With a great crowd and Fullerton’s own Hornet mascot “Buzzy” making an appearance, Fullerton College men’s basketball played its first game of the season on Wednesday night, defeating MiraCosta in their home opener, 73-63.
Sophomore forward Jeremiah Davis showed why he is expected to be the team leader, scoring 18 points, recording three rebounds and two assists. Davis went an efficient 10-14 from the free-throw line as well.
With the expected nerves of opening night featuring an almost brand-new team, the Hornets had a first half full of ups and downs. The team shot just 48.1% from the field and a treacherous 23.1% from three-point range.
Despite their offensive woes, the Hornets were able to garner multiple eight-point leads. However, they never fully pulled away from the Spartans. It is safe to say the Hornet defense kept Fullerton in the game while they worked out the kinks of their offense.
Freshman guard Christian Watson came out strong in his debut for Fullerton, notching a team-leading 11 points while also recording three assists and two steals in the first half.
Fullerton held a five-point lead at halftime, with the score at 41-36. MiraCosta shot an impressive 41.7% from three, which was a catalyst for keeping the Spartans in the game.
Throughout the second half, the Hornets stayed ahead and controlled the scoreboard with timely buckets and, you guessed it, great defense.
Although the Hornets (1-0) stayed in control, the Spartans were scrappy and did not go away. The Hornets’ shooting struggles continued. They were able to stay afloat by scoring half of their points by way of the charity stripe.
The big adjustment the Hornets made was being able to take the three ball away from the Spartans. They executed their defensive strategy perfectly, holding the Spartans to 0-11 shooting from downtown in the second half.
Freshman Justin Davis hit a key three-pointer at the 6:21 mark that extended the Hornets lead to nine. That three seemed to be the dagger that kept the Spartans out of reach.
The coaches are still adjusting to new players and formatting the right team to win again. Head coach Perry Webster felt freshman Mike Davis really stood out in his debut for the Hornets.
“I thought we did some good things offensively. I thought defensively we could have done a better job. And we need to keep developing our depth and our new guys,” said Webster.
MiraCosta (0-1) had three players score in double digits, with sophomore forward Kobe Smith and sophomore forward Dylan Cabs each dropping 16 points.
Freshman DaVaughn McCrumb recorded 14 points, with 12 of them coming in the first half. McCrumb was a major reason MiraCosta stayed in the game in the first half, but failed to carry that momentum into the second half.
This opening game of the season was the first test run for the coaching staff, who also features a new assistant coach, former Hornet basketball player Dylan Banks. This is their first opportunity to see what rotations and groups of players work best together, as Fullerton’s 14-man roster includes 11 new players.
As the new season begins, this team is not focused on the state title from last year. According to Webster, the plan is to look forward one game at a time.
“We’re not thinking at all about last year for the first game, so it has nothing to do with last year,” said Webster. “It’s just about this year and this team and just getting a win under our belt.”
The Hornets’ next game will also be at home on Tuesday, Nov. 7 at 6 p.m. against the Porterville College Pirates.
