Basketball preview, november 3, 2016

COLLEGE BASKETBALL PREVIEW | THURSDAY, NOV. 3, 2016

ZAGS TURN OVER

NEW LEAVES

Gonzaga’s recent bunch of transfers rustled up their resolve, floated from college basketball’s taller trees to new grounds in Spokane

Inside Can WSU rebound from 17-game losing streak?

Who replaces Venky Jois at Eastern? Can Idaho guards keep the momentum going? Pages 2-19

Pictured (left to right): Nigel WilliamsGoss, Johnathan Williams, Jeremy Jones, Jordan Mathews enjoying change of scenery.

COLIN MULVANY The Spokesman-Review

Season guide Complete rosters for men and women, schedules, difference makers, key games and league predictions for all our area schools.

Contact the Sports department: (509) 459-5500; fax (509) 744-5655; email sports@spokesman.com

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NOVEMBER 3, 2016

D1 WOMEN

WSU ROSTER # 4 12 1 45 15 20 21 2 11 10 22 41 23 5

Name Louise Brown Cameron Fernandez Caila Hailey Borislava Hristova Ivana Kmetovska Maria Kostourkova Nike McClure Krystle McKenzie Chanelle Molina Johanna Muzet Pinelopi Pavlopoulou Jovana Subasic Alexys Swedlund Kayla Washington

Pos. F G G F F C F G G G G F G F

THE SPOKESMAN-REVIEW

Ht. 6-3 5-10 5-10 6-0 6-3 6-4 6-3 5-8 5-9 6-0 5-8 6-4 5-11 6-0

Yr. Jr. Fr. Jr. So. Sr. So. So. So. Fr. Fr. Jr. Fr. So. Fr.

IDAHO ROSTER From Melbourne Makawao, Hawaii Ingelwood, Calif.

Varna, Bulgaria Skopje, Macedonia Lisbon, Portugal Tenino, Wash.

Gold Coast, Australia Kailua Kona, Hawaii Lyon, France Athens, Greece Sabac, Serbia Rapid City, S.D. San Bernardino, Calif.

# 1 2 4 5 10 11 12 14 21 22 24 31 32 44

Name Jenae Lewallen Karlee Wilson Brooke Reilly Brigitte O’Neill Cherita Daugherty Isabelle Hadden Nejra Solo Taylor Pierce Mikayla Ferenz Bethany Krause Daylee Hanson Geraldine McCorkell Agueda Trujillo Sue Winger

Pos. G PG P P G P P G G G G P G P

Ht. 5-8 5-4 6-1 6-2 5-8 6-4 6-5 5-7 5-10 5-8 5-11 6-0 5-11 6-1

Yr. Fr. Sr. R-Jr. So. Fr. Fr. Jr. So. So. Jr. Fr. Jr. Sr. R-Fr.

From Surprise, Ariz.

Lewiston Spokane Melbourne, Australia Vancouver, Wash.

Boise Zenica, Bosnia Carlsbad, Calif.

Walla Walla Centerville, Ohio Edmonds, Wash.

Melbourne, Australia Manacor, Spain Spokane

On the rebound

Hristova heads list of big Cougars with renewed emphasis on grabbing misses

By Jim Allen jima@spokesman.com, (509) 459-5437

I

n more ways than one, the Washington State women’s basketball team is looking to rebound this season. A ninth-place finish in the Pac-12 was the product of many things, but getting outrebounded by an average of six a game was the biggest.

“If one or two rebounds go our way, it’s a different ballgame,” WSU coach June Daugherty said as the Cougars prepare for the new season. “That’s been a big focus for us, and I’m excited to see that process – at the end of the day you have to have that passion on the glass.”

You also need experience, which should be a big strength as the Cougars hope to improve on last year’s 14-16 season (5-13 Pac-12). Daugherty returns four starters, including All-Pac-12 forward Borislava Hristova.

Last year as a freshman, the 6-foot Bulgarian forward averaged 16.3 points – twice as many as any other Cougar – while setting freshman records for scoring, field goals made (200) and free-throw percentage (.881).

“She had a great season, and now we’re hoping for more of the defensive element,” Daugherty said of Hristova, one of four Cougars to get offseason experience in European tournaments during the summer.

WSU should have one of the taller frontcourts in the Pac-12, as Daugherty returns 6-4 post Maria Kostourkova (5.5 ppg along with a team-high 4.3 boards) and 6-3 forward Louise Brown.

With 26 starts last year, junior Caila Hailey brings experience to the backcourt, but the Cougars must replace graduated point guard Dawnyelle Awa. Candidates include Greek national team player Pinelopi Pavlopoulou, Krystle McKenzie and freshman Chanelle Molina, the first five-star recruit in WSU history.

“She’s crafty with the basketball and a very athletic, quick kid,” Daugherty said of Molina.

The early schedule is challenging, with November home games against Saint Mary’s, San Francisco and Oklahoma State to open the season.

The Cougars travel to Spokane on Dec. 8 to play Gonzaga.

GONZAGA

The Bulldogs are already off and running this year.

With a deep, talented and experienced group of guards, coach Lisa Fortier expects a faster pace on offense and more pressure on defense.

“At the end of the day we’re just going to work our tails off,” said Fortier, whose second year was marred by injuries to post Emma Wolfram and All-West Coast Conference guard Elle Tinkle.

The Bulldogs still managed to finish 19-14 overall and 10-8 in the WCC, but are poised for better things if everyone stays healthy this year.

The biggest challenge for the coaches may be sorting a talented backcourt bolstered by Tinkle and returnees Emma Stach, Laura Stockton and Zhané Templeton – plus highly regarded transfers Chandler Smith and Makenlee Williams.

“It’s going to sort itself out, but that might mean more well-spread minutes and cycle them in different ways,” said Fortier, whose team opens the season Friday against NAIA team Corban.

The backcourt offers another bonus: an average height of 6 feet. “That gives us a little more length

ROBERT HUBNER WSU Photo Services

Sophomore Borislava Hristova led the Cougars in scoring last season at 16.3 points a game.

on the wings,” Fortier said “I hope that that’s going to get us some different transition looks and that’s an identity I’m really comfortable with,” Fortier said.

The key returnee is 6-3 forward Jill Barta, who started only seven games as a redshirt freshman yet averaged a team-high 14 points along with 5.8 rebounds.

“I hope she picks up where she left off,” Fortier said. “Her biggest challenge is to round out her game and being a team defender.”

Senior Kiara Kudron, a 6-2 forward, should play an even bigger role after averaging seven points and

Name Katie Collier Heather Corral Gigi Garcia Mai-Loni Henson Hannah Johnson Kelli Kingma Aarion McDonald Amber Melgoza Jenna Moser Chantel Osahor Kelsey Plum Natalie Romeo Brianna Ruiz Deja Strother MacKenzie Wieburg

Pos. F/C G/F F F F G G G G F/C G G G C G

Ht. 6-3 6-2 6-2 6-1 6-1 5-8 5-7 5-10 5-6 6-2 5-8 5-7 5-10 6-5 5-9

Yr. Sr. Fr. Fr. Fr. So Jr. Fr. Fr. Jr. Sr. Sr. Jr. Jr. So. Jr.

EASTERN WASHINGTON

Despite losing the leading scorer in school history in Hailey Hodgins, the Eagles have the ingredients to chase a third straight 20-win season.

“I feel like we are a bigger, faster and stronger team then we were a year ago,” said coach Wendy See D1 WOMEN, T19

EWU ROSTER

UW ROSTER # 13 14 32 3 1 20 2 4 24 0 10 5 23 34 42

seven boards last year.

Wolfram hopes to bring her 6-5 frame and outside shooting back to the floor after missing last year with a knee injury.

From Covington, Wash.

Vancouver, Wash.

Sacramento San Diego Los Angeles Mill Creek, Wash.

Tracy, Calif.

Santa Barbara, Calif Colton, Wash.

Phoenix Poway, Calif.

Martinez, Calif.

Sacramento Kenmore, Wash.

Sammamish, Wash.

# 00 1 2 3 4 5 10 11 12 13 20 23 24 30 54

Name Ashli Payne Aqeelah Williams Uriah Howard Symone Starks Delaney Hodgins Baylee Rexing Kianna Baker Amy Hartleroad Violet Kapri Morrow Desiree Harding Tisha Phillips Mariah Cunningham Amira Chandler Alissa Sealby Andie Easley

Pos. F G F G F G C F G G G F C F G

Ht. 6-0 5-8 5-11 5-6 6-0 5-3 6-3 6-0 5-8 5-7 5-9 6-0 6-2 6-0 5-10

Yr. Sr. So. Fr. Fr. Jr. R-Fr. Fr. Fr. So. So. R-Sr. Jr. So. So. R-Fr.

From Bremerton Seattle Oakland, Calif.

Lone Tree, Colo.

Pasco Suwanee, Ga. Tulare, Calif.

Dallas Tacoma Fresno, Calif.

Lapwai, Idaho Spokane Wenatchee Wenatchee Phoenix

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ZAGS WOMEN

School website: gozags.com

2015-16 record: 19-14 overall, 10-8 WCC

Arena: McCarthey Athletic Center (6,000)

Coach: Lisa Fortier, 3rd (45-22)

Team makeup: 3 returning starters, 3 newcomers

Balancing act Always-busy Tinkle plans to make the most of senior season do-over

COLIN MULVANY The Spokesman-Review

Senior guard Elle Tinkle is all business on the basketball court and in the classroom, where she is pursuing a nursing degree.

Story by Jim Allen R The Spokesman-Review

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lle Tinkle is taking it easy this year. Really. Long hours on the Gonzaga basketball court are often followed by longer ones at Sacred Heart Medical Center.

She’s also taking 13 credits of upper-division classes. That’s the easy part, insists Tinkle, who’s enjoying the chance to “stretch” her senior year with a lighter load. “I’ll take that for sure,” she said with a laugh. If that doesn’t make sense, then you don’t know Elle Tinkle, a 6-foot-2 guard whose grace on the basketball court belies a get-’er-done grittiness in every phase of her life.

Even when that life is turned upside down.

A year ago, Tinkle had everything planned. She was a preseason all-West Coast Conference selection and a major reason the Bulldogs were picked to win another West Coast Conference title and get back to the NCAA Tournament.

After that, she would consider going pro or becoming a nurse.

The plan fell apart quickly. A hard fall in the first game of the season turned out to be a knee injury that grew steadily worse.

Tinkle still managed to lead GU in scoring, with 10.5 points a game. “I played as long as I could, but I saw the handwriting on the wall,” she said.

“With each game it was harder and harder to bounce back and give 100 percent.”

Meanwhile, GU also lost post Emma Wolfram for the season. The Bulldogs soldiered on, but with depleted ranks.

They finished 19-14 and fifth in the WCC. Tinkle was there for every game, offering advice and encouragement, all the way to a bittersweet Senior Night.

That’s when she said goodbye to the friends and teammates she’d known for four years: Shelby Cheslek, Shaniqua Nilles and Chelsea Waters.

“That was special, that was a group of seniors I’d been with for four years,” Tinkle said. A few weeks later, the hardship waiver was approved by the NCAA, and Tinkle had some certainty back in her life.

“I’m just glad that I get another shot, but there’s definitely going to be some déjà vu this year,” Tinkle said.

Call it her super senior year. So far it’s gone quite well, thank you.

Fall semester began with that “stretch” 13-credit class load. Tinkle felt the difference from those 17-credit slogs of the past.

“I’m a firm believer that everything happens for a reason,” Tinkle said. “And honestly, sometimes I feel that the injury was a blessing with the academics part.

The recovery, not being able to play – it

COLIN MULVANY THE SPOKESMAN-REVIEW

KEY GAMES After a soft early two weekends, the tests will come early and often. A Nov. 18 trip to Stanford is followed by three in a row against Michigan State, Florida State and Winthrop at the

Gonzaga counts on the energy from senior guard Elle Tinkle, who returns after a seasonending knee injury.

ON TWITTER Follow reporter Jim Allen for news, updates @srjimallen

allowed me to be a lot more flexible with my academic schedule, which is pretty chaotic.”

Last spring, after the season ended, Tinkle spent every weekend at Sacred Heart, working eight- and 12-hour shifts.

“I try to imagine how I would have done that this year” with a bigger class load, she said.

Tinkle would have managed. She was a pioneer of sorts, the first student-athlete to tackle the basketball-nursing combo.

“Sometimes, I have to ask myself why I have this hectic, crazy, sometimes-unimaginable schedule, but it’s because I love the program, and my teammates,” said Tinkle, who still manages to carry a 3.46 grade-point average.

“I was hardheaded. I didn’t see the purpose in choosing a major that was just going to go with my basketball schedule,” Tinkle said.

Compromises were made on both sides with class and basketball commitments. “The coaching staff and the nursing faculty have been unbelievable,” Tinkle said.

After she was cleared to return, See TINKLE, T19

GONZAGA ROSTER # 13 33 22 23 15 00 30 14 11 10 31 4 12

Name Jill Barta Grace Collett Corryn Douglas Kiara Kudron Jessie Loera Zykera Rice Chandler Smith Emma Stach Laura Stockton Zhané Templeton Elle Tinkle Makenlee Williams Emma Wolfram

Pos. F F G F G F G G G G G G C

Ht. 6-3 6-4 6-0 6-2 5-6 6-1 6-0 5-9 5-8 5-10 6-2 5-11 6-5

Yr. So. Fr. Fr. Sr. Fr. So. So. Jr. So. So. Sr. Sr. Jr.

From Fairfield, Mont.

Greensborough, Aus. Newbury Park, Calif.

New Boston, Mich.

Moses Lake Lakewood, Wash.

Brewster, Wash.

Buchholz, Germany Spokane Grand Prairie, Texas Missoula Syracuse, Utah Kamloops, BC

Paradise Jam in the U.S. Virgin Islands.

“I like this schedule for this team,” said third-year coach Lisa Fortier, who also gets regional rivals WSU and EWU in early December.

Home games during the holidays against Northwestern and Colgate set up the

IMPACT PLAYER Few things can break down a defense like a 6-foot-5 post who can drain 3-pointers with ease.

That’s what Emma Wolfram brought to the Bulldogs as a redshirt freshman in 2014-15, making key buckets down the stretch, especially in the NCAA Tournament in wins against George Washington and Oregon State.

In the Sweet 16 loss to Tennessee in Spokane, Wolfram had eight points, seven rebounds and four blocks.

Wolfram recovered from offseason shoulder surgery, but suffered an ACL injury during an early-season practice and appeared in only one game last year.

With the graduation of post Shelby Cheslek, Wolfram has a chance to make a big impact this season, especially on the offensive end.

During her freshman season, she averaged 6.8 points, 4.4 rebounds, one assist and 20 minutes played per game over the 2014-15 season.

PREDICTION 1. Gonzaga 2. Santa Clara 3. BYU 4. San Diego 5. Saint Mary’s 6. Pacific 7. Pepperdine 8. San Francisco 9. Loyola-Marymount 10. Portland

compressed WCC schedule, which doesn’t begin until Dec. 29 at Pepperdine.

The first conference home game is Jan. 5 against San Francisco, the first of three straight at home. A big midseason test comes on Feb. 2 against BYU and two days later at San Diego.

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THE SPOKESMAN-REVIEW

UI VANDALS

School website: govandals.com

2015-16 record: 21-13 overall, 12-6 Big Sky

Arena: Cowan Spectrum (6,000)

Coach: Don Verlin, 9th season (131-126)

Team makeup: 4 returning starters, 2 newcomers

Vandals on guard Healthy Callandret has special cheering section for senior season

COLIN MULVANY The Spokesman-Review

Idaho junior guard Victor Sanders, left, and senior guard Perrion Callandret are being counted on this season to be the leaders.

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Story by Josh Wright R Correspondent

OSCOW, Idaho – Perrion Callandret sometimes looks down at his jersey on the court and remembers. He remembers how blessed he was to play with his half-brother as a freshman, despite the fact that he was 18 and Glen Dean was 24.

During that one season they were together at the University of Idaho, in 2013-14, Dean’s jersey number was No. 1. Callandret, now a senior point guard for the Vandals, wears the same number and scans the stands to find his brother and mother, Judi Sinclair, watching him with pride.

They aren’t the only ones.

Callandret’s story is also personal for UI assistant coach Kirk Earlywine, and for good reason.

Four years ago this fall, Earlywine helped convince Callandret to sign with the Vandals out of Bothell (Washington) High School. The next spring, he helped bring Dean to Idaho as a graduate transfer from the University of Utah.

Earlywine still remembers the first practice with Callandret and Dean on the same floor. But the coach’s connection to the brothers from the Seattle area goes back longer than that.

“It seems like yesterday to me that Glen was a freshman at Eastern,” Earlywine said, “even though that’s been a number of years now.”

It was seven years ago, in fact, that Earlywine – then the head coach at Eastern Washington – heard about Dean and got to know Sinclair. He brought Dean to Eastern after an Eagles player who was friends with the mature but fiery point guard recommended that Earlywine look into him.

EWU fired Earlywine in 2011, which prompted Dean to transfer to Utah before the next season. The two stayed in contact, and it made sense for Dean to consider UI as a graduate transfer – especially since his brother had already committed to the Vandals.

“The relationship I had with their mother,” Earlywine said, “I think was definitely a factor in Perrion signing with us that fall and then the following spring Glen graduating at Utah and having that fifth-year option that so many guys are taking advantage of now. “… There’s no question that it was all intertwined.”

Callandret is now focused on winning a Big Sky Conference title in his last year in Moscow. He and Victor Sanders form one of the best backcourts in the Big Sky, something they proved last year before (and somewhat after) both got hurt in January.

Callandret suffered a Lisfranc injury

Associated Press

Glen Dean played one season with half-brother Perrion Callandret and will be cheering him on from stands.

KEY GAMES Don Verlin likes the makeup of his team. And he likes that it will be pushed by a number of quality nonconference opponents before Big Sky play.

“I know it’s a challenging schedule,” he said, “but it’s perfect for this team because we’re a

ON TWITTER Follow reporter Josh Wright for news @SR_JoshWright

of his right foot and missed nine games.

Sanders broke his hand and missed seven games.

While Sanders came back healthy in mid-February, Callandret returned a few days after his backcourt mate but “wasn’t right,” Earlywine said. It took until two weeks after the Vandals’ summer trip to China for Callandret to consider himself all the way recovered – both physically and mentally.

“Last year, when I came back, it was in the back of my head,” Callandret said. “But … I just never played fully healthy.”

The 6-foot-2, 180-pound floor leader averaged 14 points in 25 games last season, just behind Sanders (15.9 ppg) for second on the team. Nonetheless, coach Don Verlin wants Callandret to be a pass-first point guard.

“He’s got to run our team,” Verlin said.

UI coaches also expect Callandret and Sanders to become more vocal leaders to fill a void left by Chris See VANDALS, T19

VANDALS ROSTER # 25 0 4 24 1 41 2 12 13 21 11 44 14 23 5

Name Trevon Allen Nick Blair Blake Brayon Tyler Brimhall Perrion Callandret Ty Egbert Myles Franklin Chance Garvin Pat Ingram Arkadly Mkrtychyan Victor Sanders Jordan Scott Chad Sherwood Nate Sherwood Jake Straughan

Pos. G F F G G F G G/F G F G F G F G

Ht. Wt. 6-2 180 6-5 205 6-7 220 6-4 195 6-2 180 6-9 225 6-0 171 6-4 170 6-2 201 6-7 235 6-5 195 6-6 200 6-2 180 6-8 215 6-1 175

Yr. From Fr. Lapwai, Idaho So Las Vegas Jr. Seattle Fr Logan, Utah Sr. Bothell, Wash.

Sr. Coulee Dam, Wash.

Fr. Castaic, Calif.

Fr. Coulee Dam, Wash.

Sr. Indianapolis Jr. Portland Jr. Portland Jr. Colorado Springs, Co. Jr. Albany, Ore. So. Albany, Ore. So. Colton, Wash.

veteran team and that will allow us to get better in the preseason.”

The Vandals, who return 12 players, have mid-November games at Northern Illinois and Little Rock, two schools that beat UI in Moscow last year. They also travel to Stanford (Dec. 22) and Washington State (Dec. 7) and have a home-and-home with South Dakota

IMPACT PLAYER For the Vandals to overtake Weber State and Montana – the only teams that finished ahead of them in the Big Sky last season – Victor Sanders needs to make another leap in his development.

Last year the 6-foot-5 guard earned second-team all-Big Sky honors after averaging 15.9 points and shooting 42 percent from 3 – a huge jump from his freshman year.

Sanders looked poised to have a monster end of the season before breaking his hand in late January and missing seven conference games.

“I don’t know if this year there will be a huge leap in his scoring numbers,” assistant Kirk Earlywine said.

“We’re hoping his shooting percentages go up a little bit, even though he shot a really good percentage last year.

We need him to reduce his turnovers. And we need him to become a more sound defensive player.”

PREDICTION 1. Weber State 2. Idaho 3. North Dakota 4. Montana 5. Eastern Washington 6. Idaho State 7. Sacramento State 8. Montana State 9. Portland State 10. Northern Arizona 11. Northern Colorado 12. Southern Utah

State, who went 26-8 last year and made the NCAA tournament.

“It’s very hard to schedule here,” Verlin said, “and then when you’ve got 12 guys back, it’s even harder. You know, I look at it as a compliment – we had to go out and schedule up a little bit, but I think it’s going to be a good thing for our team.”

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EWU EAGLES

2015-16 record: 18-16 overall, 10-8 Big Sky

School website: goeags.com

Arena: Reese Court (5,000)

Coach: Jim Hayford, 6th season 84-79)

Team makeup: 3 returning starters, 7 newcomers

New discovery Well-traveled Wiley develops into leader just in time for Eagles

COLIN MULVANY The Spokesman-Review

EWU graduate transfer Jacob Wiley has gone through an amazing transformation since his disruptive high school days.

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Story by Jim Allen R The Spokesman-Review

he transformation of Jacob Wiley can’t be measured in years or miles, though it’s been quite a journey.

From the back streets of Long Beach, California, to the campus of Eastern Washington and every stop in between, Wiley learned something new about himself.

The latest self-affirming revelation came half a world away, in Australia, and it was a shocker: Wiley is a leader.

A graduate transfer from Lewis-Clark State, Wiley had joined the Eagles basketball program this summer. With several veteran players sidelined by injuries, the younger players were leaning on the 6-foot-7 newcomer in their first competitive games together.

“I wasn’t expecting that,” said Wiley, who’d been a follower most of his life. As a youth in Southern California, he stepped behind the wrong crowd and spent more time ditching classes than taking them.

During his freshman year, a teacher posed a trick question: How many players from his school had gone on the play sports in college?

“I said I didn’t know,” Wiley said.

“The teacher said I wouldn’t be one of them,” Wiley said.

In the nick of time, after his freshman year, Wiley was plucked from the mean streets of Long Beach and brought by his father to Newport, Washington, population 2,116. His grandparents lived there and Jake had visited as a youth.

Surrounded by family and a supporting atmosphere, Wiley thrived.

His grade-point average soared from 1.6 to 3.1.

He also soared above the competition as a three-year starter in basketball and football. On the court, he averaged over 25 points, 10 rebounds and three blocked shots, earning attention from Division I schools.

But life wasn’t easy. His grandmother died midway through his junior year. A few weeks later, Wiley had a big game against Freeman at district.

The next morning, Wiley saw his name in a newspaper headline and story. He carried the paper to his father, who apparently was sleeping on the coach.

“He wasn’t breathing and I knew he was gone,” said Wiley, who moved in with his grandfather, near Diamond Lake. His mother still lives in Long Beach.

Gaining confidence, Wiley accepted an athletic scholarship at Montana.

“I admired him from back then,” EWU

KEY GAMES It may take awhile for Eastern fans to get a feel for this year’s team, but the measuring sticks will line up like a picket fence beginning in late November.

The Eagles, 18-16 last year but graduating top

COLIN MULVANY The Spokesman-Review

The Eagles will have to replace inside presence of Venky Jois.

ON TWITTER Follow reporter Jim Allen for news, updates @srjimallen

coach Jim Hayford said even as Wiley decided on a future in Missoula.

“But we all make mistakes in life,” Hayford said, tongue in cheek.

Wiley played 20 minutes a game on a team that reached the NCAA Tournament, but concluded that the Griz program wasn’t a good fit.

“I was still trying to figure out who I was,” Wiley said.

His sophomore year was spent on the track team, but basketball pulled at his heartstrings. “When March came around, I turned on the TV and I was watching March Madness.

“I said to myself, ‘Hey, I played in this thing last year,’” said Wiley, who contacted Hayford about a possible move. However, NCAA transfer rules would have meant another year away from the court, so he transferred to Lewis-Clark State.

As a junior power forward, he thrived at the NAIA level. By a quirk of the schedule, LC-State played an exhibition game at Eastern in December 2014. A See EAGLES, T19

EWU ROSTER # 0 2 4 5 10 12 13 14 15 20 24 32 34 40 42 44

Name Julian Harrell Ty Gibson Sir Washington Michael Wearne Jacob Davison Grant Gibb Luka Vulikic Mason Peatling Joshua Thomas Cody Benzel Jacob Wiley Bogdan Bliznyuk Jesse Hunt Geremy McKay Mario Soto Felix Von Hofe

Pos. G G G G G G G F G G F F F F G F

Ht. 6-5 6-3 6-3 6-2 6-4 6-5 6-5 6-8 6-3 6-4 6-7 6-6 6-7 6-7 6-6 6-5

Wt. 195 190 180 190 175 185 190 220 185 175 220 215 210 230 205 200

Yr. From R-Sr. Los Angeles So. Issaquah, Wash.

R-Jr. Las Vegas R-Fr. Croydon, Australia Fr. Montebello, Calif.

R-Fr. Longview, Wash.

Fr. Belgrade, Serbia Fr. Melbourne, Australia Fr. Spokane (CV) R-So. Spokane (Ferris) R-Sr. Newport, Wash.

Jr. Lutsk, Ukraine So. Geraldton, Australia R-So. Melbourne, Australia R-So. Irvine, Calif.

Sr. Melbourne, Australia

scorers Venky Jois and Austin McBroom, get early home tests with games against Denver and San Francisco.

A long December road trip ends on Dec. 30 at Idaho, which knocked the Eagles out of last year’s Big Sky Conference tournament. EWU, picked to finish seventh by Big Sky coaches and fifth by the

IMPACT PLAYER A year ago, EWU transfer swingman Julian Harrell couldn’t even practice because of a wrist injury suffered in the offseason.

This year, Harrell is off and running. So are the Eagles, who will count on the 6-5 Harrell in every phase of the game: scoring, rebounding and ball handling.

Returning just in time for Big Sky play last year, Harrell made an immediate contribution with his versatility. He averaged 8.2 points and 2.8 rebounds while shooting 50 percent from the field.

That will be crucial again this year, as the Eagles break in a new power forward and an untested backcourt.

“Being healthy makes a huge difference,” Harrell said. “Having the full summer and the preseason is huge,” Harrell said. “It’s huge getting in rhythm with the team and your own personal rhythm.”

PREDICTION 1. Weber State 2. Montana 3. Idaho 4. North Dakota 5. EWU 6. Montana State 7. Idaho State 8. Sacramento State 9. Portland State 10. Northern Colorado 11. Southern Utah 12. Northern Arizona

media, is home the following week against the Montana schools. On Jan. 12, Eastern is at preseason favorite Weber State.

In the stretch, Eastern has a big road trip to the Montana schools on Jan. 26-28. A three-game home stand in late February includes games against Idaho, Idaho State and Weber State.

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THE SPOKESMAN-REVIEW

JUNIOR COLLEGES

Stepping up Accident involving coaches forces uncommon bond on NIC men’s team

By Josh Horton

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The Spokesman-Review

month ago, head coach Corey Symons and the North Idaho College men’s basketball team were unsure George Swanson was going to live.

Swanson, entering his second season as an NIC assistant coach, is recovering from major injuries sustained when was struck head on by a car on the side of Interstate 90 westbound near the Cheney/Tyler exit on Sept. 22.

Swanson was traveling to Portland on a recruiting trip with NIC assistant coaches Chris Kemp and Ameer Shamsuddin, Symons and NIC play-by-play announcer Richard Haugen when their car struck a deer that totaled their car around 4:30 a.m. A tow truck was driving behind the group and stopped after witnessing the accident, offering assistance.

The group moved to the ditch to the side of the highway to discuss how to remove the car from the road. A driver in a Jeep Cherokee failed to see the tow truck in the right lane and swerved toward the ditch where the group was standing.

Swanson was struck head on, shattering his pelvis, as well as breaking his femur and forearm. Kemp also sustained major injuries, fracturing a vertebra in his spine, as well as his collarbone. Shamsuddin sprained his foot after the car ran him over. The car missed Symons and Haugen by about a foot.

The accident sent a shock wave through the program. Symons spent every night in the hospital supporting Swanson and Kemp in their recovery.

“To be 100 percent honest with you, we weren’t sure if he (Swanson) was going to make it,” Symons said. “With that going on, basketball was the last thing on my mind.”

Enter redshirt sophomores Sam Dowd and Zaequan “Ziggy” Satterthwaite.”

With the entire NIC coaching staff dealing with the aftermath of the accident, Dowd and Satterwhite took on leadership roles and ran practice.

“At the beginning, as a captain for the team, it was hard because the other guys look at how you’re going to react,” said Dowd, a 2014 Gonzaga Prep graduate. “It was an emotional roller-coaster over those few weeks, but Coach was telling me I had to be calm and stay balanced.

Don’t get too high, don’t get too low and pick the guys up.”

Since the accident, Swanson and Kemp are recovering but are far from 100 percent. Swanson is in a full-care rehabilitation facility and Kemp still needs surgery to repair torn ligaments in his knee.

Lately, Swanson has been allotted two hours to get out of his rehab facility, which he spends at NIC practice. It’s nice having Swanson, who the team calls “Coach G,” back in the gym for the players. Not only for his coaching acumen, but knowing he’s alive and well after the accident put his life in danger.

BRUCE TWITCHELL Special to The Spokesman-Review

NIC’s Sam Dowd, left, and Ziggy Satterwhite stepped up to lead practices after tragedy struck the coaching staff.

“At the time (of the accident), our chemistry as a team wasn’t there and I really think that brought us together,” Dowd said. “I think it’s just a miracle they’re here for us today.”

Chemistry was a major question mark this season for the Cardinals, who are coming off a historic 30-0 regular season in the Scenic West Athletic Conference and debut in the Northwest Athletic Conference this season. NIC lost five players to Division I schools this offseason, most

notably guards Braian Angola-Rodas and Brayon Blake, who signed with Florida State and Idaho, respectively.

NIC also lost guards Lucas Antunez (Toledo) and Trey Burch-Manning (South Dakota), as well as forward Kyle Guice (University of Illinois-Chicago).

With that nucleus, which accounted for over 70 percent of their scoring last season, Dowd and Satterthwaite are expected to make larger contributions after being role players last year.

Name Sam Dowd Tyrus Hosley Charles Williams Niko Bevans Cameron Collins Adam Gotelli Jalen Burkett Cameron Tucker Markus Golden Drew Sheridan Zaequan Satterthwaite Dalen Erickson Omar Traore Jordan Henderson Isaiah Soveriegn

Pos. PG PG G G G G G/F G G G F G G/F F G

Ht. 5-7 6-1 6-4 6-6 6-5 6-3 6-6 6-5 6-6 6-4 6-6 6-4 6-7 6-9 6-6

Yr. So. Fr. Fr. Fr. Fr. Fr. Fr. Fr. Fr. Fr. So. So. Fr. So. Fr.

From Spokane Vancouver, Wash.

Houston Beaverton, Ore. Tacoma Stockton, Calif.

Phoenix Spokane Clackamas, Ore. Missoula Puyallup, Wash.

Grantsville, Utah Palmdale, Calif.

Vancouver, Wash.

Post Falls

# 1 2 4 5 10 13 14 15 20 22 24 32 33 42

Name Shae Logozzo Lana Berg Shayna Allert Kassin Hopkins Cierra Dvorak Eilish Smith Shelby Jordan Whitney Meier Gia Sorn Joeclyn Cook-Cox Shanna Floerchinger Charity Marlatt

Pos. G G G G G G G G F F F P

Ht. 5-6 5-10 5-6 5-7 5-8 5-7 5-8 5-4 6-2 5-11 5-11 6-1

Yr. Fr. Fr. So. Fr. Fr. Fr. Fr. Fr. Fr. Fr. Fr. So.

From Pasco Rollins, Mont.

Post Falls Connell, Wash.

Coeur d’Alene Springdale Kansas City Coeur d’Alene Richland Nine Mile Falls Helena Cranbrook, BC

Name Ty Axtell Orin Porter Cameron Gay Isaiah Gotell Isaac Reason Dominic Valles Garrett Hull George Pilimai Ryan Alexander Levi Taylor George Williams Kobie Hanson Cesar Sandoval Jacob Vargas

Pos. G G/F G F G G G G/F G G/F G/F F F C

Ht. 6-1 6-2 6-4 6-5 6-3 6-0 6-1 6-6 6-0 6-2 6-5 6-6 6-6 6-8

Wt. So. So. Fr. Fr. Fr. Fr. So. Fr. Fr. So. So. Fr. Fr. Fr.

From Chattaroy (Riverside) Incline Village, NV Nine Mile Falls Everett Spokane (LCHS) Battle Mountain, NV Ellensburg Spokane (Shadle) Spokane (G-Prep) Spokane (LCHS) Federal Way Mead Moses Lake Kennewick

CCS WOMEN’S ROSTER

NIC WOMEN’S ROSTER # 2 5 11 12 14 21 22 23 24 30 32 41

See JUNIOR COLLEGES, T19

CCS MEN’S ROSTER

NIC MEN’S ROSTER # 0 1 2 3 5 10 11 20 21 22 23 24 31 32 33

But Symons is tempering the expectations and letting this year’s team define itself.

“You can’t replace them, they’re not replaceable,” Symons said of his five D-1 players. “You just try and fill their spots with somebody else that can bring their own game to it.

“Those guys were unique … we just want to get new players in here and build on a new team.”

# 4 10 11 14 15 20 22 24 32 34 40 44

Name Cali Moscrip Shaye Swannack Molly Webster Imani Guillory Janieva Bates Brianna King Maddie Johnson Kierstyn Russell Kaitlyn Ward Bailey Bordelon Lauren French Kaitlyn Wormington

Pos. G G G-F G-F G G G G-F F G-F G-F F

Ht. 5-6 5-8 5-9 5-9 5-8 5-5 5-6 5-8 6-1 5-9 5-9 5-11

Yr. So. Fr. Fr. So. Fr. So. So. So. So. Fr. Fr. Fr.

From Lewiston Nine Mile Falls Gladstone, Ore. Spokane (LCHS) Spokane(LCHS) Spokane (N. Central) Reardan Spokane (Mead) Priest River Spokane (Mead) Boise Kennewick

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WHITWORTH PIRATES

Never ending Whitworth men have the talent to win another NWC championship and more

COLIN MULVANY colinm@spokesman.com

Whitworth basketball players, from left Christian Jurlina, Drew Sears and Kenny Love want to lead Pirates to another title and NCAA tournament appearance.

Story by Thomas Clouse R The Spokesman-Review

T

he Whitworth men’s basketball team has a history of pillaging its opponents all season long and earning a place in the big dance only to stumble off the floor after the second song.

The Pirates, under coach Matt Logie (120-26 in five seasons), throw big guards and talented wings at opponents in a never-ending pressure offense and defense that quickly overpowers opponents that can’t keep pace.

And the talent is at somewhat of a tectonic shift as three seniors – Kenny Love, Christian Jurlina and Drew Sears – get a final chance to lead a squad that finished 26-2 last season and attained a No. 1 ranking for the first time in program history. The season ended the second round of the NCAA Division III tournament for the third straight time.

“The hope is always a national championship,” said Love, who averaged 14.6 points a game, the same as Jurlina. “There hasn’t been a year when we didn’t have the talent. We just have to bring the focus.”

The team again will be led by the 6-foot-1, 205-pound Love at guard and the 6-5, 200-pound Jurlina at wing.

The team also got a bonus as Sears, who blossomed into a shot-blocking force last season, grew over the summer into a legitimate 7-footer.

But Sears, who had twice as many blocks (63) as anyone else in the conference, has been on the shelf and only recently began to practice with the team after suffering a stress fracture in his leg over the summer.

“We are excited about what we have coming back and the group coming in,” said Sears, who averaged 7.8 points and 4.8 rebounds a game. “It’s our last time, our last chance. We are excited to make one more final push to reach our goals.”

The team lost to graduation one of the best players in program history, George Valle, who played everything from point guard to center. He led the team with 16.6 points and 7.1 rebounds a game last season. Also graduating was guard Matt Staudacher, who averaged eight points and led the team with 85 assists.

The team also returns senior guard Derek Isaak, (4.1 ppg, four starts) and sophomore Kyle Roach, who like Sears, grew in the offseason. The 6-5, 198-pound Roach averaged 6.2 points and 3.1 rebounds as a freshman.

“Kenny and Christian have been first-team all-league guys for two years in a row. They are guys who have fueled a lot of our offense,” Logie said.

“Guys like Roach, Sears and Isaak will have more opportunities because Kenny and Christian demand so much attention.”

Logie said Roach can be as good as he wants to be.

“He’s primed to have a breakout year. You

WOMEN

The Whitworth women’s basketball team is full of young, unproven players. Even after 23 years on the sidelines, coach Helen Higgs said she doesn’t yet know how they will respond.

“I’m fine with that,” Higgs said. “I like our energy. They like each other and they are working hard. I think we will be good. What does good look like? I don’t know.”

The team lost the play-making ability and leadership of KC McConnell, the all-everything guard who set an example in every practice and game. McConnell led the team in points (19.8), FILE The Spokesman-Review rebounds (6.4), steals (43) and was second in assists (60.)

Whitworth women’s coach Helen Higgs “She was that individual, this person everyone has a young team to work with this fall. wanted to be around who made everyone around could see flashes of it at the end of last season,” her better,” Higgs said. McConnell “made Logie said. everyone else strive for excellence.”

While Sears has been out, sophomore Ben Instead, Higgs now has a roster of 16 players Bishop (6-8, 240-pound sophomore) and and 10 of them are freshmen or sophomores. The Benjamin Nick (6-9, 205-pound freshman) have highest-scoring returning starter,Callie Harwood, been getting added minutes in practice. averaged 7.1 and 4.6 rebounds a game.

“There are not a lot of teams at our level who The team also returns starting-senior point don’t have three guys with that size,” Logie said. guard Jessica Thoens (3.7 points, 81 assists) and But Whitworth does most of its damage with its backup guard Grace Douglas (4.2 points, 1.4 outside shooters, and wings who can penetrate. rebounds). But the rest of the team will be made Jurlina, who excels at both, said it seems like up of part-timers who now must step up for a months ago that he arrived in Spokane from team that finished 15-11 overall and 10-6 in the Australia as a raw forward with a shooter’s touch. Northwest Conference.

“I’d be lying if I said it hasn’t entered my mind,” Higgs expects bigger roles for junior Chloe he said of his final season.

Quinnett, a 5-foot-10 junior forward from He and the Pirates are seeking to extend a Moscow, Idaho; Madison Moffat, a 5-8 guard from program-record run that includes seven Ellensburg; Faith Cebula, a 6-foot forward from consecutive Northwest Conference regular-season Olympia; and Alli Kieckbusch from Lynnwood, crowns and 10 straight appearances in the NCAA Washington.

Tournament.

Asked her prediction of how the team will play “That’s part of the enjoyment of being the top against Whitman, George Fox and Puget Sound, dog,” Jurlina said.

Higgs answered: “Ask me after the season. This “You always have a target on your back. You are has got to be one of the youngest teams I’ve had. going to have every team give their best against us.

“If you asked me who our top seven players are, It’s a tradition. We’ve got to keep this thing I don’t know,” she said. “But I can tell you the top going.”

10 and we’ll go from there.”

MEN’S ROSTER # 1 3 4 5 12 15 20 22 23 32 34 35 40 41 42 44

Name Kyle Roach Xavier Cooke Ben College Kenny Love Sam Lees Christian Jurlina CJ Johnson Derek Isaak Brandon Kohler Timbo Taylor Joel Gabriele Ben Bishop Drew Sears Alberto de Miguel Cameron Rutherford Benjamin Nick

Pos. G G G G G F F G G G F P P F P P/F

Ht. So. Fr. Fr. Sr. Fr. Sr. Fr. Sr. Jr. Fr. Jr. So. Sr. Jr. Fr. Fr.

Wt. 6-5 6-0 6-0 6-1 6-4 6-5 6-4 6-1 6-2 6-0 5-11 6-8 7-0 6-7 6-7 6-9

Yr. 198 157 177 205 181 200 210 184 165 194 163 240 233 213 223 205

WOMEN’S ROSTER From Marinwood, Calif.

Brisbane, Australia Portland Santa Rosa, Calif.

Christchurch, N.Z. Sydney, Australia Clarkston, Wash.

Coulee City, Wash.

Inchelium, Wash.

Brewster, Wash.

Camden, Maine Olympia Stanwood, Wash.

Madrid, Spain Sydney, Australia Leverkusen, Ger.

# 1 2 3 4 5 10 11 12 14 15 21 22 23 24 30 41

Name Sidney Riggs Madison Moffat Erika Kuehn Grace Douglas Alli Kieckbusch Lexi Tinney Kaiti Pannell Shannon Tran Callie Harwood McKenzie Harsin Chloe Quinnett Jessica Thoens Courtney Gray Maddie Tudor Faith Cebula Annie Estes

Pos. G G G G G G F G F P P G F/G F F G

Ht. So. So. Jr. Jr. So. Fr. Fr. Fr. Jr. Sr. Jr. Sr. So. Fr. So. So.

Yr. 5-5 5-7 5-7 5-5 5-7 5-8 5-10 5-5 5-9 5-10 5-10 5-4 5-10 5-10 6-0 5-7

From Sitka, Alaska Ellensburg Billings Lynnwood, Wash.

Billings McCall, Idaho Spokane Portland Snohomish, Wash.

Mead Moscow, Idaho Oregon City, Ore. Spokane Edmonds, Wash.

Olympia Rancho S.Margarita, Calif.

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THE SPOKESMAN-REVIEW

ZAGS MEN Adding just one transfer isn’t enough for some programs

By Steve Megargee Associated Press

The number of transfers has risen to such an extent that many schools are relying on multiple players who came from other Division I programs.

Here’s a look at some of those programs:

California last season. Rowsey, who sat out last season, led the Big South with 20.3 points per game in 2013-14 and finished third in the conference with 19.2 points per game in 2014-15.

MISSISSIPPI

The Rebels’ backcourt features Deandre Burnett (6-2) from Miami and Cullen Neal (6-4) from New Mexico. Neal, a graduate transfer, had MARQUETTE 12.3 points and 3.7 assists per game Marquette’s newcomers include former UNLV and Southern California last season at New Mexico. guard Katin Reinhardt and former UNC Asheville guard Andrew Rowsey.

SYRACUSE Reinhardt, a 6-6 graduate transfer, Syracuse’s roster includes former began his college career at UNLV and Arkansas-Little Rock and Colorado averaged 11.4 points for Southern State guard John Gillon as well as

former Kansas and Nebraska guard Andrew White III. Both are graduate transfers. Gillon, who is 6-0, had 13.2 points and 3.8 assists per game for Colorado State last season. He spent two years at Colorado State after playing one season at Arkansas-Little Rock. White, who is 6-7, averaged 16.6 points and 5.9 rebounds for Nebraska last season after spending two years at Kansas.

TEXAS TECH Texas Tech has three graduate transfers with forward Thomas Brandsma coming over from Arkansas-Little Rock, forward Anthony Livingston arriving from

Arkansas State and guard Giovanni McLean coming from Quinnipiac.

Livingston ranked seventh in the Sun Belt in scoring (15.5) and second in rebounds (9.4) last season.

XAVIER Xavier has added forward RaShid Gaston from Norfolk State and guard Malcolm Bernard from Florida A&M. Gaston, who is 6-9, sat out last season after averaging 15.5 points and 9.6 rebounds in 2014-15. Bernard, a 6-6 graduate transfer, had 2.3 steals per game last season to rank 10th among all Division I players. Bernard played two seasons at Charleston Southern before coming to Florida A&M.

COLIN MULVANY The Spokesman-Review

Former Gonzaga guards Eric McClellan, left, and Byron Wesley are two recent examples of the positive result of transferring from another school.

It’s an epidemic!

Perhaps transfers have run amok, but free will should never be corralled

T

and figures to have a big impact as a grad RANSFER EPIDEMIC! JOHN transfer.

Surely it deserves all caps and Down the highway at Washington an exclamation point, just like the BLANCHETTE State, the flow ran the other way. Four routine alarmism which attends the players decided to finish their eligibility reporting of each new front by the TV elsewhere – or were nudged to do so. weather clarions, who sometime this Wow. Sure sounds like an epidemic, winter will marshal the resources of right? their station’s STORMTEAM and bring Well, yes, in the sense that it’s us “SNOWMAGEDDON 2017!” prevalent – and in the case of grad And just as the dirty white berms will transfers, spreading. But in the sense turn downtown arterials into cheerless that it’s some contagious societal killer? tunnels, the streets of college basketball – or so Hardly. hand-wringing coaches would have us believe It’s the marketplace of talent. In many cases, – are choked with itinerant players, schlepping it’s teenagers coming to their senses – and, yes, their sneaks from school to school in search of sometimes coaches acknowledging a recruiting happier circumstances or more jump shots. mistake, or re-evaluating their approach.

Oh, the humanity.

And it’s nothing new.

Now, is there traffic? Sure.

From 2008-2013, there was a good bit of ESPN’s Jeff Goodman dutifully tracks it each undergraduate roster churn at Gonzaga – 14 year, and the numbers are, uh, numbing. players in six years leaving with eligibility During and after the 2015 season, more than remaining. The reasons couldn’t have been 700 players left their NCAA Division I schools more varied. Austin Daye declared for the to relocate. The 2016 total has come up just draft. Mathis Monninghoff turned pro in his short of that benchmark – including more than native Germany. Bol Kong bombed out of a hundred “graduate transfers,” who have school. Demetri Goodson complained that he’d taken advantage of NCAA legislation allowing been under-regarded as a player – yet turned to an athlete who’s earned his undergraduate football at Baylor, a choice that took him to the degree but still has eligibility remaining to NFL and suggested his true calling. transfer to another school and play Injured players looked for a fresh start, immediately. bench players looked for more playing time, Just in our own corner of college basketball, others looked to get closer to home. the comings and goings are many and It’s hard to argue that any of those decisions significant. Gonzaga will have four players on were ill-considered; many of those players the active roster this season who began their were recruited more with an eye toward depth college careers at other four-year schools and rather than an anticipation they’d be stars. The three of them – Nigel Williams-Goss two who wound up in Top 25 programs – (Washington), Johnathan Williams III Grant Gibbs and Ryan Spangler – found (Missouri) and Jordan Mathews (Cal) are likely somewhat bigger roles than they likely would to be in the starting lineup. have here, considering how GU recruiting There are three more at Eastern Washington, evolved. And the Zag machine hummed along including Newport’s Jacob Wiley, who has regardless. made stops at Montana and Lewis-Clark State

But things have changed. Only three players with eligibility left have transferred out in the last four years – and seven have arrived. That suggests a change in approach – or maybe just better reception.

“There is a track record now,” said Gonzaga assistant coach Tommy Lloyd, “so it’s easier for kids to see examples in the past of what we’ve done.”

He’s talking both about the recent successes of Byron Wesley, Kyle Wiltjer and Eric McClellan – of whom head coach Mark Few said, “We delivered on what they wanted” – but also the redshirt year work that launched Kelly Olynyk to the NBA. And Lloyd had another theory.

“Maybe it’s our recruiting pitch,” he said.

“We’re not really high-pressure salesmen.

Maybe it hurts us with high school kids, but the second time around I think maybe it helps us.

They’re looking for honesty and they know more what they’re looking for.”

Which is the crux of this mischaracterized “epidemic” anyway.

Lots of coaches have decried the transfer numbers – Tim Floyd, Tony Bennett, Bo Ryan among them. Kneejerk mouthpiece Dick Vitale makes sure it gets hot-take airtime with no context. Even Few has noted what he sees as a tendency away from dues-paying and toward having it now by this generation of players.

But basketball eligibility is a finite commodity. Why shouldn’t the player assess his options and get the most out of it?

Of this year’s 700 transfers, more than 300 are actually moving to Division II or junior college programs. That reflects a desire to play rather than watch from the bench, plus some humility and admirable self-reflection.

But in all transfer cases, there’s this: free will.

That’s what deserves to be in all caps, with an exclamation point.

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GU BULLDOGS

COLIN MULVANY The Spokesman-Review

Left to right, Gonazaga basketball transfers Nigel Williams-Goss, Johnathan Williams, Jeremy Jones and Jordan Mathews.

Dressed for success Four transfers ready to suit up for Gonzaga

By Jim Meehan jimm@spokesman.com, (208) 659-3791

It was easy to spot Nigel Williams-Goss, Johnathan Williams and Jeremy Jones last season at Gonzaga home games.

Stylishly dressed, they rebounded for teammates in warm-ups and then took a seat on the bench. A natural bond was formed as the trio faced similar circumstances, unable to play for one year under NCAA transfer rules.

“Nigel was my roommate last year,” Williams said. “Jeremy is my roommate this year.”

“I couldn’t imagine doing all that stuff by myself,” Jones said. “Game-day lifts, when the guys were on the road we still had lifts, still had workouts. We’d always meet up together, hold each other accountable.”

Home games brought out the best in their closets.

“They (teammates) were excited for the games,” Williams-Goss said. “We were excited to get dressed up. It was something we had fun with.”

More than 19 months removed from suiting up for a game, their long wait is about to end as the 13th-ranked Zags launch another promising season.

Add to the mix Jordan Mathews, a Cal sharpshooter who crammed in six classes over 12 summer weeks to earn his degree and become eligible immediately as a graduate transfer.

Mathews played with Williams-Goss on the California Supreme AAU team and against the point guard in the Pac-12.

“Four times, never lost to the Huskies,” Mathews said, “and I don’t plan on starting this year.”

Williams-Goss, Williams and Mathews appear to be locks in the rotation. Jones could carve out time at small and power forward.

He was a third-team academic All-American at UW, the first in program history. Academics were hammered home by his parents. His mom has a master’s degree in human services.

“I’m definitely not one of those guys that it just clicks,” said Williams-Goss, who carries a 3.86 grade-point average in psychology. “I have to make sure I’m going to office hours, group sessions and meeting with my professors.”

His smarts translate to the court.

“Big-time floor general,” Mathews said. “When we played him his sophomore year we had to pick up Nigel fullcourt because he was such a threat to kick it ahead.

“Not a lot of guys do this: He’ll make a play specifically to find others. A lot of guys like to make a play for themselves and when they don’t have it they’ll look for somebody else. He’ll come down the lane with the intent of kicking it out.”

Williams-Goss called GU’s roster of transfers, newcomers and returners “extremely deep at every position.

“That will be big for us, and our willingness to buy into the system and coaches,” said Williams-Goss, a 2013 McDonald’s All-American.

“We have a lot of transfers and new guys but I feel all of our goals are the same.”

DAN PELLE The Spokesman-Review

EXPERIENCING SOMETHING DIFFERENT

JORDAN MATHEWS

DAN PELLE The Spokesman-Review

FROM DAWG TO BULLDOG

NIGEL WILLIAMS-GOSS Williams-Goss left Washington primarily because of the shifting roster. He cited two players transferring prior to his sophomore year, another dismissed during the season and two more exiting following the season, as well as an assistant coach.

“A ton of changes going on,” he said. “It wasn’t as much (about the win-loss record) as some would believe it to be. It was more the direction they were going in and more as far as my player development.”

Mathews has Bay Area roots. Father Phil was head coach at San Francisco from 1996-2004. Cal was coming off an NCAA Tournament season and had the makings of another quality team.

So why leave?

“There were some things that weren’t exactly in my control,” Mathews said. “We had a great run, I loved my teammates, but I got my degree and I thought I should try to experience something different.”

It certainly helped that Zags assistant Donny Daniels and Phil Mathews are close friends. Still, Mathews slept on the decision. Twice.

“I did this thing where I slept on it and said, ‘OK, I’m staying,’ ” Mathews said. “And that didn’t quite feel right in the morning. The next night I went to bed and said, ‘I’m leaving.’ I woke up and that felt perfect.”

Mathews arrived on campus in late August.

“I’m just starting to get it (the system),” he said.

See TRANSFERS, T18

ZAGS 4-YEAR TRANSFERS (IN) Player Drew Barham Roger Bock Jason Bond Eric Brady David Burgess Frank Burgess Larry Carter George Chalich Gerrard Coleman Jeff Condill Carl Crider Dan Dickau Jim Dixon Nathan Doudney Micah Downs Vic Ebaugh Richard Fox Mike Gordon John Hobus Bret Holmdahl Bob Hunt Jeremy Jones Erroll Knight Jordan Matthews Ken Matney Eric McClellan Brad McKnight Angel Nunez Phil Paramore Jeff Reinert Bob Richardson Scott Snider Art Tolis Paul Verrett Byron Wesley Dale Witala Jonathan Williams Nigel Williams-Goss Bill Wilson Kyle Wiltjer Len Yandle

From Memphis Texas A&M UW UW BYU Ark AM&N Louisville UW Providence SIU-Edwardsville EWU UW Berea Texas Tech Kansas Kansas Wesleyan Colorado Fordham Cal Poly Pomona Manhattan Oregon Rice (fb) UW Cal (grad) UCLA Vanderbilt (Tulsa) San Jose State Louisville UNLV New Mexico UW PLU George Wash.

Idaho USC (grad) Portand State Missouri UW Kentucky State Kentucky Southern Oregon

Yrs 2 2 3 2 1 3 2 3 1 3 2 2 2 2 3 2 2 3 2 2 2 3 3 1 2 2 3 2 2 2 3 2 3 2 1 2 2 2 3 2 3

Lst 2014 1987 1996 1992 2007 1961 1972 1952 2014 1986 1998 2002 1963 2006 2009 2004 2004 1958 1986 1990 1962 2019 2006 2007 1963 2016 1997 2015 1979 1980 1954 1996 1955 1989 2015 1983 2018 2018 1964 2016 1937

ZAGS TRANSFERS TO DIVISION I (OUT) Player P.M. Altidor-Cespedes Mangisto Arop Theo Davis Grant Gibbs Demetri Goodson Larry Gurganious Damany Hendrix Keegan Hyland Calum MacLeod Luke Meikle Chuck North Angel Nunez Chris Sarbaugh Ryan Spangler Jimmy Tricco G.J. Vilarino Dustin Villepigue Mike Wnek

To Yrs Lft Marshall 2007 1* Indiana State 2011 2 Binghamton 2008 4 Creighton 2010 4 Baylor (fb) 2011 2 UC Riverside 2008 2 S.Rosa JC/Lamar 1999 4 Fairfield/Bentley 2011 4 NEJC/Valpo 2005 3 Cal Poly 2014 3 WTxJC/Tulsa 1980 3 South Florida 2015 1* NIC/USD/Idaho 2012 4 Oklahoma 2012 3 Duquesne 2001 2 Appalachian St. 2010 3 Dixie JC/UNLV 2003 3 JC/Montana 1983 3

ZAGS TRANSFERS TO NON-DI (OUT) Player Tyler Amaya Phillip Ball David Burgess Gerard Coleman Gent Davis Mathis Keita Keith Kincaid Bol Kong Brad McKnight Andy Poling David Pouliot Josh Reisman Lane Schumacher Jay Sherrell Joe Whitney Richie Williams Mathis Monninghofff

To WWU Chr. Heritage Azusa Pacific Georgetown, Ky. Sacramento St. Indiana, Pa. Jamestown NAIT/St. Francis PLU Seattle Pacific Lewis-Clark State SJCC/BYU NW Nazarene W. Georgia Puget Sound San Francisco St. Germany (pro)

Yrs Lft 2003 3 1997 2 2007 2 2014 1 1958 1 2012 2 1996 3 1996 3 1997 2 2010 3 1992 4 2003 3 1991 2 2002 2 1983 2 1958 1 2012 2

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GONZAGA BU 2015-16 record: 28-8 overall, 15-3 conference

School websi

Coach: Mark Few, 18th season (466-111)

Gonzaga freshmen get oriented, then progress through their education on and off court

Z

Story by Jim Meehan R The Spokesman-Review

ach Collins is one of the most decorated recruits ever in Gonzaga’s program.He was pivotal to Bishop Gorman High’s run of Nevada state championships. He was a McDonald’s All-American, the first to come to GU straight from the prep ranks.

The 7-foot Collins is athletic and skilled. Even with those credentials, he wasn’t exempt from freshmen orientation. He’s learning Gonzaga’s offensive and defensive systems and dealing with older, bigger and stronger players on a daily basis.

Collins is thankful he arrived in late June to get a head start.

“Made all the difference in the world,” he said. “I was in the gym every day, I only had classes three days a week. I had the whole summer to get the ideas in my head.”

Collins’ classmates Killian Tillie, Rui Hachimura, Zach Norvell and Jacob Larsen, who suffered a season-ending knee injury, are experiencing the freshmen learning curve.

“At the beginning it was a little bit hard to adapt to classes and basketball,” said Tillie, a 6-10 forward from France who arrived on campus in late August. “It was also hard to adjust to basketball because of the physical aspect, but now I know the system.

“Classes were hard, with my English level at the beginning, but now it’s getting better, too.”

Tillie is competing for time at the “4.” He has size, mobility, great instincts and a soft

touch on floaters, assistant coach Tommy Lloyd said.

Teammates are quick to praise Hachimura, an athletic 6-8 forward from Japan who isn’t as proficient speaking English as Tillie or Larsen (from Denmark).

“I don’t know how Rui does it,” guard Jordan Mathews said. “He still has the language barrier and we have so many different types of terminology. I can only imagine what it’s like for him.”

“He’s never had to play at this level of intensity and competition,” Lloyd said. “He was always so dominant over there, the game came to him. He’s having to learn how to be one of five on the floor.”

See GU FRESHMEN, T18

to co kn 7-f ab lin blo wh wi be NC

ab pro fou his

big to To COLIN MULVANY The Spokesman-Review

Przemek Karnowski, center, is a difference maker for GU because of his ability to score, pass and defend.

Pr se Ha US

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ULLDOGS MEN

ite: gozags.com

Arena: McCarthey Athletic Center (6,000)

Team makeup: 1 returning starter, 9 newcomers

Learning curve

Gonzaga freshmen, from left, Rui Hachimura, Zach Collins, Killian Tillie and Zach Norvell Jr. A fifth freshman, Jacob Larsen, is out for the season with an injury.

PHOTO BY TYLER TJOMSLAND tylert@spokesman.com

IMPACT PLAYER

Przemek Karnowski is still returning form from back surgery but he’s made onsiderable progress. Nobody on roster ows Gonzaga’s system as well as the foot-1, 300-pound center. His post-up bility puts foul pressure on opposing front es. He’s a capable scorer on the low ock. He stretches the floor for teammates hen double-teamed, which is often. He’s a lling passer not afraid to throw no-look or ehind-the-back (twice vs. UCLA in 2015 CAA Tournament).

The big man helps teammates by being ble to defend centers one-on-one while oviding rim protection. He usually avoids ul trouble, which was a problem earlier in s career.

GONZAGA ROSTER # 10 15 2 32 25 21 24 14 4 0 23 13 33 55 3 5

KEY GAMES

Nov. 14, vs. San Diego State. The Zags’ first g test comes against the Aztecs, who are favored win the Mountain West after missing the NCAA ournament last year for the first time since 2009.

Nov. 25, AdvoCare Invitational, Orlando. esuming Gonzaga defeats Quinnipiac (9-21 last ason), the Zags would take on Florida or Seton all in the semifinals. Both are receiving votes in the SA Today preseason poll.

Name Bryan Alberts Rem Bakamus Jack Beach Zach Collins Ryan Edwards Rui Hachimura Przemek Karnowski Jacob Larsen Jordan Mathews Silas Melson Zach Norvell Jr. Josh Perkins Killian Tillie Dustin Triano Johnathan Williams Nigel Williams-Goss

Pos. G G G F C F C C G G G G F G F G

Ht. 6-5 6-0 6-2 7-0 7-1 6-8 7-1 6-11 6-4 6-4 6-5 6-3 6-10 6-3 6-9 6-3

Wt. 198 173 175 230 295 225 300 227 203 195 205 190 200 180 228 195

Yr. So. Sr. So. Fr. Jr. Fr. Sr. Fr. Sr. Jr. Fr. So. Fr. Jr. Jr. Jr.

Dec. 3, vs. Arizona in Los Angeles. The 11th-ranked Wildcats have won five of six in an entertaining series between West Coast powers.

Arizona brought in another stellar recruiting class, led by Lauri Markkanen, Kobi Simmons and Rawle Alkins.

Dec. 7, vs. Washington. The rivalry resumed last year in the Bahamas, nearly 3,000 miles from Seattle and Spokane, much the way it left off – with GU winning 80-64. UW freshman guard Markelle Fultz could be the No. 1 pick in the NBA draft.

From Northridge, Calif.

Longview, Wash.

San Diego Las Vegas Kalispell Sendai, Japan Torun, Poland Holte, Denmark Los Angeles Portland Chicago Park Hill, Colo.

Cagnes-sur-Mer, France Vancouver, BC Memphis, Tenn.

Happy Valley, Ore.

PREDICTION 1. Gonzaga 2. Saint Mary’s 3. BYU 4. Pepperdine 5. Santa Clara 6). Loyola Marymount 7). Pacific 8). Portland 9. San Francisco 10. San Diego

ON TWITTER Follow GU men’s reporter Jim Meehan for news @SRJimm

Jan. 14, Feb. 11 against Saint Mary’s. The 19th-ranked Gaels return every key player from last year’s squad that shared WCC title with Gonzaga.

Saint Mary’s won both regular-season meetings but the Zags took the WCC tournament title game.

Feb. 25, vs. BYU. The regular-season finale features the Cougars, who will try for their third straight win on GU’s home floor. The Zags won in Provo last February in the regular-season finale to clinch a co-WCC title.

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NOVEMBER 3, 2016

THE SPOKESMAN-REVIEW

WCC PREVIEW

TYLER TJOMSLAND tylert@spokesman.com

Gonzaga head coach Mark Few is the envy of the rest of the league, having led the Zags to the NCAA Tournament for 17 straight years.

New blood

Notable coaching changes suggest a strong desire to catch Big Three Nick Emery, who sometimes needs a governor on his emotions.

By John Blanchette Correspondent

Is the West Coast Conference actually getting serious about basketball?

Four head coaches were axed at the end of the 2016 season – the biggest churn in the league in 45 years – and now 60 percent of the programs have turned over head coaches in three years. It seems the league’s underclass is getting a little tired of the Gonzaga-Saint Mary’s-Brigham Young dominance at the top.

Which isn’t going to change in 2017. But stay tuned.

The disparate approach taken by the four schools in their hiring is intriguing enough. Santa Clara – having unwisely dumped reliable Dick Davey years ago – rethought its strategy and brought in a proven winner in Herb Sendek, most recently of Arizona State, and pledged more resources to the cause. Just up the freeway, San Francisco went for pedigree and hired Kyle Smith, a recent success at Columbia but just as important, one of Randy Bennett’s lieutenants in building the power at Saint Mary’s.

Pacific and Portland, meanwhile, went for name-brand splash – NBA names, that is – in Damon Stoudamire and Terry Porter, respectively. It’s Porter’s first college coaching stab; Stoudamire has apprenticed at Memphis and Arizona.

Only Smith had the available openings to make serious roster changes this year, however – and that means more of the same in the WCC: Big high end, and some RPI killers on the low end.

Both Gonzaga and Saint Mary’s are showing up in preseason Top 25s – often with the Gaels ahead of the Zags. That will be the WCC’s great drama: how Saint Mary’s veteran lineup with all five starters and every significant sub back from its winningest team matches up with Gonzaga’s remade roster that includes three high-level transfers and what may be Mark Few’s best recruiting class.

But don’t count out BYU. The Cougars may have lost Player of the Year Kyle Collinsworth, but have restocked with a couple of transfers themselves and the usual mission returnees.

And when it comes to Selection Sunday, the WCC has the makings of a three-bid league.

BRIGHAM YOUNG COUGARS

Coach: Dave Rose (283-99), 12th year 2015-16 record: 26-11. WCC: 13-5, 3rd Key newcomers: Elijah Bryant (6-5, G), T.J. Haws (6-4, G), Yoeli Childs (6-8, F) Key losses: Kyle Collinsworth, Chase Fischer, Zac Seljaas Outlook: The LDS mission shuttle brings back Eric Mika, who’ll combine with Kyle Davis and freshman Yoeli Childs to give the Cougars their most potent frontcourt in several years. T.J. Haws, little brother of BYU’s career scoring leader, also rejoins the program, but the heart-and-soul of the attack will be guard

LOYOLA MARYMOUNT LIONS

Coach: Mike Dunlap (350-145), 3rd year 2015-16 record: 14-17. WCC: 6-12, 7th (tie) Key newcomers: Stefan Jovanovic (6-11, C), Trevor Manuel (6-9, F) Key losses: Adom Jacko, Marin Mornar Outlook: Adom Jacko’s premature pro jump is a big hit to the Lions, the league’s worst rebounding team. Transfers Stefan Jovanovic (Hawaii) and Trevor Manuel (Oregon) should help that, and little Brandon Brown is an underrated point in a guard-strong league. Shamar Johnson made big gains late, too, when Jacko was injured.

PACIFIC TIGERS

Coach: Damon Stoudamire (0-0), 1st year 2015-16 record: 8-20. WCC: 6-12, 7th (tie) Key newcomers: K.J. Smith (6-2, G), Jack Williams (6-8, F) Key losses: Alex Kobre, Eric Thompson Outlook: New coach Damon Stoudamire’s NBA pedigree will take some time to pay dividends on the recruiting trail, and thus in the standings. Guards T.J. Wallace and Ray Bowles are solid performers in a league where better is needed, and there’s no scoring threat up front at all. Canadian newcomer Keshon Montague’s 3-point touch will help.

PEPPERDINE WAVES

Coach: Marty Wilson (76-91), 6th year 2015-16 record: 18-14. WCC: 10-8, 4th Key newcomers: Nolan Taylor (6-7, F), Elijah Lee (5-10, G), Chris Reyes (6-7, F) Key losses: Stacy Davis, Jett Raines, Shawn Olden Outlook: Big roster churn may suggest the Waves’ window of opportunity to break up the WCC’s Big Three has closed, but don’t write them off yet. Lamond Murray Jr. is one of the league’s best offensive talents, and Kameron Edwards should blossom in his sophomore year. But the Waves need a big man – maybe Nate Gehring – to make an impact.

PORTLAND PILOTS

Coach: Terry Porter (0-0), 1st year 2015-16 record: 12-20. WCC: 6-12, 7th (tie) Key newcomers: Chier Maker (6-7, F), Alec Monson (G, 6-5) Key losses: Bryce Pressley, Jason Todd Outlook: Trail Blazers institution Terry Porter takes over after Eric Reveno ran out of time, but the roster is pretty much the same other than intriguing redshirt Chier Maker. Alec Wintering is among the WCC’s best point guards, and Jarrel Marshall has big-game potential, though not much in the way of consistency. Porter needs to do something about the defense, too.

SAINT MARY’S GAELS

Coach: Randy Bennett (336-153), 16th year 2015-16 record: 29-6. WCC: 15-3, 1st (tie) Key newcomers: Tanner Krebs (6-6, F), Jock Perry (7-1, C), Jordan Ford (6-1, G) Key losses: None Outlook: The winningest team to not make the NCAA Tournament, the Gaels return virtually the whole roster and have tweaked the nonconference schedule a bit to improve the resume. All-WCC guards Emmett Naar and Joe Rahon are among the nation’s most efficient playmakers, and forward Evan Fitzner is should make another big jump.

SAN DIEGO TOREROS

Coach: Lamont Smith (9-21), 2nd year 2015-16 record: 9-21. WCC: 4-14, 10th Key newcomers: Frank Ryder (6-10, F), Mark Carbone (6-2, G), Jose Martinez (6-10, F) Key losses: Duda Sanadze, Jito Kok, Vasa Pusica Outlook: Just plugging in the scoreboard was a challenge for last year’s Toreros and their best offensive players moved on, leaving promising guard Olin Carter III and Spokane veteran Brett Bailey.

Coach Lamont Smith has bit the bullet by taking two transfers – Isaiah Wright (Utah) and Isaiah Pineiro (Portland State) – who have to sit out, so it’s likely to be another long year.

SAN FRANCISCO DONS

Coach: Kyle Smith (101-82), 1st year 2015-16 record: 15-15. WCC: 8-10, 5th Key newcomers: Jordan Ratinho (6-5, G), Charles Minlend Jr. (6-4, G), Chance Anderson (6-7, F) Key losses: Devin Watson, Tim Derksen, Uche Ofoegbu Outlook: The Dons finally had their fill of Rex Walters’ yearly roster upheaval, so they ousted him – and still had two more prominent underclassmen bail.

So Kyle Smith, Randy Bennett’s former aide at Saint Mary’s, takes over with one notable holdover – streaky Ronnie Boyce III – and many new faces, plus Frankie Ferrari, a local favorite who returns after a year at JC.

SANTA CLARA BRONCOS

Coach: Herb Sendek (413-295) 1st year 2015-16 record: 11-20. WCC: 7-11, 6th Key newcomers: Julian Roche (6-11, C), Akii Douglas (6-10, F) Key losses: Brendyn Taylor Outlook: Herb Sendek has taken three different programs to the NCAAs, but he’ll need time to get that accomplished here. At least he has some weapons, starting with WCC scoring champ Jared Brownridge and backcourt mate KJ Feagin, a late recruiting steal last year. JC import Akii Douglas will try to make an impact up front, where go-hard Nate Kratch is the mainstay.

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UW HUSKIES

School website: gohuskies.com

2015-16 record: 19-15 overall, 9-9 Pac-12

Coach: Lorenzo Romar, 15th season (289-174) Arena: Alaska Airlines Arena (10,000) Team makeup: 2 returning starters, 4 newcomers

Associated Press

Washington freshman guard Markelle Fultz has become an instant legend in Seattle and may be the the most heralded recruit in school history.

Rescue Dawg Freshman phenom Fultz could help Washington end NCAA drought HUSKIES ROSTER

By Matt Calkins R Seattle Times

F

or Lorenzo Romar, it was the around-the-back dribble move that split two defenders in the open court. For David Crisp, it was the spin move that shakes people, regardless of whether they know it’s coming. For Matisse Thybulle, it was the LeBron-style chasedown block that comes at least once a practice. “We’re on the sidelines going ‘did he really just do that?’ ” Thybulle said. “Is this real life?”

The “he” in this case is freshman point guard Markelle Fultz, the Huskies’ most-hyped recruit in program history. And when his coach or teammates were asked to pick their “wow” moment when watching him, they weren’t exactly scrambling for material.

# 41 5 0 32 1 15 10 24 20 22 23 2 4 33

See HUSKIES, T18

Name Matthew Atewe Quin Barnard Bitumba Baruti Greg Bowman David Crisp Noah Dickerson Malik Dime Devenir Duruisseau Markelle Fultz Dominic Green Carlos Johnson Dan Kingma Matisse Thybulle Sam Timmins

Pos. Ht. F 6-8 G 6-0 G 6-6 F 6-5 G 6-0 F 6-8 F 6-9 F 6-8 G 6-4 F 6-6 G 6-4 G 5-10 F 6-5 F 6-10

Wt. 250 175 210 225 195 245 220 245 195 190 235 160 195 265

Yr. From Jr. Toronto Fr. Bellevue Fr. Congo Jr. Mountlake Terrace, Wash.

So. Tacoma So. Atlanta Sr. Dakar, Senegal So. Palmdale, Calif.

Fr. Upper Malboro, Maryland So. Renton, Wash.

Fr. Centralia, Ill. Jr. Mill Creek, Wash.

So. Issaquah, Wash.

Fr. Dunedin, N.Z.

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NOVEMBER 3, 2016

THE SPOKESMAN-REVIEW

PAC-12 PREVIEW

Associated Press

Forward Dillon Brooks, center, and guard Tyler Dorsey, right, tested the NBA waters and decided to return for another season with Oregon.

Basketball school Forget about football, the Ducks have new-found success on the hardcourt

By John Blanchette Correspondent

Pac-12 fan bases tired of Oregon’s reign atop the football hierarchy may be getting a little relief this fall – and a dose of the same old medicine in basketball.

The Ducks separated themselves from the other contenders in the last two weeks of the 2016 season, winning their last five games and sweeping through the Pac-12 Tournament. By the time they came up just one win short of the Final Four – while only one of the other six Pac-12 teams that made the NCAAs won a first round game – it was clear there was Oregon, and then everyone else.

And the offseason made it only more evident.

It started when Dillon Brooks and Tyler Dorsey took their names out of the NBA draft after some early-entry footsy. Then shot blocker Chris Boucher was granted an extra year of eligibility, as was Villanova transfer Dylan Ennis after injury wiped out his senior year. That’s three likely starters there, plus national assist-to-turnover leader Casey Benson and then came the signing rush – Oregon player of the year Payton Pritchard, juco POY Kavell Bigby-Williams, Michael Cage’s kid and Seattle steal Keith Smith.

Yet if the Ducks are consensus favorites, it’s not necessarily an indictment of the league’s strength.

The seven NCAA participants a year ago was a record, and there’s a legitimate chance to duplicate it – and maybe even exceed it.

A couple narratives to track: G Whether Washington can pull itself out of its recent bog of mediocrity by riding the wizardry of freshman Markelle Fultz, one of the nation’s top recruits. If the Huskies don’t, it could finally be the end of coach Lorenzo Romar’s run in Seattle.

G They’re much less forgiving of not making the NCAAs at UCLA. The Bruins’ dismal showing last year puts some heat on Steve Alford – and he responded by landing not one but two big-time recruits in Lonzo Ball and T.J. Leaf.

G If Jerod Haase can get more done at Stanford than Johnny Dawkins did, and return the Cardinal to the Pac-12’s upper echelon.

ARIZONA WILDCATS

Coach: Sean Miller (308-108), 8th year 2015-16 record: 25-9. Pac-12: 12-6, 3rd (tie) Key newcomers: Lauri Markkanen (6-11, F), Kobi Simmons (G, 6-5), Rawle Atkins (6-4, G) Key losses: Ryan Anderson, Gabe York, Kaleb Tarczewski Outlook: Hotshot recruit Terrance Ferguson decided to go none-and-done and turn pro instead, making the Wildcats hopes of dethroning Oregon that much tougher. Three of UA’s top four scorers are gone, too, but there’s still Alonzo Trier and Kadeem Allen, two aggressive, attacking guards. Dusan Rustic will hold down the middle until talented Lauri Markkanen gets up to speed.

ARIZONA STATE SUN DEVILS

Coach: Bobby Hurley (57-37), 2nd year 2015-16 record: 15-17. Pac-12: 5-13, 11th Key newcomers: Romello White (6-9, F), Sam Cunliffe (6-6 F), Shannon Evans (6-1, G) Key losses: Gerry Blakes, Savon Goodman, Willie Atwood Outlook: Buffalo transfer Shannon Evans and a Top 25 recruiting class have Bobby Hurley

feeling better after he staggered through his first year with a lousy offensive team. Tra Holder, who played on the Pac-12 all-star team to Australia, will try to hold together a group newcomers, including Rainier Beach product Sam Cunliffe, a freshman of the year candidate.

CALIFORNIA BEARS

Coach: Cuonzo Martin (165-108), 3rd year 2015-16 record: 23-11. Pac-12: 12-6, 3rd (tie) Key newcomers: Grant Mullins (6-3, G), Charlie Moore (5-11, G) Key losses: Jaylen Brown, Jordan Mathews, Tyrone Wallace Outlook: Big Ivan Rabb’s surprise decision to pass up the NBA draft was a boost to a lineup that lost three potent scorers. Long Jabari Bird also returns as a dangerous 3-point threat, but the backcourt must be remade around Columbia grad transfer Grant Mullins and senior Sam Singer.

Kameron Rooks and Kingsley Okoroh are two giant rim protectors.

COLORADO BUFFALOES

Coach: Tad Boyle (186-146), 7th year 2015-16 record: 22-12. Pac-12: 10-8, 5th Key newcomers: Josh Fortune (6-5, G), Derrick White (6-5, G) Key losses: Josh Scott, Tre’Shaun Fletcher Outlook: They’re big on the five-year plan in Boulder. Forwards Wesley Gordon and Achilles-rehabbing Xavier Johnson return for their fifth seasons, and transfer seniors Derrick White and Josh Fortune add experience at guard, where 3-point bomber George King also returns as the Buffs’ top returning scorer. Tory Miller tries to pick up Josh Scott’s missing muscle up front.

OREGON DUCKS

Coach: Dana Altman (564-307), 7th year 2015-16 record: 31-7. Pac-12: 14-4, 1st Key newcomers: Payton Pritchard (6-1, G), M.J. Cage (6-9, F), Kavell Bigby-Williams (6-10, F) Key losses: Elgin Cook, Dwayne Benjamin Outlook: It’s tempting to mail them the trophy now, what with a bonus recruiting class – including JC player of the year Kavell Bigby-Williams – joining five of last year’s top seven. Dillon Brooks and Tyler Dorsey pulled out of the NBA draft, and Chris Boucher and Dylan Ennis each got an extra year of eligibility so the Ducks have it all: size, depth, scorers and scads of shot blockers.

OREGON STATE BEAVERS

Coach: Wayne Tinkle (194-118), 3rd year 2015-16 record: 19-13. Pac-12: 9-9, 6th (tie) Key newcomers: JaQuori McLaughlin (6-4, G), Keondre Dew (6-8, F) Key losses: Gary Payton II, Olaf Schaftenaar Outlook: The departure of Gary Payton II means this team now belongs to Tres Tinkle and Stephen Thompson Jr., two of the league’s top sophomores. OSU needs better work on both ends inside, however, and hope Drew Eubanks and JC import Keondre Dew provide it. More firepower comes from Gig Harbor’s JaQuori McLaughlin, who spurned both UW and Gonzaga.

STANFORD CARDINAL

Coach: Jerod Haase (80-53), 1st year 2015-16 record: 15-15. Pac-12: 8-10, 9th Key newcomers: Kodye Pugh (6-8, F), Trevor Stanback (6-11, F)

Key losses: Rosco Allen Outlook: Former NCAA regulars, the Cardinal made it just once under Johnny Dawkins, which is why Jerod Haase is now in charge. Aside from two notable – but slender – frontcourt newcomers, he’ll try to get more of Dawkins’ leaving, including oft-injured forward Reid Travis and capable guard Dorian Pickens. But the Cardinal still seem short on scorers.

UCLA BRUINS

Coach: Steve Alford (450-246), 4th year 2015-16 record: 15-17. Pac-12: 6-12, 10th Key newcomers: Lonzo Ball (6-6, F), T.J. Leaf (6-10, F) Key losses: Tony Parker, Jonah Bolden Outlook: Underachieving UCLA has a math problem: making the team greater than the sum of its parts. Holdover starters Isaac Hamilton, Bryce Alford and Thomas Welsh should be worth 23-25 wins instead of 15. And adding off-the-charts freshmen Lonzo Ball and T.J. Leaf should turn the Bruins into instant contenders, but somebody has to play D – and someone has to make it a team.

USC TROJANS

Coach: Andy Enfield (85-82), 4th year 2015-16 record: 21-13. Pac-12: 9-9, 6th (tie) Key newcomers: Shaqquan Aaron (6-7, G), Jonah Mathews (6-3, G), Harrison Henderson (6-10, F) Key losses: Julian Jacobs, Nikola Jovanovic, Katin Reinhardt Outlook: One whiff of success and six players with eligibility bailed, clouding the outlook.

Leading scorer Jordan McLaughlin returns, however, in a solid backcourt with Elijah Stewart.

Bennie Boatwright is a 6-10 3-point shooter who needs to establish himself inside more, and 6-11 Chimezie Metu is a star in the making. Watch out for Louisville transfer Shaqquan Aaron, too.

UTAH UTES

Coach: Larry Krystkowiak (137-93), 6th year 2015-16 record: 27-9. Pac-12: 13-5, 2nd Key newcomers: Tim Coleman (6-1, G), David Collette (6-8, F), Jakub Jokl (6-11, C) Key losses: Jakob Poeltl, Jordan Loveridge, Brandon Taylor Outlook: An NCAA thumping at the hands of Gonzaga was a downer end to Utah’s best season in a decade, and only forward Kyle Kuzma and guard Lorenzo Bonam return from the regular rotation. Transfers David Collette (Utah State) and Sedrick Barefield (SMU) becoming eligible at the semester will help, and redshirt big man Jayce Johnson needs to play major minutes.

WASHINGTON HUSKIES

Coach: Lorenzo Romar (382-262), 15th year 2015-16 record: 19-15. Pac-12: 9-9, 6th (tie) Key newcomers: Markelle Fultz (6-4, G), Sam Timmins (6-10, F), Matthew Atewe (6-8, F) Key losses: Andrew Andrews, Dejounte Murray, Marquese Chriss Outlook: How much can Markelle Fultz get done in one? Pac-12’s top recruit will be in the NBA in a year, but first he needs to carry the Huskies into the NCAA tournament after five years away.

With three major departures, UW needs big gains from Malik Dime and Matisse Thybulle – and much better shooting, rebounding and commitment to defense throughout the lineup.

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WSU COUGARS

2015-16 record: 9-22 overall, 1-17 Pac-12

School website: wsucougars.com

Arena: Friel Court (11,671)

Coach: Ernie Kent, 3rd season (22-40)

Team makeup: 3 returning starters, 7 newcomers

One last chance Hawkinson, Iroegbu want to erase horror of 17-game losing streak

TYLER TJOMSLAND The Spokesman-Review

Washington State seniors Ike Iroegbu, left, and Josh Hawkinson will lead a cast of mostly young players with a new strategy for success.

P

Story by Jacob Thorpe R The Spokesman-Review

ULLMAN – In the era of one-and-done basketball, it is rare for college players to be the best guys on their team year after year. But in Ike Iroegbu and Josh Hawkinson, Washington State has an alpha guard and post who return to a team on which they were already the best players. Neither have ever played in a postseason tournament of any sort other than the conference one that every team qualifies for. With the program changing rapidly around them and an influx of new faces, it falls on Hawkinson and Iroegbu to find a way to finally make their final season a success.

They are the only players on the roster not recruited to WSU by Ernie Kent. For the Cougars to make any postseason tournament this year – CBI, NIT, The Big Dance – it will require exceptional play from Iroegbu, one of the conference’s fastest players in the open court; and Hawkinson, who recorded 20 doubledoubles in each of the last two seasons.

Step one is distancing the program as much as possible from last year, in which WSU won just one conference game and ended the year on a 17-game losing streak.

“Everyone knows last year wasn’t a good year,” Iroegbu said. “We all had to look at ourselves in the mirror.”

“Last year was just really hard on us,” Hawkinson said. “But through all the stuff we went through, we learned a lot.

Ike and I, this is our team. We’re the ones who have been here for four years so we’ve seen a lot of turnover, a lot of guys come and go. But we’re the two guys who remained constant and it’s our last year, so we don’t want our legacy to be tarnished by last year. We want to set a new standard.”

Doing so has meant a different approach to preparing for the season for Iroegbu. Through late January of last year, Iroegbu was one of the Pac-12’s premier outside shooters, hitting more than 50 percent of his 3-pointers. His legs left him as the season wore on, however, and he finished the year having made just 34.7 percent of his outside shots.

“Last year, the summer before, I came back to school three weeks before we were supposed to and started working out, going crazy,” Iroegbu said. “I burnt out early. This year, when Coach says to take a day off, I’ve been doing it. It’s a long season.”

Kent says the Cougars need Iroegbu to score more than the 12.7 points per game he averaged last year. As for Hawkinson?

“He may need to score a little less for us to gain a little more,” Kent said. More

KEY GAMES Washington State’s Jan. 1 conference opener at Washington will be the game every fan has circled on their calendar, and presents an opportunity to immediately seize momentum at the start of Pac-12 play. The Huskies have perhaps the best freshman in the country in guard Markelle Fultz, and if he is as good as

Associated Press

An overseas trip last summer was invaluable, says Ernie Kent.

ON TWITTER Follow reporter Jacob Thorpe for updates @jacobthorpesr

of the scoring this year will come from the guards. And a slimmer 7-foot center Conor Clifford, an offensively gifted player, convinced Kent during their overseas trip that he can keep up with a faster style of play. As a result, Clifford will start for the Cougars.

The Cougars will look pretty different this year in many respects. The person with the ball in his hands the most will be freshman point guard Malachi Flynn.

Forward Jeff Pollard and wing Keith Langston also appear set to earn big minutes. Kent also is hopeful freshman guard Milan Acquaah can recover from an injury in time to play contribute this year and avoid redshirting. If Acquaah does play, he is expected to make a similar impact to Flynn.

All that turnover means a lot of learning for the Cougars, who had four players leave the program after last year.

“I can’t even imagine starting the season with this many young players See WSU, T18

ROSTER # 5 23 25 42 4 1 22 3 24 2 0 10 13 12

Name Milan Acquaah Charles Callison Arinze Chidom Conor Clifford Viont’e Daniels Jamar Ergas Malachi Flynn Robert Franks Josh Hawkinson Ike Iroegbu Derrien King KJ Langston Jeff Pollard Steven Shpreyregin

Pos. Ht. G 6-3 G 6-0 F 6-9 C 7-0 G 6-2 G 6-3 G 6-1 F 6-7 F 6-10 G 6-2 F 6-6 G 6-4 F 6-9 G 6-1

Wt. 185 185 200 260 175 182 170 240 230 195 185 185 240 180

Yr. Fr. Sr. Fr. Sr. So. Fr. Fr. So. Sr. Sr. Jr. So. Fr. Jr.

From Bakersfield, Calif.

Moreno Valley, Calif.

Oakland Hunington Beach, Calif.

Federal Way, Wash.

Toronto Tacoma Vancouver, Wash.

Shoreline, Wash.

Sacramento Wichita, Kan. Chicago Bountiful, Utah Seattle

advertised then watching him is reason enough to circle this game.

But don’t overlook WSU’s Dec. 7 matchup with Idaho. The Vandals have beaten the Cougars the last two years, and UI is an early favorite in the Big Sky. Furthermore, coaches Ernie Kent and Don Verlin are teaming up to fight cancer with this game, and have a few things in store to make it interesting for fans.

IMPACT PLAYER Malachi Flynn may only be a freshman, but the youngster from Tacoma’s Bellarmine Prep is expected to be a difference-maker for the Cougars. He has been starting at point guard since WSU’s offseason trip to Italy, and his team has gushed about the affect of his presence on the floor.

Flynn is already one of the team’s best players, and recruiting him gives the Cougars a foothold in the fertile Puget Sound recruiting area. Flynn was the Washington State 4A Player of the Year last year, giving WSU the MVP from the state’s largest high school classification in consecutive seasons.

Sophomore Viont’e Daniels, also from Tacoma, earned the honor when he was a high school senior.

Flynn can stretch the floor with his shooting, and his passing ability will immediately make WSU’s post players more effective.

PREDICTION 1. Oregon 2. Colorado 3. Arizona 4. Utah 5. UCLA 6. Washington 7. Oregon State 8. California 9. USC 10. Stanford 11. WSU 12. Arizona State

The Jan. 21 home matchup against Colorado could also be a big one for the Cougars. WSU lost to the Buffaloes by just five points in their first matchup last season, and took CU to double overtime in Boulder in the rematch.

Kent beat the Buffaloes at home his first year in Pullman, and this game presents a nice opportunity for WSU to steal a win from one of the conference’s best teams early on.

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AREA WOMEN’S 2016-17 SEASON

SCHEDULES

Bulldogs Nov. 12 vs. Nicholls 11 a.m.

Nov. 13 vs. UC Irvine 2 p.m.

Nov. 18 at Stanford 7 p.m.

Nov. 24 vs. Michigan 5 p.m.

Nov. 25 vs. Florida State 3:45 p.m.

Nov. 26 vs. Winthrop 2:45 p.m.

Dec. 3 vs. Presbyterian College 2 p.m.

Dec. 8 vs. Washington State 6 p.m.

Dec. 11 at Eastern Washington 2 p.m.

Dec. 19 vs. Northwestern 6 p.m.

Dec. 22 vs. Colgate 2 p.m.

Dec. 29 at Pepperdine 7 p.m.

Dec. 31 vs. Pacific 2 p.m.

Jan. 5 vs. San Francisco TBD Jan. 7 vs. Portland TBD Jan. 12 at Loyola Marymount 7 p.m.

Jan. 14 at Saint Mary’s 1 p.m.

Jan. 19 vs. Santa Clara TBD Jan. 21 at Portland 2 p.m.

Jan. 26 at San Diego 6 p.m.

Jan. 28 vs. Pepperdine 2 p.m.

Feb. 2 vs. BYU TBD Feb. 4 at Santa Clara 2 p.m.

Feb. 9 vs. Loyola Marymount TBD Feb. 11 vs. Saint Mary’s TBD Feb. 16 at San Francisco TBD Feb. 18 at Pacific 2 p.m.

Feb. 23 vs.San Diego TBD Feb. 25 at BYU 1 p.m.

Cougars Nov. 11 vs. Loyola Marymount 7 p.m.

Nov. 13 vs. Saint Mary’s 1 p.m.

Nov. 18 vs. San Francisco 7 p.m.

Nov. 20 vs. Oklahoma State noon.

Nov. 25 vs. Nebraska 6 p.m.

Nov. 26 vs. Mar.yland 3:30 p.m.

Dec. 2 vs. San Diego 7 p.m.

Dec. 4 vs. Boise State 2 p.m.

Dec. 8 at Gonzaga 6 p.m.

Dec. 18 at Saint Louis noon.

Dec. 21 at Kentucky 9 a.m.

Dec. 27 at Washington 7 p.m.

Dec. 30 at Oregon State 4 p.m.

Jan. 1 at Oregon 2 p.m.

Jan. 6 vs. UCLA 6 p.m.

Jan. 8 vs. USC noon.

Jan. 13 at Arizona State 10 a.m.

Jan. 15 at Arizona 11 a.m.

Jan. 22 vs. Washington 1 p.m.

Jan. 27 vs. Stanford 8 p.m.

Jan. 29 vs.California noon.

Feb. 3 at Colorado 5 p.m.

Feb. 5 at Utah 1 p.m.

Feb. 10 vs. Arizona State 7 p.m.

Feb. 12 vs. Arizona 11 a.m.

Feb. 17 at USC 6 p.m.

Feb. 19 at UCLA 11 a.m.

Feb. 23 vs. Utah 6 p.m.

Feb. 25 vs. Colorado 1:00 p.m.

Huskies Nov. 11 vs. Eastern Washington 7 p.m.

Nov. 22 vs. Idaho 5 p.m.

Nov. 26 at Seattle 4 p.m.

Nov. 27 at Portland 2 p.m.

Dec. 1 at Grand Canyon 6 p..m.

Dec. 4 vs. Fresno State 2 p.m.

Dec. 7 vs. CS Northridge 7 p.m.

Dec. 11 vs. Boise State 2 p.m.

Dec. 18 vs. Savannah State 2 p.m.

Dec. 22 at BYU 1 p.m.

Dec. 27 vs. Washington State 7 p.m.

Dec. 30 at Oregon 3 p.m.

Jan. 1 at Oregon State noon.

Jan. 6 vs. USC 8 p.m.

Jan. 8 vs. UCLA 2 p.m.

Jan. 13 at Arizona 6 p.m.

Jan. 15 at Arizona State 5 p.m.

Jan. 22 at Washington State 1 p.m.

Jan. 27 vs. California 6 p.m.

Jan. 29 vs. Stanford 5 p.m.

Feb. 3 at Utah 7 p.m.

Feb. 5 at Colorado 11 a.m.

Feb. 10 vs. Arizona 8 p.m.

Feb. 12 vs. Arizona State 5 p.m.

Feb. 17 at UCLA 8 p.m.

Feb. 19 at USC 3 p.m.

Feb. 23 vs. Colorado 8 p.m.

Feb. 25 vs. Utah 2 p.m.

Vandals

COLIN MULVANY The Spokesman-Review

Gonzaga guard Georgia Stirton and the Bulldogs visit Pac-12 Conference power Stanford on Nov. 17.

Eagles

Pirates Nov. 18 Mary Hardin-Baylor 6 p.m.

Nov. 19 UC Santa Cruz 4 p.m.

Nov. 22 at Eastern Ore. 5:30 p.m.

Dec. 3 at Willamette 4 p.m.

Dec. 6 at Whitman 6 p.m.

Dec. 9 vs. Colorado Col. 4 p.m.

Dec. 10 vs. Louisiana Col. 4 p.m.

Dec. 16 Lewis-Clark St. 6 p.m.

Dec. 28 at La Verne 5 p.m.

Dec. 29 at Whittier 2 p.m.

Dec. 30 vs. Wheaton (Ill.) 4 p.m.

Jan. 6 Pacific (Ore.) 6 p.m.

Jan. 7 Linfield 4 p.m.

Jan. 13 Puget Sound 6 p.m.

Jan. 14 Pacific Lutheran 4 p.m.

Jan. 20 at Lewis & Clark 6 p.m.

Jan. 21 at George Fox 4 p.m.

Jan. 24 Whitman 6 p.m.

Jan. 27 Willamette 6 p.m.

Feb. 3 at Linfield 6 p.m.

Feb. 4 at Pacific (Ore.) 4 p.m.

Feb. 10 at Pacific Lutheran 6 p.m.

Feb. 11 at Puget Sound 4 p.m.

Feb. 17 George Fox 6 p.m.

Feb. 18 Lewis & Clark 4 p.m.

Nov. 11 at Seattle 5 p.m.

Nov. 14 at Cal State Fullerton 7 p.m.

Nov. 22 at Washington 5 p.m.

Nov. 25 vs. Northern Iowa 1 p.m.

Nov. 26 at Grand Canyon 2 p.m.

Dec. 2 vs. Oregon State 8:30 p.m.

Dec. 3 vs. UNLV 6:30 p.m.

Dec. 9 at Wyoming 5:30 p.m.

Dec. 17 vs. Cent. Washington 3 p.m.

Dec. 20 at Oregon noon.

Dec. 27 vs. Lewis Clark State 6 p.m.

Dec. 31 at Eastern Washington 2 p.m.

Jan. 5 at Montana 6 p.m.

Jan. 7 at Montana State 1 p.m.

Jan. 12 vs. Weber State 5 p.m.

Jan. 14 vs. Idaho State 2 p.m.

Jan. 19 at Southern Utah 5:30 p.m.

Jan. 21 at Northern Arizona 5:30 p.m.

Jan. 26 vs. Montana State 7 p.m.

Jan. 28 vs. Montana 2 p.m.

Feb. 2 at Portland State 7 p.m.

Feb. 4 at Sacramento State 2:05 p.m.

Feb. 9 vs. Northern Colorado 6 p.m.

Feb. 11 vs. North Dakota 2 p.m.

Feb. 18 vs. Eastern Washington 2 p.m.

Feb. 23 at Idaho State 6 p.m.

Feb. 25 at Weber State 1 p.m.

Mar. 1 vs. Northern Arizona 6 p.m.

Mar. 3 vs. Southern Utah 6 p.m.

JESSE TINSLEY The Spokesman-Review

EWU head coach Wendy Schuller and her Eagles team begin season against the Huskies.

Nov. 11 at Washington 7 p.m.

Nov. 22 at Utah Valley 6 p.m.

Nov. 27 vs. Multnomah 3 p.m.

Dec. 1 at Boise State 6 p.m.

Dec. 3 at CS Northridge 6:30 p.m.

Dec. 8 vs. Cal State Fullerton 11 a.m.

Dec. 11 vs. Gonzaga 2 p.m.

Dec. 18 at Air Force 1 p.m.

Dec. 21 at Tulane 3 p.m.

Dec. 31 vs. Idaho 2 p.m.

Jan. 5 at Montana State 6 p.m.

Jan. 7 at Montana 1 p.m.

Jan. 12 vs. Idaho State 6 p.m.

Jan. 14 vs. Weber State noon.

Jan. 19 at Northern Arizona 5:30 p.m.

Jan. 21 at Southern Utah 3 p.m.

Jan. 26 vs. Montana 6 p.m.

Jan. 28 vs. Montana State 2 p.m.

Feb. 2 at Sacramento State 7:05 p.m.

Feb. 4 at Portland State 2 p.m.

Feb. 9 vs. North Dakota 6 p.m.

Feb. 11 vs. Northern Colorado 2 p.m.

Feb. 18 at Idaho 2 p.m.

Feb. 23 at Weber State 6 p.m.

Feb. 25 at Idaho State 1 p.m.

Mar. 1 vs. Southern Utah 6 p.m.

Mar. 3 vs. Northern Arizona 6 p.m.

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Bulldogs

AREA MEN’S 2016-17 SEASON

SCHEDULES

TYLER TJOMSLAND The Spokesman-Review

Ernie Kent’s WSU team starts Pac-12 play on Jan. 1.

Nov. 11 Utah Valley 6 p.m.

Nov. 14 San Diego State 8:59 p.m.

Nov. 18 Bryant 5:30 p.m.

Nov. 24 at Quinnipiac 3:30 p.m.

Dec. 1 Miss Valley St 6 p.m.

Dec. 3 at Arizona 2:30 p.m.

Dec. 7 Washington 8 p.m.

Dec. 10 Akron 5 p.m.

Dec. 18 at Tennessee 1 p.m.

Dec. 21 South Dakota 6 p.m.

Dec. 29 Pepperdine 6 p.m.

Dec. 31 at Pacific 5 p.m.

Jan. 5 at San Francisco TBD Jan. 7 at Portland 7 p.m.

Jan. 12 Loyola Mary 6 p.m.

Jan. 14 Saint Mary's 7 p.m.

Jan. 19 at Santa Clara 8 p.m.

Jan. 21 Portland 5 p.m.

Jan. 26 San Diego 6 p.m.

Jan. 28 at Pepperdine 7 p.m.

Feb. 2 at BYU 8 p.m.

Feb. 4 Santa Clara 8 p.m.

Feb. 9 at Loyola Mary 7 p.m.

Feb. 11 at Saint Mary's 7 p.m.

Feb. 16 San Francisco 6 p.m.

Feb. 18 Pacific 1 p.m.

Feb. 23 at San Diego 7 p.m.

Feb. 25 BYU 7 p.m.

Cougars Nov. 11 Montana State 4 p.m.

Nov. 15 CWash 7 p.m.

Nov. 18 at Creighton 5:30 p.m.

Nov. 27 San Jose State 3 p.m.

Nov. 30 Utah Valley 7 p.m.

Dec. 3 New Orleans 5 p.m.

Dec. 7 Idaho 7 p.m.

Dec. 10 at Kansas State 5 p.m.

Dec. 17 Santa Clara 1 p.m.

Dec. 21 Sacramento St 6:05 p.m.

Jan. 1 at Washington 5:30 p.m.

Jan. 4 Oregon State 8 p.m.

Jan. 7 Oregon 4 p.m.

Jan. 12 at Stanford 8 p.m.

Jan. 14 at Cal 1 p.m.

Jan. 18 Utah 6 p.m.

Jan. 21 Colorado 1 p.m.

Jan. 26 at Arizona 6:30 p.m.

Jan. 29 at Arizona State 11 a.m.

Feb. 1 UCLA 6 p.m.

Feb. 4 USC 5 p.m.

Feb. 9 at Utah 6 p.m.

Feb. 12 at Colorado 5:30 p.m.

Feb. 16 Arizona 6 p.m.

Feb. 18 Arizona State 2 p.m.

Feb. 26 Washington 5:30 p.m.

Mar. 1 at USC 7 p.m.

Mar. 4 at UCLA 6:30 p.m.

Huskies Nov. 13 Yale 4 p.m.

Nov. 17 CS Fullerton 8 p.m.

Nov. 20 N Arizona 5 p.m.

Nov. 22 LBSU 8 p.m.

Nov. 25 W Kentucky 5 p.m.

Nov. 30 at TCU 4 p.m.

Dec. 7 at Gonzaga 8 p.m.

Dec. 11 Nevada 5 p.m.

Dec. 18 W Michigan 5 p.m.

Dec. 20 Cal Poly 8 p.m.

Dec. 22 at Seattle 7 p.m.

Jan. 1 Washington St 5:30 p.m.

Jan. 4 Oregon 6 p.m.

Jan. 7 Oregon State noon Jan. 12 at Cal 6 p.m.

Jan. 14 at Stanford 5 p.m.

Jan. 18 Colorado 8 p.m.

Jan. 21 Utah 5 p.m.

Jan. 25 at Arizona State 8 p.m.

Jan. 29 at Arizona 12:30 p.m.

Feb. 1 USC 8 p.m.

Feb. 4 UCLA 7:30 p.m.

Feb. 9 at Colorado 7 p.m.

Feb. 11 at Utah 1:30 p.m.

Feb. 16 Arizona State 8 p.m.

Feb. 18 Arizona 5 p.m.

Feb. 26 at Washington St 5:30 p.m.

Mar. 1 at UCLA 8 p.m.

Mar. 4 at USC 3:30 p.m.

Eagles

COLIN MULVANY The Spokesman-Review

Jordan Mathews and the Gonzaga Bulldogs take on Washington in a key nonconference game on Dec. 7.

Nov. 11 Linfield 12:05 p.m.

Nov. 14 at Northwestern 6 p.m.

Nov. 17 at Texas 5 p.m.

Nov. 21 Bryant 6:05 p.m.

Nov. 26 Denver 6:05 p.m.

Nov. 27 San Francisco 6:05 p.m.

Dec. 4 at Seattle 1 p.m.

Dec. 8 U of Great Falls 6:05 p.m.

Dec. 13 Morehead State 6:05 p.m.

Dec. 18 at N Kentucky 10 a.m.

Dec. 20 at Xavier 3:30 p.m.

Dec. 22 at Colorado 5:30 p.m.

Dec. 30 at Idaho 7 p.m.

Jan. 5 Montana State 6:05 p.m.

Jan. 7 Montana 1:05 p.m.

Jan. 12 at Idaho State 6:05 p.m.

Jan. 14 at Weber State 4:05 p.m.

Jan. 19 N Arizona 6:05 p.m.

Jan. 21 Southern Utah 1:05 p.m.

Jan. 26 at Montana 6 p.m.

Jan. 28 at Montana State 1 p.m.

Feb. 2 Sacramento St 6:05 p.m.

Feb. 4 Portland State 1:05 p.m.

Feb. 9 at North Dakota 5 p.m.

Feb. 11 at N Colorado 1 p.m.

Feb. 17 Idaho 6:05 p.m.

Feb. 23 Weber State 6:05 p.m.

Feb. 25 Idaho State 1:05 p.m.

Mar. 2 at Southern Utah 5:30 p.m.

Mar. 4 at N Arizona 3:30 p.m.

Vandals

Pirates Nov. 19 St. Olaf 7 p.m.

Nov. 25 Texas Lutheran 7 p.m.

Nov. 26 Schreiner 7 p.m.

Dec. 3 at Willamette 6 p.m.

Dec. 6 at Whitman 8 p.m.

Dec. 9 Covenant 7 p.m.

Dec. 18 at La Verne 2 p.m.

Dec. 19 at Chap.m.an 7 p.m.

Dec. 21 vs. Alma 2 p.m.

Dec. 30 vs. Buena Vista 3 p.m.

Dec. 31 vs. Crown (Minn.) 1 p.m.

Jan. 6 Pacific (Ore.) 8 p.m.

Jan. 7 Linfield 6 p.m.

Jan. 13 Puget Sound 8 p.m.

Jan. 14 Pacific Lutheran 6 p.m.

Jan. 20 at Lewis & Clark 8 p.m.

Jan. 21 at George Fox 6 p.m.

Jan. 24 Whitman 8 p.m.

Jan. 27 Willamette 8 p.m.

Feb. 3 at Linfield 8 p.m.

Feb. 4 at Pacific (Ore.) 6 p.m.

Feb. 10 at Pacific Lutheran 8 p.m.

Feb. 11 at Puget Sound 6 p.m.

Feb. 17 George Fox 8 p.m.

Feb. 18 Lewis & Clark 6 p.m.

TYLER TJOMSLAND The Spokesman-Review

Whitworth and guard Kyle Roach begin their 2016-17 campaign versus St. Olaf.

Nov. 12 Corban U 8 p.m.

Nov. 16 at N Illinois 6 p.m.

Nov. 18 at Little Rock 4:30 p.m.

Nov. 21 South Dakota St 7 p.m.

Nov. 25 at Sam Houston 4:30 p.m.

Nov. 29 San Jose State 7 p.m.

Dec. 3 UC Davis 7 p.m.

Dec. 7 at Washington St 7 p.m.

Dec. 10 at S. Dakota St 5 p.m.

Dec. 17 NW Nazarene 7 p.m.

Dec. 22 at Stanford 7:30 p.m.

Dec. 30 E Washington 7 p.m.

Jan. 5 Montana 7 p.m.

Jan. 7 Montana State 7 p.m.

Jan. 12 at Weber State 6 p.m.

Jan. 14 at Idaho State 6:05 p.m.

Jan. 19 Southern Utah 7 p.m.

Jan. 21 N Arizona 7 p.m.

Jan. 26 at Montana State 6 p.m.

Jan. 28 at Montana 6 p.m.

Feb. 2 Portland State 7 p.m.

Feb. 4 Sacramento St 7:05 p.m.

Feb. 9 at N Colorado 6 p.m.

Feb. 11 at North Dakota 2 p.m.

Feb. 17 at E Washington 6 p.m.

Feb. 23 Idaho State 7 p.m.

Feb. 25 Weber State 7 p.m.

Mar. 2 at N Arizona 5:30 p.m.

Mar. 4 at Southern Utah 3 p.m.

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COLLEGE BASKETBALL 2016 GU FRESHMEN

Continued from T10 Norvell, a 6-5 guard from Chicago, isn’t fully healthy after meniscus surgery roughly three months ago.

Norvell, an accomplished 3-point shooter who was nominated for the McDonald’s All-American game, is among several candidates at the wing position.

“He had a great summer (before surgery),” Lloyd said. “We’ll watch him closely to see what progress he makes.”

Larsen had surgery earlier this week. The 6-11 center has great potential, Lloyd said.

Collins is grasping the intricacies within GU’s schemes. When plays broke down in high school, he said, “You just hoop and kind of find a way to score. In this offense, there’s five or six different options out of one play.”

Defense is about effort and pride, said Collins, adding, “Rotations and team defense was a big adjustment from high school. You have to move a lot faster and think a lot faster.”

And how has it been going against

7-1, 300-pound Przemek Karnowski and Johnathan Williams, a 6-9, 228-pound redshirt junior?

“Shem is a grown man, JW is a big, strong guy,” Collins said. “I wasn’t seeing a lot of success when I got here.

I just wasn’t used to the physicality.

Those guys know how to play physical without fouling. In summer, sometimes I didn’t want to go against those guys. Now I want to go against them. I’m seeing how much I’ve improved.”

Collins is right on schedule, Lloyd said. “We know he needs to contribute

a lot right away so we put a lot on his plate and he seems to be handling it.”

The coaches haven’t been shy about asking the 230-pound Collins to put more on his dinner plate, too.

“I see my coaches throughout the day and every single conversation I’ve had they ask, ‘Are you going to go eat?

Have you eaten?’ They’ve been stressing putting on pounds.

“I’ve changed my diet, incorporated a lot more meals in the day, and eating at the right times, before and after workouts.”

All part of freshmen orientation.

DAN PELLE The Spokesman-Review

Jeremy Jones, right, a former football player at Rice, works past fellow transfer Johnathan Williams. Jones is being counted on to bring the energy to the court.

TRANSFERS Continued from T9

“I had a big breakthrough recently. We have so many actions and things we’re looking for in those actions. It’s been an interesting transition.”

Mathews offers a blunt self-critique.

“Can score at a high level, underrated passer, good rebounder for my position,” he said. “Could make more plays off the bounce and be more of a tenacious defender.”

NEEDED POSITIVE SITUATION

JOHNATHAN WILLIAMS Missouri won 23 games and played in the NIT in Williams’ freshman season. His world turned upside down the following season. There was a coaching change, his classmates bolted and the Tigers won only nine games.

And NCAA sanctions loomed from former coach Frank Haith’s tenure.

HUSKIES

Continued from T13 Even so, calling Fultz something like “The Human Highlight Reel” might cause some to take pause. But only because they aren’t entirely convinced he’s human.

According to draftexpress.com, Markelle is the projected No. 1 pick in the 2017 NBA draft.

Bleacher Report also has him in the top slot, and no prominent mock draft site has him lower than fourth.

Does this mean Fultz, who stands 6-foot-4 and owns a 6-10 wingspan, is going to snap the Huskies’ five-year NCAA tournament drought? Not necessarily. But it does mean this season is going to be a whole lot of fun.

At media day Wednesday, Fultz was asked which part of his game he takes the most pride in. Could it be passing? Defense? His ever-improving jump shot?

But the 18-year-old didn’t specify an area — just a mindset.

“Trying to be the best player on the court,” Fultz said. “And making people realize it.”

The second part of that quote is what might skyrocket ticket sales at the Hec Ed, because “making people realize it” goes beyond boxing out and slipping screens. “Making people realize it” implies that fans will have to ice their chins after their jaws hit

“Basically, I was there by myself,” he said. “All these negative things going around, I felt the need to go somewhere positive.”

He had options. Michigan State called until landing a commitment from another player.

When that player de-committed, the Spartans dialed up Williams. He wasn’t interested at that point.

He considered Georgetown and SMU. “Then one day Gonzaga called me randomly,” Williams said. “I’m like, what’s this 509 number?

Talked to ‘B Mike’ (assistant coach Brian Michaelson) for the first time. We hit it off right away.”

Williams’ older brother, Johnny, who played for and graduated from George Mason, landed a job in Spokane “so I wasn’t out here by myself.”

The 6-foot-9 forward spent his redshirt season working on dribble penetration, post moves, perimeter shooting, even dunking.

“I’m more polished, more confident,” he said.

“This particular offseason I had to learn how to dunk on people. It’s actually something you have to

the floor.

Since Romar took over the program, nine Huskies have gone in the NBA’s first round, and four in the lottery. But at this stage in their college careers? The head coach says Fultz is ahead of all of them.

“You watch him two or three minutes, the way he moves on the floor with his size, you realize that one’s pretty good. But what you don’t see behind the scenes is what kind of teammate he is,” said Romar, adding that Fultz is the best shot-blocking point guard he has ever seen. “Markelle doesn’t play with the idea of trying to make the NBA. He plays to win.”

Unless they are red-carpet-bound actors, the other Huskies seem to agree with Romar’s assessment of Fultz as a teammate. Freshman forward Sam Timmins said he’d have no idea Markelle was the top recruit based on the way he carried himself, and sophomore Crisp emphasized how Fultz’s mother keeps him humble.

Still, while it might give them another reason to root for him, most fans don’t care whether or not Fultz is grounded. They want to know if he can take the Huskies to new heights.

Convincing the public UW has improved from last season could be a tough sell. Not only did the team lose Marquese Chriss and Dejounte Murray to the draft, it

lost Pac-12 scoring champion Andrew Andrews to graduation.

Sure, players such as Thybulle, Crisp, and Malik Dime have another year of experience — and the return of Noah Dickerson and addition of Timmins gives them size. But is that enough to make up for what they lost?

Well, it really depends on Fultz.

A truly great college basketball player can single-handedly add 10 wins to a team’s total. In the past six years, advanced statistics say Kemba Walker, Anthony Thomas and Frank Kaminsky have done just that.

Are those huge names? Yes. Is that an unfair standard? Maybe.

But by most accounts, Fultz is blessed with similar potential.

Granted, we’re probably getting ahead of ourselves here.

It’s mid-October, and Markelle has yet to prove anything on the college level.

Sports are littered with athletes overwhelmed by their own hype … but I don’t know, something about this guy feels different.

Notorious for not smiling in pictures, Fultz says he plans on flashing his pearly whites more in college. You get the feeling he’s going to cause fans to do the same thing.

They’re likely to take in plenty of highlights this season. The only challenge will be picking their favorite.

be taught, finishing through contact. Some people are naturally gifted at it, some people aren’t.”

GRIDIRON TO HARDWOOD

JEREMY JONES Jones has played football and basketball for “as long as I can remember.” He spent his freshman season at Rice as a redshirt quarterback on the football team and reserve wing on the basketball team.

“I just loved playing college basketball so much,” the 6-6 Jones said. “I wanted to see how good I could be and what I could accomplish if I put football aside.”

Jones said his role “is basically doing whatever the guys aren’t doing, whatever’s missing.”

“He’s done a really good job of becoming better in the energy and effort areas, and that’s going to be his role,” assistant coach Tommy Lloyd said.

“Being able to guard multiple positions, versatility.”

WSU

Continued from T15 right now,” Kent said. “But having the opportunity to go overseas this summer was very, very valuable for us.”

The Cougars are going to look a little weird to casual fans this season, and the reason why deserves some explanation. Basically, there are two numbers to keep in mind when watching WSU’s wacky style of play this season: 7.1 and 6.7.

The first number reflects how many offensive rebounds per game the Cougars accumulated last year in Pac-12 play, the lowest figure of any league team.

The second is how many fast-break points they gave up per game. The latter number might not be jarring, but consider that Pac-12 stat-keepers effectively only consider points to be scored on the fast break if a play was a wide-open layup or dunk.

The number hardly encapsulates how many times the Cougars were caught out of position by a team that was able to get to the basket before the WSU defense could get set.

Really, a better figure for determining how good the Cougars were at getting back is 45.8 percent.

That’s what WSU allowed other Pac-12 teams to shoot from the field; only two teams were worse.

So, this season, WSU is going to trade those offensive rebounds in order to slow down the other teams. WSU might not get one.

As soon as a shot goes up on offense, all five players will sprint back on defense. When the Cougars shoot free throws, only one player will stay positioned on the key near the shooter. Instead of a rebounding forward, it will be a guard, who is only there to initiate WSU’s defensive press.

Kent is making this change in part to avoid the plethora of rebounding-related fouls sure to come with the NCAA emphasizing that to its officials this season. It will also save the legs of his players who wore down over the course of last year.

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COLLEGE BASKETBALL 2016 TINKLE

Continued from T3 Tinkle realized she’d been away from the court for so long. “It took some time to get those lungs back,” she said.

Her first live action came on Oct. 15 in a public scrimmage on Fan Fest, where she looked 100 percent and ready to do whatever it takes.

She and coach Lisa Fortier spent the offseason discussing Tinkle’s role in what looks like a fast-paced offense.

“I never doubt she’s going to give us everything she has,” Fortier said. “She’s always had that energy and defensive rebounding, but now she can do everything.”

On and off the court.

Lewiston this year, purposely not graduating for the sake of one more Continued from T5 year of basketball. Or he could take measuring stick awaited him the form another big step, on and off the court.

Now he’s in Cheney with Brittany of Venky Jois, who helped lead the and Aliya, taking postgraduate classes.

Eagles to an NCAA Tournament “Seven or eight years ago, I didn’t appearance that season.

In a closer-than-expected 87-81 loss know what a master’s degree was,” Wiley said. at Reese Court, Wiley had 19 points, On the court, he hopes to fill the eight rebounds and five assists while spot vacated by Jois, who’s playing holding his own against Jois. professionally in Estonia.

Hayford filed that game away. So “I try to study him and learn from did Wiley, who went on to become an NAIA All-American while leading the him, but I don’t try to be like him,” Warriors to a two-year record of 54-13. Wiley said. “At the end of the day no two human beings are the same … I Halfway through the season, his have my own game too.” fiancée, Brittany Hopkins, gave birth Fast and graceful, Wiley is already to Aliya. Meanwhile, Wiley was closing in on his his bachelor’s degree fitting in with the Eagles.

“People are going to be surprised at in communications, a what he’s going to be able to first-in-the-family occasion that also accomplish at this level,” Hayford forced some tough decisions. said.

Wiley could have stayed in

EAGLES

VANDALS

Continued from T4 Sarbaugh, a Spokane native who made a strong impact last year as a graduate transfer point guard.

Callandret has been more inclined to lead through his work ethic than his voice, Earlywine said. “But as a senior and more importantly as a point guard, it’s really important that he also lead verbally.”

Which sounds good to Callandret.

“If I can be half as good a leader as (Sarbaugh), I think I’ll be (on) the right path,” Callandret said. “And if Vic can do the same thing, then we come together and I think we’ll have a Chris Sarbaugh out there in the leader section.”

Associated Press

Washington’s Chantel Osahor, left, and Kelsey Plum return for their senior seasons after leading the Huskies to the Final Four last season.

D1 WOMEN

The Eagles have several talented upperclassmen in the backcourt, Continued from T2 including Violet Kapri Morrow, Aqeelah Schuller, who returns four starters from Williams, Simone Starks, Bayley Rexing a team that went 20-12 overall and 13-5 in and Andie Easley. the Big Sky Conference.

In the Big Sky preseason polls, Eastern Eastern’s frontcourt looks formidable. was picked fourth by the media and fifth Hodgins’ sister, Delaney, is the top by the coaches. returning scorer (15.7 ppg) and also averaged 6.1 rebounds. Post Ashli Payne IDAHO (11.2 ppg, 8.6 rpg) and Central Valley The Vandals’ impressive postseason run last product Mariah Cunningham averaged year means high expectations despite losing four points while playing 20 minutes a two starters to graduation. game.

After finishing third in the Big Sky in the Point guard Tisha Phillips (10.9 points, regular season, the Vandals swept through the 4.2 assists) will be the glue that holds the conference tournament in Reno to reach the offense together.

NCAA Tournament and finish 24-10.

“I’m very thankful for the role I have Idaho finished with a 24-10 record, and went on this team,” expressed the senior. “I’ve 13-5 in the Big Sky. The Vandals won the come a long way since my freshman year, tournament as the league’s No. 3 seed, and I want to help get our younger advancing to the NCAA Tournament for the players to that level.” third time in four years.

Payne, Phillips and Delaney Hodgins Leading scorer Christina Salvatore and post accounted for 52 percent of the Eagles’ Ali Forde have graduated, but that didn’t stop scoring last year. coaches and media from picking the Vandals to

JUNIOR COLLEGES

Continued from T6 Symons also expects many of his redshirts from last season to make an impact, most notably guards Markus Golder from Clackamas, Oregon, and Adam Gotelli, a San Diego transfer.

Among the newcomers, Niko Bevans from Beaverton, Oregon, who Symons called “one of the best shooters around,” and 6-foot-6 wing Jalen Burkett from Phoenix.

The Cardinals are also tabbed the No. 18 junior college team in the nation in The Sporting News Top 20.

After the Cardinals’ trying offseason, being out on the court every day is a blessing for Symons and his players. It’s a time where they can unwind and absolve themselves of their problems for a two-to-three-hour period.

And for Symons and Swanson, the experience put things into perspective, far beyond the basketball court.

“In the coaching world, there are very few positions where you are content, you are always trying to chase that next job, get on with that bigger school, at every level,” Symons said. “With this accident, George and I sat down and went, ‘Man, this could be home for a long time.’

“The way the community has backed us and our families through this tragic event … it’s been pretty amazing to see how the community supported us and our program.”

NIC WOMEN

Like the men’s program, head coach Chris Carlson has holes to fill.

The Cardinals, coming off a 21-9 season, lost eight key contributors from last year, including

Pac-12 preseason coaches poll behind UCLA and Stanford. They are ranked No. 15 in the Top 25 coaches poll.

They will have to make up for the loss of second-leading scorer and rebounder Talia Walton. She hit a team-high 86 3-pointers, including eight in her final collegiate game, which set a Final Four record.

Plum, a four-time captain, averaged 25.9 points per game last season, fourth in the nation.

“The game continues to evolve because she’s never satisfied,” said fourth-year coach Mike Neighbors. “She’s motivated every day to be her best, not worrying about being the best, but to be her best.”

As a junior, Plum broke Washington’s all-time scoring record and led the nation in free throws made (266), free throws attempted (299) and WASHINGTON minutes played (1,414). She already owns the The Huskies made a surprise run in the NCAA Pac-12 career free-throw record (676) and her Tournament last season, reaching the Final Four, 2,418 career points ranks fourth in the Pac-12. and return three starters including All-American Osahor was Washington’s leading rebounder guard Kelsey Plum. Joining Plum is Lexington (11.3) and third-leading scorer (10.1) last season.

Region MVP Chatel Osahor and Katie Collier.

Collier was the fourth-leading scorer last season This season the Huskies are picked third in the (6.0) and third in rebounds (5.5). win the conference.

“It is great to acknowledged, but it is all based on what we did last year,” coach Jon Newlee said. “I think it is a mark of respect for our program. But our players are going to have to play like we are picked last.”

Idaho could have the league’s best frontcourt with Geraldine McCorkell (11.6 points, 5.3 rebounds last year) and Mikayla Ferenz (10.5 ppg, 6.5 rpg). As a freshman last year, guard Taylor Pierce shot 88 3-pointers last year, second-most in school history.

The Vandals also are counting on the return of post Brooke Reilly, a Mt. Spokane product who was part of Idaho’s last Western Athletic Conference title but missed last year because of injury.

NIC MAKES MOVE TO NWAC Due to budgeting issues, the NIC men’s and women’s programs are moving from the Scenic West Athletic Conference to the Northwest Athletic Conference, where it will rekindle a conference rivalry with Community Colleges of Spokane. “(The SWAC) was expensive because we traveled all over,” NIC caoch Corey Symons said. “With all of our sports traveling that much, it got expensive. With our new league, it’s more regional.”

A new league comes with new restrictions, however. The NWAC allows eight partial scholarships as opposed to the 15 full-tuition waivers NIC was allotted in the SWAC. The Cardinals can now only recruit in nine states, whereas in the SWAC, NIC coaches could recruit wherever.

“It’s like rebuilding,” Carlson said. “We’ve had to change our recruiting a little bit.”

The programs were given a few years to prepare for the move, and this season will take some adjusting.

“We’ve been incredibly successful nationally,” Carlson said. “So that tradition we’ve established there, we have to start it up again in the same league.” first-team all-league guard Maci Benedict and second-team all-league guard Monica Landdeck.

The team’s only returners are sophomore bigs Jocelyn Cook-Cox and Charity Marlatt.

Add in Shayna Allert, a Walla Walla CC transfer from Post Falls, and the Cardinals only have three sophomores on their roster.

“I think we have everything that it will take to be competitive this season, we are just really, really young,” Carlson said.

Carlson said he expects Cook-Cox and Marlatt to be leaders on this year’s team.

Among the newcomers, Cierra Dvoraka, a Lake City product, and Lana Berg from Rollins, Montana, are expected to play big minutes in the backcourt.

CCS MEN

Head coach Jeremy Groth has a secret weapon in sophomore guard Levi Taylor.

Taylor, the NWAC tournament MVP and first-team all-league selection last season, has

undeniable raw talent. And having graduated from Lewis and Clark High School in 2011, Taylor is four-to-five years older than most of his competition. But it’s not his physical maturity that sets him apart. It’s his mental approach.

“Words don’t describe how vital Levi is to our team,” Groth said. “Levi doesn’t get rattled in pressure situations, he doesn’t get rattled.”

Taylor (18.6 points per game) is the Sasquatch’s key returner from last year’s team that beat Whatcom CC in the NWAC title game.

The Sasquatch will need Taylor’s maturity more so than last season. Behind Taylor, the team’s top five scorers – Jake Love, Jacob DeVries, Race Martin, Dalton Patchen and AJ Knudsen – have all moved on, meaning Taylor, along with returning sophomore Garrett Hull, will likely shoulder the load for CCS. Sophomore Orin Porter is also expected to contribute. The 6-foot-2 wing from Nevada sat out last season with an injury after starting for CCS in 2014-15.

“He’s very hungry,” Groth said. “He worked really hard in the offseason and is ready to show what he’s got.”

Among the freshman, posts Cesar Sandoval (Moses Lake), guard Cameron Gay (Lakeside HS/Nine Mile Falls) and wing George Pilimai (Shadle Park) are in line for minutes.

CCS WOMEN

Bruce Johnson’s roster has a local flavor. Just how he likes it.

Johnson, entering his 29th season as head coach of the Sasquatch, said he likes to reap the benefits of a strong basketball community. And with seven area players, including five from the Greater Spokane League, he’s built a roster he believes is set up for success.

“We’re such a highly recruited town and the level of play is so good,” Johnson said.

Leading the way is sophomore Brianna King, a North Central product. King led the Sasquatch in scoring (16.1 per game) and assists (3.4 per game) last season.

The Sasquatch need to find a suitable replacement for Khadija Neumeyer, who led the team in rebounding at 6.3 per game.

Sophomores Jessica Heine and Kaitlyn Ward, plus freshman Kaitlyn Wormington will help to fill that void.

Sophomore Cali Moscrip, as well as freshmen Shaye Swannack and Molly Webster, figure to help King in the backcourt.

The only problem is Moscrip and Webster are on the CCS soccer team, which is 13-0-1 and clinched the NWAC East Division’s No. 1 seed for the playoffs. Johnson won’t have them for practice or games until the soccer season is over.

But once they return, Johnson said he feels pretty good about his team.

“We’ve got pretty good depth,” Johnson said. “I’d say probably more depth than I’ve had in five years.”

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THE SPOKESMAN-REVIEW

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