Matadors Win One for Larry

Cal State Northridge lost its second marquee basketball player in one week, this time a member of the men’s team.

Andre Larry, Northridge’s second-leading scorer and arguably its best player, did not accompany the team on its current two-game trip, which began Thursday night with a 76-57 Big Sky Conference victory over Cal State Sacramento before 1,553 at Memorial Auditorium.

Larry, a 6-foot-9 senior forward averaging 13.9 points a game, quit the team “for personal reasons,” Coach Bobby Braswell said. Braswell declined to elaborate, except to say it is unlikely Larry will return.

“It is a matter of a personal nature and he asked us to keep it that way,” Braswell said. “To say the least, it is devastating to our team to lose a player like that. But my main concern is for Andre Larry the person and the personal issues he’s dealing with.”

Larry’s departure came a day after guard Edniesha Curry, the best player on Northridge’s women’s team, quit for personal reasons.

Braswell said Larry informed him Tuesday of his decision. The coach notified players Wednesday before the team left for Sacramento. Braswell and players said they reacted with shock.

“None of us really know what happened,” junior center Brian Heinle said. “It was a real blow. I’ve been playing with Andre for three years. We all care about Andre. I can’t say enough about him.”

Without Larry, Northridge (13-5, 5-2 in conference play) had little trouble with Sacramento (8-8, 2-3), maintaining a double-digit lead from early in the first half and extending it to 27 points in the second.

Guard Marco McCain led the way with 18 points, sinking six three-point baskets in nine attempts. Jeff Parris had 15 points, and Heinle had 14 and a team-high eight rebounds.

Carl Holmes had 11 points, including three three-pointers.

“Andre is still one of the boys,” Holmes said. “His absence takes a lot away from our team. We played tonight with a lot of emotion. We wanted to show that we’re still a good team.”

Said McCain: “Everyone is going to have to chip in and do more than they’ve been doing.”

The quest for a first conference title figures to grow more difficult for the Matadors without Larry, a transfer from Oregon. Northridge plays at defending Big Sky champion Weber State on Saturday night, the second of five road games in a six stretch.

“I don’t want to put any added pressure on myself, but the whole team is going to have to step it up, all 12 guys,” Heinle said. “We’ll have to play harder than we’ve ever played.”

Larry scored in double figures in five consecutive games and ranks third on the team in rebounding, averaging 5.1 a game.

Larry scored a career-high 28 points this season against Cal Poly San Luis Obispo and was selected Big Sky Conference player of the week after scoring 23 points in a victory over Oregon.

“It’s been a rough couple of days for our program,” Braswell said. “It’s been kind of a solemn trip. That was good to see the guys respond to the challenge. Everyone was playing for each other.”

Pablo Gonzales had 20 points and Anthony Flood had 19 for Sacramento.