2020-21 NAU Men's and Women's Basketball Preseason Yearbook by NAU Athletics

2020-21 NORTHERN ARIZONA MEN’S AND WOMEN’S BASKETBALL YEARBOOK

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2020-21 NORTHERN ARIZONA MEN’S AND WOMEN’S BASKETBALL YEARBOOK

Table of contents

Message from Mike Marlow

2020-21 Men’s Basketball Roster

2020-21 Men’s Basketball Schedule 16

2020-21 Women’s Basketball Roster

2020-21 Women’s Basketball Schedule

2020-21 Men’s Basketball Season Preview

2020-21 Women’s Basketball Season Preview

Jacey Bailey Working Her Way Up the Record Books

Charles Burns: Like Father, Like Son

22 Jay Green - The Defensive Stopper Looks to Make Immediate Impact

26 From Jackrabbits to Lumberjacks: Davy Cummard and Shane Burcar Journey Together from Mesa to Flagstaff 28 Ballin’ Overseas - Kaleigh Paplow and Brooks DeBisschop Excelling in Pro Ball 30 Miki’ala Maio - A Lumberjack At Last 28

2020-21 NORTHERN ARIZONA MEN’S AND WOMEN’S BASKETBALL YEARBOOK Writers - Cody Bashore, Stayson Isobe, Chad Piper, Lindsey Ridgway Photographers - Cody Bashore, Stayson Isobe, Maria Saldivar, Wes Salonen, John Sieber, Sam Wasson Courtesy Photos from Charles Burns, Davy Cummard, Brooks DeBisschop, Kaleigh Paplow Cover Design - Reo Radford Print Design & Layout - Stayson Isobe Sales - Todd Wyard, Tyler Carr (Lumberjack Sports Properties) Printer - Learfield IMG College This publication is an official publication of Northern Arizona University Athletics.

2020-21 NORTHERN ARIZONA MEN’S AND WOMEN’S BASKETBALL YEARBOOK

MESSAGE from the Athletic Director

Thank you for your interest in NAU Basketball. NAU student-athletes, coaches and staff have been working extremely hard to prepare for competition during these highly unusual times. NCAA and Big Sky Conference return-to-play protocols have been implemented and our teams are excited to serve as a source of pride for Skyjacks, former letter winners and NAU fans near and far. As of the writing of this brief note, we are uncertain of our ability to host spectators in our venues. You can expect updates as the season advances. Now, more than ever, our student-athletes need your continued support through Skyjacks membership contributions. As you enjoy watching our Lumberjacks take the court this season on Pluto TV, please consider renewing your membership and making sure your NAU friends do the same. I have no doubt that this season will bring many exciting moments, demonstrations of great effort and camaraderie as our players and coaches work to FINISH what they started so many months ago . . . a vision to advance NAU basketball! GO JACKS! -Mike

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2020-21 NORTHERN ARIZONA MENâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S AND WOMENâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S BASKETBALL YEARBOOK

2020-21 NORTHERN ARIZONA MEN’S AND WOMEN’S BASKETBALL YEARBOOK

2020-21 Men’s Basketball Roster

#1 JAY GREEN

#2 AJANG AGUEK

6-5, 200, R-Jr., Guard Sydney, Australia Hillcrest Prep/UNLV

6-8, 180, So., Forward Glendale, Ariz. Ironwood HS

#10 OLGIERD DMOCHEWICZ 6-11, 200, Fr., Forward Konstancin-Jezioma, Poland SMS PZKosz Wladyslawowo

#11 JACKSON LARSEN

6-7, 192, R-Fr., Forward El Cajon, Calif. Christian HS

#20 CAMERON SHELTON 6-2, 180, Jr., Guard Chino, Calif. Damien HS

SHANE BURCAR Head Coach Third Year/Second Year as HC Ottawa, 2004

#3 DAVY CUMMARD

6-0, 200, R-Jr., Guard Mesa, Ariz. Mesa HS/Murray State College

#13 KEITH HAYMON

6-5, 195, R-Jr., Guard Folsom, Calif. Vista del Lago HS

Assistant Coach Second Year California Baptist, 2004

6-2, 185, Fr., Guard Lafayette, Calif. Campolindo HS

6-8, 215, Fr., Forward Bellflower, Calif. St. John Bosco HS

GAELLAN BEWERNICK Assistant Coach Second Year Northern Arizona, 2015

6-0, 150, So., Guard Lolo, Mont. Loyola Sacred Heart HS

6-8, 215, R-Jr., Forward Scottsdale, Ariz. Pinnacle HS

6-6, 195, So., Guard Little Elm, Texas Lone Star HS

#22 WYNTON BROWN

#5 CHARLES BURNS

#15 NIK MAINS

#14 ISAIAH LEWIS

6-7, 195, R-So., Forward Cypress, Texas Cypress Ranch HS

#21 LUKE AVDALOVIC

TYLER OJANEN

#4 CARTER MAHANEY

#33 CARSON TOWT

6-9, 225, R-Fr., Forward Gilbert, Ariz. Gilbert HS/California Baptist

CHRIS FOWLER Assistant Coach First Year Central Michigan, 2016

JAKE RICCIARDI Basketball Operations First Year Memphis, 2016

2020-21 NORTHERN ARIZONA MEN’S AND WOMEN’S BASKETBALL YEARBOOK

2020-21 Men’s Basketball Schedule Day Date Opponent Wednesday November 25 at Arizona Thursday December 3 Eastern Washington* Saturday December 5 Eastern Washington* Thursday December 10 UC Riverside Saturday December 12 at Gonzaga Monday December 21 vs. Texas State Tuesday December 22 at Denver Thursday December 31 at Idaho* Saturday January 2 at Idaho* Thursday January 7 Idaho State* Saturday January 9 Idaho State* Thursday January 14 at Montana* Saturday January 16 at Montana* Thursday January 21 Montana State* Saturday January 23 Montana State* Thursday January 28 Northern Colorado* Saturday January 30 at Northern Colorado* Thursday February 4 at Sacramento State* Saturday February 6 at Sacramento State* Thursday February 11 Portland State* Saturday February 13 Portland State* Thursday February 18 at Weber State* Saturday February 20 at Weber State* Thursday February 25 at Southern Utah* Saturday February 27 Southern Utah* Wednesday-Saturday March 10-13 Big Sky Championships

Location Tucson, Ariz. Flagstaff, Ariz. Flagstaff, Ariz. Flagstaff, Ariz. Spokane, Wash. Denver, Colo. Denver, Colo. Moscow, Idaho Moscow, Idaho Flagstaff, Ariz. Flagstaff, Ariz. Missoula, Mont. Missoula, Mont. Flagstaff, Ariz. Flagstaff, Ariz. Flagstaff, Ariz. Greeley, Colo. Sacramento, Calif. Sacramento, Calif. Flagstaff, Ariz. Flagstaff, Ariz. Ogden, Utah Ogden, Utah Cedar City, Utah Flagstaff, Ariz. Boise, Idaho

* Big Sky Conference game Home games in bold All games as scheduled will be subject to health guidelines from state, county, and local officials and are subject to change

Back row (left to right): Associate Athletic Director Jessica Lopez, Carson Towt, Olgierd Dmochewicz, Basketball Operations Jake Ricciardi, Assistant Coach Chris Fowler, Assistant Coach Gaellan Bewernick, Head Coach Shane Burcar, Assistant Coach Tyler Ojanen, Assistant Strength & Conditioning Coach Michael Gragg, Nik Mains, Wynton Brown, Manager Spencer Roberts Front row (left to right): Associate Athletic Director Stayson Isobe, Athletic Trainer Tristan Turner, Carter Mahaney, Davy Cummard, Ajang Aguek, Jay Green, Luke Avdalovic, Cameron Shelton, Isaiah Lewis, Keith Haymon, Jackson Larsen, Charles Burns, Manager Ethan Kahn, Manager Hope Meixler

2020-21 NORTHERN ARIZONA MEN’S AND WOMEN’S BASKETBALL YEARBOOK

2020-21 WoMen’s Basketball Schedule Day Date Wednesday November 25 Sunday November 29 Thursday December 3 Saturday December 5 Wednesday December 9 Thursday December 17 Sunday December 20 Thursday December 31 Saturday January 2 Thursday January 7 Saturday January 9 Thursday January 14 Saturday January 16 Thursday January 21 Saturday January 23 Thursday January 28 Saturday January 30 Thursday February 4 Saturday February 6 Thursday February 11 Saturday February 13 Thursday February 18 Saturday February 20 Thursday February 25 Saturday February 27 Monday-Friday March 8-12

Opponent at UNLV at Arizona at Eastern Washington* at Eastern Washington* at Grand Canyon UTEP at UC Davis Idaho* Idaho* at Idaho State* at Idaho State* Montana* Montana* at Montana State* at Montana State* at Northern Colorado* Northern Colorado* Sacramento State* Sacramento State* at Portland State* at Portland State* Weber State* Weber State* Southern Utah* at Southern Utah* Big Sky Championships

Location Las Vegas, Nev. Tucson, Ariz. Cheney, Wash. Cheney, Wash. Phoenix, Ariz. Flagstaff, Ariz. Davis, Calif. Flagstaff, Ariz. Flagstaff, Ariz. Pocatello, Idaho Pocatello, Idaho Flagstaff, Ariz. Flagstaff, Ariz. Bozeman, Mont. Bozeman, Mont. Greeley, Colo. Flagstaff, Ariz. Flagstaff, Ariz. Flagstaff, Ariz. Portland, Ore. Portland, Ore. Flagstaff, Ariz. Flagstaff, Ariz. Flagstaff, Ariz. Cedar City, Utah Boise, Idaho

* Big Sky Conference game Home games in bold All games as scheduled will be subject to health guidelines from state, county, and local officials and are subject to change

Back row (left to right): Assistant Coach Olivia Lucero, Assistant Coach Jenny Thigpin, Nina Radford, Sanjana Ramesh, Jacey Bailey, Head Coach Loree Payne, Sentia Bryant, Khiarica Rasheed, Emily Rodabaugh, Director of Basketball Operations Mike Thigpin, Assistant Coach Kellee Barney Front row (left to right): Manager Peyton Kohnke, Athletic Trainer Lily Goluszka, Nyah Moran, Shira Patton, Regan Schenck, Miki’ala Maio, JJ Nakai, Ajai Simmons, Olivia Moran, Lauren Orndoff, Manager Cinthya Garcia, Manager Monty Gantt

2020-21 NORTHERN ARIZONA MEN’S AND WOMEN’S BASKETBALL YEARBOOK

2020-21 WoMen’s Basketball Roster

#1 REGAN SCHENCK

#2 AJAI SIMMONS

#4 MIKI'ALA MAIO

#10 SHIRA PATTON

#11 JACEY BAILEY

5-7, Jr., Guard Woodinville, Wash. Woodinville HS

5-9, R-Jr., Guard Studio City, Calif. Brentwood HS/Illinois State

5-9, Sr., Guard Nanakuli, Hawaii Kamehameha HS/Salt Lake CC/Nevada

5-9, Fr., Guard/Forward Houston, Texas Cypress Ranch HS

#12 NYAH MORAN

#15 KHIARICA RASHEED

#20 LAUREN ORNDOFF

#21 EMILY RODABAUGH

5-11, Fr., Guard/Forward Riverside, Calif. King HS

5-11, Sr., Forward Portland, Ore. Grant HS

#23 JJ NAKAI

5-7, Sr., Guard Flagstaff, Ariz. Coconino HS/Pima CC/Nevada

LOREE PAYNE Head Coach Fourth Year Washington, 2003

5-10, Sr., Guard Medford, Ore. South Medford HS

#24 SANJANA RAMESH

6-0, So., Forward Bangalore, Karnataka, India Delhi Public School Bangalore

KELLEE BARNEY Assistant Coach Fourth Year Idaho, 1984

6-0, So., Guard/Forward Lynnwood, Wash. Archbishop Murphy HS

#30 NINA RADFORD

6-0, R-Jr., Guard Portland, Ore. Grant HS/UC Santa Barbara

JENNY THIGPIN Assistant Coach Third Year Fresno State, 2007

6-0, R-Sr., Guard/Forward Burnaby, BC, Canada Burnaby Mountain HS/Florida Atlantic

#22 OLIVIA MORAN

5-11, Fr., Guard/Forward Riverside, Calif. King HS

#50 SENTIA BRYANT 6-1, R-So., Forward Mesa, Ariz. Desert Ridge HS

OLIVIA LUCERO Assistant Coach First Year Northern Arizona, 2017

MIKE THIGPIN Director of Basketball Operations Third Year Dixie State, 2018

2020-21 NORTHERN ARIZONA MEN’S AND WOMEN’S BASKETBALL YEARBOOK

2020-21 Men’s Basketball SEASON PREVIEW

BUILDING

on Success BY STAYSON ISOBE

What a difference a year makes. A year ago, Northern Arizona men’s basketball head coach Shane Burcar inherited a 10-win team with an interim title. Entering the 2020-21 season, the interim title has been lifted following the Lumberjacks’ 16-14 (10-10 Big Sky) campaign in 2019-20, marking the program’s first winning season in five years. Of course, the COVID-19 pandemic has provided its own fair share of challenges, but Burcar and the Lumberjacks are revved up to get the season going after the most unusual offseason. “It was a little concerning with the pandemic in terms of our momentum,” Burcar said. “Losing to Idaho State in the Big Sky Tournament was probably a necessary evil as far as our focus in the offseason and it was a disappointment to not have the opportunity to play in a postseason tournament. But the 14 guys we have in this program want to be Lumberjacks and believe in this place and what it stands for. The competitive spirit and mindset is different and we’re ready to go.”

BACKING IT UP The Lumberjacks’ success this season will start with their two leading returning starters, junior Cameron Shelton and redshirt junior Luke Avdalovic. Together, the pair gives NAU a potent starting backcourt that could very well be the top backcourt in the entire conference. “Putting my NAU gear on, I think they’re the best,” Burcar said. “There are a lot of great backcourts in the league, but we’ll have 20 (conference) games to prove who is the best.” On a team with just five upperclassmen – and no seniors eligibility-wise – Shelton and Avdalovic will be counted on as leaders, equally if not more than the numbers they will put up on any given night. “When your best players share the same vision as you, we’re able to coach basketball,” Burcar said. “I trust Cam and Luke to the fullest and if you don’t have trust, you don’t have anything. They want to win more than anybody, and they’re here to win Big Sky Championships. Those are the type of guys you want to build a program with.” Of course, their numbers will ultimately tell a big story as both players will aim to continue their ascension. Shelton, a returning All-Big Sky Third Team honoree, enjoyed a breakout sophomore season with averages of 14.8 points, 6.2 rebounds, 4.4 assists and 1.5 steals per game. He is the only returning player in the conference to rank in the top 10 in all four categories last season. Sitting at 682 career points entering this season, he is on pace to become the newest member of the school’s 1,000 point club. Meanwhile, Avdalovic led the team in three-pointers made (52) and three-point percentage (.413) for the second consecutive year. Averaging 8.9 points per game, Avdalovic’s 45.6 three-point clip over the last two seasons is not only tops in the Big Sky, but ranks fourth

2020-21 NORTHERN ARIZONA MEN’S AND WOMEN’S BASKETBALL YEARBOOK

2020-21 Men’s Basketball SEASON PREVIEW all-time in program history. He is just 10 three-pointers away from cracking into NAU’s top 10 career three-pointers made list.

BIGGER ROLES COMING True sophomores Isaiah Lewis and Ajang Aguek and redshirt sophomore Keith Haymon all figure to see increased playing time after each showed flashes of excellence during their respective freshman seasons. Lewis got off to a hot start registering 13 points and six rebounds against No. 21/17 Arizona in his collegiate debut and was averaging 9.0 points per game through his first three games. In NAU’s conference opener, Lewis filled up the box score with three points, two rebounds, two assists and four steals in just 18 minutes versus Montana in Missoula. However, a sprained ankle suffered that evening hampered him the rest of the season. “I really believe if Isaiah doesn’t sprain his ankle in Montana, he has a legit chance at being Freshman of the Year. He was banged up for five to six weeks where he wasn’t 100 percent healthy and that stunted him.” Although Aguek only averaged 1.7 points and 0.8 rebounds in just under six minutes per game as a true freshman, his length and athleticism will be key to the Lumberjacks’ frontcourt depth that returns just redshirt junior Nik Mains among players who averaged double-digit minutes a year ago. Aguek’s best outing came in a season-high 20 minutes versus Northern Colorado, the league’s No. 2 team a year ago. Aguek

totaled seven points, seven rebounds, two assists and a block against the Bears. Haymon made his debut following a redshirt year in 2018-19 and showcased an ability to stretch the floor, shooting 37 percent (10-of-27) behind the arc in 21 games. His three-point percentage ranks only behind Avdalovic among returning players. After connecting on a pair of threes en route to eight points in 11 minutes on the road at Montana State during the opening weekend of conference play, Haymon worked his way into the rotation playing in 17 of 20 Big Sky games. “Keith and Ajang are going to play major minutes,” Burcar said. “All three of these guys are going to be critical to our success.”

NON-CONFERENCE GAUNTLET NAU may only be playing five non-conference games due to a slightly delayed start to the season, but there is no question that

“THE 14 GUYS WE HAVE IN THIS PROGRAM WANT TO BE LUMBERJACKS AND BELIEVE IN THIS PLACE AND WHAT IT STANDS FOR. THE COMPETITIVE SPIRIT AND MINDSET IS DIFFERENT AND WE’RE READY TO GO.” - SHANE BURCAR, HEAD COACH

the Lumberjacks will be battle-tested by the time they are fully into conference play on New Year’s Eve. The Lumberjacks’ five non-conference opponents combined for a .606 winning percentage in 2019-20 with four of them posting winning records. Three of them (Arizona, Gonzaga and Texas State) compiled 20-plus wins with Gonzaga, who rose to No. 1 in the country and finished the abbreviated season at No. 2, recording a 31-2 mark. “The Big Sky Conference might be the most underrated conference in the country – in the West absolutely for sure,” Burcar said. “Our guys are great players and they want to play these types of schools. Arizona is going to be ready to go on November 25 and on December 12, we’re going to go play Gonzaga, who may be the preseason No. 1 team in the country.” At the end of the day, if we have a nice run in Boise and we make it to the NCAA Tournament, we’re playing one of those teams anyway, but now we’re playing them on a neutral court,” Burcar added. “We want to play two or three of those games a year and we’re not going to shy away from competition.” Add in NAU’s early conference opening weekend at home versus Eastern Washington, the defending Big Sky regular season champions, and the Lumberjacks’ first seven games will come against teams with a combined 2019-20 winning percentage of .628. The Lumberjacks will play the Eagles, a 23-win team, twice on Dec. 3 and 5 in Flagstaff to open Big Sky play before resuming at Idaho on Dec. 31.

2020-21 NORTHERN ARIZONA MEN’S AND WOMEN’S BASKETBALL YEARBOOK

2020-21 WoMen’s Basketball SEASON PREVIEW

The Next Step As the Northern Arizona University women’s basketball team looks to take another step forward in head coach Loree Payne’s fourth season, it will do so with some of the Big Sky Conference’s top returning talent.

hind third place and has scored more than that total in each of her past two seasons. Rasheed also ranks 10th in field goals made (401) and fourth in free-throws made (306), with the latter total just 120 off of Mindy Sherred’s record set in 1987.

An All-Big Sky Conference First Teamer, Khiarica Rasheed returns after ranking second in the conference in scoring (16.5), second in field-goal percentage (48.9%) and sixth in rebounding (7.2). Senior Jacey Bailey, who landed on the Big Sky’s second team, just trailed Rasheed with 14.0 points per game, fourth in the conference, while ranking 10th with 6.5 rebounds.

Currently 10th on NAU’s rebounding list, Rasheed is also in reach of the top five given her performances over the past three seasons.

With 12.2 points, finishing tied for 14th, and 3.1 assists, tying for 13th, junior Nina Radford earned the Big Sky Conference’s Newcomer of the Year award and gives the Lumberjacks the largest contingent of Big Sky honorees in the conference. “Obviously we’ve been building toward something over three years and we’ve had a significant increase in talent and just players that really fit our system and our style,” Payne said. “I feel like we have a nice mix of young kids who will impact us this year, but also returners who will kind of bring that steady composure and a heck of a lot of talent.”

CHASING FUTURE RECORDS Rasheed enters the 2020-21 season looking to continue moving up many of NAU’s all-time lists. After three years with the Lumberjacks, Rasheed enters the 2020-21 season seventh on NAU’s scoring list after becoming the 18th player in school history to reach 1,000 career points. Entering the year at 1,130 points, Rasheed is just 320 points be-

BY CODY BASHORE

STEPPING INTO NEW ROLES While the Lumberjacks return a number of key contributors to last season’s success, junior Regan Schenck and sophomore Emily Rodabaugh enter the season in position to see their roles expand from a season ago. Having started 22 games as a freshman while playing in all 31, Schenck averaged 7.9 points and 3.6 rebounds in 28.6 minutes per game. After moving into a bench role with Caitlin Malvar returning from a redshirt season, Schenck now projects to return to the starting lineup after serving as the team’s top reserve in 2019-20. “Regan finished really, really strong last year and her potential is still limitless. She has one of the most athletic physiques that we have had here. She can get up and down the floor, she’s one of the fastest players in the Big Sky, pushing tempo, but also defensively,” Payne said. Playing in 30 games off of the bench and averaging 21.2 minutes, Schenck averaged 4.2 points and 3.6 rebounds while adjusting to a vastly different situation compared to her freshman season.

2020-21 NORTHERN ARIZONA MEN’S AND WOMEN’S BASKETBALL YEARBOOK

2020-21 WoMen’s Basketball SEASON PREVIEW

However, Schenck closed out her sophomore season with a pair of strong performances in the Big Sky tournament. Scoring 16 points on 7-of-10 shooting and grabbing seven rebounds in 41 minutes combined against Montana and Montana State, Schenck offered Payne and the rest of NAU’s staff a glimpse of what they hope will be a consistent performance in 2020-21.

“We definitely anticipate her stepping into more of an impactful role for us and getting a lot more minutes and being a scorer for us,” Payne said. “(Emily) can play the wing, can play the trail, she can even go down and post up a little bit. She has put in a lot of work in this offseason and is really dedicated to being an impact player for us.”

“We’re very, very excited for her to really get that consistency within the point guard position,” Payne said. “And she’s excited about it, she’s ready to really take over those reins. We are looking forward to seeing what she can do at the head of our offense.”

NEW FACES ON THE ROSTER

Meanwhile, Rodabaugh played sporadically during her freshman season with the highlight coming early on in the schedule. Averaging 5.0 points per game across 22 games, Rodabaugh finished her first season out of Archbishop Murphy High School in Washington with 41 points and 19 rebounds while shooting 42.1% from the field. “I think she was not happy with her performance last year as a freshman,” Payne said. “She anticipated being a little bit more impactful for us and just had a little bit of a challenging transition from high school to college.” After playing 38 minutes through NAU’s first seven games of the season, Rodabaugh scored 19 of her points in the Big Sky opener against Montana on Dec. 28. All 19 came in the second half, with Rodabaugh putting up 14 of NAU’s 31 fourth-quarter points. Hitting 7-of-11 from the field and 4-of-7 from behind the arc against Montana, Rodabaugh produced nearly half of her made field goals and two-thirds of her made 3s in the game alone. With Schenck moving to the starting lineup and the Lumberjacks losing about 14% of last season’s minutes off of the bench from last season’s roster, Rodabaugh now enters her sophomore season with a new opportunity. Looking to step into a similar position to that of Schenck from a year ago, Rodabaugh’s work during the offseason has her a position of trust for Payne and NAU’s staff.

The Lumberjacks added five players to the roster during the offseason, three fresh out of high school and two arriving as transfers from Nevada. Twins Olivia and Nyah Moran arrived at NAU from California, where they played at King High School in Riverside. Three-time winners of the Big VIII League, the Morans helped lead King to a runner-up appearance in the CIF Southern Section and a berth in the California State Tournament. Joining the twins as a freshman is Shira Patton, who played at Cypruss Ranch High School in Texas. A district champion at Cyprus Ranch, Patton earned all-district honors twice in her career. Wrapping up the newcomers are Miki’ala Maio and JJ Nakai who transferred into NAU from Reno. Both primarily played roles off the bench in 2019-20, with Maio playing in 28 games, starting 12. Prior to landing at Nevada, Maio spent two years at Salt Lake Community College where she became an NJCAA All-American and was named a region MVP. Nakai, a name familiar to many in Flagstaff, returns to town after spending two years at Pima Community College and this past season at Nevada. Nakai finished her Pima career as the program’s all-time scorer and assists leader before moving up to the Division I level. Having played at Coconino High School for four years, Nakai joined the Lumberjacks after she played in 21 games for the Wolf Pack last season, averaging 3.8 points in her 14.3 minutes per game.

2020-21 NORTHERN ARIZONA MEN’S AND WOMEN’S BASKETBALL YEARBOOK

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2020-21 NORTHERN ARIZONA MEN’S AND WOMEN’S BASKETBALL YEARBOOK

Feature Story

Jacey bailey Working her way up the

Record Books BY CODY BASHORE

Jacey Bailey only needed two years to break into Northern Arizona University’s record book. Among the best shooters in NAU program history, Bailey is already among the top 10 for 3-pointers made, 3-pointers attempted and 3-pointers made per game. With 790 points, the senior is closing in on becoming NAU’s 19th member of the 1,000-point club after hitting 70 3-pointers last season. Though the production now speaks for itself, Bailey’s development and confidence as a shooter only came recently. “People had to tell me, like, ‘Jacey, you’re a shooter.’ So it took a lot of words of encouragement to finally understand that,” Bailey said. “But I guess it’s just developed over time.” Beginning her college career at Florida Atlantic, Bailey arrived in the United States thousands of miles away from her home of Burnaby, British Columbia. While she enjoyed her time in Florida,

Bailey did miss seeing her family at games, even if it would be just an occasional thing. “I wasn’t home sick, so deciding to transfer wasn’t because of that,” Bailey said. “Just like the ability for (my family) to watch was definitely a plus when I transferred here. The reason I went there was more of that I really meshed with the coaching staff. And on the visit, it was Florida. I was on the beach, I just couldn’t say no.” With a desire to get back to the West Coast, Bailey found a connection to NAU through assistant coach Kellee Barney and one of her coaches at FAU. A visit to Flagstaff, and knowing some of the Big Sky Conference’s members such as Portland State and Eastern Washington offered easier trips from Canada, were all Bailey needed to make her decision. Playing 17.8 minutes per game for the Owls in 2016-17, Bailey averaged 4.3 points and 2.7 rebounds across 29 games and 15 starts. Just about 26% of her shots came from behind the arc at FAU, with Bailey’s 3-point shooting picking up once she returned to the court.

2020-21 NORTHERN ARIZONA MEN’S AND WOMEN’S BASKETBALL YEARBOOK

Feature Story sits 73 makes away from tying the program’s record. While she’s 271 attempts away from the top spot on the career list, Bailey’s first two season totals landed her on the single-season attempts list twice. Much of NAU’s frontcourt depth graduated following last season, and Bailey’s versatility might help keep her on the court and in a variety of positions based on the team’s need as the year goes on. Payne previously mentioned Bailey could even see time at the 5 given her ability to rebound and the matchup advantage she can create against others. “I’m just embracing what I’m going to have to do this year, because I think it’s going to be a totally different year,” Bailey said. “The roles are definitely going to change for everyone on the team, and it’s just about stepping into your role and what the coaches are asking.”

“I’m just embracing what I’m going to have to do this year, because I think it’s going to be a totally different year.” Sitting out Loree Payne’s first season in Flagstaff due to the NCAA’s transfer rules, Bailey did get the opportunity to play for the Canadian Developmental National Team at the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Australia. Having previously played for the British Columbia provincial team for the Canadian National Tournament, Bailey played in all five games of the Commonwealth Games in her National Team debut. Returning to the court in the NCAA during the 2018-19 season, Bailey attempted 157 3s before upping the total to 197 last season. With 44.8% and 49% of her shots coming from 3-point range as a Lumberjack, Bailey’s versatility has been crucial to NAU’s improvement the past two years. “Last year was pretty great. I think we all really meshed together, all the people that stepped on the court. I really enjoyed it, especially playing with Nina (Radford),” Bailey said. “I just think both of us, we’re similar in the sense that we’re versatile. She can play the guard, she can also play down low. And same for me.”

With Nina Radford debuting for the Lumberjacks last season, NAU finished 2019-20 with 212 3-pointers made and 607 3-pointers made. Both totals finished as the second-most in school history, with Radford and Bailey responsible for 119 and 317 combined respectively.

Averaging 5.2 rebounds in her first year, and improving to 6.5 last year, Bailey’s work on the boards through two years has been in part to taking advantage of matchups. “It is just some subconscious thing that just tells me to go rebound, especially because there’s a matchup advantage in one way or another. Either I’ll be quicker than them or taller than them,” Bailey said. “I do need to be reminded sometimes to go into rebound, as is almost everyone.”

As both players return for the Lumberjacks this season, Bailey said she expects even more freedom for the returners within Payne’s system. “It was kind of similar to the style we played back at FAU, especially like this year. She’s leading towards less plays and more of just playing basketball. I think that’s the type of environment I flourish in,” Bailey said. With her production shooting from outside already among NAU’s best in history, more freedom could lead to Bailey moving toward the top of multiple all-time rankings. Entering the season 8th in both 3-pointers made (120) and 3s attempted (354), Bailey

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Feature Story

CHARLES BURNS: Like Father, Like Son

BY CHAD PIPER

Everybody has a dream, but not everyone can live out those dreams. For Northern Arizona men’s basketball sophomore Charles Burns, it was only a matter of time before his dream turned into a reality. Raised in Lolo, Mont. – 10 miles from the University of Montana campus – Burns found his passion for the game of basketball when he was a little kid, but he grew up a lifelong NAU fan from the start. “I’ve lived in Missoula my entire life, but I have never ever worn any Montana Grizzlies stuff. I just can’t,” Burns said. He attended Loyola Sacred Heart High School, a private Roman Catholic school with only 42 students in his 2019 graduating class. Burns was a three-year varsity letterman on the basketball team and always dreamed of playing at the next level.

The first school that Burns ended up applying to was his dream school, Northern Arizona University, even though growing up, never in his wildest dreams did he ever think he would have an opportunity to play at NAU. Burns had a couple of offers to play basketball at the NAIA level, but he continued to work hard because NAU was always a dream of his. Burns gets his love and passion for NAU from his father, Brian, who played for the Lumberjacks from 1996-99 and was part of the 1998 team that advanced to the NCAA Tournament after winning the Big Sky Championship. “When we were kids, we were the biggest fans of NAU Basketball,” Burns stated. Immediately after Burns found out that he was going to be accepted as a walk-on, he felt like his dream of playing for NAU Basketball was just getting underway. “He’s living his dream right now,” head coach Shane Burcar said. Before attending NAU, Burns talked about

how nervous he was to go to a new place where he knew nobody. So, he asked his father for advice on how to be a successful NAU basketball player and his dad kept it very simple with him, “effort on everything.” Burns knows his role is to bring energy and effort with him to every practice and every drill. “I’m not the most gifted athlete out there, but I know for a fact that no one’s going to outwork me on this drill,” Burns said. It is a great accomplishment for any basketball player to get a Division I opportunity, but for Burns, it means so much more to represent NAU across his chest every day. A selfless player who cares more about how the team is doing than himself, that is a trait that Burcar believes makes him an important member of the team. “Charles has no jealousy with his teammates and his will to be better every single day is what will bring him much success in sports and beyond,” Burcar said. Being a walk-on for a Division I program doesn’t just mean you are a part of the team. They have the same expectations as the starters and scholarship players. In recent years, NAU has seen walk-ons work their way up to earning a scholarship and play significant minutes for the team with current upperclassmen Luke Avdalovic and Nik Mains as examples. Of course, Burns would love to be in the starting lineup and has dreams of being an NAU Hall of Famer, but for him right now, he knows he just has to bring his heart and energy every day to help this program. “Right now my job is to bust Cameron Shelton every day to make him better,” Burns stated. “I’m here to make the guys above me better.” “Some walk-ons can actually hurt your team if they don’t know their role,” Burcar

added. That is not Burns, whose energy and passion that he brings for NAU Basketball is something that makes them better as a whole. A key moment from his freshman campaign was when NAU traveled to play Montana in Missoula last December. Watching so many games from the stands in that gym, it was a very surreal feeling for Burns to step onto that court. On the road, every player has the option to put two friends or family on the pass list. For that game, Burns’ teammates showed their appreciation for him by giving all of their tickets to him. Even with the extra tickets, Burns didn’t have enough tickets to give out. Even though Burns did not check into the game at Montana, that day with his friends and family everywhere in the stands was a dream come true and something he will never forget. “Just warming up in that gym wearing NAU, that was a dream come true,” Burns said. “Just to be on that court was awesome.” Only a sophomore, he knows that if he continues to work hard, his time will come. His belief in this program to make it back to the top of the Big Sky Conference behind Burcar is also definitely there. “There is so much trust and belief in what we are doing here, that you can feel it’s going to become real,” Burns said.

2020-21 NORTHERN ARIZONA MEN’S AND WOMEN’S BASKETBALL YEARBOOK

Feature Story

THE DEFENSIVE STOPPER Looks to Make Immediate Impact BY STAYSON ISOBE It took just six seconds for Jay Green to display the type of impact he can have on a game. The date is Feb. 22, 2020 and UNLV is clinging to a four-point lead against No. 4 San Diego State on the road with just over a minute remaining on the clock. Green, then a member of the Runnin’ Rebels, switches onto San Diego State’s Malachi Flynn at the top of the key. Flynn, an eventual All-American and the 2019-20 Mountain West Player of the Year, dribbles to his right before crossing over to his left, yet he’s unable to shake Green, who stonewalls Flynn into a turnover. UNLV winds up holding on for a 66-63 victory, handing San Diego State its first loss of the season. “(Flynn) was a great player and a huge focus on the scouting report,” Green said. “We had a lot of respect for him going into the game. At that point of the game, I didn’t want to foul and I didn’t want to give up an easy bucket. I got put on an island with him and just had to play one-on-one and we ended up getting the stop.” Two months later, Green would transfer to Northern Arizona. Despite playing only 11 minutes off the bench – and not scoring a point nor attempting a shot from the field – in the upset of the Aztecs, it was his defensive play late that stands out. It is that defensive mentality that has Northern Arizona men’s basketball head coach Shane Burcar excited about the team’s graduate transfer, who has two years of eligibility remaining. “He’ll guard (our opponent’s) best scoring guard,” Burcar said. “With his size and strength, I don’t know if you’re going to see that in the Big Sky night in and night out. I think he has a legitimate chance to be a Player of the Year defensively. If we need to limit someone’s shots, Jay will do that. He’s up for that challenge.” Green’s move from Las Vegas to Flagstaff marks a return to the state of Arizona. Born and raised in Sydney, Australia, Green moved to Arizona prior to his senior year in high school when his father got a job opportunity. Upon arrival in the states, Green enrolled at Mountain Ridge High School, where he averaged 24 points per game and earned Division I All-State

2020-21 NORTHERN ARIZONA MEN’S AND WOMEN’S BASKETBALL YEARBOOK

Feature Story Second Team and All-Region First Team honors. It was during that season that Burcar was first familiarized with Green, who scored 23 points in a victory against Burcar’s Mesa High School team. “I knew Jay a little bit from Mountain Ridge High School and competing against him,” Burcar said. “I liked his demeanor, even as a 17, 18-year old senior. When his name came up in the transfer portal, I talked to his head coach at UNLV – a good friend of mine – Coach (T.J.) Otzelberger and he had nothing but great things to say about Jay.” Although Green was a driving force behind Mountain Ridge’s Division I state tournament appearance in 2016, an ankle injury late in his senior year put his college plans on hold. Instead, he took a post-grad year at Phoenix’s prep powerhouse Hillcrest Prep where he posted a second consecutive strong season with averages of 24 points, eight rebounds and six assists per game. Green parlayed that season into a commitment to UNLV, where he appeared in 15 games as a true freshman on the Runnin’ Rebels’ 20-win team in 2017-18. After playing just 4.1 minutes per contest in his initial season at UNLV, Green wound up redshirting the following season. The redshirt season was necessary according to Green, who notes that the pace and the athleticism of the game in America was a contrast to the game he was accustomed to in Australia. “Everyone was so athletic over here,” Green said. “Australia plays more like a European style – slower and a lot more fundamental. But here, I loved playing in transition. I tested the waters my freshman year (at UNLV) and got a feel for where I was at. I got a gauge for what I needed to work on and used that redshirt year to get where I wanted to be.”

In UNLV’s final six games – a stretch that included the road win against San Diego State – Green averaged 15.8 minutes per game as the Runnin’ Rebels compiled a 5-1 record. Still, Green took just four shots from the deck and scored seven points during that six-game stretch, which only amplified his impact on the other end of the court. The oldest son of parents who both played professionally in Australia, Green grew up around the sport. It was at his earliest stages of learning the game that Green learned the defensive fundamentals that have fueled his way to NAU. “I was taught the fundamentals at a young age and (defense is something) that over time, you get better at,” Green said. “The more film you watch, the more games you play, it’s something you naturally get better. There’s definitely an intentional side to it where you do need to put in the work to see results.” Now a Lumberjack, and just one of five upperclassmen on this year’s roster, Green has already made an impact in the gym with the hope that his perimeter defense will bolster an NAU team that was middle of the pack of the Big Sky last season in scoring defense, field goal defense and three-point defense during conference play. “Jay has made an immediate impact,” Burcar said. “We told him ‘you’re not coming here to feel everybody out.’ We wanted his presence known immediately and he has done that in a positive way. He leads by example because of his work ethic and he’s

being vocal with the guys and I couldn’t be happier with the addition of Jay to the program.” Green’s hallmark may always be on the defensive end, but early preseason indications could be a sign of an all-around game that might thrust the 6-5 redshirt junior guard into the Big Sky Newcomer of the Year conversation come the end of the season. Working tirelessly on his three-point shooting, a trait he exhibited in high school, Green’s offensive contributions may just be scratching the surface. “We want to win games and I’m going to help do that in any way I can,” Green said. “Obviously I’ve come in branded as a defensive player, but offensively I think I will be just as much of a problem. I think I can help get a lot of guys open with good shots by passing and shooting is something I’ve really worked on here. Offensively, I think I’ll be able to help the team win games as well.” “We want Jay to be Jay Green and play with that confidence,” Burcar added. “That’s not to say he didn’t (at UNLV), but he has a bigger role here and he can use his skills that he’s been working on since he learned the game.” Whether Green is tasked with making a game-winning defensive stop or knocking down a game-winner, it won’t take Lumberjack fans long to notice him on the court. In fact, it could just take a few seconds.

The year to develop also proved to be crucial as UNLV’s coaching staff turned over to Otzelberger ahead of the 2019-20 season. After seeing limited minutes, once again, throughout most of last season, Green carved out a role down the stretch around his trademark defensive skillset. “I just wanted to find a role,” Green said. “The easiest way to do that was defensively, so I started to try to brand myself as a defensive stopper on that team. It was a need that we had and I just tried to fill that gap as best I could. We were winning games and I was happy.”

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Feature Story

From Jackrabbits to Lumberjacks Davy Cummard and Shane Burcar Journey Together from Mesa to Flagstaff BY STAYSON ISOBE

“I’ve learned more about life than basketball being around (Coach Burcar) to be honest.” - DAVY CUMMARD

His cell phone rang and with one glance at who was calling, Davy Cummard immediately took it – just as he always does. “It’s a funny story; I was working as a pool guy and I was cleaning the dirtiest pool,” Cummard said. “I get a call from Coach Burcar and whenever he calls me I stop what I’m doing and I take his call.” Little did Cummard know, Shane Burcar had just been named Northern Arizona men’s basketball’s interim head coach. Cummard, on the other end of the phone, was back home in Mesa cleaning pools while figuring out where his basketball career would take him next, if anywhere. As it turns out, Burcar was about to offer Cummard an opportunity to join him in Flagstaff – just the next stop in a lifelong journey shared between player and coach. “He asked me how I was doing – I had just gotten married – and he told me he just got a new job and wanted me to come play for him,” Cummard said. “He wanted me to be a part of this special time and this special

program that he was going to build and I couldn’t pass that up. Since it was Coach Burcar, it was different than if someone else had called. I respect Coach Burcar and I believe in him.”

decisions he made was naming a young Davy Cummard his team manager. For Cummard, whose entire family including both parents, uncles and aunts attended Mesa, it was a dream come true.

With his wife’s blessing – Cummard and his wife, Cassandra, got married in March 2019 – the couple made the move north on I-17, much to Burcar’s excitement.

“Mesa High was my dream school,” Cummard said. “I grew up going to the games. I bled purple and gold and I loved it. In the

As synonymous as the Cummard family name and Mesa High School have been for decades, the same could be said about the Cummard family and Burcar. Burcar’s relationship with the Cummard family dates back to the summer of 2003 when Burcar was an assistant coach on at Mesa High School. Led by Arizona Big Schools Player of the Year Lee Cummard – Davy’s uncle – the Jackrabbits went on to win the 2004 state championship. After a brief one-year stint as head coach at Mesa’s Westwood High School, Burcar returned to Mesa High prior to the 2006-07 season as the head coach. One of the first

2020-21 NORTHERN ARIZONA MEN’S AND WOMEN’S BASKETBALL YEARBOOK

Feature Story driveway, I pretended to be the Aaron Fullers and all of the Mesa High stars. When (Burcar) asked me to be part of the team, I was super excited to do that.” Cummard, born and raised in Mesa, helped out at practices and games and filled up water bottles, but nothing compared to traveling on the bus with the same players he idolized and celebrating in the locker room after a big win. It wouldn’t be long before Cummard, who was the team manager until the eighth grade, was celebrating victories himself as a player. As a three-year varsity player, Cummard helped the Jackrabbits rack up 69 victories, with the 69th and final celebration being the grandest of them all. As the tournament’s No. 2 seed, Mesa held off Sunnyslope High School, 51-48, to win the 2016 Division I State Championship in Cummard’s final game as a Jackrabbit. The state championship win capped off a 26-4 senior season in which Cummard, like his great grandfather and father before him in football, could call himself a state champion at Mesa. “It was everything I dreamed about,” Cummard said. “To do it with the group of guys and teammates that I did it with, I don’t have words to explain the feeling when it happened. It was so surreal. I remember the last play when Dane Maggi missed a shot and I didn’t believe it was over. On the film you can see it took a couple of seconds for me to comprehend what just happened.” “Davy was a captain as a junior and senior, and his whole class was such a special group,” Burcar added. “All of those kids at Mesa were special. If we didn’t win a state championship…it was meant to be. To win two state championships with Lee as an assistant in 2004 and with Davy as a head coach in 2016, it creates a special bond.” Cummard’s path since captaining the Jackrabbits to a state championship has seen its fair share of twist and turns.

different view of the sport he loved – and his former coach – from the bench. It strengthened his knowledge of the game, which proved to be helpful when his first of two opportunities to return to playing arose. Under Kevin O’Connor, a former assistant at Arizona Western College, Cummard played 28 games at Murray State College in Tishomingo, Okla. – home of country music star Blake Shelton – during the 2017-18 season before once again returning home. As Cummard was making his way back to Arizona, Burcar was leaving his post at Mesa following 12 years and a school record 277 victories after accepting a position on former Lumberjack head coach Jack Murphy’s staff in April 2018. In pursuit of an opportunity at the Division I level, Cummard impressed during a summer tryout, but was ultimately left searching for the next step. Fast forward to the phone call from Burcar the following summer, and the former Jackrabbit player-coach duo was set to reunite within the Flagstaff ponderosa pines. Although the setting was vastly different than the one they were both accustomed to 160 miles south in Mesa, the sport – and their relationship – was the same as it always was. That’s not to say there were any promises made to Cummard, whose circuitous route to NAU paled in comparison to his new teammates. “When Davy came up here there were no guarantees; anyone who knows me knows I’m true to that,” Burcar said. “I was so hard on him for the first two to three months because I wanted to make sure I wasn’t favoring him because he played for me in high school. One of the players came up to me after a practice and said you don’t have to be hard on Davy, we know you don’t favor him. I took that as a compliment.”

far beyond his minutes on the court. “Davy is a very important piece and he was invaluable because he helped people along,” Burcar said. “He’s not here to get a pulse on the team for me. He’s here to help us win basketball games. I thought he played great against Northern Colorado. He helped us win games when there were no lights on, during practices and film.” For Cummard, while his journey has taken him from an eight-year old manager to state champion, to Oklahoma and back and through side jobs to pass the time, two things have remained consistent – his family and Burcar – and often they have intersected, working in perfect harmony. In March, Cummard and Cassandra welcomed their son, Jack, to the world. Being a first-time father, it has added another layer to the already many challenges that come with being a full-time Division I student-athlete. “It has been a wild ride since I got married with so much change and new experiences,” Cummard said. “My wife has been absolutely amazing and she’s been perfect. Being a new mom, she’s been great raising our son. I’m so thankful for her and I wouldn’t be able to do this without her. Being a student-athlete is hard enough, but she makes life easier for me and I wish I could say the same. She’s a lot tougher than me.” “My dad is my hero who I look up to the most, but Coach Burcar is definitely my biggest mentor in my life and he has been since I was little,” Cummard went on to say. “He’s been there for me. We’ve obviously had some good times together, but we’ve seen each other through it all. I’ve learned more about life than basketball being around him to be honest.” As for Burcar, the admiration is equally reciprocated going back the near two decades since his first interaction with the Cummard family.

Following graduation, Cummard spent five months in St. Louis, Mo. on an LDS mission before returning home without any plans of what to do next. Cummard eventually started working for his uncle as a welder before a familiar face extended a hand.

Cummard’s presence on the team was immediately felt, and it didn’t take long for him to earn the respect of his coaches and teammates. That respect came to fruition last December on an off-day between the Lumberjacks’ games at UC Riverside and Pepperdine when he was awarded a Division I scholarship.

“What I really respect about their family is that it has nothing to do with playing time,” Burcar said. “There are no ulterior motives. It is true friendship.”

Burcar offered Cummard a position on his staff at Mesa during the 2016-17 season, which provided Cummard a glimpse at a

Cummard wound up playing sparingly in eight games over his first season as a Lumberjack, but his contributions extend

After all, the pairing of Burcar and Cummard has already proven once to be championship-caliber.

With the program trending in the right direction under Burcar’s leadership, a Big Sky Championship be in this pair’s future.

2020-21 NORTHERN ARIZONA MEN’S AND WOMEN’S BASKETBALL YEARBOOK

Feature Story

BALLIN’ OVERSEAS Kaleigh Paplow & Brooks DeBisschop

EXcelling in Pro Ball

BY CODY BASHORE AND STAYSON ISOBE Kaleigh Paplow Having made her mark on the Northern Arizona women’s basketball program, as well as its all-time record book, Kaleigh Paplow soon moved on to Australia as she sought her next basketball opportunity. Despite averaging 14.1 points, 7.9 rebounds and 3.3 assists during her senior season in 2018-19, Paplow’s career ended with a bit of disappointment. Injured in the fourth quarter of NAU’s 74-69 victory in the first round of the 2019 Big Sky Conference Tournament, Paplow missed the quarterfinal matchup with Idaho a day later. While the 90-73 loss ended Paplow’s collegiate career, she knew her basketball journey was just getting started. Paplow’s resume spoke for itself, given the numbers she put up while at NAU. Finishing as the only player in program history ranked in top 10 in points, rebounds, assists, steals and minutes played, Paplow’s career totals rank from second in rebounds with 771, to fifth in points at 1,197 and ninth in assists at 276. “For someone who is going to have the opportunity to go play pro, you can’t just have one stat that’s high, you have to be points, rebounds, assists. You have to probably be at least your team leader in multiple categories just to have an opportunity to be seen over there,” said Lumberjacks head coach Loree Payne. “Stats are pretty critical, especially when it’s just video. People from overseas aren’t coming to watch them play, it’s more just video and stats that they base their decisions off of.” Originally hoping to play in Europe, Paplow found the lack of response from her representation to be holding her up. Once the Somerset Heat of the North West Basketball Union reached out, the former Lumberjack quickly found herself playing in a familiar country. “I actually lived in Australia when I was in 7th to 8th grade. I lived there for an entire year,” Paplow said. “I knew the people, the kind of the lifestyle, the environment. It’s somewhere that I’d like to play long-term just because they’re good people. They’re laid back, never have any issues with getting paid or anything like that and I can communicate easily.”

2020-21 NORTHERN ARIZONA MEN’S AND WOMEN’S BASKETBALL YEARBOOK

Feature Story Averaging 24.3 points, 11.9 rebounds and a league-best 3.22 steals per game, Paplow easily ranked as one of the NWBU’s best across the nine games she would play before her first professional season was cut short. After Paplow scored 32 points and grabbed 20 rebounds in an 87-82 victory over the Burnie Tigers 87-82 on March 13, the season came to an abrupt end due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Having returned to her home in Colorado, Paplow plans to return to Australia once leagues begin again in the new year. Given her rapid success in the league she played in, Paplow hopes her performance opens up more opportunities in the country. While she played in the NWBU, Paplow also spent time practicing with the NBL1 which also includes some players from the WNBL, Australia’s highest competitive basketball league. “You’ve got your top tier players in the WNBL and then they come down to play the NBL1 which is kind of a medium between the two leagues,” Paplow said. “They’re very diverse. There’s a lot of younger players, there’s some older players, there’s some vets, there’s some mothers. It’s super diverse and it’s different.”

brooks debisschop Taking the first step in his professional career, recent Northern Arizona men’s basketball graduate Brooks DeBisschop signed a contract with BC Borisfen in August. “I’ve been working out and staying in shape at home in West Linn,” said DeBisschop after signing with the team. “I had a few different options to choose from and this one felt like the right opportunity because they play in a good league and they recently played in the FIBA Europe Cup, which is good international competition. It’ll be good exposure for me and at the end of the day, I felt it was the right decision for me.” DeBisschop joined a team coming off a qualifying appearance in the FIBA Europe Cup. BC Borisfen, located in Mogilev, Belarus, competes in the Belarusian Premier League. To cap off his four-year Lumberjack career, DeBisschop earned All-Big Sky Third Team honors this past spring. As a senior, he averaged career-highs of 12.0 points, 8.1 rebounds and 2.9 assists per game while helping the NAU men’s basketball

team to a 16-14 season and a top six conference finish. He left Flagstaff as the program’s sixth all-time leading rebounder (706), tied for seventh in career blocks (75) and tied for 10th in games played (116). “When I was in high school and I was heading to NAU, it was my goal to have a good college career and then play professionally,” DeBisschop said. “It’s a dream come true for me and I’m excited to get my first year under my belt and then keep going from there to see what I can do with basketball.” Academically, DeBisschop was a standout as the program’s only twotime CoSIDA Academic All-American. After earning Third Team Academic All-America honors as a junior, he was a First Team Academic All-American in the spring as a senior. Graduating with a finance degree, DeBisschop was also NAU’s male awardee for Golden Eagle Top Scholar-Athlete and Big Sky Scholar-Athlete of the Year in addition to being named the Distinguished Senior for the W.A. Franke College of Business. “Brooks earned it,” said head coach Shane Burcar. “He stuck with the program and he was a great teammate for four years. He’s a competitor and in his senior year, we were 16-14 and postseason eligible. Brooks is a competitor and we’ll all be rooting for him in Belarus, and I know he’ll be rooting for us as well.” After playing in three games in early September to wrap up BC Borisfen’s 2019-20 season, DeBisschop dominated the first month of the 2020-21 campaign.

DeBisschop led his team in rebounding in five of its six games, as well as leading in points for two of the contests. Averaging 14.2 points and 11.2 rebounds during October, DeBisschop earned Player of the Month honors from the Belarusian Premier League thanks to four double-doubles and the league’s best player efficiency rating. With BC Borisfen sitting at 6-0 as of Nov. 3, DeBisschop has helped lead his team push for the top spot in the league. DeBisschop’s best game so far came on Oct. 24 against Brest Region as he scored 22 points and grabbed 14 rebounds, adding three blocks and two assists in the 121-58 victory.

2020-21 NORTHERN ARIZONA MEN’S AND WOMEN’S BASKETBALL YEARBOOK

Feature Story

Miki’ala Maio - A LUMBERJACK AT LAST

BY LINDSEY RIDGWAY

“It was like, ok well, like we’ve been asking for you since high school and since JUCO, and then we’re going to keep asking you right now. So I was like, you know, I’ve heard only good things about Northern Arizona University.” Things have a way of coming full circle in life, and for Northern Arizona University women’s basketball newcomer Miki’ala Maio that has been exactly the case. Born in Nanakuli, Hawaii, Maio was initially recruited by the University of San Diego as she attended Kamehameha Kapalama High School. However, the lack of an open scholarship left Maio without an immediate Division I opportunity. When NAU head coach Loree Payne took over the Lumberjacks in April 2017, she attempted to recruit Maio and bring her to Flagstaff, but the high school senior had already committed to Salt Lake Community College. “I just felt at that time, I made my commitment to my community college. I was excited to be a JUCO kid pretty much,” said Maio, who had come in contact with SLCC thanks to a connection between the college and San Diego’s coaching staff. Helping SLCC win 51 games during her tenure, Maio averaged 12.0 points and 4.5 rebounds during her Bruins career. After two years in Salt Lake, during which she received NJCAA All-America Second Team honors and was named the NJCAA Region 18 MVP, Maio reached the D-1 level as

she transferred to the University of Nevada. Just as they had two years prior, NAU’s staff sought to bring Maio to Flagstaff, but their best efforts were spoiled as they watched her move west to Reno.

the other women in the program has only strengthened her feelings on the choice. Maio described the dynamic of the team of just being overwhelmingly supportive and that they all just seemed to “click.”

However, the stars finally aligned following the 2019-20 season, as Maio departed the Wolf Pack following her junior year. Averaging 5.9 points and 2.1 rebounds in 28 games, including 12 starts, Maio elected to make another move for her senior season. Three years after initially being pursued by NAU, Maio felt it was finally the right time to just give the Lumberjacks a shot. Although Maio did not make an official visit to Flagstaff, or meet the program’s coaches or other players in person due to the pandemic, she said it really just felt “full circle.”

“If one person on our team is hurting or struggling with something, they’re going to reach out or they’re going to talk to their teammates. We’re going to feel that struggle too, that empathy,” Maio said.

“It was like, ok well, like we’ve been asking for you since high school and since (my) JUCO, and then we’re going to keep asking you right now. So I was like, you know, I’ve heard only good things about Northern Arizona University,” Maio said.

Maio, as well as the rest of the Lumberjacks, have stressed that these battles, to end racial injustices and systemic racism, are too important to stop talking about.

Maio has not looked back on her decision to join the Lumberjacks this fall, as the instant connection she has felt with

Joining the program just a few weeks before the renewed national push of the Black Lives Matter movement and protests following the killings of Breonna Taylor and George Floyd, Maio said the program’s shared vision for racial equality and social justice has only furthered that unity among the group.

“And then tell people to vote. Vote, vote, vote. Those are the two things that I think it’s very important right now, especially in these times,” Maio said.

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