Chemistry kicks in for Lions

Amara Aguilar

This is what road trips are all about.

Spending time with your teammates outside of practice. Getting to know

them as people and not just the center or forward you look to pass the

basketball to.

Leaving the routine behind. Saying goodbye for just a moment to

everything that is familiar.

Some people call it bonding.

Whatever it is, it’s what Vanguard University men’s basketball Coach

Stephen French has been waiting for.

He has been patient with his squad, hoping for team chemistry to kick in

all season.

It finally has, in a big way.

Vanguard (5-7) came together as a team and pulled out a major victory

over host San Jose State, 72-70, on Dec. 20.

The Lions traveled farther than they will all season to face their only

Division I opponent of the year.

“One of the reasons I like to go on road trips is to get the kids out of

their regular routines and get them living together in a different

environment and hopefully having fun,” French said. “I did get a sense

before we played that the guys were loosening up and having more fun with

one another. That was part of the reason we played well against San

Jose.”

Clicking off the court helped the Lions play well on the court. They

fought for the basketball and cheered for each other from the bench. They

had drive. They had enthusiasm. They had chemistry.

“What got us going was Ian Boys and Josh Pierson getting on the floor

early for loose balls,” French said. “We had talked about wanting to be

scrappy and outhustle San Jose and that really carried over.”

Pierson had a team-leading 20 points, including six three-pointers.

“The shots were just falling for him,” French said. “He has a great deal

of confidence. Part of it is chemistry. We went inside and out a little

better.”

Vanguard led by 21 points with 17:44 left in the game. San Jose State

(4-7) rallied and had a chance to send the game into overtime on its

final possession. Guard Brandon Hawkins (21 points) missed a shot in the

key and Marion Thurmond grabbed the offensive rebound and took a shot

that hit the rim as time expired to give Vanguard the win.

Leviticus Williamson, a Notre Dame transfer, chipped in with 17 points in

the Lions’ victory.

“He plays his best when he gets challenged,” French said. “We put him on

San Jose’s best player and he really responded and had a great game.”

Also stepping up for Vanguard were Damion Morbley (10 points, nine

rebounds) and Shane McKim (10 points).

Vanguard, which has been plagued by injuries recently, also received a

solid effort from Shawn Corkery (eight points).

“He has been battling injuries all year long,” French said. “He is

finally feeling better physically and gave us a steady hand down the

stretch.”

Also on the injury list for the Lions are Gabe Goldman (sprained ankle)

and Stephen Bohn, who is getting checked by doctors in his native Canada

for a concussion he suffered during a scrimmage earlier this season.

The Lions return to action tonight when they host the University of

Montana-Western at 7:30 p.m. On Saturday, Vanguard hosts Northwestern,

Iowa at 5 p.m.

In UCI men’s basketball action this week, the Anteaters (6-4, 1-0 in the

Big West Conference) travel to Wisconsin for the Green Bay Tournament

today and Saturday.

UCI opens against Nashville, Tenn.-based Lipscomb University (2-8).

UCI opened Big West Conference play with a bang, earning a 75-69 victory

over Long Beach State Saturday at the Bren Events Center.

The Anteaters committed 13 turnovers, well below the 18.3 average per game they took into the contest against the 49ers.

Senior guard Jerry Green scored 13 points to bring his career total to

1,572 points. Green ranks No. 3 on UCI’s career scoring list. Dave Baker

is second with 1,601 and Tod Murphy is first with 1,778.

In UCI women’s basketball action this week, the Anteaters (1-8) take on

Detroit at the Bren Events Center tonight at 7.

The Anteaters have lost eight straight games, the longest losing streak

since the 1993-94 squad lost 11 in a row.

Cindy Oparah, a 5-foot-11 senior forward, ranks fifth in the nation in

rebounding with a 12.0 average. It is the highest ranking ever for an

Anteater player.

UCI is still without freshman guard Lisa Faulkner and junior guard Wendy

Gabbe. Both suffered lower leg stress fractures.

“They are still a couple weeks away from returning,” UCI Coach Mark Adams

said. “They are going to be checked by a doctor (today). Wendy is a

little further off than Lisa but they are both a couple weeks away at

least.”

The Vanguard women’s basketball team (4-5, 3-2 in the GSAC) will compete

in the Golden State Athletic Challenge at Azusa Pacific University today

and Saturday.

Junior guard Laura Lee is three shots away from breaking Vanguard’s

career school record for three-pointers. Lee has made 169 career

three-pointers. The record is 172.

USC defensive end Jay Bottom, a product of Corona del Mar High, was named

Service Team Player of the Year for defense at the Trojans’ football team

banquet recently. USC was defeated by Utah, 10-6, in the Las Vegas Bowl

Tuesday. The Trojans finished 6-6 overall.

Ben Cesar was promoted to associate head coach for UCI men’s and women’s

track and field, head coach Vince O’Boyle announced last week.

Cesar joined the UCI staff as an assistant coach in the fall of 1998

after serving one year as an assistant coach at Concordia University.

He was a member of the Philippine National Track team from 1993-97 and

was the Philippine national champion in the 100 and 200 meters from

1995-97.

Cesar ran track at UCI from 1991-92 before finishing his career at UCLA

in 1993-94.