Long Beach Ties Best Start Since ’89

It took some time to get going Friday night, but Cal State Long Beach equaled its best season start since 1989 with a 112-71 victory over visiting Point Loma Nazarene, the second NAIA school it has played in a week.

Last Saturday, Long Beach defeated Southern California College, 92-62.

In a sloppy performance Friday, the teams combined for 38 turnovers. The 49ers (4-0) made one one of their first 10 field-goal attempts and trailed, 15-10, after eight minutes.

Junior guard Jeff Rogers got the 49ers going on a 7-0 run with a three-point shot at the 11:49 mark. His steal 30 seconds later led to his breakaway layup tying the score, 15-15. Seconds later Rogers, who finished with 17 points, helped Long Beach to its first lead, 17-15, by causing a turnover that led to Bryon Russell’s dunk with 10:51 left in the half.

Point Loma’s Shawn DeLaittre tied the score, 17-17, with a jump shot, but Long Beach countered with a 12-0 run. The 49ers, who closed the half by making 16 of 27 shots, led by as many as 18 points in the first half and expanded that to as many as 43 points in the second half.

Senior guard Lucious Harris finished with 21 points, scoring eight of the 49ers’ 10 points during a two-minute stretch early in the second half.

Forward Rod Hannibal, who had 23 points, got the 49ers on track in the second half, scoring seven points and dishing off an assist to Harris in the first 3 1/2 minutes.

Then it was Harris’ turn. After making that layup off the pass from Hannibal at the 16:41 mark, the four-year starter made four free throws, a dunk and a three-point shot in the next three minutes.

DeLaittre led the Crusaders (4-5) with 23 points.