Big Men Standing Tall for Matadors
They’re big, but not by basketball standards.
Still, the surging start by the Cal State Northridge basketball team largely can be attributed to the play of its big men.
Center Dan Read, at 6 feet 10, is the Matadors’ tallest player. Read, however, stands below Brian Heinle (6-9), Andre Larry (6-9), Hewitt Rolle (6-7) and Jeff Parris (6-5) in all significant statistical categories, as well as impact.
Northridge (10-3, 2-0 in Big Sky Conference play) defeated Idaho State, 101-86, Saturday in the first of three road games. The Bengals are another Big Sky team with at least one player taller than any on the Northridge roster.
But the bigger they come. . . .
Northridge has played giant-killer this season, most notably in defeating Division I powers Fresno State and Oregon on the road. In those games, Heinle, Larry, Rolle and Parris combined for 104 points and 53 rebounds, and the Matadors held an 83-61 edge in rebounds.
On Thursday night, Northridge confronted another big challenge--7-foot center Dan McClintock of Northern Arizona, the Big Sky tournament’s most valuable player two seasons ago. McClintock was held to 15 points, only seven in the second half, and nine rebounds.
“He’s their force and we know it,” Heinle said. “We wanted to keep him in check. We don’t worry about our offense. We worry about playing good, solid defense.’
Said Parris: “Not just for [McClintock], for anybody.”
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Since becoming a starter against St. Francis College of New York, Larry has averaged 21.3 points and 5.3 rebounds.
Larry had career highs of 28 points and four blocked shots in a 94-86 victory over Cal Poly San Luis Obispo on Sunday. He has 16 dunks in four games.
Larry is second in scoring among the Matadors, averaging 14.4 points.
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Parris has scored in double-figures in 10 of 12 games this season, averaging more than 12 points. Yet, in most games, Parris has been on the bench before the final buzzer.
Parris fouled out for the seventh time against Northern Arizona. He fouled out only five times last season.
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Heinle, who averages 14.7 points, has scored in double-figures in nine games this season, including three in which he scored at least 20.
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Northridge will host its annual alumni baseball game Jan. 23 at 1 p.m.
Activities begin at 11 a.m. and include a barbecue and home run-hitting contest.
Scheduled to appear are former Northridge players Adam Kennedy and Robert Fick, and former major-leaguer Lenny Dykstra.