By Joseph Baroud
Contributing Writer
For the second consecutive season, both the CSUDH women’s and men’s basketball teams advanced to the first round of the California Collegiate Athletic Association playoffs, but went no further, as both lost Tuesday, the woman bowing to host Cal State San Marcos, 75-69, and the men losing at Cal State East Bay, 68-54.
For the women, this season was nearly a mirror image of 2017-18, as their 14-15 overall record was a near match for last years’ 13-15. Five seniors are departing, including leading scorer Nautica Morrow, point guard Tylore Bell and offensive sparkplug Zhane Carter, but with junior Ahlisha Henderson, the team’s leading rebounder, and Destinee Williams, another force down low, returning with freshman Lea Anderson returning to run the offense, they should once again be in the playoff mix.
The men’s team had a big bounce back from last season, when it limped into the playoffs with a 13-17 record. The Toros finished 14-12 overall, and 12-10 in conference, their most wins in the CCAA since 2012-13
The team averaged 75 points a game, but also surrendered 76.3, the second highest total in the CCAA. That probably won’t be drastically different next year, as even though they only lose four seniors, two of them, David Howard and Michael Chavers, led the team in rebounds and steals, respectively. But three of the top five scorers return, and with only three seniors so far on next year’s roster, look for the Toros to be competitive for the foreseeable future.
