Biola Beats SCC, 90-78, to Advance to Championships

Johnny Griffin and Paul Horn scored 22 points each and P.J. Wnek added 19 to lead Biola to a 90-78 victory over Southern California College in the West Regional final of the National Christian College Athletic Assn. tournament Saturday at Biola.

Griffin, a 6-foot 5-inch NAIA All-American selection last year, scored 14 of his points in the second half as Biola (29-4) pulled away late in the period after leading by just one with 10 minutes left.

The Eagles, who beat the Vanguards, 85-74, earlier this season, will start their bid for their third NCCAA championship Thursday at Chattanooga, Tenn. The victory over SCC was also Biola’s 32nd in a row at home over three seasons.

“They sure looked like the Biola of old late in the second half,” said Bill Reynolds, SCC coach. “We thought that if we could stay with them late in the game, we could take them, but they just wore us down physically.”

Biola, which outrebounded SCC, 36-28, used its inside game to take a 46-41 halftime lead. Horn, a 6-7 transfer from Cypress College, made 6 of 8 field-goal attempts in the first half and scored 14 first-half points.

Griffin also was 6 for 8 in the first half for 12 points. Wnek made all three of his three-point attempts to account for his nine first-half points.

The Vanguards (19-15) were led by 6-7 freshman Jim Bickmore, who scored 18 points before fouling out with 18 minutes left. Jim Mansfield came off the bench to score 17 points, and Todd Dixon scored 16.

Mike Lightfoot had 11 points and eight rebounds for SCC, and teammate Phil Hill had 10 points and five assists.

“They were beating us with their transition game in the first half,” Biola co-coach Dave Holmquist said. “We tried not to go for their fakes in the second half, and once we did that, our size advantage started to work in our favor.”