Northridge Reaches a Basketball Milestone

In its second season at the Division I level, the Cal State Northridge basketball team reached a milestone Saturday night.

The Matadors surpassed last season’s road-win total in an 83-77 triumph over Cal State Sacramento at Hornet Gym.

It was the third road victory of the season for Northridge (8-14), which also equaled last season’s overall win total.

“It’s a measure of our growth and development and the character of the guys,” Northridge Coach Pete Cassidy said. “I feel good for our players. There are times you can wilt, and while we had our ups and downs we had the ups when it counted.”

The Matadors rallied from a seven-point deficit with 12 minutes 56 seconds left.

A reverse layup by Keith Gibbs off a pass from John Moses sparked a 10-0 run that put Northridge ahead, 57-55, with 9:15 to go.

The Matadors increased the lead to 10 points on two baskets by Andre Chevalier, a pair of free throws by Gibbs and a dunk by Shelton Boykin off a steal and an assist by James Morris.

Sacramento (3-20) regrouped after a timeout and cut the lead to 69-64, but with 5:09 left, Percy Fisher, a 57% free-throw shooter, sank a pair of foul shots and Boykin followed with a 10-foot jump shot.

“I could feel they weren’t guarding me,” said Boykin, who attributed his six-of-eight shooting effort to a hot touch at recent practices.

After a basket by Sacramento’s Robert Morris, Northridge ran the shot clock down to one second and Gibbs banked in a three-point basket to make it, 76-66, with three minutes left.

The Hornets drew no closer than the final six-point deficit.

Gibbs, who had to leave the game for several minutes in the second half because he was elbowed in the throat, finished with a game-high 26 points and 10 assists.

“I was a little dizzy when I went back in,” Gibbs said.

Boykin added 14 points (more than double his six-point average) and grabbed six rebounds.

“He always bangs hard and he always works hard,” Cassidy said. “His temper flared but he gathered himself and he hit a couple big shots.”

Chevalier scored 10 points, Fisher scored nine and Morris gave the Matadors a lift in the second half with five points and a steal.

It was Morris’ first game in two weeks. He missed the past two games because of an inflammation of the sac around his heart.

Northridge played exceptionally well in the first 5 1/2 minutes and closing 5 1/2 minutes of the first half, but in between the Matadors were horrendous.

Sloppy ballhandling, poor defense and poor rebounding enabled the Hornets to turn a 14-5 deficit into a 15-18 lead.

Northridge hit seven of its first 12 shots and made only two turnovers in building the lead. While losing it, the Matadors missed eight of 11 shots, turned the ball over six times, committed seven fouls and were outrebounded, 8-4.

Except for a three-minute span in which Fisher picked up three fouls, Northridge did not have the services of its backup center--the team’s third-leading scorer and second-leading rebounder.

Starting center Brian Kilian also was whistled for three fouls in the first half.

In the late stages of the half, Northridge outscored the Hornets 15-6 to tie the score, 37-37, at halftime.

But early in the second half, Sacramento regained command and built a 55-47 lead.

Sacramento outrebounded Northridge, 44-30.

The Hornets were led by Robert Morris (22 points) and Charlo Davis (21 points). Eight days ago, Northridge defeated them, 82-73, at Matador Gymnasium.