Toreros Have Strange Start but Fast Finish of Kingsmen

University of San Diego Coach Hank Egan may not have had his ideal lineup starting Friday night’s season-opening game against Cal Lutheran. But in the end, it did not seem to matter much.

All 15 players entered the game and thirteen scored as the Toreros routed Cal Lutheran, 82-46, in front of 1,133 fans in the USD Sports Center.

It was USD’s biggest margin of victory since a 113-72 victory over U.S. International in 1986-87. Cal Lutheran, which has never beaten USD in four tries including, 90-64, last year, fell to 0-3.

That seniors Craig Cottrell and John Jerome and sophomore Wayman Strickland started for USD was not surprising, but having freshmen Joe Temple (Lincoln High) and Brooks Barnhard (Escondido) start was.

The reason for Egan’s rather makeshift lineup was that seven players arrived late for a shoot-around practice earlier in the day.

“We had one of those failures to communicate,” Egan said. “I’m not sure who’s guilty, me or them, so we did not make the punishment too severe.

“With this club, I don’t think it makes a difference who starts.”

Said Cottrell, one of the team captains, “There was some kind of miscommunication. But I can assure you, it won’t happen again.”

USD was fortunate to be playing Cal Lutheran, an NAIA school with just one player over 6-feet-4.

As a result, USD took advantage of the situation by scoring 11 layups to Cal Lutheran’s two.

Jerome, a 6-8 transfer from Arizona State, led USD with 15 points and nine rebounds. Dondi Bell added 13 points and six rebounds and Gylan Dottin 12 points and six rebounds.

USD outrebounded the Kingsmen, 44-27, 21-13 in the first half.

Jeff deLaveaga led all scorers with 28 points. DeLaveaga is the brother of Steve deLaveaga, Cal Lutheran’s leading scorer a year ago and now a member of San Diego-based High Five America.

USD dominated the first half in every facet aside from the scoring. Sure the Toreros led, 35-25, but it could have been much more.

Sloppy play, including four turnovers, 38% shooting and 50% (six of 12) free throw shooting kept the Toreros from running away with it.

The shooting of deLaveaga, who had 18 points on six of seven field goals and five of seven free throws, kept Cal Lutheran in it.

USD was paced by Bell’s nine points. Dottin and Jerome had seven each.