Down to Eight, Chapman Returns to Full Strength for UC Riverside

Chapman College’s basketball team, which had only eight players available for last week’s games, will be back to virtual full strength tonight when the Panthers travel to UC Riverside for a 7:30 game.

In splitting a pair of home games against Cal State Bakersfield and Cal Poly San Luis Obispo last Friday and Saturday, Chapman was forced to play without forward Johnny Williams and guard Derrick Clark, who had not enrolled for spring classes because of financial problems, and center Mike Brennan, who was hobbled by a knee injury.

Williams and Clark have since registered for the new semester, and Brennan was practicing with the team Thursday. All three are expected to be available for tonight’s game.

Riverside (5-4 in the California Collegiate Athletic Assn., 16-7 overall) is coming off back-to-back losses to Cal State Los Angeles and Cal State Northridge. The Highlanders are currently tied for fourth place with Bakersfield, two games behind conference co-leaders Northridge and Cal State Dominguez Hills.

Chapman (4-5, 13-9) is in sixth place. Riverside downed the Panthers, 83-69, in their first meeting this season. Saturday, Chapman returns home to play last-place Cal Poly Pomona (0-9, 6-18).