Long Beach Hangs On to Edge Santa Barbara

John Hatten, the 260-pound center, picked up 6-5 Coach Joe Harrington and hoisted him high outside the dressing room while Cal State Long Beach players and fans shouted, “Long Beach State,” after the 49ers edged UC Santa Barbara, 77-76, Saturday night.

The Pacific Coast Athletic Assn. victory was the fifth straight for the 49ers, who are 12-6 overall.

The 49ers were nearly perfectfor most of the second half, taking the lead from the Gauchos and building a 15-point advantage.

Then they hung on, eventually surviving what associate coach Seth Greenberg called the “longest 1:11 in the history of college basketball.”

Actually, it was 1:27 and, during that time, 49er forward Andre Purry went to the foul line four times with one-and-one opportunities, and made seven of eight shots.

Rigo Moore also made both ends of a one-on-one during that time as the Gauchos desperately tried to catch up.

Santa Barbara cut a 75-70 lead to 75-74, but Purry ignored a screaming crowd of 5,893 and made his final two free throws with nine seconds left.

After a timeout, guard Carlton Davenport dribbled down the court but instead of attempting a three-point shot he threw inside to Mike Doyle, who made a layup that left the Gauchos a point short as time ran out.

“I guess he didn’t see anybody open (in three-point territory),” Santa Barbara Coach Jerry Pimm said of Davenport. “Then, I don’t know why he didn’t shoot. It wasn’t smart, but we don’t claim to be smart all the time. These are 18- and 19-year-old kids.”

Purry, who went into the game shooting 61.7% from the foul line, made 11 of 13 and credited concentration and a new shooting style.

“The coaches told me after the last game that I was starting with the ball too low,” Purry said. “Now I’m holding it higher.”

Morlon Wiley led the 49ers with 22 points, 6 assists and 3 steals. Purry had 21 points and 10 rebounds.

The victory enabled Long Beach to tie Santa Barbara (14-4, 6-3) for second place in the standings behind Nevada Las Vegas.

Davenport scored 22 to lead the Gauchos.

The 49ers were shut out the first 5:11 of the game. Wiley finally scored after the Gauchos had made eight points.

Long Beach spent the rest of a foul-plagued first half coming back but couldn’t catch up.

An acrobatic shot by Wiley cut the lead to 25-24, but Mike Doyle’s 10-footer and Brian Johnson’s three-pointer put the Gauchos back up by 6.

The 49ers cut the lead to 32-30 at halftime and then outscored the Gauchos, 14-4, at the start of the second half, propelled by a rebound and windmill dunk by DeAnthony Langston.

The 49ers shot 60% from the field in the second half.