Big Sky Notebook

Big Sky Notebook

by Nicholas Lozito

Preseason means nothing

In the world of mid-major basketball, the preseason means nothing. Very rarely does a mid-major team, especially in the Big Sky Conference, get an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament based on the teams they played in November and December. So, in the end, it all comes down to who takes the conference crown. Eastern Washington knows this better than anyone else, having lost in the Big Sky Championship Game each of the past two seasons.

The Eagles (10-6 overall, 2-0 in Big Sky) opened up their BSC schedule with a Jan. 9 match-up at Montana (7-10, 1-1). Eagle forward Marc Axton led Eastern Washington with 17 points, six rebounds and 3-of-3 shooting from 3-point range in a 72-62 win. The Eagles struggled at times during the preseason due to Axton’s inability to provide the team with a frontcourt scoring threat. Swingman Chris Hester scored 16 points while freshman guard Danny Pariseau scored 12. The backcourt tandem of David Bell and Kevin Criswell combined for 41 points and eight made 3-pointers for Montana.

On Saturday, Eastern Washington squared-off with Montana State (7-8) in Bozeman, Mont. Eagle Point guard Alvin Snow scored 15 points, dished out 7 assists and swiped 6 steals in the 65-51 Eagle victory. JuCo transfer Brandon Merritt led Eastern Washington in scoring with 17 points. Jason Erickson and Pete Conway were the only two Bobcats to score in double figures.

Eastern will host Northern Arizona and Sacramento State this week.

Guyton’s on fire; Hornets snap streak

Sacramento State may have just added the final piece to their puzzle this week: shooting guard Brandon Guyton’s jump shot. Guyton, who the team relies heavily on for outside shooting, made 7-of-11 shots from beyond the arc on Tuesday against Texas A&M Corpus Christi. Guyton was shooting around 30 percent from 3-point land coming into the game. His newfound presence from outside should allow the Hornets more space for their swingmen to penetrate. Guyton scored no points in a double overtime win at Northern Arizona on Saturday. The 85-81 victory was the Hornets’ first-ever Big Sky road win, snapping a 48-game drought.

Vikings give Ducks a scare

Despite a 3-13 record, the Portland State Vikings (1-2 in BSC) have not backed down from Pac-10 competition this season. The Vikings lost to No. 19-ranked Oregon, 69-63, on Wednesday. Junior Seth Scott tore up the Ducks for 25 points and 11 rebounds, as the Vikings scored 36 points overall in the paint. On Dec. 17 Portland State lost to Oregon State on a game winning 3-pointer by Brian Jackson. They were two heart-breaking losses, but also two reasons to watch out for the Vikings in conference play.

Game of the Week

Weber State will get its first real test in big Sky play when Montana comes into Ogden, Utah on Saturday. The Wildcats are currently ranked No. 11 in collegeinsider.com’s mid-major poll. Montana is a team that is improving with every game under new head coach Pat Kennedy. Prediction: Weber State 74, Montana 65.

Player of the Week

Eastern Washington forward Marc Axton averaged 14 points, 4.5 rebounds and 2.5 assists in the Eagles road sweep in Montana.

Leon Powe Profile

Profile in Courage: Leon Powe

by Nicholas Lozito

The streets of Oakland, California have been both a friend and foe to Leon “The Show” Powe.

At times, their bumpy, concrete courts with double rims and torn-down nets helped mold the eighteen-year old Oakland Tech senior into a high school basketball phenom. Meanwhile, their darkest corners and drug-ridden areas have served as home for much of his life.

Today Powe stands as a 6-foot-8 power forward who is capable of turning a high school game into his personal 36-minute highlight reel. Last year’s California state championship game was no different, except for one tragic detail. Powe’s mother, Connie Landry, had passed away from unknown causes in an Oakland motel room just four days prior to the game.

“I made up my mind that I was going to play,” said Powe, whose father left the family when he was two. “My mom told me she wanted me to hoop. She was the only one I had. She provided everything for us.”

With his mother’s death less than a week behind him, “The Show” poured in nineteen points and grabbed ten rebounds against No. 1-ranked Westchester High School of Los Angeles. The Bulldogs lost the game by five points, 80-75, but Powe’s courageous performance opened the eyes of many.

“I think that was more a statement about his maturity,” said Dave Bollwinkel, former head coach of Saint Mary’s College in Moraga, California. “He was willing, in a trying time, to take a step back, still morn his mother, and meet a commitment he made to his team. It means that he was maybe a little more mentally tough than many of us.”

While basketball may come with ease for Powe, life did not. At seven, Powe’s younger brother, Timothy, accidentally burnt down the family’s duplex after getting a hold of matches. Shortly after the fire Landry lost custody of her five kids, who were put into foster care.

In junior high, Powe met up with Bernard Ward, a counselor at the time with the Alameda County Probation Department.

“He was spending a lot more time with Bernard and understanding the importance of education and were it could take him,” said Jonas Zuckerman, Powe’s current academic advisor at Oakland Tech.

Unfortunately, his mentor’s words didn’t instantly kick in.

In his freshman year at Oakland Tech, Powe’s grade-point average dipped below a 2.0, and he was forced to sit out four games due to academic ineligibility. “I went to the game and had to sit out,” Powe said. “I saw the crowd and the (players) having fun. I was like, ‘I want to be out there.’”

When Powe finally did get on the court, he quickly made himself one of the top players in the Oakland Athletic League. Playing alongside 6-foot-9 center Demarshay Johnson, a McDonald’s All-American candidate heading into his senior year, he had someone to help guide him.

But Johnson struggled in the classroom, often not attending, and was academically ineligible for much of his senior season. He went on to play at a North Carolina prep school and is currently waiting for clearance to play at the University of Nevada.

Shortly following Johnson’s departure, Oakland Tech organized a team of academic advisors for their athletes, headed by Zuckerman.

“That was kind of the turning point in the program,” junior point guard Quenton Thomas said. “Nobody else should ever have to go through what Demarshay did.”

Powe also learned from Johnson’s mistakes, improving his GPA to 3.5 his junior year. He also averaged 25 points and twelve rebounds on the court, catching the eye of Ben Braun, head coach at the University of California. In November he signed at letter of intent to play for the Golden Bears.

“I’m excited about the whole college thing,” Powe said. “I never thought I’d have an opportunity like that, and Cal is one of the top academic colleges in the nation.

“When I was twelve I didn’t think I would go to college. In the long run I have learned to like school; that’s the crazy thing about it.”

According to Zuckerman, his success in the classroom has been an inspiration to other athletes on campus. “When younger players see Leon, who is one of the top players in the country, going to class and getting good grades, it makes their decision easier,” he said.

Powe’s decision to play at Cal, which is located just minutes from Oakland Tech, has also paved the way for other Oakland athletes. Oakland High point guard Ayinde Ubaka signed a letter of intent to attend Cal just a week after Powe. Fremont High small forward Timothy Pierce and Thomas are also being recruited by the Golden Bears.

Despite being one of the top leagues in Northern California, it is rare for an OAL basketball player to attend a top-notch program. “Maybe that’s changing,” Zuckerman said. “Certainly the Cal coaches want that to change. I can’t remember the last time an OAL payer got a basketball scholarship to Cal.”

Zuckerman knows that in order to keep this positive trend alive, the Oakland Tech players will need to back up their play on the court with hard work in the classroom. The back of each player’s warm-up jersey reads, “No books, no ball.”

“Our goal for the basketball team is, in the classroom to have a grade-point average of 3.0, and on the court to win the state title,” Zuckerman said. “Last season we had a 2.97 GPA and lost by five points in the final.”

The basketball players meet on Tuesdays and Thursdays after school to help each other with their homework. Players who specialize in certain academic areas help those who struggle. “Study hall is like a family get together for us,” Powe said. “It helps us out a lot as a team.”

The Bulldogs currently hold an 8-4 record and No. 1 ranking in Northern California. They have played preseason tournaments in Nevada and New Jersey in preparation for another state-title run. Powe has fully healed from an ACL tear over the summer. He believes that his improved outside game could be a vital piece to his basketball arsenal.

But after having his father leave the family at two, his brother accidentally burn down the duplex at seven and his mother die at seventeen, jump shots don’t take on the same significance.

“The two most undervalued qualities in a prospect, and the two most difficult to evaluate, are does he care and does he work hard,” Bollwinkel said. “With Leon, the answer to both of those is yes.

“He doesn’t play for a future contract, his posse or his girlfriend. He plays to win.”

Big Sky Notebook

Big Sky Notebook

by Nicholas Lozito

Vikings get win in Big Sky opener

Junior shooting guard Kevin Briggs played all 40 minutes and scored 21 points Tuesday night as Portland State (3-10, 1-0) kicked off Big Sky play with a 65-52 win over Sacramento State (5-8, 0-1) in Portland. Point guard Jeb Ivey, who also played all 40, scored 19 points and dished out seven assists. Viking JuCo transfer Seth Scott poured in 16.

To say that Portland State is suffering from an incredible lack of depth in the backcourt would be an understatement. The Vikings only brought in one guard from off the bench, John Giannoni III, and even he played only played three minutes. If someone doesn’t step up, or head coach Heath Schroyer doesn’t sub somebody in, the Vikings will start seeing their ship sink as conference play gets into full tilt.

Sacramento State saw the return of forward Leo Cravey, who played only four minutes, from academic ineligibility. The senior should see more playing time as conference play rolls along. Guards Joseph Dawson and David Joiner along with forward Cedric Thompkins still remain ineligible. Derek Lambeth led Sac State with 15 points, while Jimmy White poured in thirteen against the Vikings. Sac State has now lost 49 straight Big Sky road games.

The game was tied at 44 with 7:05 remaining but Briggs hit a jumper to kick-start an 11-2 run for PSU.

Portland State came into Tuesday’s game coming off an 87-49 home loss to Gonzaga. Forward Ronny Turiaf scored 18 in the Bulldog victory. Sac State won at Lipscomb University earlier in the week, receiving 16 points from both Derek Lambeth and Emir Medunjanin. Hornet point guard DaShawn Freeman currently ranks ninth in the nation with 3.2 steals per game.

The Hornets will next play at Northern Arizona on Saturday night. Portland State will play at Montana State on Thursday night and at Montana on Saturday.

Little men out in Big Sky state

Montana point guard Derrick Mansell has been suspended for academic ineligibility, and did not play in last week’s games at Denver and Purdue, both losses. Montana State point guard Jason Erickson is out for the next few weeks with a broken wrist. Sam Riddle will take over the full-time point guard duties in Montana, while Frank Brown will play in place of Erickson.

Brown scored seven points with seven assists in a 60-56 loss versus Wyoming this week. Riddle played only 13 minutes and scored just one point in an 84-66 loss at Purdue. Both Montana State and Montana will host Eastern Washington and Portland State this week.

Gazing the Sky

The Big Sky Conference was 52-48 in preseason games coming into this week. They also carry a 4-4 record against the Pac-10 and a 7-4 record against the Big West.

Kelly Golob, last week’s Big Sky Player of the Week, scored 17 points and Kyle Feuerbach dished out nine assists as Northern Arizona (9-4) narrowly lost, 59-57, at New Mexico on Tuesday. The Lumberjacks beat Marist College and Southern Utah earlier in the week. Four Northern Arizona players currently average over 13 points.

Weber State (9-5) forward Slobodan Ocokoljic scored 17 points in Weber State’s 72-58 loss at Utah this week. It was Ocokoljic’s best effort since returning from an NCAA suspension three weeks ago. Weber State and Idaho State don’t start their Big Sky schedules until Jan. 16.

Eastern Washington (8-6) got back on the winning track with an 89-74 win at home against Portland this week. The Eagles, who many predict to win the Big Sky, had lost four straight coming into the contest. Chris Hester led the way with 28 points, while point guard Alvin Snow scored 13 with nine boards, eight assists and five steals. He is the best all-around player in the conference.

Game of the Week

Eastern Washington’s road trip to the Montana schools will be this week’s games of the week. Eastern Washington is expected to come out 2-0, but I predict a Montana victory. Prediction: Montana 64, East. Washington 60 on Thursday; East. Washington 76, Montana State 67 on Saturday.

Player of the Week

Kevin Briggs played all 40 minutes and scored 21 points in Portland State’s conference victory over Sacramento State.

Big Sky Notebook

Big Sky Notebook

by Nicholas Lozito

Reevaluating the Big Sky

With the Big Sky Conference schedule waiting in the wings (first game on Jan. 7) the time has come to take a second look at each team and their chances in conference play. Teams are in order of their predicted finish in the Big Sky.

No. 1 — Montana (6-7) sent the biggest shockwaves through the Big Sky this preseason when they upset Stanford, and they will do the same when the win the Big Sky regular season championship. The Grizzlies might not be the best team in the conference right now, but with new head coach Pat Kennedy and a slew of new players they are just hitting their stride. Montana has won four of their last five games, including wins last week over Loyola Marymount and Southern Utah. Shooting guard David Bell leads the team with 16.9 points, while freshman guard Kevin Criswell (14.2) points has had three games with over 27 points. The Grizzlies continue to split time at the point between Derrick Mansell and Sam Riddle. Mansell provides more of a scoring threat, while Riddle has a better assist/turnover ratio.

No. 2 — Jermaine Boyette (20.7 points per game) is still the best player on Weber State, but no longer is he the only legit player. Backcourt mate John Hamilton has emerged as a solid scoring threat, averaging 13.8 points. And with forward Slobodan Ocokoljic recently returning to the lineup the Wildcats (9-4) are at full strength. Weber is the deepest team in the conference as ten players average over ten minutes. The Wildcats are coming off a victory at Maine and a loss at Tennessee-Chattanooga.

No. 3 — Eastern Washington (7-6) was the preseason favorite to win the conference in both the Big Sky media and coaches poll. But after the Eagles recent three-game skid, which consisted of losses to Delaware, Austin Peay and Nebraska, the conference’s best team is now Weber State. If Eastern Washington wants to regain their title, swingman Marc Axton is going to have to step up his game. Axton, who earned Big Sky Newcomer of the Year as a freshman last season, is averaging only 6.3 points and 3.5 boards through thirteen games this year. Axton is fading away as the only frontcourt scoring threat for the Eagles.

No. 4 — Northern Arizona has been the biggest surprise in the Big Sky by far. After suffering the biggest blow to graduation after last season, the Lumberjacks have bolted out to the best preseason record (7-3) in the conference behind the play of Ryan McDade. McDade (17.5 points, 9.3 boards) scored 22 points and grabbed twelve rebounds in Northern Arizona’s win over UCLA. Freshman guard Kelly Golob leads the conference with 3.4 made 3-pointers per game to go along with 14.3 points and 6.8 boards. JuCo transfer Aaron Bond also averages 15.1 points as the Lumberjacks have proven to be the most prolific offense in the Big Sky. Point guard Kyle Feuerbach leads the conference with 5.8 assists. The Lumberjacks are coming off a close loss at Portland.

No. 5 – Montana State (6-5) will have to suffer through the next three weeks without star guard Jason Erickson (10.7 points) who injured his wrist. This will put added pressure on senior guard Pete Conway (15.5 points) and senior forward Casey Reynolds (7.3 points, 5.9 boards). Junior center Bo Segeberg has provided solid play in the frontcourt. If these three players can keep the Bobcats afloat until Erickson’s return, they should make the Big Sky Tourney.

No. 6 – Coming into the season, the thought was that Jeremy Brown would be the only reason Idaho State was not a winless team at this point. As it turns out, Idaho State (6-5) is a winning team and little of it has to do with Brown. The freshman tandem of point guard Marquise Poole (10.2 points, 4.5 assists) and shooting guard David Schroeder (9.4 points) have been key factors in the Bengal turnaround, while junior forward Scott Henry (13.3 points, 9.5 rebounds) has recorded six double-doubles. Brown has still remained a factor averaging 10.5 points and 4.5 boards.

No. 7 – If you asked me three weeks ago about Sacramento State, the school I currently attend, I would have told you they would compete for the Big Sky title. Today, in the midst of a four-game losing streak, the Hornets (4-7) are playing the worst basketball in the conference. The three contributing factors to Sac State’s poor play have been a lack of fire, depth and a go-to man. The Hornets have played flat ever since the opening minutes against Oregon State. The team has also been in backcourt foul trouble, as, due to academic ineligibility, head coach Jerome Jenkins is limited to only three guards. The Hornets also have no players averaging over eleven points, and their halfcourt offense seems confused with no go-to guy. Shooting guard Joseph Dawson, who is expected to come back from academic ineligibility this week, could step into that roll. Guard David Joiner and forwards Leo Cravey and Cedric Thompkins are also expected back this week from ineligibility.

No. 8 – Portland State (2-9) has struggled mightily in the preseason. The team has received a recent boost with the return of power forward Seamus Boxley. When freshman forward Marshal Hartman returns from a knee injury and JuCo transfer Seth Scott plays up to expectations, the Vikings should be an improved team. Meanwhile, point guard Jeb Ivey will play all 40 minutes as the team suffers embarrassing losses.

Game of the Week

Portland State and Sacramento State will kick-off the Big Sky schedule this week when the two teams take the court in Portland. If the Hornets are not too worn down from a six-game road trip they should come away with the win. Prediction: Sacramento State 68, Portland State 60.

Player of the Week

Montana freshman guard Kevin Criswell scored 31 points and grabbed seven rebounds in the Grizzlies win over Southern Utah.

Big Sky Notebook

Big Sky Notebook

by Nicholas Lozito

Welcome to the Lozito Psychic Hotline

First and foremost, I would like to declare myself a college basketball guru. I am now three-for-three in predicting the winner of the Game of the Week in my Big Sky Notebooks. The past two weeks I have correctly picked the score differential, and the first week I was only off by two points. But even more incredibly, I correctly predicted Gonzaga to beat Eastern Washington, 67-64, this past week. And what do you know, they won by that exact score.

I knew Gonzaga, a team on the cusp of being ranked in the Hoopville Top-25 Poll, would be up to a tough task at home versus the Eagles (7-3). I knew it would come down to sheer grit, as many in-state battles do. But in the end, home court advantage reigned supreme. Gonzaga proved to have a much deeper team as only two Eastern players scored over six points – Alvin Snow with 22, and Chris Hester with nineteen. Snow also finished with five rebounds, five assists and three steals. The ‘Zags proved to be the more physical team, out-rebounding the Eagles 41-27. Earlier in the week, Eastern Washington defeated Boise State, 65-59.

Pilots sail circles around Vikings’ ship

It’s pretty rare that non-conference opponents play each other twice. But when you have an intra-city rivalry like the one that exists between Portland State and Portland, it’s hard to resist temptation. Portland (4-6) beat Portland State (2-7) for the second time this season, 59-50, claiming city bragging rights. For the Vikings, several trends continued. They lost, and point guard Jeb Ivey played all 40 minutes, as he has done in eight of nine games. Ivey led the team with 15 points in the loss.

Weber takes advantage of weak schedule

Sacramento State’s women’s basketball team, who just snapped their 44-game losing streak, might be able to play with some of the teams Weber state has faced this preseason. The Wildcats (8-3), just coming off wins over Boise State and Utah State, have yet to face a team from a major conference. Here is the list of Wildcat opponents: Santa Barbara, Ball State, Alaska-Fairbanks, Montana Tech, Nevada, North Texas, Morris Brown, Wisconsin-Green Bay, Portland, Utah State and Boise State.

The Wildcats have recently seen the return of junior forward Slobodan Ocokoljic, who missed the team’s first nine games for breaking NCAA rules. Ocokoljic, an Ohio State transfer, has averaged 7.5 points in his first two games. His return should carry more weight in upcoming weeks, as the wildcats will face BYU and Utah.

Life without Jason

Montana State (5-4) may have beaten Idaho this week, 74-68, but the talk around Bozeman is all about point guard Jason Erickson. Erickson, last season’s Big Sky Player of the Year, broke his wrist in a game against Dickinson State last week, and is expected out for up to four weeks. Shooting guard Pete Conway softened the loss of Erickson with 27 points. Reserve point guard Frank Brown scored eight points with four assists.

Gazing the Sky

Idaho State (5-5) continued their improved play this week with an 86-68 win over Eastern Oregon. The Bengals have now won four-straight games. Freshman shooting guard David Shroeder scored 26 points and grabbed eight rebounds to lead the Bengals, while JuCo transfer Marquise Poole scored nine points and dished out six assists. Junior forward Scott Henry recorded his fifth double-double with 13 points and ten boards.

Northern Arizona (7-2) continued their solid play with a 92-76 win over Tennessee-Martin. Aaron Bond led the Lumberjacks with 37 points, while Ryan McDade had sixteen points and eleven rebounds. Coming into the week, the Lumberjacks led the Big Sky in scoring offense with 76.9 points per game.

A week after knocking off No. 22-ranked Stanford University with a 3-pointer at the buzzer, Montana (5-7) shooting guard David Bell scored 16 points to lead the Grizzlies to a 75-68 victory over Loyola Marymount. JuCo transfer Steve Horne scored ten points and pulled down seven boards.

After going on a three-game winning streak, Sacramento State (4-5) lost their second-straight game this week against Cal State-Fullerton, 62-54. Fullerton was without second-leading scorer and leading rebounder Pape Sow, and after backup center Babacar Camara went down early in the first half, the Titans were down to six scholarship players. Still, the Hornets fell to the undermanned Titans.

Hornet head coach Jerome Jenkins will now look to senior Derek Lambeth to get his team back on track over the next few weeks.

Game of the Week

On New Year’s Eve, Eastern Washington will head to the Midwest to take on the University of Nebraska. This will be one of the few chances the Big Sky gets to show how they can perform against power-conference teams, other than those in the Pac-10. Alvin Snow and Chris Hester have been steady forces so far for the Eagles, but the key is whether shooting guard Brandon Merritt and forward Marc Axton will step up. Prediction: Eastern Washington 73, Nebraska 67.

Player of the Week

Northern Arizona forward Aaron Bond scored 37 points and grabbed seven rebounds in the Lumberjacks 92-76 win over Tennessee-Martin.

Big Sky Notebook

Big Sky Notebook

by Nicholas Lozito

For whom the Bell tolls

Although David Bell grew up and played high school ball in the Bay Area, he headed off for the University of Montana following two years at Porterville (CA) Junior College. The Grizzly guard made a return to the bay last Monday, and sent a dagger through the Cardinal chest by knocking down a 3-pointer with 4.3 seconds remaining to upset No. 22-ranked Stanford, 70-68. The victory was the first for a Big Sky team over a ranked opponent.

Bell’s game winner capped off a 24-point performance, including 6-for-8 shooting from downtown. In the previous five games, Bell had connected on only 9-of-42 (21.4 percent) 3-pointers. Bell currently leads Montana (4-7) in scoring, averaging seventeen points per game.

Junior college transfer Steve Horne scored 14 points, grabbed six rebounds and dished out four assists over Stanford. Although he scored only four points against the Cardinal, Kevin Criswell has provided the Grizzlies with several sensational performances this year. The freshman guard poured in 28 points in a 81-69 win earlier in the week against Idaho. He also scored 29 in a Dec. 5 loss to Gonzaga.

After beating Stanford, Montana lost the next night to Pepperdine, 86-69, in the finals of the Stanford Invitational. Bell scored 21 in the loss, while junior point guard Derrick Mansell scored 10. Mansell, a JC transfer, is currently battling Sam Riddle, who started last season, for playing time at the point.

Making the Pac look whack

The Grizzlies were not the only Big Sky team to garner success this week against the Pac-10 Conference. Eastern Washington (6-2) beat Washington, 62-58, on Saturday and Northern Arizona (6-2) knocked off UCLA, 67-63, on Tuesday. Overall, the Big Sky went 3-2 this week over the West Coast version of Goliath. Eastern Washington point guard Alvin Snow led the Eagles with 24 points and seven steals against Washington, while swingman Chris Hester poured in ten. The Eagles have won six of their last seven games. Northern Arizona power forward Ryan McDade scored 22 points and pulled down twelve rebounds against the Bruins.

Oregon State beat Sacramento State (4-4), 62-49, on Saturday, and Portland State (2-5) on Tuesday, 53-50. Oregon State forward Brian Jackson hit a 3-pointer at the buzzer to knock off Portland State, while the Beavers overcame a 16-8 first half deficit against Sacramento State. Portland State saw the return of forward Seamus Boxley, who had missed the previous five games with an injured hand. In his first game back, an 84-66 win over Linfield College, Boxley scored 23 points and snatched eight boards. Even though he played all 40 minutes against the Beavers, the junior only scored three points, while grabbing five boards and dishing out five assists. Sac State center Tony Champion scored 16 points in the Hornets’ loss to the Oregon State.

Gazing the Sky

Weber State (7-2) recorded wins over Wisconsin-Green Bay, 78-72, and Portland, 78-71. Shooting guard Jermaine Boyette scored 28 against WGB and 29 against Portland. Boyette, as of Nov. 16, was the No. 18 scorer in the nation, averaging 21.9 points. Boyette has scored twenty points or more in six games this season.

Montana State beat up on Dickinson State on Dec. 10, but lost 65-56 to Baylor of the Big 12 on Saturday. Pete Conway currently leads the Bobcats (4-4) with 13.5 points. Idaho State recorded a perfect 2-0 week with a 79-70 win over Fullerton State, and an 84-72 win over Tennessee Tech. Scott Henry leads the Bengals (4-5) with thirteen points, while freshman point guard Marquise Poole averages 12.3 points and 4.6 assists.

Game of the Week

Eastern Washington will hit the road take on in-state rivals Gonzaga (6-3) on Sunday. The ‘Zags are just coming off a 69-60 win at North Carolina State. The Eagles have already won road games this season at Washington and San Diego State. Prediction: Gonzaga 67, Eastern Washington 64.

Player of the Week

Weber State guard Jermaine Boyette averaged 28.5 points and 3.5 assists as the Wildcats went 2-0 this week.

Big Sky Notebook

Big Sky Notebook

by Nicholas Lozito

Hornets and Lumberjacks find success

The Sacramento State Hornets and Northern Arizona Lumberjacks have taken similar journeys so far this season. Both teams were expected to finish near the bottom on the pack in preseason polls. Both teams were spanked by highly-ranked opponents (No. 13 Missouri beat Sac State and No. 1 Arizona beat Northern Arizona) two weeks ago, and both teams rebounded this week with strong performances.

The Hornets (4-3) beat Northern California rivals San Jose State (72-70) and the University of San Francisco (62-57), while snapping a 39-game road losing streak with a win a Cal Poly (73-66). The Hornets were led by junior center Tony Champion and senior point guard Rashaad Hooks. Hooks, 6-foot-3, is able to penetrate opposing defenses and uses his size to finish around the basket. He scored a career-high 19 points against San Jose State on Tuesday. Champion, 6-foot-10, is still inconsistent, but his newfound tenacity will put him right up with Ryan McDade as one of the conference’s top big men.

When shooting guard Brandon Guyton begins to find his range, the Hornets will move into the upper echelon of teams in the Big Sky.

The Lumberjacks (4-2) recorded wins over Northeastern (71-56) and Western State (74-60) this week, increasing their winning streak to three games. McDade averaged 25 points and 13.5 rebounds in the two games, and continues to average a double-double on the season. The 6-foot-7 senior leads an offense which averages 79 points per game.

Freshman Kelly Golob’s remarkable 3-point shooting of weeks past has now come back down to earth. The 6-foot-5 guard made 4-of-12 treys in the two games this week after having made 15-of-22 in the three previous games.

Heath! Give the kid a break

You know that a coach is confident in your abilities when he keeps you in the game during crucial situations. When a coach never takes you out, he is most likely not all that confident with your backup. This is the case with Portland State point guard Jeb Ivey, who has played every minute – all 200 – at the point guard position for first-year coach Heath Shroyer. Ivey currently leads the Vikings in points (14.8) and assists (4.8).

After last year’s starting point guard, Aaron Fitzgerald, transferred to Washington State in the off-season, it was obvious that Ivey would shoulder most of the load this year. But to not take a player out over a five-game stretch is unfathomable. Candidates to give Ivey a rest, may it be only for a minute, are starting shooting guard Troy Devries and guard Kevin Briggs.

The Vikings have also played the last two games without starting power forward Marshal Hartman, who is day-to-day with a knee injury. Junior forward Seamus Boxley has also sat out the first five games due to torn ligaments in his hand. His return is undetermined, and redshirting the season is till a possibility.

In their only game this week, the Vikings fell the Saint Mary’s College (CA), 75-51.

Montana falls in Northwest battles

The Montana Grizzlies came out winless in battles against Gonzaga and Washington State, falling 75-67 to the Bulldogs and 73-61 to the Cougars. Montana sandwiched a 66-52 win over Montana Tech between the losses. Grizzly guard Kevin Criswell exploded for 29 points against Gonzaga, while all-conference guard David Bell was limited to seven, shooting 2-of-14 from the field. Bell is shooting only 34.9 percent from the field so far this season.

Game of the Week

Oregon State will face Sacramento State in 1,200-seat Hornet Gym on Saturday at 7:05 p.m. Both teams are riding three-game winning streaks. The Hornets beat Cal Poly by seven on the road, while the Beavers beat them by 21 at home earlier this season. This is the Hornets’ chance to prove that they are for real. Prediction: Oregon State 79, Sac State 66.

Player of the Week

Northern Arizona forward Ryan McDade averaged 24.5 points and 13.5 rebounds as the Lumberjacks went 2-0 this week.

Big Sky Notebook

Big Sky Notebook

by Nicholas Lozito

College basketball is a 40-minute game

If college basketball games lasted only seven minutes, the Big Sky Conference would have recorded wins over No. 15 Missouri and No. 1 Arizona this past week. The Sacramento State Hornets (1-3) held a 16-11 lead over Mizzou with 12:30 remaining in the first half. The Northern Arizona Lumberjacks (2-2) had a 16-13 lead with 13:28 remaining in the first half over the Wildcats. Unfortunately for both upset-minded teams, the game of college basketball lasts 40 minutes — two halves of twenty minutes each. The Big Sky duo combined to be outscored 105-47 in the second half.

The moral of these two stories is to never get your hopes up when playing with the big boys, because they just might be toying with you. They’ll let you hang around for a few minutes, get you thinking you have a chance to win, and then squash you like a bug (or Hornet).

One positive that Sacramento State and Northern Arizona can draw from these games is that they did battle, for a short period of time, with a pair of high-quality teams. Notably, Hornet center Tony Champion scored 14 points in the first half against All-America candidate Arthur Johnson. Champion, who lost significant weight over the summer, will become an even bigger force as the season rolls along. The 6-foot-11 center will also be able to exploit the undersized Big Sky.

Northern Arizona seems to have found a sniper in Kelly Golob, who scored 14 points in nineteen minutes against Arizona. The freshman guard has connected on 15-of-22 shots from beyond the arc in the last three games, including a 29-point effort in a win over St. Peter’s.

Whether the Hornets and Lumberjacks can build off of these brief glimpses of greatness, and extend them over a 40-minute stretch is yet to be seen. The two teams have combined to go 1-5 against Div. I competition so far this year.

Hornets in a huge hole

Cedric Thompkins is the latest Sacramento State academic casualty, as the forward will most likely redshirt the season after his summer school grades did not meet NCAA regulations. Thompkins joins swingman Joel Jones, guards Joseth Dawson and David Joiner, and forward Leo Cravey as Hornets who did not qualify academically to play in the Fall 2002 semester. Jones will red shirt the entire season, while Dawson, Joiner and Cravey will rejoin the team in early January, granted their fall grades meet NCAA standards.

Dawson and Jones served as the Hornets top-two scorers last season, while Thompkins was the team’s top rebounder. The five ineligibilities also creates a great lack of depth for the Hornets, who are currently suiting up only nine scholarship players. The team has only one backup guard and only four returning players.

Big Sky in a rut

The eight-team conference combined to go 5-13 over the past week, recording only one victory (Weber State beat Nevada) over a Div. I school. The conference had a 4-2 mark against lower division schools. The Big Sky went 0-3 versus schools from a fellow mid-major, the West Coast Conference.

The Weber State Wildcats (4-1) and Eastern Washington Eagles (3-2) are currently the only two teams with winning records in the conference, while Weber is the only team with a positive scoring margin. The Wildcats most recently received a 32-point performance from all-conference guard Jermaine Boyette in a 73-70 victory over Nevada. The senior guard shot 11-of-15 from the field.

Game of the Week

The Montana Grizzlies will take on previously-ranked Gonzaga on Thursday night in Montana. This will be first-year Montana coach Pat Kennedy’s first realistic shot to knock off a contending team. Prediction: Gonzaga 80, Montana 74.

Player of the Week

Weber State guard Jermaine Boyette averaged 23.5 points and five assists in wins over Nevada and Montana Tech.

Big Sky Notebook

Big Sky Notebook

by Nicholas Lozito

Nanooks deny Weber State tournament title

Jermaine Boyette was on top of his game at the BP Top of the World Classic in Fairbanks, AK. The Weber State guard averaged 19.3 points over three games, as the Wildcats (2-1) won their first two games before falling to Alaska-Fairbanks in the championship game.

The run-and-gun Wildcats racked up 91 points in their opening game against Santa Barbara, and used a 9-0 run late in the second half after trailing 74-71 to pull out the 91-82 win. The Wildcats shot a remarkable 59 percent from the field as a team, while converting 18-of-21 free throws. And that was without sharp-shooting Ohio State transfer Slobodan Ocokoljic, who will sit out the team’s first eight games for violating the NCAA’s extra benefits policy, according to Weber State’s student newspaper. It is safe to say the Wildcats are one of the top outside shooting teams in the nation, and are capable of striking anytime, anywhere. The Wildcats’ fast-paced offense relies heavily on guards Stevie Morrison, John Hamilton and Boyette. The trio combined for 53 points against Santa Barbara, along with a cool 6-of-10 shooting from 3-point land. As a team, the Wildcats shot 9-of-16 from downtown.

In the tournament’s semi-final round, Weber State matched up with Ball State, who was also tabbed to win the Mid-American Conference this year in Adam Trumble’s conference preview. Despite a flat performance, Weber State still managed to knock off Ball State, 72-67. Unlike the opening game, the Wildcats struggled from outside, connecting on only 3-of-19 shots beyond the arc. Boyette and Hamilton led the Wildcats in scoring, each dropping in seventeen. The difference came at the stripe, where Weber connected on 31-of-42 free throws, compared to Ball State’s 13-of-17 effort. Two Ball State players fouled out, while two others finished the game with four fouls. On a day where the wildcats didn’t bring their “A” games, they got bailed out by favorable officiating.

Generosity from the men in stripes wasn’t something the Wildcats would get in the championship game, as they faced off against the host school, Div. II Alaska-Fairbanks. The Nanooks, who had five players score in double figures, defeated the Wildcats 77-65. Boyette converted 8-of-14 field goals en route to a 21 point performance. The rest of the Wildcats shot 14-of-40 from the field and 2-of-16 from 3-point land.

Throughout the tournament run, Boyette showed that he is good for at least sixteen points per game. The fate of the Wildcats will be determined by whether players like Morrison and Hamilton can also knock down shots on a consistent basis. Boyette and Hamilton were both named to the all-tournament team. The Wildcats will next return home to face Montana Tech on Nov. 27 and the University of Nevada on Nov. 30.

Eagles soar past Aztecs and Gaels

After averaging just eight points in Eastern Washington’s first two games, senior guard Chris Hester broke out this week in Eagle victories over San Diego State and Saint Mary’s College (CA). Hester scored fifteen points and snatched seven rebounds in the 75-70 victory over the Aztecs, who won the Mountain West Conference Tournament last season. Freshman guards Danny Pariseau and Brandon Merritt combined to shoot 6-of-7 from beyond the arc, while point guard Alvin Snow contributed fifteen points, seven rebounds and five assists.

In their home opener on Tuesday, the Eagles squeaked past Saint Mary’s. Hester and Snow led the way with twenty and 21 points, respectively. The Eagles will next hit the road to face the University of Denver on Nov. 30.

Around the conference

Montana State knocked off the Pac-10′s University of Washington 56-53, and held the Huskies to 33 percent shooting. Washington forward Doug Wrenn, who many predict will average close to twenty points this season, was held by Bobcat forward Casey Reynolds to only six on the night. Reynolds also pulled down ten rebounds. Montana State will next face Santa Clara on Nov. 27.

Idaho State went 2-1 over their first three games. The Bengals most recently lost to Boise State, 74-71, in overtime on Nov. 26 and fell to Texas, San Antonio on Nov. 22, 76-71. A 63-55 win over Coppin State was sandwiched between the two losses. True freshman point guard Marquis Poole is averaging 13.3 points, while junior forward Scott Henry is averaging fourteen points and 8.7 rebounds. The Bengals will next play at Fresno State on Nov. 29.

In new head coach Pat Kennedy’s debut, Montana fell 77-71 to Northern Iowa. The Grizzlies rebounded four days later to defeat Denver, 75-47. Shooting guard David Bell scored 26 points against Northern Iowa on 5-of-15 shooting from 3-point land. The senior scored sixteen in the Denver win. Junior college transfer Steve Horne has proven that he can be a factor in the paint, averaging thirteen points and eight rebounds. Montana will next face No. 10 Michigan State in the Great Alaska Shootout.

Portland State knocked off California State-Northridge, 69-65, and lost to UNLV 69-54. Junior college transfer Seth Scott averaged 16.5 points and seven rebounds in the two games. As the 6-foot-10 forward gets acclimated to the Div. I game, expect him to put up huge numbers. The Vikings will next head across town to face the University of Portland on Nov. 30.

Sacramento State opened up with a crushing 88-55 loss at Loyola Marymount. The Hornets shot just 36 percent from the field and committed 22 turnovers. Shooting guard Brandon Guyton led the team with fifteen points. The Hornets will next host Dominican (CA) on Nov. 27.

Northern Arizona opened their season with a 70-65 loss to High Point and a 99-93 victory over St. Peters. Senior forward Ryan McDade averaged fifteen points and 8.5 rebounds in the two games, while freshman guard Kelly Golob scored 29 points against St. Peters. I would like to wish the Lumberjacks the best of luck as they will next face No. 1 Arizona on Nov. 27th.

Big Sky Player of the Week:
PG Alvin Snow, Eastern Washington. Snow averaged eighteen points, five rebounds and 3.5 assists in the Eagles’ two victories this past week.

Big Sky Notebook

Big Sky Conference Notebook

by Nicholas Lozito

Eagles take third place at NABC Classic

The media poll and coaches’ poll selected Eastern Washington to win the Big Sky Conference on Wednesday. Two days later the Eagles were blasted, 81-55, in the first round of the NABC Classic in Madison, against Wisconsin.

The Eagles defeated Winthrop, 75-61, in the tournament’s consolation game to take third place in the four-team tourney. Winthrop has made the NCAA Tournament the past four years as members of the Big South Conference. As of Nov. 16, Eastern Washington is the only Big Sky team who has played a regular season game.

Junior college transfer Brandon Merritt, who was making his Eagles debut, scored all nine of his points in the first half against the Badgers on Wednesday. Point guard Alvin Snow led the way for Eastern Washington with 20 points, six rebounds and two assists.
Last year’s Big Sky Newcomer of the Year, Chris Hester, was held in check most of the night, scoring six points while only attempting five shots.

Eastern Washington was selected to win the Big Sky in both the preseason media poll and coaches’ poll. The Eagles received 15-of-22 first-place votes in the media poll, while receiving 5-of-8 first-place votes in the coaches poll.

On Saturday, Snow scored 19 points en route to All-Tournament honors. Power forward T.J. Williams recorded a double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds. Hester scored 10 points as well.

The Eagles announced the signing of Matt Nelson, a 6-foot-8 forward from Skyline High School in Issaquah, Wash., and Eric Henkel, a 6-foot-4 guard from Sentinel High School in Missoula, Mont.

Nelson averaged 20.3 points and 11.1rebounds his junior season. Henkel, a McDonald’s All-American nominee, averaged 23.2 points, 6.2 rebounds and 5.5 assists as a junior. (All signees are eligible to play in the 2003-04 season)
The Eagles will next face San Diego State in San Diego on Nov. 23.

Exhibition Recap

Idaho State – The Bengals lost their first exhibition game, 72-68, to Albertson College on Nov. 12. Redshirt freshman David Shroeder Idaho State with 14 points in the loss. The match-up was a regular season game for Albertson, who came back to win after trailing 24-11. Freshman point guard Marquise Poole and senior forward Ray Munyagi both finished with 13 points. Idaho State’s leading scorer from last season, Jeremy Brown, scored 10 points. The Bengals signed Doug D’Amore, a 6-foot-5 swingman from Scottsdale Community College. D’Amore currently averages 15 points and 11 rebounds at SCC. The Bengals open up their regular season with a Nov. 22 game against Texas, San Antonio in Marquette, Wisconsin.

Montana - In head coach Pat Kennedy’s debut, the Grizzlies defeated Rocky Mountain College 67-64. Senior sharpshooter David Bell led Montana with 25 points. Bell and Brent Cummings are the only two returning starters for Montana, and Cummings hasn’t been able to practice with a back injury. The Grizzlies defeated Son’s Blue Angels 95-76 in their second and final exhibition game. Junior college transfers Steve Horne and Kevin Criswell led the team with 22 and 19 points, respectively. Point guard Derrick Mansell dished out seven assists. Montana opens up their regular season on Nov. 22 with a home contest against Northern Iowa.

Montana State – The Bobcats knocked off the University of Regina, 79-54, in their exhibition opener. Last year’s Big Sky MVP Jason Erickson scored 11 points with four assists and four rebounds. Shooting guard Pete Conway led the team with 16 points, while Bo Segeberg had 14 points and nine rebounds. JC transfer Calvin Ento had a double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds. The Bobcats won their exhibition finale 98-82 over the Australian Institute of Sports. Conway connected on six 3-pointers in the game.

The Bobcats signed two front court junior college players — Matt Towsley and Dennis Woodall. Towsley, a 6-foot-11 center from Cabrillo Junior College, is averaging 21 points and nine rebounds so far at the JC level this season. Woodall is a 6-foot-5 forward from Murray State College, who averaged 9.2 points and 3.8 rebounds last season. Montana State opens their regular season with a Nov. 24 game at the University of Washington.

Northern Arizona – The Lumberjacks defeated the Seattle Stars, 102-83, in their only exhibition contest. Senior Ryan McDade led Northern Arizona in the win with 19 points and nine rebounds. Five other Lumberjacks scored over 10 points — Chris Ferguson (16), Stephen Garnett (16), Kodiak Yazzie (15), Kyle Feedback (15) and Aaron Bond (12). Northern Arizona will kick-off their regular season at the Mohegan Sun Classic in New Britain, Conn. against High Point College on Nov. 22.

Portland State – Seth Scott is the real deal. Portland State is probably not. Scott, a JC transfer, scored 30 points and pulled down 10 rebounds in his Viking opener, but Portland State lost 73-63 to the Australian Institute of Sport. Senior guard Jeb Ivey recorded 13 points and six assists. Seamus Boxley and Ben Coffee both sat out with injury. The Vikings won their final preseason game, 77-51, over Northwest College. Scott scored 27 points, while grabbing 10 boards.

The Vikings added two San Bernadino Valley Junior College players, Will Funn and Blake Walker. Both Funn, a 6-foot-2 guard, and Walker, a 6-foot-5 forward, earned all-league honors last season. Portland State opens their regular season on Nov. 22 at home against Cal State Northridge.

Sacramento State – The Hornets lost their exhibition opener to EA Sports 83-80. Senior forward Derek Lambeth led the team with 18 points and nine rebounds. Redshirt junior Brandon Guyton scored 14, while Jimmy White contributed 10 points and eight rebounds. Freshman point guard Deshawn Freeman looked shaky at times, but settled down as the game went on. The Hornets signed two players, one high school player and one Junior College player, to letters of intent.

Jason Gilzene, a 6-foot-6 swingman, averaged 10 points and six rebounds last season as a junior at Fairfax High School. Aaron Perry is a 6-foot-8 forward from Wayne Community College in Detroit, where he averaged 11.8 points and 9.8 boards per game last season. The Hornets will conclude their exhibition season on Sunday against Tribe Called Sweat. The team opens their regular season on Nov. 25 at Loyola Marymount.

Weber State – In the Wildcats first exhibition game they defeated EA Sports Southwest All-Stars 115-92. Senior All-Big Sky guard Jermaine Boyette led Weber State with 29 points, while Ohio State transfer Slobodan Ocokoljic (power forward) scored 24 points and grabbed 12 rebounds in only 25 minutes. Guard Stevie Morrison contributed 13 points. A Boyette lay-up with three seconds remaining gave Weber State a 70-68 win over Global Sports in their exhibition finale. Boyette scored 17 points, while Ocokoljic scored 25 and grabbed eight rebounds. Weber State will open their regular season at the Top of the World Classic in Alaska, where they will face UC Santa Barbara on Nov. 22.

EAsy Does It for Hoop Dreamers

Former College Standouts still have Hoop Dreams

by Nicholas Lozito

University of San Francisco graduate LyRyan Russell still dreams of one day playing in the NBA.

The 6-foot point guard lit up Sacramento on Wednesday night for 24 points. Russell, however, wasn’t sporting a professional jersey as he would have liked, but rather one that read EA Sports across the chest.

Russell’s EA team beat Sacramento State 83-80 in an exhibition game, and Russell’s 18 second-half points led the way.

With just over one minute remaining, and the Hornets hanging on to a 80-78 lead, former Vanderbilt star Pax Whitehead converted a three-point play to give EA Sports a lead they would never relinquish.

A victory over a Division I opponent is rare for an exhibition team. The Hornets defeated a similar EA Sports team by eight points last preseason.

The victory is even sweeter considering the EA team doesn’t earn a penny from the game.

Russell hopes his time with the EA team is just a stepping-stone for better things to come.

“This is a way to stay in shape and get some tapes to send to people,” Russell said. “In a couple of years, hopefully I’ll have a shot at the NBA.”

At USF, Russell averaged 7.0 points while leading the Dons with 4.5 assists his senior season.

Since graduating, Russell has suffered through injuries, but still managed to get a tryout with the Idaho Stampede of the Continental Basketball Association.

“I’m still waiting,” he said. “They still might need a point guard later in the season.”

As Russell heads into a profession where most don’t make it, and many of those who do make it often find themselves in a foreign country, he has a Plan B.

“I got my degree in physical therapy, so I have something to fall back on if this doesn’t work,” Russell said. “But I feel I should be able to play somewhere.”

On Wednesday, Russell proved he could not only play, but also dominate at the exhibition level. The 23-year old guard picked apart the Sacramento State defense, recording six assists and nine rebounds to go along with 5-for-8 shooting from behind the arc. His 24 points were a game high.

After the game, Russell receives praise from his teammates.

EA forward Jay Richardson congratulates Russell on a solid performance, and advises him to take a pick to his ‘fro, which, according to Richardson, is a little too unkempt.

For Richardson, Wednesday’s game pinned the forward against a team he had played for only eight months prior. Richardson averaged 4.1 points and 3.6 rebounds last season as a senior with the Hornets, and still takes classes at the Sacramento campus.

Richardson scored three points against his former team in the exhibition game, while pulling down four rebounds and blocking three shots.

“It’s weird,” Richardson said. “I’m on the bench wanting to cheer every time they scored.”

The former Hornet approaches freshman point guard Deshawn Freeman as he comes out of the home team locker room. Freeman struggled at times in his first-ever game in a Hornet jersey, committing a pair of fouls in his first two minutes on the floor.

Richardson has nothing but support and advice for the young freshman.

He offers Freeman some tips on running the offense, and tells him to utilize his lateral quickness, which big men, including himself, can’t keep up with.

With four years of college basketball experience — two in junior college and two at Sac State — Richardson isn’t shy about sharing his basketball knowledge.

After almost quitting the sport following his senior campaign with the Hornets last season, Richardson spent his summer working out with NBA players Jerome James (Seattle Supersonics), Tremaine Fowlkes (Los Angeles Clippers) and Bobby Jackson (Sacramento Kings).

It’s a year-round quest to stay in shape for Richardson and Russell, because there is no telling when the next professional tryout might present itself.

After the three-game exhibition tour with EA Sports, Richardson will turn his focus onto getting his degree from Sacramento State. He will stay in shape by practicing with his former teammates.

In July, he hopes to play in a Los Angeles Pro-Am league.

Richardson has the same dream as Russell.

“I’d like to see myself playing for an NBA team,” Richardson said. “But more than likely, I see myself overseas making a good living.”

Chances are you will never again read about Jay Richardson or LyRyan Russell. The same goes for the rest of the EA Sports players.

But as long as there is a court to play on, there is always the chance that the right scout is watching.

And as long as there is a chance, there is always the dream.

Big Sky Preview

Big Sky Conference Preview

by Nicholas Lozito

1. Montana Grizzlies
Montana will look to a group of gritty forwards, and a shooting guard named David Bell to lead the team in 2002-03. Marcus Rosser, Brent Cummings and Victor Venters provide the Grizzles with a trio of rugged forwards, who set a physical tone play for Montana.

Junior Sam Riddle will return at the point, and his job is to penetrate and kick-out to sharp-shooter David Bell, who averaged 13.7 points last year. The senior led the conference with 3.16 made 3-pointers per game.

Junior college transfer Steve Horne could be the team’s eventual starter at small forward. The 6-foot-6 transfer from Pensacola JC should be the Grizzlies’ most athletic forward, and can provide Montana with a player who can push the tempo. The Grizzlies also signed Irvine Valley College transfer Derrick Mansell, who should back up Bell at shooting guard.

Redshirt freshman Chris McKay, a 6-foot-11 center, should also see playing time for the Grizzlies.

Starting 5: PG – Sam Riddle, SG – David Bell, F – David Horne, F – Brent Cummings, F – Marcus Rosser

2. Eastern Washington Eagles
The Eagles claim the best returning tandem in the league with point guard Alvin Snow and wingman Chris Hester. While standing only 6-foot-3, 180 pounds, Hester led the team with 4.6 rebounds last season.

Two other key returnees for Eastern Washington are sophomores Marc Axton and Darren Cooper. Axton should start at forward, while Cooper will back up at the guard position.

With redshirt junior Brandon Merritt set to make his Eagle debut, look for Eastern Washington to play a lot of three-guard lineups with Snow, Hester and Merritt.

Jeremy McCulloch, T.J. Williams and Gregg Smith should battle for the starting spot at center. With one of the smaller starting fives in the league, look for the Eagles to push the tempo with their supreme athleticism.

Starting 5: PG – Alvin Snow, G – Brandon Merritt, G – Chris Hester, F – Marc Axton, F – T.J. Williams

3. Weber State Wildcats
As long as Jermaine Boyette is on the roster, you know Weber State is going to be a contender. The 6-foot-2 senior is a two-time first-team all conference selection, and returns to lead a starting lineup consisting of four seniors and one junior. Boyette averaged a league-high 17.1 points last season.

Junior John Hamilton will start in the backcourt while Brad Barton and Stevie Morrison will compete for the other guard spot. Senior Stephan Bachman is a lock at the center position. Patrick Danley returns after receiving 17 starts last season at forward.

The signing of freshman swingman Matt Emadi should also help the Wildcats.

Starting 5: G – Stevie Morrison, G – Jermaine Boyette, G – John Hamilton, F – Patrick Danley, C – Stephan Bachman

4. Montana State Bobcats
2001-02 conference MVP Jason Erickson returns to lead the Bobcats. The 6-foot-3 junior averaged 10.1 points last year and was also named Associated Press Honorable Mention All-American.

While Erickson took conference MVP honors last season, then junior, Damir Latovic both outscored and rebounded his teammate by significant margins. Latovic has left the team to pursue professional ball overseas.

Pete Conway will start in the Bobcat backcourt, while Casey Reynolds will get the nod at small forward. 6-foot-7 freshman Shea Washington should help fill the rather large shoes left behind by Latovic. JC transfer Calvin Ento could also start in the front court.

Starting 5: PG – Jason Erickson, SG – Pete Conway, SF – Casey Reynolds, F – Calvin Ento, F – Shea Washington

5. Sacramento State Hornets
Academic ineligibilities to forwards Joel Jones and Leo Cravey, and guards Joseth Dawson and David Joiner Dawson will keep the Hornets from being possibly the top team in the Big Sky.
Jones will redshirt the season, while Joiner, Cravey and Dawson will return after 10 games if they qualify academically after the fall semester.

The Hornets return one of the conference’s top rebounders in Cedric Thompkins, who will start at power forward. Tony Champion (6-foot-11, 260 pounds), who has dropped over 50 pounds in his three years at Sac State, will start at center. Derek Lambeth will start at small forward, while Jimmy White will be the first forward off the bench.

Brandon Guyton should start at shooting guard, while freshman Deshawn Freeman will battle with senior Rashaad Hooks for the starting point guard spot. Dawson should start on his return, while Joiner and Cravey will most likely take on backup roles.

With Champion and Thompkins up front, along with freshman center Djibril Diop, the Hornets should be one of the biggest teams in the conference.

Starting 5: PG – Deshawn Freeman, SG – Brandon Guyton, SF – Derek Lambeth, PF – Cedric Thompkins, C – Tony Champion

6. Portland State Vikings
The Vikings ship all-but sunk over the off season. The team lost all-conference forward Anthony Lackey to graduation, starting point guard Aaron Fitzgerald transferred to Washington State and head coach Joel Sobotka resigned.

The Vikings do return starting shooting guard Jeb Ivey, who averaged 12.5 points last season. Troy DeVries will most likely start alongside Ivey in the backcourt, while Seamus Boxley will start at small forward.

JC transfer Seth Scott will start at power forward. Scott is a 6-foot-10 wingman, who will help soften the loss of Lackey. Freshman Marshal Hartman should bring size to the Viking front line.

Starting 5: G – Jeb Ivey, G – Troy DeVries, F – Seamus Boxley, F – Seth Scott, F – Marshal Hartman

7. Northern Arizona Lumberjacks
There is no doubt that this will be a rebuilding year for Northern Arizona. The Lumberjacks return only two starters from last year’s team: Ryan McDade and Kodiak Yazzie. McDade will start at small forward after averaging 11.6 points and 7.1 rebounds. Yazzie will start at small forward after averaging 8.4 points last season.

JC transfer Aaron Bond leads a talented group of incoming freshman and transfers. Bond should see significant minutes at power forward and could force McDade to play a lot of center. Washington State transfer Kendall Minor should start at shooting guard, while Chris Ferguson could start at the point.

Starting 5: PG – Chris Ferguson, SG – Kendall Minor, SF – Kodiak Yazzie, PF – Aaron Bond, C – Ryan McDade

8. Idaho State Bengals
Senior Jeremy Brown will return in an attempt to keep the Bengals out of the Big Sky cellar. The shooting guard led Idaho State with 15.8 points last season.

Ray Munyagi and Rashad Kirkland will start at forward, while JC transfer Marquis Poole will most likely start at the point. Poole averaged 28 points at Mt. San Antonio College. Jesse Smith will most likely get the start at center. Danny Boticki should also see time at point guard.

Starting 5: PG – Marquis Poole, SG – Jeremy Brown, F – Rashad Kirkland, F – Ray Munyagi, C – Jesse Smith

All-Conference team
G – David Bell, senior, Montana
F – Chris Hester, senior Eastern Washington
G – Jermaine Boyette, senior Weber State
F – Ryan McDade, senior Northern Arizona
G – Alvin Snow, junior, Eastern Washington

Honorable Mention
G – Jason Erickson, junior, Montana State
G – Jeremy Brown, senior Idaho State
F – Seth Scott, junior, Portland State
F – Brent Cummings, senior, Montana
F – Cedrick Thompkins, junior, Sacramento State

Big Sky Recap

Big Sky Conference Recap

by Nicholas Lozito

Post Season Recap

The Montana Grizzlies, who finished fifth place in
the conference standings last season, ran the table in
the Big Sky Tournament, earning an automatic bid into
the NCAA Tournament. The Grizzlies knocked off the Big
Sky’s No. 1 seed, Montana State, 70-68 in the
semifinal round of the conference tournament, before
knocking off No. 2 seed Eastern Washington in the
finals.

Dan Trammel, who played key roles in both Grizzly
victories, earned conference tournament MVP honors.

For their efforts, Montana earned a No. 15 seed in
the Midwest Region of the NCAA Tourney, and a draw
with No. 2 seed Oregon. The Grizzlies fell 81-62 to
the Ducks, who advanced to the Elite Eight. Ryan
Slider led the Grizzlies with 12 points, while Luke
Ridnour and Luke Jackson each scored 18 for Oregon.

Big Sky regular season champion, Montana State,
advanced to the National Invitational Tournament,
where they knocked off Utah State in the first round,
77-69, but lost to Richmond, 63-48, in the second
round. Conference MVP Jason Erickson averaged just
four points in the tournament, while not scoring a
point in the Richmond loss.

All-Conference Team

Out of the 11 players who made the Big Sky
All-Conference team, here are my top five: Anthony
Lackey (Forward- Portland State), Jermaine Boyette
(Guard- Weber State), Damir Latovic (Forward- Montana
State), Jason Erickson (Guard- Montana State) and
David Bell (Guard- Montana).

Lackey finished his Viking career as the fourth
all-time scorer in program history after averaging
16.4 points and 6.1 rebounds his senior year. The
6-foot-5 forward also earned first-team all-conference
his junior year.

Boyette, now a senior, is the conference’s top
returning scorer after averaging 17.1 points last
season, while leading the Wildcats to a 8-6 conference
mark. Boyette, a 6-foot-2 guard, is the conference’s
top NBA prospect along with Sacramento State’s Joel
Jones.

Latovic was a rare commodity in the Big Sky — a
big man with offensive skills. The 6-foot-8
Yugoslavian native will not return for his senior
season, as he will be heading to Yugoslavia to play
professional basketball.

Erickson earned AP all-American honorable mention
honors as a sophomore last season after leading the
Bobcats to a regular season championship. The guard
averaged 10.1 points, 2.3 assists, 1.8 rebounds and
1.2 steals-per-game.

Bell returns as quite possibly the conference’s
best long-range shooter. Bell led the Grizzlies with
13.7 points and 98 made 3-pointers last season. He
will return for his senior year.

Off-Season Moves

Conference - This season the Big Sky will be holding
conference games on Thursdays and Saturdays, instead of Fridays and Saturdays as they did last season.

There have also been changes to the postseason
conference tournament, where the higher seed will host
the first round games. The top-two seeds will still
get first round byes, and the No. 1 seed will still
host the tournament’s semi-final and final rounds.

Montana State - Damir Latovic, an all-conference
selection last season, will forgo his senior season to
pursue professional basketball in Yugoslavia, his
native country. The 6-foot-8 center averaged 11
points, while leading the Big Sky with 7.6 rebounds
last season.

The Bobcats also lost Aaron Rich (10.9 points, 4.5
rebounds) and James Clark (9.7 points, 3.5 assists) to
graduation. Both Rich and Clark were took Big Sky
Conference Honorable Mention honors.

Eastern Washington - The Eagles lost seniors Jason
Humbert (7.4 points, 3.9 assists), Marco Quinto (6.3
points, 1.9 assists) and Jason Lewis (5.2 points, 4.7
assists) to graduation. Lewis earned conference
honorable mention honors.

Weber State - The Wildcats lose all-conference
selection Chris Woods (11.1 points, 6.9 rebounds) and
Marc Thurig (2.2 points, 2.2 rebounds) to graduation.

Montana - Montana’s biggest off-season pickup wasn’t a
player, but rather former DePaul head coach Pat
Kennedy, who was hired over the summer after former
head coach, Don Holst, was fired.

Kennedy was one of the nation’s finest recruiters
while at DePaul, drawing players such as Quentin
Richardson and Bobby Simmons to the Conference USA
school.

The Grizzlies, who won the 2002 Big Sky Tournament
after finishing tied for fourth-place in conference
play, lose starting point guard Shane Christensen and
forward Dan Trammell to graduation. Trammel earned
conference honorable mention honors.

The Grizzlies also lost Deldre Carr, Ryan Slider and
Chris Greenwalt.

Northern Arizona - The Lumberjacks have suffered the
biggest blow in graduation. They have lost leading
scorer and all-conference selection Matt Gebhardt
(11.8 points, 4.2 rebounds), Adam Lopez (8.2 points,
3.5 rebounds and 4.2 assists), Joel Rieck (5.2 points,
4.6 rebounds), Brian McHugh (8.3 points, 3.9 rebounds)
and Casey Grundham (8.8 points, 3.8 rebounds).

Portland State - The Vikings have hired Heath Schroyer
as head coach. Schroyer, 30, spent the last season as
an assistant coach at the University of Wyoming.
Former coach Pete Sobotka resigned following a 12-16
season.

The Vikings lose two-time all-conference senior
Anthony Lackey, who finished second in conference with
16.4 points, and seventh with 6.1 rebounds.

Jerrohn Jordan (3.4 points, 1.9 rebounds) and Charles
Madison (2.4 points, 0.8 rebounds) also graduated.

Idaho State - The Bengals have lost seniors D’Marr
Suggs (15.7 points, 5.1 points, 1.59 steals) and J.T.
Nelson (4.6 points, 3.5 rebounds) to graduation.
Suggs took all-conference honors last season.

Sacramento State - Academic ineligibilities to forward
Joel Jones and guard Joe Dawson keep the Hornets from
being one of the league’s top teams this season. Dawson and Jones were the Hornets top-two scorers last
season, and while Jones will most likely redshirt the
season, Dawson will probably sit out just the first half.

David Joiner and Leo Cravey will also have to sit out the
first half of the season due to academic
ineligibility.

Center Tony Champion, who has lost 70 pounds while at Sac State,
should now have the quickness to become the quality big man Sac State was looking for last season.

The Hornets have also lost seniors Rene Jacques (6.6
points), Jay Richardson (4.1 points, 3.6 rebounds) and
Troy Selvey (0.7 points, 1.1 rebounds) to graduation.

Next Generation Pac-10 Stars

Pac-10 Generation Next

by Nicholas Lozito

Each and every college basketball season, the Pac-10 Conference sends at least five teams to the NCAA Tournament and is considered one of the deepest conferences, from top to bottom, in the nation.

But due to the loss of All-Americans Casey Jacobsen, Sam Clancy, Curtis Borchardt and Frederick Jones, the time has now come for a new breed of talent to step up in the conference. Everyone already knows about conference studs like Jason Gardner, Luke Walton, Luke Ridnour and Jason Kapono, but here are some guys that will make their first real dent in the conference this season.

Arizona: Wil Bynum, Rick Anderson and Hassan Adams

Bynum is just a sophomore, and he averaged only 6.4 points last season in under 20 minutes. The 5-foot-11 shooting guard will battle with fellow sophomore guard Salim Stoudamire for minutes. Bynum is a scorer; he can penetrate, shoot, shake, bake, fake, and get a little funky with the rock. The Chicago native handled himself well against one of the nation’s top point guards in high school (Sean Dockery), proving he can handle the big-time atmosphere.

Anderson is a throwback player. He’s the Eugene Edgerson of 2002. The senior forward can shoot, pass and defend with the conference’s best. With some added muscle, Anderson could make the Arizona frontcourt, along with center Channing Frye, one of the best in the nation.

Adams is only a freshman, but if head coach Lute Olson gives him any playing time this season, the Westchester High in Los Angeles graduate should blow up. With a crowded backcourt – Gardner, Bynum, Stoudamire – Olson could redshirt Adams. If not, the guard will most likely backup Gardner. In high school, Adams was generally regarded as one of the top-15 players in the country his senior year, mainly because of his size (6-foot-4) for a point guard, his quickness, and his will to lead a team. Adams led Westchester to the California State Championship his season year.

Washington: Doug Wrenn and backcourt

Doug Wrenn should lead the Pac-10 in scoring this year. The 6-foot-8 senior is a scorer, averaging 19.5 points last season. The Seattle native transferred to Washington from UConn following his sophomore year.

Allen is a 6-foot point guard, who almost seems to float across the court. The junior will team up with freshman shooting guard Brandon Roy to make one of the top backcourts in the conference. If Roy can adjust to the college game early, Washington could battle Pac-10 Tournament spot.

UCLA: Ray Young and Cedric Bozeman

Young is a senior guard coming off his redshirt season. In his junior season (2000-01), Young averaged only seven points while playing behind current Harlem Globetrotter Billy Knight. Young should get the starting job his senior season, and fans should see for the first time on the collegiate level why he was a McDonalds All-American at Saint Joseph’s High School. The 6-foot-4 guard has supreme jumping ability, and if he used his redshirt season to work on his jumper, he should be one of the top shooting guards in the conference.

Bozeman is a 6-foot-6 point guard. He has the ability, with his height, to see the entire court in the half court set. Last season the sophomore made 21 starts, while averaging just 4.0 points, and finishing second on the team in assists. Bozeman should be one of the top defenders in the conference this season, and if his offensive game develops, he could be one of the best players in the country by his senior year.

Stanford: Julius Barnes and Justin Davis

Barnes, a senior, is the most athletic point guard in the conference. He has already made a name for himself on the defensive side of the ball, and this year will be his offensive breakout season. The 6-foot-1 guard averaged 11.9 points in conference play, while dumping 27 on rival California. If Barnes has improved his 3-point shot over the summer, he could move himself into NBA Draft status by year’s end.

Davis is a man among, well, weaker men. The 6-foot-9, 245 pound power forward is a dunking machine, and I fear for anyone who stands between him and the basket. The junior averaged just 4.6 points last season, but if he gets time on the court he will be one of the top forwards in the conference. His power is unmatched in the conference, and the quickness he has for his size is drooled upon by NBA scouts. Once Davis wipes that drool off and starts working on his jump shot, he could make himself a lottery pick by the end of his senior year.

California: Amit Tamir and A.J. Diggs

Tamir, a sophomore, averaged 9.9 points as a freshman, but was limited in minutes due to inconsistent play. The Jerusalem, Israel native scored 39 points in a conference home game against Oregon, but dropped in only 12 points in the team’s last five games of the season. The 6-foot-11 forward can extend out as far as the 3-point line or post up under the hoop. He also has good passing skills and great court awareness.

Diggs played behind point guard Shantay Legans last season. But when Legans unexpectedly transferred to Fresno State over the summer, the former walk-on was given the starting point guard job at Cal. At 5-foot-9, Diggs is a pest on the defensive end. After averaging only 16.5 minutes per game last season, Diggs still managed to lead the team in steals with 47. If Diggs wants to make himself a legitimate starting point guard in the league however, he will have to make himself more of an offensive threat.

USC: Errick Craven

Craven might be the purest scorer in the league. He has the ability to get to the basket and knock down the open jump shot. As a freshman, Craven averaged 12.9 points while playing with his twin brother, Derrick Craven. The identical twins are listed as the exact same height and weight (6-foot-2, 190), went to the same high school, play the same positions and are battling for the same position (shooting guard) at USC. The only difference is that Errick is far better; granted, Derrick suffered with injuries last season. With the loss of Clancy and Brandon Granville, look for Errick Craven to step up and average close to 20 points this season – no joke.

Washington State: Marcus Moore

Moore’s job is to keep the Cougars respectable this season after going 1-17 in the conference last season. The 6-foot-6 junior led the team in scoring average (16.6) and total assists (131) last season while starting all 27 games. Moore should put up big numbers again this season, only because he is the only legitimate scoring threat Washington State has.

Arizona State: Tommy Smith

Smith is a rangy 6-foot-10 forward who averaged 11.7 points last season. With his long arms, Smith is one of the better defenders in the league and should be one of the league leaders in blocked shots. The junior could be an all-conference selection by the end of his senior year.

Oregon: Robert Johnson

Johnson is a powerful 6-foot-8 forward who can bang with the best. The senior ranked fifth in the conference in rebounding last year with 7,5, and should be one of the top rebounders again this year. He is the poor man’s Sean Lampley.

Oregon State: Philip Ricci

At 6-foot-7, 253 pounds, Ricci is a load in the middle. The senior led the Beavers in scoring (16.2) and rebounding (7.1) last season, and will be heavily relied on once again this season. He will do his best to keep Oregon State out of the Pac-10 cellar this season.

Sac State Hoop-la

Hoop-la a Substitute for Madness

by Nicholas Lozito

While their was no madness in Sacramento this October, there was hoop-la.

Sacramento State’s Midnight Madness was cancelled when two of the slam dunk participants — Jameel Pugh and Joel Jones — were unable to participate. Pugh, a University of Massachusetts transfer, is nursing a knee injury, while Jones can’t take the court due to academic ineligibility.

The dunk contest was highly anticipated, with Pugh being ranked the No. 33 dunker of all time and Jones finishing second in the Puerto Rican Superior League’s all-star dunk contest over the summer.

While the dunk contest wasn’t scheduled to be the only event at the Midnight Madness, it’s absence would have displeased many fans. So instead of madness in mid-October, Hornet fans settled for hoop-la on October 26, Hornet Hoop-La. The event, which was open to the public, consisted of a youth basketball clinic and an inter-squad scrimmage.

David Joiner, Leo Cravey and Jones were forced to sit out the scrimmage due to academic ineligibility. Joseth Dawson, while also academically ineligible to play, is allowed to practice with the team. Cravey, Dawson and Joiner will rejoin the team after the fall semester, granted their fall semester grades meet NCAA requirements. Jones will redshirt the entire season.

Freshman point guard Deshawn Freeman sat out the scrimmage with a pulled groin. Freeman is expected to compete with senior Rashaad Hooks for the starting spot. Freeman will return to practice this week, and should be in full strength for the Hornets season opener.

Of the Hornets who played, junior shooting guard Brandon Guyton, senior forward Derek Lambeth and Hooks looked the most impressive. Guyton, who red shirted last season, will be the team’s purest shooter from outside.

Junior college transfer Emir Medunjanin was very inconsistent, and showed he needs a lot of work on the defensive end. The junior does have a solid outside game, and great size (6-foot-6) for a guard.

6-foot-10 center Djibril Diop looked very raw, but athletic. The center lost his dribble on a wide-open fast break, but showed the quickness and athleticism to become one of the better big men in the conference.

If anyone cares, the scrimmage ended with a Gold Team victory. Players switched teams in the middle of the game, the score is pretty insignificant.

The Incredible Dunker

Incredible Dunking has come back to Sacramento

by Nicholas Lozito

When most people lace up a pair of Jordan’s and take the court, they only “wanna be like Mike.”

Sacramento State’s Jameel Pugh on the other hand is often compared to the Chicago Bull great. Well, at least when it comes to dunking a basketball.

Pugh was tabbed the “World’s Greatest Dunker” by Slam magazine following his senior year at Sacramento’s Grant Union High School. Three years later, as a sophomore at the University of Massachusetts, he was ranked the No. 33 dunker of all-time by Slam.

Pugh was the second college basketball player selected in top-50 all-time dunkers list; James “Flight” White, now a sophomore at Florida was selected at No. 24.

“Being nominated to the 50 greatest dunkers was great,” Pugh said. “Everyone was so surprised and shocked, considering I hadn’t gotten the chance to show what I can do (while at Massachusetts).”

After averaging just 11.4 minutes and 5.3 points his sophomore year at Massachusetts last season, Pugh has transferred back to Sacramento to play for the Hornets. The Oakland, California native felt that he was better suited for Sac State’s fast-paced style of basketball, where he could make better use of his superior athleticism and dunking ability.

Pugh emerged onto the Northern California basketball scene in his junior year of high school. After being cut his sophomore season at Washington High School in Fremont, Calif., Pugh transferred to Grant High, where he led the Pacers to the state championship game his senior year.

Over the following summer, Pugh made a trip with his AAU (Amateur Athletic Union) summer team to France, where he won a slam dunk contest within his age group. Among Pugh’s competition was a seven-foot center from Nigeria.

And the legend had begun.

“It amazes me how many people have heard about some of the teams I’ve played for, or some of the dunk contests I’ve been in,” Pugh said. ” It’s almost like folklore.”

Pugh says the best dunk he’s ever pulled off was in practice, when he tossed the ball off the backboard, caught it in mid-air, and put it between his legs before throwing it in the net. The 6-foot-4, 225 pound shooting guard also performs Vince Carter’s elbow-in-the-rim dunk with ease.

Pugh has drawn many comparisons to Carter, but he models himself after his favorite player Dominique Wilkins, who was 30 slots ahead of Pugh at No. 3 on Slam’s list.

While the junior transfer embraces all his dunk accolades, he feels that the time has come to prove that there is more to his game than just rim-rattling.

“Right now I feel people have only seen a small portion of what I can do,” Pugh said. “It’s kind of scary knowing that people haven’t seen the best parts of my game.

“Every time I’ve been given time on the court I’ve produced.”

Unfortunately, Pugh will have to wait until the 2003-04 season before he can produce for the Hornets. NCAA regulations require that D-I transfers must sit out one season.

The No. 33 dunker of all time is also currently nursing a tear in his patella tendon, which is keeping him off the court until January of 2003.

Meanwhile, Pugh has been helping Hornet coach Jerome Jenkins with recruiting.

“Jameel is a big part of why recruits are coming to Sac State,” Jenkins said. “I am really pleased that he wants to be a host and take the recruits out.”

Pugh has also been working in the weight room, a place he has almost made a second home since coming out of high school. Since his days at Grant High, where he weighed 190 pounds, the Hornet guard has added 35 pounds of muscle.

“At 225 pounds in college, I feel I can impose my will on anyone who is guarding me,” he said.

While Pugh might be confident in his individual abilities, getting a Sacramento State squad that has gone 14-41 over the past two seasons on the winning track will be a tougher task.

“The goal I have for this team is to win a league championship and advance as far as possible in the NCAA tournament,” Pugh said. “I think this team can beat top-level teams.”

Jenkins feels Pugh’s dunking reputation, coupled with his experience at Massachusetts, will make the guard a big part of what the Hornet coach feels is a new era for Hornet basketball.

“What you can expect from Jameel is a player getting up and down the court, and bringing some excitement to Sacramento,” Jenkins said.

Championship Icon Under Investigation

Championship Icon Under Investigation

by Nicholas Lozito

In the 1995 NCAA Championship Game in Seattle, UCLA point guard Cameron Dollar was all a dollar could be — cool and crisp, with a president’s glare cast upon him.

After starting point guard Tyus Edney, who had hit a game-winning lay-up in the tournament’s second round, suffered a wrist injury in the Bruins semifinal match-up with Oklahoma, Dollar knew it was his turn to step up against Arkansas in the title game.

With former Arkansas governor Bill Clinton looking on, the 6-foot-1 freshman dished out eight assists, scored six points and had four steals in the Bruins’ 89-78 championship game victory.

One magical night in Seattle had turned a little known back-up point guard into a championship game hero.

Seven years later Dollar is back in Seattle, and once again he has shocked the town.

Now an assistant coach at the University of Washington, Dollar is being investigated for recruiting violations. According to ESPN, Dollar had illegally contacted a 16-year old recruit throughout his junior year in high school.

It makes you wonder, just how did Washington get Brandon Roy, who was contemplating entering the NBA draft, to sign with them. The Huskies, who went 10-18 (5-13 in Pac-10) last season, are not a basketball power by any means. They aren’t even the best team in the state of Washington, with Gonzaga reigning supreme in the Pacific Northwest.

Maybe everything involving Washington Husky basketball is a flop. Remember the 1997 film, “The Sixth Man,” starring Marlon Wayans. Probably not. The movie centered around a Husky basketball player — Kenny Tyler — who dies on the court, but his ghost returns to help guide Washington to the national title.

The movie was pathetic, but not quite as pathetic as the real Washington Huskies have been over the past few years.

You might think with the hiring of Dollar in April, 2002 , coupled with the recent hiring of head coach Lorenzo Romar, the Husky program was heading in the right direction.

At UCLA, Dollar was looked at by head coaches Steve Lavin and Jim Harrick as a leader. A player who didn’t have the most talent on the team by any means, but could carry his team to the top — as displayed in March of ’95.

Romar, who was Dollar’s assistant coach at UCLA, had taken Pepperdine to the NIT in 1999, and then carried Saint Louis to the NCAA Tournament in 2000.

But with the recent recruiting violations, Dollar, Romar and the Husky basketball program are all left with a black eye. The Huskies look to be sitting along side state rivals Washington State in the cellar of the Pac-10 standings once again this year.

But look at the bright side Washington, it probably wont get any worse. Of course, they always could come out with “The Sixth Man: Part 2.”