Thanksgiving hoops. At about the time the rest of us fall asleep from the tryptophan effect of our turkey dinner, the Seattle Pacific University men’s basketball team will be in Hawaii, tipping-off the first of three games in a span 68 hours. The Falcons (1-1) face Michigan’s Hillsdale (1-1) in the first round of the Hilo Shootout Thanksgiving night (Nov. 25), then meet host Hawaii Hilo (0-0) Friday (Nov. 26). SPU plays Pennsylvania’s Shippensburg (2-0) Saturday afternoon (Nov. 27) before coming home. The Great Northwest Athletics Conference opener is at Brougham Pavilion Dec. 2 versus Seattle University.

Big Island-bound. While Seattle Pacific was an annual visitor to Hawaii and the Big Island during its days in the Pacific West Conference from 1994-01, this trip bypasses Honolulu and Waikiki and looks to be all business because there’s little time for anything else. In fact, the Falcons have not played three times in three days since the 1999 NCAA tournament, and they have never before competed on Thanksgiving. Showers are forecast for Hilo throughout their stay, yet temperatures will be 30 degrees higher than home, reaching into the low 80s.

Lee for three. SPU got off to a respectable start to the season, thanks to the outside shooting of Jordan Lee (Sr., 6-1, Tacoma, Wa./Life Christian), whose three-point shooting seemed as sure as a layup at times. Looking relaxed and comfortable in the opener at 22nd-ranked Washington, Lee generated most of the early offense, hitting 6-of-7 treys (tying a career best) and finished with 22 points in an 89-71 loss to the Huskies before 9,851 fans. One night later, he shot 3-6 outside the arc, including the go-ahead three with 51 seconds left in the 84-80 win over Chico State in the home opener. Lee’s 37 points in 34 minutes led the team on the first weekend of the season.

Chivers delivers. Apart from a foul-plagued opening half against the Huskies, center Jason Chivers (Sr., 6-8, Los Angeles, Ca./Highland-L.A. Trade Tech) has been all business inside, making smooth moves to the hoop and swooping in to clear the defensive boards of opponent misses at the other end. Chivers paced SPU with 19 points and 17 rebounds–one shy of his career high–against Chico State. He had a double-double in the second half alone, totaling 13 points and 14 rebounds after intermission. Similarly at Washington, he came alive in the second period, when he scored 15 of his 17 points.

Binetti better late. The victory over Chico did not come easily. In fact, the Wildcats appeared to have their hosts on the ropes twice in the final four minutes. At that point, point guard Tony Binetti (Jr., 6-1, Enumclaw, Wa.) made some pivotal plays. He hit a trey to tie the game at 74. Then, after Chico went back in front and SPU missed its next shot with two minutes remaining, Binetti stole the ball at midcourt, drove for the layup, was fouled and completed the three-point play. He finished with 14 points and seven assists.

No hanging, Chad. Apparently, double-doubles are no longer exclusive to Chivers. Quietly, almost under the radar, forward Chad Williams (Jr., 6-8, Burlington, Wa./Burlington Edison-Whatcom CC) got his first such SPU stat line against Chico, finishing with 12 points and 10 rebounds. Offensively, Williams stroked three three-pointers and together with Chivers he helped SPU rule the boards, 45-37.

Things will get better. Maybe the hang-loose mantra of Hawaii will rub-off on some Seattle Pacific players who have yet to get untracked. Dustin Bremerman (So., 6-4, Yakima, Wa./Eisenhower), the GNAC freshman of the year, was a combined 1-9 on three-pointers and totaled just 15 points in the first two games. Bremerman did deliver a career-high seven assists vs. Chico. Last year’s sixth man, Ralph Steele (Sr., 6-2, No. Birmingham, Al./Huffman-Citrus JC), played just 12 minutes. As a junior Steele set a school record and led the NCAA in free throw shooting at 91.1 percent and scored 10.6 per game.

Put-backs. The early leader for the squad’s most improved is Tim Gabelein (So., 6-7, Langley, Wa./South Whidbey). At Washington, Gabelein played a solid 10 minutes, grabbing three rebounds and scoring on an offensive rebound. He also had two points an two boards vs. Chico...Jeff Knudson (Jr., 6-7, Mukilteo, Wa./Kamiak) had some tough-luck rim rolls on some of his long three-point attempts, yet still scored 10 points at the UW...The 23 first-half points against the Huskies was the fewest in 58 games and the final 18-point margin was the most in the last 156 outings...SPU was 11-24 on treys vs. Chico. The 19 total threes leads the GNAC and the accuracy clip of .413 is No. 2. Individually, Lee (18.5) and Chivers (18.0) are Nos. 6 and 7 in scoring. Chivers is No. 2 in rebounding (12.0) and Lee is second in three-point shooting (.692).

Coaching Staff. In his first season Jeff Hironaka won more games (16) than all but one other first-year SPU coach. A former aide at Idaho State and The Master’s, Hironaka became Ken Bone’s top assistant in 1991 and from there the Falcons won 236 of 253 games, claimed five outright or shared conference championships and qualified for the NCAA tournament eight times, including a Final Four advancement in 2000. Hironaka is the second Japanese-American head coach of a four-year collegiate program. Brock Veltri is Hironaka’s chief assistant. Veltri spent two years in a similar position with Scottsdale Community College in Arizona. A former Idaho State graduate assistant, he played two years at Peninsula College in Port Angeles, Wa. Scott Reid, a King Co coach of the year at Bellevue’s Newport High School, is in his second season and George Parker, who first served as a volunteer assistant in 1986, returns for his 16th year.

Missing links. For the latest and best information on Seattle Pacific University athletics, stay where you're at -- on The Falcons Online. For updated standings and statistics, see the Great Northwest Athletic Conference web site.