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This week...
Fri.-Sat., Nov. 24-25 -- MEN'S BASKETBALL at CHUCK RANDALL
CLASSIC, Carver Gymnasium, Bellingham, Wa.
Fri., Nov. 24 -- SEATTLE
PACIFIC v TEXAS A&M KINGSVILLE, 5 p.m. and Western Washington
v Tarleton State, 7 p.m.
Sat., Nov. 25 -- SEATTLE
PACIFIC v TARLETON STATE, 5 p.m. and Western Washington v Texas A&M
Kingsville, 7 p.m.
Complete
2000 Schedule
Hungry for 1st win...
No matter how many helpings they get of turkey and gravy, members
of the Seattle Pacific University men's basketball squad
should arrive in Bellingham looking for something more substantial
to satisfy their appetite. The 17th-ranked Falcons (0-1) are
hungry for their first win of the regular season and will seek it
and more this weekend (Nov. 24-25) when they face Texas A&M
Kingsville (0-1) and Tarleton State (2-0) at the Chuck Randall
Thanksgiving Classic in Bellingham. SPU then returns to the
Western Washington campus next week for its Pacific West
Conference opener Nov. 30 against the Vikings.
Tough act to follow...
If it's deja vu all over again, great. But, after losing their
opener at home, there's no guarantee that the Falcons will be able
to match last year's feat of winning 22 of their final 26
scheduled games and move on to the Elite Eight. That's a tough act
to follow. A year ago, SPU dropped two of its first three games.
Yet it was in Bellingham that the turnaround took place; a
tournament victory over nationally-ranked Central Washington and
suddenly Seattle Pacific was off and running. It was the start of
a 10-game winning streak, one of two during a 27-5 season which
ended in overtime of the national semifinal.
Tough game to swallow...
In the opening regular season game, the Falcons were playing
before a partisan crowd on their home court, but they were also
playing one of the strongest teams on the Coast. Cal State San
Bernardino, ranked No. 22 despite losing all five starters,
controlled the boards (39-27) and made key plays down the stretch
to prevail, 86-82. SPU fell behind by 11 early, then rallied in
the second half to take a 69-67 lead into the final five minutes.
The Coyotes responded with a three-pointer and then never
relinquished the lead thereafter. The next night Seattle Pacific
got some satisfaction by beating Simon Fraser 79-58 in an
exhibition.
Problems & solutions...
Coach Ken Bone (11th year) had made rebounding a priority
for his team prior to the season, and he was uncertain whether his
new cast of players could hit outside shots with the same
consistency of their predecessors. Well, one out of two will have
to do for now. The Falcons finished the first weekend a minus-14
on the boards, and compensated by hitting seven more treys than
their opponents. Surprisingly, Nick Johnson (Jr., 6-3,
Burlington, Wa./Burlington-Edison) was the leader in both
categories against San Bernardino. New to his role as the 2-guard,
Johnson connected on all five of his three-point attempts and
finished with a career-high 17 points, plus five rebounds and two
steals. Johnson, heretofore primarily a defensive stopper with
moderate range, had come into this season with a total of seven
treys in two years. He added 13 points vs. the Clan.
Thanks for the memories...
A year ago it was Donte Quinine, a high-flying transfer from
Oregon, who not only spearheaded the Falcons' drive to the Final
Four but provided highlight film footage along the way. Already
it's certain that Eric Sandrin (Jr., 6-10, Bothell,
Wa./Shorecrest-Portland) can fill the bill for latter. Sandrin has
exhibited a great deal of athleticism inside, from slam-dunks to
twisting drives to swatting away opponents' shots. Against San
Bernardino he scored a game-high 21 points in 27 minutes to secure
a place on the all-Vitamilk Tip-Off Classic team, along with
Johnson. Sandrin transferred from Portland last spring but had not
played since the 1998-99 season due to a knee injury.
We need a Walker...
Another of Bone's four Division I transfers sparkled on opening
night. Darrell Walker (Sr., 6-0, Marysville,
Wa./M'ville-Pilchuck-EWU) came off the bench for 17 points,
including 4-6 treys. Walker, like Sandrin, did not play college
ball last season. Instead, after leaving Eastern Washington, he
helped his father coach at Everett Community College. Walker is
virtually splitting the time at point guard with starter Aaron
Bellessa (So., 6-2, Federal Way, Wa./Decatur).
Looking forward...
Forwards Brannon Stone (Jr., 6-9, Oak Harbor, Wa.) and
John Hubbard (Sr., 6-5, Inglewood, Ca./Grays Harbor CC)
gave glimpses of their all-conference form of a year ago. Stone,
coming off a great preseason display vs. Washington, was just 6-18
from the field with eight rebounds, but he did block four shots
and make two steals vs. CSSB. Hubbard led the way with 20 points
against Simon Fraser after scoring 11 the night before. He was
11-26 from the floor. Versus the Huskies, the tandem had combined
for 47 points.
Put-backs...
Just as he did a year ago on the first weekend of play, reserve
forward Gene Woodard (So., 6-4, Edmonds, Wa./O'Dea)
provided a lift. Woodard contributed nine points, four rebounds
and two assists in 13 minutes vs. Simon Fraser. All of Woodard's
season-high marks of his freshman season occurred in the first two
games...Daniel Sandrin (So., 6-7, Bothell,
Wa./Bothell-Portland), Eric's younger brother, chipped-in with
seven points, three rebounds and two steals vs. CSSB...Chris
Cohen (Fr., 6-8, Saint Helens, Or.) played in both games,
scoring two points vs. SFU...Adam Harris (So., 6-0, Fox
Island, Wa./Gig Harbor) hit a trey and scored five points vs. the
Clan.
Opponent, series notes...
Seattle Pacific has not lost consecutive regular season games
since Feb. 6, 1999--a span of 42 games...The Falcons met Texas A&M
Kingsville for the first time last season in Las Vegas, and,
despite squandering a 27-point lead, won 102-97 behind Hubbard's
career-high 27. The Javelinas, 15-12 last year, play one game
prior to arriving in the Northwest...Tarleton State, located in
Stephenville, Tx., started the season 2-0 behind the 55 points in
two games of guard Brandon Burney. Texans forward Collat Johnson
hauled down 32 rebounds, including 20 in one game. This is the
first meeting between the two teams...SPU has won three of its
four previous tournament games in Bellingham, and overall the team
is 12-2 in Carver Gym under Bone.
Ticket information...
Reserved seating tickets for all home games are priced $7 and
$6. General admission is $5 for adults, $3 for students, youth and
senior citizens. Group rates are available by call (206) 281-2085
in advance. Ticket windows open one hour prior to tip-off.
S-P-U on the W-E-B...
You can follow Seattle Pacific via the world wide web. The
Falcons Online features weekly releases, rosters, schedules,
updated results, histories and coaching profiles for all 12
varsity sports. You're already here!
Personnel notes...
No Player Yr-Exp Hgt '99-00 stats Hometown Notes
1 Jordan Lee Fr-HS 6-0 18.0/6.0 ast (HS) University Place, Wa.
Life Christian grad to redshirt
3 Adrian Egger Jr-TR 6-2 16.8# (JC) Kirkland, Wa. Last played at
Olympic CC in '99
4 Abe Fox Jr-2V 6-8 1.9/1.4 reb Port Townsend, Wa. Played in 31
minutes in first 2 games
10 Adam Harris So-1V 6-0 0.5/0.4 reb Fox Island, Wa. Gig Harbor
grad scored 5 points vs. SFU
11 Aaron Bellessa* So-1V 6-2 6.0/3.3 ast+ Federal Way, Wa. Started
opener at point guard
12 Garrett Stone Fr-HS 6-4 12.8/4.0 reb (HS) Oak Harbor, Wa.
Younger brother of Brannon to redshirt
15 Nate Bramlette Fr-HS 6-0 14.0/7.0 ast (HS) Issaquah, Wa.
Skyline grad to redshirt
20 Darrell Walker Sr-TR 6-0 4.3/1.6 ast# Marysville, Wa. 17
points, 4-6 3-pointers, vs. CSSB
21 Brannon Stone* Jr-2V 6-7 12.6/7.5 reb Oak Harbor, Wa. 4 blocks,
2 steals vs. CSSB; 21-11 v UW
22 Jesse Keely So-TR 6-7 0.0/0.0 rb (2gm) Fircrest, Wa. Played 19
minutes in first two games
23 Nick Johnson* Jr-2V 6-3 4.2/2.9 reb Burlington, Wa. All-tourn.;
17 points, 5-5 treys v CSSB
30 Gene Woodard So-1V 6-4 1.1/1.0 reb Edmonds, Wa. 9 points, 4
reb. in 13 minutes v SFU
32 John Hubbard* Sr-1V 6-5 13.7/2.9 reb Inglewood, Ca. 20 points,
2 treys v SFU
34 Eric Sandrin* Jr-TR 6-10 3.9/2.2 reb# Bothell, Wa. All-tourn.;
21 points (7-9 FG) v CSSB
40 Daniel Sandrin So-TR 6-7 1.0/0.3 reb Bothell, Wa. 35 minutes in
1st 2 gms; 7 pts v CSSB
42 Chris Cohen Fr-RS 6-8 17.3/11.3# (HS) Saint Helens, Or. Played
in first two games; scored 2 v SFU
*projected starter +1997-98 season #1998-99 season
Coach: Ken Bone (SPU '83) 11th year (208-87/.704)
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