The new-look Long Beach State men’s basketball team looked like last year’s version through the first half against Weber State Saturday night.
The only thing new appeared to be the home uniforms.
Head coach Dan Monson said he had his postgame comments ready in his mind. Long Beach Press-Telegram writer Frank Burlison said he had his story half-written. Sitting in the student section, I heard countless pleas from the 3,664 Monson Maniacs at the Walter Pyramid begging for some type of offensive rhythm.
LBSU was facing a 32-21 deficit at half and eventually found itself down by as many as 23 points when Wildcats guard Damian Lillard converted two free throws to make the score 51-28 with 13:17 remaining in regulation.
“The first 30 minutes, [Weber State] dominated the game and did whatever they wanted,” Monson said. “We just didn’t have an answer for them.”
Then, Monson sent in experienced senior Maurice Clady for freshman starter Casper Ware, and the ‘Niners chipped away to stage an improbable 73-69 overtime victory on Homecoming Night.
Clady’s steady leadership at the point guard position, along with freshmen Eugene Phelps and T.J. Robinson battling for rebounds down the stretch, helped keep the 49ers in the game.
“[Clady’s] experienced helped us, obviously, but it also changed when [our] two freshmen inside guys were really active,” Monson said. “The freshmen are learning and are aggressive, but Casper’s aggressiveness was shooting when he’s got to penetrate and get other guys involved. That’s just a learning process and he’s got way more to learn than anybody else because he’s a freshman trying to play the point guard position.”
LBSU went on a 20-5 run — capped by transfer guard Stephan Gilling’s 3-pointer — to cut the lead to eight, force a Weber State timeout and give the crowd a reason to get loud, again. The short break didn’t stop Gilling or the 49ers’ long-range barrage that followed.
The Wildcats forced LBSU into numerous desperation attempts with the shot-clock running down in the first half. Those same shots were falling in the second half, as senior guard Donovan Morris converted from beyond the arc as the 35 seconds expired to pull the 49ers to within 56-51 with 5:34 to play.
After a Weber State free-throw, Gilling drained another from 3-point range and Morris drilled back-to-back jumpers to give The Beach its first lead of the game, 58-57, with 1:48 remaining.
“I just felt that I needed to get in my groove,” Gilling said. “I think [shooting] is about 90 percent confidence. The rest is just shooting the ball and not even thinking about it.”
At that point, the 49ers had completed a 30-6 run in 11:29 and it looked all but certain the Wildcats were done. I was ready to get out of there … again.
However, much like Morris did in the spring Homecoming Game against UC Santa Barbara, Weber State guard Kellen McCoy forced overtime with a buzzer-beating 3-pointer from about 35 feet away to stun the 49er faithful.
LBSU didn’t let the shot take away their confidence, though.
“I just said, ‘hey, we would’ve taken this 10 minutes ago. We didn’t come all the way back to lose,'” Monson told his players before overtime.
Gilling’s hand stayed hot, opening the five-minute period with his fifth and final 3-pointer of the contest. Phelps asserted himself down low, recording a layup, blocked shot and free-throw within the first two minutes to give the ‘Niners the breathing room they needed.
“It was my first home game, so I just wanted to get the fans excited and try to get this win,” Phelps said. “I’ve been on this weight training so I’ve been trying to get bigger and stronger. I’m also faster so I just used my athleticism.”
Last season, Monson’s group would’ve probably lost a game like this. LBSU was just 2-11 in games decided by six points or less.
“I told my teammates in the locker room, ‘this can’t keep happening to us.’ I was scared,” Morris said about the overtime period. “I’m just so happy right now.”
It may only be three games into the season, but it’s already looking like a different 49er team.
Three players scored in double figures and the bench produced 36 points, led by Phelps’ 13-point effort. Morris, who finished with a game-high 20 points, didn’t have to create all the plays and his teammates were prepared to shoot.
It doesn’t look like a team picked by league coaches to finish eighth in the nine-team Big West Conference.