Upcoming games...
Wed., Dec. 13, 7 p.m. -- MEN'S BASKETBALL at LEWIS-CLARK STATE, Warrior Gym, Lewiston, Id.
Mon., Dec. 18, 7:30 p.m. -- MEN'S BASKETBALL v WILLAMETTE, Brougham Pavilion, Seattle, Wa.

Complete 2000 Schedule

Two games before break...
Standing between Christmas and the Seattle Pacific University men's basketball team are a couple games, and the week off will be much more pleasant if the 22nd-ranked Falcons (4-2) could win both. But SPU faces a tall task, especially Wednesday night (Dec. 13) when it visits Lewis-Clark State (7-3), the No. 11 team in NAIA. Willamette (3-4) comes to Brougham Pavilion Monday night (Dec. 18) in the final game before the break. The Oak Harbor Freight Lines Holiday Classic convenes at the pavilion Dec. 29-30.

Going once, going twice...
If there was any doubt as to whether the Falcons possessed sufficient firepower to make another run at the NCAA Division II championship, the first few games have answered that. They have averaged 92.5 points in the first six outings and have gone over 100 points in each of the last two wins. Only once before, in 1965-66, has an SPU team totaled triple digits in three consecutive games. For the past two seasons Coach Ken Bone (11th year) has found a formula for scoring better than 85 points per game: pressure defense, a fluid running game and the green light to heave three-pointers.

Trey magnifique...
It is the rain of long-distance shots which effectively cut down Evergreen, 103-74, last week. A run of 17 unanswered points midway through the first half included five treys. Adam Harris (So., 6-0, Fox Island, Wa./Gig Harbor) came off the bench to sink three straight bombs while Nick Johnson (Jr., 6-3, Burlington, Wa./Burlington-Edison) and Darrell Walker (Sr., 6-0, Marysville, Wa./M'ville-Pilchuck-EWU) shot down the others. The Falcons are shooting 52 percent from behind the arc and averaging 9.7 three-pointers per game. Johnson leads the squad, having connected on 15-20 treys.

Bench packs punch...
Bone is blessed with a deep bench, and he does not hesitate to use it. Ten players are averaging 10.8 minutes or more, and Walker, the sixth man, is the team's No. 4 scorer (10.2). Against Evergreen the reserves accounted for 55 points. Harris contributed a career-high 14 while Walker had 12 and Daniel Sandrin (So., 6-7, Bothell, Wa./Bothell-Portland) 11. Redshirt forward Chris Cohen (Fr., 6-8, St. Helens, Or.), seeing his longest stint (13 minutes) to date, scored seven points and had seven rebounds.

Bellessa, Stone yet to roll...
The strong play by the bench has allowed a couple of the starters some added time to hit their stride. Bone expected Aaron Bellessa (So., 6-2, Federal Way, Wa./Decatur) to need a few games to find his form; the point guard missed the past two seasons while on a church mission. Bellessa has concentrated on ballhandling and defense early, taking only six shots from the field. Brannon Stone (Jr., 6-9, Oak Harbor, Wa.), who finished his sophomore season so strong in last year's drive to the Final Four, is lagging in shooting (41 percent) and scoring (10.2) but remains the SPU leader in assists (4.0), steals (1.0) and leads the conference in blocked shots (2.5).

Hubbard heating up...
John Hubbard (Sr., 6-5, Inglewood, Ca./Grays Harbor CC), who was shooting just 43 percent in the first four games, has heated-up. Hubbard has made 14-21 field goals in the last two games, including 6-9 three-pointers. He scored 16 vs. Evergreen and leads the team with and is ninth in the PacWest with an 18.7 scoring average. Center Eric Sandrin (Jr., 6-10, Bothell, Wa./Shorecrest-Portland) is next at 16.0 and leads in rebounding (6.0) while averaging 1.2 blocks.

Lewiston dead ahead...
Without a doubt, Warrior Gym in Lewiston is one of the tougher places to play in the Northwest. Lewis-Clark State has won 19 of its last 20 home games, including a 75-68 win over SPU in its last visit two years ago. The gym features an overhanging balcony on one end which makes it nearly impossible to throw over a backcourt press. It's just one more advantage for the Warriors, who already this season have beaten Idaho on the road and lost by three at Washington State.

Series, opponent notes...
Lewis-Clark State has won five of its last six games, with its only loss during that stretch coming at Evergreen last week. Both the Idaho and WSU games were exhibitions for the D-I teams. The Warriors are allowing opponents only 62.4 points on 41 percent shooting. The Falcons lead the series 7-1...Willamette, after a 3-1 start, has lost three in a row. The Div. III Bearcats went four overtimes with Concordia of Minnesota Dec. 2. Each of their seven games have been decided by nine points or less. SPU leads the series 5-4 but the teams have not met since 1991-92.

Put-backs...
Johnson tied his career-high with eight rebounds vs. Evergreen...Stone, Hubbard and Bellessa returned to the starting lineup after coming off the bench at Linfield...The Falcons ran their offense in crisp fashion, particularly for a game which was preceded by final exams. The team passed for a season-high 26 assists and committed a season-low 12 turnovers...SPU is out-rebounding teams 38.8-31.2. Last year the margin was +1.1...Seattle Pacific leads thePacWest in field-goal percentage (.532), three-point percentage (.518) and blocked shots (5.0)...Gene Woodard (So., 6-5, Edmonds, Wa./O'Dea), after starting and scoring 20 at Linfield, played nine minutes and was scoreless vs. TESC. Woodard is third in PacWest field-goal accuracy (.696)...Abe Fox (Jr., 6-8, Port Townsend, Wa.) scored six points vs. the Geoducks and has made 13-15 free throws since the start of last season.

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
4 Abe Fox Jr-2V 6-8 3.3/1.8 reb Port Townsend, Wa. Averaging 13.0 minutes; 12 pts v Linfield
10 Adam Harris So-1V 6-0 4.8/1.0 ast Fox Island, Wa. 22 pts in last 2 games; 5-10 3-pointers
11 Aaron Bellessa* So-1V 6-2 1.3/2.5 ast Federal Way, Wa. Starter at point guard; 2.0 reb
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 10.2/3.5 ast Marysville, Wa. 53% 3-pointers (9-17)
21 Brannon Stone* Jr-2V 6-7 10.2/5.0 reb Oak Harbor, Wa. All-tourn. at WWU; 2.5 blks, 4.0 ast
22 Jesse Keely So-TR 6-7 2.2/2.5 reb Fircrest, Wa. Played in 4 games
23 Nick Johnson* Jr-2V 6-3 13.3/4.8 reb Burlington, Wa. 75% 3-pointers (15-20); 81% FT
30 Gene Woodard So-1V 6-4 7.8/3.0 reb Edmonds, Wa. Career-high 20 points at Linfield
32 John Hubbard* Sr-1V 6-5 18.7/4.0 reb Inglewood, Ca. MVP of WWU tournament
34 Eric Sandrin* Jr-TR 6-10 16.0/6.0 reb Bothell, Wa. All-Vitamilk tourn.; 55% FG
40 Daniel Sandrin So-TR 6-7 5.2/3.0 reb Bothell, Wa. Averaging 14.5 minutes; 60% FG
42 Chris Cohen Fr-RS 6-8 3.0/2.7 reb Saint Helens, Or. Played in 3 games; 7 reb v TESC
*projected starter
Coach: Ken Bone (SPU '83) 11th year (212-88/.707)