Sanson’s Cheerleading Inspires Master’s Win : College basketball: Injured Mustang provides an emotional lift in 62-54 victory over Biola.

Phil Sanson forgot that he was wearing street clothes.

He was too busy jumping off the bench, pumping his fists and high-fiving. With every dunk and each hard-fought rebound and steal, he erupted with joy.

Sanson cannot talk, but his body language spoke volumes while his teammates from The Master’s College defeated Biola, 62-54, Wednesday night at Bross Gymnasium.

It was Sanson’s first game with his teammates since he crushed his larynx diving headfirst into the bleachers to save the ball from going out of bounds Jan. 9 in a game against Dominican College in San Rafael, Calif.

Sanson underwent an emergency cricothyrotomy to clear his air passage. Later, a tracheotomy tube was inserted to improve his breathing. Until the swelling in his larynx subsides, his ability to regain his speech and breathe without the tube is unknown.

In the meantime, he gave his teammates an emotional lift.

“At times, I forgot I was in street clothes,� Sanson wrote afterward. “I wanted to go out on the floor and play. This was a very big and emotional win. The guys all pulled together and played great. I had more butterflies before tonight than any other game so far this year.

“My roommate Don Peters (career-high 13 points) told me that he and the guys were going to win tonight for me and he went out and got the player of the game. Tonight was great, I couldn’t have wished for them to play any better.�

The Master’s (12-8, 6-2 in District 3 play) won its sixth consecutive game and is 9-3 since Coach Mel Hankinson returned from a colon infection.

Biola (14-8, 4-4), pulled within one point (48-47) with 5 minutes 31 seconds to play, but the Mustangs answered with an 8-0 run to seal the victory. Emeka Okenwa scored a team-high 15 points.

In pregame ceremonies, forward Rusty Clark dedicated the game to Sanson, led the standing-room-only crowd of 1,100 in a prayer for him and presented him with his jersey, framed in a picture frame. He also gave flowers to Sanson’s mother, Nancy.

“This is like one big lovable family,� said Nancy, who has stayed on The Master’s campus since Saturday when she arrived from San Francisco with Phil.

Sanson and his mother will travel Friday to his hometown, Girard, Ill.

He plans to return to campus in three weeks and graduate with his class in May.