No Suspense in Fullerton’s 104-67 Opening Act

Last season, the thing Cal State Fullerton may have done best was keep a crowd on the edge of its seat.

Fullerton’s first three games last season were all decided by four points or less. By season’s end, the Titans had played six overtime games, and won five. They kept them exciting when they shouldn’t have been able to, beating Nevada Las Vegas in overtime, and they kept some exciting when they shouldn’t have, letting Pacific and San Jose State force overtimes before defeating them.

But there wasn’t much suspense Friday night in Fullerton’s season opener against Lamar, a 104-67 victory before 2,124 in Titan Gym.

“I don’t think we could have written a better script for our home opener,” Fullerton Coach John Sneed said. “I thought we played extremely well the first half.”

This one was well over by halftime, when Fullerton had a 49-28 lead after John Sykes’ basket on an offensive rebound at the buzzer.

With a pressing defense that contributed to Lamar’s messy ballhandling and 18 first-half turnovers, Fullerton pulled away quickly.

“I’m not confused,” Sneed said. “Every game won’t be a blowout.”

Cedric Ceballos, who led the Big West Conference in scoring last season with a 21-point average, had 19 points at halftime and finished with 28 points and 14 rebounds.

Aaron Wilhite, a freshman forward/center, scored 16 points in 18 minutes as a reserve.

Lamar, which had only one starter back from a 12-16 team, looked unsteady most of the game.

David Jones, formerly of Verbum Dei High School was the lone returning starter, and he provided most of Lamar’s offense, scoring 30 points on 10-of-19 shooting, five of nine from three-point range.

In the first 20 minutes, Fullerton played 10 players.

By the end of the game, the Titans had played all 13, including Tom Parada, a 5-foot-6, 130-pound walk-on freshman.