Toros Men Rally in Second Half to Defeat Cal State L.A., 63-58
Phillip Givens scores 13 second half points to help erase 13 point deficit at the half
January 8, 2005

Complete Game Stats

LOS ANGELES, Calif.--(January 8, 2004)--Junior guard Phillip Givens (Los Angeles, CA/Manual Arts HS) scored 13 points in the second half to help Cal State Dominguez Hills erase a 31-21 deficit at the half and propel the Toros to a 63-58 comeback victory over Cal State L.A. Saturday night in California Collegiate Athletic Association action at the Eagles' Nest.

Phillip Givens scored a career-high 17 points to lead the Toros to their first league win of the season Saturday night over Cal State L.A.

The win snaps a three-game skid and gives CSUDH (2-9, 1-3 CCAA) and first-year head coach Damaine Powell their first CCAA league win of the 2004-05 season. The victory was even more impressive as the Toros were without leading scorer Les Norman (Lebanon, IL) who had to sit out due to an injury suffered last night at Cal State Bakersfield. Norman is listed as day-to-day and should be ready for next week's games at Cal State Stanislaus and Chico State.

Down 34-21 at the break thanks in part to 11 first half turnovers, Cal State Dominguez Hills came out strong in the second period using a 12-2 run and a swarming defense in the first five minutes to trim the Golden Eagle lead down to 36-33 after Alexous Scruggs (Los Angeles, CA/WLACC) completed a three-point play with 15:25 left.

Junior forward Saul Lankster (Long Beach, CA/Compton Centennial HS) tied the game, 38-38, after hitting a trey at 13:21. In the Toros next possession, Givens knocked down a nice six-foot running jumper off the glass to give CSUDH the lead, 40-38, with 12:56 remaining. The Toros would extend their lead to eight points after a layup by freshman forward Nonso Nibo (Westchester, CA/St. Bernard's HS) with 6:12 left.

Cal State Dominguez Hills would go 2-for-2 from the field, including Givens second trey of the second period, and make 5-of-10 from the charity stripe in the final six minutes to hold on for the conference road win. This despite CSULA going 3-for-3 from the floor and 4-for-5 from the line down the stretch.

Givens led the squad with a career-high 17 points on the night going 7-of-14 from the field and tied for the team lead with six boards. Lankster followed with 14 points on 5-of-8 from the floor including a game high three baskets from behind the arc. Quenton Harvey (Compton, CA/Cleveland HS) rounded out the double digit scoring with 12 points while dishing out a game-high five assists.

Mario Kralj paced the Golden Eagles with a game-high 19 points and seven rebounds. Jon Folonis was also in double figures pouring in 13 points in the loss.

Cal State Dominguez Hills hits the road again next weekend taking on Cal State Stanislaus on Friday. Tip is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.