10/31/2009 5:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
RIVERSIDE, Calif. --- There's no doubt that this is Davey Hopkins' team. The good news is, he got plenty of help tonight.
One of just three returners, Hopkins matched his career-high with 24 points, and a deep and balanced California Baptist University had four players in double figures as the Lancers used a relentless defense and an efficient offense in hammering Bethany, 99-53, in both teams' season-opener Friday night.
It was a successful debut.
“I wasn't sure what to expect tonight, but I was very pleased with our effort and energy,” said CBU Head Coach Tim Collins. “We got going right away.”
Larry Dew added 16 points, three steals and three assists. He was 8-for-10 from the floor. Justus Von Wright had 10 points in 15 minutes off the bench. Jamar Ransome had 11 points, making all four of his shots, and Clint Amberry tallied nine points and eight rebounds.
“With all the new guys, I figured there would be some first game jitters, so I just wanted to set the tone and not be panicked and rushed from the outset,” said Hopkins.
So much for first game jitters.
The Lancers used their depth to blitz the Bruins right from the opening tip. CBU employed the services of 11 players, made 10 of 13 shots from the floor, forced eight turnovers and opened a 31-12 advantage in the first 12 minutes.
The end result was never in doubt.
Hopkins, who was 11-for-15 from the floor, also grabbed a game-high 10 rebounds and had three assists, three steals and two blocks. He had 10 points in the first half, seven in the first five minutes.
No Lancer played more than 23 minutes, and all 12 played, ten of which played double-digit minutes. CBU shot 54.5 percent (42-for-77) from the floor and had 26 assists against just 15 turnovers while forcing 30 Bruin turnovers, getting 17 steals.
“We're a well-balanced team and everyone played good defense tonight,” said Hopkins. “Our defense is much-improved this year, and that's going to be the key for us.”
The Lancers employed an up-tempo style getting 30 points in transition and 32 points off turnovers. They opened their 19-point lead on a jumper by Robert Rose, his only points of the night, with 7:43 to play in the first half. The lead never shrunk below 14, and they carried a 48-30 advantage into the locker room. After a Hopkins jumper made it 54-33 just 1:32 in the second half, the lead kept growing from there.
“We've been working hard in practice, but it's hard to tell what you have in practice,” said Collins. “We have some guys who can play. We'll be tough defensively, and we have good speed. Our quickness gave them a lot of problems.”
Dew's final two points, his third dunk of the night, gave the Lancers their largest lead, 99-51, in the final minute. The Lancers out-scored the Bruins, 72-22, in the paint and got 48 points from their bench.
The 99 points is the Lancers' highest point total since scoring 124 against Puget Sound Christian Dec. 19, 2005.
