Losing Streak Hits Six for Cold-Shooting CLU

Cal Lutheran would have preferred to play an opponent other than Southern California College of Costa Mesa on Saturday night. Anyone except the hottest basketball team in the Golden State Athletic Conference.

Predictably, the reeling Kingsmen dropped their sixth consecutive game and their second consecutive conference decision, 101-72, at the CLU gym.

In the first half, the Vanguards were paced by 56% shooting and 4 players with 10 or more points.

The Kingsmen seemingly could not buy the easy shot in the first half, missing 6 uncontested attempts underneath the basket. But guard Jeff Logsdon connected on 4 of 5 tries from 3-point range to keep Cal Lutheran (6-10, 0-2 in conference play) within striking distance at halftime, 52-44.

But things got worse for the Kingsmen in the second half. Southern California College (13-2, 2-0) outscored CLU, 12-0, in the first 3 minutes and the Kingsmen found themselves down--and out--by 20 points, 64-44.

“I’m out of answers,” Cal Lutheran guard Steve deLaveaga said. “In the past we have won on big hearts and determination. . . . I need to get back to leading the team mentally, not just physically.”

Physically, deLaveaga wasn’t bad, leading the Kingsmen with 23 points, 7 rebounds and 5 assists. Logsdon finished with 16 points.

The Vanguards ended the night with 6 players in double figures, led by 6-7 center Jeff Bickmore with 23 points and 11 rebounds and Kyle Lundy with 21 points.

SCC shot 53% from the field in the game, CLU a dismal 38%.

A dejected Larry Lopez was at a loss to explain his team’s troubles.

“If I knew what was wrong I would change things,” the Cal Lutheran coach said. “We’re not shooting well and we’re making poor defensive adjustments. We are going to have to go back and start at square one again.”

The Vanguards’ 52 points in the opening half were the most scored against CLU in a first half this season. The total tied the seasonal high for most points scored against CLU.