Heated Question Sparks Cassidy’s Fiery Answer

He started off in a slow burn and then simply could not contain himself.

Pressed by a writer on why Andre Chevalier was removed at a key juncture late in the second half of a basketball game Tuesday against San Diego State, Pete Cassidy finally overheated.

Cassidy, Northridge’s veteran coach, was asked if he had panicked when he took the Matador floor leader out after Chevalier had picked up his fourth foul with 5 minutes 25 seconds to go in regulation and Northridge leading by nine points.

“Did I panic?” Cassidy responded, slowly at first. “No, I don’t think so. He had four fouls on him and he was tired. He was in the whole half. You give him a couple of minutes (rest) and put him back in there with the game on the line.”

Indeed, Chevalier remained on the bench less than two minutes, but in his absence, the Matador lead dwindled to four points and San Diego State rode the momentum to a 90-85 victory in overtime.

Reminded by the writer that a similar change of fortune occurred with Chevalier on the bench in the first half, Cassidy simmered, then exploded.

“I really don’t think you can play hard the whole damn game,” he said. “I think you have to give a kid some rest so he has his legs at money time. I think when you take him out with his fourth foul and he’s tired, that’s the right thing to do. . . .

“If I have to do it again, I’d do it again. The same damn way. I hope that clarifies the point about panic.”

Cassidy clearly had a point about Chevalier tiring. In the 35 seconds before the substitution, the 6-foot senior picked up two fouls and committed two turnovers.

Chevalier re-entered the game with 3:31 to play in regulation and Northridge leading, 74-70. He didn’t come out again, finishing with a career-high 28 points with eight assists and three steals.

CAL STATE NORTHRIDGE

No Sweet Home

Home is house of horrors for Northridge.

The Matadors, 0-3 at home this season, were 21-11 on familiar hardwood during their three previous seasons. “Last year, we had the feeling that we were going to win when we came home,” Chevalier said. “This year, there isn’t the same spirit.”

Northridge was 10-17 last season, but 7-3 at Matador Gym, playing before small, but enthusiastic, crowds. This season, the crowds are even smaller--an average of 665--and spirit has waned. “When you’re losing, you’re not going to get a crowd that’s ecstatic,” Chevalier said. “The crowd isn’t our problem.”

Rather, Northridge players say, the team must learn to perform during key stretches no matter the support. “Even when we have a big lead, we still have to remember who we are and that nothing is ever going to be easy for us,” center Peter Micelli said. “We can’t afford to let up.”

*

Some words of warning for Washington State, the Matadors’ opponent in the first round of the Fresno State Classic on Monday:

Watch out for Ryan Martin.

Martin, a reserve guard, seems to save his best efforts for when Northridge plays Pacific 10 Conference teams.

Last season against UCLA, he scored 18 points in 21 minutes, helping the Matadors keep up with the Bruins until the very end. Against California, a similar performance: 15 points in 24 minutes.

Martin continued the trend last Friday against Arizona State, scoring a season-high 13 points in 17 minutes. “When it comes to playing against a Pac-10 team, it’s ‘Put me in, Coach!’ ” Martin said.

THE MASTER’S

A Good Start

After being knocked off in the first two rounds of the NAIA District 3 men’s basketball playoffs each of the past four years, the Mustangs appear to have their best chance yet at qualifying for the 32-national tournament.

Not only is The Master’s (10-2) off to its best start in the program’s 29-year history, but a restructured playoff format has made the road to the national tournament less grueling.

In previous seasons, The Master’s had to win the six-team NAIA District 3 tournament title to advance to the national championships.

This season, a win in the four-team Far West Region Independents tournament will do the trick.

District 3 consisted of the seven-team Golden State Athletic Conference and six independents, but the Far West Region is composed of The Master’s, Western New Mexico, Biola, Bethany, Christian Heritage, Dominican and Patten.

Azusa Pacific, Westmont and Southern California College, teams that The Master’s has a combined record of 15-82 against, are members of the GSAC, which will send its own representative to the national tournament.

Around the Campuses . . .

* The Master’s men’s basketball team has shot 50.3% from the field and held its opponents to a 41.9% mark during its six-game winning streak. . . .

* Saturday’s 71-70 overtime victory over Northwest Nazarene marked the first time this season that The Master’s has shot less than 40% from the field (37.3) and won. It was only the second game in which the Mustangs have shot under 46% and emerged victorious. . . .

* Two of The Master’s starters, James Mosley and Andy Thompson, are shooting better from three-point range than they are overall. Mosley, a sophomore forward, has hit 59.1% (13 of 22) of his three-point shots and is shooting 53.2% (75 of 141) overall. Thompson, a senior point guard, is shooting 39.8% (33 of 83) from the field, but is 45.5% (20 of 44) from three-point range. . . .

* After making 18 of 31 three-point attempts in a five-game stretch, Cal State Northridge’s Brooklyn McLinn cooled off against San Diego State, converting one of six. McLinn, a senior left-hander, needs 21 three-point baskets in Northridge’s final 18 games to become the school’s career leader in long-distance baskets. Derrick Gathers made 121 of 347 three-point shots from 1988-1990. McLinn is 101 of 296.

* Cal Lutheran guard Paul Tapp has made 50.9% (27 of 53) of his field-goal attempts and 50% (18 of 36) of his three-point shots.

Staff writers Mike Hiserman and John Ortega contributed to this notebook.