By Edward Lewis, Sports Editor
The San Diego State men’s basketball team has affectionately dubbed sophomore forward Kawhi Leonard the “human ‘Avatar’” this offseason.
Point Loma Nazarene found out why last night at Viejas Arena.
Leonard scored a dazzling 18 points in 11 first-half minutes against PLNU and finished with a game-high 20. He dunked, dribbled, shot and led his SDSU squad to a 92-54 blowout victory against the Sea Lions in an exhibition match in front of 5,240 fans.
“I got to see him last year and he’s a stud,” PLNU head coach Ethan Hamilton said of Leonard. “To me, he has improved his perimeter game and he shot the ball well. He’s just a high-percentage scorer.”
Leonard added six rebounds, one assist and one steal in his 18 minutes played last night. But he wasn’t the only Aztec who shined against the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) Sea Lions. Senior forward Malcolm Thomas posted a double-double with 14 points and 14 rebounds, senior forward Billy White scored 14 points as well and sophomore guard James Rahon added 12 points as SDSU looked every bit like the No. 25 team in the nation in its 38-point shellacking.
“We got out of it what we hoped we would,” head coach Steve Fisher said. “We thought we were the better team and we need to make sure that we continue to stay with it when we get a lead … All in all, I thought it was a good effort and this will help us when we go back and look and prepare for the start of the season Saturday at Long Beach.”
The Aztecs used last night’s exhibition as a tune up game for Saturday’s season-opener against Long Beach State in Long Beach. Senior guard and captain D.J. Gay said he liked what he saw from his team.
“We’re steps ahead of last year,” Gay said. “I don’t have to second guess where our players are going to be. Playing with them for a year now I know where everybody likes to be, what they like to do, and as a point guard, that’s something you have to know. With a year of experience under our belt, the next step is winning in the (NCAA tournament).”
