CS Northridge Stands Up to New Zealand

It might be sailing. It might be rugby.

Whichever sport is New Zealand’s national pastime, one thing is certain: It is not basketball.

That much was proved Friday night at Matador Gymnasium where Cal State Northridge opened its men’s basketball season with a 73-51 decision over the New Zealand national team in an exhibition game.

A showcase for style it was not.

Northridge, in the words of point guard Andre Chevalier, “won ugly.” The Matadors shot only 41.4%, but thanks to 30 New Zealand turnovers it didn’t matter.

Chevalier, a Lilliputian maneuvering among New Zealand’s hulking Gullivers, scored a game-high 16 points. Brooklyn McLinn added 15, including 13 in the second half when the Matadors outscored their beleaguered guests, 44-24.

New Zealand, which has a starting front line that would make a National Football League team jealous, wilted under the pressure of Northridge’s man-to-man defense and rarely capitalized on its size advantage.

Peter Pokai, New Zealand’s 6-foot-8, 243-pound center, scored six points, grabbed two rebounds and fouled out in 15 minutes. Neil Stephens, a 6-8, 254-pound forward who once played against Northridge for Cal State Bakersfield, was limited to five points and six rebounds.

What the Matadors lacked in height, they made up for in hustle.

Peter Micelli, Northridge’s 6-8 sophomore center, scored only six points in 33 minutes but clogged the middle on defense to help make life miserable for New Zealand.

Chris Yard, at 6-6 the only other Matador starter taller than 6-foot, scored 11 points and grabbed nine rebounds as he craftily slalomed his way through the trees.

Pete Cassidy, Northridge’s coach, was all smiles afterward. And why not? After an off-season of tough luck, a victory--even in an exhibition--felt a long time coming.

“There are so many things we can learn from this without paying the supreme sacrifice of losing,” he said.

Which is one reason why New Zealand fit ever so nicely into the Matadors’ preseason schedule.

“They’re very physical and they’re very mature, but they’re not real athletic,” Cassidy said diplomatically.

Indeed, New Zealand is winless in its West Coast tour of college exhibition games, having lost to the likes of Stanford, Santa Clara, St. Mary’s and Nevada.

Northridge led by as many as 11 points in the first half but then scored only two baskets in the last nine minutes before the break as New Zealand trimmed the margin to 29-27.

That was New Zealand’s last look at the game.