Northridge Burned by Three-Point Shooting

Remember last week when we said Pete Cassidy, Mr. Conservative, had changed his mind and actually liked the three-point shot?

Never mind.

John Nojima did his best to change the mind of the Cal State Northridge coach--again.

Nojima attempted 13 three-point shots and rarely hit the rim. What he mostly hit was the bottom of the net, scoring 24 points to lead Cal State Dominguez Hills over Cal State Northridge, 70-50, in a California Collegiate Athletic Assn. game Saturday night in Carson.

All of Nojima’s points came on three-pointers. This from a player who had made only 7 of 21 three-point attempts in three conference games before Saturday.

“He had an exceptional night,” Cassidy said, “but I don’t think we had a hand in his face more than once.”

With the victory, Dominguez moved into a tie with Northridge in the CCAA standings at 3-2. The Toros, ranked 20th in Division II, are 13-5 overall. Northridge, which had won two in a row, is 6-10.

Dominguez led by 13 at halftime as much because of Northridge’s cold shooting as Nojima’s success from the three-point range (5 of 7).

The Matadors made 7 of 17 (41.2%) in the first half, while the Toros made 13 of 25 (52%).

The score was tied, 10-10, after seven minutes, but Northridge made only one field goal--an 18-footer by Paul Drecksel--in the next 10 minutes.

It was the only shot Drecksel made. He came in with a 19.5 scoring average in CCAA games but finished with only those two points on 1-of-9 shooting.

Drecksel spent most of the last week in bed with strep throat and it showed in the second half.

“He was a step slow last night and three steps slower tonight,” Cassidy said. “But you can’t fault him after being sick all week. He helped us win last night. He just didn’t have anything left for tonight.”

Meanwhile, Nojima, Mr. Outside, and William Alexander, Mr. Inside, combined for 27 of Dominguez’s first-half points.

Northridge’s shooting deteriorated even more in the second half. And the scoring of Nojima and Alexander got better.

Whenever Nojima, a 6-1 guard, just happened to miss one of those bombs, it seemed like Alexander was always there to put it in.

“We couldn’t buy a shot and we couldn’t buy a free throw,” Cassidy said. “Dominguez--and those two players in particular--just dominated us.”

Alexander, a 6-4 senior forward, finished with 22 points, giving him 1,526 in his career--25 shy of Chapman’s Eric Butler for the CCAA’s career scoring record. He also had 11 rebounds.

Northridge had several opportunities to get back in the game in the second half but ended up making just 18 of 50 field goal attempts and 10 of 18 free throws.

Jimmy Daniels led the Matadors with 16 points. James Carr had 11.

Dominguez Hills made 24 of 50 shots and 13 of 21 free throws.