The Colleges : Middleton Pulls an Inside Job for Chapman

Rog Middleton returned home Thursday night at Chapman College.

Not home-home , as in where he lives. But home as in that area of the basketball court known as the paint.

“When Rog gets his mind set on playing, no one in the conference can guard him in the paint,” Chapman Coach Rich Prospero said. “Nobody. Period. Exclamation point.”

Well, Rog had his mind set on playing Thursday night.

In his sixth game since becoming eligible, Middleton made his presence felt where the Panthers need him the most--inside.

Middleton scored 24 points, 17 in the second half, as the Panthers defeated Cal Poly Pomona, 101-76, in a California Collegiate Athletic Assn. game at the Hutton Sports Center.

More important, he had 11 rebounds.

“All week long I’ve been telling them, rebound, rebound, rebound,” Prospero said. “We’re the smallest team in the conference, we have to rebound.”

The Panthers (8-7, 1-2 in CCAA) asserted themselves inside. They built a 14-point halftime lead and then went right on building.

Chapman outrebounded Pomona, 52-35. And in the middle of it all was Middleton.

“It felt good tonight,” said Middleton, a transfer from the University of Utah. “It’s the first time this season that I’ve played to my capabilities inside. If I play to my capabilities, I’ll lead the league (in rebounding).”

Middleton, a Tustin High School graduate, started quickly, scoring 5 of the Panthers’ 12 points. He had seven points and five rebounds by halftime as the Panthers led, 46-32.

Any ideas that Pomona had of coming back in the second half were quickly discouraged by Middleton, who scored the Panthers’ first five points.

“I pulled Rog aside at halftime and said, ‘You’re the best player on the floor, get out there and do the job,’ ” Prospero said.

Middleton also dominated the middle on the defensive end. Although he blocked just one, he also altered several shots with his presence.

Chapman received good outside shooting from Bryan Richetto (16 points), Kevin Stafford (13 points) and Dean Balcao (12 points).

But it was clearly Middleton’s show.

“He even had two assists,” Prospero said. “That’s a career-high for him.”