UC Irvine’s Green Resurfaces as Driving Force

UC Irvine guard Jerry Green’s quiet performances this season have matched his soft-spoken personality, but baffled those who saw him play last year.

Saturday night Green, UC Irvine’s most explosive and talented player, finally made some noise.

He tied his career high with 29 points and handed out five assists on a variety of unchallenged drives and dishes to lead the Anteaters to an 80-72 victory over host UC Riverside.

Green made 11 of 18 field-goal attempts and had seven rebounds.

“Tonight was my night,” Green said. “I think I’m back. I made my statement tonight and hopefully I can continue.”

Riverside (3-7), which will join the Big West Conference next fall, is playing its first season on the Division I level. The Highlanders, who have played all of their opponents tough, hung around until the very end.

They cut into a 15-point deficit in the final 3 1/2 minutes and trailed, 76-68, with 1:24 to go when Green got the ball again.

He was fouled by Kevin Butler and made both free throws. Then he drew a charge from Butler, and later made two more free throws with 12 seconds left.

“They beat us on the penetration dribble,” Riverside Coach John Masi said. “I wasn’t too happy. He’s a heck of a player. I was trying to get our guys to back him out and make him shoot jumpers, where he’s not comfortable getting his points, but time and time again we didn’t do it.”

Green got his first start at point guard this season in place of Malachi Edmond, who was benched in favor of junior Albert Miller. Miller, in his first start, scored 11 points.

“I had a gut feeling that this was the time to start Al,” Irvine Coach Pat Douglass said. “Mal had a good practice this week, but this season he has not been the same old Mal.”

Edmond, who has been bothered by a groin injury, had four points and four turnovers in 19 minutes.

Irvine (6-2) made six of its first seven shots and led, 15-6, when Riverside rallied with its three-point shooting.

The Highlanders got a three-point basket from Butler, who finished with a team-high 19 points, and a turn-around jumper from Viliamu Morton, who had 12 points and 10 rebounds, to pull within four points.

But Irvine forward Ben Jones made three consecutive baskets in a 12-5 run that made it 27-16 with 11:35 left in the first half.

Irvine extended its lead to 33-20 on a basket by reserve center Stanislav Zuzak 6:29 before halftime.

The Highlanders bounced back with three-point baskets by Trenell Eddings and Mark Miller, igniting an 18-4 run.

Miller’s three-pointer gave Riverside a 46-43 lead with 16:24 to go in the game, but two free throws by Albert Miller and a three-point play by Green put UC Irvine back in front for good.