Editor’s note: Welcome to Ivan Carter for 3, a weekly look at basketball news from USD, UC San Diego and Point Loma Nazarene … plus whatever else tickles the twine.
How does a team respond after nearly pulling off a program-defining victory over the city’s most prominent team only to lose at the buzzer?
For UC San Diego, the answer was: pretty well.
Coach Eric Olen’s team improved to 5-4 with a 98-67 victory over Division III Occidental on Tuesday night. Freshman guard Aidan Burke scored a season-high 15 points and Justin DeGraaf added 13.
The game came just days after Jaedon LeDee’s tip-in at the buzzer helped SDSU sink UCSD 63-62 in front of a raucous Friday-night crowd at LionTree Arena.
“The focus was good,” Olen said. “Anytime you have a result that doesn’t go your way, the next opportunity is a chance to bounce back. I thought our guys had the appropriate response.”
The effort from a reserve like Burke is intriguing. Olen and his staff will no doubt use this next stretch of games to continue locking in a rotation before Big West Conference play begins.
Olen’s team is led by senior guard Bryce Pope (17.9 ppg), junior forward Francis Nwaokorie (14.2 ppg, 4.0 rpg) and junior forward Aniwaniwa Tait-Jones (12.0 ppg, 6.0 rpg, 3.6 apg). Junior guard Hayden Gray, senior forward J’Raan Brooks, sophomore guard Camden McCormick and DeGraaf, a junior, have helped form a core rotation thus far.
“We have a lot of guys who can make plays,” Olen said. “A lot of it is consistency. Getting some game reps will only help.”
Next up: The Tritons play Saturday at Pepperdine (6 p.m.), host Sacramento State on Monday (6 p.m) and travel to Cal on Wednesday (2 p.m.)
USD center Steven Jamerson II attempts a shot against BYU during a January game at Jenny Craig Pavilion.
(Meg McLaughlin/The San Diego Union-Tribune)
USD has busy week
USD entered Wednesday night’s game at Utah State coming off an 88-64 loss at Stanford on Sunday.
That defeat was a bit of a step back for a squad which had played some of its best ball in wins over Navy, Arkansas State and Northern Colorado and were boosted by the return of center Steven Jamerson II, who had missed the first seven games with a foot injury.
The 6-foot-10, 210-pound Jamerson, a part of last season’s rotation, gives coach Steve Lavin an valuable defensive anchor and post presence. The Toreros’ system depends on an active, aggressive defense leading to a transition offense.
More size and overall depth could also be provided by 6-11 freshman forward David Simon, who made his season debut against Stanford after dealing with an injury.
Folks who haven’t seen the Toreros yet will want to keep an eye on 6-8 freshman wing Kevin Patton Jr., who has flashed serious playmaking ability while adapting to the speed and physicality of major college basketball.
“We need to learn to play through physicality and teams that have size and that’s a valuable lesson,” Lavin said after the Stanford loss. “There were a number of lessons learned today — like how important the start of the game is. We spotted them an early lead, and our sense of urgency and our transition defense wasn’t at the level it needs to be, and that led to open threes. This team is learning to win on the road against quality teams, and that’s different than playing well at home, or at a neutral site.”
Next up: The Toreros host Arizona State on Saturday (7:30 p.m.)
Point Loma ready for PacWest play
Point Loma Nazarene (5-3) capped nonconference play with a 90-81 home win over Vanguard on Saturday. The defending conference champs will open PacWest play on Saturday against Concordia (3-3) at Golden Gymnasium.
First-year PLNU coach Justin Downer has a pair of playmaking guards in sophomore Jake Lifgren (20.0 ppg) and junior Zack Paulsen (14.5 ppg).
The team is awaiting the return of junior wing Luke Haupt; the St. Augustine High School product was a key piece to last season’s 29-4 squad.
Next up: The Sea Lions host Concordia on Saturday (4 p.m.)
