ATHERTON, CALIF. -- Azusa Pacific used a 50-point second half to blow open the game and breeze to a 83-57 victory over UC Santa Cruz during the opening night of the Bud Presley Tournament on the campus of Menlo College.

In just his second game as a Cougar, junior Isamu Nichols, a transfer from Long Beach City College, scored a game-high 19 points, while fellow guard Jerome Joseph added 18.  Kevin Daley tallied 12 points, while Jeff Staniland and Justin Leslie each added 11 points.  The Banana Slugs were paced by Jason Semanisin's 15 points.  

Azusa Pacific led 33-23 at halftime but blew the game open with a big second half.  With the win, the Cougars advance to the tournament championship game where it will meet host Menlo, a 65-57 victor over Westminster in the tournament's other first-round game.

Azusa Pacific 83, UC Santa Cruz 57
APU (1-1)  Daley 5 0-0 12, Nichols 6 7-8 19, Joseph 6 4-4 18, Staniland 5 1-1 11, Raibon 2 0-1 4,
Leslie 4 3-3 11, Tanner 2 0-0 4, Dredge 2 0-0 4
Totals:  32 15-17 83

UCSC (1-3) Brody 2 3-4 7, McKenzie 1 0-0 3, Serdy 0 0-1 0, Blasher 1 1-1 3, Darr 1 0-0 2,
Halligan 2 2-2 8, Sermanisin 6 1-2 15, Serrano 2 1-2 6, West 1 3-5 5, Wells 2 1-2 5, KIllon 1 0-2 3
Totals:  19 12-21 57

Halftime:  APU 33, UCSC 23