COLLEGE DIVISION NOTEBOOK / MARTIN BECK : Chapman Smoothly Shifts Gears to Division III

Entering the season, Chapman men’s basketball Coach Mike Bokosky wasn’t sure how his team would fare against mostly unfamiliar competition.

It was to be a transitional year, the Panthers’ first season away from the California Collegiate Athletic Assn. and their first without any players on athletic scholarship, so Bokosky set the modest goal of a winning season.

He brought in 11 new players--only two remained from the team that went 7-19 in 1992-93--and . . . they surprised him.

With one game remaining--homecoming Saturday against Dominican--the Panthers are 16-8. With a victory over Dominican, the Panthers would have more victories than any Chapman team since the 1988-89 squad that went 17-12 and reached the CCAA championship game. Regardless of Saturday’s result, Chapman is guaranteed of its best winning percentage since 1983-84.

Of course, the competition isn’t nearly as strong--the CCAA is one of the strongest NCAA Division II conferences in the nation--but Chapman is holding its own at the school’s level of choice, Division III, and doing well against NAIA competition.

“I didn’t expect us to be this good,” Bokosky said. “I think we are this good because our players are better than I thought they’d be, in a lot of ways not just in terms of shooting, rebounding and skills but in terms of their character.”

Four newcomers--Stefan Mumaw (15.7 points), Greg Reynolds (12.7), Umahl Anderson (9.8) and Brian Wood (8.2)--are leading the team in scoring. Cornell is right behind at 8.1. Anthony Gonzales (7.6) and Toby Curto (6.9), a freshman from Liberty Christian High, are also big contributors.

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Golden State Athletic Conference update: The Concordia men’s basketball team stopped a five-game losing streak by beating Westmont, 89-81, Tuesday.

“It looked like we were going to circle the wagons and call it a year,” Concordia Coach Greg Marshall said. “But I guess our guys decided there was a little life in them yet.”

Concordia (16-13, 4-7 in GSAC) will finish the regular season today at Southern California College. If the Eagles win, they would probably move into a three-way tie for fourth place. Depending on the tie-breaker, Concordia could play host to a first-round playoff game March 1. A loss to the Vanguards--and Concordia is 1-14 against SCC--and the teams tie for sixth, and last, place. Azusa Pacific (26-3, 10-1) has clinched its second consecutive league title.

In the women’s race, Fresno Pacific (8-1 in conference play) has wrapped up the title and Azusa Pacific (7-3) has clinched second. Defending champion Concordia (15-11, 5-4) and SCC (22-7, 5-4) will play for third today at SCC.

The winner will get the opportunity to play host to last-place Cal Baptist in the first round March 2. The loser will play host to Point Loma Nazarene.

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Ila update: Ila Borders is scheduled to make her second start for the SCC baseball team at 2:30 p.m. today at home against Concordia. It will be the Vanguards’ final game in the round-robin portion of the Southern California College tournament. The championship and consolation games will be Saturday.

The buzz from Borders’ history-making 12-1 victory over Claremont-Mudd has not died down. SCC Coach Charlie Phillips said the New York Times and New York Daily News are planning stories and Japanese media outlets are also making inquiries.

“It’s going all over the world,” Phillips said.

Borders has also agreed to throw out the ceremonial first pitch before the April 3 Freeway Series game at Anaheim Stadium.

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Don’t have a . . . Lisa Simpson, who plays third base for the Chapman softball team, started the season slowly, going 1 for 10 in the Panthers’ first six games.

The hit was a home run. Since the poor start, Simpson is 5 for 8 with a home run and a triple.

As befitting a power hitter, Simpson also has struck out a team-high nine times and now has a nickname.

Said assistant coach Janet Lloyd: “I said, ‘Oh my, Homer Simpson’s here,’ and it just kind of stuck.”