Halfway mark approaches. Several hundred mileposts await the No. 8-ranked Seattle Pacific University men’s basketball team on a southbound trip this week, with the last one marking the halfway point to the Great Northwest Athletic Conference campaign. Winners of four in a row and 12 of the last 13, the Falcons are sitting pretty atop both the GNAC and the West Region with 11 games to go, yet they hold the slimmest of leads in both races, and they face two teams which have proven formidable, particularly on their home floors this season. SPU (6-1, 14-3) visits surprising Western Oregon (4-3, 10-6) Thursday night (Jan. 27) and defending regional champion Humboldt State (3-4, 11-5) Saturday (Jan. 29). Next week’s homecoming festivities begin with a Feb. 2 encounter with Saint Martin’s.

Speaking of signposts. That signpost in Seattle Pacific’s rearview mirror is the 14-win mark, and what’s remarkable about it is that the Falcons got there a month later last season and went no further. This year, Coach Jeff Hironaka has is squad well-positioned for a return to the NCAA Division II tournament, and then some. Last week SPU was ranked No. 1 in the West Region, ahead of Alaska Fairbanks and Hawaii Hilo. Since then, the Falcons have beaten both Alaska Anchorage (91-76) and Fairbanks (102-94 in overtime), stretching their home win streak to nine.

Scary territory. Face it, there are no friendly places to play in the GNAC, and the Oregon-Northern California junket is no exception. Western Oregon and Humboldt State have combined to win 13 of 15 home games this season, and SPU has failed to earn a victory in its last three stops in Arcata, where the Lumberjacks are 49-2 over the past four years. While Seattle Pacific has won five games away from its home court, it is just 1-3 in true road games. By turning around that record, the Falcons could consolidate their hold over both the conference and region.

Can’t stop this. Offensively, few teams can match the Falcons’ might. Inside or outside, on the drive or simply spot-up shooting, they bang down baskets with abandon. They shot 56 and a season-high 62 percent in last week’s games, scoring a total of 193 points. Nearly half of those came from the tandem of point guard Tony Binetti (Jr., 6-1, Enumclaw, Wa.) and wing Dustin Bremerman (So., 6-4, Yakima, Wa./Eisenhower), who had identical totals of 26 points vs. Anchorage and 20 vs. Fairbanks. Binetti missed just four field goals, shooting 13-17, and also had 12 assists with just three turnovers while playing all but 10 of a possible 85 minutes. His play earned him co-player of the week in the GNAC. Bremerman also merited consideration, shooting 16-26, including 9 of 13 three-pointers.

Mount Chivers. Sometimes it is the mountain which quietly simmers that becomes the most explosive volcano. Last week, following a relative scoring slumber in his previous three outings, center Jason Chivers (Sr., 6-8, Los Angeles, Ca./Highland-L.A. Trade Tech) awakened and Fairbanks was a witness to his fury. Chivers erupted for a career-high 33 points, including seven in the decisive extra period, in the victory over the Nanooks. He was nearly automatic inside, converting 15 of 22 field goals. He had sent the game into overtime on a tip with 18 seconds remaining. It was the biggest scoring night for an SPU player since Jeff McBroom had 37 points back in ‘99 and it came after Chivers had taken just 13 shots and scored only 21 points in three games. In addition to his scoring, by grabbing 19 boards Chivers moved up to No. 9 in career rebounding last week, and he’s likely to land in the top five by March. He leads the team in scoring (14.9), rebounding (9.4) and blocked shots (1.06) this year.

Who’s next? One of the hallmarks of great teams is that a different hero seems to emerge every evening. Lately, it’s been Binetti and Bremerman, but this week, who knows? Just as Chivers was overdue, so are Jordan Lee (Sr., 6-1, Tacoma, Wa./Life Christian) and Ralph Steele (Sr., 6-2, No. Birmingham, Al./Huffman-Citrus JC). Lee went on a scoring tear in late December but has since simmered down. Perhaps a harbinger of things to come was his five quick points to get things rolling in overtime. A top reserve, Steele sparked the team’s last road win, and can ooze offense when he clicks into a rhythm. Opponents are also wary of Jeff Knudson (Jr., 6-7, Mukilteo, Wa./Kamiak), with warning shouts of “shooter!” when he enters the game. Knudson rates among the school’s top all-time three-point marksmen but has not made a trey in his last five games.

Put-backs. Chad Williams (Jr., 6-8, Burlington, Wa./Burlington-Edison-Whatcom CC) put together a solid game of 14 points, nine boards and five assists vs. Anchorage, and followed with a career-high six assists vs. Fairbanks. Binetti’s 26 points was a career best as was Bremerman’s six treys vs. Anchorage...Bremerman has averaged 21.3 over the three-game home stand and Binetti has averaged 21.3 in the last four games...The Falcons have out-scored opponents in the second half of eight straight games, and by an average of 9.8 over that span...Bremerman is averaging a team-high 18.4 points in GNAC play, just ahead of Binetti’s 17.6...Seattle Pacific has made over 50 percent of its field goals in 12 of its wins this season and is 22-3 when doing so over the past two seasons...This is the highest ranking for SPU since going to No. 7 on Feb. 11, 2002...SPU has beaten three ranked teams this season, including Western Washington, Alaska Fairbanks and current No. 10 Central Missouri...The Falcons are No. 1 in the conference and sixth nationally in field-goal percentage (.517). They also lead the league in defensive overall field goal percentage (.429) three-point percentage (.309). They are No. 2 in scoring (85.5) and three-point shooting percentage (.417). Individually, Bremerman leads the GNAC in free throw percentage (.900) and Binetti is the three-point percentage leader (.578). Binetti is No. 2 in overall shooting (.622) and assists (5.0) and No. 9 in steals (1.44). Lee is sixth in three-point accuracy (.488). Chivers is No. 2 in rebounding (9.4), No. 8 in scoring and No. 5 in blocks. Bremerman is No. 10 in overall shooting (.523).

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.

Tickets, please. Reserved tickets for all SPU home games are priced $7 and $6. General admission is $5 with youth, students and senior citizens $3 with proper identification. Groups can qualify for discounts by calling (206) 281-2085 in advance.

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.