Box Score A number of letters addressed to the North Pole next Christmas might read something like this:
“Dear Santa. Sorry I haven’t written in a while. I’ve been really busy coaching basketball. But this Christmas I would like whatever you put under Chico State Head Coach Greg Clink’s tree in 2012. I promise to be good and leave you some cookies and milk.”
Whether by supernatural or natural means, the Wildcats have turned into a juggernaut since taking a short break to go home for Christmas, rebounding from a 3-3 start with four straight blowout wins.
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The latest trouncing took place Saturday: a 72-50 win against a San Francisco State squad that came into town with its own four-game win streak and sole possession of third place in the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA).
In the three post-Christmas games prior, the Wildcats had beaten Simpson 80-52, Cal State Stanislaus 86-48, and Sonoma State 82-65. That’s an average margin of victory of just over 25 points.
The Wildcats never trailed the fourth game in a row. Damario Sims delivered four assists and a bucket as the Wildcats built a 10-2 advantage that never shrank smaller than five.
The lead grew to 22 by the end of the half and as large as 26 after intermission as the Wildcats improved to 7-3 overall and 4-2 in the CCAA. They’re now tied with the Gators (6-4, 4-2 CCAA) for third place in the conference, a game behind Cal Poly Pomona and two back of Cal State San Bernardino.
Saturday’s score marked Chico State’s largest margin of victory over the Gators since an 88-61 home win on Jan. 21, 2006.
Rashad Parker led the way with 15 points, three assists and two steals. Damario Sims stuffed the stat sheet with 13 points, four rebounds, four assists, three blocked shots and a steal. Jordan Semple finished with 10 points and eight rebounds in his first collegiate start, filling in for the injured Sean Park. Jason Conrad also grabbed eight boards, blocked two shots, and finished with eight points.
Conrad’s blocked shots brought his career total to 61, moving him past former teammate Terence Pellum into fourth place on the school’s career list. The senior 7-footer needs 27 more this season to catch Ben Perak (2000-04) for the school record.
But it is what the Wildcats did on the other end of the floor that was most impressive. San Francisco State entered the evening averaging more than 74 points per game before being held to season-lows in scoring, field goal percentage, 3-point field goal percentage, and assists.
Sims, who became the 12th player in Chico State history to deliver his 200th career assist Friday night, nearly became the 12th to reach 1,000 points Saturday. He came up seven points short however. Deon Robinson (1997-2001) is the only Wildcat with career totals eclipsing both 1,000 points and 200 assists.
Sims will attempt to join Mr. Robinson next weekend when the Wildcats travel to take on UC San Diego Friday and Cal State San Bernardino Saturday to start a stretch in which they’ll play eight of their next 10 on the road.
