Thousand Oaks Feels Right at Home, 54-45

Just last week, Thousand Oaks was unbeaten in Marmonte League play and ranked among the Valley’s top 10 teams.

But consecutive losses on the road--one to powerful Simi Valley and one to not-so-powerful Channel Islands--left the Lancers a little shaken.

So Coach Edwin Chevalier was glad to get his team back home. And the familiar environs of the Thousand Oaks gym did some good as the Lancers easily beat cross-town rival Newbury Park, 54-45.

“After those two losses, we were starting to have doubts,” said Lancer center Jon Walker, who led his team with 15 points. “We needed this win.”

With the victory, Thousand Oaks (11-7, 6-2 in league) climbed back into second place. Newbury Park fell to 7-12, 2-6 in league.

“We’ve got to save some face,” Newbury Park Coach Ken Barone told his team after the game. “We’ve got to play the spoiler now.”

Newbury Park didn’t play much of anything except defense in the first half of Wednesday night’s game. The Panthers were cold at the start and did not have the height to rebound against Thousand Oaks.

Thousand Oaks took a 26-18 halftime lead, but Newbury Park wasn’t dead yet. The Panthers pulled to within three at, 32-29, with four minutes left in the third quarter. Minutes later, Walker pulled up a seat on the Thousand Oaks bench with his fourth foul and Chevalier might have wondered if his team would ever pull out of its tailspin.

Forward John Schlossman quickly put any doubts, and the Panthers, to rest, scoring five straight points as Thousand Oaks’ lead grew back to 11 points and Chevalier could breathe easy again.

“The kids looked comfortable on our floor,” said Chevalier. “I don’t think we’re comfortable away from here.”

The Lancers need to find a cure for homesickness--two of their final four games are on the road.

NEWBURY PARK--Cook 4, Doyle 4, Pessin 12, Jeffers 4, Harrick 0, Royalty 11, Ludlow 8, Hanmer 2.

THOUSAND OAKS--Schlossman 13, Watson 4, Walker 15, Martin 11, McLaughlin 1, McKinnon 6, Tadlock 2, Henderson 1, Turpin 1.