When his parents told him to go to the mainland for college, Cody Tesoro listened.

When his dad pushed him to attend the same college he went to, Tesoro fought back.

“;They said they wouldn't help with tuition if I went to school in Hawaii, so I went away, but I didn't want to go to Linfield (Ore.) College even though my dad went there and wanted me to go there,”; Tesoro said. “;I decided on Western Oregon.”;

After two rough years at Western Oregon, Tesoro heeded the words of his father and transferred to Linfield, where he is now a standout senior point guard and the team's second-leading scorer as it looks to reach the Northwest Conference playoffs for the third straight season.

“;Looking back, I wish I went to Linfield out of high school,”; said Tesoro, a Baldwin ('05) alumnus. “;I just didn't like the fit for me (at Western Oregon).”;

While things couldn't have been more jumbled at WOU, it's been smooth sailing for Tesoro at Linfield, where he has seized control of a team looking to break through and finally win an elusive conference tournament title.

“;We've come close every year,”; Tesoro said. “;I think we definitely have a better shot than we had the past few years.

“;It's hard because the teams in the conference are so evenly matched, but yeah, I think this is the best shot we have.”;

After a 1-6 start to the season, the Wildcats (10-10) entered conference play and rattled off six straight wins. Tesoro, who is second on the team in scoring (18.1 points per game) and first in steals (25), assists (49) and 3-pointers made (34), guided Linfield into a marquee game against Whitworth for first place that was televised across the state of Washington.

“;It felt like Division I,”; he said. “;There were cameras everywhere, commentators, replays, it was just crazy. The gym was packed. It was a lot of fun.”;

The Wildcats lost by 17 and are 3-3 since, including a 105-93 loss to Willamette (Ore.) on Saturday. Despite a career-high 36 points from Tesoro, who went 8-for-12 from beyond the 3-point line, Linfield lost to a team that only had two conference wins entering that game.

“;It was just one of those nights where everything I threw up was going in, but it was definitely bittersweet because we lost,”; Tesoro said. “;I would have traded all those points for a win.”;

Linfield is still in sole possession of second place, and with four games remaining, is in a solid spot to qualify for the NWC tournament. However, the Wildcats close their season with senior night against Whitworth, which is ranked No. 8 among NCAA Division III schools and the favorite to win the conference tournament.

“;Couldn't ask for a better way to end the season against Whitworth with the family coming up,”; Tesoro said. “;I think it'll be important for us to compete with them and prove that we can beat them.”;

Tesoro plans to continue his basketball career after college, hoping to play overseas.

“;It's definitely something I'm looking at,”; he said. “;It'd be nice just to say you played professionally overseas and all that, but right now I don't want to jinx it.

“;I just want to enjoy my last few weeks of college basketball at Linfield.”;

Ching leads Toreros to victory

Reigning West Coast Conference freshman of the year Alex Ching shot a final-round 69 to help San Diego overcome a six-shot deficit on the final day to win the USD Callaway Invitational golf tournament on Tuesday at Rancho Santa Fe, Calif.

The Toreros won their own tournament for the first time in five years with Ching leading the way. A 2008 Punahou graduate, Ching shot rounds of 72 and 70 before finishing with a 3-under 69 to finish in second place individually.

“;It was nice to come out with the win,”; Ching said after the tournament. “;There were a lot of good teams here, like SMU and Fresno State, and we were just fortunate to win.”;

The Toreros held off SMU by three shots to win. Ching's 69 was one of the low final-round scores of the tournament.

Ching averaged a 73.67 in 12 rounds during the fall and had two top-five finishes. He competed in the 2008 Sony Open and missed the cut despite shooting consecutive even-par 72s.

Billy Hull, Star-Bulletin

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