.

Even in a down year Cal Poly has had the upper hand.

“Weird things happen in rivalries,” Pierce said. “It goes in cycles. Right now they’re getting the best of us. We need to change that.”

The Coyotes are ranked No. 20 nationally and remained No. 2 in the West Region poll released Wednesday despite their inexplicable loss to last-place Chico State Friday.

The Broncos are looking to advance to the postseason for the fifth time in six years but will need to win the conference tournament to have a chance. First they have to qualify. Coach Greg Kamansky doesn’t think that is a given even though they need just one win in their last four games to do so.

“Obviously this will be a tough one,” he said. “Then we get San Diego who we have already lost to. Then we’re on the road at Humboldt State and Sonoma. So no it isn’t a given.”

But first the Broncos must deal with their neighborhood rival. The Coyotes rank first in the conference in scoring defense (62.2) while the Broncos are last in scoring offense (64.2).

The Coyotes are fifth in scoring offense (71.8) while the Broncos are second in defense (63.3).
Coyotes coach Jeff Oliver thinks they key will be pressure, both offensively and defensively. His team needs to create offense by forcing turnovers. When the teams first played his team forced 21 but they had 17 themselves.

“We have to do pressure the ball and force turnovers but we also have to do a better job handling their press which is underrated. It is very good,” he said.

The Broncos rely on one player - junior Larry Gordon (17.8 ppg, 10 rpg) with senior guard Angelo Tsagarakis (14.9 ppg) a formidable threat from long distance.

Cal State is more balanced although Pierce (13 ppg, 4 apg, 2 spg) has been carrying the Coyotes lately. Senior center Michael Earl (13 ppg) and Ortiz (12.3 ppg, 4.5 apg) are the otyhers averaging double figures.

The women’s game will tip off at 5:30 p.m. The Coyotes (19-4, 13-3) are tied with Chico State atop the CCAA standings after a stunning win over the then-No. 13 Wildcats. That win propeled the Coyotes into the national rankings at No. 24.

The Broncos (10-12, 7-9) are also playing for a CCAA tournament berth and are seventh, just one game ahead of eighth-place Dominguez Hills. Eight of the 11 will qualify.

The Coyotes are led by senior Vanessa Wilt who leads the conference in scoring (20.9), rebounding (13.7), blocks (2.35) and field goal percentage (.584).

But the team’s success depends on its perimeter shooting. The Broncos kept Wilt in check in a 78-64 loss earlier this season but junior Rachel Johnson lit them up for a career-high 24 that included five 3-pointers.

Senior reserve guard Leslie Pickron has emerged as a threat in the last week, draining a total of 10 3-pointers in the Coyotes two games last weekend. That showing earned her conference player of the week honors.

“When they’re shooting well from the outside they’re capable of beating anybody,” Broncos coach Scott Davis said of the Coyotes. “And they have a lot of players who can shoot it from out there.Iit definitely presents a problem for us.”

It was a grand and historic evening for junior forward Trenecca Jones as she became the sixth Leopard in women's basketball history to reach 1,000 career points in ULV's 72-40 triumph over Caltech Saturday in Pasadena.

Jones tallied game highs of 32 points and 14 rebounds, finishing 11-of-17 from the field and 10-of-14 from the free throw line. In the process, she recorded her 11th double-double of the season as the Leopards snapped a two-game losing streak.

Teammate Marissa Raya, who reached the 1,000-point milestone in December, also tallied a double-double with 13 points and 11 rebounds. Leslie Elrod also reached double figures in scoring with 10 points.

La Verne (16-7, 9-3 SCIAC) enjoyed a solid defensive effort in limiting the Beavers to a 30.2% field goal shooting clip while also forcing 18 turnovers. The Leopards also held a decisive 53-35 rebounding edge over the Beavers.

A product of Ontario's Chaffey High School, Jones (1,018 pts.) joins Wendy Gibbs (1,745), Sydni Myrick (1,408), Tricia Wright (1,357), Leslee Rogers (1,312) and Raya (1,228) in ULV's 1,000-point club. She becomes the fourth SCIAC player - and only junior - to reach 1,000 points for a career this season. The other three players include Raya, Cal Lutheran's Mary Placido and Caltech's Lindsey King.

King led the Beavers in scoring with 14 points while also collecting 5 rebounds in the loss.

La Verne continues league action on Thursday with a matchup against SCIAC co-leader Redlands at Frantz Athletic Court. Tip-off is 7:30 pm.

KEVIN NEVEU

Cal Poly Pomona

Basketball

The lowdown: The 6-foot-7 senior forward is averaging 5.1 points and 3 rebounds and has started 10 of 19 games. Has appeared in 105 games in his career, ranking him ninth in school history. Had 10 points in Cal Poly’s win this season over defending conference champion Humdbolt State. Recorded a career-high of 20 points against Northwest Nazarene his sophomore season. Was a 2003 McDonald’s All-American nominee in high school. Earned all-league honors twice in basketball and once in volleyball.

Age: 23

Hometown: San Leandro

High school: St. Joseph’s Notre Dame

Major: Business management and human resources

Favorite athlete: Shaquille O’Neal

Favorite team: Oakland Raiders

Role model: My parents (Kevin and Pam Neveu) and both sets of grandparents.

Can’t miss TV show: Entourage

Most embarrassing moment: It has to be when I airballed a free throw last year at Cal State Los Angeles. I still get reminded about it.

Most memorable sports moment: Making the Elite Eight in 2005.

Person most influential in your athletic success: My dad. He coached me in all sports while I was growing up.

Celebrity you most want to meet: Jessica Beal

Favorite food: My grandparents seafood gumbo

Favorite movie: Anything with action and comedy.

Last good book you read: DaVinci Code

Other hobbies: Video games (X-box 360’s Call of Duty).

What’s in your CD player/iPOD: E-40

Best advice anyone has given you: Don’t sweat the small stuff!

Pre-game ritual or superstition: If Jello is on the menu or available, I have to have it.

What do you want to be doing in five years: Earning my MBA and working in the entertainment industry or sports franchise.

SHANAE BLAKE

Cal State San Bernardino

Basketball

The lowdown: The 5-foot-5 junior point guard is averaging 10.7 points and helped the Coyotes (19-4, 13-3) to a share of first place in the CCAA. Recorded a season-high of 20 points against Chico State earlier this season on the road. Totaled 17 with fie rebounds in Cal State’s most recent win. Redshirted last season at Cal State after coming over from Chaffey College where she played for two seasons and earned all-conference and all-state honors. Competed in basketball and track in high school, earning all-league honors in both.

Age: 22

Hometown: Pomona

High school: Chino High School, 2003

Major: Psychology

Favorite athlete: Michael Jordan

Favorite team: Cal State San Bernardino

Role model: My parents (Alvin and Tawana Blake)

Can’t miss TV show: Maury

Most embarrassing moment: Airballed two free throws in a row my freshman year in high school.

Most memorable sports moment: Being named MVP at the Orange Coast Tournament (while at Chaffey).

Person most influential in your athletic success: My parents

Celebrity you most want to meet: Michael Jordan/Cynthia Cooper

Favorite food: Shrimp

Favorite movie: Love and Basketball

Other hobbies: sleeping

What’s in your CD player/iPOD: Destiny’s Child

Best advice anyone has given you: Do what makes you happy. Don’t let other people make decisions for you.

What do you want to be doing in five years: Working withg disabled and disadvantaged youths.

- Compiled by Michelle Gardner

LEWIS LEONARD

San Bernardino Valley College

Basketball

The lowdown: The 6-foot-4 sophomore shooting guard is the second-leading scorer in the state (25.5 ppg). Is also averaging 5.8 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 1.2 steals. Has a high game of 41 points against Desert. Has reached double figures in every game, scoring more than 20 points 19 times and more than 30 seven times. Averaged 12 points and 4.1 rebounds as a freshman, helping the Wolverines to a Foothill Conference championship. High game that season was 28 aainst Antelope Valley.

Age: 20

Hometown: Philadelphia

High school: Frankford High School, 2006

Major: Business

Favorite athlete: Keith Myers (San Bernardino Valley College football player)

Favorite team: Philadelphia 76ers

Role model: Gerry Wright (San Bernardino Valley College head coach)

Can’t miss TV show: Rob and Big (on MTV)

Most memorable sports moment: Winning the Foothill Conference championship last season.

Most embarrassing sports moment: I missed a dunk against Chaffey.

Person most influential in your athletic success: My cousin Maurice Bibbs

Celebrity you most want to meet: Kobe Bryant and LeBron James

Favorite food: Chicken and baked mac

Favorite movie: Friday

Last good book you read: The Carolina Way (The Dean Smith book on leadership).

What’s in your CD player/iPod: Meek Millz/Lil Wayne

Other hobbies: Video games, working out

Favorite vacation spot: Los Angeles/Rodeo Drive

Best advice anyone has given you: Play defense and don’t leave any money on the table (Coach Wright)

Pre-game ritual or superstition: Listen to my Ipod and joke around with my teammates.

What would you like to be doing in five years? Playing in the NBA. No question about it!

 

 

By Michelle Gardner

Staff Writer

Cal State San Bernardino senior Leslie Pickron picked up where she left off Friday night, tossing in 20 points and leading the Coyotes to a 74-60 win over Cal State Stanislaus Saturday at Coussoulis Arena.

The Riverside native went 7-for-9 from the field, including a stellar 6-for-8 from 3-point range. Her career-high point total was six points more than her previous best which came 24 hours earlier in the Coyotes upset of No. 13 Chico State. Her six 3-pointers tied a school record set by Christina Day in 2006.

“I had a good night last night but I rushed a few and missed some I should have made,” Pickron said. “So I came out today and worked a little on that and it paid off.”

The Coyotes (19-4, 13-3), who share first place with Chico State, trailed early 7-5 four minutes into the game but dominated after that. A putback by Shanae Blake tied the score and the host team went ahead for good on a free throw by Vanessa Wilt, making it 10-7.

Wilt scored inside and Pickron drained her first 3-pointer after that to make it 15-7 and Cal State never looked back.
 The Coyotes led 36-24 at the half and stretch that in the early stages of the second half with Pickron’s presence paying off for the other Coyotes.

Her fifth bomb made it 51-37 with 12:12 left. Her success helped spread the Warriors defense and paved the way for two easy inside buckets by Wilt that gave the Coyotes an insurmountable 55-37 lead and the rout was on.
Pickron was followed closely in the scoring column by Wilt with 18 and Blake with 17. Blake hit a variety of shots but many came on dribble drives. Rachel Johnson also hit double figures with 10.

Wilt had a team-high 11 rebounds and three blocks with Krystal Urzua paving the way in assists with six.

All were glad to a solid performance following the upset the previous night that could help the Coyotes earn a spot in this week’s national rankings.

“We talked about not letting up after a game where we were on such an emotional high,” Pickron said. “To conme out tonight and lose would have made last night’s win pointless.”

The Warriors (6-16, 4-12) got 14 from Katie Busi and 12 points and eight boards by Christin Gowan.

Next up for the Coyotes is a Thursday home game against Cal Poly Pomona.

By Michelle Gardner

Staff Writer

Pity the Cal State Stanislaus men’s basketball team.
It was the Warriors with the misfortune of squaring off against an angry Cal State San Bernardino team that was embarrassed by lowly Chico State 24 hours earlier.

The Coyotes looked more like their normal selves, walloping the visiting Warriors 89-68 Saturday at Coussoulis Arena. The win put  the Coyotes (19-5, 12-4) back in first place by a game over UC San Diego and Humboldt State.

Cal State coach Jeff Oliver admitted Friday’s 63-60 loss was the most disappointing in his six-year tenure. The Wildcats were last in the 11-team conference, on an 11-game losing streak, winless on the road and had beaten only two Division II teams this season.

It was a definite blow to the storied program which is less than a year removed from an appearance in the national semifinal.

“My mind still isn’t quite right,” Oliver said. “I still can’t stop playing that one through my mind. It will sit with me for quite some time. But it wasn ice to come back the way we did.”

Players were thinking about it too.

“It was real quite in the shootaround today,” senior point guard Marlon Pierce said. “It was like everyone saw a ghost. We couldn’t believe that happened.”

The host team sent a message from the opening tip, starting the game with an 8-0 run. The Coyotes also led 24-4 nine minutes into the contest after a 3-pointer by David Reichel.

The Warriors (5-18, 4-12) made a run to cut it to 10 at 27-17 but the Coyotes finished the half with a 19-4 and held a commanding 46-21 cushion at the intermission.

“The energy was key,” senior Lance Ortiz added. “We came out quickly and sent a message. Getting off to a good start helped us settle down.”

Several statistics told the story as the No. 18 Coyotes vaunted defense forced 16 turnovers and held the Warriors to 32 percent (8-for-25) shooting from the field. The visitors ended up with 25 turnovers, with the Coyotes ceasing the full-court pressure in the last 15 minutes.

The Coyotes shot 47.2 percent (17-for-36) and had 14 assists with six just turnovers. The ended up 47.1 percent (32-for-68) for the game with Ortiz tallying 17 with eight assists, Pierce 15 and seldom-used reserve Ryan Kinney chipping in with a carfeer high 12.

The Coyotes led by as many as 34 at 65-31 afer a shot by Renardo Bass with 12 minutes left. The game got a little ragged after that with both teams substituting freely. Oliver used 15 players, 11 of whom figured in the scoring.

“Today it didn’t matter who it was,” Pierce added. “It could have been San Diego, Humboldt, whoever. We were on a mission.”

The Coyotes remain at home to face local rival Cal Poly Pomona Thursday. Cal State lost to their nemesis 66-6 in overtime earlier this season.

Cal State San Bernardino guard Leslie Pickron has been named Wilson California Collegiate Athletic Association Women’s Basketball Player of the Week for the week of Feb. 11-17. Pickron, a 5-foot-8 senior from Riverside, Calif., averaged 17.0 points, one rebound and two assists in victories over Chico State and Cal State Stanislaus that propelled the Coyotes into a first-place tie with Chico State. Both the Coyotes and Wildcats are battling for the CCAA’s regular-season title and the top-seed in the conference tournament. In a match-up of the conference’s top two teams, Pickron came off the bench to score a team-high 14 points, dish out two assists and collect three steals while playing 23 minutes. She came up big for the Coyotes as she connected on four of nine shots from behind the three-point line in helping Cal State San Bernardino to a 61-51 victory. One night later against Cal State Stanislaus, Pickron scored 20 points and had two assists in 19 minutes during a 74-60 win. She was six of eight from three-point range and concluded the night seven of nine from the field. Cal State San Bernardino concludes its home schedule this week when it hosts Cal Poly Pomona and UC San Diego. The player of the week on the men's side is senior Devin Peal of Humboldt State. Wilson CCAA Women’s Basketball Player of the Week: Nov. 12-18: Renee Goldoff (Chico State); Nov.19-25: Shristy Kumar (Cal State Stanislaus); Nov. 26 – Dec. 2: Vanessa Wilt (Cal State San Bernardino); Dec. 3-9: Vanessa Wilt (Cal State San Bernardino); Dec. 10-16: Veronica Williams (Cal State L.A.); Dec. 17-23: Vanessa Wilt (Cal State San Bernardino); Dec. 24-30: Dane Wellander (Sonoma State); Dec. 31-Jan. 6: Vanessa Wilt (Cal State San Bernardino); Jan 7-13: Melissa Richardson (Chico State); Jan. 14-20: Michelle Osier (UC San Diego); Jan. 21-27: Vanessa Wilt (Cal State San Bernardino); Jan. 28-Feb. 3: Krystle Mays (San Francisco State); Feb. 4-10: Audriana Spencer (Chico State); Feb. 11-17: Leslie Pickron (Cal State San Bernardino).

The Chaffey Panthers posted their biggest win of the season, upending Foothill Conference leader Antelope Valley 72-69 in overtime Wednesday night

The Panthers (17-10, 7-4) had a chance to win the game in regulation but a 3-pointer by freshman Jordan Block rimmed out at the buzzer.

Block finished with 22 points, and 10 rebounds and two steals while Brandon Clemons tallied 14 with six rebounds. Jeffrey Sawyer was also in double figures with 12.

Both teams shot 50.8 percent from the field but Chaffey had an edge at the line, making 12 of 21 tries to 7-of-10 for the Marauders (23-8, 9-2).

The win moves the Panthers into a tie with San Bernardino Valley College for third place.

 

By Michelle Gardner

Staff Writer

The Cal State San Bernardino women’s basketball team will need to reverse a trend if it is to win its first California Collegiate Athletic Association title.

The Coyotes have lost eight straight games to Chico State and only one of those was competitive. But that is the foe that will be marching into Coussoulis Arena for a 5:30 showdown Friday.

The stakes are high with the Coyotes (17-4, 11-3) one game behind frontrunner Chico State (19-4, 12-2) in the CCAA standings. The Wildcats also are ranked 13th nationally and second in the Division II West Region poll, one spot ahead of Cal State.

Even the typically reserved Coach Kevin Becker acknowledges the importance of the game.

“A lot of times a game may not seem important at the time, then you look back on it,” he said. “But if you just look at the standings and what is on the line it probably is the biggest game any of these girls have played here.”

Chico leads the all-time series 16-7, with Cal State’s last win coming Feb. 27, 2004. Five of the eight in that stretch have been decided by 19 points or more.

In the first round of conference play the Wildcats defeated the Coyotes 70-59, a game that wasn’t as close as the score indicated. Chico led 35-12 at the half and scored the first 10 points of the second half with the Coyotes missing their first nine shots from the field.

Becker doesn’t think there will be any lingering effects.

“We have played a lot of games since then,” he said. “You look at what you did wrong and move on. These girls aren’t the kind that are losing sleep over it.”

Becker concedes that it’s a tough matchup for his team, which relies on a finesse game. The Wildcats are bigger, stronger and deeper at every position. They are led by guard Audriana Spencer (14.3 points per game), last week’s conference player of the week.

“Their wings are 5-9, 5-10 and they’re strong. Their guards may be 5-5 or 5-6 but they’re solid,” he said. “It definitely is a matchup problem for us.”

The Coyotes are led by senior center Vanessa Wilt (21.3 ppg, 13.6 rpg) who ranks second in the nation in rebounding and fourth in scoring and has 20 double-doubles in 21 outings. But she is averaging just 11 points and seven rebounds in four previous games against the Wildcats, fouling out of three of them.

The formula for success is simple: Becker will be looking for his perimeter shooters to knock down some shots to take the pressure of Wilt inside. The key trio there consists of juniors Rachel Johnson (7.4 ppg) and Shanae Blake (10.5 ppg) and sophomore Krystal Urzua (8.3 ppg). Blake knocked down 20 in the first meeting, all of those coming in the last 14 minutes of the game.

Meanwhile the goal for men’s coach Jeff Oliver’s team will be to not get complacent. Ranked second in the region and 18th nationally, the Coyotes (18-4, 11-3) will be facing a Wildcat team (5-16, 1-13) that has dropped 11 straight games and has not yet won on the road.

The Coyotes currently have a one-game lead over UC San Diego and a two-game edge over defending champion Humboldt State and surprising San Francisco State.

“The bottom line is if we take care of business on our home floor we can do no worse than a tie for the conference championship. That is the light at the end of the tunnel,” Oliver said.

Senior point guard Marlon Pierce has been the catalyst, averaging 15.5 points and shooting 48 percent from long distance in conference play.

Cal State Stanislaus will come in for a doubleheader on Saturday.

By Michelle Gardner

 

Staff Writer

At this point of the season, Cal Poly Pomona men’s basketball coach Greg Kamansky is realistic. His Broncos aren’t going to win a conference title and they aren’t likely to finish ranked in the West Region.
But they will still have some something to play for when they square off with Cal State Stanislaus and Chico State this weekend at Kellogg Gymnasium.

The Broncos (9-10, 8-6) head into play tonight against Stanislaus (4-17, 3-11) fifth in the 11-team California Collegiate Athletic Association with six games left, including three at home.

The top eight teams will make the conference tournament but the top four get to host a first-round game. That is important for the Broncos because the tournament openers will be held Tuesday and they end the regular season on the road the previous weekend far north at Humboldt State.

Winning the conference tournament is the Broncos’ only chance at a berth in the regional now.

“We’re not looking ahead,” Kamansy said. “I know the cliche and it sounds corny, but we are only thinking about one game at a time. We’re not good enough to be thinking that far ahead. We need to win this one, then worry about the next one.”

The Broncos rely on their defense, which ranks second in the conference (64 points per game). The offense has struggled, ranking last (63.9 ppg) despite having one of the conference’s premier scorers.

Junior forward Larry Gordon is still among the contenders for conference player of the year honors, although his candidacy will be hurt if the Broncos keep sinking in the standings.

The Montclair High School alum is second in the conference in scoring (17.5 ppg) and rebounding (9.8) and fourth in free-throw shooting (.838).

The only other player in double figures is senior guard Angelo Tsagarakis (15 ppg). Others have had some solid moments but have not been consistent.

The Broncos have lost three of their last four games, splitting last weekend’s road trip. The Broncos beat Cal State Los Angeles for the second time but lost to Dominguez Hills, also for the second time.

The biggest problem has been ballhandling.

“We had 16 turnovers in the first half of our last game. That isn’t acceptable,” Kamansky said. “If we solve that problem we can play with anyone but I don’t know if it’s solvable.”

The seventh-place Cal Poly women are playing for much the same thing under first-year coach Scott Davis. The Broncos (9-11, 6-8) have been stellar in wins over quality foes such as defending West Region champion UC San Diego and Sonoma State, both of whom were nationally ranked earlier this season.
They also played an outstanding half against undefeated Seattle Pacific, which is currently ranked first in the region.

But the Broncos also have an unexplainable loss one to Cal State Monterey Bay (2-19, 1-13).

Senior Vanessa Dominguez (13.1 ppg, 6.3 rpg, 2.2 spg) has been the Broncos’ most consistent player. Freshman Reyana Colson (11.9 ppg, 5.6 rpg, 1.9 spg) and Andrea Ohlssen (10.1 ppg) are also in double figures.
The Broncos are 10th in shooting percentage (.364) and ninth in field-goal percentage defense (.417).

Tonight’s men’s game will be simulcast on the Broncos’ athletic department Web site. The game Saturday night will not be but can be heard through the Chico State Web site.

Cal State L.A. baseball’s slump continued as the team blew a 6-4 advantage in the top of the ninth inning of Thursday evening’s non-conference encounter against CCAA rival Cal State San Bernardino at Reeder Field.  The Golden Eagles’ record falls to 4-6 while Cal State San Bernardino improves to 7-2.

The Golden Eagles’ pitching woes continued as the staff gave up ten or more runs for the fourth time in their last five games.

Cal State L.A. shortstop Darrick Hale led the contest off with a homer to right, his third round-tripper of the season before Max Moya belted a two-run shot, his second of the year, later in the inning.

The Golden Eagles would pick up another run as Tyler Warmerdam singled home designated hitter Noe Flores with two outs in the fifth.

Golden Eagle starter Isaac Morales put on an outstanding performance allowing just four hits and one run in six and two third innings on the hill, before giving way to Cal State L.A.’s bullpen.

With two outs in the top of the seventh, Cal State San Bernardino began to chip away at the Golden Eagles’ lead, scoring three runs before the stretch.

CSULA would briefly retake the lead in the bottom of the seventh when Hale, who singled earlier in the frame, scored his second run of the game on Moya’s single to left center.   Moya added an insurance run, scoring on Christian Ramirez’ double down the line.

In the eighth inning, Nico Moreno came in from his familiar spot at third base to take over pitching duties for Cal State L.A.  He would get through the inning allowing only two hits and took the mound at the top of the ninth.

With the Golden Eagles up, 6-4, heading into the final inning, the Coyotes’ Johnnie Haas connected off of Moreno to begin Cal State San Bernardino’s final assault on Cal State L.A. The Coyotes went on to score five more runs before Moreno moved back to third base to make way for Yuichiro Fujiwara.  Fujiwara was able to work his way out of the inning, but the damage was done and Cal State LA. was unable to retaliate in their final at-bats.

The same two teams will be in non-conference action in San Bernardino with single games on Friday and Saturday.

Having led or tied for the team scoring lead in 10 straight games, Western Washington University men's basketball player Ira Graham is working on a streak unmatched in school history.

Verifiable school records in that category go back to the early 1960s. The best during that span was nine by Monte Birkle in the 1976-77 season.

In 1972-73, Viking guard Mike Franza averaged 25.6 points and led Western scorers 21 times in 25 games, but his longest run was eight, accomplished twice.

Graham's streak began in Western's last game of 2006-07 and has continued through the first nine contests of the current campaign. The Vikings, off to a 7-2 start, next play Jan. 3, opening Great Northwest Athletic Conference action at Northwest Nazarene.

"It's been my focus and the caliber of talent around me," said Graham of his scoring run. "It's not necessarily by design, but my teammates have really been looking for me and getting me the ball."

A 6-foot-1 junior from Fontana, Calif., Graham is averaging a GNAC-leading 20.0 points, scoring a career-high 32 in an 87-75 win over Cal State Monterey Bay on Nov. 19.

"Ira has become more mature with experience and has worked hard to develop his game," said Western coach Brad Jackson, who is in his 23rd season (416-241). "Last year he had to play a lot at point guard, and this season he's been at his natural shooting guard position. That's freed him up and allowed him to relax and play looser."

Graham has accomplished the scoring streak while also leading the Vikings in assists with a 3.4 average, having an assist-to-turnover ratio of 2.38 (31-to-13) that ranks fourth among league leaders.

"Ira is a natural scorer," Jackson said, "but he's also very aware of his teammates and is a good team player ... and perhaps his biggest improvement has been on defense, especially defense off the ball."

Graham is shooting 57.9 percent (70-of-121) from the field, nearly 15 percentage points higher than last season when he started all 26 games, averaging 15.3 points on a team that finished 11-15.

This year Graham could become just the eighth player in school history to average 20 points. He already has been named to three all-tournament teams, being the MVP at the WWU/Chuck Randall Thanksgiving Classic as well as all-tourney at the Seattle Pacific Tip-Off Classic and the Great Western Shootout.

"Coach Jackson talked to me during the off-season about becoming a better player and I've just tried to do that night in and night out," Graham said. "He also wanted me to become more consistent, and I really listened to that and have been trying to do that as well."

Riverside Community College has been selected as the 2008 host for the California Community Colleges Athletic Association Fastpitch Championship it was announced today by the state fastpitch coaches' association.

Ironically, the championship tournament will not be held at any of the District's three campuses. Instead, the state finals will be held at Orange Terrace Park in the community of Orangecrest. The city is in the final stages of building out Orange Terrace Park, which is in the east end of the city. As part of the park buildout, the city is adding two new ball fields, a library and a community center.

So the city and Orangecrest ASA, the largest softball organization in the city of Riverside for youth (5 to 18 years old), will co-host the event.

The state championship tournament will feature the final eight teams-four from the north and four from the south. Mt. San Antonio College is the defending state champions. Riverside head coach Michelle Daddona-Moya, who worked to bring the championship tournament to the city for the fourth time, said Mt. San Antonio and Riverside will play a regular-season game at the park on March 17th at 3:30 pm to help promote the championship tournament to the community.

"Orangecrest ASA is excited about the opportunity to promote, not only the game of softball to our youth, but expose them to the idea of playing college softball," said Tom Reiss, Orangecrest ASA president. "Our board's goal has not only been to provide the girls with recreational opportunities, but also bring entertainment opportunities to the community. And this is that first step."

The state finals is one of three tournaments Orangecrest ASA will be bringing to the community in 2008 at Orange Terrace Park. In June, the City of Riverside and Orangecrest ASA will be hosting the ASA Open Western Regional Tournament and then in July host the ASA Open National Championship Tournament, where as many as 10 former Olympic players will be action.

"The girls in the Orangecrest community are passionate about softball," said Daddona-Moya. "I think this is the first time the coaches' association has decided to take our product to an area with such passion for the game. I think it benefit not only the City of Riverside and Orangecrest ASA, but also the community college game of softball."

Pomona-Pitzer rallied for five runs
in the top of the ninth Tuesday night to beat Cal
State San Bernardino, 6-5, in a non-conference
baseball game at Arrowhead Credit Union Park.

The Sagehens, 1-1, trailed 5-1 entering the final
inning but put together their winning rally with four
hits and two costly Coyotes errors. CSUSB is now 6-2
overall and 3-2 at home.

The game resembled one of those marathon Major League
spring training games as the two teams used 41
position players and 13 pitchers in the 3-hour,
8-minute contest.

The Coyotes went the “pitcher by committee” route and
it worked well as CSUSB built a 5-1 lead heading into
the ninth as seven pitchers had combined to allow just
one run and four hits through the first eight frames.

However, disaster struck in the ninth as CSUSB junior
right-hander Michael Leal was rocked, giving up a
leadoff double to Teddy Bingham followed by a one-out
RBI single by Mike Silva. Pinch-hitter Mike Goldberg
then singled Silva to second. Both Silva and pinch
runner Zach Haberman advanced on a ground out. Brandon
Huerta followed with a single to right center to score
both runners to make it 5-4.

After Huerta stole second, James Kang hit the ball
sharply to Coyotes shortstop Jesus Beltran who
overthrew Jason Klug at first base for an error,
allowing Huerta to score the tying run and Kang to
take second.

The Coyotes went to the bullpen for closer Ward
Minich. However, Zachary Mandelblatt hit a ball into
the hole between first and second and Minich dropped
the throw as he crossed the bag for what would have
been the third out and Kang scored the unearned,
go-ahead run on the error. Minich ended the horror
show by striking out Drew Redman.

David Colvin, the Sagehen’s fourth reliever, pitched
two hitless innings to get the win for the 2007 SCIAC
champions. Leal (0-1) took the loss.

Trailing 1-0 in the bottom of the third, the Coyotes
evened the score on a walk to Beltran and a triple by
Johnnie Haas (2 for 3 with two runs scored and an
RBI).

 In the sixth, Haas sparked a two-run inning with
a leadoff single, then stole second and advanced to
third on Kyle Walton’s single. He scored on an infield
grounder by Drew Valenzuela. Walton later scored on a
single by Billy Haynes to make it 3-1.

CSUSB added two more runs in the seventh a two-run
double by Klug, raising his RBI count to 16 just eight
games into the season.

Of the nine Coyotes pitchers, five didn’t allow a
hit. Starter Bryan W. Hart retired all six batters in
the first two innings.

By Michelle Gardner

 

Staf fwriter

The Chaffey women’s basketball team appears fully recovered from a 71-57 shellacking at the hands of San Bernardino Valley College last week. The Panthers (21-6, 9-3) bounced back with a 73-66 win over College of the Desert on Saturday and remain tied for third with Foothill Conference play winding down.

Chaffey has four games remaining - road games at Antelope Valley (15-12, 9-3) and Rio Hondo (15-11, 5-6) and home games against Mt. San Jacinto (19-9, 11-2) and Victor Valley (1-22, 0-11). The Panthers are two games behind frontrunner SBVC and tied with Antelope Valley a game and half behind second-place Mt. San Jacinto.
The Panthers beat three of those four foes in the first round of conference play, the loss coming to Mt. San Jacinto 68-57.

“SBVC is the top team, no question about that,” coach Gary Plunkett said. “After that it is very close. All four of us are going to make the playoffs it is a question of who finishes where. We could be as high as second or we could be fourth. This is a crucial stretch of games.”

The team was going through some adversity in the last two weeks that resulted in the dismissal from the team of one player. It carried over into last week’s game but Plunkett thinks his team is back on track.

“That was probably just the kind of game we needed to get us refocused,” Plunkett said. “We came back Saturday and played a very solid game. We were back to playing Panther basketball.”

The loss to SBVC knocked the Panthers out of the top 20 state poll but they are still ranked No. 12 in the South.
The good news for Plunkett is that the squad includes just two sophomores - guards Christina Warren (13.7 ppg, 5 rpg) and Jessica Thorpe (4.1 ppg).

The team has several talented freshmen, most notably guards Keisha Mackall (12.2 pg, 3.8 apg) and Tamesha Jackson (12.9 ppg, 3.8 apg), forwards Aundria Anderson (10.1 ppg, 7.7 rpg) and Zipporah Brown (5.5 ppg, 6.3 rpg).

“We’re kind of where SBVC was last year,” Plunkett said. “Last year they had freshmen and all those girls are back and you can see how much better they are with that experience. We’re building that this year.”

Cal State San Bernardino's Jennifer Joy Named Penn CCAA Women's Tennis Player of the Week

CAL STATE SAN BERNARDINO's Jennifer Joy has been named the Penn California Collegiate Athletic Association Women's Tennis Player of the Week for the week of Feb. 4-10.

Joy, a senior from Palm Desert, Calif., improved her 2008 season record to 3-0 after registering a pair of victories while playing at No. 1 singles. A three-time All-CCAA selection, Joy defeated The Master's College's Hannah Leake in straight sets, 6-2, 6-2.

Joy followed that performance with a victory over Ina Dan of four-time defending CCAA champion UC San Diego. She won by scores by 3-6, 6-4 and 14-12 in the third set super tiebreaker to account for the Coyotes' only point in an 8-1 loss.

While teaming with Leslie Horn at No. 1 doubles, Joy posted a 2-1 record, defeating tandems from LaVerne and The Master's College before falling to Ina Dan and Taskeen Bains of of UC San Diego.

SHYNEESE WALTER

San Bernardino Valley College

Basketball

The lowdown: The 5-foot-10 sophomore guard has helped the Wolverines to a 21-5 record and No. 11 state ranking. Is averaging a team-high 11.5 points, 2.2 steals, 4.5 rebounds and 2.6 assists with a season high of 23 points coming against Rio Hondo. Also has a high of nine rebounds (three times), seven assists (vs. Chaffey) and six steals (vs. L.A. Southwest). Has scored in double figures 11 times this season and leads the team in 3-pointers (32). Averaged 9.3 points, 3.8 rebounds, 2 steals an 1.9 assists as a freshman.

Age: 19

Hometown: Perris

High school: Perris High School, 2006

Major: Criminal justice

Favorite athlete: Kobe Bryant

Favorite team: Los Angeles Lakers

Role model: My father

Can’t miss TV show: I Love New York

Most memorable sports moment:  Making the game-winning shot.

Person most influential in your athletic success: My parents

Celebrity you most want to meet: Kobe Bryant

Favorite food: Pizza

Favorite movie: Love and Basketball

Last good book you read: Who Moved My Cheese?

What’s in your CD player/iPod: Keyshia Cole

Other hobbies: Modeling

Favorite vacation spot: Hawaii

Best advice anyone has given you: Never give up.

Pre-game ritual or superstition: Pray

What would you like to be doing in five years?  Playing in the WNBA and taking care of my parents finanial matters.

 

 

ALEC ALDERS

University of Redlands

Swimming

The lowdown: The freshman distance freestyle specialist has helped the Bulldogs to an overall record of 7-2, including a 7-0 showing in SCIAC competition. Led Redlands to a 126-117 win over Claremont-Mudd-Scripps on Saturday with wins in the 200 free (1:44.61) and the 500 free (4:44.59) and a second-place finish in the 1,650 (17:13.39). Has also provided depth in some of the other strokes.

Age: 18

Hometown: Pasadena

High school: Loyola, 2007

 

Major: Undecided

Role model: My grandfather

Most embarrassing moment: Almost scoring on myself while playing goalie in water polo in high school.

Most memorable sports moment: Getting second place in CIF with my high school team.

Person most influential in your athletic success: My parents (Marla and Chris)

Favorite food: Pasta

Can’t miss TV shot: The Office

Favorite movie: Boondock Saints

Last good book you read: Eragon

Other hobbies: Video games

Favorite vacation spot: The beach

Worst job you ever had: Lifeguarding

What’s in your CD player/iPOD: 30 Seconds to Mars

Pre-game ritual or superstition: Breakfast consisting of scrambled eggs and toast.

Best advice anyone has given you: You should be comfortable being uncomfortable.

What do you want to be doing in five years?: I’m not sure.

- Compiled by Michelle Gardner

San Bernardino Valley College is looking for its fourth men’s basketball coach in as many years. The school started advertising the position Jan. 24th so Gerry Wright’s days are winding down.

Wright took over a program in turmoil in December of 2006 and led it to a Foothill Conference title, winning coach of the year honors in the process. The Wolverines started slowly this season but are still in the hunt for a playoff berth currently sitting third.

The sticking point is that the position is full-time based out of the physical education department which requires a master’s degree in that area. Wright, a legendary player in his high school days at San Gorgonio, has a master's degree but it is in education. His experience teaching physical education at all levels is not enough.

“I feel bad because I really care about these kids,” he said.  “But I feel like I have done my job. They’re all going to graduate and they have become better players

SBVC athletic director Dave Rubio is frustrated about starting from scratch but thankful for the job Wright did. The closing date for the job is Feb. 28.

“It is frustrating because you want stability,” he said. “You want people in the community to know who you’re coach is. But that’s the criteria and he (Wright) does not quite meet it, although he did do a great job.”

By Michelle Gardner
Staff Writer

The San Bernardino Valley College women’s basketball team is on a roll at just the right time. The Wolverines have won 11 straight games to close in on just their third Foothill Conference title and first since 2001,
The team polished off its two closest pursuers last week, beating Chaffey 71-47 Wednesday and Mt. San Jacinto 63-48 Saturday.

The Wolverines (22-5, 11-1) have a one-game lead over Mt. San Jacinto with four games left but their remaining schedule consists of Victor Valley (1-22, 0-11), Barstow (10-15, 5-7), Rio Hondo (15-11, 5-6) and College of the Desert (6-20, 3-9) while the other three contenders all have games against each other.

Coach Sue Crebbin is still leary of Rio Hondo and Barstow but recognizes her team’s situation.

“It is definitely ours to lose,” she said. “We’re peaking at the right time. We have had people step up and we’re playing just smothering defense.”

Crebbin is rounding our her third year heading the program. The Wolverines turned the corner last year, finishing as conference runner-up and posted a first-round playoff 61-59 upset of Orange Coast. The run ended with a 77-69 loss to another Orange County team, Fullerton.

That was more than the Crebbin expected  but this year the bar has been raised.

“We definitely came in here with higher expectations this year,” she said. “All of these girls had been through it before. Last year I still had to sell them on their potential. This year they have the confidence and the experience.”

The only losses from last year’s team where its two post players. This season the Wolverines are more guard-oriented. While they may not have quite the size in the middle, the have done a better job defending because of their speed.

The scoring balanced with just two players averaging double figures - sophomore Shyneese Walter (11.5 ppg, 4.5 rpg, ) and Jasmine Marshall (10.3 ppg, 4.5 spg, 4 rpg, 3.9 apg). Three others are close - La’Quita Jordan (9.4 ppg, 2.2 spg), Ronisha Edwards (8.8 ppg, 6.4 rpg) and Simeone Baker (8.6 ppg, 6.8 rpg).

Marshall has been the catalyst while Baker has been the steady go-to player in the paint. Jordan could start for most teams but has embraced her role as the spark plug off the bench.

 

Rank	Institution (1st Place)	Previous	W-L	Pts
1.	Delta State (26)	1	20-0	673
2.	Seattle Pacific	2	20-0	647
3.	North Dakota	3	21-1	611
4.	South Dakota (1)	4	20-1	600
5.	Concordia (Minn.)	5	22-1	567
6.	Drury	6	19-2	529
7.	Holy Family	7	22-0	522
8.	Fort Lewis	9	22-1	471
9.	Indiana (Pa.)	T10	20-2	440
10.	West Georgia	T10	21-2	433
11.	Alaska-Anchorage	8	20-3	430
12.	Arkansas Tech	15	18-3	329
13.	Chico State	14	19-4	317
14.	Valdosta State	13	19-4	310
15.	Stonehill	16	18-4	288
16.	Anderson	17	20-2	273
17.	West Texas A&M	12	17-4	233
18.	Washburn	19	17-4	206
19.	Fairmont State	21	19-4	144
20.	Emporia State	22	16-5	138
21.	Franklin Pierce	23	19-4	129
22.	Hillsdale	NR	19-3	98
23.	Augustana	25	20-5	91
24.	Michigan Tech	20	18-5	81
25.	Francis Marion	18	17-4	67

Dropped Out: Minnesota State-Mankato

Others Receiving Votes: Tusculum 42; Assumption 20; Columbus State 18; Missouri Science & Tech 11; Augusta State 9; St. Mary's 9; Clayton State 8; Indianapolis 8; Minnesota State-Mankato 7; Wingate 6; Bowie State 3; Tampa 3; California State-San Bernardino 2; Texas A&M-Commerce 1; South Carolina-Aiken 1.

Rank	Institution (1st place)	W-L	Pts	Previous
1	Bentley (6)	22-0	198	1
2	Grand Valley State (2)	26-0	194	2
3	Winona State	25-1	184	3
4	Alaska-Anchorage	19-3	176	5
5	Northern State	22-2	166	6
6	South Carolina-Aiken	19-2	162	7
7	Findlay	20-3	149	8
8	Gannon	21-2	140	10
9	Drury	18-3	130	11
10	South Dakota	19-2	128	4
11	West Liberty State	17-2	102	13
12	Augusta State	17-4	95	16
13	Tampa	16-4	91	17
14	C.W. Post	20-2	90	14
15	Southwest Baptist	17-4	80	15
16	Mount Olive	17-4	79	18
17	Tarleton State	19-3	78	12
18	Cal State-San Bernardino	18-4	72	19
19	Southwestern Oklahoma State	18-4	55	9
20	Lenoir-Rhyne	17-3	44	23
21	Rollins	17-4	42	21
22	Kentucky Wesleyan	21-3	27	24
23	Florida Southern	18-6	22	NR
24	Nebraska-Omaha	18-4	13	NR
25	Fort Lewis	18-4	11	20

Others Receiving Votes:  Minnesota State-Mankato 10, North Alabama 10, California (Pa.) 8, Central Oklahoma 8, Chaminade 8, Northwest Missouri State 6, St. Rose 6, Benedict 5, Virginia Union 5, Seattle Pacific 4, Wingate 4, Pittsburgh-Johnstown 1.

Junior shortstop Cody Puckett (Apple Valley, CA/Hesperia HS) had a productive weekend in helping Cal State Dominguez Hills to a three wins over No. 17 Cal State L.A. and has been named Wilson CCAA Player of the Week for his efforts.

In four games against the Golden Eagles, Puckett batted .467 (7-for-15) with six runs scored and six RBI while slugging 1.067 and posting a .579 on-base percentage. Additionally, Puckett hit safely in all four games and had three multiple-hit games while also clubbing three home runs, including two in the series finale.

The Toros, who improved to 3-4 with the three wins over their cross-town rival, take to the air next, making the trip across the Pacific to take on Hawai'i Pacific for a six-game set in Honolulu before returning home on March 1 to host a twinbill against Cal State San Bernardino.

      SAN BERNARDINO -  Senior guard Marlon Pierce (San Diego / Helix HS / Cuyamaca College) today was selected as the Wilson / CCAA conference men’s basketball player of the week for his efforts in leading Cal State San Bernardino to two wins over the weekend.

            Pierce averaged 21.5 points, 3.0 rebounds, 3.5 assists and shot 70 percent from three-point range in helping the Coyotes sweep Cal State Dominguez Hills (67-58) and Cal State L.A. (80-70) to protect their one-game lead in the CCAA standings with six games remaining in the regular season.

            In the win over the Toros, Pierce scored 26 points, grabbed three rebounds, dished off two assists and made two steals in 31 minutes. He was nine of 15 from the field, including four of six from three-point range and he sank all four free throw attempts.

            With the Coyotes ahead by only three points at 55-52 in the final minutes, Pierce hit three straight shots from beyond the arc to boost CSUSB into a 64-54 lead to ice the game with 2:19 remaining.

            On Saturday, against Cal State L.A., Pierce contributed 17 points, three rebounds, five assists and one steal in the win over the Golden Eagles. He made five of 10 shots from the floor, including three of four attempts from downtown and again made all four of his foul shots.

            Overall, he was 14 of 25 from the field, seven of 10 from the three and 8-8 from the foul line.

            In his last five games, Pierce has shot 60 percent from the three (18 of 30) and made 14 of 16 free throws (87 percent). He is averaging 13.2 points, 3.9 rebounds and four assists per game in 22 games this season with 42 steals. He is shooting 44 percent from the three (40 of 91) and 78 percent from the foul line (49 of 63).

            He scored a career-high 29 points in CSUSB’s loss at UC San Diego on Jan. 19.

            In 14 CCAA contests, Pierce is averaging 15.5 points a game to lead the team and had made 33 of 68 three-pointers (48 percent), has an overall field goal percentage of 49.7 and his accuracy at the foul line in CCAA play is 82.4 percent (28 of 34).

            The Coyotes, 18-4 overall and 11-3 in the CCAA, are ranked No. 2 in the West Region and No. 19 in the nation heading into this week's home games against Chico State on Friday and Cal State Stanislaus on Saturday night.
            
            
           

      SAN BERNARDINO –  Senior guard Marlon Pierce (San Diego / Helix HS / Cuyamaca College) today was selected as the Wilson / CCAA conference men’s basketball player of the week for his efforts in leading Cal State San Bernardino to two wins over the weekend.
            Pierce averaged 21.5 points, 3.0 rebounds, 3.5 assists and shot 70 percent from three-point range in helping the Coyotes sweep Cal State Dominguez Hills (67-58) and Cal State L.A. (80-70) to protect their one-game lead in the CCAA standings with six games remaining in the regular season.
            In the win over the Toros, Pierce scored 26 points, grabbed three rebounds, dished off two assists and made two steals in 31 minutes. He was nine of 15 from the field, including four of six from three-point range and he sank all four free throw attempts.
            With the Coyotes ahead by only three points at 55-52 in the final minutes, Pierce hit three straight shots from beyond the arc to boost CSUSB into a 64-54 lead to ice the game with 2:19 remaining.
            On Saturday, against Cal State L.A., Pierce contributed 17 points, three rebounds, five assists and one steal in the win over the Golden Eagles. He made five of 10 shots from the floor, including three of four attempts from “downtown” and again made all four of his foul shots.
            Overall, he was 14 of 25 from the field, seven of 10 from the three and 8-8 from the foul line.
            In his last five games, Pierce has shot 60 percent from the three (18 of 30) and made 14 of 16 free throws (87 percent). He is averaging 13.2 points, 3.9 rebounds and four assists per game in 22 games this season with 42 steals. He is shooting 44 percent from the three (40 of 91) and 78 percent from the foul line (49 of 63).
            He scored a career-high 29 points in CSUSB’s loss at UC San Diego on Jan. 19.
            In 14 CCAA contests, Pierce is averaging 15.5 points a game to lead the team and had made 33 of 68 three-pointers (48 percent), has an overall field goal percentage of 49.7 and his accuracy at the foul line in CCAA play is 82.4 percent (28 of 34).
            The Coyotes, 18-4 overall and 11-3 in the CCAA, are ranked No. 2 in the West Region and No. 19 in the nation heading into this week’s home games against Chico State on Friday and Cal State Stanislaus on Saturday night.
            
            
           

The basketball teams from Chaffey and San Bernardino Valley College hardly need any additional incentive when they square off tonight at Chaffey. But both games loom large in the Foothill Conference picture.
On the men's side the teams are tied for second place behind Antelope Valley (22-6, 8-0) and Mt. San Jacinto (22-4, 6-2).

The Wolverines (10-12, 5-3) rely on a solid 1-2 punch in Lewis Leonard (25.3 ppg, 5.8 rpg) and Johnny Barnes (19 ppg, 10.4 rpg) while the Panthers (16-8, 5-3) rely on balance. Four players are averaging double figures led by freshmen guards Winston Robinson (15.2 ppg, 8.1 rpg) and Nick Turner (13.1 ppg).

The women's race is equally close. Mt. San Jacinto (17-8, 9-1) is a half game up on SBVC (19-5, 81) and a full game up on Chaffey (20-5, 8-2). The game will be key not only in the conference picture but potential playoff seeding as well.

SBVC is ranked 13th in the state and seventh in the South while Chaffey is 20th in the state and 11th in the South.

SBVC won both games on their own floor earlier this season with the men winning 96-93 and women winning 71-57.

Tip off for the women's game is 5 p.m., with the men's game immediately following.

DANIEL MARKUS

University of Redlands

Basketball

The lowdown: The 6-foot-2 senior guard is averaging 10 points and 3.4 rebounds. Has scored in double figures 10 times this season with a high of 16 points coming twice. Was the team’s second-leading scorer last season as a junior at 18.2 points per game. He collected 74 3-pointers, 47 assists and 30 steals. Career-high or 36 points included nine 3-pointers and came in his junior year against Biola. Earned second-team All-SCIAC honors and was a CoSIDA Academic All-district and All-American honoree. Carries a 3.9 GPA.

Age: 21

Hometown: Orange

High school: Mater Dei High School, 2004

Major: Global business

Favorite athlete: Tiger Woods

Favorite team: Arizona Wildcat basketball

Role model: My parents (Mike and Mary)

Can’t miss TV show: The Simpsons, South Park

Most memorable sports moment: Breaking the NCAA team scoring record in the 2004-05 season (132.4 ppg).

Person most influential in your athletic success: Gary McKnight (my high school coach).

Celebrity you most want to meet: Lauren Conrad

Favorite food: Chinese dumplings

Favorite movie: Shawshank Redemption

Last good book you read: The Art of War by Sun Sze

What’s in your CD player/iPod: Beatles 1

Other hobbies: Golf, reading

Worst job you ever had: Pizza delivery boy

Favorite vacation spot: Palm Desert

Best advice anyone has given you: It’s not what you do, but how you do it.

Pre-game ritual or superstition: I don’t believe in them.

What would you like to be doing in five years?: Using my Chinese language skills to do business in China for a multinational company.

- Compiled by Michelle Gardner

RYAN LARSON

Chaffey College

Swimming

The lowdown: The sophomore earned eight All-American honors last season for the Panthers. He placed second in the state in the 400 IM (4:06.4) and fourth in both the 200 IM (1:54.9) and the 200 back (1:56.3). Those times earned him national rankings of fourth in the 400 IM, sixth in the 200 IM and seventh in the 200 back. He was also 11th in the 100 back which came on the first leg of a relay. He also earned All-American honors as part of the 400 and 800 free relays and the 200 and 400 medley relays in which he swam the butterfly leg.

Age: 19

Hometown: Alta Loma

High school: Alta Loma High School, 2006

Major: Undecided

Most memorable sports moment: Winning the 400 freestyle relay at the CIF Championships my senior year.

Most embarrassing sports moment: The first race I ever swam I was too scared to dive into the pool and my coach ended up pushing me in.

Person most influential in your athletic success: My parents

Last good book you read: Harry Potter

Favorite movie: Transformers

Celebrity you most want to meet: None, they’re all stuck up. They should want to meet me.

What’s in your CD player/iPod: A mix

Favorite vacation spot: The beach

Favorite food: All types

Best advice anyone has given you: Just keep swimming.

Pre-game ritual or superstition: I try to sit by myself

Other hobbies: Skateboarding

What do you want to be doing in five years?: Be finishing school or starting my career.

Compiled by Michelle Gardner

MARISSA RAYA

University of La Verne

Basketball

The lowdown: The 5-foot-7 senior guard leads the SCIAC in scoring at 18.9 points per game and has helped the Leos (14-5, 7-1) to a tie for first place. Has been the team’s leading scorer 13 times with a season-high of 35 coming against Cal Lutheran. Also had 34 in a nonconference game against Transylvania that included the 1,00th point of her career in that game. Has scored 30 or more four times and 20 or more eight times. Has been named SCIAC Female Athlete of the Week twice already this season. Was a first-team all-conference selection as a junior, averaging 15 points and 4.8 rebounds.

Age: 21

Hometown: Pasadena

High school: Bassett High School, 2004

Major: Criminology

Favorite athlete: Mia Hamm

Favorite team: Los Angeles Lakers

Most memorable moment: Winning the SCIAC in 2007.

Role model: My grandmother (Maria)

Person most influential in your athletic success: My parents (Francisco and Sheri).

Last good book you read: Monster: Autobiography of an L.A. Gang Member by Sanyika Shakur (AKA Monster Kody Scott).

Favorite movie: Grandma’s Boy

Can’t miss television shows: Dexter

Favorite vacation spot: Laughlin, Nev.

Favorite food: Barbeque ribs

Celebrity you most want to meet: David Beckham

Best advice anyone has given you: Not to quit at anything. Do what I love and always do the right thing.

Pre-game ritual or superstition: If I ride with friends on game day, I have to be the one that drives.

What’s in your CD player/iPOD? Mix tape (Hip-hop, reggae, oldies).

Other hobbies: Looking at cars, watching movies.

What do you want to be doing in five years: Become a police officer.

 

By Michelle Gardner

Staff Writer

When Ivan Johnson played at Cal State San Bernardino, he often talked about playing in the NBA — so much so that it irritated Coyotes coach Jeff Oliver, who thought his star should be worried about getting through college first.

But a year later the 6-foot-8 center is close to realizing that dream. The San Antonio native is putting up solid numbers with the Anaheim Arsenal, the Clippers’ affiliate in the NBA’s Developmental League, including 16.4 points and 8.3 rebounds per game over the past 17 games.

Arsenal President Cliff Dochterman said the team has fielded calls from “several” NBA teams asking about the 23-year-old big man. Coach Reggie Geary, a former assistant at Arizona under Lute Olson, also thinks Johnson has that potential.

“If he keeps maturing as an individual and working hard on the court, the sky is the limit for Ivan,” Geary said. “He has the skills and has really started coming into his own here.”

A year ago Johnson shouldn’t have been thinking about the NBA. He had worn out his welcome at four colleges — two of them junior colleges and two of them Division I schools, although he only played at one of them.
His last stop on the major college circuit was the University of Oregon, but a verbal altercation with Ducks head coach Ernie Kent spelled the end of that stay.

He ended up in San Bernardino through an acquaintance of Oliver’s. The coach had changed his recruiting practices, putting more emphasis on character and team chemistry; adding Johnson to the mix seemed risky. But he thought he had quality individuals around Johnson that might serve as a positive influence.

Although there were struggles along the way, Oliver was confident Johnson would mature.

“I had leverage over him none of his other coaches had and that was the ability to end his career,” Oliver said. “He always found another school willing to take him because he was so talented. But he was a senior so it was the end of the line. He was out of options.”

Johnson weighed more than 300 pounds when he arrived at Cal State and his play suffered. That didn’t surprise Oliver, who said Division I bouncebacks often fail to live up to their billing in Division II — either because they’re sulking about playing at a lower level, or think they can get by with less effort because of the lower level.

Johnson seemed to fit that mold, too. Then one day Oliver called Johnson into his office and played a phone message from an NBA representative looking for film. Oliver emphasized that the only footage he had to send would hinder Johnson’s cause, not help it.

Slowly, Johnson became the player the Coyotes were hoping for. He scored in double figures the final 12 games of the season and worked his average up from 12 to 15.5 points a game. The effort led the Coyotes to a West Region championship and the national semifinals for the first time in the program’s history.

Not only did Johnson’s play improve, so did his demeanor and his once-combustable attitude. He stopped sniping at referees, opposing players and fans who heckled him. The more focused he became, the better he played.

“His biggest improvement was not in his skills. He was a good player before he got here,” Oliver said. “The biggest difference was his maturity and becoming a team player. Before it was always about Ivan but he finally learned to be a good teammate.”

After leaving Cal State, Johnson began debating his options.

“I really wanted to go play in Europe, but I didn’t think I was ready,” Johnson said after a recent practice at American Sports Center in Anaheim.

Geary remembered Johnson from his days in the Pac-10 so he knew of his physical talent. But he also knew his reputation. His first call was to Oliver.

“I didn’t sugarcoat it because it was my credibility at stake,” Oliver said. “I told him he will test you. But I also told him how much he matured in the short time he was here.”

With some of those fears relieved, the Arsenal made Johnson their second-round draft pick. Geary, who took over as head coach 25 games into the 2006-2007 season, said many players in the league have similar backgrounds.

“This league is a league of second chances. We usually don’t have a problem with guys because they know they may not get a third,” he said. “We told him he was coming here with a clean slate and at this stage of his life he could still write his own story. It was up to him.”

Just when his professional career looked to be taking off, Johnson took another blow when his mother, Sandra, passed away while the team was in training camp. He was on a flight back to Texas when the word came.
Johnson’s father hadn’t been part of the picture, so she had been his sole source of support. The two spoke every day, Johnson said, and her picture is tattooed on his bicep with the words “Without you, there is no me.”

Life has been an emotional rollercoaster since then. He missed six games in the preseason but returned to the team determined to play well in her honor.

Like at Cal State, Johnson struggled early with the Arsenal, averaging 3.3 points in the first six games. He chalks that up to a difference in stature — he scrimmages against a 7-footer every day in practice, Marcus Campbell, and spent much of Friday’s game against the Lakers’ affiliate defending 6-11 Darryl Watkins.

“Dudes here are big,” said Johnson, now down to a playing weight of 240. “I am not the biggest guy anymore. It it changes your shot, everything. I have to be an energy guy now. It’s not just about being big.”
Johnson, who wears No. 32 just like he did at Cal State, is averaging 13.5 points and 7.1 rebounds for the season despite the slow start. He scored 43 points and pulled down 20 rebounds in two games last weekend.

Each season, the D-League holds a showcase in which all 14 teams play at the same location where NBA teams can scout future players. The Arsenal squared off with the Sioux Falls Skyforce and Johnson stole the show with 26 points, 10 rebounds and three blocks.

This season, 44 players who spent last season in the D-League were on NBA opening-day rosters. A total of 11 have been called up NBA teams this season including Johnson’s teammate Guillermo Diaz, who got two 10-day contracts with the Clippers last month.

Geary said Johnson might get a 10-day look at the end of the season by a team out of contention. He would like to see Johnson compete in the NBA’s summer league next season to see how he does against more established players.

Johnson admits he thinks about how close he is.

“I think about it every day,” he said.

Some things never change.

California Baptist University Athletic Director Kevin Steele has announced the hiring of John Petty as the Lancers’ first-ever head wrestling coach.

 

Petty, who has spent the past two seasons at Northwestern College in Orange City, Iowa, will assume his duties immediately as the Lancers prepare to start wrestling in the fall of 2008.

 

“After completing a nationwide search for the inaugural wrestling coach at CBU, we are pleased to announce the hiring of John Petty,” said Steele. “John possesses the experience, passion and character we believe will create an outstanding wrestling program and develop champions on the mat and well beyond. Young people will be challenged to excellence in all areas of their lives by a coach who models excellence on a daily basis.  It is a pleasure to welcome John to the CBU family.”

 

Northwestern is currently ranked No. 10 in the NAIA and are in position to make yet another NAIA National Tournament appearance. In Petty’s first year at the helm in 2006-07, the Raiders finished 15^th at the national tournament, improving upon the team’s 24^th place showing in 2006. The Raiders, who were also Great Plains Athletic Conference runners-up, had three NAIA All-Americans, their first All-Americans since 2003 and most in one season since 1998.

 

Northwestern also won the NAIA Champion of Character Sportsmanship Award and were ranked as high as No. 10 during the season. The Raiders had a team GPA of 3.08, which was eighth best in the nation.

 

Prior to taking over at Northwestern, Petty spent three seasons as the head coach at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Prescott, Ariz. During his stint there from the 2003-04 season to the 2005-06 season, Petty led the Eagles to three straight Top 10 finishes at the NAIA Tournament, including a fifth place finish in 2006. During that season, the Eagles had a team GPA of 3.09.

                      

In 2005, Petty was named regional coach of the year as he led the Eagles to a regional title. The Eagles were also awarded the NAIA Champion of Character Sportsmanship Award at the national tournament that same year. In his three seasons at ERAU, he coached 15 All-Americans and six Scholar-Athletes.

 

In addition to his coaching duties at ERAU, Petty also served as the Director of Athletic Academic Support and has been the NAIA’s second vice president of the Wrestling Coaches’ Association since 2005.

 

Prior to his stint at Embry-Riddle, Petty spent two years teaching and coaching at the high school level. From 1991-96, Petty served as an aviation officer in the United States Army.

 

“I am honored to have been chosen as the first head coach of the California Baptist University wrestling program,” said Petty. “I am excited for the opportunity and look forward to building the program into what it is expected at CBU Athletics—a winner both on and off the competition surface. Character development as well as academic and athletic excellence will be the foundational pillars upon which we will build this program. The resources are here for a successful program, and I look forward to creating relationships and competing for championships here at CBU.”

 

Petty wrestled two seasons at Fresno State and then was a five-time U.S. National Open Champion in the Master’s Division and a 10-time U.S. National All-American in the same division. He also wrestled two seasons at Fresno City College and was an All-American and team captain for the 1989 state champions.

He received his bachelor’s of business administration from Fresno State in 1991 and then earned his master’s in kinesiology from Fresno Pacific in 2006.

Petty and his wife, Sheila, have three daughters, Janaya, Janessa and Jada.

Cal Poly Pomona men's basketball coach Greg Kamansky knew his team would be in for a tough game against CS Monterey Bay on Friday night. The Otters are a difficult test at Otter Gym, and Kamansky's concern became reality when CS Monterey Bay won handily, 67-52.

Junior Larry Gordon (Pomona), the CCAA's leading scorer, earned his 16th straight double-figure scoring night with 12, but was held to just two points in the second half and without a field goal in the final 20 minutes. He had 10 rebounds to record his 10th double-double for the Broncos, who dropped to 8-8 overall and 7-4 in the CCAA.

Senior Angelo Tsagarakis (Auffreville, France) scored 11 points with three 3-pointers and sophomore Donnelle Booker (San Bernardino) had a double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds for the Broncos, who saw their two-game winning streak snapped.

The Otters (5-12, 4-7) shot 58 percent from the floor (29-of-50) and totaled 17 assists. They grabbed the lead for good with 6 minutes and 27 seconds remaining in the first half at 21-20. They led 37-27 at halftime and enjoyed leads as large as 20 inside the game's final 10 minutes.

Augie Johnson scored a game-high 14 points for the Otters.

The Broncos, who were ranked eighth in Thursday's NCAA West Regional poll, take on San Francisco State on Saturday night. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.

Drew Valenzuela’s two-run home run
in the second inning proved enough for Cal State San
Bernardino as the Coyotes defeated Cal State Dominguez
Hills, 2-1, Friday in the 2008 season opening baseball
game for both teams.

The non-conference mini-series continues Saturday
with a doubleheader at the Toros home field in Carson,
starting at 11 a.m.

The Coyotes got strong pitching from three hurlers.
Senior right-hander Matt Long went 7.2 innings,
yielding all seven Toros hits and one earned run while
striking out seven and walking just one. Michael Leal
came on in the eighth to get the third out with the
tying run at second. Ward Minich retired the Toros in
order in the ninth for the save.

Matt Hopps made one bad pitch for the Toros and it
cost him and his teammates. In the second inning Kyle
Walton led off with a single through the right side
and Valenzuela smoked a liner over the left-field wall
at Arrowhead Credit Union Park for a 2-0 Coyotes lead.

Hopps went 5.1 innings, gave up just four hits,
walked four and struck out six in a commendable
effort. Phillip Van Doren finished up with 2.2 innings
of work, allowing just two hits and striking out four
Coyotes without walking anybody.

The Toros got their only run in the eighth when
senior catcher Martin Conde (3 for 3) led off with a
two-strike double to right center. After two outs,
junior shortstop Cody Puckett brought Conde home with
a single to center to end Long’s bid for a shutout.
Leal came out of the bullpen, walked a batter to put
Puckett on second base, then struck out Jeff Cullen to
end the frame.

Dominguez Hills stranded seven runners and the
Coyotes eight. Puckett had seven assists at shortstop
for the Toros. Second baseman Brent Planck had five
for the Coyotes.

Left-hander Isaac Morales threw perfect baseball for 3 2/3 innings and Cal State Los Angeles scored two runs on consecutive sacrifice flies in the third inning as the visiting Eagles defeated Cal Poly Pomona 3-1 in a nonconference game Friday at Scolinos Field.

 

            Morales, who earned all-region honors in 2007, struck out three without a walk and allowed two hits in six innings to pick up the win in the season opener for both clubs.

 

            “Morales was as impressive as he was the last few years,’’ Bronco coach Mike Ashman said. “He’s a tough guy to start off the season against.’’

 

            The Broncos (0-1) answered with their only run of the game in the seventh inning. Senior A.J. Cavaletto (Santa Barbara) reached base on a single. He later scored on a fielder’s choice from junior Joshua Potter (Orange).

 

            Cavaletto led the Broncos with a 3-for-4 performance, all singles. Sophomore Manny Navarro (San Diego) went 2-for-3 – all singles. Junior Ben Lebovitz (Newport Beach) had the only other hit for the Broncos with a single.

 

            Bronco starter Jarrett Attard threw five innings, allowing three runs, two earned. He struck out three and allowed six hits without a walk. Relievers Sean Moreno (La Mirada) threw two scoreless innings with three strikeouts and junior Brandan King (Walnut) threw one scoreless inning with one strikeout.

            “Our bullpen did a good job of keeping us in the game,’’ Ashman said. “Our bats will be better once we get some more at-bats.’’