Men’s Basketball: Lions remain perfect

The Vanguard University men’s basketball team, down to nine available players due to injuries, at least has its big three.

And heading into its Golden State Athletic Conference opener on Tuesday at Westmont, the talented Vanguard trio of Jaamon Echols, Zach Allmon and Malachi Hoosein showed on Wednesday that they are capable of shouldering more of the load.

Echols, a senior transfer from Western Washington, scored 20 of his 27 points in the first half and finished with 10 assists to lead a dominant 92-59 nonconference home win over Life Pacific College of San Dimas.

Allmon, a 6-foot-8 junior post, had 14 points, eight rebounds and three assists in just 21 minutes, while Hoosein hit four of eight three-point attempts and generated 16 points to go with his three steals.

The three Vanguard standouts scored just two fewer than the visitors, who trailed by as many as 36.

Echols was 10 for 15 from the field, including four for five from threedom, and displayed the kind of quickness and ball-handling ability that renders him virtually impossible to guard one-on-one.

“His fast-twitch [muscles] are pretty good,” Vanguard Coach Rhett Soliday said of the 5-11 jitterbug, who scored 10 of the Lions’ first 15 points, made his first four field-goal tries, including a pair of three-pointers, and sank five of his final seven attempts to overwhelm the Warriors (1-7). “He spends more time in the gym than any player we’ve ever had, working on his game. He’s a perfectionist, who really works hard at it and he’s getting the results. He had 10 assists tonight and just one turnover and he shot it well, which always helps. I’m really pleased with his play and he’s starting to grow as a leader and carry guys along with him.”

Vanguard improved to 7-0, its best start in Soliday’s six seasons at the helm, though the Lions lost to Division I opponents UC Irvine and Cal State Northridge in games that were considered exhibitions.

But Soliday said his team, without injured contributors Myles Smith (knee), Brandon Hood (knee), Aubrey Myers (broken foot) and Victor Evans (ankle), is feeling anything but undefeated.

“Smith may be back soon, but the others are out weeks to months,” Soliday said. “We’ve got our work cut out for us now, going into Westmont on Tuesday with only nine guys suited. That’s a tough road game.”

The Lions made things tough on the Warriors by playing hard throughout. The hosts created an 18-8 advantage in turnovers and won the rebounding battle, 41-40. Vanguard was 14 for 31 from three-point range (45.2%) nearly matching its overall field-goal proficiency (45.3%).

“[The Warriors] were playing a match-up zone and we told our guys to be aggressive and get to the basket,” Soliday said. “We found ourselves open from three a lot, so we ended up making a bunch of them.”

Freshman reserve Brandon Brothers made four three-pointers on his way to 16 points in 16 minutes, rounding out the Lions’ double-figure scorers. Brothers also had six rebounds, two assists, two blocked shots and one steal.

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Nonconference

Vanguard 92, Life Pacific 59

LP – Broker 18, Murphy 12, Butler 9, Terry 11, Guzman 0, Roethler 2, Bowden 2, Morales 2, Noble 2, Jones 1.

3-pt. goals – Murphy 1.

Fouled out – None.

Technicals – None.

VU – Allmon 14, Bishop 4, Echols 27, Hoosein 16, Ware-Berry 5, Brothers 16, Burke 7, Dalafu 3.

3-pt. goals – Echols 4, Hoosein 4, Brothers 4, Dalafu 1, Allmon 1.

Fouled out – None.

Technicals – None.

Halftime – 50-31, VU.