Ulloa Provides Spark in Cal Lutheran’s 92-74 Win

Westmont College had an answer for every scoring streak Cal Lutheran put together Tuesday night. Until Dave Ulloa, a freshman from Hoover High, took over in a 60-second span that gave the Kingsmen a 92-74 victory.

Moments after Westmont drew within two points, 66-64, with 5 minutes 41 seconds left, Ulloa drove the baseline with a defender in his face, then whipped a cross-court pass out to Paul Tapp who scored a three-point basket.

After a basket by Westmont’s Marlon Jones, Ulloa connected on an 18-foot jump shot from the baseline.

Seconds later, he deflected a poor pass by Westmont and chased the ball down for what looked like a sure layup. But Westmont’s Zak DeMatteo grabbed Ulloa from behind and was penalized for an intentional foul.

Ulloa hit both free throws, Cal Lutheran got the ball out of bounds and scored immediately on a five-foot jump shot by Damon Ridley for a 75-66 lead that buried the Warriors.

“That just seemed to kill them,” Ulloa said. “Before that they kept coming back and coming back. I thought it would come down to a last-second shot.”

The nonconference win for NCAA Division III Lutheran (6-1) ended a seven-game losing streak against Westmont (4-2), a perennial NAIA Division I powerhouse.

“In terms of establishing our program this is a huge win,” fourth-year CLU Coach Mike Dunlap said. “We are talking about a team with a national reputation. We model ourselves after their program. It’s been a long, hard four years. Every time the headline reads “Westmont Wins Another One.’ Well, it’s going to be something different this time.”

Dunlap’s emphasis on pressure defense forced the Warriors into making 27 turnovers and gaining the upper hand from the outset.

With Ulloa and Ridley forcing turnovers, Cal Lutheran threatened to pull away twice in the first half, but both times the Kingsmen allowed themselves to be caught. At halftime, they led by only two points, 38-36.

Early in the second half Cal Lutheran gained a 50-41 advantage on a three-point basket by Ulloa, consecutive three-point baskets by Tapp, a junior from Burbank High, and a free throw by Derrick Clark.