Toros Will Put Home-Game Streak on Line Against Biola

The Cal State Dominguez Hills men’s basketball team will defend a 14-game home winning streak when the Toros host UC Davis at 7:30 p.m. Saturday. The Toros opened the season with a 85-83 victory over Grand Canyon College to keep their home string alive. The Toros also play at Biola University at 8 p.m. Friday.

The Toros needed all of freshman center Tony Akins’ 26 points to hold off Grand Canyon in a game that saw eight ties and nine lead changes. Akins hit 8 of 12 shots and 10 of 12 free throws. Junior forward William Alexander added 16 points and four rebounds and sophomore guard Barry Johnson, coming off a redshirt year, had 15 points. The Toros played without guard Vico Nomaaea because of a grades technicality. They hope to have Nomaaea back in uniform this weekend.

Biola, a perennial NAIA power, boasts 6-10 Thomas Harvey at center and Bishop Montgomery graduate Romantle Octave off the bench. The Eagles split their first two games in the Southern Utah Tip-Off Tournament. UC Davis, expected to be a contender in the Northern California Athletic Conference, has a relatively big front line featuring 6-8 sophomore Pete Buchwald at center and 6-7 sophomore Chris Ferenz and 6-4 senior Todd Reiswig at forward. The Aggies also have 6-7 Brad Tatum, a transfer from Alabama-Birmingham, who may start when an ankle injury heals. Ferenz was the leader in Davis’ opening game with 16 points and 10 rebounds.

UCLA will be the host team in an NCAA soccer quarterfinal at 2 p.m. Sunday against Southern Methodist University. The Bruins, 17-1-4, who have won nine straight and have not lost since September, advanced with a 1-0 Far West Regional victory over Nevada-Las Vegas that was decided in overtime. Torrance resident Dale Ervine, the Bruins’ All-American midfielder, scored the game winner in the 101st minute on a pass from Mike Getchell, knocking a 25-yard shot into the far left corner. It was his 13th goal of the year.

UCLA Coach Sigi Schmid will be going for his 100th career victory. SMU is 17-4-1 and advanced with a 2-1 victory over Air Force. The game will be played on the north soccer field.

Cal State Dominguez Hills will host the third annual Thanksgiving Classic women’s basketball tournament Friday and Saturday. UC Riverside will play Central College of Iowa at 1 p.m. Friday followed by Dominguez Hills against Sonoma State at 3 p.m. the losing teams meet at 1 p.m. Saturday with the winners playing for the championship at 3. The Lady Toros then take off on a six-day, four-game road trip to Northern California. Sherrian Ellison, the top returning scorer and only returning starter for the Lady Toros, has quit the team for personal reasons. The Lady Toros are 0-1.

Loyola Marymount University’s women’s basketball team will compete in the Chapman College Doubletree Tournament in Orange today through Saturday, opening against the University of San Diego at 6 p.m. They take a 0-1 record and a team with six freshmen into the tournament. Other teams in the tournament are Texas-El Paso and host Chapman. Junior center Chris Connolly had 17 points and 7 rebounds in the season opener, a loss to Chapman.

Three Cal State Dominguez Hills soccer players have been named to the California Collegiate Athletic Assn. all-star first team. Senior Dave Trifonovitch and juniors Lucky Temisanren and Glen Strachan were selected on the first team, while senior Ed Sanchez made second team and senior goalie Sean Quinn received honorable mention. The Toros finished 10-8-1. Cal State Northridge, which won the CCAA title, had the coach of the year in Marwan Ass’ad and second-time player of the year in John Tronson.

The Harbor College basketball team plays at home at 7:30 p.m. Saturday against the Occidental College junior varsity. The Seahawks entered the week at 1-1. They are led by returning guard Kyle Lundy, 6-7 Kelvin Tyes up front and point guard Craig Johnson, younger brother of Dennis Johnson who transferred from Saddleback. His brother, Dean, is also on the team.