PCAA Roundup : Davis, Boagni Lead Fullerton to Victory

When the word offense is mentioned around Cal State Fullerton’s basketball team, the reply is generally automatic: Tony Neal and Kevin Henderson.

What would befall the unfortunate Titans (4-3 in the Pacific Coast Athletic Assn. and 8-8 overall) if Neal and Henderson were suddenly to vanish, statistically speaking?

It was not the sort of idle experiment Titan Coach George McQuarn was likely to stage in the name of team entertainment.

But circumstances--including a sub-par first half for Neal and three early fouls for Henderson--arranged the test for him Thursday night against UC Santa Barbara (3-4, 7-9) at Titan Gym.

The result? An 80-72 Fullerton victory that broke all the rules of how the struggling Titans are supposed to play.

Emerging as the offensive heavyweights were a couple of guys who combined for an unassuming total of five points in the Titan loss to the University of Nevada Los Vegas.

Gary Davis and Kerry Boagni, not the type of names to send Gaucho Coach Jerry Pimm scurrying for special defensive schemes, prevented the Titan offense from turning into a vacuum. They scored 20 points each and were particularly in evidence during the first half, when Davis scored 14 and Boagni 10.

Poor Neal, he earned the full attention of a trio of Gauchos everywhere he went. Consequently, his 18-point scoring average took a beating. He had only 4 points by halftime, to go with 2 rebounds.

“When they were diving down on me, I was kicking it out to Gary and Kerry, and they were shooting about 70% tonight (actually a combined 17 of 28 for 61%),” Neal said.

Pimm: “I thought we did a great job on Neal in the first half, but we weren’t supposed to give Davis and Boagni quite that much room.”

Then, Henderson was relieved of his exile on the bench, and he manifested his gratefulness with 13 second-half points, for a total of 18.

“I was making up for lost time in the second half,” Henderson said. “I can’t deal with that sitting down.”