Upcoming games...
Fri.-Sat., Dec. 29-30 -- OAK HARBOR FREIGHT LINES HOLIDAY CLASSIC, Brougham Pavilion, Seattle, Wa.
       Fri., Dec. 29 -- SEATTLE PACIFIC v PUGET SOUND, 7 p.m. (Central Washington v Harding, 5 p.m.)
       Sat., Dec. 30 -- SEATTLE PACIFIC v HARDING, 7 p.m. (Central Washington v Puget Sound, 5 p.m.)

Complete 2000 Schedule

Millennium ends with mo...
Contrary to popular belief, the millennium is only now coming to a close, and the Seattle Pacific University men's basketball team has got some momentum going into the final days. The Falcons (6-2), ranked No. 15 in the nation and winners of their last four games, will conclude the calendar year and the non-conference portion of their schedule by hosting unbeaten Puget Sound (6-0), Harding of Arkansas (4-3) and Central Washington (5-3) in the Oak Harbor Freight Lines Holiday Classic Dec. 29-30. SPU starts 2001 by going to the Big Island and facing Hawaii Hilo in a Pacific West Conference outing Jan. 4.

Clicking, clicking, hiccup...
As is often the case in the doldrums of December, Seattle Pacific has played very well for stretches only to have occasional hiccups. Fortunately, the Falcons overcame the latter. They began the month by beating three teams over 11 days by a combined margin of 103 points. But the defensive intensity waned in a tougher-than-expected 85-81 home win over Willamette earlier this week. Coach Ken Bone (11th year) plans to give his players a six-day break from practice around Christmas before re-convening Dec. 27. His team will begin the New Year by playing six of the first eight conference games on the road.

Shoot, they're good...
Offensively, the team has gone up another notch during the win streak, shooting 58 percent from the field, 79 percent from the foul line and averaging 99.2 points. For the first eight games the Falcons lead the NCAA in long-distance shooting, connecting on 50 percent of their three-pointers. They lead the conference and are fifth nationally in overall field-goal percentage (.541). SPU is the second-most prolific PacWest team, averaging 92.4 points.

Individually speaking...
If there's a designated scorer for Seattle Pacific it would be all-conference forward John Hubbard (Sr., 6-5, Inglewood, Ca./Grays Harbor CC), and as the thermometer has dropped Hub has heated-up. Hubbard has scored 20.8 points per game during December, shooting 57 percent from the floor. His season average of 19.5 rates fourth in the conference. Hubbard and Brannon Stone (Jr., 6-9, Oak Harbor, Wa.) each hit for career-highs of 28 points in the most impressive win to date, a 99-68 road rampage at Lewis-Clark State, the No. 11 team in NAIA. That came on the heels of a one-sided home win over Evergreen, 103-74.

Just doing his job(s)...
Stone rarely wows anyone with one particular facet of his game. Rather it is his gift of always finding a way to help his team win. This week he is listed among the PacWest leaders four categories. Stone, not exactly a menacing intimidator, nonetheless leads the league in blocked shots (2.4). He's seventh in both assists (4.0) and free throw accuracy (.857) and ninth in steals (1.9). Following a chilly start, he has made 50 percent of his fields, both two- and three-pointers, the past four games, and is averaging 13.0 points.

Expect the unexpected...
Everyone enjoys a surprise gift around this time of year. Coach Bone got a couple of them early in the form of contributions by guard Nick Johnson (Jr., 6-3, Burlington, Wa./Burlington-Edison) and forward Gene Woodard (So., 6-5, Edmonds, Wa./O'Dea). Johnson, who entered this season having hit just 7-26 treys in his career, stands as the NCAA leader in three-point shooting at 75 percent (15-20). He has also tripled his sophomore scoring average to 12.3 points. But beyond that Johnson continues to play claustrophobic defense and, like Stone, help out in other ways. After snaring a career-high nine rebounds vs. Willamette, his average of 4.9 boards is second on the team. Woodard saw action in only 16 games as a freshman but has earned himself a top reserve role and the PacWest's top spot in field-goal percentage (.720). He's averaging 7.2 points.

If he reigns, he pours...
It's still early, but an eight-game trend shows that if center Eric Sandrin (Jr., 6-10, Bothell, Wa./Shorecrest-Portland) gets into a groove early he can put up big numbers. Sandrin has scored 19 or more points in five games but a total of just 23 in the other three outings. In the best of times, the transfer from Portland has averaged 13.0 points in the first half alone. Overall he is the Falcons' top rebounder (5.9) and No. 2 scorer (14.9) and shot-blocker (1.1).

Series, opponent notes...
SPU and Puget Sound, once travel partners in the old Great Northwest Conference, have played only eight times in the 12 years since the Loggers left Div. II and not at all in the past three seasons. The Falcons won seven of those meetings yet trail the series 50-33. Guard Jeff Carlson leads UPS, averaging 19.0 points...Harding and Seattle Pacific will be meeting for the first time, and it promises to be a high-scoring contest as the Bisons average 87.4 points. Seven Harding players average 8.0 points or more, topped by point guard Aaron Farley at 14.3...Central Washington, which faces SPU twice in PacWest play later on, defeated No. 17 Henderson State last week in Las Vegas.

Put-backs...
The Falcons have out-rebounded the last four teams by a combined 61 boards...Willamette became the first opponent to shoot better than 50 percent since Cal State San Bernardino in the opener...SPU tied a school record for single game free throw percentage by going 16-16 at Lewis-Clark State...Starting point guard Aaron Bellessa (So., 6-2, Federal Way, Wa./Decatur) has averaged 5.2 assists and had only nine turnovers in the last four games. His back-up, Darrell Walker (Sr., 6-0, Marysville, Wa./M'ville-Pilchuck-EWU), has supplied the offense, hitting 60 percent of his shots. Walker is fourth in PWC three-point accuracy (.542, 13-24).

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 calling (206) 281-2085 in advance. Brougham Pavilion 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 3.6/2.2 reb Port Townsend, Wa. Averaging 13.0 minutes; 12 pts v Linfield 10 Adam Harris So-1V 6-0 4.6/1.1 ast Fox Island, Wa. Gig Harbor grad scored 14 pts v Evergreen
11 Aaron Bellessa* So-1V 6-2 1.5/3.3 ast Federal Way, Wa. Starter at point guard; 21 assists last 4 games
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 9.8/3.6 ast Marysville, Wa. 13-24 3-pointers (.542), 1.5 steals
21 Brannon Stone* Jr-2V 6-7 12.6/5.0 reb Oak Harbor, Wa. All-tourn. at WWU; 2.4 blks, 1.9 stls
22 Jesse Keely So-TR 6-7 2.2/1.8 reb Fircrest, Wa. Played in 6 games
23 Nick Johnson* Jr-2V 6-3 11.2/5.4 reb Burlington, Wa. Leads NCAA in 3pt pct. (.750, 15-20)
30 Gene Woodard So-1V 6-4 7.6/2.4 reb Edmonds, Wa. Leads PWC in FG% (.742); 20 pts v Linfield
32 John Hubbard* Sr-1V 6-5 19.5/3.1 reb Inglewood, Ca. MVP of WWU tournament; 28 @ LCSC
34 Eric Sandrin* Jr-TR 6-10 15.8/5.9 reb Bothell, Wa. All-Vitamilk tourn.; 59% FG
40 Daniel Sandrin So-TR 6-7 4.4/3.0 reb Bothell, Wa. Averaging 13.8 minutes; 59% FG
42 Chris Cohen Fr-RS 6-8 1.8/1.6 reb Saint Helens, Or. Played in 5 games
*projected starter
Coach: Ken Bone (SPU '83) 11th year (214-88/.709)