Northridge Wins With Right Cross

With 30 seconds left, the score tied and his team’s chance to earn a share of a conference championship hanging in the balance, Pete Cassidy, a veteran coach, did a curious thing.

He put the ball in the hands of Trenton Cross, Cal State Northridge’s only true freshman, and gave him a short set of instructions.

“Make the play,” Cassidy said.

Cross did exactly that.

For 20 seconds he dribbled a zig-zag with a defender in hot pursuit, then he darted into the lane and banked in a shot to give Northridge a 75-73 American West Conference victory over Cal State Sacramento Wednesday night.

Northridge (7-16, 4-1) remained one game behind league-leading Southern Utah.

The Matadors can earn a share of the inaugural AWC title by defeating Southern Utah on Saturday night at Northridge.

“Forget everything that’s happened in the past,” Cassidy said. “Our season is one game right now.”

Cross seldom had to resort to the dramatic last season at Reseda High.

“I remember winning a game against Kennedy (High) by making free throws with no time left,” Cross said. “Mostly we blew people out.”

Cross came off the bench to score 15 points in 21 minutes, including nine of Northridge’s last 13 points and 12 of the final 21.

“Coach told me to be smart and if the (final) shot was there, take it,” Cross said. “I just waited for the clock to go down and I penetrated and I kind of saw a little short jumper, so I took it.”

Mark Hunter, Sacramento’s junior floor leader, was practically stuck to Cross’ jersey on the game-winner. Little good it did.

“That was a one-on-one, right-to-the-playground clear out,” Sacramento Coach Don Newman said.

“Hunter defended on that play as well as anybody could.”

Peter Micelli came off the bench to score 21 points in 22 minutes, including 14 of Northridge’s final 16 points of the first half.

Eric Gray added 17 points for Northridge, which won for the second time in 12 games on the road. Mike Dorsey had 11 points and 14 rebounds.

Michael Boyd scored 23 points for Sacramento (6-18, 2-3). Abie Ramirez had 13 points and 11 rebounds, Deon Amos had 12 points and Hunter and Damond Edwards each scored 11.

Sacramento led by eight points with eight minutes left.

Enter Cross.

First he drilled a three-point shot from the baseline and Sacramento’s lead was 62-57.

Then he lobbed a pass up and over the Hornet defense to Dorsey, who dunked.

A little later, with Northridge down by two points, Cross committed what might have been a key offensive foul when he was caught slapping at Hunter’s hand-check. Boyd connected from three-point range, putting Sacramento up, 67-62.

Cross didn’t stay in the doghouse long.

The next time Sacramento came down the floor, Cross stripped the ball from Boyd and converted the steal into a layup at the opposite end. With 4:58 remaining, Northridge was back to within 67-64.

“When he makes a mistake, he’s capable of making it right back up again,” Cassidy said. “I like that.”

There was a lot to like.