Chapman Guard Dzierzynski Proving Coach’s Point With His Play

Chapman men’s basketball Coach Mike Bokosky has always believed Adam Dzierzynski would be a terrific point guard.

Last week, Dzierzynski, a sophomore from Santa Margarita High, started to prove Bokosky’s point. Dzierzynski averaged 19 points and eight assists in leading the Panthers to the Redlands tournament title.

“This tournament has given him an unbelievable amount of confidence,” Bokosky said.

Last season, Dzierzynski split time with senior Brian Wood at the point, but this year it’s his show. He had 24 points and eight assists in Chapman’s 85-78 victory over Redlands in the title game and was named most valuable player. Dzierzynski made 20 of 32 shots from the field (62.5%) in the tournament.

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After losing its first game of the season to Claremont-Mudd, the Panthers (4-2) have bounced back. They beat Claremont in the first round of the tournament, 90-78, then beat Menlo, 82-69, before taking care of Redlands. Each of those teams are expected to be among the top NCAA Division III teams in the West Region.

“I think if we continue to play well, we’ll be one of the top teams in the West,” Bokosky said.

Stefan Mumaw, an all-tournament selection, averaged 18.6 points in the three games.

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The Concordia women’s basketball team seems to be making rapid progress under first-year Coach Dave Wolter. The Eagles are 3-4, but they made a surprising run in the Golden State Athletic Conference preseason tournament last week in Fresno.

The Eagles won two games to advance to the final, where they lost, 81-66, to Northwest (Idaho) Nazarene, ranked No. 21 in the preseason NAIA Division II poll.

Wolter said the team is improving with each game. In a 106-67 loss to Cal State Dominguez Hills, the Eagles forced more turnovers than they committed.

“There has been something very positive to take away from every game we’ve played,” Wolter said.

Concordia has achieved much of this on the road. In a 10-day span starting Thanksgiving Day, the Eagles spent only about 40 hours at home, traveling for tournaments at Humboldt State and Fresno Pacific.

“The NBA guys get a better road trip than that,” Wolter said.

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Record-breaker: Pacific Christian’s Charles Ross broke the school’s career scoring record Monday in a 108-38 victory over California Christian.

The game at Cal State Fullerton was stopped when Ross broke Brian Keiser’s mark of 2,655 with about eight minutes left in the first half. Ross was presented the ball and a certificate.

Keiser set the record in four seasons from 1986-90; Ross, a 6-foot-3 senior, has played 2 1/4 seasons.

Ross is averaging 29 points this season and has 2,662 in his career. He should also soon break Burton Lalk’s school rebounding record. Ross, who averages 13 rebounds, has 1,383, 43 short of Lalk’s mark.

Ross has continued to excel despite starting the season with a sprained ankle. Doctors suggested he sit out the first two games because of the injury. Ross ignored the advice.

“He hasn’t been able to push off it and he’s had to have more rest than usual,” said PCC Coach Lee Erickson. “We don’t want to kill him off because we want him at the end of the year.”

Ross was named athlete of the week in the National Christian College Athletic Assn. after scoring 32 points in a 106-97 loss to Cal State Dominguez Hills last week. Pacific Christian (7-5) is the top-ranked team in the NCCAA Division II.

The Royals are scheduled to play No. 7 American Indian College today in Phoenix.

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Genevie Wright, a 5-10 middle blocker from Southern California College, earned second-team NAIA volleyball All-American honors. Wright, a senior from Diamond Bar, led SCC to the semifinals of the NAIA Far West Regionals.