AWC TOURNAMENT : Micelli Possesses Plenty in Reserve

His role as a reserve still doesn’t sit right with Peter Micelli, but the Cal State Northridge fifth-year senior is, well, adjusting.

Or maybe that should be, adjusting well.

Playing for the first time in four games, Micelli scored 15 points and grabbed eight rebounds in 29 minutes off the bench, helping Northridge to an 86-81 victory over Cal State Sacramento in the American West Conference’s first men’s basketball tournament game Friday at the Centrum.

By defeating Sacramento for the third time, Northridge (8-19) advanced to the tournament title game where the Matadors will face Southern Utah (16-11).

The Thunderbirds, champions of the American West regular season, advanced by routing Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, 93-63.

Southern Utah already has two victories over Northridge, including a 75-72 decision two weeks ago on the Matadors’ home floor. Micelli missed that game to be in his sister’s wedding. He was benched for the next game, a nonconference contest against the University of San Diego, and he missed Northridge’s final regular-season game against Irvine because of flu.

Micelli’s game showed no signs of rust. He made his first jump shot only 35 seconds after entering the game.

Northridge reserves outscored those from Sacramento, 32-6. Ryan Martin had 11 points for the Matadors, Trenton Cross had four and Tom Samson added two.

Sacramento staged a furious comeback in the final four minutes after Northridge led by 10 or more points for most of the game.

The Hornets (6-21) trailed, 83-75, with less than two minutes left when guard Mark Hunter almost single-handedly evened things up.

Hunter scored on a jump shot to cut the margin to six, stole the ball from Northridge guard Robert Hill in the backcourt and converted the turnover into a layup, then forced another Matador turnover and fed Damond Edwards for a quick basket.

Suddenly, the score was 83-81 with 1:19 to play, much to the dismay of Northridge Coach Pete Cassidy.

“I was kind of enjoying the game,” Cassidy said. “It was kind of fun. And then the guys looked at the bench and they said, ‘He looks too relaxed. Let’s make this exciting. Maybe he’ll have an attack of some sort.’

“So they throw it away and they bring it back to a two-point ballgame and I damn near did die.”

Fortunately for Northridge, Edwards’ layup, for his 21st and 22nd points, were Sacramento’s last.

Hill made one of two free throws with 1:15 left, and Mike Dorsey converted two foul shots with nine seconds remaining.

“When they did make that run at us and closed it, the guys didn’t panic,” Cassidy said.

“We were able to answer the call and hold them off.”

Dorsey led all scorers with 27 points and grabbed a game-high 10 rebounds.

Dorsey has reached double figures in scoring and rebounding in four of the last six games.

Eric Gray added 14 points for Northridge, making four of nine three-point attempts, including his first, which jump-started the Matadors to a 14-3 lead in the first four minutes.