Chapman Goes to the Press to Defeat Occidental

Fresh off a trip to a Division I land of giants, the Chapman College basketball team returned home Thursday night ready to fatten up on its own little guy. But Occidental wasn’t buying it.

Occidental, a Division III school in Eagle Rock, played a plodding half-court game and led by a point at halftime. Chapman eventually pulled away for an 83-63 victory.

Last weekend, Division II Chapman played two games on the road against Division I teams, losing to No. 12 Louisiana State, 101-68, and defeating McNeese State, 65-64.

Returning for their first home game in nearly three weeks, the Panthers (5-3) played sluggishly in the first half. Occidental (2-3) was fueled by 50% shooting from the field in the first half.

When Brett Dennis hit a three-pointer with 32 seconds remaining in the half, it gave Occidental a 35-34 lead.

“I don’t know the reason for what seemed to be a casual start,” Chapman Coach Bob Boyd said. “I’m not sure why that happens.”

Frantz Reyes, who made only one of his five first-half shots, said he thought the Panthers were falling victim to the David vs. Goliath syndrome.

“Since this was a Division III team, I think we were just thinking we were going to win,” Reyes said. “At halftime we realized that they can win, so we had to come out in the second half and play just as hard as them.”

Boyd said he told his team something similar at halftime, and Reyes opened the half with three consecutive baskets to give the Panthers a 40-38 lead. Chapman never relinquished the lead, and Reyes’ baskets were the start of a 29-7 run.

But it was a full-court press, called for by Boyd with 12:45 remaining, that really got the Panthers going.

The press started after Rog Middleton made two free throws to give Chapman a 50-45 lead. Chuck McGavran immediately stole the ball, and though Chapman immediately turned the ball over itself, the game’s pace had been picked up.

Middleton’s free throws began a 15-0 run that gave the Panthers a 63-45 lead with 9:12 left.

The faster pace also freed up Middleton, who had been held to six points on three-for-four shooting in the first half.

During the run, Middleton scored 11 consecutive points, two coming on a resounding dunk after Zlatko Josic got the ball to him on a perfect touch pass from the free-throw line.

Middleton had 17 in the second half and 23 for the game. Andre Hill, who made his first four shots of the game, kept Chapman close in the first half. Hill, who made six of nine first-half shots, finished with 16 points.

Occidental cut the deficit to nine points when Blair Slattery, who led the Tigers with 15 points, hit a three-pointer with 7:35 left. But the Tigers got no closer.