Valley Outscores Canyons, 124-100

Loyola Marymount . . . er, Valley College was off and running in a Western State Conference opener Wednesday night at Canyons.

Valley scored 66 points in the first half and cruised to an easy 124-100 victory over the Cougars.

“I think if people are going to try to outscore us, they are going to have a hard time,” Valley Coach Jim Stephens said. “We’ve got some shooters.”

That’s somewhat like saying Dodge City had some shooters. Valley was hitting from all angles in a first half that ended with Shawn DeLaittre’s improbable, buzzer-beating, from-the-hip, two-point heave that somehow fell through the net.

DeLaittre, who has recently been playing more in the low post, led Valley (10-8) with 22 points and 15 rebounds. Steve Ward tied DeLaittre with 22 points off the bench, and Shelton Boykin scored 21. Valley’s Rick Garrick added 13 points and 10 assists.

Larry Allbritton led Canyons (7-11) with 18 points and Justin Clark scored 15.

Valley earlier scored 125 points in the Antelope Valley tournament and may fulfill the dark-horse label that another WSC coach pinned on the Monarchs.

“I’m real pleased with it,” Stephens said of his team in recent performances. “We’ve had good intensity. This (conference) is what we’ve been aiming for.”