College Roundup: Columbia Claim Jumpers shock CVC power Fresno
Many years have passed since the Columbia College Claim Jumpers challenged Fresno City for supremacy in Central Valley Conference basketball.
Fresno has won the CVC title for 15 straight seasons, in fact, so it’s news whenever the Rams are threatened. They still sit in first place, but they can hear footsteps – from former cellar-dwellers Merced and Columbia.
The Claim Jumpers (12-9, 7-3) pleased their fans Saturday night with a pulsating 93-88 upset win over Fresno City at Oak Pavilion. Freshman guard Jordan Windley, a graduate of Liberty Ranch High School in Galt, launched Columbia toward its biggest win in recent memory with 27 points. He averages 8.4 points per game.
His 8-footer, against tight Fresno defense, increased Columbia’s lead to three with about a minute left. Windley, who played all 40 minutes, scored his team’s final five points. He also hit all nine of his free throws and netted a 3-pointer as time expired to give Columbia a 45-40 halftime lead.
“Jordan was really efficient. He took only good shots,” Rob Hoyt said after his most important win in his four-year tenure as Columbia coach.
Windley’s performance covered Columbia’s major manpower issues. Lewayne Grant, one of Northern California’s top point guards, rolled an ankle in the first half and exited with eight points. Forward DeAndre Stallings, who scored 23 points, fouled out with about four minutes left.
The Claim Jumpers, minus their two stars and down to seven players, somehow nursed a narrow lead to the buzzer. Windley, twins Eli and Ethan McLaurin, and the entire cast stood up to the physical Rams (19-6, 8-2). Fresno won the first meeting 65-49.
“It took everybody tonight. Everyone was exceptional,” Hoyt said. “I told them if you can keep it close for 38 minutes, I’ll bet my life on you at the end.”
Columbia did not back down during a rugged game that resulted in 57 fouls and a steady march to the free throw line. Columbia connected on 32 of 41 while Fresno made 25 of 37. The Claim Jumpers did not blink after trailing by 10 in the first half.
“We pride ourselves on being tough,” Hoyt said. “It was a very physical game, but tonight, we were the tougher team. My freshmen played like seniors.”
Former Weston Ranch star Fred Lavender topped Fresno with 16 points, followed by Tyus Millhollin with 14 and Christian Carroll with 12.
Columbia and Merced – which shocked Fresno two weeks ago – trail Fresno by one game with four left. The Claim Jumpers travel to Merced on Feb. 15. Columbia remains at home Wednesday night against Cerro Coso and Saturday night against Porterville.
The Claim Jumpers are riding some major momentum. They saved a 60-58 win at Sequoias on Wednesday night when Stallings pinned Isaiah Johnson’s potential tying shot on the glass as the game ended. Eugene Harvey scored with 15 seconds to go for the winning points.
Road sweep for Stanislaus women – Cal State Stanislaus recovered from a three-game losing streak by sweeping its two-game road swing, capping it with a 52-46 win over Sonoma State on Saturday night.
The Warriors (12-12, 10-5 California Collegiate Athletic Association), who remain in a tie with Cal Poly Pomona for third place in the CCAA race, dominated late in the first half and early in the second half. Cassidy Sanders-Curry led with 13 points, 13 rebounds and three blocks. Erika Larsen had 10 points, 12 rebounds and two blocks. Reana Hardin scored 10 points.
Stanislaus shot only 28.6 percent from the floor but compensated by making 16 of 22 free throws compared to only 2 for 6 by Sonoma (10-10, 6-8).
Warrior men drop fourth straight – Stanislaus, victim of back-to-back heartbreak losses, couldn’t recover and was beaten at Sonoma State 56-47 on Saturday night. It was the fourth straight loss for the Warriors (6-16, 3-12).
Sonoma (15-5, 11-3), tied for second place in the CCAA, cashed in after its important win Friday night over Chico State. The Seawolves, featuring the best defense in NCAA Division II, pulled away after leading by two with 16:34 left.
Vondel Faniel paced Stanislaus with 10 points and seven rebounds. Kaelen Mitchell had nine points.
The Stanislaus men and women play once this week, home games Thursday night against Cal State San Marcos.
Baseball
Warriors open with win – Pitcher Jordan Kron, a standout in 2016, picked up where he left off as he led Cal State Stanislaus to a season-opening 4-1 road win over Fresno Pacific on Saturday. Fresno Pacific rallied to split the doubleheader with a 6-3 victory.
Kron gave up seven hits, and his only allowed run was unearned. He struck out eight and escaped a bases-loaded jam in the fourth with consecutive strikeouts.
The game was scoreless until the seventh when Aldo Koutsoyanopulos dashed home on a sacrifice fly by Gino Franceschetti. It was the first of two RBIs by Franceschetti, who doubled home John Holleran in the eighth.
Nick Ippolito accounted for four hits during the doubleheader for Stanislaus.
Softball
Two wins for Stanislaus – The Warriors won a pair at the MSUB Desert Stinger tournament in Las Vegas – 3-2 over 18th-ranked Cal Baptist and 11-1 over University of Mary.
Kylie Ragsdale allowed only three hits over five innings against Cal Baptist, and Anyssa Garvin picked up the save. Ruby Quiralte homered in the fourth to give Stanislaus (4-2) a 2-1 lead.
Stanislaus erupted for eight runs in the first against Mary. Cassidy Duke extended the lead with her two-run homer in the seventh.
Track
Freshman sets sprint record – Freshman Naomi Peterson, making only her second appearance for Cal State Stanislaus, sped to a school-record 7.91 seconds in the 60-meter dash during an indoor meet in Nampa, Idaho. Peterson, a graduate of Golden Valley High School, topped the 7.98 set by Jocelyn Venable in 2007.
This story was originally published February 5, 2017 at 12:28 AM with the headline "College Roundup: Columbia Claim Jumpers shock CVC power Fresno."