Wednesday, January 4, 2023

The return to conference play proved that the way to get ahead is to win your home games.

Of the 11 men’s basketball games played by GNAC teams last week, 10 were won by the home team. That allowed the conference’s top teams to pull further ahead in the standings two weeks into the season.

Saint Martin’s improved to 4-0 with a pair of solid home wins, beating Simon Fraser 94-81 on Thursday and Western Washington 89-84 on Saturday. The Saints beat their opponents with outside shooting and poise at the free-throw line, connecting on 44.2% from outside and 85.7% at the line.

The wins yielded the GNAC Men’s Basketball Player of the Week in senior guard Branden Bunn, who averaged 21.5 points per game and led SMU in scoring in both contests.

Montana State Billings also improved to 4-0 in conference play with two home wins. The Yellowjackets scored a 16-point win over Central Washington on Thursday, 63-47, before pulling away for a 54-48 victory over Northwest Nazarene on Saturday. The MSUB defense limited opponents to 29.2% shooting and just 8 of 43 from three-point range.

Seattle Pacific improved to 3-1 in conference play with two wins and a banner night for junior forward Shaw Anderson. The Falcons collected a 79-69 win over the Nighthawks on Thursday and a 93-84 win over the Wildcats on Saturday. Anderson scored his 1,000th career point on Saturday, becoming the 88th player in conference history to reach the milestone.

Alaska Anchorage, meanwhile, picked up three home wins. The schedule included a pair of non-conference victories over Portland Bible that yielded a couple of conference records.

In Wednesday’s 108-36 rout, the Seawolves limited the Arrows to just 32 field goals attempted. That surpassed the GNAC single-game record of 35 by Montana State Billings against Maryville (Mo.) on Nov. 20, 2012. Alaska Anchorage limited Portland Bible to just nine made field goals in the game, tying the record set by Western Oregon against Portland Bible on Dec. 29, 2018.

Alaska Anchorage also picked up the win in its return to conference play, scoring an 81-59 win over Alaska.

Western Oregon was theonly home team to take a loss, dropping a hard-fought 95-93 overtime decision to Western Washington on Thursday. The Wolves rebounded with a 79-67 win over Simon Fraser on Saturday.

Montana State Billings will face a test of its unblemished conference record this week on the road, playing at Western Washington on Thursday and Simon Fraser on Saturday. Saint Martin’s plays just once this week, traveling to Western Oregon on Saturday.

Seattle Pacific will aim to keep pace with the 4-0 squads with contests at Simon Fraser on Thursday and Western Washington on Saturday. The Alaska schools head to the lower 48 for contests at Central Washington and Northwest Nazarene.

THIS WEEK'S GNAC PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Branden Bunn
Saint Martin’s
G • 6-2 • Sr. • The Bronx, N.Y.

Bunn averaged 21.5 points and four rebounds per game and shot 54.2% from the field, 63.6% from three-point range and a perfect 10 for 10 from the free-throw line as Saint Martin’s improved to 4-0 in conference play. Bunn led all scorers with 23 points in Thursday’s 94-81 victory over Simon Fraser, connecting on 7 of 14 from the field, 3 of 5 from long range and 6 of 6 from the free-throw line. He also had five rebounds and six assists. Bunn also led the way with 20 points on 6 of 10 from the field, 4 of 6 from three-point range and 4 of 4 from the free-throw line in Saturday’s 89-84 win over Western Washington.

Also Nominated: Da’Zhon Wyche (Alaska Anchorage), Matt Poquette (Central Washington), Carrington Wiggins (Montana State Billings), Shaw Anderson (Seattle Pacific), David Penney (Simon Fraser), Nic Welp (Western Washington).

AROUND THE GNAC
ALASKA
• Alaska took a loss in its return to GNAC play, falling 81-59 at Alaska Anchorage on Saturday.

• The Nanooks shot 48.9% from the field in the loss and had an impressive 41-15 rebounding margin, which included 13 offensive rebounds.

• Freshman forward Tyler Mrus was the only Nanooks’ player to score in double figures, finishing with 14 points on 5 of 8 from the field and 3 of 3 from the free-throw line. Mrus is averaging 11.8 points per game and ranks fifth in the GNAC with a .500 three-point percentage.

• Junior forward Jaycon Bereal, Jr. added eight points, including 2 of 3 from three-point range, to go with four rebounds and three assists. Bereal enters the week averaging 10.4 points per game and is shooting 53.7% from the field.

• Junior forward Abdullahi Mohamed was Alaska’s leading rebounder with nine while junior guard Demarcus Hall-Scriven pulled down seven rebounds. Mohamed is averaging 5.3 rebounds per game and is fifth in the GNAC with 2.10 offensive rebounds per game.

• Alaska is averaging 72.6 points and 37 rebounds per game. The Nanooks lead the GNAC and rank 10th in Division II with a .795 free-throw percentage. They also rank 11th in rebound margin (9.5), 12th in field goal defense (.384) and 27th in three-point defense (.294).

• The Nanooks continue a three-game road trip with games at Northwest Nazarene on Thursday and Central Washington on Saturday.

ALASKA ANCHORAGE
• Alaska Anchorage went 3-0 after a 25-day layoff. The Seawolves took back-to-back home wins from Portland Bible, winning 108-36 on Wednesday and 87-28 on Thursday. The week ended with an 81-59 home win over Alaska on Saturday.

• In Wednesday’s win, UAA set a GNAC single-game record by limiting Portland Bible to 32 field goal attempts. That passed the previous record of 35 set by Montana State Billings against Maryville (Mo.) in 2012. They also limited the Arrows to nine made shots, tying the record set by Western Oregon against Portland Bible in 2018.

• Senior guard Da’Zhon Wyche averaged 14 points per game in the three contests, shooting 50% from the field to go with 14 assists. Wyche was a role player in both Portland Bible games, finishing with nine points and six assists on Wednesday and nine points and five assists on Thursday. He led all scorers with 24 points against Alaska, connecting on 8 of 14 from the field, 4 of 6 from three-point range and 4 of 5 from the free-throw line to go with three rebounds, three assists and five steals. Wyche ranks third in the GNAC in scoring at 16.4 points per game. He leads the conference with 2.67 steals per game and ranks 16th in Division II with a 3.28 assist/turnover ratio.

• Junior guard Lachlan Viney averaged 13.7 points per game in the three games, shooting 58.6% from the field. Viney came up with 17 points against Portland Bible on Wednesday with six rebounds, three assists and four steals in 24 minutes off the bench. He added 18 points in a starting role on Thursday, shooting 7 of 11 from the field. Viney added seven points in the win over Alaska. Viney is averaging 9.2 points per game.

• Alaska Anchorage is averaging 82.7 points and 30.8 rebounds per game. The Seawolves lead Division II with an 11.6 turnover margin, rank second with 22.08 turnovers forced per game and rank fourth with a 1.78 assist/turnover ratio. They also rank 15th in Division II in scoring margin (+16.8).

• The Seawolves take to the road this week, competing at Central Washington on Thursday and Northwest Nazarene on Saturday.

CENTRAL WASHINGTON
• Central Washington took two road losses in its return to conference play, taking a 63-47 loss at Montana State Billings on Thursday and a 93-84 loss at Seattle Pacific on Saturday.

• Senior forward Matt Poquette averaged 18.5 points and 9.5 rebounds per game to lead the Wildcats. Poquette led all scorers with 19 points against MSUB to go with eight rebounds and two steals. He notched a double-double with 18 points and 11 rebounds at Seattle Pacific, connecting on 8 of 14 from the field. Poquette is averaging 13.2 points per game and ranks third in the GNAC with 7.1 rebounds per game.

• Freshman guard Noah Pepper averaged 10 points per game and shot 50% from both the field and three-point range. Pepper finished with six points and five rebounds off the bench at MSUB before coming up with 14 points in 29 minutes at Seattle Pacific, making 5 of 9 from the field. Pepper is averaging 5.7 points per game in 10 games played.

• Senior guard Brock Gilbert dished out 14 assists across the two games, paced by his 12 at Seattle Pacific. Gilbert leads the GNAC and is eighth in Division II with 6.27 assists per game. He is also 19th in Division II with 69 total assists.

• Central Washington enters the week averaging 75 points per game and rank fourth in the GNAC with 38 rebounds per game and a .481 field goal percentage. The Wildcats lead the conference and rank 26th in Division II with 28.46 defensive rebounds per game.

• Central Washington hosts Alaska Anchorage on Thursday and Alaska on Saturday. Both games will be played at Big Bend Community College in Moses Lake, Washington as renovation to Nicholson Pavilion continues.

MONTANA STATE BILLINGS
• Montana State Billings improved to 10-4 overall and 4-0 in conference play with two home wins, a 63-47 victory over Central Washington on Thursday and a 54-48 win over Northwest Nazarene on Saturday.

• Senior guard Carrington Wiggins averaged 15 points per game to lead the Yellowjackets offensively. Wiggins finished with 12 points with three rebounds, four steals and two assists against Central Washington. He then led all scorers with 18 points against Northwest Nazarene, which included 8 of 8 from the free-throw line. Wiggins ranks second in the GNAC in scoring at 17.4 points per game. He leads the conference and ranks seventh in Division II with a .943 free-throw percentage (66-70).

• Senior forward Bilal Shabazz averaged 12.5 rebounds per game and was the defensive prime mover for the Yellowjackets. Shabazz earned a double-double with 10 points and 15 rebounds against Central Washington. He added another 10 rebounds against Northwest Nazarene. Shabazz is second in the GNAC with 8.4 rebounds per game. He ranks 17th in Division II with 7.29 defensive rebounds per game, 19th with 117 total rebounds and 28th with four double-doubles.

• Senior guard Abdul Bah averaged 11.5 points per game. He led MSUB with 15 points in 23 minutes off the bench against Central Washington before adding eight points against Northwest Nazarene. Bah enters the week averaging 9.5 points per game.

• Montana State Billings enters the week averaging 68.2 points and 34.3 rebounds per game. The Yellowjackets rank second in the GNAC with 8.43 steals per game and third with a +0.29 turnover margin.

• Montana State Billings takes its unblemished conference record on the road for games at Western Washington on Thursday and Simon Fraser on Saturday.

NORTHWEST NAZARENE
• Northwest Nazarene has lost three in a row after taking a 79-69 defeat at Seattle Pacific on Thursday and a 54-48 loss at Montana State Billings on Saturday.

• Sophomore guard Ryzin Bergersen led the Nighthawks offensively, averaging 12 points per game. Bergersen finished with 10 points at Seattle Pacific. He was the only NNU player to score in double figures at MSUB with 14 points with two rebounds and two steals. Bergersen is averaging 10 points per game and earned his first two starts of the season in the games.

• Sophomore guard Tru Allen averaged 10.5 points and 4.5 rebounds per game. Allen led five NNU players to score in double figures at Seattle Pacific, finishing with 14 points to go with three rebounds and four steals. He then added seven points and six rebounds at MSUB. Allen is ninth in the GNAC in scoring at 13.8 points per game and ranks second with 2.08 steals per contest.

• Junior forward Gabriel Murphy averaged 8.5 points and seven rebounds per game. His ledger included 10 points and five rebounds at Seattle Pacific and a seven-point, nine-rebound performance at MSUB. Murphy is averaging 11.7 points per game. He leads the GNAC and ranks 27th in Division II with 9.2 rebounds per game.

• Northwest Nazarene is averaging 67.1 points per game and is second in the GNAC with 39.2 rebounds per game. The Nighthawks rank ninth in Division II with 14.33 offensive rebounds per game.

• The Nighthawks host the Alaska schools this week, welcoming the Nanooks on Thursday and the Seawolves on Saturday.

SAINT MARTIN’S
• Saint Martin’s has won three in a row after taking a 94-81 victory over Simon Fraser on Thursday and an 89-84 win over Western Washington on Saturday.

• Senior guard Branden Bunn was named the GNAC Men’s Basketball Player of the Week after he averaged 21.5 points and four rebounds per game in the two wins, shooting 54.2% from the field, 63.6% from three-point range and 10 for 10 from the free-throw line. Bunn led SMU in scoring in both games, scoring 23 against Simon Fraser and 20 against Western Washington. His line against SFU included five rebounds and six assists. Bunn is averaging 11.6 points per game and ranks seventh in the GNAC with a .453 three-point percentage.

• Senior guard Hunter Sipe averaged 16 points and five rebounds per game in the two games, shooting 60% from both the field and three-point range. Sipe finished with 14 points and six rebounds in 18 minutes off the bench against Simon Fraser. He added 18 points and four rebounds against Western Washington, making 7 of 9 from the field. Sipe is averaging 6.9 points per game.

• Junior guard Kyle Greeley averaged 15.5 points and 7.5 rebounds per game. Greeley finished with 17 points and nine rebounds against Simon Fraser, making 7 of 9 from the field to go with five assists. He added a 14-point performance against Western Washington with six rebounds and two assists. Greeley ranks fourth in the GNAC in scoring at 16.2 points per game and is third with a .618 field goal percentage.

• Saint Martin’s is third in the GNAC in scoring at 83.6 points and 38.1 rebounds per game. The Saints rank seventh in Division II with 11.3 three-pointers made per game and eighth with 29.7 three-pointers attempted per game.

• Saint Martin’s is 25th in this week’s D2SIDA Media Poll and continues to receive votes in the NABC Division II Coaches Rankings.

• Saint Martin’s takes to the road for its only game of the week, traveling to Western Oregon on Saturday.

SEATTLE PACIFIC
• Seattle Pacific improved to 3-1 overall with a pair of home victories, taking a 79-69 victory from Northwest Nazarene on Thursday and a 93-84 win from Central Washington on Saturday.

• Junior forward Shaw Anderson averaged 19.5 points and seven rebounds per game, shooting 61.9% from the field, and scored his 1,000th career point against Central Washington. Anderson led the Falcons with 17 points and eight rebounds against Northwest Nazarene, making 8 of 10 from the free-throw line. He added a 22-point performance on 9 of 12 from the field against the Wildcats to go with six rebounds and three assists. Anderson leads the GNAC in scoring at 19.8 points per game. He ranks fourth in the GNAC with a .847 free-throw percentage.

• Sophomore guard Maui Sze averaged 16 points per game, shooting 64.7% from the field and 83.3% from three-point range. Sze opened the week with a 12-point performance against Northwest Nazarene, going 4 of 7 from the field and 4 of 5 from three-point range. He followed that up with 20 points against Central Washington on 7 of 10 from the field and 6 of 7 from long range. Sze is averaging 6.5 points per game and ranks second in the GNAC with a .556 three-point percentage.

• Seattle Pacific ranks second in the GNAC in scoring at 83.7 points per game while also averaging 33.5 rebounds per contest. The Falcons lead the GNAC and rank fifth in Division II with a .426 three-point percentage and a .524 field-goal percentage. They also rank 22nd in Division II with 10.2 three-pointers per game.

• The Falcons head north this week, playing at Simon Fraser on Thursday and Western Washington on Saturday.

SIMON FRASER
• Simon Fraser dropped both games in its return to GNAC play, taking a 94-81 loss at Saint Martin’s on Thursday and a 79-67 loss at Western Oregon on Saturday.

• Junior guard David Penney led the Red Leafs offensively, averaging 16.5 points per game while shooting 60.8% from the field. Penney scored 16 points at Saint Martin’s with three rebounds and three assists, shooting 6 of 11 from the field and 3 of 6 from three-point range. He then led the Red Leafs with 17 points at Western Oregon, shooting 8 of 12 from the field with three rebounds, three assists and five steals. Penney is averaging 10 points per game.

• Senior guard/forward Jahmal Wright averaged 15.5 points per game and shot 50% from the field. Wright led SFU with 22 points at Saint Martin’s, making 9 of 16 from the field. He added a nine-point performance at Western Oregon. Wright is averaging 9.2 points per game.

• Sophomore forward Georges Lefebvre averaged 14 points and 6.5 rebounds per game. Lefebvre scored 20 points and had eight rebounds at Saint Martin’s, shooting 8 of 13 from the field, 2 of 4 from three-point range and 2 of 2 from the free-throw line. He finished with eight points at Western Oregon with five rebounds. Lefebvre leads SFU with 11 points and 5.8 rebounds per game.

• The Red Leafs are averaging 71.5 points and 37.7 rebounds per game. They lead the conference and rank sixth in Division II with 5.39 blocked shots per game.

• Simon Fraser plays at home this week for the first time in a month, hosting Seattle Pacific on Thursday and Montana State Billings on Saturday.

WESTERN OREGON
• Western Oregon procured a split in its return to GNAC play, taking a 95-93 overtime loss to Western Washington on Thursday before beating Simon Fraser on Saturday, 79-67.

• Junior guard Cameron Cranston only played in Thursday’s battle with Western Washington and was the leading scorer in the game with 21 points on 8 of 14 from the field and 4 of 5 from the free-throw line. He also had four rebounds and two assists. Cranston is fifth in the GNAC with 15.4 points per game and ranks sixth with a .833 three-point percentage.

• Junior guard Jahville Collins averaged 17 points per game and connected on 64% from the field. Collins contributed 19 points against Western Washington to go with seven rebounds. He made 9 of 15 from the field. Collins led WOU against Simon Fraser with 15 points on 7 of 10 from the field. Collins is averaging 7.5 points per game and ranks fifth in the GNAC with a .600 field goal percentage.

• Junior forward Cameron Benzel averaged 16.5 points and 7.5 rebounds per game, shooting 76.1% from the field. Benzel matched Collins with 19 points against Western Washington, making 9 of 13 from the field, to go with five rebounds, three assists and two steals. He notched a double-double against Simon Fraser with 14 points and 10 rebounds, making 7 of his eight shots. Benzel is averaging 12.7 points per game and is tied for sixth in the GNAC with a .595 field goal percentage.

• Western Oregon enters the week averaging 76 points and 35.4 rebounds per game. The Wolves rank third in the GNAC and 22nd in Division II with 4.5 blocks per game. They also rank third in the conference with a .484 field goal percentage.

• The Wolves play just once this week, ending a three-game homestand by hosting Saint Martin’s on Saturday.

WESTERN WASHINGTON
• Western Washington re-started conference play with a split, taking a 95-93 overtime win at Western Oregon on Thursday before falling 89-84 to Saint Martin’s on Saturday.

• Sophomore forward Nik Welp averaged 15.5 points and eight rebounds per game to lead the Vikings, shooting 65% from the field. Welp notched a double-double with 17 points and 12 rebounds at Western Oregon, making 7 of 10 from the field. He added a 14-point performance at Saint Martin’s on 6 of 10 from the field. He also had four rebounds and two assists. Welp is averaging 7.8 points and 5.8 rebounds per game.

• Sophomore guard Kai Johnson averaged 15 points and six rebounds per game on the road trip. Johnson finished with 14 points at Western Oregon, shooting 6 of 12 from the field, with five rebounds, four assists and two steals. He led WWU with 17 points at Saint Martin’s with seven rebounds, six assists and two blocks. He made 5 of 9 from the field, 3 of 4 from three-point range and 4 of 6 from the free-throw line. Johnson is averaging 12.8 points per game and ranks eighth in the GNAC with a .586 field goal percentage.

• Junior forward Jonathan Ned averaged 12.5 points per game, connecting for 10 points at Western Oregon and 15 points at Saint Martin’s. Ned enters the week averaging 12 points per game and ranks fifth in the GNAC with a .846 free-throw percentage.

• Western Washington leads the GNAC and ranks sixth in Division II in scoring, averaging 91.1 points per game. The Vikings are second in the GNAC and ninth in Division II with 11 three-pointers per game. They are also second in the conference and 20th in Division II with 4.5 blocks per game.

• The Vikings return home this week to host Montana State Billings on Thursday and Seattle Pacific on Saturday.