Losses Steal Heat From Would-Be Barn-Burners : College Basketball: Cal State Dominguez Hills’ final three preseason games have only a slim chance of living up to Coach Dave Yanai’s expectations.

When Cal State Dominguez Hills Coach Dave Yanai put together his 1989-90 basketball schedule, the final three preseason games looked like barn burners.

In the next 10 days the Toros will face perennial NAIA power Biola University twice and Quincy College of Illinois, a midwestern Division II threat.

However, the three teams bring a combined 11-23 record into this week’s action, which begins tonight at 7:30 with Biola (4-9) visiting Cal State Dominguez Hills (3-7).

The Toros play host to Quincy (4-6) Tuesday. The Hawks don’t figure to do more than split their games this week in the Cal State Bakersfield Tournament. If Quincy gets by Wisconsin-Oshkosh tonight, it is expected to face the high-flying hosts Friday. Bakersfield is 8-1 and riding a seven-game winning streak.

The Biola match looked especially interesting. The Eagles hold somewhat of a mastery over the Toros, posting a 10-4 series advantage, including a season-opening come-from-15-points-behind win over the Toros last season.

Further, the Eagles have considered moving up to the Division II level and held preliminary talks last year with the California Collegiate Athletic Assn., of which Cal State Dominguez Hills is a member. That added to Biola’s rivalry with the Toros, as did the fact that both teams run ball control, rebound-oriented offenses.

Nevertheless, the importance of the home and home series with Biola this year (Cal State Dominguez Hills visits Biola Jan. 6) may have lost some of its edge when Dave Holmquist did not return as the Eagles’ basketball coach. Holmquist chose to remain only as the school’s athletic director and replaced himself with Howard Lyon, the school’s former coach who has more than 600 wins in his career.

Victories for both Cal State Dominguez Hills and Biola have come sparingly this season.

The Toros are coming off a record-setting 107-78 loss at Grand Canyon College. The Toros held a 33-21 halftime lead, then allowed the hosts to score 86 second-half points, the most ever allowed by Cal State Dominguez Hills in a half. The 107 is also the most scored against a Cal State Dominguez Hills team. In addition, the Antelopes connected on 40 field goals, another record.

Yanai called the game “freakish.” He said he had found a silver-lining in the loss.

“I was pleased with our showing in the first half,” he said.

Like Lyon, Yanai (189-144) is no stranger to winning. But when all but one starter graduated from last year’s team that went 20-10, he said he knew it would take as long as a year for his current group to develop.

“It has been a slow, difficult process,” he said.

Perhaps, hinted Yanai two weeks ago following a 78-74 victory over visiting North Central Illinois, progress had been too slow. He promised to knuckle down in practices and redirect a few players who “are not focused on what we have to do.”

Since that time, he said, “we have played pretty well.”

Assistant coach Bart Yamachika has also noticed a different.

“Since (the Illinois game) the team has picked things up.”

No one expected the Toros to set the world on fire this season. Cal State Dominguez Hills, which starts three freshman, has used its preseason schedule in what Yanai has called “baptism by fire.” Yanai is pinning most of his hopes on sliding into one of the top four spots in the CCAA race, which begins Jan. 12. That would qualify the Toros for the conference postseason tournament.

“At this point in the season I’m not satisfied, but I am pleased with our team’s progress,” Yanai said.

Junior guard Robert Barksdale, benched by Yanai in a 73-53 loss to West Texas State for what the coach termed “poor decisions” in a leadership role, has responded in the last three games. He is expected to start at point guard against Biola.

“Robert has a responsibility of leadership as the point guard and returning player,” Yanai said. “At times he was getting caught up in playing at a speed in the offense that Barksdale can play at, but the rest of the team can’t.”

Barksdale leads the team in scoring (19 points a game) and assists (5.5). Freshmen Vincent Washington (12.7) and Ray Bennett (10.4), both from Carson High School, are the other double-figure scorers for the Toros.

Bennett’s play has impressed Yanai.

“He’s really surfaced,” Yanai said. “He can do some of the things from the off-guard spot that will take the pressure off Barksdale.”

Norman Francis, the third freshman starter, averages about 21 minutes of playing time a game.

Yanai has not settled on a starter for the final forward spot. He says he likes the options available. He can start junior Joseph Janney, senior Brian Johnson or recently activated sophomore Segaro Bozart. Janney is the quickest of the three, but he is playing only his third year of basketball. Johnson is a streak shooter who is best from three-point range at the top of the key. Bozart, who started last year, has yet to get in total sync with the offense but could be a factor in two weeks.

“Segaro has been fine, but he is a little rusty,” Yanai said. “He has been pressing a bit in his first few games.”

Bozart was academically ineligible for the first eight games.

Another possibility would be to start a three-guard offense, with 6-foot-2 sophomore Michael Bell stepping into the vacant spot. Off the bench, Bell, a defensive expert, has averaged 24 minutes of playing time this season, fourth on the team behind Barksdale, Washington and Bennett.