He Makes Case for Titans’ Defense

Cal State Fullerton’s Jason Cunningham began the season with a goal of being recognized as the best defensive player in the Big West Conference.

Cunningham took another big step along that road Saturday night with his third consecutive outstanding effort against one of the conference’s top scorers.

This time Cunningham played a key role in holding Pacific’s Clay McKnight to a season-low four points, and the Titans went on to a 68-64 victory in front of 1,137 in Titan Gym.

The victory ended a string of five consecutive Fullerton losses to the Tigers and left the Titans 9-7, 3-3 in the Big West. Pacific, also 3-3 in the conference, is 8-8 for the season.

McKnight, who entered the game second in the nation in three-point baskets per game, was scoreless on six shots from behind the arc.

“Playing good defense is heart and effort, and that’s what I try to give it,” Cunningham said. “McKnight’s a great shooter, but I just tried to play him hard.”

Cunningham also had a key role when Boise State’s Roberto Bergersen was held to 17 points, eight below his average, a week ago. Then Long Beach State’s top scorer, Ramel Lloyd, was held to four points Thursday night with Cunningham as his main defender.

Cunningham scored 11 points, and made two free throws with 42 seconds left that gave the Titans a crucial 67-64 lead. McKnight and Jason Williams, who led the Tigers with 19 points, missed three-point shots that would have tied it before Kenroy Jarrett dropped in the second of two free throws with seven seconds left to clinch it.

Ike Harmon led the Titans with 22 points, his third consecutive game of 21 or more. Harmon also had a big three-point play with 1 minute 18 seconds left in the game, when he scored on a twisting move down the lane and nailed a free throw.

“I’m healthy now and I have my confidence back,” said Harmon, who was troubled early in the season by a left ankle he sprained twice. “I’m not scared anymore. I’m back to 95% to 100%. They let me go to the basket, and so that’s what I did.”

Harmon made eight of 16 shots from the floor, many of them when he overwhelmed Pacific defenders with good one-on-one moves. He also made five of eight free throws.

Titan Coach Bob Hawking was especially pleased with the play of Cunningham and Harmon.

“You have to give Jason a lot of credit,” Hawking said. “When a lot of players think about offense, he thinks about defense. That’s been his role all year, but it’s become more obvious now because the people he’s been guarding are more familiar. He’s gone from being a star offensive player in high school at Los Alamitos to a very strong defensive player for us.”

McKnight managed only two shots, both from three-point range, in the first half and both rimmed off, and everywhere McKnight went, Cunningham fought his way through screens to stay with him.

“They had a triple pick for him, but I just tried to stay on his hip all the way,” Cunningham said. “Toward the end of the game, I think he got a little frustrated.”

McKnight said he was disappointed more than anything. McKnight, who played in high school at Mater Dei and then at UC Irvine before transferring to Pacific, hoped for better things. McKnight had made 25 of his last 36 three-point shots coming into the game.

“I just didn’t make my shots,” McKnight said. “I had some good looks, other than that last one.”

McKnight scored his only field goal when he broke away for a fast-break layup two minutes into the second half.