Vanguard men distracted after loss

Lions’ forward Leon Rosborough faints after a 79-63 loss to Fresno Pacific and is taken to the hospital. COSTA MESA -- The thoughts of the Vanguard University men’s basketball team weren’t focused on Thursday’s 79-63 loss to Fresno Pacific.

Instead, there was concern for senior forward Leon Rosborough, who fainted after the postgame team prayer and was taken by ambulance to Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian. Rosborough was “coherent,” according to Coach Bob Wilson, before being placed in the ambulance.

“His vitals were all strong. It might have been the onset of the flu,” Wilson said. “We talked about the game, then after prayer he just fainted. Everybody was shocked. Luckily, our trainer Darin (Voigt) was there. He relaxed him and checked his pulse. He was still passed out, so we called the paramedics. There could be something in there that caused it. It’s standard procedure that they take him.”

He was released from the emergency room late Thursday night.

After dispersing from the locker room, family, students and players gathered to pray. Forward Tim Burnette said he planned to do more of the same later Thursday night.

“We’re going to be praying for him,” Burnette said. “I have faith through the power of Jesus Christ that he will be healed.”

On the basketball court, Vanguard (17-10, 11-6 in the Golden State Athletic Conference) missed an opportunity to tie second-place San Diego Christian, which lost to Biola, 73-65, on Thursday. The Lions are in third place with three regular season games remaining.

“Given that we lost a difficult game and then that happened, it’s hard,” Wilson said.

Horace Wormely scored a team-high 23 points on 7-of-9 shooting, including 6-for-7 on three-pointers. However, Fresno Pacific’s balance -- five players in double figures -- and shooting -- 54% on field goals, 50% from behind the arc and 11-of-12 free throws to close the game -- proved to be too much.

The Lions cut the lead to 48-39 with 13:30 remaining, but that would be the closest Vanguard would come. The offense went failed to score over the next five-plus minutes, while Fresno Pacific ran off nine consecutive points.

Vanguard started off the game cold shooting. Fresno Pacific’s help defense, cutting off drives to the basket and leaving open jump shots, made matters worse. Vanguard helped to dig its own hole with four turnovers in the first three minutes.

But open jump shots only clank for so long. Wormely hit a long three-pointer and Levi Seekins hit back-to-back three-pointers to cut the lead to 27-20. Both would hit another three-pointer to cut the deficit to five with three minutes remaining.

But the love affair with the long-range shot went sour as Vanguard missed its last four three-pointers and entered the half down, 38-28.

Golden State Athletic Conference

Fresno Pacific 79, Vanguard 63

Score by Halves