Wilson Sees Rare Sight--a Win : Chapman Beats Northridge in CCAA Game, 63-54

Late in the second half Saturday night, Chapman College Coach Kevin Wilson stared at the Hutton Sports Center scoreboard and was greeted by an uncommon sight.

Chapman was ahead. By many points. And there weren’t many minutes left--certainly not enough for Cal State Northridge to piece together any sort of conceivable rally.

The Panthers were going to win. Yes, Chapman was well on its way to a 63-54 triumph over the 8-7 Matadors.

Such a thought caused Wilson’s mind to start racing.

“I was trying to think back: ‘When’s the last time we won here?’ ” Wilson later recalled. “Bemidji State? Cal Lutheran? I couldn’t remember.”

For the record, Chapman’s last victory at home came on Dec. 6 against Bemidji. Since then, the Panthers had gone 0-3 at the Hutton Sports Center and 1-7 overall--including losses in their last four games.

That’s a long time and a lot of losing. Chapman was 4-10 overall before Saturday night’s game, 0-2 in the California Collegiate Athletic Assn.

Then came the victory over Northridge. Finally, for Chapman, a splinter of light amid all the darkness.

Wilson saw it and darn near got completely carried away.

“I think we should be 3-0,” were Wilson’s opening words in his postgame meeting with the press. “If we would have had all our people healthy at the same time . . .

“We lost by three to Dominguez Hills, we lost in overtime last night (Friday’s loss to Cal State Los Angeles). Everybody’s thinking we’re a doormat, but I’m optimistic. I think we’re a great team, because we play together as a team.

“I honestly think we should be 3-0.”

OK. Let’s say this right away: This Chapman ballclub, by no means, is a great team. Wilson is a minority of one with his view.

But he does make some valid points. The Panthers have been surprisingly competitive in their first three CCAA games, despite the absence of leading scorer and rebounder Jon Samuelson (torn thigh muscle), the stomach sickness that has caused forward Kelly Huston to lose 28 pounds since the start of the season and flu virus that has limited the play of forward Paul Rollins.

A depleted Panther team was one turnover away from upsetting Cal State Los Angeles, one of the conference favorites, and rebounded from that potentially crushing defeat to outplay Northridge 24 hours later.

Huston, who scored 26 points in the loss to Cal State L.A., came back with 17 points and 8 rebounds against Northridge. Wilson isn’t sure what Huston’s illness is or why he keeps losing weight--”He’s drinking Nutrament like it’s candy,” he said--but maybe he should find out if it’s contagious.

No other Panther scored in double figures, although Jim Saia and Mike Kelly both had eight points and Andy Marusich and Karl Tompkins both had seven.

Of course, Northridge also made a sizable contribution. The Matadors lost the top seven players from their CCAA championship team of 1985 and have yet to recover. This condition is especially noticeable on the road, where Northridge is 1-7.

“That’s the sign of a very green team,” Northridge Coach Pete Cassidy said. “Unless you have super talent, you’re not going to win early with inexperienced people.

“We have some very nice guys who work hard, but we don’t have any super talent.”

Saturday’s statistics bear that out. Northridge, relying almost entirely on its perimeter offense, shot just 35% from the field--30% in the second half. The Matadors’ leading scorers, Jimmy Daniels and Pat Bolden, with 14 points apiece, were a combined 8 of 21 from the field.

Northridge also turned the ball over 16 times--7 of them the product of steals by Chapman freshman Adam Lockwood.

So, maybe the Panthers got a break in the schedule. Maybe they just beat up on an inferior team playing in unfamiliar surroundings.

Wilson doesn’t care. A win is a win.

“We’ve played a lot better ball these last two games,” he said. “The young kids are starting to grow up.”