Tritons Rally to Win La Jolla Classic

UC San Diego turned a one-point deficit at halftime into an 81-75 victory over Southern California College to capture the championship of the La Jolla Classic basketball tournament at Triton Gym Saturday. The host Tritons got 18 points from tournament MVP Chris Moore, while fellow all-tournament selections Andy Swindall and Rick Batt added 20 and 15.

UCSD improved to 7-4 while SCC, which led, 41-40, at the half, suffered its second loss in 14 games. Rick Witmer led SCC with 26 points. Mission Bay High alumnus Brett Grebing, also named all-tournament, scored 25 points to lead Redlands to an 85-65 victory over Willamette in the third-place game.

Rusty Fallin had 36 points, seven rebounds and eight assists to lead host Point Loma Nazarene to a come-from-behind victory over Baker (Kan.) University, 99-93, at Golden Gymnasium. Fallin made eight three-point shots, six in the second half as the Crusaders (6-6) erased a four-point halftime deficit. Donnie Buettner added 20 for PLNC as Baker fell to 5-8.

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

UCSD couldn’t overcome a 10-0 run by Point Loma Nazarene at the start of the game and fell to the Crusaders, 66-44, in a nonconference game at Triton Gymnasium. Christy Stevens, with 18 points, Camille Armijo (15) and Rochelle Lightner (14) led the scoring for PLNC (6-4). UCSD, led by Lisa Beaver’s 12 points, fell to 6-4.