Big West Finds New Home in Anaheim

The last time a major athletic event was held at the Anaheim Convention Center was Jan. 27, 1994, when the Clippers lost to the New York Knicks, 103-101. The game was moved there after the Los Angeles Sports Arena sustained damage in the Northridge earthquake.

Since then, the Convention Center has added 750,000 square feet of space and Greg Smith, who became general manager four years ago, has sought to return the arena to athletic prominence. Three years ago, the Anaheim Union High School District began an annual 16-team boys’ basketball tournament there. The West Coast Hockey League has considered the site for one of its franchises.

Big West Commissioner Dennis Farrell, whose conference will host its postseason tournament in the arena this week, said there are few drawbacks to the Convention Center, but Smith has promised to address those by next season. Portable locker rooms will be brought in to handle the 16 teams that will be participating in both men’s and women’s events.

NEUTRAL COURT

Most of the coaches and players in the Big West seem to like the fact that they will be playing on a neutral court. But the arena is a big unknown to most when they were asked their opinions at Monday’s conference teleconference about the location.

“It looks nice on the outside,” said Santa Barbara women’s Coach Mark French, echoing the sentiments of most coaches. “But I’ve never been in it.”

Farrell said he fielded complaints during the tournament’s tenure in Nevada, because both Reno’s Lawlor Events Center and the Thomas and Mack Center in Las Vegas were regular season homes of two of the competing teams.

“I think playing in Anaheim is good for Utah State,” Aggie guard Curtis Bobb said. “It’s a neutral court and no one has played there before.”

FOUR-YEAR STANDOUT

Senior Dennis Keane ended his career as a four-year starter for the men’s basketball team at Vanguard with two top-notch performances. On Feb. 20, Keane scored 46 points to lead the Lions to an 87-79 victory over Christian Heritage. Wednesday, he scored 24 points and had six rebounds, but Vanguard’s season ended at the Golden State Athletic Conference tournament with a 93-70 loss to Azusa Pacific.

In his career Keane, formerly of Santa Margarita High, scored 1,990 points. He was named to the All-GSAC team. Vanguard finished 8-22.

FENCERS IN REGIONAL

The Cal State Fullerton fencing team will compete in the NCAA West Regional Saturday at the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colo., and Coach Heizaburo Okawa hopes some of his fencers will qualify for the national championship meet.

Three members of the squad were undefeated in the Southern California Fencing Conference and rank as the team’s leading contenders.

Freshman Roland Breden is unbeaten in 36 conference matches and had a 63-0 overall record in men’s foil. Junior Jesse Carlson was 36-0 in the conference and 59-4 overall in men’s epee.

Senior Christina Castorena was 36-0 in the conference and 62-13 overall in women’s foil. Okawa said sophomore Christi Stewart also might have a chance to qualify for the nationals in women’s foil. She is 26-1 in the conference and 55-11 overall.

Okawa regards Breden, a member of the U.S. junior national team two years ago, as Fullerton’s best hope to advance. “But it’s going to be very difficult to qualify in men’s foil,” Okawa said. “There will be three spots open in our regional, and Stanford is expected to get two of them.”

The nationals are March 22-25 at Wisconsin-Parkside.

GOOD START

Cal State Fullerton track Coach John Elders was pleased with several Titan efforts in the Trojan Invitational Saturday at USC.

Junior Anna Doty set a school record in taking fourth in the triple jump at 40 feet, 2 1/4 inches. Senior Amber Reardon set a school record in the hammer throw in finishing fourth at 149-3.

Senior Kevin Howard and sophomore Joe Thomas had the top efforts among the men. Howard was third in the 100 meters at 10.63 seconds and third in the 200 at 21.38. Thomas was fourth in the triple jump at 49-0 3/4. It was the first outdoor meet of the season for the Titans.

NOTEWORTHY

Cal State Fullerton’s Kirk Saarloos was honored as national pitcher of the week for the second time in three weeks by Collegiate Baseball Monday. Saarloos gave up only one hit in eight innings in the Baseball Bash at Fullerton last weekend. He has pitched 28 consecutive scoreless innings.

Staff writer Lon Eubanks contributed to this story.