SCC Surprises Biola and Comes Away With a 66-60 Victory

Whenever Southern California College and Biola University get together for basketball, it’s always an exciting, anything-goes contest.

But Tuesday night, when the Vanguards met the Eagles at Biola’s Chase Gymnasium, it looked as if Biola had the advantage. With the benching of senior guard Sherwin Durham and the absence of junior guard Ken Bardsley, SCC’s offense appeared weakened.

The Vanguards knew it would be tough and came into the game full of surprises, including a slightly limping Bardsley, multiple defenses and a fast-break offense. The result was a 66-60 victory for SCC and Biola’s first defeat at home in seven games.

SCC (12-2) took control of the game from the beginning, scoring the game’s first six points. With four players in double figures, the Vanguards held the lead throughout the fast-paced first half, leaving with a 33-25 lead.

Biola (14-2) was 23 of 49 from the floor to SCC’s 24 of 50. But the difference in the game was turnovers. The Eagles turning the ball over eight times in the first half and added four more in the second.

Junior guard Randy McAllister, who SCC Coach Bill Reynolds calls the Vanguards’ “unsung hero,” led all scorers with 15 points. Bardsley, with an infection in his left foot, had 14 points and was 8-for-8 at the free throw line.

Bardsley’s decision to play in Tuesday’s game not only surprised the Eagles, but surprised his teammates and coaches as well.

“I had no intention of letting Ken start,” Reynolds said. “Sunday in church, he told the doctor said it was too dangerous to play, that he had a serious infection and could get blood poisoning if he did. But Monday he said he was on antibiotics and feeling much better and wanted to start. With Sherwin gone, I let him.”

After the game, Bardsley said he felt little pain although he was on the floor almost the entire game.

“Once the adrenalin gets pumping,” Bardsley said, “You don’t feel a thing. Besides, I have a couple of days to rest.”

Biola, likewise, will have at least a couple of days to think over what happened. A traditional NAIA District 3 power, the Eagles had a chance to pull the game out half-way through the second half, only to see each of their points answered by the Vanguards.

The turning point of the game came shortly after halftime when Biola started showing some muscle on defense. When McAllister tumbled onto Biola’s Joe Peron under the Eagles’ basket, almost causing a fight, Biola was awarded three shots at the free throw line, two for a personal foul on senior forward Greg Ward and a technical on McAllister. Peron made all three shots to tie it at 43 and it was a back-and-forth volley of shots after that.

But senior forward Neal Anderson, who started at center for the Vanguards, led SCC through the final 10 minutes and held off the Eagles, both on defense and with some driving layups.

Anderson scored 14 points, 11 in the second half.

SCC (66)--Aviles 7, Ward 13, McAllister 15, Bruce 1, Anderson 14, Bardsley 14, Tibbs 2.

BIOLA (60)--Barnes 13, Peron 14, Thompson 5, Scott 8, Havrisik 14, Hutt 6.

Halftime--SCC, 33-25.