Anything is possible. If the regular season was any indication, the NCAA Division II men’s basketball West Regional tournament should be wide-open, with predictions rendered pointless. And all that plays right into the hands of a Seattle Pacific University team which returns to the postseason following a two-year absence. The Falcons (20-8), seeded No. 6, meet Cal Poly Pomona (21-6) Friday afternoon (Mar. 11) in Bellingham. The winner advances to face Hawaii Hilo (24-3) or Chico State (18-9) Saturday night (Mar. 12). The West will be decided Monday night (Mar. 14), with the winner moving onto the Elite Eight and meeting the South Central winner in Grand Forks, N.D., Mar. 23.

Groove things. Playing at home can prove to be a huge advantage in the playoffs. Or so it seemed until the last couple years. After the host won the West 11 of 13 years, visitors prevailed in 2003 and ‘04. Coach Jeff Hironaka not only hopes that trend continues, but that the Falcons stay true to form. They are 4-0 on neutral courts this season and have won their opening tournament game in six of the last seven NCAA appearances. This marks Seattle Pacific’s 16th trip to the playoffs, and the first since 2002. Hironaka becomes the first SPU coach to earn a bid before in his third season at the helm. The program’s previous regional championships came in 1965 and 2000.

The kids are all right. Although the final four weeks of the regular season were a bit rocky at times, the Falcons’ fortunes appear to be on the upswing. Needing a win at Seattle University to secure a postseason berth, they put together one of the best defense performances of the season and, overall, the best sustained effort since late January. SPU put together decisive runs midway through the first half and again to start the second period of an 80-62 victory. It is only the 16th 20-win season for the program. Nine have come with Hironaka on the coaching staff.

The postman. Seattle Pacific prides itself on sharing the ball, good shot selection, sound defense and sharp execution. But beyond fundamentals and balance, what makes it most difficult to stop is center Jason Chivers (Sr., 6-8, Los Angeles, Ca./Highland-L.A. Trade Tech). A first-team all-Great Northwest Athletic Conference selection for the second year in a row, Chivers has developed into the premier post player in the league, if not the region. At Seattle U., he was front and center, leading the way with 22 points and 15 rebounds. It was his 11th double-double, and SPU has won nine of those games. Chivers leads the team in scoring, rebounding, shooting percentage and blocked shots.

‘Tis the season. The Falcons are far from being a one-man team, with four starters scoring in double figures and a bench featuring some potential game-breakers. Coming on strong in the final six games has been Jordan Lee (Sr., 6-1, Tacoma, Wa./Life Christian), averaging 17.8 points and shooting 56 percent over that stretch. Point guard Tony Binetti (Jr., 6-1, Enumclaw, Wa.), who received honorable mention all-GNAC, hit double figures in scoring in 16 of the final 19 games and hits nearly 50 percent of his three-pointers. Dustin Bremerman (So., 6-4, Yakima, Wa./Eisenhower) is probably the most versatile scoring threat and often draws the most challenging defensive assignment. When that foursome is clicking, as it was in midseason, SPU operates on par with the best teams in the nation. It was during such a stretch when the Falcons won 14 of 16 games, defeating the likes of Chico State, Western Washington, Alaska Fairbanks and Central Missouri State–all fellow NCAA tournament teams.

Deadeyes. Besides balanced scoring, another consequence of the Falcons’ philosophy of sharing is that they often get a good look at the basket. That has enabled virtually the same squad which went 14-13 a year ago to notch six more wins and rate among the NCAA leaders in shooting percentage, hitting 50.1 percent (No. 8 nationally). Foul them and they go to the line, where they are, again, nationally ranked, connecting on 76.0 percent (14th in the NCAA). Seattle Pacific has made over 50 percent of its field goals in 17 of its 20 wins this season and is 27-4 when doing so over the past two seasons. It is now 13-1 when scoring at least 80 points.

It’s how they finish. It remains a mystery as to why, but the simple fact is that the Falcons are only as good as their first half. If they keep it close for the first 20 minutes, watch out. Only one opponent has out-scored SPU during the second half in the last 19 games, with the Falcons averaging 8.9 points more than opponents over that span, and 6.5 for the entire season. On the other hand, the early stages have been a concern. In seven of the eight losses, they have trailed by at least five at the break, with the average margin 12.5 points.

Put-backs. Seattle Pacific received 16 votes in this week’s national poll, which would be equivalent to No. 28 overall in the final rankings prior to the Elite Eight...Five of the West teams–Alaska Fairbanks, Chico State, Cal Poly Pomona, Cal State San Bernardino and BYU Hawaii–are repeat participants. Fairbanks was runner-up to Humboldt State in ‘04...Lee is the only squad member with any previous NCAA tournament experience. He played in two games as a redshirt freshman in ‘02. Mike Bushmaker (Jr., 6-7, Yakima, Wa./Eisenhower) was a redshirt on that team...Seattle Pacific has advanced to the regional championship game nine times, losing seven (six to the host team)...The 56 points at Northwest Nazarene was a seven-year low...Ralph Steele (Sr., 6-2, No. Birmingham, Al./Huffman-Citrus JC), who led the NCAA in free throw percentage a year ago and the GNAC beginning last week (.909), dropped below the minimum to qualify. Steele is the top scoring nonstarter, averaging 7.6 points... SPU When opponents score more than 80 the record is 2-4...In the last 13 games the Falcons have shot 81.4 percent (223-274) at the foul line...The Falcons are No. 1 in the conference in defensive three-point percentage (.304). They are No. 2 in the GNAC and No. 13 nationally in free throw accuracy (.760). They are No. 2 in GNAC field-goal percentage (.501, No. 9 nationally). They are also No. 2 in defensive overall field goal percentage (.435). Individually, Chivers is No. 2 in GNAC rebounding and No. 13 in the NCAA (10.2), No. 3 in blocks (1.14) and field-goal percentage (.588), and No. 9 in scoring (15.9). Binetti is second in three-point shooting (.493, 37 of 75). He is also No. 3 in steals (1.67), No. 5 in assists (4.4) and No. 8 in overall field-goal percentage (.543) and free throw accuracy (.826)...Bremerman is No. 2 in free throw shooting (.879) and No. 3 in the NCAA...Lee is seventh in GNAC three-point accuracy (.458, 44 of 120).

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.