Finding a cure for ailing offense key to chances of Stanislaus men

There are two givens about the Cal State Stanislaus men’s basketball team as it heads into its biggest home weekend in many years.

The good news is the Warriors’ defense will keep them close in every game, while the bad is that the offense has struggled to keep opponents close.

There’s a very good chance every Stanislaus game will go down to the wire, which is only good if the Warriors can find a way to win. And that becomes of primary importance starting Friday night.

The Warriors are far from safe as far as clinching a berth in the California Collegiate Athletic Association tournament. But if they have their sights on a first-round bye, the effort must start with a defense of the homecourt this weekend against Cal Poly Pomona and UC San Diego.

Pomona and Chico State are tied atop the CCAA at 11-3, while Stanislaus and San Diego (which has won eight of nine) are tied for third at 10-4. San Diego plays at Chico on Friday night, while Pomona goes north to face the Wildcats on Saturday.

While any of the four teams can take a huge step in the standings with two victories, the opportunity to take a huge step backward also exists.

And right now, the Warriors are not a team brimming with offensive confidence. They shot 36 percent in last Friday’s victory over Cal State Dominguez Hills, and 33 percent – a season low in a CCAA game – in Saturday’s crushing 64-58 home loss to Cal State Los Angeles.

So while Larry Reynolds and his coaching staff are busy preparing game plans to stop the invading Broncos and Tritons, the first order of business is finding a way to fix the Warriors’ offense at a time when it should be flowing.

“We have to go back to work and find something we do well and continue to do it,” Reynolds said. “I have to find something to fit this team.”

The Stanislaus defense continues to be tough, ranking fifth in the league in points and field-goal percentage allowed and third in rebound margin. On the other hand, the Warriors’ offense is 11th (of 12 teams) in shooting overall and 10th from 3-point range.

The natural answer to field-goal woes would be for the team to drive to the hole as much as possible, but even that backfired in Saturday’s loss.

“We made some free throws in the first half, and then we were six for 13 in the second half,” Reynolds said. “That really hurt us.”

So what’s the answer?

We’ll find out Friday night if one has been found. If not, with Stanislaus playing four of its last six regular-season games away from Fitzpatrick Arena, the drive for a first-round bye might become a drive merely to grab one of the six playoff spots.

Women

Despite entering the weekend 6-12 overall and 4-10 in the CCAA, which has the Warriors four games out of the last playoff spot, the team has to be upbeat after Saturday’s 67-60 victory over sixth-place Cal State Los Angeles.

And it’s all because of the emergence of an inside presence Stanislaus has lacked all season. Erika Larsen, making her third collegiate start, recorded career highs in points (17), rebounds (14) and minutes (33) to notch her first double-double since her days at Sutter High.

With the 6-3 Larsen controlling things inside, Alysa Valentine took care of the perimeter to give Stanislaus what coach Wayman Strickland called the best balance since he’s been at the school. Valentine, a 5-2 junior, hit a career-high five 3-pointers and established a personal high with 23 points in the win.

Sophomore Riley Holladay added 16 points on a combination of drives and 3-pointers, giving the Warriors a glimpse of their offensive potential.

But this will be a tough weekend, with third-place Pomona coming in at 11-3 in league (13-5 overall) and San Diego following in fifth place at 9-5, 11-8.

Warrior notes: With Friday night’s games the centerpiece of the weekend homecoming festivities, tickets could be scarce for late arrivals at Fitzpatrick Arena. The arena opens at 5 p.m., 30 minutes before the women’s tipoff. Another large crowd is expected on Saturday, which will feature a ceremony to honor the seven new members of the school’s athletic Hall of Fame ... UC San Diego’s men’s team features a familiar face in freshman forward Kenny Fraser, a 2014 Turlock High graduate. Fraser has played in nine of the Tritons’ last 10 games and scored three points with five rebounds in San Diego’s 84-61 victory Saturday against Cal State Monterey Bay.

This story was originally published February 5, 2015 at 2:43 PM with the headline "Finding a cure for ailing offense key to chances of Stanislaus men."