CSUN Scores 1st 19 Points in 110-87 Victory

Cal State Northridge ran out to a 19-0 lead Thursday night and was never challenged in a 110-87 exhibition basketball victory over High Five America before 511 at Matador Gymnasium.

The visitors did not put up much of a fight, but regardless, it was a confidence-builder for the Matadors, who posted their second exhibition win in as many tries. Northridge will open its season with a three-game, six-day trip beginning Nov. 22 at Butler in Indianapolis.

Without benefit of exhibition games last season, the Matadors were unfamiliar with winning and lost eight of their first 10 games.

“You can never negate the value of that (winning feeling),” Northridge Coach Pete Cassidy said.

Point guard Andre Chevalier said: “These two wins are gonna help us to know we can win.”

On an individual basis, junior center Percy Fisher showed considerable improvement in scoring a game-high 20 points and grabbing a game-high 10 rebounds.

Fisher, who missed the first two months of last season because of academic ineligibility, still took an occasional unnecessary dribble inside and missed a few easy shots, but he rebounded and executed his turnaround jump shot and baby hook with authority.

“This is what I’ve been waiting for,” Fisher said. “I wanted it last year but it didn’t work out because of my academics. Basically, this whole year I’m going to exhibit authority. We are a lot better as a team and we’re going to beat a lot of good teams.”

Freshman Ryan Martin led the Matador perimeter game with 15 points, hitting four of six shots from three-point range.

In a span of 58 seconds in the early stages of the game, Martin connected on three consecutive three-point attmpts.

High Five America, a collection of post-collegiate players based in San Diego, missed its first 12 shots.