SPORTSCOPE : Cal Poly Pomona Women Winning--as Usual

With the California Collegiate Athletic Assn. season past the midway point, it has been business as usual for the Cal Poly Pomona women’s basketball team.

The Broncos, who have won or shared the conference title eight consecutive seasons , carry a 7-0 record into their CCAA game against visiting Cal Poly San Luis Obispo at 6 p.m. Saturday in Poly Pavilion.

Pomona, with an 18-3 overall record, is ranked No. 2 in the NCAA Division II behind defending champion Delta State of Mississippi. The team has surged into the conference lead largely behind strong inside play from seniors Niki Bracken (6-2) at center and Marcine Edmonds (6-1) at forward.

Bracken, a Division II All-America selection last season, leads the conference with an average of 19.4 points and 9.9 rebounds. Edmonds, who missed last season because of a knee injury, averages 13.1 points and 7.2 rebounds.

Edmonds has been playing particularly well in recent games, having earned CCAA Player of the Week honors last week. She leads the conference in field-goal percentage at 57%.

Pomona has also received strong support from players such as reserve center Danielle Carter, a 6-2 freshman, and guard Stephanie Coons, a 5-11 junior. Carter is averaging 11.3 points and 6.9 rebounds and Coons 9.9 points and 4.4 assists.

The Broncos swept back-to-back games against UC Riverside last week as Edmonds led the way with 41 points and 18 rebounds. Pomona won by scores of 86-61 and 79-54.

They will face a San Luis Obispo squad that they defeated 83-75 on Jan. 20 in San Luis Obispo. The Mustangs, 3-3 in the CCAA and 9-11 overall, are led on offense by senior guard Jody Hasselfield (5-6) with a 13.8-point average.

Like the Broncos, San Luis Obispo also has good size on its front line with center Aimee Gassett (6-4) and forward Russia Madden (6-0) leading the way.

On the heels of three straight losses, the Cal Poly Pomona men’s basketball team will attempt to get back on the winning track when it plays host to Cal State Bakersfield and Cal Poly San Luis Obispo in California Collegiate Athletic Assn. games Friday and Saturday.

The Broncos, who have slipped to 2-6 in the CCAA and 8-13 overall, will face Bakersfield at 7:30 p.m. Friday and San Luis Obispo at 8 p.m. Saturday in Kellogg Gym.

The game against Bakersfield figures to be especially difficult for the Broncos.

Bakersfield, ranked No. 12 in the NCAA Division II last week, leads the CCAA with a 7-1 record and is 19-2 overall. The Roadrunners, who have reached the Division II playoffs the last two seasons, are paced offensively by 6-4 senior forward Marvin Redeemer with a 16-point average. Bakersfield also has an outstanding guard tandem in Ray Burris and Wade Green.

In the first meeting between the teams, Bakersfield won easily by an 89-74 score.

The Broncos will meet a San Luis Obispo squad that has a 13-8 overall record but has struggled at 3-5 in the conference. San Luis Obispo has been led by 6-8 center Stuart Thomas, a transfer from Stanford who averages 16.1 points.

Pomona has been sparked by the offensive production of 6-6 junior forward Terry Ross, who averages 21.5 points and 12.5 rebounds to lead the conference in both departments.

Other players scoring in double figures for the Broncos are guard Chancellor McCobb at 16.4 points and forwards Jim Skinner at 11.1 and Ken Scalmanini at 10.8.

The Cal Poly Pomona women’s softball team, which reached the NCAA Division I World Series last season, will open its 1990 season by competing in the Big West/Pacific 10 Mini-Tournament on Saturday and Sunday at Cal State Fullerton.

The Broncos, ranked No. 11 in Division I in a preseason poll, will face Arizona State at 11 a.m. and Oregon at 3 p.m. in Saturday games and meet the same teams at the same times Sunday.

The California Interscholastic Federation is accepting applications for its 1990 CIF/Reebok Scholar-Athlete of the Year award that will be presented in June at the state track and field meet at Cerritos College.

Applications are at high school counseling offices. One boy and one girl will be selected as winners of the award.

The entry deadline is April 6 and judging will be completed by May 7.