2007-08 NNU Men's Basketball Preview

By Craig Stensgaard, NNU Sports Information Director

As Northwest Nazarene University men's basketball coach Tim Hills enters his third season with the Crusaders, the focus of his pre-season practices have been on one thing…Defense.

“We are going to be much improved this year and our season is going to depend on two things…How fast we gel together and the commitment that our kids make to really wanting to get stops on every possession,” Hills comments as he enters his 35 th year on the bench, bringing a combined collegiate coaching record of 589-471 to the gym.

While the Crusaders only return five players, scoring points isn't an issue for Hills as his offensive attack returns in both GNAC Freshman-of-the-Year Justin Parnell (Sutherlin, Ore.) and sophomore forward Kendall Gielow (Medford, Ore./South Medford), it's stopping the opponents that Hills is concerned with. Last season the Crusaders finished in seventh place in the GNAC (5-11) with an overall record of 10-17.

“Obviously, Justin is going to be a huge part of what we do, but his big goal right now is to become a real lock-down defender, so I am really impressed with his attitude and desire to get better. We expect him to have a really good year, and having been through the league once, he knows what to expect even though he is going to be a marked man.”

Parnell, who was also an all-GNAC honorable mention all-star, finished 10 th in the league in scoring last season and led the Crusaders at 14.9 points per game while Gielow was NNU's top man on the glass (5.3 rpg) and was right behind Parnell in scoring at 12.3 ppg.

“Kendall is just a monster right now. He came back from the summer break having really developed his body, gaining good weight and muscle. We are excited to watch him continue to develop.”

“We have more of a toughness to our team this year and I really like that. We also have much more depth and that is a key because it gives us the ability to make players play tougher by playing pretty deep.”

Depth that begins with returning sophomore Louie Beech (Nampa, Idaho/Skyview), senior post Jason Simmons (Oakland, Ore./Olympic CC) and junior post Scott Helpenstell (Port Angeles, Wash./Peninsula CC).

Beech enters the season as a question mark, dealing with a pre-season hand injury that has forced a wait-and-see approach for Hills. “It will depend on how his hand injury heals. He has been playing well and has made big strides during the off season, so I wouldn't be surprised to see him win a starting spot.” Beech averaged 7.6 points and 2.4 rebounds last season, starting four games as a freshman, but primarily filled the sixth-man role for the Crusaders.

“Jason (Simmons) can really score the ball, but his playing time will depend on how well and how hard he defends and rebounds…He just needs to get tougher,” Hills comments on his senior post who averaged 9.8 points and 5.1 rebounds last season.

Crusader fans only had a glimpse of Helpenstell last season, as an abdominal injury kept the 6-foot-6 post off the floor all year with a medical redshirt. “Scott is very quick and jumps well, so he brings something a little different at the post, simply because he runs the floor so well. I think the fans saw a little of that during the Albertson exhibition game last year.” Hills is referencing the 11 minutes of exhibition action in which Helpenstell scored 12 points and grabbed nine rebounds against the Coyotes in his only action of the season.

With the graduation of three-year starting point guard Marcus Clift, Hills thinks he has found a worthy replacement in the 6-foot-5, 215-pound, Tyler Roberts (Albany, Ore./West Albany).

“Tyler is a really talented point guard, but has the ability to play multiple positions. He is a great passer and will help us get some easy baskets. You can tell he grew up in a coaches house, and with his size, he can rebound it and add a new dimension to our team.” Roberts, who is a sophomore, transfers to NNU after averaging 8.1 points and 4.0 rebounds in one season at Corban College in Salem, Oregon.

Also joining the NNU backcourt will be Adam Shildmyer (Bremerton, Wash./King's West), Joel Ryman (Spokane, Wash./Northwest Christian), Tippy Burk (Port Orchard, Wash./South Kitsap) and Joe Grewe (Colbert, Wash./Northwest Christian).

Shildmyer comes to NNU after playing two seasons at Olympic Community College where he averaged 18.0 points and 6.0 rebounds per game as a sophomore, shooting 40-percent from the three-point line. “Adam can really shoot it, I don't think there is any question that he can shoot it as well as anyone in the league.” Ryman also brings two years of collegiate experience, having played at Spokane Community College, scoring 8.0 points per game during in 2005-06. “Joel may be our best pure shooter and is very physical for his size.”

Both freshman guards, Burk was the Washington 4A Narrows League MVP as a senior at South Kitsap High School and Grewe led his Northwest Christian High team to back-to-back Washington B state titles. “Tippy is a hard-nosed defender and has a good mind for the game. As he picks up our defensive principles, he will see time on the floor right away. Joe will need some time to adjust to the speed of the Division II game, but he has the potential to contribute.”

Adding to the depth in the front-court, Hills and assistant coach Brandon Rinta added junior transfer Matt Mgebroff (Kent, Wash./Kentwood) and freshman Brian Barkdoll (Portland, Ore./Central Catholic).

“Matt is sold player that does many things well and he may be our best post defender right now,“ Hills comments on the 6-foot-7 Mgebroff who won an NWAACC championship at Highline Community College in 2006.

“Brian is going to be a very good Division II player. He just needs to grow and learn the defensive adjustments needed at our level.” Barkdoll is a 6-foot-10 post who was the Oregon 6A Mount Hood Conference MVP and an all-state honorable mention selection as a senior.

Morgan McGovert (Boise, Idaho/Capital) rounds out the Crusader roster, transferring to NNU from Vanguard University in California where he redshirted in 2005-06 and averaged 2.0 points and 1.0 rebounds last season.

With the roster set and practice under way, Hills can focus on the upcoming exhibition season, which will see his team face Northwest Christian College in a November 3 rd Homecoming game, the University of Utah (Nov. 6 th ) for the second time in the last four years and The College of Idaho (Nov. 13 th ) in the 4 th annual United Heritage Tip Off at the Idaho Center in Nampa.

“I like the way our exhibition season is set up, it gives us time to get our kids ready and prepared for that opening weekend.”

An opening weekend that will test the Crusaders defensive emphasis with important, in-region Division II, match-ups against California Collegiate Athletic Association members Chico State and Notre Dame de Namur at the Central Washington Invitational on November 16 th and 17 th .

“Unless we win the GNAC title outright, every Division II game is just as important as a league game, so we need to go into those opening games with that in mind and make the kids understand that.”

Understanding that and the value of Hills defensive philosophy will go a long way as the Crusaders ready themselves for the 2007-08 season.