Tuesday, January 23, 2018

VIKINGS, FALCONS OPEN SECOND HALF ON ROOT SPORTS: As the second half of the GNAC season begins, two of the league’s top teams will showcase their stuff in front of a regional audience on ROOT SPORTS.

Western Washington will host Seattle Pacific on Saturday at 3 p.m., in the only GNAC game scheduled to be broadcast on the regional network. The telecast will be the first inside the remodeled Carver Gymnasium, which reopened in September after being closed for two years.

The Vikings enter the second half as one of Division II’s hottest teams. Currently on a 10-game win streak, Western Washington took its last loss on Dec. 12, 80-76, to Cal State East Bay. Ranked No. 16 in the D2SIDA Media Poll and No. 23 in the NABC Division II Coaches Poll, WWU leads the GNAC in free throw percentage (.753), field goal defense (.415), rebounding (41.8 per game), rebounding defense (29.7), blocked shots (6.67 per game) and defensive rebounds (30.11 per game). The Vikings are second in the GNAC in scoring at 84.9 points per game. Western Washington is ranked in the Division II top-10 in five statistical categories, including second in rebounding margin (+12.1) and fourth in total blocks (120).

Western Washington is led by sophomore forward Daulton Hommes, who is tied for third in the GNAC in scoring at 18.2 points per game. Junior guard Trey Drechsel is averaging 14.6 points and 7.1 rebounds per game and senior forward Deandre Dickson is averaging 14.3 points per game.

Seattle Pacific is experiencing a resurgence in head coach Grant Leep’s second season. After finishing the 2016-17 campaign at 12-6, the Falcons enter the week with an 11-6 overall record and tied for third in the GNAC standings at 6-4. The Falcons are 5-3 this season away from their home floor. The Falcons are third in the GNAC in both scoring (82.8 points per game) and rebounding (38.4 rebounds per game) and are fourth in the league in both field goal shooting (.480) and three-point shooting (.385). Seattle Pacific is 21st in Division II in free throw attempts (463) and 22nd in free throws made (332).

The Falcons hope to have the services of sophomore forward Tony Miller, who has missed the last three games due to injury. Miller is ranked fifth in the GNAC in scoring at 18 points per game and is averaging 6.2 rebounds per game. Sophomore guard Gavin Long is averaging 12.2 points per game while junior guard Nikhil Lizotte is averaging 10.4 points per contest.

ALSO NEAR THE TOP: Not to be left out of the top of the table discussion is Western Oregon. The Wolves are on a 10-game win streak of their own after home wins last week over Central Washington and Northwest Nazarene. The Wolves, ranked No. 6 in both the NABC Coaches Poll and D2SIDA Media Poll, is 17-1 overall. Their only loss was to Western Washington, 85-58, back on Dec. 2. The Wolves enter the week leading the GNAC and 27th in Division II in scoring, averaging 85.8 points per game. Western Oregon also leads the GNAC in field goal percentage (.515), scoring margin (+17.6), assists (17.72 per game) and steals (10 per game).

GNAC CHAMPIONSHIPS TICKETS ON SALE: Tickets are on sale for the 2018 GNAC Basketball Championships, which take place Mar. 1-3 at the Alaska Airlines Center in Anchorage, Alaska. Tournament passes for all three days are available for $30 for adults, $18 for students, seniors and youth, while single-game tickets are available for $15 for adults, $9 for students, seniors and youth. Tickets can be purchased online at gnachooptickets.com.

ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAMS: The following GNAC Players have been recognized with all-tournament team honors during the 2017-18 season...

PacWest/GNAC Conference Challenge (Nov. 10 & 11 at Bellingham, Wash.): Iziah Sherman-Newsome (SFU), Kedar Salam (SFU), Deandre Dickson (WWU), Daulton Hommes (WWU), Logan Schilder (WWU)

Alaska/Hawaii Challenge (Nov. 10 & 11 at Anchorage): Davis Kimble (UAF), LaDonovan Wilder (UAF), Jacob Lampkin (UAA).

GNAC/CCAA Challenge (Nov. 10 & 11 at Portland): Jarrett Gray (CU, Most Valuable Player), Christopher Edward (CU), Jawan Stepney (CWU).

Sodexo Classic (Nov. 17-18 at Seattle): Coleman Wooten (SPU, Most Valuable Player), Sam Simpson (SPU), Fuquan Niles (CWU).

Chuck Randall Classic (Nov. 24-25 at Bellingham, Wash.): Deandre Dickson (WWU), Daulton Hommes (WWU), Michael Kluting (UAF), Joe Lendway (UAF).

GCI Great Alaska Shootout (Nov. 22-25 at Anchorage): Jacob Lampkin (UAA).

Hoops In Hawaii Holiday Classic (Dec. 17-19 at Honolulu): Kendall Denham (MSUB), Trey Drechsel (WWU), Daulton Hommes (WWU).

THIS WEEK'S GNAC PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
Jawan Stepney
Central Washington
G • 6-4 • Sr. • Kent, Wash.

Stepney put together the second-best scoring performance in CWU history and the seventh best in GNAC history as he poured in 45 points in the Wildcats’ 111-100 overtime win over Concordia on Saturday. He finished the night shooting 13 of 21 from the field, 4 of 7 from three-point range and 15 of 18 from the free throw line to go along with four rebounds and seven assists. Stepney finished the week averaging 26.5 points per game in two home contests and shot 48.5 percent from the field.

Luke Chavez
Saint Martin’s
G • 6-4 • Jr. • Woodacre, Calif.

Chavez averaged 21 points, 6.5 rebounds, five assists as the Saints scored two wins to close the first half of the GNAC schedule. He led all scorers with 27 points in Tuesday’s 80-73 win at Seattle Pacific, making 10 of 19 from the field and 6 of 6 from the free throw line to go with four rebounds, three assists and three steals. He then scored 15 in Saturday’s 75-69 win over Montana State Billings to go along with nine rebounds, seven assists, five steals and a block.

Also Nominated: Jarrett Gray (Concordia), Zack Rollins (Montana State Billings), JJ Chirnside (Western Oregon), Trey Drechsel (Western Washington).

ALASKA
• Alaska closed the first half of the conference season with a split, falling to Western Washington on Thursday, 86-74, before taking a 74-57 win over Simon Fraser on Saturday.

• Junior guard David Kimble averaged 12.5 points per game in the two contests. He led the Nanooks with 17 points against Western Washington to go with five assists. He then finished with eight points against Simon Fraser. Kimble is averaging 12.5 points per game and is third in the GNAC with 4.38 assists per game.

• Junior guard Alex Baham averaged 11.5 points per game in the two home contests. He led all scorers with 16 points on 4 of 6 from three-point range and 4 of 4 from the free throw line against Simon Fraser. Baham is the Nanooks’ leading scorer with 12.9 points per game. He is sixth in the GNAC and ninth in Division II in three-point percentage (.484). He also ranks third in the GNAC in three-pointers made (2.75 per game) and fifth in free throw percentage (.870).

• Sophomore forward Michael Kluting pulled down 18 rebounds in the two games. He finished with a double-double of 14 points and 10 rebounds against Simon Fraser. Kluting is fourth in the GNAC with 7.8 rebounds per game and ranks sixth in defensive rebounds (5.44 per game).

• Alaska is averaging 75.4 points and 31.9 rebounds per game. The Nanooks lead the GNAC and are 28th in Division II with a .404 three-point percentage. Alaska is sixth in Division II in fewest fouls, having committed 245, and is second in the GNAC with 16.38 assists per game.

• Alaska opens the second half of the GNAC season at home, closing a four-game homestand against Western Oregon on Thursday and Concordia on Saturday.

ALASKA ANCHORAGE
• The Seawolves split its weekend games at home, defeating Simon Fraser on Thursday, 53-46, before closing the first half with a 70-61 loss to Western Washington on Saturday.

• Senior guard DJ Ursery was UAA’s leading scorer, averaging 12.5 points and 8.5 rebounds per game in the two contests. He finished one point short of a double-double against Simon Fraser, scoring nine points to go with 12 rebounds. Ursery then finished with a team-high 16 points with five rebounds against Western Washington. Ursery is the team’s leading active scorer, averaging 11.8 points per game.

• Freshman guard Brennan Rymer added 10 assists in the two games, six of which came against Western Washington. Junior guard Malik Clements added four steals, two in each game. Clements also scored eight points in both contests.

• Alaska Anchorage enters the week averaging 52.4 points and 33.9 rebounds per game. The Seawolves are second in the GNAC with a .753 free throw percentage and leads the league in scoring defense, allowing 64.1 points per game, and is third in both field goal defense (.429) and three-point defense (.334).

• Alaska Anchorage stays home to open the second half of the GNAC season, closing a four-game homestand by hosting Concordia on Thursday and Western Oregon on Saturday.

CENTRAL WASHINGTON
• Central Washington split two road games to end the first half of the GNAC schedule. The Wildcats lost 89-70 to Western Oregon on Thursday before going double overtime to best Concordia on Saturday, 111-100.

• Senior guard Jawan Stepney earned a share of GNAC Men’s Basketball Player of the Week honors for his 45-point performance at Concordia. In 39 minutes, Stepney went 13 of 21 from the field, 4 of 7 from three-point range and 15 of 18 from the free throw line to go with four rebounds and seven assists. The scoring performance is the second best in CWU history and seventh best in GNAC history. Stepney enters the week averaging 12.6 points per game.

• Junior guard Malik Montoya averaged 15 points per game in the two contests. His best effort came at Concordia on Saturday, scoring 20 points on 6 of 7 from the field and 5 of 5 from three-point range. Montoya is averaging 7.6 points per game and is second in the GNAC in three-point percentage (.511, 23-45).

• Senior center Fuquan Niles added 13 rebounds and three blocks to his solid defensive totals, including eight rebounds and two blocks at Concordia. Niles leads the GNAC and is 15th in Division II with 2.35 blocks per game while ranking 17th nationally with 40 total blocks. Niles is also third in the GNAC with 7.8 rebounds per game.

• The Wildcats enter the week averaging 79.9 points per game and is second in the GNAC with 39.1 rebounds per contest. Central Washington leads the league in offensive rebounds (12.47 per game) and is fourth in blocked shots (3.94 per game), steals (7.53 per game) and defensive rebounds (26.59 per game).

• Central Washington opens the second half of the GNAC season at Northwest Nazarene on Tuesday before returning home to face Montana State Billings on Saturday.

CONCORDIA
• The Cavaliers are looking to put a rapid end to a 14-game losing streak. Concordia lost two home games last week, dropping a 64-49 decision to Northwest Nazarene on Thursday and a 111-100 double overtime tilt to Central Washington on Saturday.

• Junior guard Jarrett Gray keeps leading the Cavaliers offensively, averaging 25.5 points per game in the two games while going a perfect 13 of 13 from the free throw line. He opened the week with 24 points and four rebounds against Northwest Nazarene and then added 27 points and six rebounds while going 10 for 10 from the free throw line against Central Washington. Gray is sixth in the GNAC in scoring with 17.6 points per game. He leads the GNAC and is 10th in Division II in minutes, averaging 37:30 per game.

• Senior guard/forward Bryan Michaels averaged 19.5 points per game in the two contests. He poured in 32 points on 10 of 17 from the field against Central Washington. Michaels is averaging 11.9 points per game

• Senior forward Christopher Edward averaged 14 points and 9.5 rebounds in the two contests. He had a double-double of 15 points and 13 rebounds against Northwest Nazarene and added 13 points and six rebounds against Central Washington. Edward leads the GNAC and is 10th in Division II with 11 rebounds per game. He is also fourth in Division II with his 12 double-doubles while ranking fourth in the GNAC in field goal percentage (.584) and eighth in scoring (15.8 points per game).

• Concordia enters the week averaging 73.1 points and 34.4 rebounds per game.

• The Cavaliers open the second half of the GNAC season in Alaska, playing at Alaska Anchorage on Thursday before facing the Nanooks on Saturday.

MONTANA STATE BILLINGS
• Montana State Billings dropped both road games to end the first half of GNAC play, falling 98-87 at Seattle Pacific on Thursday and 75-69 at Saint Martin’s on Saturday.

• Junior guard/forward Zack Rollins led the MSUB offense, averaging 21 points per game in the two games. He led all scorers in both games, finishing with 25 points at Seattle Pacific and 17 points at Saint Martin’s. Rollins leads the Yellowjackets and is ninth in the GNAC in scoring, averaging 14.6 points per game. He is 26th in Division II with 144 three-pointers attempted and 18th nationally with 58 three-pointers made.

• Senior guard Kendall Denham averaged 16 points per game in the two contests and shot 55.6 percent from the field. He had 16 points in both games, connecting on 5 of 8 from the field against Seattle Pacific and shooting 5 of 10 from the field and 5 of 6 from the free throw line at Saint Martin’s. Denham is averaging 12.5 points per game and is sixth in the GNAC with 2.38 three-pointers made per game.

• Montana State Billings continues to rank as one of Division II’s top three-point shooting teams. The Yellowjackets rank third in Division II with 232 three-pointers made, fourth with 587 three-point attempts and 14th with 11 three-pointers made per game. The Yellowjackets are third in the GNAC with a .395 three-point percentage.

• The Yellowjackets are fourth in the GNAC in scoring at 81.7 points per game and average 34.5 rebounds per game. The Yellowjackets are third in the GNAC in free throw percentage (.751) and second in three-point defense (.322) and are also 22nd in Division II with 84 total blocks.

• Montana State Billings is back on the road to start the second half of conference play, playing at Northwest Nazarene on Thursday and at Central Washington on Saturday.

NORTHWEST NAZARENE
• Northwest Nazarene finished with a split for the third consecutive week, collecting a 69-64 road win from Concordia on Thursday before falling at Western Oregon on Saturday, 82-64.

• Junior guard Obi Megwa led the Nighthawks by averaging 18 points and seven rebounds per game in the two games. He finished with 14 points and eight rebounds against Concordia and led all scorers with 22 points to go with five rebounds against Western Oregon. Megwa leads the GNAC in scoring at 19.1 points per game and is tied for 10th with 3.44 assists per game.

• Freshman guard Sam Roth led NNU with 16 points and nine rebounds at Concordia, making 6 of 9 from the field and 4 of 6 from three-point range. Roth started both games last week and has started six of 16 games this season, averaging 5.9 points per game.

• Senior forward Maurice Jones returned to the lineup to score 15 points at Western Oregon, making 5 of 5 from three-point range. Jones is second in the GNAC in both scoring and rebounding with 18.3 points and 9.3 rebounds per game. Jones is also fourth in Division II with a .500 three-point percentage (37-74).

• The Nighthawks are averaging 80.4 points and 37.3 rebounds per game. Northwest Nazarene is third in the GNAC with 26.88 defensive rebounds per game.

• Northwest Nazarene begins a four-game homestand on Tuesday against Central Washington before hosting Montana State Billings on Thursday.

SAINT MARTIN’S
• Saint Martin’s closed the first half of the GNAC season with a three-game win streak, collecting an 80-73 win at Seattle Pacific on Tuesday and a 75-69 win over Montana State Billings on Saturday.

• Junior guard Luke Chavez shared GNAC Men’s Basketball Player of the Week honors after he averaged 21 points per game in the two games and went a perfect 10 of 10 from the free throw line. Chavez led all scorers with 27 points at SPU, connecting on 10 of 19 from the field and 6 of 6 from the free throw line. He then led the Saints with 15 points to go with nine rebounds against MSUB. Chavez is seventh in the GNAC in scoring, averaging 16.6 points per game. He is also third in GNAC in steals (2.28 per game), fourth in free throw percentage (.875) and sixth in assists (4.00 per game).

• Junior guard EJ Boyce averaged 14 points per game in the two games and made 52.9 percent of his shots from the field and 57.1 percent from three-point range. He finished with 17 points, which included five three-pointers, at Seattle Pacific and finished with 11 against MSUB. Boyce is averaging 11.6 points per game and leads the GNAC with 3.11 three-pointers made per game.

• Freshman guard/forward Tavian Henderson continues to lead the GNAC in field goal shooting at 75 percent (63-84). He made 7 of 11 from the field in the last two games, including 4 of 6 against Seattle Pacific.

• Saint Martin’s is averaging 80.3 points and 34.7 rebounds per game. The Saints are third in the GNAC with 15.44 assists per game and fourth in three-point defense (.335).

• The Saints open the second half of the GNAC season on the road, playing at Western Washington on Thursday and at Simon Fraser on Saturday.

SEATTLE PACIFIC
• Seattle Pacific closed the first half of the GNAC season with a split, falling on Tuesday to Saint Martin’s, 80-73, before taking a 98-87 win from Montana State Billings on Thursday.

• Junior forward Coleman Wooten led the Falcons as he averaged 15 points and nine rebounds per game last week. He finished short of a double-double against Saint Martin’s with nine points and 10 rebounds before surging to score 21 points with eight rebounds against MSUB. Wooten enters the week averaging 9.5 points and 6.7 rebounds per game.

• Sophomore guard Gabe Colosimo averaged 14 points and 7.5 rebounds per game in the two contests. He scored 16 points and pulled down seven rebounds against Saint Martin’s and added 12 points and eight rebounds against MSUB. Colosimo is averaging 7.7 points per game and is making 50 percent (16-32) from three-point range.

• Sophomore guard Gavin Long also averaged 14 points per game last week, topped by his 16 points, including 9 of 9 from the free throw line, against MSUB. Freshman guard Harry Cavell averaged 13 points per game, topped by his 16 points on 5 of 9 from the field against Saint Martin’s.

• Seattle Pacific is third in the GNAC in scoring and rebounding, averaging 82.8 points and 38.4 rebounds per game. The Falcons are 21st in Division II with 463 free throw attempts and 22nd with 332 free throws made. Additionally, the Falcons are fourth in the GNAC in free throw percentage (.717), field goal percentage (.480) and three-point percentage (.385).

• Seattle Pacific plays at Simon Fraser on Thursday before traveling to Bellingham on Saturday to face Western Washington for a 3 p.m. game that will be aired on ROOT SPORTS.

SIMON FRASER
• Simon Fraser closed the first half of the GNAC season with five straight losses. The Clan took two losses in Alaska last week, falling 53-46 to Alaska Anchorage on Thursday and 74-57 to Alaska on Saturday.

• Senior guard Kedar Salam continues to be the Clan’s top scoring threat, averaging 13 points per game in the two games last week. He was one of three SFU players to score 11 points against UAA and led SFU with 15 points and six rebounds at Alaska. Salam is third in the GNAC in scoring, averaging 18.2 points per game.

• Senior guard/forward Iziah Sherman-Newsome and sophomore guard Michael Provenzano joined Salam with 11-point performances against Alaska Anchorage. Provenzano also added a 12-point effort at Alaska. Provenzano continues to rank second in the GNAC with 4.39 assists per game and is seventh with a .860 free throw percentage.

• Salam and sophomore Othniel Spence are tied for ninth in the GNAC in steals, averaging 1.28 steals per game. Senior guard/forward JJ Pankratz is 10th in the GNAC with 6.5 rebounds per game and seventh with 1.35 blocked shots per game.

• Simon Fraser enters the week averaging 73.9 points and 33.7 rebounds per game. Despite the losing, the Clan is still ahead of their win total from the last two years combined with eight victories and within reach of their GNAC-era best of 11 wins from the 2014-15 season.
• Simon Fraser opens the second half of the GNAC schedule at home, hosting Seattle Pacific on Thursday and Saint Martin’s on Saturday.

WESTERN OREGON
• Western Oregon is now on a 10-game win streak and closed the first half of the GNAC schedule with an 89-70 win over Central Washington on Thursday and an 82-74 win over Northwest Nazarene on Saturday.

• The win allowed the Wolves to move up to No. 6 in both this week’s NABC and D2SIDA Division II polls. Western Oregon is No. 1 in the D2SIDA West Region Rankings for the second straight week.

• Senior forward JJ Chirnside led the Wolves in scoring, finishing with a career-high 18 points in both contests. He came off the bench to score the 18 on 8 of 11 from the field to go with eight rebounds against Central Washington. He matched the scoring against Northwest Nazarene on 7 of 12 from the field and finished the week shooting 65.2 percent from the field. Chirnside enters the week averaging 8.9 points and 4.9 rebounds per game and is 10th in the GNAC with a .545 field goal percentage (67-123).

• Sophomore forward Riley Hawken led the Wolves in rebounding with 18 boards in the two games. He had 12 of those rebounds, including five offensive, against Northwest Nazarene.

• Senior forward Tanner Omlid was WOU’s leading scorer against Central Washington with 21 points to go with six rebounds, five assists, six steals and two blocks. Omlid leads the GNAC and is ninth in Division II with 2.50 steals per game and is second in the GNAC and 27th in Division II with 2.11 blocks per game.

• The Wolves lead the GNAC and are ranked 27th in Division II in scoring, averaging 85.8 points per game. Western Oregon leads the GNAC in scoring margin (+17.6), field goal percentage (.516), assists (17.72 per game) and steals (10.00). The Wolves rank fourth in Division II in field goal percentage.

• Western Oregon is in Alaska to begin the second half of the GNAC season, playing at Alaska on Thursday and at Alaska Anchorage on Saturday.

WESTERN WASHINGTON
• Western Washington reached the GNAC halfway turn perfect, running its record to 10-0 and its win streak to 10 games with an 86-74 win at Alaska on Thursday and a 70-61 win at Alaska Anchorage on Saturday.

• The Vikings moved up five spots to No. 16 in this week’s D2SIDA Division II Media Poll and emerged at No. 23 in the NABC Coaches Poll. The Vikings are also No. 2 in the D2SIDA West Region Rankings.

• Junior guard Trey Drechsel once again led the WWU scoring, averaging 20 points per game last week. He led all scorers with 25 points on 9 of 13 from the field and 5 of 7 from three-point range at Alaska to go along with six rebounds and five assists. He notched a double-double of 15 points and 10 rebounds at Alaska Anchorage. Drechsel is 10th in the GNAC in scoring, averaging 14.6 points per game, and is sixth in rebounding at 7.1 boards per game.

• Junior center Logan Schilder matched Drechsel with a 15-point performance against Alaska Anchorage to go along with nine rebounds. Schilder also had nine rebounds at Alaska and led the Vikings last week with nine rebounds per game while shooting 77.8 percent from the field. Schilder is fifth in the GNAC with 7.2 rebounds per game.

• Sophomore forward Daulton Hommes averaged 18 points per game last week. He poured in 23 of those points against Alaska, making 7 of 11 from the field and 5 of 7 from three-point range. Hommes is the Vikings’ leading scorer and is tied for third in the GNAC in scoring at 18.2 points per game. Hommes also leads the GNAC and is 26th in Division II with a .893 free throw percentage (75-84).

• Western Washington leads the GNAC in free throw percentage (.767), field goal defense (.407), rebounding (41.8 per game), rebounding defense (29.7), blocked shots (6.67 per game) and defensive rebounds (30.11 per game). The Vikings are second in the GNAC in scoring at 84.9 points per game. In the Division II stats, WWU is fourth in rebounding margin (+17.6) and blocked shots and seventh in defensive rebounds per game.

• The Vikings open the second half of the GNAC season at home, hosting Saint Martin’s on Thursday and will have a chance to show off the remodeled Carver Gym on Saturday when they host Seattle Pacific at 3 p.m. in a game that will air on ROOT SPORTS.