Master’s Rights the Ship and Steams Past Pt. Loma

After throwing away some fancy passes and missing some long-range shots, The Master’s College men’s basketball team used good old-fashioned hard work to put away visiting Pt. Loma Nazarene in a 95-79 nonconference game Saturday.

Master’s led, 57-35, early in the second half, but the Mustangs missed six shots and committed two turnovers on their next eight possessions as Pt. Loma Nazarene cut its deficit to 57-45 with 16 minutes left.

Master’s (6-3) went on an 8-0 run over the next minute and 40 seconds, however.

Leo Gorauskas started the run with a putback of his own miss and 5-foot-10 Jeremiah Cathey followed with a dunk after Reggie Robinson blocked a Pt. Loma Nazarene shot at the other end of the court. Jeff Mobley scored after another Robinson block and Mike Penberthy followed with a short jump shot after losing his defender behind a Mobley screen.

“We obviously didn’t play a perfect game by any stretch of the imagination,” Mustang Coach Bill Oates said. “But we seem to be getting better at putting together longer runs of good basketball.”

Although Master’s upset UC Riverside, 88-85, in overtime Nov. 30, the Mustangs had lost two of three games before Saturday.

“We just need more consistency,” Oates said. “We’ve been very inconsistent. I think we’re getting better, though. I think we’re improving individually, and now it’s just a case of getting better as a team.”

Penberthy had 25 points--nine of 13 from the field--and eight assists for Master’s, which also received 16 points and 10 rebounds from Gorauskas and 14 points and 12 rebounds from James Mosley.

The Mustang reserves also played well. Mobley had 10 points and seven rebounds, Robinson had eight points and three blocks and Jon Mosley--no relation to James--added three points and eight assists.

Robert Amo scored 24 points for Pt. Loma Nazarene (6-5) and Jason Mackenzie added 17.