Lions leap to victory

Steve Virgen

Some hometown favorites came to Vanguard University’s Pit with

winning intentions, but it was the Lions’ 5-foot-6 crowd favorite who

denied them of that in a nonconference men’s basketball game Saturday

night.

Horace Wormely did his best Earl Boykins impersonation and scored

15 points, while adding frequent penetration to soften Chapman’s

defense, helping lead Vanguard to a 75-70 victory.

The Lions’ diminutive point guard did enough damage to deny a

comeback from the Panthers, who included former Newport-Mesa District

high school standouts Tony Melum (Newport Harbor High) and Danny

Krikorian (Costa Mesa).

Greg Perrine (Newport Harbor) is also on Chapman’s squad but did

not play because he is out for the season with a torn anterior

cruciate ligament.

“[Wormely] was pretty good,” Melum said. “He had a couple of

old-fashioned three-point shots there for a couple of plays in a row.

That’s pretty impressive when you’re not a tall fellow.”

Melum, a reserve sophomore forward, scored five points, grabbed

two rebounds and dished out one assist in 15 minutes of action.

Krikorian, a reserve freshman guard who also played the point,

recorded two assists and one rebound in 14 minutes, about the average

amount of playing time he has had this season.

After Wormely completed two three-point plays in a 73-second span

that brought the Lions’ momentum and a 46-24 lead, Krikorian entered

the game to put the clamps on the pestering point guard.

Wormely went five minutes without a basket -- the time frame

Krikorian guarded him.

“He’s one of the quickest guys I ever guarded,” Krikorian said.

“He was good at jumping into guys and finishing it. He was a good

player.”

A few friends and former classmates of Krikorian came to watch him

play, including Zach Powell of track and field notoriety. Krikorian’s

father was also there, while Nedim Pajevic (Newport Harbor), who

plays for Santa Ana College, and Brett Perinne, Greg’s younger

brother who’s on the Sailors’ varsity team, also took in the game.

“It’s fun to play [for Chapman] and that’s the most important

thing about basketball,” Melum said. “We have a good team and we’re

young. In the future, when Danny [is a junior and I’m a senior] we’re

going to be a real good team.”

In the present, Chapman (10-8), a Division III program, had a

rough night, particularly in the first half, when Vanguard sped out

to a 37-22 lead. Led by junior Chad Bigler, the Panthers were able to

mount a comeback, pulling to within, 73-69, with 15 seconds left, but

they ran out of time.

Bigler scored a game-high 19 points, 17 coming in the second half.

Josh Pierson, the Lions’ senior guard who has been battling back

from an early-season shoulder injury, led Vanguard with 16 points and

nine assists. Wormely added six assists.

Brian Kim contributed 12 points and Leon Rosborough scored 11 for

the Lions (9-10).

“Horace has to play that well for us to be good; that’s a big

responsibility,” said Vanguard Coach Bob Wilson, who is also the

university’s athletic director. “But if he plays that well we have a

chance to be successful.”

Wilson said the Lions set the tone in the first half, when they

shot 15 of 28 from the field (53.6).

He also said Wormely was productive with his penetration. Wormely

said his size is not a factor.

“Any time people tell me I’m too short, I have to prove to them

that I’m not,” he said. “I’m not a quitter.”

While Wormely proved to be effective, Krikorian pointed out

Chapman’s disappointing free-throw shooting.

The Panthers were 22 for 34 from the free-throw line (64.7%), 18

of 36 in the second half (69.2%).

*--*

Nonconference

Vanguard 75, Chapman 70

Chapman -- Eichten 2, Lewis 15, Blair 1, Carney 15, Wheatley 11, Bigler 19, Melum 5, Coombs 2. 3-pt. goals -- Lewis 4, Carney 1, Bigler 1. Fouled out -- None. Technicals -- None. Vanguard -- Wormely 15, Burnette 7, Pierson 16, Rosborough 11, Kim 12,

Dalafu 6, Watson 4, Enns 2, Seekins 2. 3-pt. goals -- Kim 2, Wormely 2, Pierson 2, Rosborough 1. Fouled out -- Kim, Rosborough. Technicals -- Kim. Halftime -- VU, 37-22.

*--*