Moorpark Trounced After Wilson, Galbert Dismissed

Moorpark College basketball fans need wonder no longer whether the talented but unreliable Damian Wilson and Jimmy Galbert will show up on time for games.

The pair no longer will show up at all.

Raider Coach Al Nordquist, tired of the excuses, attitude problems and the divisive impact Wilson and Galbert had on the team, Friday dismissed both players from the team.

Wilson and Galbert were the team’s leading scorers and their absence was felt Saturday night against Oxnard, which pounded Moorpark, 70-44, in a Western State Conference North Division game.

The pair’s offense will be missed, Nordquist noted, but little else will be. Wilson, a guard, averaged 20.9 points game. Galbert, a forward, averaged 14.1.

“It got to the point where I had to do it for the good of the team,” Nordquist said. “If the rest of the players had had their way, it would have been done a long time ago.”

Wilson and Galbert, both sophomores, arrived late in the first half of a game last week against Ventura, blaming car trouble. Nordquist played them in the second half that night but benched them Wednesday in a loss to Santa Barbara.

Wilson’s problems started long before that. He was suspended for four games earlier this season after arguing with an assistant coach, and both players were benched for a game after arriving late to warm-ups before a Pasadena tournament game in December.

On Friday, Nordquist met with the pair and kicked them off the team.

“It was like a cup that finally ran over,” Nordquist said. “That last thing wasn’t any worse than the rest but it was just enough to spill over the cup.

“All Damian had to do was come to practice every day, play hard, and he’s Division I next year.

“But we’ll be back. Humble pie is good for you--it’s fattening spiritually.”

Moorpark (8-18, 1-4 in division play) tasted a slice of that pie against Oxnard, which like Moorpark is down to seven players after Coach Remy McCarthy dismissed several early this season.

But the Condors (16-10, 4-1), unlike the Raiders, still have several standouts.

The Raiders had no one to contend with 6-foot-10 center Art Wallace, who scored 25 points and dominated the boards, grabbing 17 rebounds.

“They didn’t have the personnel to guard us inside and we took advantage of that,” McCarthy said. “That was our game plan.”

Shawn Talley, a sophomore guard, added 17 points for Oxnard, which led, 33-16, at halftime and was never threatened.

The Condors outrebounded Moorpark, 42-26, and held the Raiders to 39% shooting from the field.

Freshman guard Steve Carnes led Moorpark with 12 points and eight rebounds. Center Sean Doyle added 10 points.