Titans Take It Easy on Alberta in 83-49 Victory

Well-mannered host Cal State Fullerton showed the visiting University of Alberta basketball team some local sights Saturday evening in Titan Gym.

Included in the travel package was a view of the Fullerton scoreboard which, by the exhibition game’s end, read 83-49 in favor of the Titans.

It could have been worse, of course. Coach George McQuarn could have told the Titans to press on defense. He could have substituted less freely or concentrated solely on victimizing Alberta with Fullerton’s height advantage. Instead, he chose to be hospitable.

As it was, Alberta saw all five Titan starters--Eugene Jackson, Derek Jones, Herman Webster, Richard Morton and Henry Turner--finish in double figures. Mike Kornak led the slower, shorter Alberta team with 12 points.

How easy was it for Fullerton?

In the second half, the Titans converted 63% of their field goal attempts, many of them on short jumpers, dunks and layups. Meanwhile, Alberta was trying to survive on just 38 shots.

Included in the audience of 1,167 was Texas Tech assistant coach Ron Powell, sent to Fullerton to scout the Titans for the opening game Nov. 28 in Lubbock. By halftime, Powell said he was fond of just about everyone McQuarn sent into the game. Webster was fun to watch, he said, and Turner can play above the rim, can’t he?

Said Powell of the game: “(McQuarn) is just being nice to Alberta.”

Manners aside, McQuarn had few complaints about the victory. Everyone had played. . . . Fullerton won convincingly. . . . The Titans had done what they were told. More important, McQuarn said, his team was on its way to “Phase II” of its preparation for the season opener.

About the only embarrassing Fullerton play Saturday night was the one made by an honor guard member who slammed a flagpole against one of the backboards in the pregame ceremony. Otherwise, it was an evening to remember for the happy hosts.

“I thought that after 24, 25 days of practice, we came fairly close to doing what we wanted to do at both ends of the floor,” McQuarn said. “I thought it was a good game for us.”

McQuarn had kind words for every Titan that entered the game. So pleased was he, that you half expected him to compliment injured Tyrone Ree on how well his sprained ankle is healing (he’ll return to practice Monday).

“I felt that Oval Miller had a very nice game coming off the bench,” he said. “(Alexander) Hamilton did a nice job and Henry had a fine game.”

Later, McQuarn added reserve Vincent Blow to his list of notable performers. Blow, Miller and Hamilton most likely will become part of McQuarn’s top eight players.

“I didn’t see anything in this ballgame that changed that order,” he said.