Cal Poly Women Can Lock Up 8th Straight Title Saturday

With three conference victories last week, perennial power Cal Poly Pomona has clinched at least a share of its eighth straight California Collegiate Athletic Assn. women’s basketball title.

The Broncos can wrap up an undisputed crown with a victory over Cal Poly San Luis Obispo at 5:45 p.m. Saturday at San Luis Obispo.

Pomona is ranked No. 2 nationally in NCAA Division II at 20-4 overall and 9-0 in the CCAA while San Luis Obispo is 11-11 overall and 3-5 in the conference.

The Broncos, who defeated San Luis Obispo 99-72 in January, have won 25 straight conference games since a 78-63 loss to Cal State Los Angeles in 1987.

About the only thing in the way of the Broncos is injuries. Junior center Niki Bracken (6-2), who averages 19.4 points and 8.9 rebounds to lead Pomona in both departments, injured an ankle against Chapman last week and is considered doubtful for Saturday’s game.

“I think if we could stay healthy, we would be a pretty good team,” Coach Darlene May said. “Bracken had been playing outstanding basketball and we’re hoping the injury doesn’t slow her down too much.”

Without Bracken, the Broncos still rolled to a 77-48 win over Cal State Dominguez Hills last week.

“Kelly Connelly (sophomore center) did a fine job stepping in for her against Cal State Dominguez Hills and Cathy Gooden picked up the scoring slack,” May said.

Gooden, a 5-5 senior point guard, is the only other Pomona player who averages in double figures in scoring. An All-American selection last season, Gooden averages 15.9 points and 5.5 assists.

The Broncos also start senior Susan Luckinbill (5-9) and sophomore Stephanie Coons (5-10) at forward and sophomore Carrie Egan (5-8) at guard.

San Luis Obispo has been led by junior guard Jody Hasselfield (5-5), who averages 12.5 points, and junior forward Deb Vettel (5-9), who averages 11.5.

Cal Poly Pomona men’s basketball team will be trying for its first win of the California Collegiate Athletic Assn. season when it visits Cal State Bakersfield at 7:30 tonight and Cal Poly San Luis Obispo at 8:05 p.m. Saturday.

Pomona is 6-16 overall and 0-10 in the CCAA while Bakersfield is 17-6 overall and San Luis Obispo is 13-9.

With 10 straight losses, Pomona Coach Dave Bollwinkel says he would settle for a win of any variety.

“One of the local newspapers referred to us as a Jekyll-and-Hyde team because of our periods of excellent play followed by spans of inconsistent play,” he said. “Personally, I would just like to hide, but the schedule sends us to Bakersfield and San Luis Obispo, which gives us the opportunity to accomplish one of our second-half goals--a major upset.”

Pomona has been led by forwards Nate Macon (6-3) and Forrest Barnes (6-5) and guard D. J. Norman (6-1). Macon is averaging 16.5 points, Norman 13.3 and Barnes 12.4.

Eight former Cal State Los Angeles athletes and officials will be inducted into the school’s Athletic Hall of Fame during a banquet Friday night at the Tower restaurant in Los Angeles.

Among the inductees are three Olympians and one of the most successful high school coaches in Southern California.

The Olympians are women’s track stars Jennifer Inniss and Jackie Pusey and Jean Gaertner, who competed in the high jump at the 1960 Summer Olympics in Rome and in women’s volleyball at the 1964 Summer Olympics in Tokyo.

The coach is Jim Brownfield of Muir High in Pasadena, who has won 34 championships in 50 seasons of coaching football, track, cross-country, basketball and tennis at the college and prep levels. He was a football and track coach at Cal State L.A.

Other inductees are Terry Bazadier, the California Collegiate Athletic Assn. most valuable player in men’s basketball in 1957; James Bown, NCAA gymnastics champion in the side horse in 1956; Arne Dokka, an NCAA All-American selection in golf in 1965, and Norm Marks, the 1957 NCAA gymnastics champion in the free exercise.

Guest speaker at the banquet will be former USC baseball Coach Rod Dedeaux, who has the most career wins in college baseball history. Tickets at $50 are with the athletic department at (213) 343-3080.

Coaches have been named for the 10th annual National Football Foundation Hall of Fame Game on July 21 at Arroyo High School in El Monte.

Jim Hall, who coaches Rosemead High, will direct the West team and Dave Merrill from Wilson of Hacienda Heights will coach the East. The game will feature 70 of the top graduating high school seniors in the San Gabriel Valley area.