January 25, 2006

Box Score

Carson, CA -- Junior Mario Malave (Emeryville, CA/Bakersfield College) scored a game-high 22 points as the Toros shot 60.9% from the field in the second half to erase a five-point deficit entering intermission in taking a 58-55 nailbiter against Cal Poly Pomona, the defending co-CCAA Champions. With the win, the Toros first in five games against the Broncos, CSUDH stops a three-game skid and improves to 5-10, 3-6 CCAA, while the Broncos fall to 8-8, 4-5 CCAA.

Both teams started slow at the outset as a Shamont Brown (Jamaica, NY/Riverside CC) jumper gave the Toros a 2-0 lead with 3½ minutes elapsed in the first half. CSUDH would extend its lead to 10-6 on a Malave bucket at the 13:33 mark, but the visitors would outscore the Toros 15-4 over the next five minutes in taking a 21-14 lead.

After the Toros would get to within three on a pair of Trevon Bryant (Tifton, GA/Compton CC) free throws, a Kaelen Daniels jumper with just less than a minute remaining in the half closed the scoring, sending Cal Poly Pomona into the intermission with a 27-22 advantage.

The Toros turned up the heat out of the locker room, outscoring CPP 6-2 over the first two minutes to trim the Broncos lead to 29-28. CPP would respond with a run of its own, pushing its lead to 35-29 on another bucket by Daniels four minutes later. Bolstered by Malave and Brown, the Toros again would trim the deficit to one point, but a Dion Cook 3-pointer would spur a Bronco rally that would see them outscore the Toros 12-5 in taking a 49-41 lead with 7:20 left in regulation, the final three points courtesy of a Jonathan Boyd trey.

Undaunted, a Malave jumper and two foul shots by Mike Steed (Antelope, CA/Center HS) would cut the deficit to four, and another Malave lay-up at the 1:40 mark brought CSUDH to within 55-54. After CPP misfired on a jumper and foul shot, Brown would garner one of his seven boards on the night and convert on the other end to give the Toros their first lead since early in the first half.

After Steed again drained two free throws with 11 seconds remaining, a Billy Hofman 3-point attempt as the buzzer sounded was both short and wide, giving CSUDH a hard-fought 58-55 win.

Malave finished on 10-of-18 shooting from the field, pulling down a game-high eight rebounds in the win. Brown chipped in 13 points on 6-of-9 shooting, while Steed connected on all four free throws attempted in leading the Toros to a 76.9 success rate from the charity stripe.

Cook led CPP with 14 points, while Hervey Malone II and Daniels contributed respective 12 and 11 point totals.

The Broncos were reigned in by what proved to be a not-so-free throw line, converting only 2-of-8 foul shots in the three-point loss.

The Toros continue hosting duties on Friday night as Cal State Monterey Bay pays a visit to the Torodome, with first tip scheduled for a 7:30 p.m. start.