Nunnally and Johnson too much for Utah State

The tag team of James Nunnally (24 points/ 11 rebounds) and Orlando Johnson 22 points powered UC Santa Barbara to a 72-64 victory over host Utah State.

Santa Barbara by four over SD

UC Santa Barbara got by San Diego 65-61 as James Nunnally scored 14 points and Orlando Johnson contributed 12 plus four assists.

JC scores and HS links

Both James Nunnally and Orlando Johnson had quite the night Thursday eve in leading UC Santa Barbara to a victory over Cal Poly.

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Joe Davidson offers a nice writeup on the Monterey Trail team.

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Salinas High is enjoying a strong season as John Devine reports.

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Los Medanos 61, Contra Costa 54

Los Medanos -- Bennie Johnson 7 4-7 22 (including four treys), Dominigue (Georgia JC) Grant 5 2-2 13, Corey (Castlemont High) Douglas 6 0-0 12

Contra Costa -- Bobby (Inderkum High) Ward 6 3-4 17, Jeremy (DeAnza High) Bardwell 7 2-2 16

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Merritt 68, Napa 60

Merritt -- Saajid (Grant High) Polite 5 6-10 17, Will Tolefree 7 1-2 16, Roman (Rodriguez High) Robinson 5 3-4 14   *** Merritt basketball can be followed here

Napa -- Brandon (Vallejo High) Cole 5 3-4 16, Jordan (Hogan High) Greenwell 6 2-4 14

James Nunnally earns second Big West POW honor

Junior James Nunnally was named Big West Player of the Week for the second time this season after leading UCSB to a win at 22nd-ranked UNLV last week.

Nunnally scored a game-high 23 points and had seven rebounds in the win over the Rebels. He made 7-of-12 shots overall, 3-of-6 from three-point range and all six of his free throws. Nunnally made the six free throws in the second half with four coming in the waning seconds. 

"James was outstanding and that was a big win for us," said UCSB head coach Bob Williams. "He is very deserving of the award." 

On Saturday at 7th-ranked San Diego State, the native of Stockton, Calif., had 15 points and three rebounds. 

Nunnally previously earned Big West Player of the Week honors after leading the Gauchos to wins over Loyola Marymount and Santa Clara. Against LMU he had a career-high 29 points and three days later he had a career-high 34 against Santa Clara.

Nunnally and Johnson team up to top UNLV

What a win and paced by two northern California players.

UC Santa Barbara went to Vegas and beat #22 UNLV 68-62 for a solid signature victory. Weston Ranch star James Nunnally scored 23 points and grabbed seven boards while Palma's Orlando Johnson scored just 12 but grabbed 15 boards.

Each is averaging over 20 points per game.

Former Weston Ranch star James Nunnally named Big West POW

From UC Santa Barbara athletics:

 UC Santa Barbara guard/forward James Nunnally was named Big West Player of the Week after topping his career-high in scoring twice and leading the Gauchos to wins over Loyola Marymount and Santa Clara.

Nunnally made 11-of-14 shots overall and 4-of-5 from three-point range to score a career-high 29 points in UCSB's 77-67 win over Loyola Marymount on Dec. 1. In the win over the Lions, the junior from Stockton, Calif., also had six rebounds and four assists in 35 minutes of action.

The career-high for points that Nunnally set in the win over Loyola Marymount lasted for all of three days. On Saturday, Dec. 4, he poured in 34 points in the Gauchos' 80-69 win at Santa Clara. Nunnally made 8-of-11 field goals, including 4-of-6 from three-point territory, and 14-of-16 free throws. He also had five rebounds, two assists and three steals in the victory over the Broncos.

Nunnally's performance in the Gauchos' first road win of the year was particularly important because the team's other leading scorer, Orlando Johnson, was in foul trouble and limited to 23 minutes overall and four in the first half.

In the two games combined, Nunnally averaged 31.5 points, 5.5 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 1.5 steals per game. He made 19-of-25 shots from the field, 76.0%, 8-of-11 from three-point range, 72.7%, and 17-of-19 from the free throw line, 89.5%.

"James was really special last week," said UCSB head coach Bob Williams. "In both games he was a difference-maker and he is going very well right now."

On the season, Nunnally is now leading the Gauchos at 21.9 points and 6.1 rebounds per game. He is shooting 51.1% overall, 36.6% from three-point range and 89.8% from the free throw line. He ranks first in the Big West in scoring and 14th in the nation.

Former Weston Rancher James Nunnally scores 29

From the UCSB athletics site:

James Nunnally scored a career-high 29 points, including 13 during a decisive 18-0 second half run, and UC Santa Barbara shot 61.7% from the field en route to a 77-67 win over visiting Loyola Marymount on Wednesday night...

...Nunnally made 11-of-14 shots overall and 4-of-5 from three-point territory...

The Brothers Nunnally

Here's a game report and a human interest feature:

Nunnally brothers reunited
Younger sibling explodes for 19 in homecoming
Jagada Chambers
Manteca Bulletin
February 5, 2010

STOCKTON — They have played basketball at the park, in the church and on the driveway.

Both earned multiple Valley Oak League championships for different Manteca Unified high schools.

And Thursday evening their basketball careers crossed paths for possibly the final time at Spanos Center where sophomore James Nunnally and UC Santa Barbara got the better of big brother Michael Nunnally’s Pacific Tigers 61-48 for the second time in Big West Conference play...

Go here for the remainder.