SAN DIEGO, Calif. -- It didn't matter Azusa Pacific was off to its best start in 6 years, or that John Brown didn't have 3 starters back from last year's 11-14 team. All that counted tonight was Steve Wheeler off the bench.
Wheeler scored off a long pass as time expired to lift John Brown (Ark.) to a 79-77 victory over Azusa Pacific in the opening round of the Point Loma Tournament in Golden Gymnasium in San Diego Thursday evening.
Azusa Pacific had knotted the game at 77-77 with 8 seconds left on a
Larry Shelton bucket off a nifty
Jeff Wheeler pass. However, John Brown's Wheeler broke free as the Golden Eagles dribbled around in the backcourt following the Shelton basket to drop in the game-winner. Steve Wheeler ended with a game-high 24 points.
Azusa Pacific trailed by as much as 15 points in the second half, but rallied behind the play of Shelton and seniors
Jeff Golden and
Steve Barnes, who combined for 56 points, including Barnes' team-high 20 off the bench. John Brown assumed a 77-75 lead with 12 seconds to go before Shelton, who finished with 18 points, tied the game.
Tonight's game was the first meeting between the two schools since Azusa Pacific beat John Brown, 89-73, in the semifinals of the 1971 National Christian College Tournament in Chattanooga, Tenn., a tournament APC eventually won.
With the victory, the Golden Eagles improve to 7-7 while the Cougars fall to 9-4 on the season. Azusa Pacific will take on Wheaton (Ill.), a 72-59 loser to Biola in another first-round game, tomorrow at 2:30 p.m.
Azusa Pacific (77) John Brown (79)
fg ft tp fg ft tp
Shelton 5 8-10 18 Gordon 2 2-2 6
Golden 9 0-0 18 Cheney 4 1-2 9
Anderson 3 0-2 6 Harms 2 1-2 5
Johnson 3 2-6 8 Locke 4 4-6 12
Wheeler 0 0-2 0 Thomas 4 1-2 9
Barnes 8 4-7 20 Roberson 2 0-0 4
Lundgren 0 0-0 0 Wheeler 9 6-6 24
Moses 2 1-3 5 Hunter 3 0-2 6
Mallard 2 0-1 4
Totals 31 15-30 77 Totals 32 15-23 79
Azusa Pacific ....... 28 49 -- 77
John Brown ....... 33 46 -- 79
Total Fouls: AP 20, JB 28
Fouled Out: Harms, Thomas, Anderson
