COLLEGE ROUNDUP : Panthers Heed Coach’s Call in Opener

The past few seasons, the Chapman men’s basketball team has been lethargic in its early season games, a trend that worried Coach Mike Bokosky enough to turn up his intensity.

Tuesday, Chapman responded in kind, scrapping to a 75-72 victory over Pomona-Pitzer in the season opener for both teams at the Hutton Center.

“In the past I think we have been soft early in the year,” Bokosky said. “Now I think I yell more, I talk more and I think the message is getting across.”

Bokosky got fine performances from several players, most notably Jim Falletta, who played the entire game and scored 20 points. Toby Curto, the only other returning starter, scored 16 points and Greg Vanden Ordel, who is being counted on to replace last season’s leading scorer Stefan Mumaw in the post, had a career-high 18 points and five blocks.

Pomona-Pitzer, which returns virtually the entire team that won the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference title and beat the Panthers by 16, wouldn’t let Chapman put it away.

Chapman went on an 11-0 run early in the second half and led, 51-45, with 13 minutes 40 seconds left. The Sagehens battled back and tied it, 63-63, with 7:07 left.

Some Chapman teams would have wilted in that situation, but these Panthers thrived. Curto, who is 5 feet 10, pulled a rebound away from a Pomona player four inches taller and passed to Falletta under the basket for an easy two.

On the other end, Vanden Ordel blocked Jake Guadnola’s shot and Falletta finished the fast break to make it 67-63.

Again Pomona tied it, 67-67, with 3:40 left, but Todd Canavan made a three-pointer and the Panthers led the rest of the way. Chapman missed five of eight free throws down the stretch to allow Pomona to stay close, but after getting the ball back on a rebound with eight seconds left, the Sagehens couldn’t get a shot off before the buzzer.

In a nonconference women’s basketball game:

Chapman 78, Redlands 63--Alana Conyers had 17 points and nine rebounds as the Panthers easily won their opener. Chapman led by nine at the half and then put away the visiting Bulldogs (0-2).