SPORTSCOPE : Cal Poly Women to Open League Schedule Friday

The Cal Poly Pomona women’s basketball team will start its quest for another conference title when it plays host to Cal State Dominguez Hills in its California Collegiate Athletic Assn. opener at 6 p.m. Friday at Kellogg Gymnasium.

The Broncos, who have won or shared every title since the CCAA added women’s basketball in 1982, will also play host to Chapman at 8 p.m. Saturday at Poly Pavilion.

Pomona takes an 11-3 record into the game, having lost only to NCAA Division I opponents Utah, Brigham Young and Southern Utah State. Cal State Dominguez Hills enters the game at 8-5 and Chapman is 10-3.

“I think we’re ready for the conference season,” said Pomona Coach Darlene May, who has a 408-94 record in 16 seasons with the Broncos. “We’ve been playing a lot of nonconference games and I think it’s time the games start counting for us.”

The Broncos, who finished second to Delta State of Mississippi in the NCAA Division II last season, has a four-game winning streak, including victories over North Carolina-Greensboro (93-61) and Millersville of Pennsylvania (77-35) in their last two games.

Pomona has been sparked by All-American center Niki Bracken, a 6-2 senior who has averaged 19.7 points and 9.9 rebounds.

Bracken is one of four Broncos scoring in double figures: 6-1 senior forward Marcine Edmonds at 10.8 points, 6-2 freshman center Danielle Carter at 10.6 and 5-10 junior guard Stephanie Coons at 10.4.

Pomona has received outstanding play from reserve guard Serenda Valdez, an excellent outside shooter who has made a conference-leading 22 of 44 three-point field goal attempts and averages 7.3 points.

Pomona will face a vastly improved Toros team that struggled to a 6-19 record last season and has never defeated Pomona. The Toros have been led by forward Yvonne Vanlandingham, who averages 12.5 points and 7.5 rebounds, and guard Allison Krause, the floor leader, who averages 5.9 assists.

Chapman finished 13-13 and tied for second in the CCAA last season, and May expects the Panthers to finish among conference leaders again. The Panthers, under first-year Coach Lindsey Strothers, are led by guards Kim Takayama (5-4) and Julie King (5-9) and post players Jennifer Uecke (6-5) and Carolyn Reese (6-0).

The Cal Poly Pomona men’s basketball team hopes a year makes a big difference as it opens its California Collegiate Athletic Assn. season against Cal State Dominguez Hills at 8 p.m. Friday at Kellogg Gym in Pomona.

The Broncos also play host to Chapman in a CCAA game at 6 p.m. Saturday in Poly Pavilion.

Pomona struggled to a 1-13 record last year but appears improved with a 6-7 nonconference season. The Broncos slipped below the .500 mark with an 80-73 loss to Azusa Pacific last week.

Cal Poly has benefitted from the addition of transfers Terry Ross (6-6) and Ken Scalmanini (6-4) at forward and Chancellor McCobb (6-3) at guard. Ross is averaging 20.7 points and 12.7 rebounds to rank among the conference leaders in both departments. McCobb averages 17 points and Scalmanini 12.

Dominguez Hills enters conference play at 4-9 and Chapman is 8-4.

Dominguez Hills has been led by junior guard Robert Barksdale, who averages 18.5 points, and Chapman by sophomore forward Roger Middleton, who leads the conference with a 21.9-point average.

Cal State Los Angeles is expected to receive a difficult test when it opens its California Collegiate Athletic Assn. women’s basketball season at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo at 5:45 p.m. Saturday.

The Golden Eagles enter conference play at 6-8 overall and San Luis Obispo is 8-3. Cal State split two games last week, defeating Cal Lutheran by 80-66 before dropping an 81-65 decision to Angelo State of Texas.

Cal State has been paced by forward Kelly O’Brien, who averages 10 points and eight rebounds. Guard Anita Martinez is averaging about six assists. Forward Kim Eproson scored a team-leading 39 points in the games against Cal Lutheran and Angelo State.

Six players from the San Gabriel Valley have been named to the all-state high school football team selected by Cal-Hi Sports News.

Leading the way are quarterback J. J. O’Laughlin of Glendora and tight end Elic Mahone of Muir in the Large Schools Division. Among Medium Schools, Bassett placed running back Marshawn Thompson and linebacker Richard Parham and Pomona landed wide receiver Curtis Robinson. Punter Darren Schager of Western Christian made the Small Schools team.

Thompson and O’Laughlin completed outstanding careers with excellent seasons.

Thompson was the state leader in rushing with 2,294 yards and 30 touchdowns in 379 carries and finished with 4,254 yards rushing in his career. O’Laughlin completed 114 of 228 passes for 1,706 yards and nine touchdowns and also rushed for 284 yards and 11 touchdowns. He passed for 4,396 yards in his career.

Schager was the CIF Southern Section leader in punting in the regular season with a 43.9-yard average.