Panthers red hot winners

Bryce Alderton

Vanguard University and host Chapman may have shared the same

court Saturday night, but that was about all they had in common.

Chapman’s 68-57 nonconference victory in men’s basketball

displayed two programs heading in opposite directions. The Panthers

(12-7) shot their way to a seventh straight win -- they were 11 of 31

from three-point range -- while the Lions (5-14) managed only 5 of 14

from behind the arc and struggled to find consistency. Vanguard is in

the throes of a tailspin -- dropping four straight and 12 of 13.

Chapman starting guard Marcus Harvey converted on 7 of 16

three-point attempts and finished with a game-high 26 points. He

often set himself free behind the arc as four Panthers spread

themselves across the floor, stretching the Vanguard defense like a

piece of saltwater taffy.

“We let (Harvey) have too many open threes,” said Vanguard Coach

Stephen French. “We let them get hot and we were in trouble.”

The hosts shot 45.5% (25 of 55), while the Lions converted 22 of

63 attempts (34.9%).

Vanguard never led and the game was tied twice -- 5-5 and 19-19.

The Lions went on a 7-2 run to begin the second half and trailed,

36-35, 2:26 into the half, but then went scoreless for more than

three minutes as the Panthers built a 46-35 lead.

Pierson led the Lions with 19 points on 7-of-14 shooting,

including 3 of 7 from three-point land. James Hartman scored 11 of

his 16 points in the first half and led the Lions with seven

rebounds, five in the second half.

Three Panthers, including former Newport Harbor High standout and

Chapman freshman Greg Perrine, blocked three shots as the team

finished with 11 to none for Vanguard. Perrine finished with 11

points -- seven in the second half -- on 5-of-8 total shooting, while

also adding three assists.

“Perrine is becoming a man,” said Chapman Coach Mike Bokosky.

“He’s always felt he had to distribute the ball first, but we’re

looking for him to become more offensive-minded.”