COLLEGE ROUNDUP : Chapman Gives Away Its Chances

Chapman fumbled away late opportunities and allowed Cal Baptist to hang on to a 72-69 nonconference men’s basketball victory Saturday at the Hutton Center.

After cutting Cal Baptist’s lead to 70-69 with 22 seconds left, Chapman got the ball back twice, but each time Jeff Gardner turned it over.

Kenny Jones then made two free throws to give Cal Baptist a three-point lead with seven seconds left. A three-point attempt by Chapman’s Jeff Gardner missed badly at the buzzer.

“We gave it away,” Chapman Coach Bob Boyd said. “We had five or six turnovers that eliminated our chances of winning.

“I thought we could get it but you can’t throw the ball away.”

The loss was Chapman’s fourth in five games this season against NAIA District 3 teams and leaves the Panthers with a 5-7 record entering the California Collegiate Athletic Assn. season. Cal Baptist is 9-5.

Chapman will open Friday at Cal State San Bernardino, in its first season in the CCAA.

The Panthers took a 66-63 lead with 2:32 to go, but then fumbled the lead away. After a basket by Cal Baptist’s Neil Zwart, Rog Middleton was pressured inbounding the ball and threw it away. Warren Daniels hit a three-point shot, which gave the Lancers a 68-66 lead.

Daniels, who led all scorers with 22 points, stole the ball in the backcourt on the next possession and made a layup to give them a four-point lead.