UCLA Got Aussie A Team, Northridge Beats the Bs

Make no mistake, there is a big difference between an Australian basketball team and the Australian basketball team.

Cal State Northridge played a team representing Brisbane and won, 89-66, in an exhibition Friday night at Matador Gym. UCLA played the Australian national team earlier this week and lost by 11.

Definitely not the same group. And it’s a good thing for Northridge, which struggled before getting untracked in the second half.

“We didn’t play with any measure of reckless abandon,” said Northridge Coach Pete Cassidy, whose team once trailed by seven points in the first half. “We appeared tentative. . . . It was almost like we were trying to play by the numbers instead of just letting it flow.”

Northridge’s Peter Micelli, who missed three of his first four shots, made nine of his last 10 to lead all scorers with 21 points. He also contributed a game-high 10 rebounds in 28 minutes. Andre Chevalier added 19 points, five assists and a game-high six steals for the Matadors.

Chris Yard had 12 points and nine rebounds for Northridge and his understudy, freshman Tom Samson, added 12 points and five rebounds in only nine minutes. Michael Champion and Paul Harrison each had 14 points for Brisbane. Troy Jammerman added 12.

The Spartans were hanging close early in the second half until Champion picked up his fourth foul with 11 minutes 58 seconds remaining. With the 6-foot-6 forward watching from the bench, the Matadors went on an 18-6 run, stretching their 56-48 advantage to 74-55 during the next four minutes.

Northridge led the entire second half after rallying from a 24-17 deficit by scoring 10 of its final 14 points of the first half at the free-throw line.