CAL STATE FULLERTON NOTEBOOK / LON EUBANKS : Peterson’s Performance in Fresno Classic Gets Him Off Hot Seat

Winston Peterson, Cal State Fullerton’s top returning basketball player, started the season on the bench, but he’s back in Coach Bob Hawking’s good graces.

Especially after his strong performance in the Fresno State Classic last weekend.

Peterson scored 26 points and had 12 rebounds Friday against Santa Clara, then had 23 points and 16 rebounds Saturday against Texas Arlington. He was named to the all-tournament team even though the Titans (1-2) lost both games.

“When the season started, Coach Hawking told me he didn’t think I was working hard enough,” Peterson said. “I thought at the time I was working hard, but I know now that he was right.”

Hawking has been pleased with Peterson’s effort the last two weeks.

“He played with a real zeal in Fresno, and has really been working hard in practice,” Hawking said. “I’ve always been the most demanding on my best players. I told Winston that I expected him to be our hardest worker. We really do have high expectations for him. And I think he’s turned the corner now.”

Peterson, however, was disappointed his strong play didn’t translate into at least one victory.

“I don’t know whether it was early-season jitters or what, but we were just missing some easy shots,” Peterson said. “We could have won either one of those games if just a few more things had gone right. If we eliminate some of the turnovers and start making some outside shots, we’ll do a lot better.”

The Titans shot 34% against Santa Clara and 29% against Texas Arlington.

Hawking said he doesn’t want to become overly concerned about the outside shooting based on those two games. “I have confidence in our shooting,” he said. “We just had one of those weekends that any team can have.”

The Titans’ next game is Saturday night against second-ranked UCLA in Pauley Pavilion.

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Although Coach Al Mistri was disappointed by the Titans’ 2-1 loss to Indiana in the NCAA soccer quarterfinals, he can look back on the season positively.

It was the second year in a row the Titans made the quarterfinals; last year they reached the semifinals. Only Virginia, which beat James Madison, 4-1, in the quarterfinals, has had a better playoff showing the last two years. The Cavaliers are the three-time defending champions.

“That last loss always leaves a bad taste in your mouth for a while,” Mistri said. “I guess that’s the curse of the playoffs.”

The Titans won six of their last eight games and tied another to finish 14-7-2.

“After two straight years of doing well in the playoffs, I think we’ve served notice that we have a strong program,” Mistri said. “We already have one goal set for next year: winning the Mountain Pacific Soccer Assn. championship.”

Fourteen of the 19 players on this year’s team will be back, including redshirt Craig Dean. Another player who will be back is standout defender Demian Brown, who missed much of this season with injuries.

But the big loss is senior forward Eddie Soto, who set school records for goals and points in a season and a career.

Junior Matt Bradbury, second to Soto in goals and scoring, will be back.

“The people who will be seniors next year make up a strong group of players,” Mistri said. “Our group of freshmen also did well this season, and we plan to go out and try to recruit some more just like them this year.”

Mistri regretted that Sunday’s rematch with top-ranked Indiana wasn’t played in better conditions.

“It drizzled just about the whole game and that wasn’t in the best interest of the style of soccer we play,” he said. “But the other team deserved to win the way they played.”

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The Fullerton baseball team has added two transfers in time for the beginning of workouts Jan. 3 but lost a recent community college recruit.

John Mitchell, a right-handed pitcher from Oxnard Rio Mesa High, has transferred from UCLA and Tony Martinez, an infielder who played for Sunny Hills High, has transferred from Porterville College.

Matt Kastelic, a transfer from Rancho Santiago who was with the Titans during fall practice, will transfer elsewhere.

Mitchell was 2-4 last season at UCLA. George Horton, who handles the pitchers as the Titans’ associate head coach under Coach Augie Garrido, is optimistic that Mitchell will help the team this season.

“Mitchell has all the physical attributes you want in a pitcher,” Horton said of the junior. “He has a strong body and a good arm. We’re looking forward to working with him. He pitched mainly in relief for UCLA the last two years.”

Titan Notes

Fullerton made a big effort in arranging to have Sunday’s NCAA soccer game at Indiana broadcast on KMNY radio. Most of the second-half broadcast was lost, however, because of problems with the telephone equipment at the game site, according to Mel Franks, the school’s assistant athletic director for media relations. The phone hookup was restored for the final five minutes of the game.