Talley Directs Oxnard Past Moorpark

As the only sophomore on the Oxnard College basketball team, Shawn Talley is counted on to provide leadership for the youthful Condors.

With a little more than two minutes to play in Wednesday night’s Western State Conference North Division opener against host Moorpark, he delivered.

Talley, a 5-foot-11, 165-pound point guard from Chicago’s Crane High, scored Oxnard’s final eight points and the Condors held off the Raiders, 73-67.

“That’s what he’s there for,” Oxnard Coach Remy McCarthy said of Talley, who shook off a one-for-seven shooting drought in the first half to finish with 18 points and six assists. “He’s our guy and (his teammates) look to him for leadership and to hit the shot.”

The win was the fourth in a row and sixth in eight tries for Oxnard (13-9 overall). Freshman Tony Ziuraitis supported Talley with 19 points and 10 rebounds.

“It’s always close with (Moorpark),” Talley said. “(But) we basically knew their offense and what they were going to do.”

What Moorpark (7-15) did was turn to all-conference guard Damian Wilson, who led all players with 26 points and eight assists.

Wilson was supported by Jimmy Galbert (18 points), Sean Doyle (10 points, 16 rebounds) and Matt Weaver (13 points). The four accounted for all the Moorpark offense.

In a foul-plagued contest that featured 22 fouls by each team, Moorpark overcame a 12-point second-half deficit to close to within 60-58 with 4 minutes 30 seconds to play.

But the Raiders, who had three players foul out, failed on two tries to tie the score and Oxnard built a 67-60 lead on a Talley jump shot with 2:25 to play.

Wilson and Galbert helped Moorpark close the gap to 68-65 with 48 seconds remaining, but Talley connected on two free throws and then stole the ball from Wilson moments later to secure the win.

“We played. I’d rather not say any more,” Moorpark assistant coach Del Parker said. Raider Coach Al Nordquist left shortly after the game and could not be reached for comment.

In an erratic first half that saw both teams in the bonus shortly after the midway point, Oxnard emerged with a 34-30 halftime lead when Talley calmly drilled a 35-foot three-point basket as the buzzer sounded. The shot followed Moorpark’s 10th turnover of the half to go along with 10 Raider team fouls. “I needed that one,” Talley said of the shot. “That was a frustration shot.”

Oxnard, which totaled nine first-half fouls, threatened to break the game open behind the inside game of Ziuraitis in the early going. The Condors built a 21-14 lead with 8:30 to play.

Art Wallace added nine points and 11 rebounds for Oxnard, and teammate James Parker came off the bench to score 13 points.