Richetto Provides the Spark as Chapman Beats La Verne

There’s garbage time and then there’s garbage time .

And Chapman College Coach Rich Prospero prefers the type of ragged, bumbling, out-of-control style of basketball that he saw in the final 3 minutes Tuesday night. You know the type, when it’s late in the game and one team has an insurmountable lead.

Tuesday, the team was Chapman and for Prospero, the last 3 minutes of garbage time was certainly better than what he saw of the Panthers in the first half.

After going through the motions in the first half, Chapman came alive to defeat La Verne University, 84-71, in front of 250 at the Hutton Sports Center.

“I told the players at halftime that they looked lousy,” Prospero said. “That was the only way to describe what had happened. They just didn’t come out ready to play.”

The Panthers (3-1), who hadn’t played a game in 10 days, made up for it the minute the second half began.

Bryan Richetto set the tempo with a steal that resulted in a basket by Matt Honikel. It started an 8-0 run that turned a 41-36 deficit into a 44-41 Chapman lead. La Verne never recovered.

With Honikel (10 rebounds) controlling the defensive boards and Richetto (9 assists) leading the break, the Panthers continued to extend their lead.

Richetto, a sophomore guard, was the key to the Panthers’ resurgence. He led a fast break which has been dormant through most of the season, but one that came alive with a vengeance in the second half.

After taking a 44-41 lead, Chapman went on a 19-6 run. The Panthers scored 15 of those points on the fast break.

Richetto had 4 points and 3 assists during that span. At the end of the run, the Panthers had a 62-47 lead, which all but decided matters.