Wildcats win home opener

Kenta Mcafee // November 23, 2016

Junior guard Isaiah Ellis gets set in the paint and looks for a pass during a Wildcats home game. Photo credit: Jordan Jarrell

A barrage from behind the arc lifted the Chico State men’s basketball team over Stanislaus State Nov. 22 in the Wildcats first home game.

Junior guard Jalen McFerren was a reliable scorer for the Wildcats. He drained three shots from outside and finished with 13 points in the game. McFerren led the team with successful passing and earned four assists in the game.

While McFerren supported the team through his play-making and from beyond the arc, junior forward Isaiah Ellis was a dominant force inside. Ellis made eight of 11 attempts and led the team with 18 points, his season high.

Along with his scoring production, Ellis grabbed seven rebounds and had three assists in the game.

The deciding factor in the game for Chico State was its efficient shooting with a 46 percent field goal percentage. Stanislaus State was limited to 38 percent shooting from the field and made only three of 11 attempts from outside.

First-year center Justin Briggs was a major reason for the lack of offensive success for Stanislaus State as he controlled the paint and had four blocked shots in the game.

The defensive threat of Briggs and the quick hands of senior guard Robert Duncan, who had four steals in the game, provided a difficult wall of defense for Stanislaus State to overcome.

Key Players:

Isaiah Ellis