Defense, Not Foes, Stopping Chapman

Less than a month before its California Collegiate Athletic Assn. opener, the Chapman College men’s basketball team has yet to play consistently, and Coach Bob Boyd says he knows why.

“I think the single most important reason for Chapman basketball not being able to win consistently--particularly on the road--is we don’t have the ability to stop the other team,” Boyd said.

“We allow too much penetration while not necessarily pressuring the ball. We’re guilty of not picking up defensively in the midcourt area. What we do is allow the ball almost to the head of the key before we defend.”

Entering Friday’s game against Pacific Christian at the Hutton Center, the Panthers have given up an average 78.1 points and scored 76.9. They are 5-4, winning their four home games and losing all but one on the road.

Teams don’t usually shoot as well on unfamiliar courts, Boyd said, so a good defense is necessary.

Boyd said he is confident the Panthers’ defensive problems can be fixed. The full-court press, which occasionally has been effective, will be used more, and Boyd said he hopes that being patient on offense means the Panthers will be playing defense for shorter periods of time.

Add Panthers: Chapman has played teams from all levels. The Panthers are 2-0 against NAIA schools, 1-0 against NCAA Division III schools, 1-3 against Division II schools and 1-1 against Division I schools.

This weekend, they will play teams from the extremes. Friday, their opponent is Pacific Christian, a school across Nutwood Avenue from Cal State Fullerton and affiliated with the National Christian College Athletic Assn. Saturday, the Panthers play another Division I team, traveling to Cal State Fullerton.

Boyd isn’t concerned about the competition level.

“I think the tougher the competition we can play at this time prepares us better for the CCAA conference,” Boyd said.

Chapman will make a rare local radio appearance when it plays the Titans Saturday. The game at 7:35 p.m. on KMNY (1600) might be the only time this season local fans can take in a Chapman game without visiting a gym.

Chapman has never had a regular radio contract but looked into the possibility of obtaining one this season. It had a station (KORG) willing to broadcast eight games live and the remainder tape-delayed, but Chapman failed to come up with enough sponsors to break even.

Though it was snubbed in the latest NAIA men’s basketball poll, Southern California College Coach Bill Reynolds is satisfied with his team’s start.

Reynolds said he wasn’t sure the Vanguards would be able to run as much as in seasons past, but the team has averaged 88.5 points while winning 10 of 12. SCC has lost only to Division I Missouri Kansas City and Grand Canyon, ranked 14th in the latest NAIA poll.

Somehow, after being among teams receiving votes in the NAIA preseason poll, the Vanguards weren’t even mentioned in the poll released Dec. 10. Biola (8-3), which was beaten by SCC Saturday, 65-63, is ranked 24th. Westmont (5-4), the only other District 3 team ranked, is 25th.

A new rule gave the Christ College Irvine men’s basketball team another chance at victory Saturday at Claremont-Mudd-Scripps. With CCI trailing by three points in the final seconds, Corey Smith was fouled while shooting from behind the three-point line. He was awarded three free throws--instead of the two of past years--which he made to send the game into overtime. However, Claremont won, 74-72, to remain undefeated.

CCI (4-8), which beat District 3 rival Cal Lutheran, 93-76, Tuesday, plays host to Mount Mercy at 7:30 tonight.