THE QUICK SCENARIO: After traveling all the way across
the country to open the season in Connecticut, the Titans (1-1) open their
home season facing an opponent from across the street. Hope International
University is an NAIA institution competing in the Golden State Athletic
Conference. At 1-1, the Titans captured their first victory sooner than
in any of the previous five seasons and they have a chance to be 2-1 for
the first time since the 1998-99 team opened up 5-1.
ROSTER PICTURE: The Titans took only nine healthy players
to Connecticut as they are missing three probable starters. Center Lloyd
Walls is sidelined indefinitely do to multiple concussions. Forward Danny
Lambert made the trip but has not been cleared medically since undergoing
knee surgery. He should be ready in late December. Letterman guard Ralphy
Holmes and Western Kentucky transfer forward Jamaal Brown will not be
eligible until the Dec. 21 game at San Diego State.
MORE ON HOPE: Hope International University (previously
known as Pacific Christian College) is located immediately south of the
Cal State Fullerton campus, occupying buildings on the south side of Nutwood
Avenue that formerly were CSF dormitories and a shopping center that housed
the Titan Bookstore. Hope recently built a sparkling new gymnasium of
its own and no longer uses Titan Gym as its home court, but the Royals’
soccer teams still use the Titan pitches. The Royals are 1-2 under first-year
Coach Greg Pappas. They beat Simpson College, 91-65, between losses at
Lubbock Christian (95-51) and at home vs. Cal State Los Angeles (74-72)
on Nov. 17, their most recent outing. Junior Jared Lloyd scored 24 points
in the win over Simpson as the Royals shot 61 percent from the floor.
“RADIO”: All games can be heard live on the
internet on computers with sound cards. Listeners may access the CSF Athletics
home page at www.titansports.org and follow the links. Justin Alderson
is the announcer this weekend.
PROBABLE STARTERS:
No. Name Ht. Yr. ppg rpg Quick Notes
F 24 Hardy Asprilla * 6-5 Sr. 10.5 13.5 After two career highs, leads
the Big West Conference in rebounding
F 2 Yaphett King * 6-4 Sr. 8.5 4.5 Quiet tourney in Connecticut until
9 points in final 7 minutes
C 42 Derek Quinet 6-9 So. 7.5 3.0 Transfer from West Valley College was
solid in Div. I debut
G 3 Bobby Brown * 6-1 So. 13.0 1.0 After poor first game, scored 18 points
in first half vs. Colgate
G 14 Jermaine Harper 6-3 Jr. 17.5 5.0 Scored 20 points in Titan debut
vs. Samford; made all-tournament team OFF THE BENCH:
G 23 Vershan Cottrell 6-2 Jr. 3.0 0.0 Transfer from Ohlone College who
led state of Washington in scoring as prep
G 22 John Clemmons 6-0 Jr. 0.5 1.5 January transfer from El Camino College
who didn’t play last year
F 5 Justin Burns 6-6 So. 5.5 1.0 Transfer from Cypress Community College;
father “Spider” played at UNLV F 12 Drew Awad 6-3 Sr. 0.0
1.0 Transfer from Fresno City College; leukemia survivor
G 11 Damien Massey 5-11 Fr. -- -- True freshman walk-on from Long Beach
Jordan High School INJURED:
C 43 Lloyd Walls 6-9 Sr. -- -- Transfer from Wright State sidelined after
multiple concussions
F 21 Danny Lambert 6-6 Jr. -- -- Transfer from Irvine Valley College who
had to sit out due to knee injury
*letters earned
ABOUT THE CONNECTICUT TOURNAMENT: Cal State Fullerton lost to
eventual tournament champion Samford before coming back to beat Colgate
in the consolation game of the 7th Annual Mohegan Sun Classic. The Titans
trailed Samford by double digits in the second half, drew within one point
behind Jermaine Harper’s scoring, but then faded down the stretch.
Against Colgate, Bobby Brown’s 18 first-half points pushed the Titans
into a double-digit lead and they held off a surge by Colgate with Yaphett
King scoring 7 consecutive points and 9 of the team’s 11 down the
stretch. Hardy Asprilla was the overall star for the Titans with back-to-back
career highs in rebounding with 13 in the opener and 14 vs. Colgate to
go along with a career-high 13 points. He made the all-tournament team
along with Harper. Samford’s Jon Mills was the MVP.
MORE ON HARDY: His 2-game total of 27 rebounds puts him
in a league with former Titan Pape Sow, now with the Toronto Raptors.
In his three-year Titan career, Sow totaled as many as 27 rebounds in
consecutive games only three times -- getting 14 and 17 for 31 in the
2002-03 season and grabbing 18 and 13 (31) and 17 and 11 (28) in pairs
of games in the 2003-04 campaign.
PLANE RIDE SEEMED SHORTER: Fullerton flew two hours from Hartford
to Cincinnati and then more than four hours more to Orange County on Sunday.
It was the first flight after a road win for Coach Burton in six opportunities
(losses at NAU, ASU, Idaho, Utah State and UoP last year) at Fullerton.
In the previous six seasons, the Titans won only five games to which they
flew.
SWEET HOME: Fullerton was 8-6 in Titan Gym last year
for its first winning season at home since 1998-99. The Hope contest is
the first of only three non-conference home games -- Dec. 23 vs. Denver
and Jan. 8 vs. UC Davis.
HUGE RECRUITING CLASS: The Titans signed probably their
largest class of November recruits -- both in height and numbers -- ever.
These six newcomers -- all conveniently bunched in the alphabet -- will
join the program for next season (comments by Asst. Coach Andy Newman): Jerrel Lake, 6-7, Jr., F, Los Angeles, CA -- Westchester
High School --
“very athletic... runs well and jumps out of the gym... plays very
hard and will rebound everything...
needs to gain strength... very good slashing to the basket.” Brian Marks, 6-9, Sr., C, Las Vegas, NV -- Palo Verde
High School --
“big bodied post player who really knows how to use his body inside...
back-to-the-basket player who can score inside and will rebound well...
has a tremendous upside.” Chris Minardo, 6-9, Fr., F, Chino Hills, CA -- Citrus
College --
“skilled power forward who has perimeter skills.. can really shoot
it out to the 3-point line and is very athletic...
rebounds well and attacks the rim very aggressively.. very good passer..
he is like a 6-foot-9 perimeter player.” Manny Montano, 6-10, Soph., F, Vista, CA -- Palomar College
--
“shot blocker with great timing and a great feel for the game defensively...
runs like a deer and can really score inside and out... shoots the ball
out to about 17 feet.. needs some weight and strength but has great potential...
rebounds very well.” Gerard Moret, 6-4, Sr., G, Los Angeles, CA -- Westchester
High School --
“very tough competitor... comes from a great program and really
knows how to win...
will be a great defender and he will bring toughness to the perimeter...
capable shooter but much better at penetration.” Gary Nunez, 6-8, Soph., F, Bronx, NY -- Ventura College
--
“big, strong and very skilled post player who can really score with
his back to the basket... he is a superb passer and his toughness inside
will be much welcomed.”
