This week...
Thr., Nov. 30, 7 p.m. -- MEN'S BASKETBALL at WESTERN WASHINGTON, Carver Gym, Bellingham, Wa.
Sat., Dec. 2, 8 p.m. -- MEN'S BASKETBALL at LINFIELD, Wilson Gym, McMinnville, Or.

Complete 2000 Schedule

North then south...
It's awfully early, yet the fourth game of the men's basketball season could well determine the outcome of the Pacific West Conference in March. Thursday night (Nov. 30) Seattle Pacific University (2-1), favored to repeat as champion, begins PacWest play in the lair of its chief challenger, Western Washington (2-1). Afterwards, the 17th-ranked Falcons resume a menu of nonconference fare, beginning Saturday night (Dec. 2) at Linfield (1-0). Following final exams, the team returns home to host Evergreen State Dec. 9.

Pick 'em in the West...
No matter how you look at it, Thursday's game pits the top two teams in the West Division. To the surprise of Coach Ken Bone (11th year), the Falcons were installed as his peers' choice to win the conference despite having lost four starters. Bone believed Western Washington, with four starters returning, was the more logical pick. Oddly enough, the Vikings did manage to edge SPU in a poll of West Division coaches (BYU Hawaii was selected as the favorite in the Pacific Division). The two teams will meet again in the final regular season game, Mar. 3 in Seattle.

Bellingham's been good...
While Western's fans figure to give them a Bronx cheer or two, the Falcons have been able to not only weather the storm in the past but flourish in Whatcom County. In Bone's 10-plus seasons, Seattle Pacific is 14-2 in games played at Carver Gym, including a pair of wins in last weekend's Chuck Randall Thanksgiving Classic. SPU pulled away from Texas A&M Kingsville to post its first victory, 96-74, and followed with a 71-66 win over Tarleton State. Bone's teams are 9-1 versus the Vikings in Bellingham.

Hubbard takes hardware...
Seattle Pacific prevailed as the tournament winner on the basis of being the only undefeated team, and forward John Hubbard (Sr., 6-5, Inglewood, Ca./Grays Harbor CC), with 38 points in the two games, emerged as the MVP. Against TAMK, he helped seal the deal during an 18-5 run to the final buzzer. Hubbard hit a pair of three-pointers and scored eight on 12 unanswered points in the first half of the Tarleton State contest. He leads the team in scoring (16.3) despite shooting only 42 percent--well under his .509 clip of last season.

Anything to help...
During his first couple seasons, it seemed forward Brannon Stone (Jr., 6-9, Oak Harbor, Wa.) would pitch in anywhere his team needed help. He led SPU in rebounds, assists and blocked shots. But beginning in the latter stages of last year's run to the Elite Eight, Stone shouldered more of the scoring load as well. He demonstrated that facet of his game once more vs. TAMK, scoring 20 points to go along with team-highs of five assists and three blocks. Stone stroked a trey and flushed a dunk to repel the Javelinas' final rally. The next night he scored 10 and snatched eight boards to earn himself an all-tournament team slot.

Nick at night...
If the all-tourney selections were based on a single performance, a few other Falcons would also have merited awards. Nick Johnson (Jr., 6-3, Burlington, Wa./Burlington-Edison) was unquestionably the man of the hour versus Tarleton State, scoring 10 of his career-high 24 points during a key 8-minute span of the second half. After the Texans had pulled with five points, he answered by scoring seven of he Falcons' next 10 points for a 59-50 lead. Johnson, whose previous career-best was 17 on opening night vs. Cal State San Bernardino, made 6-9 field goals, including 4-6 treys, and finished with seven rebounds and three assists.

Tier 1 imports...
Two of the four Division I transfers also made an impact over the weekend. Center Eric Sandrin (Jr., 6-10, Bothell, Wa./Shorecrest-Portland) notched the first double-double of the season with 19 points and 11 rebounds vs. TAMK. Foul trouble limited Sandrin to six points in 16 minutes the next game. Reserve point guard Darrell Walker (Sr., 6-0, Marysville, Wa./M'ville-Pilchuck-EWU) supplied plenty of outside firepower vs. TAMK with 16 points in 18 minutes on 6-7 shooting and two three-pointers. Walker also leads SPU with seven assists in the first three games.

Series, opponent notes...
Western Washington split its two tournament games, which were both decided by two points or less. Center Brian Dennis is averaging 21.3 points and 10.3 rebounds. The Vikings, traditionally strong from the perimeter, have hit only 25 percent of their treys. Seattle Pacific has won the last 10 meetings and 19 of the last 21 since Bone became coach. However, 15 of those games were decided by seven or fewer points. The teams last met in the semifinals of the now-defunct PacWest tournament, with the Falcons winning 97-90 after making 41-52 free throws. Overall, SPU leads the series 58-35...Seattle Pacific has not played Division III Linfield since a back-to-back, home-and-home series in 1970-71. The Wildcats, picked to finish second in the Northwest Conference, defeated Warner Pacific 77-63 in their opener Nov. 25. Overall, SPU leads the series 6-4. Bone is 20-1 vs. Northwest Conference members, winning the last 19 in a row.

Put-backs...
Seattle Pacific is shooting a sizzling 56 percent from outside the three-point arc (32-57) and 50 percent from the floor. In the second half of games, SPU is 17-24 from the outside (70 percent)...Johnson is 10-12 on treys after going just 7-26 in his first two seasons...Adam Harris (So., 6-0, Fox Island, Wa./Gig Harbor) scored a career-high seven points in 14 minutes vs. TAMK. He hit 3-4 field goals and also had three assists...Starting point guard Aaron Bellessa (So., 6-2, Federal Way, Wa./Decatur) has taken just four shots but has only four turnovers...Gene Woodard (So., 6-5, Edmonds, Wa./O'Dea) has earned himself a place in the regular frontline rotation, playing 20 in the past two games and contributing nine points...Daniel Sandrin (So., Bothell, Wa./Bothell-Portland), another reserve forward, has taken down three rebounds in each of the first three games...SPU has 15 blocked shots to the opponents' four .

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!

PacWest Conference Standings

Personnel notes...
No Player Yr-Exp Hgt '00-01 stats Hometown Notes
1 Jordan Lee Fr-HS 6-0 DNP University Place, Wa. Life Christian grad to redshirt
3 Adrian Egger Jr-TR 6-2 0.0/3.0 reb Kirkland, Wa. Last played at Olympic CC in '99
4 Abe Fox Jr-2V 6-8 0.7/1.0 reb Port Townsend, Wa. Averaging 13.3 minutes in first 3 games
10 Adam Harris So-1V 6-0 2.3/1.3 ast Fox Island, Wa. Gig Harbor grad scored 7 points vs. TAMK
11 Aaron Bellessa* So-1V 6-2 1.0/2.3 reb Federal Way, Wa. Starter at point guard
12 Garrett Stone Fr-HS 6-4 DNP Oak Harbor, Wa. Younger brother of Brannon to redshirt
15 Nate Bramlette Fr-HS 6-0 DNP Issaquah, Wa. Skyline grad to redshirt
20 Darrell Walker Sr-TR 6-0 12.0/2.3 ast Marysville, Wa. 13-19 FGs, 6-10 3-pointers
21 Brannon Stone* Jr-2V 6-7 13.0/5.3 reb Oak Harbor, Wa. All-tourn. at WWU; 3.0 blks
22 Jesse Keely So-TR 6-7 0.0/1.0 reb Fircrest, Wa. Played in 2 games
23 Nick Johnson* Jr-2V 6-3 15.3/5.7 reb Burlington, Wa. Career-high 24 pts v Tarleton State
30 Gene Woodard So-1V 6-4 4.5/1.5 reb Edmonds, Wa. 9 points, 4 reb. in 13 minutes v SFU
32 John Hubbard* Sr-1V 6-5 16.3/4.3 reb Inglewood, Ca. MVP of WWU tournament
34 Eric Sandrin* Jr-TR 6-10 15.3/5.7 reb Bothell, Wa. 19 pts, 11 reb v TAMK
40 Daniel Sandrin So-TR 6-7 4.0/3.0reb Bothell, Wa. Averaging 15.7 minutes
42 Chris Cohen Fr-RS 6-8 0.0/0.0 reb Saint Helens, Or. Made debut v CSSB
*projected starter
Coach: Ken Bone (SPU '83) 11th year (210-87/.707)