Tuesday, February 14, 2023

With two weeks left in the regular season, the race for the top of the GNAC standings is only getting tighter.

Preseason favorite Saint Martin’s pulled into a virtual tie with Montana State Billings thanks to a pair of big wins that earned the Saints selection as the GNAC Team of the Week and clinched a berth in the GNAC Championships. The Saints ran past Seattle Pacific on Thursday, 94-76, and the Yellowjackets on Saturday, 84-61.

Saint Martin’s put together a great offensive performance to win their sixth and seventh straight games, shooting 55.3% from the field and 43.1% from three-point range. Defensively, SMU limited opponents to 43.6% from the field and just 21.8% from outside.

Sophomore guard Jaden Nielsen-Skinner averaged a double-double with 16 points and 11.5 assists per game to lead the Saints. He had 22 points and 10 assists against Seattle Pacific and added 10 points and 13 assists against Montana State Billings.

The Yellowjackets, meanwhile, won their fifth straight game by five points or less in a 91-88 triple-overtime victory at Western Oregon on Thursday. It was just the eighth triple-overtime time in conference history. Two of those games involved Montana State Billings while Western Oregon has played parts in three of those contests.

Western Oregon had the GNAC Men’s Basketball Player of the Week in senior guard Cameron Cranston, who averaged 29.5 points per game. He led all scorers in both games, scoring 32 points against the Yellowjackets and 27 points against the Falcons.

Seattle Pacific and Northwest Nazarene will hope to clinch postseason berths this week. The Falcons will need a turnaround, however, as they have lost five of their last six games and took a 94-76 loss to Saint Martin’s on Thursday and an 80-74 loss to Western Oregon on Saturday.

The Nighthawks have won four in a row, including a close 61-60 victory at Central Washington in their only game of the week on Saturday.

Saint Martin’s and Western Oregon will face big road tests this week, traveling north to face Alaska and Alaska Anchorage. Seattle Pacific will as well as it travels east to Montana State Billings in the teams’ only game of the week on Saturday.

Northwest Nazarene and Central Washington play their final home weeks of the season, hosting Simon Fraser and Western Washington.

THIS WEEK'S GNAC PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Cameron Cranston
Western Oregon
G • 6-6 • Sr. • Vancouver, Wash.

Cranston averaged 29.5 points per game, shooting 48.8% from the field, 50% from three-point range and 92.3% from the free-throw line to lead the Wolves to a 1-1 week. Cranston led all scorers with 32 points in Thursday’s 91-88 triple-overtime loss to Montana State Billings. He connected on 14 of 28 from the field and 4 of 9 from three-point range to go with four rebounds, two assists and a block. Cranston then scored 27 points in Saturday’s 80-74 victory over Seattle Pacific. He made 6 of 13 from the field, 3 of 5 from three-point range and 12 of 13 from the free-throw line to go with five rebounds, two blocks, an assist and a steal.

Also Nominated: Nick Hopkins (Alaska), Sawyer Storms (Alaska Anchorage), Samaad Hector (Central Washington), Bilal Shabazz (Montana State Billings), Tru Allen (Northwest Nazarene), Jaden Nielsen-Skinner (Saint Martin’s), Jahmal Wright (Simon Fraser), D’Angelo Minnis (Western Washington).

AROUND THE GNAC
ALASKA
• Alaska split its border road trip, taking an 87-80 loss at Western Washington on Thursday before earning a 75-58 victory at Simon Fraser on Saturday.

• Junior forward Nick Hopkins paced the Nanooks with averages of 18 points and 7.5 rebounds per game, shooting 68.5% from the field and 81.8% from the free-throw line. Hopkins notched a double-double of 18 points and 11 rebounds at Western Washington, making 7 of 11 from the field. He led all scorers with 18 points at Simon Fraser on 6 of 8 from the field and 6 of 7 from the free-throw line. Hopkins enters the week averaging 6.4 points per game and ranks 10th in the GNAC with 5.3 rebounds per game.

• Junior forward Abdullahi Mohamed posted averages of 15 points and 6.5 rebounds per game. Mohamed finished with 18 points and four rebounds at Western Washington on 6 of 12 from the field. He added a 12-point, nine-rebound performance at Simon Fraser which included 6 of 8 from the free-throw line. Mohamed ranks seventh in the GNAC in scoring with 13.4 points per game.

• Sophomore guard Paul Johnson averaged 12 points per game and shot 57.1% from the field and 54.5% from three-point range. Johnson scored 14 points at Western Washington on 5 of 7 from the field and 4 of 6 from long range. He added a 10-point performance at Simon Fraser. Johnson enters the week averaging 5.7 points per game.

• Alaska is averaging 70.9 points and 34.6 rebounds per game. The Nanooks rank second in the GNAC and 25th in Division II with a .486 field goal percentage.

• The Nanooks close their 2022-23 home schedule this week, hosting Western Oregon on Thursday and Saint Martin’s on Saturday.

ALASKA ANCHORAGE
• Alaska Anchorage picked up a key road sweep last week, scoring a 58-51 win at Simon Fraser on Thursday and an 89-79 victory at Western Washington on Saturday.

• Junior forward Sawyer Storms led UAA as he averaged 15 points per game and made 71.4% from the field. Storms finished with nine points at Simon Fraser before going off at Western Washington, leading all scorers with 21 points on 6 of 6 from the field, including one three-pointer, and 8 of 9 from the free-throw line. Storms is averaging 10.7 points per game and is fifth in the GNAC with a .580 field goal percentage.

• Junior guard Tyson Gilbert averaged 13.5 points per game on the road trip. Gilbert opened his week with nine points at Simon Fraser. He then finished with 18 points at Western Washington on 7 of 13 from the field to go with five rebounds, four assists and three steals. Gilbert is averaging 10.2 points per game.

• Senior guard AJ Garrity averaged 9.5 points and 6.5 rebounds per game, connecting on 58.3% from the field. Garrity finished with eight points, eight rebounds, five steals and four assists at Simon Fraser. He added 11 points at Western Washington with five rebounds and four assists, connecting on 5 of 6 from the field. Garrity enters the week averaging 7.7 points and 2.8 rebounds per game.

• Alaska Anchorage enters the week averaging 78 points and 29.6 rebounds per game. The Seawolves lead the GNAC and rank second in Division II with a +9.0 turnover margin and 20.43 turnovers forced per game. They also rank 16th in Division II with 17.4 assists per game.

• The Seawolves close out the home schedule this week, hosting Saint Martin’s on Thursday and Western Oregon on Saturday.

CENTRAL WASHINGTON
• Central Washington dropped its only game of the week, a close 61-60 home decision to Northwest Nazarene on Saturday.

• The Wildcats led 34-29 at halftime and led 53-43 with 5:31 left, but the Nighthawks went on an 18-8 run down the stretch to secure the win.

• Junior forward Samaad Hector led the Wildcats with 18 points, connecting on 7 of 12 from the field and 2 of 6 from three-point range. Hector enters the week averaging 12.4 points per game and is fifth in the GNAC with 6.4 rebounds per game.

• Senior guard Isaiah Banks finished with 11 points on 5 of 8 from the field to go with three rebounds. Banks enters the week averaging 7.9 points per game.

• Senior guard Brock Gilbert and junior guard Camron McNeil matched Banks with 11-point performances, with Gilbert adding nine assists. Gilbert leads the GNAC and ranks seventh in Division II with 6.5 assists per game and ranks 21st in Division II with 130 total assists.

• Central Washington is averaging 73.3 points and 35.1 rebounds per game. The Wildcats rank 17th in Division II in fewest fouls at 13.8 per game.

• The Wildcats close the home portion of the schedule this week, hosting Simon Fraser on Thursday and Western Washington on Saturday.

MONTANA STATE BILLINGS
• Montana State Billings split on its final road trip of the season, scoring a 91-88 triple-overtime victory at Western Oregon on Thursday before seeing a five-game win streak end with an 84-61 loss at Saint Martin’s on Saturday.

• The win on Thursday was in just the eighth triple overtime game in GNAC history and the first since Jan. 19, 2019, when Simon Fraser beat MSUB 112-107.

• Senior forward Bilal Shabazz averaged 20 points and seven rebounds per game and shot 48.1% from the field in the two games. Shabazz had a double-double of 31 points and 10 rebounds at Western Oregon, making 9 of 18 from the field, 5 of 9 from three-point range and 8 of 10 from the free-throw line. At Saint Martin’s, Shabazz finished with nine points and four rebounds. Shabazz is 10th in the GNAC with 12.7 points per game and is second with 8.5 rebounds per contest.

• Senior guard Carrington Wiggins averaged 16.5 points per game. Wiggins connected for 20 points at Western Oregon on 7 of 14 from the field and 5 of 6 from the free-throw line with four rebounds and four steals. He finished with 13 points at Saint Martin’s with three rebounds and two steals. Wiggins is second in the GNAC with 18.2 points and 1.84 steals per game. He leads the GNAC and ranks seventh in Division II with a .920 free-throw percentage.

• Junior guard Steven Richardson averaged 13 points per game and connected on 55.6% from the field. Richardson finished with 10 points and five rebounds at Western Oregon. He then led MSUB with 16 points at Saint Martin’s on 6 of 11 from the field and 3 of 5 from three-point range. Richardson is averaging 10.6 points per game.

• Montana State Billings is averaging 69.1 points and 34.2 rebounds per game. The Yellowjackets are 24th in Division II in fewest fouls with 13.9 per game.

• Montana State Billings plays its final three regular-season games at home. The homestand begins on Saturday against Seattle Pacific.

NORTHWEST NAZARENE
• Northwest Nazarene won its fourth straight game Saturday, coming back from a 10-point deficit with five minutes left to beat Central Washington, 61-60.

• Sophomore guard Tru Allen led the way with 19 points, five rebounds, three assists and two steals. He made 6 of 15 from the field, including the game-winner with 10 seconds left, 2 of 4 from three-point range and 5 of 5 from the free-throw line. Allen is eighth in the GNAC in scoring at 12.8 points per game and leads the conference with 1.91 steals per game.

• Sophomore guard Ryzin Bergerson added eight points in the victory to go with three rebounds and a block. Bergerson enters the week averaging 9.6 points per game. He ranks third in the GNAC with 2.21 three-pointers made per game and 10th with a .416 three-point percentage.

• Senior guard Kobe Terashima and junior forward Gabriel Murphy each finished with seven points with Terashima adding five rebounds while Murphy pulled down eight boards. Murphy continues to lead the GNAC with 8.8 rebounds per game and is 14th in Division II with 3.44 offensive rebounds per game. Terashima is fourth in the GNAC with 3.82 assists per game.

• Northwest Nazarene enters the week averaging 66.1 points and 37.1 rebounds per game. The Nighthawks lead the GNAC and are 20th in Division II with 13.19 offensive rebounds per game.

• Northwest Nazarene closes the home schedule this week, hosting Western Washington on Thursday and Simon Fraser on Saturday.

SAINT MARTIN’S
• Saint Martin’s moved within percentage points of Montana State Billings for first in the GNAC standings with two wins, scoring a 94-76 victory over Seattle Pacific on Thursday and an 84-61 win over the Yellowjackets on Saturday.

• Sophomore Jaden Nielsen-Skinner averaged 16 points and 11.5 assists in the two victories, shooting 53.8% from the field. Neilsen-Skinner finished with double-doubles in both games, recording 22 points and 10 assists against Seattle Pacific along with 10 points and 13 rebounds against Montana State Billings. Nielsen-Skinner is averaging 10.2 points per game. He is second in the GNAC and ranks 11th in Division II with 6.2 assists per game and ranks eighth in Division II with 150 total assists.

• Junior guard Kyle Greeley averaged 17 points per game to lead SMU in the scoring department, making 72.7% from the field. Greeley led all scorers with 23 points against Seattle Pacific, connecting on 11 of 13 from the field to go with four rebounds and three assists. He added 11 points against MSUB on 5 of 9 from the field. Greeley is fourth in the GNAC in scoring at 14.9 points per game and ranks seventh with a .556 field goal percentage.

• Junior guard Tyke Thompson averaged 14.5 points and four rebounds per game. Thompson scored 12 points off the bench against Seattle Pacific on 5 of 9 from the field. He then led SMU with 17 points against MSUB on 6 of 11 from the field with six rebounds, five assists and three steals. Thompson is averaging 11.4 points per game and ranks eighth in the GNAC with 5.8 rebounds per game.

• Saint Martin’s ranks second in the GNAC in scoring, averaging 83 points per game, and leads the conference with 38.1 rebounds per game. The Saints lead the GNAC and rank 13th in Division II with 17.4 assists per game and rank fourth with 11.3 three-pointers made per game.

• With the wins, Saint Martin’s moved up to No. 23 in the D2SIDA Media Poll and No. 25 in the NABC Division II Coaches Poll.

• The Saints take the Alaska road trip this week, facing the Seawolves on Thursday and the Nanooks on Saturday.

SEATTLE PACIFIC
• Seattle Pacific dropped two games last week, falling 94-76 at Saint Martin’s on Thursday and 80-74 at Western Oregon on Saturday.

• Junior forward Shaw Anderson averaged 21.5 points per game to lead the Falcons, making 70.5% from the field and 89.4% from the free-throw line. Anderson finished with 19 points against Saint Martin’s, making 7 of 10 from the field and 4 of 4 from the free-throw line. He added a 24-point performance at Western Oregon, making 5 of 7 from the field and 13 of 15 from the free-throw line. Anderson leads the GNAC with 19.8 points per game and ranks fifth with a .843 free-throw percentage.  

• Junior guard Ben Baker-McCann averaged 13.5 points and 7.5 rebounds per game. He opened the week with 13 points and five rebounds at Saint Martin’s on 5 of 7 from the field. Baker-McCann added a double-double of 14 points and 10 rebounds in 22 minutes at Western Oregon, which included 7 of 7 from the free-throw line. Baker-McCann is averaging 6.4 points and 4.9 rebounds per game.

• Freshman forward Trace Evans averaged 11 points and 4.5 rebounds per game and shot 60% from the field. Evans finished with nine points and five rebounds at Saint Martin’s before finishing with 13 points at Western Oregon on 5 of 8 from the field. Evans enters the week averaging 7.7 points per game and is tied for seventh in the GNAC with 1.87 offensive rebounds per game.

• Seattle Pacific enters the week averaging 81 points and 32.9 rebounds per game. The Falcons lead the GNAC and rank fifth in Division II with a .513 field goal percentage. They also rank 18th in Division II with a.775 free-throw percentage.

• Seattle Pacific makes its final regular-season road trip this weekend, traveling to Montana State Billings on Saturday.

SIMON FRASER
• Simon Fraser dropped its final home games of the season to the Alaska schools last week, falling 58-51 to Alaska Anchorage on Thursday and 75-58 to Alaska on Saturday.

• Senior guard/forward Jahmal Wright averaged 14.5 points and 7.5 rebounds per game to lead the Red Leafs, making 52.3% from the field. Wright led all scorers with 17 points against Alaska Anchorage on 6 of 12 from the field to go with nine rebounds. He added a 12-point performance against Alaska on 5 of 9 from the field to go with six rebounds. Wright is averaging 9.7 points and 4.7 rebounds per game.

• Freshman guard/forward Immanuel Oludele averaged 11 points and 5.5 rebounds per game. Oludele finished with 14 points and eight rebounds against Alaska Anchorage on 5 of 9 from the field and 4 of 8 from three-point range. He then finished with eight points against Alaska to go with three rebounds and two assists. Oludele leads SFU in scoring at 10.6 points per game.

• Sophomore guard Elliot Dimaculangan averaged nine points per game. He finished with six points and six rebounds against Alaska Anchorage before finishing with 12 points, four assists, three steals and two rebounds against Alaska. Dimaculangan is averaging 9.2 points per game and ranks sixth in the GNAC with 1.48 steals per game.

• Simon Fraser enters the week averaging 67.9 points and 34.7 rebounds per game. The Red Leafs lead the conference and rank fourth in Division II with 5.6 blocked shots per game.

• Simon Fraser closes the season with three road games, traveling to Central Washington on Thursday and Northwest Nazarene on Saturday.

WESTERN OREGON
• Western Oregon split its games last week, falling in a 91-88 triple-overtime thriller to Montana State Billings on Thursday before scoring an 80-74 win over Seattle Pacific on Saturday.

• Senior guard Cameron Cranston was named the GNAC Men’s Basketball Player of the Week after he averaged 29.5 points and 4.5 rebounds per game. Cranston led all scorers with 32 points against MSUB, connecting on 14 of 28 from the field and 4 of 9 from three-point range. He also had four rebounds and two assists. Cranston finished with 27 points against Seattle Pacific on 6 of 13 from the field and 12 of 13 from the free-throw line to go with five rebounds. Cranston is third in the GNAC in scoring with 16.4 points per game and ranks seventh in the GNAC with a .821 free-throw percentage.

• Senior forward John Morrill-Keeler averaged 11.5 points and 7.5 rebounds per game, shooting 56.2% from the field. Morrill-Keeler finished with totals of 16 points and eight rebounds against MSUB, connecting on 7 of 11 from the field. He added seven points and seven rebounds against Seattle Pacific. Morrill-Keeler is averaging 10.1 points per game and is seventh in the GNAC with six rebounds per game.

• Senior guard Yosani Clay averaged 8.5 points per game and shot 60% from the field. Clay came off the bench in both games, finishing with four points and three rebounds against MSUB and 13 points against Seattle Pacific on 5 of 8 from the field. Clay is averaging 10.1 points per game and is tied for ninth in the GNAC with 1.35 steals per game.

• Western Oregon is averaging 74.5 points and 35 rebounds per game. The Wolves rank third in the GNAC with a .478 field goal percentage and 7.90 steals per game.

• The Wolves take their final regular-season road trip of the season this week, traveling to Alaska on Thursday and Alaska Anchorage on Saturday.

WESTERN WASHINGTON
• Western Washington split its home games last week, collecting an 87-80 victory over Alaska on Thursday before taking an 89-79 loss to Alaska Anchorage on Saturday.

• Senior guard Daniel Hornbuckle averaged 16 points per game to lead the Vikings. Hornbuckle led all scorers with 19 points against Alaska on 5 of 11 from the field, 3 of 7 from three-point range and 6 of 6 from the free-throw line. He added 13 points against Alaska Anchorage on 4 of 7 from the field and 4 of 4 from the free-throw line. Hornbuckle is ninth in the GNAC in scoring at 12.8 points per game and leads the conference with 2.56 three-pointers made per game.

• Sophomore guard Kai Johnson averaged 16 points, six rebounds and six assists per game. Johnson posted an 18-point performance against Alaska with nine rebounds, six assists and two steals. He connected on 6 of 9 from the field, 3 of 4 from three-point range and 3 of 4 from the free-throw line. Johnson finished with 14 points, six assists and three rebounds against Alaska Anchorage on 4 of 9 from the field and 4 of 5 from the free-throw line. Johnson is averaging 12.1 points per game.

• Junior guard D’Angelo Minnis averaged 14.5 points per game, topped by his 17 points against Alaska on 7 of 15 from the field. Minnis ranks fifth in the GNAC in scoring with 13.9 points per game, is sixth with a .446 three-point percentage and two three-pointers made per game and ninth with 2.96 assists per game.

• Western Washington leads the GNAC and ranks 18th in Division II in scoring with 84 points per game. The Vikings rank 10th in Division II with 4.7 blocked shots per game, 21st with 10.2 three-pointers per game and 23rd with three-pointers attempted per game.

• Western Washington takes its last road trip of the regular season this week, facing Northwest Nazarene on Thursday and Central Washington on Saturday.