SCC’s Quinn Does Nothing Special, but He’s a Winner

There appears to be much about Jason Quinn that would keep him from becoming a standout basketball player.

Bill Reynolds, his coach at Southern California College, lists the reasons:

--”He looks like he’s, perhaps, a little overweight--at least he’s stocky.

--”He’s not really quick.

--”He doesn’t have a real good jump shot.”

But, Reynolds concedes, “he just seems to get the job done.”

That ability to produce results has helped Quinn earn the starting point guard position for SCC, defending champion in the Golden State Athletic Conference and NAIA District 3.

Quinn, the first true freshman to start for Reynolds in his 10 seasons as head coach, is averaging 4.5 points and 3.5 assists and one of the reasons the Vanguards (13-3) are off to a quick start this season.

But Quinn has been hobbled lately by an ankle he twisted in a victory against Evangel (Mo.) last week. He sat out a victory over Bethel (Ind.) Saturday and played only the first three minutes of an 82-75 loss to Fresno Pacific Tuesday.

“He’s just such a tough competitor,” Reynolds said. “He plays with such confidence. He’s not the kind of gifted point guard that’s going to look flashy and make all the tremendous moves.

“He just seems to make the right decisions.”

At Mater Dei High School, where he helped the Monarchs to the Division I state championship last year, Quinn is best remembered for a last-second shot he made in the semifinals of the state playoffs.

With about 10 seconds remaining and Mater Dei trailing Long Beach Poly by two points, Quinn had the ball near the baseline beyond the three-point line. When he found he couldn’t make a pass, Quinn tried to get fouled while taking a desperation shot.

Quinn was fouled but “The Shot”--as Monarch Coach Gary McKnight says it’s known at school--went in, giving Mater Dei the victory and a trip to the state title game.

It was one of the rare times Quinn’s shooting made a difference in the result of a Mater Dei game. He averaged about six points and usually took only a couple of shots a game, but his value to the team went beyond statistics.

“He was such a coach on the court and people did what he told them,” McKnight said. “It’s hard for players to get respect from other players on the court and he was able to do that.”

After a number of colleges, including Cal State Fullerton and Chapman, showed early interest, all but SCC backed off and Quinn decided to enroll in the four-year school instead of a community college.

At SCC, Quinn quickly moved into the starting lineup because his competition was either injured (Ron Scipio), moved to off guard (Elbert Davis), or transferred (Brad Dorais).

At Reynolds’ request, Quinn is working on bringing the ball up court more quickly. He is also trying to release his shot faster, and that seems to have helped his percentages. Quinn is shooting 50% from three-point territory (four of eight) and 56.5% from the field (26 of 46).

“I thought that I was going to become the scorer that I was in eighth grade,” Quinn said. “I think I still can, but I’m going to have to work harder than I thought.”

The Chapman men’s team will open its California Collegiate Athletic Assn. basketball season against Cal State Bakersfield Friday at Hutton Center. Bakersfield, which won the CCAA title and was the NCAA Division II runner-up last season, is 9-4 after winning eight of its past nine, but the Roadrunners may getting stronger.

Russ Jarvis, a 6-foot-9, 235-pound junior post player, will play for the first time Friday after transferring from Boston University.

Jarvis was Boston’s second-leading scorer (14.6 a game) and rebounder (6.8) before leaving the team after the fall semester.

Travis Gilley, a 6-2 freshman guard who was at the Air Force Academy in the fall, also joins the team.

“It shapes up to be our most important game of the year, obviously,” Chapman Coach Bob Boyd said. “I feel pretty good about our team’s progress.”

Add Chapman: Although the Panthers (10-5) have emphasized defense lately, allowing their opponents an average of 65 points while winning five of six games, they’re keeping up their torrid shooting pace. Chapman is shooting 53.8% from the field, sixth-best in Division II.

Bakersfield’s defense, which has allowed an average of 64.2 points, is ranked eighth in Division II.

The Christ College Irvine men’s basketball team came within four seconds of its biggest victory of the season Tuesday, but instead the Eagles suffered another frustrating loss.

Westmont (7-5), ranked No. 25 in the latest NAIA poll, trailed CCI (6-11) for most of the game, but with four seconds left Noel Matthews was fouled while making a short shot. Matthews’ free throw gave Westmont (7-5) a 64-63 lead. Lester Smith made two free throws after CCI threw away the inbounds pass to give Westmont its final margin of victory, 66-63.

Christ College’s collapse--it led, 60-48, with about seven minutes remaining--was largely due to turnovers, which were brought on by foul trouble among the guards. Point guard Jamie McShan committed his fourth foul about two minutes into the second half, and fouled out shortly after he returned with about seven minutes left. Aaron Clasen took his place, but he fouled out as well. Corey Smith, whose ballhandling is hampered by a broken left hand, took over at point guard.

“We just couldn’t hold them off,” CCI Coach Greg Marshall said.