BASKETBALL HIGHLIGHTS : Northridge Blows a 9-Point Lead in 2nd Half and Loses to Abilene

In what is becoming a common occurrence, the Cal State Northridge men’s basketball team blew a comfortable lead and lost Saturday night.

The Matadors’ 66-63 lost to Abilene Christian at CSUN came after they led, 49-40, with 12 minutes left in the game.

But the Matadors, who shot 41% in the game, didn’t score a point in the next 5:47 and Abilene Christian took a 50-49 lead with 8:59 left. Before CSUN’s scoring drought ended, Abilene had built a 54-49 lead.

Abilene Christian extended its lead to 62-53 with 2:30 reamaining before Northridge played well again.

Paul Drecksel, who scored 15 points, led the Matadors’ comeback by hitting two straight three-point shots. The first narrowed Abilene Christian’s lead to 62-56 and the second to 64-60 with 1:21 left.

Jimmy Daniels’ three-pointer from the right corner with 51 seconds left in the game narrowed the gap to 64-63 but the Matadors didn’t score again.

After Abilene Christian’s Anthony Portley missed the front end of a one-and-one opportunity with 37 seconds left, Northridge had a chance at victory.

Following a time out, the Matadors worked for the last shot, but with three seconds remaining, Ray Horvath’s pass to Todd Bowser hit the CSUN freshman in the back of the head and Vincent Patton of Abilene Christian picked up the loose ball and was fouled.

He made both free throws and Drecksel’s 20-foot jumper bounced off the front of the rim at the buzzer, leaving CSUN with a 3-9 record. Abilene Christian is 5-3.

MEN

Master’s 87, Dominican 42--After 13 consecutive losses, Master’s won its first of the season in the third-place game of the Occidental tournament.

After losing to Grand Rapids Baptist, 73-64, in the first round on Friday, Master’s rebounded Saturday behind the shooting of senior Pete Coeler, who scored 31 points in making 11 of 19 shots, including three of five from three-point range.

Master’s (1-13), which shot 53%, had three other players who scored in double figures. Rocky Shipes had 20 points and a game-high 14 rebounds, Roger Terry scored 15 and Steve Hume added 10.

Bakersfield 99, Canyons 92--Butch Mettinger scored a game-high 29 points and Mitch McMullen added 24, but it wasn’t enough for Canyons Saturday night in a Western State Conference opener at Bakersfield.

Bakersfield (12-6) shot 54% in the first half and led, 50-39, at intermission.

Canyons (11-8) shot only 36% in the first 20 minutes, but narrowed the margin to 77-73 with eight minutes left.

WOMEN

Cal State Northridge 67, Cal State Sonoma 43--Julie Middleton scored 20 points to help keep Northridge’s perfect home record (5-0) intact in a nonconference game at CSUN. Teammate Denise Sitton scored 11 points, while twins Kathleen and Marianne Dixon each added 10 points. Desi Lomas paced Sonoma (4-7) with 17 points.

Sitton, a senior forward from Riverside, now needs 95 points to break the CSUN career scoring mark of 1,264 set by Paula Moran, now a Northridge assistant coach.

Northridge (7-6) enjoyed a 33-20 halftime lead and opened it up to 47-28 midway through the second half.

BOYS

As far as title defenses go, score it a first-round knockdown against the Crespi High basketball team.

The Celts, defending Del Rey League champions, stumbled Saturday night in their league opener, losing, 73-58, to Bosco Tech at Crespi High. It was the Tigers’ first victory at Crespi in five years.

“Not a very good start,” Crespi Coach Paul Muff said. “But hey, we played a good team tonight. Alemany is probably the favorite to win our league, but I’ll tell you, Bosco Tech will give Alemany a game.”

Crespi (1-9) gave Bosco Tech (12-3) a game for one half. The Celts trailed, 32-28, at halftime, but came out cold in the third quarter. Tiger guard Tom Takeshita scored eight points in the third period, mostly from long distance, and forward Mark Sugiyama came off the bench to put in five, as Bosco Tech stretched its lead to 55-41 by the end of the quarter.

“In the third quarter we came out stale,” Muff said. “I was real disappointed in our offense, and real disappointed in our defense.”

BOSCO TECH--Carrillo 17, Davi 2, Montanez 7 and 14 rebounds, Palma 17, Takeshita 17, Munoz 5, Ramirez 2, Sugiyama 6.

CRESPI--Ringler 10, Faucher 8, Lynch 5, Turner 10, Kennedy 12, Tilkian 8, Higgins 2, Foudy 3.

Burbank 64, Magnolia (Anaheim) 63--Chris Buck hit a jumper with two seconds left and converted the ensuing free throw to give Burbank the win in the consolation championship of the Santiago tournament.

Burbank (9-4), which used a pressing defense to overcome an 11-point fourth quarter deficit, was led by all-tournament selection Abo Velasco, who scored 29 points.