SportsScope : Cal Poly Bronco Women Just Keep Trampling Foes

After winning its first three conference games, the Cal Poly Pomona women’s basketball team will try to remain undefeated in the California Collegiate Athletic Assn. with home games against Chapman tonight and Cal State Dominguez Hills on Saturday.

The Broncos, ranked No. 4 nationally in NCAA Division II with a 15-3 record, will play Chapman at 7:30 tonight at Poly Pavilion and Dominguez Hills at 5:45 p.m. Saturday at Kellogg Gym.

Chapman entered this week at 1-1 in conference play and 10-5 overall. Dominguez Hills is 0-2 and 6-10. The Broncos are favored against both teams but Coach Darlene May does not downplay the importance of either game.

“Every game is a key one for us,” May said. “We know that they’re after us.”

Pomona, winner of seven of its last eight games, has been led by point guard Cathy Gooden. The 5-5 junior is averaging 18.2 points. And 6-1 forward Marcine Edmonds is averaging 15.7 points and 6-2 center Niki Bracken is averaging 15.1 points and 7.4 rebounds.

Edmonds, a junior, is the team’s most consistent shooter with a conference-leading 64% field-goal percentage. She scored 23 points, making 9 of 14 field-goal attempts, in Pomona’s 78-45 victory over Cal State Los Angeles last week. “It is so pretty to watch Marcine shoot,” May said. “She is unbelievable.”

The Broncos have received strong play from 5-8 guard Paula Tezak, who is tied with Bracken for the team lead in rebounds with her 7.4 average and leads the conference in assists at 7.2.

Chapman, which dropped back to the .500 level in conference play with a 67-66 loss to Cal Poly San Luis Obispo last week, has been headed by its guard combination of Karan Polk (5-4) and Dana Dawson (5-7). Polk is averaging 16.4 points, 6.2 assists and 4.2 rebounds and Dawson 14.8 points, 4.1 rebounds and 3.8 assists.

Dominguez Hills has a solid player at guard in Angel Wells (5-6), who averages 11.4 points and 4.5 rebounds. The Toros are led inside by center Kathy Goggin, who averages 8.4 points and 7.6 rebounds.

The Cal Poly Pomona men’s basketball team is off to a fast start in the California Collegiate Athletic Assn. with a 3-0 record.

But the Broncos, 8-8 overall, could have their hands full when they visit Chapman in a conference game at 8:05 tonight in Orange. Chapman is 1-2 in conference and 10-6 overall, but the Panthers have won five of their last seven games.

Chapman has the leading scorer in the conference in 6-7 senior center Kelly Huston, who averages 22.8 points and 9.4 rebounds. “He’s a blue-collar basketball player who works hard inside and posts up well,” Pomona Coach Dave Bollwinkel said. “Our inside people have a real challenge.”

The high-scoring Panther front line includes forwards Russ Ortega, who averages 11.4 points, and David Roth at 12.4.

Bollwinkel is also concerned about playing on the road, where the Broncos have a 1-7 record. But Pomona did win a road game, 88-85, over Cal State Los Angeles last week.

“The team has started to come together,” Bollwinkel said. “I’m pleasantly surprised.”

Pomona, which has a five-game win streak, has received scoring balance from starters led by center Tony Theisen. A 6-7 senior, Theisen is averaging 15.3 points and 8.7 rebounds and has made 61% of field-goal attempts.

Other top players are forwards Nate Macon (6-3) and Forrest Barnes (6-5) and guards Chris Jefferson (6-1) and Bill Dobbs (6-1), who may start for injured starter Galen Dedmon (6-0). Macon is averaging 11.3 points, Dobbs 10.4, Jefferson 10.3 and Barnes 9.8.

The Broncos have received strong play from reserves Tony Davis (6-6), who averages 8.1 points and 5.8 rebounds, and guard Darron Suttle (5-10).

The Broncos will play host to Cal State Dominguez Hills at 8:05 p.m. Saturday at Kellogg Gym. Dominguez Hills is 0-3 in conference play and 6-9 overall after dropping conference games to Cal Poly San Luis Obispo and Cal State Bakersfield last week.

Dominguez Hills, struggling after winning the conference title and reaching the NCAA Division II playoffs last year, has been led by 6-7 center Anthony Blackmon and 6-0 guard Bryan Dell’Amico. Blackmon, a junior, is averaging 16.3 points and 7.2 rebounds and freshman Dell’Amico 11.5 points.

The Cal State Los Angeles women’s basketball team will try to break its three-game California Collegiate Athletic Assn. losing streak at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo at 7:30 tonight.

It will not be easy for the Golden Eagles, who are 0-3 in the CCAA and 8-7 overall. San Luis is 1-1 in the CCAA and 8-7 overall and the Mustangs upset Chapman (67-66) last week.

The San Luis Obispo Mustangs have four players averaging between 10 and 15 points, led by 5-5 guard Jody Hasselfield, 15.1. Perhaps the best all-around player is 6-0 forward Russia Madden, who averages 13.3 points and 10.6 rebounds.

Cal State lost in conference homes games against UC Riverside (76-63) and Cal Poly Pomona (78-45) last week. The loss to Pomona was the worst of the season for the Golden Eagles.

“We’re a very young team that’s still learning,” Coach Fran Buckless said. “We’ve had to play three of the four toughest teams in the conference.”

The Golden Eagles are not without talent. The leader is 6-0 junior center Lupe Quintana, who averages 15.7 points and 11.6 rebounds. Two other standouts are 5-10 senior forward Sue Doody, who averages 11.6 points and 7.3 rebounds, and 6-0 sophomore forward Tina Slatinsky, who averages 11.9 points and 6.4 rebounds.

After struggling through its non-conference schedule, the Azusa Pacific University men’s basketball team played considerably better since the start of the Golden State Athletic Conference season.

The Cougars, 2-13 in non-conference play, entered the week tied for first with a 3-1 record in the GSAC but face a strong challenge at Westmont at 7:30 p.m. Friday in Santa Barbara. Westmont is 10-7 overall and 2-2 in conference play, and the Warriors have not lost to Azusa Pacific in eight years.

Westmont has been led by 6-5 junior forward Mike Kelly, who averages 19.2 points and 7.2 rebounds, and 6-1 junior guard Brad Smidt, who averages 15.7 points. The Warriors have a solid rebounder in 6-6 junior forward Dan Swanner, who has grabbed 8.2 rebounds a game.

Azusa Pacific is led by 6-8 senior center Bill DesRochers, who averages 22.1 points and 8.9 rebounds. DesRochers, expected to become the school’s all-time leading scorer in February, has 2,030 points in four years. He is 60 points behind Chuck Boswell and 169 points behind Dennis Dickens.

The Westmont-Azusa Pacific game matches two of the winningest coaches in the NAIA. Azusa Pacific’s Cliff Hamlow is No. 1 with 565 victories in 32 seasons and Westmont’s Chet Kammerer is No. 9 with 443 in 22 seasons.

Azusa Pacific will be at home against San Jose Bible in a non-conference game at 7:30 p.m. Saturday.