Beach
tops Otters
By Karl Peterson
On-line Forty-Niner
The
Long Beach State men’s basketball team fought
off Cal State Monterey Bay’s sharp shooting
inspired play to earn its’ first victory
of the season Tuesday at The Pyramid.
 Tony
Darden scored 26 points including five three-point
baskets to help the 49ers (1-1) beat CSU
Monterey, 84-73, in front of 1,581 fans.
The Beach opened up a 10-point lead early
in the first half, but numerous Otter charges
and a buzzer-beating three-point basket
by CSU Monterey’s Craig Fortier brought
the Otters (1-4) to within three points
at the half.
It was a spirited effort to even remain
close for the Otters, who have suffered
lopsided defeats at the hands of the 49ers,
including a 70-point loss in 1999.
Head coach Larry Reynolds when asked if
the 49ers should have won more easily said,
“I was just a little disappointed that we
blew a 10-point lead in the first half.”
The two teams traded baskets in the first
part of the second half before a two-handed
dunk by Kevin Roberts followed a few minutes
later by Darnell Thompson’s driving lay
up seemed to sway the momentum in The Beach’s
favor for good.
Junior center Antoine Jackson had his best
game of the young season and his young 49er
career, receiving most of the minutes at
center and playing well with his back to
the basket. Jackson scored 12 points on
5-of-6 shooting with five rebounds and a
pair of steals.
“His size and strength bothered them a little
bit and I think his mobility bothered them
a little bit,” Reynolds said of Jackson.
“We need some of the bigger guys catching
and scoring the basketball.”
Point guard Antoine Griffin led the Otters
with 19 points and seven assists. Griffin
who hails from Long Beach was a step faster
than any 49er defenders with the exception
of perhaps Thompson, whose quickness earned
him minutes guarding Griffin.
Tuesday marked the first regular season
victory for Reynolds as head coach at LBSU
but the coach downplayed the significance
of win No. 1.
“We’ve got a lot of work to do and I’m more
anxious to get back in practice tomorrow
than I am worried about one win,” Reynolds
said. “I don’t want (this win) to be the
only one.”
Men’s 49ers hoops had the holiday weekend
off and will be back in action tonight against
a tough Pepperdine team at 7:35 in The Pyramid.
Pepperdine, under the direction of former
National Basketball Association coach Paul
Westphal, has won 15 of its last 20 against
Big West opponents and has advanced to post-season
play in each of the last four years.
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