Issuu

SPECIAL SECTION

THURSDAY, NOV. 6

New WSU head coach Ernie Kent encourages confidence through his strength-based approach

‘I

believe the production is there in any player and I’m the most positive guy there is out there in terms of a coach because I think everybody has a game in them.”

TYLER TJOMSLAND PHOTO tylert@spokesman.com

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

Are you ready for

PAGE T2

THURSDAY

NOVEMBER 6, 2014

THE SPOKESMAN-REVIEW

EWU EAGLES

KEYS to success

The new big man on campus. Gone is 6-foot-10 German Martin Seiferth, to be replaced by his compatriot Frederik Jörg. The 7-1, 295-pound Jörg was an acknowledged project player when coach Jim Hayford brought him to Cheney, and he duly redshirted last year. Now a sophomore, Jorg spent the year honing his fundamentals and improving his footwork. The better-toned Jörg is moving up and down the court with more grace, and he offers dominant shooting and shot-blocking inside. But can he integrate into a full-court offense, lessening the need to go to a smaller lineup? “That depends on Fred,” Hayford said.

The stat line. The Eagles improved in nearly every statistical area last year, especially assists, where they led the league with 13.5 a game. But there’s still work to do. The Eagles were near the bottom of the league in both turnover margin (minus 1.35) and steals (grabbing only 4.7 per game). And for a team that took more 3-point shots (677) than anyone else in the conference, the Eagles finished only sixth in long-range accuracy at 37.1 percent.

COLIN MULVANY colinm@spokesman.com

Junior power forward Venky Jois will be counted on to be a force in the middle for Eastern Washington.

ON TARGET Eastern has the experience, poise to make a run in Big Sky needed stability to the position while jima@spokesman.com, (509) 459-5437 averaging 10.4 points and 5.1 assists. Brandon also gave the rebounding game a boost with 6.4 boards a game, Another year older, another year second-most on the team behind Venky wiser? Jois. That’s the idea, anyway, as Jim Brandon will direct what appears to be Hayford begins his fourth year in charge a three-guard lineup part of the time, of the Eastern Washington basketball looking to set up sharpshooters Harvey program. and Parker Kelly. And he’s not talking only about his After a year with Brandon, “I know players. what he’s thinking and he knows what “Through these building years, it’s hard when you’re losing. A piece of you goes COLIN MULVANY colinm@spokesman.com I’m thinking,” said Harvey, who averaged 21.8 points a game, while shooting almost when you lose, but it’s made me a better Fourth-year coach Jim Hayford as well from 3-point range (43.3 percent) coach, a better person,” Hayford said welcomes an experienced team. as he did overall (44.3 percent.) before a recent practice. The most dynamic player in the Big Hayford hopes the same is true for an Sky, Harvey also was streaky. During one mark and that spot remains blank. Eagle program that has seen its share of five-game stretch in January, he was 23 A major goal each game is to hold growing pains, but now appears poised for 65 from the field and 10 for 30 from opponents to less than 42 percent for a big season with a talented, veteran shooting, but that space remained empty 3-point range, and the Eagles went 1-4. lineup that’s everyone’s pick for a high Harvey and the Eagles showed a mirror in 14 of 15 games during one dreary finish in the Big Sky Conference. The image of that in February, as Eastern midseason stretch. media picks them to finish third, the went 4-1 while he shot 39 for 79 from the Who better to reinforce that point but coaches have them second, and everyone field and an otherworldly 27 for 50 from junior guard Tyler Harvey, the leading has them reaching the conference long range. scorer last year in the Big Sky? tournament they’ve missed the past two “I just have to try to take what the “We have to do a better of stopping seasons. defense gives me,” said the 6-foot-4, teams,” Harvey said. “We’re not going to But will the Eagles – 15-16 overall last shoot 50 percent every game, and in some 185-pound Harvey. year and 10-10 in the Big Sky – fulfill Kelly, a 6-4, 195-pounder from Gonzaga games, we’re going to have to grind it expectations, which for years have been Prep, offers another big gun on the out.” dormant but suddenly are through the perimeter. That’s especially true on the road, roof? “I don’t think I’d trade our backcourt “Being a year older doesn’t necessarily where the Eagles were just 3-7 last year in for any in the Big Sky,” Hayford said. mean we’re more mature,” Hayford said, conference play. Down low, the Eagles will rely more “If we could just make the strides on this time of his players. “One of the things than ever on Jois. The 6-foot-8 junior the road that we made from a really that gives me confidence is that they’re power forward from Australia, who young team at home, then we’re going to looking back and realizing how much averaged 13.4 points and eight rebounds, be knocking on the door,” Hayford said. they didn’t know that they didn’t know.” will be expected to carry a bigger load on For the players, that means digging a At the top of the list: defense, the boards after the departure of Martin specifically the realization that you don’t little deeper “and not letting the other Seiferth. team get comfortable in their own gym,” have to score 80 points every time out. Hayford expects big things from rangy Kelly said. In the Eagle locker room, Hayford The Eagles certainly have the talent to forwards Ognjen Miljkovic and Felix Von maintains a large whiteboard, with about Hofe. Miljkovic, a 6-7 Serbian who do that, at home or away. In the two dozen benchmarks he’d like to hit bulked up to 220 pounds last year, hit 36 each game. Hit the benchmark and a tiny backcourt, it all starts with senior point guard Drew Brandon, who brought some percent of his 3-point shots last year. Eagle logo goes on the board; miss the By Jim Allen

FAST FACTS Conference: Big Sky Colors: Red and white Tickets: (866) 4GO EAGS Home court: Reese Court (5,000) Website: goeags.com Head coach: Jim Hayford, fourth season Record at EWU: 40-54 Assistants: Shantay Legans, Alex Pribble, David Riley 2013-14 record: 15-16 overall, 10-10 Big Sky Letterwinners: 9 back, 2 lost Starters: 4 back, 1 lost Newcomers: 6

2014-15 EWU MEN’S ROSTER No. 0 1 2 4 5 10 11 15 20 21 22 23 32 33 44 55

Name Ognjen Miljkovic Tyler Harvey Daniel Hill Sir Washington Nate Galgalo Parker Kelly Bear Henderson Will Ferris Cody Benzel Frederik Jörg Drew Brandon Kyle Reid Bogdan Bliznyuk Garrett Moon Felix Von Hofe Venky Jois

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

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

Wt. 220 185 165 180 175 195 215 175 175 295 185 215 215 190 200 230

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

Hometown (Previous school) Belgrade, Serbia (Bishop Montgomery HS) Torrance, Calif. (Bishop Montgomery HS ) Sydney, Australia (Newington College HS) Las Vegas, Nevada (Clark HS) Spokane (Ferris HS)Spokane (Gonzaga Prep) Mission Hills, Calif. (Village Christian HS) Bellevue (Newport HS) Spokane, (Ferris HS) Korschenbroich, Germany (Eversten HS) Corona, Calif. (Sierra College, Calif.) Cleveland (Los Angeles Trade Tech) Lutsk, Ukraine / Todd Beamer HS '14 / San Francisco (City College of San Fran.) Melbourne (Australian Institute of Sport) Boronia, Australia (Box Hill HS)

When the game’s on the line. The Eagles were a study in contrast last year at the free-throw line. Guards Tyler Harvey and Parker Kelly averaged close to 90 percent, departed center Martin Seiferth hit just 35 percent and forward Venky Jois connected on 52.8 percent. That was a head-scratcher, because Jois was hitting at a 71 percent clip in 2012-13. As a team, the Eagles finished eighth in the conference at 69.3 percent – only eight-hundredths of a percent above last place. It all came back to haunt them in the last road game of the season, a 71-69 loss at North Dakota that included a 12-for-25 effort at the line.

No longer out of their depth? Overall, the Eagles are a veteran team, “but our depth is still young,” said Hayford, whose 16-man roster includes nine underclassmen. In the backcourt, Hayford still has junior point Daniel Hill, but he’s the only proven backup for starter Drew Brandon; Redshirt freshman Sir Washington adds depth at shooting guard. At forward, 6-5 sophomore Felix Von Hofe steadily gained playing time last year, and 6-5 junior Garrett Moon saw action. The Eagles have some promising newcomers at forward, especially 6-8 junior college transfer Kyle Reid.

The luck factor. While fortune wasn’t as outrageous as in 2012-13 (when they saw their starting point guard leave the team and two key players hurt in a car accident), the Eagles weren’t exactly blessed last year. Brandon was injured in the stretch run, but gamely tried to play. Incredibly, a 10-10 Big Sky record – the best by a non-qualifier in 25 years – wasn’t good enough to make the seven-team playoff field. It all came down to a tie-breaker with Sacramento State, which beat conference champion Weber State on a 3-point prayer, while Eastern’s Parker Kelly barely missed a 3-pointer against the Wildcats that would have sent the Eagles into the postseason.

BIG SKY PREDICTED FINISH ORDER 1. Weber St. 2. EWU 3. NAU 4. Sacramento St. 5. Montana 6. Idaho 7. No. Colorado 8. Portland St. 9. Idaho St. 10. North Dakota 11. Montana St. 12. Southern Utah

NOVEMBER 6, 2014

THE SPOKESMAN-REVIEW

THURSDAY

PAGE T3

COACHING

Jim Hayford Record/years ............. 294-138/15 Assistants: Shantay Legans, Alex Pribble, David Riley

2013-14 RECORD

LEADING RETURNERS

10-10 Big Sky, 15-16 overall

SCORING

2014-15 SCHEDULE

Tyler Harvey ................. 21.8 Venky Jois .................... 13.4

REBOUNDS

Venky Jois ...................... 8.0 ASSISTS

Drew Brandon ................ 5.1

Pictured: High-scoring guard Tyler Harvey returns for EWU, along with versatile big man Venky Jois, inset above.

Date

Opponent

Time

Nov. 9

*Puget Sound 2:05 p.m.

Nov. 14

Texas Southern

6:05 p.m.

Nov. 17

Utah Valley

5:05 p.m.

Nov. 19

Walla Walla

6:05 p.m.

Nov. 22

at SMU

4 p.m.

Nov. 24 at Indiana

4:30 p.m.

Nov. 26

6:05 p.m.

Northern Ky.

Nov. 30 Eastern Oregon

2:05 p.m.

Dec. 6

at Seattle

7:05 p.m.

Dec. 11

at San Francisco

7 p.m.

Dec. 14

at Washington

5 p.m.

Dec. 16

at Sam Houston St.

4:30 p.m.

Dec. 19

at California

7 p.m.

Dec. 22

Lewis-Clark St.

6:05 p.m.

Jan. 1

Weber St.

2:05 p.m.

Jan. 3

Idaho St.

2:05 p.m.

Jan. 10

at Idaho

7:05 p.m.

Jan. 15

at Portland St. 7:05 p.m.

Jan. 17

at Sacramento 7:05 p.m. St.

Jan. 22

Northern Colo.

6:05 p.m.

Jan. 24

North Dakota

2:05 p.m.

Jan. 31

Idaho

2:05 p.m.

Feb. 5

at Montana

6:05 p.m.

Feb. 7

at Montana St. 1:35 p.m.

Feb. 12

Sacramento St.

6:05 p.m.

Feb. 14

Portland St.

2:05 p.m.

Feb. 19

at Southern Utah

6:05 p.m.

Feb. 21

at Northern Ariz.

1:05 p.m.

Feb. 26

Montana St.

6:05 p.m.

Feb. 28

Montana

2:05 p.m.

March 5 at Idaho St.

6:05 p.m.

March 7 at Weber St.

6:05 p.m.

March 12

Big Sky quarterfinals

TBA

March 13

Big Sky semifinals

TBA

March 14

Big Sky TBA championship

*-Exhibition Big Sky Tournament at site of regular-season champion

AT A GLANCE Reese Court: 5,000 capacity Ticket office: (509) 359-6059

PHOTOS: Colin Mulvany, The Spokesman-Review archive, Eastern Washington University Staff graphic by Ralph Walter

PAIGE, HARRELL HEAD PRESEASON TEAM By John Marshall Associated Press

Jahlil Okafor has yet to play a game for Duke. The hype surrounding his arrival is all pegged to potential and what he accomplished against high school players. Had he come up in another era, Okafor would have stood no shot at being named a preseason All-American. Projections weren’t nearly enough for voters to put a freshman on their ballots. Times have changed. Following the precedent set by North Carolina’s Harrison Barnes in 2010,

Okafor has become the third freshman in the past five seasons to be named to The Associated Press’ preseason All-America team, released Monday. “I just have to realize that it’s just the preseason expectations and to try to live up to those expectations during the season,” Okafor said. The rest of the AP’s preseason team has a little more experience: North Carolina junior point guard Marcus Paige, Wisconsin senior forward Frank Kaminsky, Louisville junior forward Montrezl Harrell and Wichita State junior point Fred VanVleet. Paige was the leading vote getter,

named on 58 ballots from the 65-member national media panel, two ahead of Harrell. The 6-foot-1 Paige took a huge leap from his freshman to sophomore seasons, doubling his scoring average (to 17.5 points per game) while becoming one of the nation’s best crunch-time players — once he gets going. A notoriously slow-starter, he spent a good portion of last season pouring it on late: 35 points and the game-winner against North Carolina; 11 of 17 points in overtime against Davidson; 11 of 13 in the second half of a win at then-No. 1

Michigan State, 21 of 23 after halftime against Kentucky. His goal this season is to do it for an entire game, not just the second half. “Obviously, my teammates know I need to be more aggressive and assertive this year, and it kind of starts with me,” Paige said. “So I’m really worried about what I need to do team wise and I feel the individual stuff that comes with it will take care of itself if I do that.” Harrell, who received 56 votes, was a role player during Louisville’s national-title run in 2013, taking a See AP TEAM, T12

PAGE T4

THURSDAY

NOVEMBER 6, 2014

THE SPOKESMAN-REVIEW

COACHING

Lisa Fortier Record/years .......... First season Assistants: Jordan Green, Stacy Clinesmith, Craig Fortier

2013-14 RECORD 13-4 WCC, 27-6 overall

2014-15 SCHEDULE

LEADING RETURNERS POINTS

Sunny Greinacher ......... 11.8 Lindsay Sherbert ......... 10.8

Pictured: Expect the Gonzaga women to lean heavily on seniors Sunny Greinacher and Lindsay Sherbert, inset.

Date

Opponent

Time

Nov. 16

Dayton

2 p.m.

Nov. 18

Idaho State

6 p.m.

Nov. 21

at Montana State

6 p.m.

Nov. 28

*American

3:30 p.m.

Nov. 29

*Iowa

3:30 p.m.

Dec. 3

at Eastern Washington

6 p.m.

Dec. 7

Portland State 2 p.m.

Dec. 9

Washington State

6 p.m.

Dec. 12

at Wyoming

6 p.m.

Dec. 15

at 10 a.m. Northwestern

Dec. 20

Southern Utah 2 p.m.

Dec. 27

BYU

2 p.m.

Dec. 29

San Diego

6 p.m.

Jan. 3

Portland

2 p.m.

Jan. 8

at San Francisco

7 p.m.

Jan. 10

at Santa Clara TBA

Jan. 15

Pepperdine

6 p.m.

Jan. 17

Loyola Marymount

2 p.m.

Jan. 22

at Saint Mary's

6 p.m.

Jan. 24

at Pacific

2 p.m.

Jan. 31

at Portland

2 p.m.

Feb. 5

Santa Clara

6 p.m.

Feb. 7

San Francisco 2 p.m.

Feb. 12

at Loyola Marymount

Feb. 14

at Pepperdine 12 p.m.

Feb. 19

Saint Mary's

6 p.m.

Feb. 21

Pacific

2 p.m.

Feb. 26

at San Diego

6 p.m.

Feb. 28

at BYU

1 p.m.

TBA

March 5 WCC First Round

TBA

March 6 WCC Quarterfinal

TBA

March 9 WCC Semifinals

TBA

March 10

WCC TBA Championship

*-Southpoint Shootout in Las Vegas WCC Tournament in Las Vegas

AT A GLANCE McCarthey Athletic Center: 6,000 capacity Ticket office: (509) 313-6000

REBOUNDS

Sunny Greinacher ......... 5.4 ASSISTS

PHOTOS: Colin Mulvany, Dan Pelle, Tyler Tjomsland, Gonzaga University

Lindsay Sherbert ........... 1.5 Staff graphic by Ralph Walter

WCC PREDICTED FINISH ORDER 1. Gonzaga 2. BYU 3. Pacific 4. San Diego 5. Saint Mary’s 6. Loyola Marymount 7. Portland 8. Santa Clara 9. San Franciso 10. Pepperdine

2014-15 GU WOMEN’S ROSTER No. 1 3 5 11 12 13 14 22 23 24 31 32 33 42 44

Name Chelsea Waters Kacie Bosch Georgia Stirton Laura Sullivan Emma Wolfram Jill Barta Sunny Greinacher Shaniqua Nilles Kiara Kudron Keani Albanez Elle Tinkle Melissa Holland Lindsay Sherbert Emma Stach Shelby Cheslek

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

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

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

Hometown (Previous school) Lewiston, ID (Lewiston) Alberta, Canada (Chinook) Melbourne, Australia (North Idaho College) Seattle, WA (Holy Names Academy) Kamloops, British Columbia (South Kamloops) Fairfield, MT (Fairfield) Essen, Germany (Grashof Gymnasium ) Spokane, WA (West Valley) New Boston, MI (Huron) Santa Barbara, CA (Buena) Missoula, MT (Big Sky) Atherton, CA (Sacred Heart Prep) Temecula, CA (Cal ) Buchholz, Germany Pullman, WA (Pullman)

FAST FACTS Conference: WCC Colors: Blue, white, red Home court: McCarthey Athletic Center (6,000) Website: gozags.com Head coach: Lisa Fortier, 1st season Record at GU: 0-0 Assistants: Jordan Green, 1st season; Craig Fortier, 1st; Stacy Clinesmith, 1st 2013-14: 29-5 overall, 16-2 West Coast Letterwinners: 9 back, 5 lost Starters: 3 back, 2 lost Newcomers: 5

NOVEMBER 6, 2014

THE SPOKESMAN-REVIEW

THURSDAY

PAGE T5

DIVISION I WOMEN

Conference: Pac-12 Colors: Crimson and gray Home court: Friel Court (11,671) Website: wsucougars.com Head coach: June Daugherty, 8th season Record at WSU: 73-146 Assistants: Mike Daugherty, 8th; Brian Holsinger, 8th; Ashley Grover, 3rd 2013-2014: 17-17, 9-9 Pac-12 Letterwiners: 8 back, 3 lost Starters: 4 back, 1 lost Newcomers: 7

Conference: Pac-12 Colors: Purple and gold Home court: Alaska Airlines Arena (10,000) Website: gohuskies.com Head coach: Mike Neighbors, 2nd season Record at UW: 21-14 Assistants: Kevin Morrison, 3rd; Adia Barnes 3rd, Fred Castro, 1st 2013-2014: 21-14, 10-8 Pac-12 Letterwinners: 5 back, 1 lost Starters: 4 back, 1 lost Newcomers: 4

Conference: Big Sky Colors: Red and white Home court: Reese Court (6,000) Website: goeags.com Head coach: Wendy Schuller, 14th season Record at EWU: 177-207 Assistants: Bryce Currie, 1st; Jerise Freeman, 1st 2013-2014: 16-14, 12-8 Big Sky Letterwinners: 7 back, 4 lost Starters: 4 back, 1 lost Newcomers: 3

Conference: Big Sky Colors: Silver and Vandal gold Home court: Cowan Spectrum (7,000) Website: govandals.com Head coach: Jon Newlee, 7th season Record at Idaho: 93-95 Assistants: Crista Sanford, 7th; Kristi Zeller, 4th; Miranda Forry, 1st 2013-2014: 25-9, 15-1 WAC Letterwinners: 8 back, 2lost Starters: 4 back, 1 lost Newcomers: 2

TYLER TJOMSLAND tylert@spokesman.com

Senior forward Sunny Greinacher, Gonzaga’s leading returning scorer, says she is playing with a sense of urgency in her final year with the Zags.

SUNNY OUTLOOK As long as new point guard emerges, senior Greinacher likes Gonzaga’s chances By Thomas Clouse tomc@spokesman.com, (509) 459-5495

Gonzaga women’s basketball player Sunny Greinacher has entered that zone where she knows everything she does for the Bulldogs will be for the last time. The 6-foot-4 forward from Essen, Germany, will be one of three senior scorers who will be relied upon as the team furiously tries to get a couple of new guards playing within the system that has won or tied for the West Coast Conference championship for the past decade and has made six consecutive trips to the NCAA Tournament. “There is definitely a sense of urgency, knowing this is my last year,” Greinacher said. “It’s just crazy. There is definitely that big urge to do especially good this year.” In her first year as head coach, Lisa Fortier inherits a squad that finished 29-5 and lost to James Madison in the first round of the NCAA tournament. But after that game, the team lost its top scorer, Haiden Palmer, and a four-year-starting point guard Jazmine Redmon to graduation. Then, top backup and four-game starter, Danielle Walter, decided to follow former coach Kelly Graves to Oregon. Not long after Graves arrived in Eugene, one of Gonzaga’s top guard recruits, Lexi Bando, flipped her

DAN PELLE danp@spokesman.com

GU coach Lisa Fortier, along with assistant (and husband) Craig Fortier, look for help in backcourt.

commitment to the Zags and instead became a Duck. That has left a McCarthey Athletic Center-sized door open for newcomers Georgia Stirton (5-8 transfer from North Idaho College), Emma Stach (5-9 freshman of Buchholz, Germany) and Kacie Bosch (5-9 freshman of Lethbridge, Alberta). “There is a big responsibility for those three on the point now,” Greinacher said. “They have done a great job so far. We also have more role players who are

2014-15 WSU WOMEN’S ROSTER No. 0 1 2 3 5 10 11 12 15 21 22 23 24 34 42

Name Ashley Bolston Caila Hailey Krystle McKenzie Lia Galdeira Tia Presley Alexas Williamson Dawnyelle Awa Taylor Edmondson Ivana Kmetovska Nike McClure Pinelopi Pavlopoulou Shalie Dheensaw Bianca Blanaru Mariah Cooks Louise Brown

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

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

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

Hometown (Prev School) Medford, Ore. (South Medford HS) Inglewood, Calif. (Serra HS) Brisbane, Australia Kamuela, Hawaii (Konawaena HS) Spokane, Wash. (Gonzaga Prep) Chino Hills, Calif. (Mater Dei HS) Kealakekua, Hawaii (Konawaena HS) Carlsbad, N.M. (Carlsbad HS) Skopeje, Macedonia (Orce Nikolov) Tenino, Wash. (W.F. West HS) Athens, Greece (ACS Athens) Victoria, B.C. (Claremont Secondary) Timisoara, Romania Santa Maria, Calif. (Ernest Righetti HS) Melbourne, Australia

Name Osahor, Chantel Johnson, Hannah Walton, Talia Plum, Kelsey Gilling, Mathilde Collier, Katie Corral, Heather Lark, Khalia Kingma, Kelli Ruiz, Brianna Atchley, Alexus Williams, Aminah Davis, Jazmine Wieburg, Mackenzie

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

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

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

Hometown (Previous School) Phoenix (Saint Mary's) Los Angeles (Bishop Alemany) Federal Way, Wash. (Federal Way HS) Poway, Calif. (La Jolla Country Day) Rungsted, Denmark (Rungsted Gym) Covington, Wash. (Seattle Christian HS) Vancouver, Wash. (Prairie) Irvine, Calif. (Mater Dei HS) Mill Creek, Wash. (Jackson HS) Sacramento (Del Oro HS) Yorba Linda, Calif. (Yorba Linda HS) Seattle (Kennedy HS) San Jose (Valley Christian HS) Sammamish, Wash. (Issaquah HS)

See WOMEN, T8

2014-15 IDAHO WOMEN’S ROSTER No. 1 2 4 10 11 12 13 14 22 23 31 32 35

2014-15 UW WOMEN’S ROSTER No. 0 1 3 10 11 13 14 15 20 21 22 23 32 42

stepping up and seeking the opportunity to do more.” Fortier said she plans to take all the time allowed to make sure the new guards get acclimated to how Gonzaga attacks other teams. “Both Stirton and Emma Stach are really coming along,” Fortier said. “It’s not as easy to learn the position as the other four are. There are a lot of intracacies in running a team and how we want them to run it. It’s not as easy as just learning the plays.” As a result, Fortier said she will rely heavily on Greinacher, and fellow seniors Lindsay Sherbert, a 6-foot wing, and 5-10 shooting guard Keani Albanez to lead the younger players and shoulder a heavier scoring load. “The new players are doing the best they can, but they need someone to guide them. Those guys (Sherbert, Greinacher and Albanez) are pulling them along. They are gentle, yet firm, making sure they do it the right way. “They have been as helpful as we have been as coaches in molding them into the point guards that we want them to be.” Provided the Zags get the ball up the court, opposing teams will not find anything easy in the paint when they encounter Greinacher or returning 6-5 center Shelby Cheslek. She’s joined by another 6-5 center in Emma

Name Salvatore, Christina Wilson, Karlee Reilly, Brooke Barr, Stacey Corrigan, Tayla Solo, Nejra Forde, Ali Austgulen, Maren Krause, Bethany Mokrzycki, Renae McCorkell, Geraldine Trujillo, Agueda Ballestero, Connie

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

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

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

Hometown (Previous school) Anaheim, Calif. (Canyon H.S.) Lewiston, Idaho (Lewiston H.S.) Spokane (Mt. Spokane H.S.) Melbourne, Australia (Maribyrnong) Adelaide, Australia (Mineral Area Col.) Zenica, Bosnia (PRVA Gimnazija) Woodinville, Wash. (Woodinville H.S.) Bergen, Norway (Pinewood Prep.) Centerville, Ohio (Centerville H.S.) Melbourne, Australia (NIC) Melbourne, Australia (P. & E. Grammar) Manacor, Spain (IES CTEIB) Orange, Calif. (Villa Park H.S.)

2014-15 EWU WOMEN’S ROSTER No. 3 4 11 13 20 22 23 24 25 33 34 35 42 55

Name Kiana Brown Delaney Hodgins Cece Pearl Lexie Nelson Tisha Phillips Kayleigh Ryan Mariah Cunningham Miranda Mielke Hayley Hodgins Marly Anderson Jade Redmon Haley Shaner Melissa Williams Bethany Montgomery

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

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

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

Hometown (Previous school) Triangle Lake, Ore. (Triangle Lake HS) Pasco (Chiawana HS) Peoria, Ariz. (Peoria HS) Butte, Mont. (Univ. of Montana) Lapwai, Idaho (Lewiston HS) Lynden, Wash. (Lynden Christian HS) Spokane (Central Valley HS)Davenport, Wash. (Davenport HS) Pasco (Chiawana HS) Portland (Glencoe HS) Spokane (Mead HS) Sacramento, Calif. (West Campus HS) Camas, Wash. (Camas HS) Tacoma (Wilson HS)

PAGE T6

THURSDAY

NOVEMBER 6, 2014

THE SPOKESMAN-REVIEW

GONZAGA BULLDOGS

COMFORT ZONE Trim Karnowski feeling more at home with Zags By Jim Meehan jimm@spokesman.com, (208) 765-7131

rzemek Karnowski is 7-feet-1, 288 pounds, and he’s not done growing. Not in a physical sense. He’s not getting taller. He has dropped some pounds and toned up since arriving from Torun, Poland, three years ago. Karnowski becomes more settled in Spokane with each passing day. He’s more comfortable with the language, his classes, where to grab some food. He’s blossoming on the basketball court, where he emerged as a force inside last season.

“I was so shy my freshman year,” the junior center said. “It’s way different now. I have to step up and show the young players that they can count on us (upperclassmen). I know how it was to arrive here and get off the plane and go to classes and be confused. “I know how Domantas (Sabonis) feels. I show him where to eat, introduce him to my friends. I know the English basketball language. I know when coaches say something exactly what it means. I remember my freshman year I didn’t know what to say or how to act. For sure it’s big progress, but I’m still a little nervous about presentations in class.” It appears the best is yet to come for Karnowski, who averaged 10.4 points, 7.1 rebounds and 1.7 blocks last season. He’s in the best shape of his life. His weight and body-fat percentage is down. He’s gained strength and mobility “He’s getting more comfortable in all facets of his life,” coach Mark Few said. “Looking back at some of the pictures from his freshman year, he’s in vastly better shape and showing some of the things he can do.” Karnowski appeared on Gonzaga’s radar after assistant coach Tommy Lloyd saw him play against Kevin Pangos’ Canadian team at the U-17 world championships in Germany. Lloyd noticed Karnowski had good feet, great hands and a soft touch on his jump hook. JESSE TINSLEY jesset@spokesman.com

See KARNOWSKI, T9

Gonzaga center Przemek Karnowski had a big impact as a sophomore, but figures to grow even more in his junior year.

Defense. Gonzaga has a nice blend of inside and outside scoring options and most pundits expect the Zags to be among the country’s top offenses. Their defense seems to have the pieces to be stout, too. Bell is an accomplished defender, USC transfer Byron Welsey has the size and strength to guard athletic wings and Przemek Karnowski is a quality rim protector. Vanderbilt transfer Eric McClellan should be a factor defensively when he becomes eligible in January.

The Wesley factor. Last year at this time it was the Coleman factor. Projected as the WCC preseason newcomer of the year by some publications, Gerard Coleman’s impact never materialized and he transferred to Georgetown (Ky.) College. Wesley led USC in scoring and rebounding last year and is a willing defender. The Bulldogs would be more than pleased if Wesley defends at a high level and can produce in the vicinity of his three-year USC averages of 12.4 points and 5.3 rebounds.

Dance longer. The Bulldogs are annual NCAA tournament participants – and figure to be TYLER TJOMSLAND tylert@spokesman.com again this season – but they haven’t Gonzaga senior Gary Bell, Jr., is a part of one of the most experienced backcourts in the nation. played beyond the first weekend since 2009. One theory for the Zags’ short tournament stays is that the majority of of fielding two solid starting units but battled lingering injuries and Sam only five can be on the court at one time. Dower was sidelined early in the WCC their toughest tests occur in the first six weeks of the season and they lose their Players accustomed to being a primary campaign. Pangos and Bell are healthy edge in the lightly regarded WCC. BYU option may have to adapt to different and form one of college basketball’s and Saint Mary’s remain strong and San roles and sacrifice personal objectives – most experienced backcourts. GU’s Diego, Portland and San Francisco are minutes, points, all-conference, etc. – depth should be able to provide more capable of crashing the top three so GU for overriding goals of the team. rest for the senior duo and the starters in general. Somewhat overlooked in the will be tested in conference. Still, the Depth. It’s never a problem having a deep bench, but juggling the Stay healthy. It didn’t happen last 2012-13 team’s rise to the program’s first Zags need to find a way to improve from start to finish and carry that momentum numbers and distributing playing season when Kevin Pangos and, to No. 1 ranking was its relatively short into the Big Dance. injury list. time can be tricky. Gonzaga is capable a lesser degree, Gary Bell Jr.,

KEYS to success

PAGE T8

THURSDAY

NOVEMBER 6, 2014

THE SPOKESMAN-REVIEW

COACHING

June Daugherty Record/years .................... 387-360/25

Mike Neighbors Record/years ............................. 20-14/1

Wendy Schuller Record/years ....................... 177-207/13

Jon Newlee Record/years ....................... 221-209/15

Assistants: Mike Daugherty, Brian Holsinger, Ashley Grover

Assistants: Kevin Morrison, Fred Castro, Adia Barnes

Assistants: Bryce Currie, Jerise Freeman, Alex Earl

Assistants: Christa Sanford, Kristi Zeller, Miranda Forry

LEADING RETURNERS

Scoring ........................ Tia Presley, 19.0 Rebounds ......... Shalie Dheensaw, 6.6 Assists .................. Dawnyelle Awa, 3.3

Scoring .................... Kelsey Plum, 20.9 Rebounds ......... Aminah Williams, 10.4 Assists ..................... Jazmine Davis, 3.2

Scoring ..................... Lexie Nelson, 15.9 Rebounds ........... Melissa Williams, 6.2 Assists ..................... Jade Redmon, 3.4

Scoring ....................... Stacey Barr, 18.2 Rebounds ........................ Ali Forde, 7.9 Assists .............. Connie Ballestero, 4.4

2013-14 RECORD

9-9 Pac-12, 17-17 overall

10-8 Pac-12, 21-14 overall

12-8 Big Sky, 16-14 overall

15-1 WAC, 25-9 overall

2014-15 SCHEDULE

Date Nov. 14 Nov. 16 Nov. 19 Nov. 21 Nov. 25 Nov. 28 Nov. 29 Dec. 4 Dec. 9 Dec. 20 Dec. 22 Jan. 3 Jan. 5 Jan. 9 Jan. 11 Jan. 16 Jan. 18 Jan. 23 Jan. 25 Jan. 31 Feb. 2 Feb. 6 Feb. 8 Feb. 13 Feb. 15 Feb. 20 Feb. 22 Feb. 26 Feb. 28 March 5

Opponent Dayton Idaho State Nebraska Seattle at Hampton *Michigan *Maryland at UCSB at Gonzaga Montana State at LMU at Arizona at Arizona St. California Stanford at Oregon St. at Oregon Utah Colorado at Stanford at California Oregon Oregon State at Colorado at Utah at Wash. Washington UCLA USC Pac-12 first round March 6 Pac-12 quarterfinals March 7 Pac-12 semifinals March 8 Pac-12 championship

Time 7 p.m. 1 p.m. 8 p.m. TBA 4 p.m. 9 a.m. 5:30 4 p.m. TBA 1 p.m. 2 p.m. 11 a.m. 7 p.m. 5 p.m. 1 p.m. 6 p.m. 1 p.m. 7 p.m. 1 p.m. 12:30 5 p.m. 5 p.m. 2 p.m. 6 p.m. 11 a.m. 7:30 1 p.m. 7 p.m. 3 p.m. TBD TBD TBD 6 p.m.

*-at SanJuan, Puerto Rico Pac-12 tournament in Seattle

Date Nov. 14 Nov. 20 Nov. 23 Nov. 27 Nov. 28 Nov. 29 Dec. 4 Dec. 7 Dec. 14 Dec. 18 Dec. 20 Dec. 29 Jan. 3 Jan. 5 Jan. 9 Jan. 11 Jan. 16 Jan. 19 Jan. 23 Jan. 25 Jan. 31 Feb. 2 Feb. 6 Feb. 8 Feb. 13 Feb. 15 Feb. 20 Feb. 22 Feb. 26 Feb. 28 March 5

Opponent at Oklahoma South Dakota Yale *Florida State *Furman *Hartford Seattle at Portland Grambling at SDSU at UC Riv. Texas A&M at Arizona St. at Arizona Stanford California at Oregon at Oregon St. Colorado Utah at California at Stanford Oregon State Oregon at Utah at Colorado WSU at WSU USC UCLA Pac-12 first round March 6 Pac-12 quarterfinals March 7 Pac-12 semifinals March 8 Pac-12 championship

All Day All Day

Date Nov. 14 Nov. 18 Nov. 22 Nov. 24 Nov. 30 Dec. 3 Dec. 12 Dec. 14 Dec. 17 Dec. 21 Dec. 22 Jan. 1 Jan. 3 Jan. 10 Jan. 15 Jan. 17 Jan. 22 Jan. 24 Jan. 31 Feb. 5 Feb. 7 Feb. 12 Feb. 14 Feb. 19 Feb. 21 Feb. 26 Feb. 28 March 5 March 7 March 12 March 13 March 14

PAC-12 PREDICTED FINISH ORDER

1. Stanford 2. Oregon 3. USC 4. California 5. Oregon State 6. WSU 7. Washington 8. Arizona State 9. UCLA 10. Colorado 11. Utah 12. Arizona the NCAA Tournament. Coach Jon Newlee has four of five starters returning and now has four players from Australia, including leading scorer Stacey Barr, who averaged 18.2 points a game. The team has been picked to finish third by coaches in its first year in its return to the Big Sky. The Vandals finished 25-9 and 15-1in the WAC last year. “We are trying to get our new players involved in everything as quickly as possible,” Newlee said on the school’s website. “We have so many returners that they could get lost in the shuffle a little bit.” Newlee added two new freshmen and two junior college

Opponent at Utah Valley Wichita St. at SMU at Ablne Chr. Central Wash. Gonzaga St. Martin's at Boise St. Portland *Ga. Southern *TBD at Weber St. at Idaho St. Idaho Portland St. Sac. St. at No. Colo. at N. Dakota at Idaho Montana Montana St. at Sac. St. at Portland St. Southern Utah Northern Ariz. at Montana St. at Montana Idaho St. Weber St. Big Sky quarterfinal Big Sky semifinal Big Sky championship

Time 3:30 6 p.m. 12 p.m. 5 p.m. 4:35 6 p.m. TBA 1 p.m. 6 p.m. 9 a.m. TBA 6 p.m. 1 p.m. 2 p.m. 6 p.m. 2 p.m. 6 p.m. 12 p.m. 2 p.m. 6 p.m. 2 p.m. 7 p.m. 2 p.m. 6 p.m. 2 p.m. 6 p.m. 1 p.m. 6 p.m. 2 p.m. TBA TBA TBA

*-Gator Holiday Classic at Gainesville, Fla. Big Sky tournament at site of regular-season champion

6 p.m.

*-at Cancun, Quintana Roo, Mexico

Tinkle. They are part of a roster that has nine players Continued from T5 6 foot or taller. Fortier wouldn’t predict Wolfram, of Kamloops, how she thinks her first British Columbia, who team will finish, especially redshirted last year. given the upgraded Fortier even said she competition in the could see a scenario when both 6-5 players are on the conference. The team opens the season at home court at the same time. on Nov. 16 at 2 p.m. against “One (Cheslek) is Dayton. defensive minded and one “I hope it goes well,” she (Wolfram) is more offensive said. “I hope we can get minded. She’s one of our them to play as hard as they best mid-range shooters,” can every day.” Fortier said. “So, if we can Regardless of who steps get (Wolfram) and Shelby up on any given night, working together Greinacher said the players defensively, then you are driven to keep certainly can run them together. We’ll be tall if we Gonzaga’s run of success alive. get them both out there. “The people who have That’s for sure.” Sherbert, who averaged left Gonzaga or played for 10.8 points last year, slashes Gonzaga, they deserve to to the basket and pops free have the tradition continue,” she said. for long-range shots. “Lindsay and Keani and I Albanez works more as a leave next year. Then the spot-up shooter and Greinacher, who averaged next seniors will have that legacy. We just pass it on.” 11.8 points and 5.4 rebounds, finds her points in transition and around the Idaho basket. Idaho smashed the The team also has several competition last year in its final other capable juniors in year in the Western Athletic 6-foot wing Shaniqua Conference as the Vandals Nilles, 6-2 forward Kiara women’s basketball team Kudron and 6-2 guard Elle earned its second-straight bid to

WOMEN

Time 5 p.m. 7 p.m. 7:30 3:30 1 p.m. 3:30 7 p.m. 2 p.m. 12 p.m. 6 p.m. 5 p.m. 6 p.m. 1 p.m. 5 p.m. 7 p.m. 3 p.m. 8 p.m. 5 p.m. 7 p.m. 11 a.m. 2:30 7 p.m. 7 p.m. 6 p.m. 7 p.m. 4:30 7:30 1 p.m. 6 p.m. 1 p.m. All Day

transfers in 6-foot post Renae Mokrzycki (North Idaho College) and 6-2 post Tayla Corrigan. “They should be able to catch up pretty quick,” Newlee said of Mokrzycki and Corrigan. “They are experienced.”

EWU

Eastern Washington got off to a slow start last year but the Eagles women’s basketball team rallied in Big Sky play to finish with a winning record. This year, Big Sky coaches picked Wendy Schuller’s squad to finish fifth. The Eagles return leading scorer and All Big-Sky senior guard Lexie Nelson. She’s joined by starter Hayley Hodgins and late-season starters in senior Melissa Williams and sophomore Jade Redmon on a team that finished 16-14 and 12-8 in the Big Sky. “We've got a really, really solid core of kids that have been in the program and know how we play and have bought into what we want to do,” Schuller said on the school’s website. “They've put a culture into our program this year that is what we feel like we need in order to be successful.” The team seemed to turn a corner once Redmon (Mead), younger sister to former Gonzaga guard Jazmine

Date Nov. 14

Opponent at Cal State Northridge Nov. 17 at UC Santa Barbara Nov. 22 San Diego Nov. 25 at Wyoming Nov. 29 at Seattle U Dec. 4 at Oregon St. Dec. 7 Multnomah Dec. 10 at Baylor Dec. 13 at Toledo Dec. 14 at Southeast Missouri State Dec. 20 Lewis-Clark St. Jan. 1 at Idaho St. Jan. 3 at Weber St. Jan. 10 at EWU Jan. 15 Sac. St. Jan. 17 Portland State Jan. 22 at N. Dakota Jan. 24 at No. Colo. Jan. 31 EWU Feb. 5 Montana State Feb. 7 Montana Feb. 12 at Portland St. Feb. 14 at Sac. St. Feb. 19 No. Arizona Feb. 21 Southern Utah Feb. 26 at Montana Feb. 28 at Montana St. March 5 Weber State March 7 Idaho State March Big Sky 12 quarterfinal March Big Sky 13 semifinal March Big Sky 14 championship

BIG SKY PREDICTED FINISH ORDER

1. Idaho 2. Southern Utah 3. North Dakota 4. Montana 5. EWU 6. Idaho State 7. Sacramento State 8. Montana State 9. Northern Arizona 10. No.Colorado 11. Portland State 12. Weber State Redmon, took over the starting point-guard position. “In a lot of ways, how Jade goes is how we're going to go,” Schuller said. “She's that type of point guard who can change a game with her ability to get into the lane on offense and her tenacity on defense.”

WSU

The Washington State women’s basketball team is looking for more after finishing third in the Pac-12 Tournament and playing in the postseason for the first time in 23 years when it played in the Women's National Invitation Tournament. The team finished 17-17 and 9-9 in the Pac-12.

Time 2 p.m. 7 p.m. 2 p.m. 6 p.m. 1 p.m. 11 a.m. 2 p.m. 5 p.m. 11:30 9 a.m. 7 p.m. 6 p.m. 1 p.m. 1 p.m. 6 p.m. 2 p.m. 5 p.m. 1 p.m. 2 p.m. 6 p.m. 2 p.m. 7 p.m. 2 p.m. 6 p.m. 2 p.m. 6 p.m. 1 p.m. 6 p.m. 2 p.m. TBA TBA TBA

“I’m really excited,” Coach June Daugherty said on the school’s website. “It’s not just the excitement, it’s the expectation to build upon that and get to the postseason and get to the NCAA tournament. It is something that is definitely driving us.” The team returns the 1-2 scoring punch of Lia Galdeira and Tia Presley, of Spokane, who both were named to the All Pac-12 first team last year. Presley led the team in scoring with 19 per game, followed by Galdeira’s 18.5. The Cougars also added seven new freshmen. “We are way longer and athletic, whether it is in the post or guard position,” Daugherty said. “We are very excited about that.”

There will be no lack of experience on a Husky team that put together its third-straight 20-win season and made it to the quarterfinals of the WNIT. The Huskies’ spotlight should shine on the backcourt with senior Jazmine Davis and sophomore Kelsey Plum. Davis can become the first UW player to earn four All-Pac-12 first team honors. She needs just 276 points to become UW’s all-time leading scorer.

PAGE T10

THURSDAY

NOVEMBER 6, 2014

THE SPOKESMAN-REVIEW

WASHINGTON S

SHARING THE LOVE: Men’s basketball coach Ernie Kent is Washington State’s ambassador of positive vibes, spreading his can-do message to the Cougar fait

CULTURE CH Ernie Kent brings new attitude to Pullman to help revive downtro Stories by Jacob Thorpe R jacobt@spokesman.com, (509) 710-8070

ULLMAN – The fact Ernie Kent is even at Washington State means that he has a tall task ahead of him to make the Cougars a competitive team. If the team hadn’t sunk to a level where it barely reached double-digit wins, then his old friend, athletic director Bill Moos, would never have come calling, and Kent would still be watching WSU games as an analyst for the Pac-12 networks.

But the losses piled up, Beasley Coliseum started to look like Beasley Mausoleum and Moos went out in search of a rainmaker, who could bring wins eventually and excitement and fans right now. Enter Kent, a coach whose top priority is to simply inject some confidence into a program that hasn’t finished higher than eighth in the conference since the 2010-2011 season. “With this group they’ve not had a lot of success and they are working extremely hard,” Kent said. “The biggest thing with this group is you have to change the culture

of the way it has been before that has not allowed them to have success and that’s what we’re working on right now in all aspects of the program.” Early reports are positive, as they always are in the preseason when everyone looks bigger, stronger, and better until the games start and opponents have improved as well. Kent and his staff have made positivity a priority and have given everyone a green light to shoot. “I believe the production is there in any player and I’m the most positive guy there

is out there in terms of a coach because I think everybody has a game in them,” Kent said. “The key thing is whether or not they believe that and if I can get them to believe that.” Last year the offense was DaVonte Lacy, who averaged 19.4 of WSU’s 62.4 points per game. But even the team’s most prolific shooter feels more offensive freedom. “Last year I had a green light,” Lacy said. “With coach Kent, I really feel like there is no light in that sense. If I have a shot I’m shooting and he feels the same way because

TYLER TJOMSLAND tylert@spokesman.com

ABOVE: One of the biggest tasks facing new coach Ernie Kent is to get the fan base excited about watching basketball at Friel Court, where the team averaged a dismal 2,800 fans last season.

he has so much confidence and he makes that evident for everyone. That the difference.” Brett Boese, wh graduated from 1. Arizona Shadle Park, has be 2. Utah a 3-point marksma 3. Colorado in practice. Actual 4. UCLA so has sophomore 5. Stanford forward Josh 6. California Hawkinson, the on 7. Washington contributor who 8. WSU didn’t attempt any 9. Arizona St. pointers last seaso 10. USC “I’ve been work 11. Oregon St. on my game steppi 12. Oregon out and shooting 3 so that’s probably something you’ll see this year that I didn get to show off last year,” Hawkinson sai “It’s all within the offense, doing your job setting the screens but if you have an ope

PAC-12 PREDICTED FINISH ORDER

NOVEMBER 6, 2014

THE SPOKESMAN-REVIEW

THURSDAY

PAGE T11

TATE COUGARS

KEYS to success

Keep Lacy healthy. A burst appendix, broken ribs and two separate knee injuries have kept Washington State’s best player off the court the past two seasons. Lacy led the Cougars with 19.4 points per game – which would have ranked second in the league if only injuries hadn’t prevented him from reaching the minimum number of games played. He drew most if not all of the opposing defense’s attention, so if new coach Ernie Kent is going to be able to improve an offense that ranked dead-last in the conference in points per game he’s going to need Lacy on the floor, not at the trainer’s table.

Associated Press

A healthy DaVonte Lacy will be crucial to WSU’s success.

Que up some points. Que Johnson was understandably sporadic as a freshman but still showed enough is his first Pac-12 go-round to start 14 games and lead the team in scoring eight times. The guard is a pure shooter with a knack for scoring and he has filled up the stat sheet during early-season practices. Now Kent and the Cougars need him to improve on his 9.5 points per game average from last season, relieving some of the pressure defenses put on Lacy and opening up the entire floor by giving the Cougars two deadly scorers.

COLIN MULVANY colinm@spokesman.com

A hot hand from Que Johnson will take the pressure off Lacy.

Rebounding. Last year Washington State ranked last in the conference in rebounds, corralling just 32.8 per game. Before they can hope to improve on that level of production, however, the Cougars must figure out how to match it. D.J. Shelton pulled in nearly a third of WSU’s rebounds last season, 9.6 per game, and he’s now graduated and moved on to pursue a professional career. Sophomore Josh Hawkinson has to be ready to be a major contributor and Jordan Railey’s rebounding numbers need to go up substantially. Still, everyone needs to crash the boards hard, guards included, for WSU to be a better rebounding team.

TYLER TJOMSLAND tylert@spokesman.com

hful starving for a turnaround to a program that has fallen on hard times.

ANGE odden WSU basketball program t t’s o een an ly, nly y3 n. king ing 3s, n’t id. b en

shot (Kent) encourages you to take all the open shots you can get.” When Kent arrived he had to put the program, which had been rudderless since the dismissal of coach Ken Bone, back on track. And that started with players that he’d never coached. “Any time you have a coaching change, you have a period of time where everybody’s wondering what’s going to happen and I think there can be some slippage there,” Kent said. “What I mean by ‘stabilizing,’ D.J. Shelton, he’s chasing an NBA thing – we needed to make sure he graduated. We got that accomplished. Royce Woolridge had to graduate, James Hunter had to graduate so every senior that left the program is either graduated or right there to graduate. Will DiIorio is here now finishing up to graduate.” Besides simply taking care of the players it was important to make sure those players graduated so that the Cougars wouldn’t suffer a hit in the Academic Progress Rate,

an NCAA performance metric where the Cougars have fared poorly in recent years and could be at risk for a postseason ban. With that taken care of, the Cougars have spent the last month installing Kent’s motion offense and the defensive principles of assistant coach Silvey Dominguez, the team’s “defensive coordinator.” The Cougars will run mostly a man defense with some matchup zone. As the players’ talents become more apparent the offense will evolve to play to their strengths. But more important for now is getting the players to buy in to the new staff and to continue to embrace change for its own sake, because what they were doing simply wasn’t working. “They’ve got to understand you cannot bring a new staff, new style of play, new system, but bring back the same habits,” Kent said. “Because you’re going to get the same results.”

Associated Press photos

ABOVE: Washington State guard DaVonte Lacy says new coach Ernie Kent has instilled confidence. LEFT: Ernie Kent creates a positive atmosphere. “I think everybody has a game in them.”

Associated Press

The Cougars need Jordan Railey’s rebounding numbers to improve.

Fan excitement. The Cougars rarely had much of a home-court advantage last season playing in front of small, dead crowds. Their average home attendance of 2,800 was the lowest mark in the conference by more than 1,000 fans per game and there were rarely that many fans actually in attendance. The fans that did show up rarely had much to cheer about. But the one time the Cougars had more than 5,000 fans show up to a game they played inspired ball to beat rival Washington. If Kent’s arrival can create enough buzz to bring fans out to games it would go a long way toward making Beasley Coliseum a tough place to play.

TYLER TJOMSLAND tylert@spokesman.com

Fan excitement is one of the keys to WSU’s success this season.

A forward that can score from outside. Shelton wasn’t just a contributor on the boards, he was also the only WSU player besides Lacy to hit double figures in scoring, averaging 10.1 points per game. His ability to become a threat from the outside and draw interior defenders away from the rim will be missed unless Hawkinson or Junior Longrus become consistent threats facing the rim. Longrus displayed a good midrange jump shot last season and Hawkinson has been shooting 3-pointers in practices.

Associated Press

Forward Junior Longrus will be counted on for perimeter scoring.

2014-15 COUGARS MEN’S ROSTER No.

Name

Pos.

Ht.

Wt.

Yr.

Hometown

Ike Iroegbu

6-2

190

So.

Sacramento, Calif.

Jackie Davis

6-4

195

Fr.

Long Beach, Calif.

Ny Redding

6-2

180

Fr.

Cleveland, Ohio

Jordan Railey

7-0

245

RSr.

Beaverton, Ore.

Dexter Kernich-Drew

6-7

190

RSr.

Melbourne, Australia

Trevor Dunbar

5-10

175

Fr.

San Francisco

Junior Longrus

6-7

240

Jr.

Oakland, Calif.

Aaron Cheatum

6-7

240

Jr.

Moreno Valley, Calif.

Dominic Ballard

6-4

199

RJr.

Seattle

Josh Hawkinson

6-10

245

So.

Shoreline, Wash.

DaVonté Lacy

6-4

210

Sr.

Tacoma

Marcus Graham

6-3

180

Jr.

Boise

Que Johnson

6-5

205

RSo.

Pontiac, Mich.

Brett Boese

6-7

230

Jr.

Spokane

Valentine Izundu

6-10

215

Jr.

Houston, Texas

FAST FACTS Conference: Pac-12. Colors: Crimson and Gray. Ticket office: 1 (800) 462-6847. Home court: Beasley Coliseum (11,671). Website: wsucougars.com. Head coach: Ernie Kent. Record: 325-254, 19 seasons Assistants: Curtis Allen, 6th season; Greg Graham, 1st season; Silvey Dominguez, 1st season. 2013-14: 10-21 overall, 3-15 Pac-12. Letterwinners: 9 back, 3 lost. Starters: 3 back, 2 lost. Newcomers: 5.

PAGE T12

THURSDAY

NOVEMBER 6, 2014

THE SPOKESMAN-REVIEW

COACHING

Ernie Kent Record/years ........... 325-254/19 Assistants: Greg Graham, Silvey Dominguez, Curtis Allen

2013-14 RECORD 3-15 Pac-12, 10-21 overall

2014-15 SCHEDULE

Pictured: DaVonte Lacy and backcourt mate Ike Iroegbu, inset below, lead the way for Washington State.

Date

Opponent

Time

Nov. 7

Azusa Pacific

7 p.m.

Nov. 14

at UTEP

7 p.m.

Nov. 17

at TCU

5 p.m.

Nov. 21

Idaho State

6 p.m.

Nov. 27

*UC Santa Barbara

9 p.m.

Nov. 28

TBA, Great Alaska Shootout

TBA

Nov. 29

TBA, Great Alaska Shootout

TBA

Dec. 3

Idaho

7 p.m.

Dec. 6

UTSA

Noon

Dec. 10

at Gonzaga (Arena)

8 p.m.

Dec. 13

at Santa Clara 7 p.m.

Dec. 21

San Jose State

4 p.m.

Dec. 28

UC Davis

3 p.m.

Jan. 2

at Stanford

Noon

Jan. 4

at California

3 p.m.

Jan. 10

at Washington

Noon

Jan. 15

Oregon

8 p.m.

Jan. 17

Oregon State

6 p.m.

Jan. 21

at Utah

6 p.m.

Jan. 24

at Colorado

5 p.m.

Jan. 29

California

8 p.m.

Jan. 31

Stanford

5 p.m.

Feb. 5

at Oregon State

7 p.m.

Feb. 8

at Oregon

4 p.m.

Feb. 13

Arizona State

8 p.m.

Feb. 15

Arizona

3:30 p.m.

Feb. 22

Washington

5:30 p.m.

Feb. 25

at USC

7 p.m.

March 1

at UCLA

6:30 p.m.

March 5 Utah

8 p.m.

March 7 Colorado

3:30 p.m.

March 11

Pac-12 first round

All Day

LEADING RETURNERS

March 12

Pac-12 quarterfinals

All Day

POINTS

March 13

Pac-12 semifinals

All Day

March 14

Pac-12 8 p.m. championship

DaVonte Lacy ............... 19.4 Que Johnson ................. 9.5

*-Opening game of Great Alaska Shootout in Anchorage Pac-12 Tournament in Las Vegas

AT A GLANCE Beasley Coliseum: 11,671 capacity Ticket office: (509) 335-9626

REBOUNDS

DaVonte Lacy ................ 4.2 ASSISTS

Ike Iroegbu ..................... 1.5

PHOTOS: Associated Press, Jesse Tinsley Washington State University Staff graphic by Ralph Walter

AP TEAM

Continued from T3 backseat to players like Russ Smith and Peyton Siva. He’s expected to hoist the talented Cardinals on his broad shoulders this season. An athletic, 6-foot-8, 240 pounds, Harrell was a handful for opposing teams last season, averaging 14 points and 8.4 rebounds while shooting 60 percent from the floor. After bypassing a shot at the NBA, he spent the offseason working on his midrange game, making him even tougher to stop. “Montrezl is everything a first-team All-America should be,” Louisville coach Rick Pitino said. “He’s worked at making his game better and I’m real

proud of him.” Kaminsky turned himself into an All-American in his three years with Wisconsin. The 7-footer was little more than a role player his first two seasons in Madison, averaging 4.2 points as a sophomore. He made one of the most dramatic improvements in the country last season, becoming a nightmare matchup with his ability to score inside or out and swat shots away on defense. Kaminsky led the Badgers to their first Final Four since 2000 and spurned a chance at the NBA in hopes of getting them all the way to a championship this year. “Going as far as we did and being so close is obviously painful,” he said. “And it’s tough to block that out of our

mind when you were so close to getting to the championship game, and you’re one possession away. That’s been pretty motivating for me.” VanVleet had a difficult road to get here. His father, Fred Manning, was shot and killed in 1999 when he was 5, so he and his brother Darnell were raised their mother, Susan. The hard-working VanVleet made the most of his opportunities and received on-the-job training from senior Malcom Armstead during the Shockers’ Final Four run in 2012-13 as a freshman. Last season, he blossomed into one of the nation’s best point guards, averaging 11.6 points, 5.4 assists and 4.02-to-1 turnover-to-assist ratio. “It’s nice that such a great player and

great representative of our program is being honored in such a way, but it’s ever more special the quality of individual he is,” Shockers coach Gregg Marshall said. “He’s a great, great young man, he’s persevered and overcome some tough circumstances early in his life to be an exemplary college basketball student athlete.” Okafor has just started his life as a college athlete. The 6-foot-11 forward from Chicago was the MVP of the McDonald’s All-American game and was considered by many recruiting services as the No. 1 overall player in his class. Okafor has a wide wingspan, good footwork, and arrives in Durham with a polished game and an NBA-ready body. He just hasn’t played a college game.

NOVEMBER 6, 2014

THE SPOKESMAN-REVIEW

THURSDAY

PAGE T13

JUNIOR COLLEGES

DAN PELLE danp@spokesman.com

CCS sophomore guard Dean Richey has had to watch practice while his hand heals, but should be ready to go when the Sasquatch open the season on Nov. 25.

DEAN’S STORY CCS guard overcomes rough start, thanks to nurturing families Despite his solid freshman numbers at CCS last season (12.9 points, 4.65 rebounds and 3.23 assists per game), Richey said he rarely played as a junior at As a child, Dean Richey didn’t realize LC. he was poor, even when living in a Richey said Groth actively recruited camper with his grandmother. him out of AAU fall league, where he But by the time he became a troubled “played free and had fun.” adolescent, Richey knew something “You could just tell from watching wasn’t right with his life, and that Dean in high school that he had some of something started with a mother who that ‘it’ factor that some good players had given birth at age 16 and a father who really have,” Groth said. “Dean was had never been in his life. really competitive, he wanted to win, he Seeing Richey as he is now, as a got his teammates involved and he was well-adjusted adult and 6-foot-5 just a joy to watch.” sophomore leader on the Community Now Richey is at the best point of his Colleges of Spokane men’s basketball life, set up to continue his basketball at a team, it’s clear that something dramatic four-year school and get a degree. He happened to him in the last four years. continues to improve his life, including Put simply, other families took Richey DAN PELLE danp@spokesman.com his relationship with his mother, who in as one of their own, allowing him to CCS coach Jeremy Groth says guard now has two young children and a fiance. mend his rift with his mother and Dean Richey is a joy to watch. “Living with the Stophers and Damons become the person that others can really improved my relationship with my admire. mom because it gave me a healthy freshman at Lewis and Clark. His mom “I would never change one hardship, kicked him out of the house, leading him distance and helped me grow,” Richey one obstacle,” Richey said. “I would said … “Now she knows what she’s doing. to move in with his grandmother and never change anything I’ve ever been When it was me and her, she didn’t have transfer to Rogers. through in my life, because I’ve seen so any help from anybody.” Richey moved back and returned to many walks of life. … I’m not saying I’m a Richey recently broke a knuckle on his LC as a sophomore, but the arguments great person, but I understand life and I continued. He said his mom “rightfully” right hand while dunking after practice. understand anything I could go He hopes to be fully healed by the kicked him out again, but this time fate through.” Sasquatch’s Nov. 25 opener at Salish dealt Richey a winning hand. “Dean’s going to take this and he’s Richey was invited to move in with the Kootenai College in Pablo, Montana. going to run with it,” CCS coach Jeremy Until Richey returns, the Sasquatch Damon family, Clay and Ann, whose son Groth said. … “When it’s all said and may start five freshmen: 6-5 wing/post Austin was his friend and LC basketball done, Dean’s story is going to be a great Race Martin of Pullman; 6-2 point guard story, as far as getting a degree at the end teammate. Kage Sobotta, Clarkston; 6-1 guard Jacob “That was one of the greatest things and bettering his own situation.” Richey doesn’t fault his mother, Fawn, that ever happened to me … because they DeVries; 6-3 wing Jake Love, West gave me the fundamental home structure Valley High; and 6-7 Dalton Patchen, because he knows the two of them Colton. that I never had and always needed,” basically grew up together. As a child, “Last year we had Qwinn Hanson, one Richey was shuttled between his mother Richey said. “I didn’t know what it was of the best big guys in our NWAC region, like to not have fighting at home.” and grandmother, Aurellia, whom he and this year we’ll have some inside When Austin left for college, Richey calls his “superhero.” Money was tight, presence, for sure, but we’re really moved in with Kelly and Sally Stopher, food was scarce, and there was no male guard-heavy this year,” Groth said. “We who continue to offer him their home. figure to stand up to Richey when his just have more pieces this year, guys who middle-school friends offered cigarettes, Kelly had been Richey’s AAU coach and the person who encouraged him when alcohol and reckless diversions. playing time at LC was infrequent. Richey said he failed two classes as a See RICHEY, T19 By Chris Derrick

chrisd@spokesman.com, (509) 459-5502

2014-15 CCS MEN’S ROSTER No. 1 2 3 4 5 10 13 14 15 20 22 24 32 33 40 42

Name Dean Richey Kyle Johnson Kage Sobotta Jake Love Kellen Miller Jacob DeVries Paris Estrada Chase McDuffie Race Martin JJ Winger Orin Porter AJ Knudsen Dalton Patchen Brady Bergman Justin Holbrook Jon Thompson

Pos. W G G W G G G G W W W G W C C C

Ht. 6-5 5-11 6-2 6-3 6-1 6-1 6-2 5-11 6-5 6-3 6-2 6-1 6-7 6-6 6-5 6-5

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

High school Lewis & Clark Colfax Clarkston West Valley Freeman Richland Durango (NV) North Central Pullman Lake City (ID) Incline Village (Nev.) Central Valley Colton West Valley Coronado (Ariz.) Timberlake (Idaho)

2014-15 CCS WOMEN’S ROSTER No. 4 10 11 12 14 15 20 22 24 32 34 40 42 44 50

Name Karlee Martin Jaida Burgess Khadija Neumeyer Rayla Lohman Briana King Bianca Gonzales Aurorah Davis Mackenzie Reddish Jessica Boyer Jamila Shafer Emily Schramm Amanda Bearmedicine Jennifer Gonzales Gese Gruber Jenessa Heine

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

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

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

High school ACH Spring-Ford, Penn. Capital, Idaho Lewiston North Central Chiawana Quincy Rosalia Wilbur-Creston Grandview Chelan Sentinel, Mont. Chiawana Ellensburg Flathead, Mont.

2014-15 NIC MEN’S ROSTER No. 0 1 2 3 4 5 10 11 20 21 22 23 24 31 32 33

Name Jamaal Robateau Lucas Antunez Will Dorsey Djuan Piper Marcus Harris D’Adrian Allen Zaequan Satterthwaite Braian Angola-Rodas Fuquan Niles Jordan King Kyle Guice Charlie Lockwood David Baze Ty Higbie Austin Pope Kellen Dohrman

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

Ht. 6-5 6-3 5-8 6-7 6-4 6-8 6-6 6-6 6-10 6-4 6-7 6-11 6-6 6-6 6-6 6-8

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

Hometown Sun. Cst., Australia Madrid, Spain Seattle Seattle Puyallup, Wash. Brampton, Ontario Puyallup, Wash. Villnva, Colombia Seattle Seattle Coeur d’ Alene Inglewood, Calif. Las Vegas, Nev. Coeur d’ Alene Burbank, Calif. Post Falls

2014-15 NIC WOMEN’S ROSTER No. 5 10 12 15 21 22 23 24 25 32 33 44 55

Name Samara Hill Katie King Maci Benedict Bailey Schroeder Shelby Cloninger Ryleigh Swagerty Kara Staggs Monica Landdeck Sabrina Earle Caitlyn Behymer Mariah Swanson Grace Varcoe Panisesi Taimani

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

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

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

Home Town Frnkstn., Australia Post Falls Lebanon, Ore. Benton City, Wash. Kamiah, Idaho Burlington, Wash. Okanogan, Wash. Issaquah, Wash. Medical Lake Okanogan Burlington, Wash. Gold Cst., Australia Kennewick

CCS MEN Date

Opponent

Time (p.m.)

Nov. 21 Alumni Game Nov. 25 at Salish Kootenai College Nov. 28-30 *at Red Devil Classic Dec. 5-7 Bigfoot Classic Dec. 12-14 #Dale J Bates Invitational Dec. 18-20 %NWAC Crossover Jan. 2 at Everett CC Jan.3 at Whatcom CC Jan.10 at Wenatchee Valley Col. Jan.16 Treasure Valley CC Jan.17 Blue Mountain CC Jan.21 at Walla Walla CC Jan.24 Columbia Basin College Jan.28 at Yakima Valley CC Jan.31 at Big Bend CC Feb. 7 Wenatchee Valley College Feb. 13 at Blue Mountain CC Feb. 14 at Treasure Valley CC Feb. 18 Walla Walla CC Feb. 21 at Columbia Basin College Feb. 25 Yakima Valley CC Feb. 28 Big Bend CC March 7-10 &NWAACC Tournament

8 5 TBA TBA TBA TBA 8 2 4 8 4 8 4 8 4 4 8 3 8 4 8 4 TBA

* - Longview CC; # - Eugene; % Clackamas CC; & - Kennewick

CCS WOMEN Date

Opponent

Time (p.m.)

Nov. 21 CCS Alumni Nov. 23 Bellevue College Nov. 28-30 at Thanksgiving tourney* Dec. 7 Centralia College Dec. 12-14 at Everett Holiday Classic Dec. 18-20 Spokane NWAC Crossover Dec. 28-30 at Skagit Valley tourney Jan. 5 North Idaho College Jan. 10 at Wenatchee Valley Col. Jan. 16 Treasure Valley CC Jan. 17 Blue Mountain CC Jan. 21 at Walla Walla CC Jan. 24 Columbia Basin College Jan. 28 at Yakima Valley CC Jan. 31 at Big Bend CC Feb. 7 Wenatchee Valley College Feb. 13 at Blue Montain CC Feb. 14 at Treasure Valley CC Feb. 18 Walla Walla CC Feb. 21 at Columbia Basin College Feb. 25 Yakima Valley CC Feb. 28 Big Bend CC March 7-10 at NWAACC tourney#

6 2 TBA TBA TBA TBA TBA 6 2 6 2 6 2 6 2 2 6 1 6 2 6 2 TBA

* - Glendale, Ariz.; # - Kennewick

NIC MEN Date

Opponent

Nov. 6 Nov. 8 Nov. 11 Nov. 14 Nov. 21 Nov. 22 Nov. 25 Dec. 2 Dec. 5-7 Dec. 13 Dec. 18 Dec. 20 Dec. 29 Dec. 31 Jan. 8 Jan. 10 Jan. 17 Jan. 22 Jan. 24 Jan. 29 Jan. 31 Feb. 7 Feb. 12 Feb. 14 Feb. 19 Feb. 21 Feb. 26-28

Gonzaga University Club NIC All-Stars at Salish Kootenai College Salish Kootenai College at Chemeketa CC at Portland CC Columbia Basin at Columbia Basin *Everett at College of So. Idaho at Colorado Northwestern at Utah State-Eastern Medicine Hat College Blue Mountain CC at Salt Lake CC at Snow College College of So.Idaho Utah State-Eastern Colorado Northwestern Snow College Salt Lake CC at College of So. Idaho Utah State-Eastern Colorado Northwestern at Snow College at Salt Lake CC at Region 18 tourney#

Time (p.m.) 7:30 7:30 5 6 6 4 7:30 7:30 2 4 6:30 4 8 8 6:30 4 5 7:30 5 7:30 5 6:30 7:30 5 6:30 4 TBA

* - Bigfoot Classic at Spokane Falls CC; # - at USU-Eastern

NIC WOMEN Date

Opponent

Time (p.m.)

Nov. 8 North Idaho All-Stars Nov. 22 Bellevue College Nov. 25 Columbia Basin College Nov. 28 Casper College Nov. 29 Casper College Dec. 2 at Columbia Basin College Dec. 6 Centralia College Dec. 13 at College of So. Idaho Dec. 18 at Colorado NW CC Dec. 20 at Eastern Utah Dec. 28 at Whatcom CC Dec. 28-30 Holiday Classic* Jan. 2 Trinity Western University Jan. 3 Trinity Western University Jan. 5 at Spokane CC Jan. 8 at Salt Lake CC Jan. 10 at Snow College Jan. 17 College of Southern Idaho Jan. 22 Eastern Utah Jan. 24 Colorado NW CC Jan. 29 Snow College Jan. 31 Salt Lake CC Feb. 7 at College of So. Idaho Feb. 12 Utah State- Eastern Feb. 14 Colorado NW CC Feb. 19 at Snow College Feb. 21 at Salt Lake CC Feb. 26-28 Region 18 tourney#

5:30 5:30 5:30 7:30 3 5:30 5:30 2 4:30 2 3p TBA 5:30 3 6 4:30 2 3 5:30 3 5:30 3p 4:30 5:30 3 4:30 2 TBA

* - Longview, Wash.; # - Price, Utah

PAGE T14

THURSDAY

NOVEMBER 6, 2014

THE SPOKESMAN-REVIEW

WHITWORTH PIRATES

KEYS to success

Find a point guard. Coach Matt Logie and senior forward Taylor Farnsworth rave about junior transfer Matt Staudacher, who came over to Whitworth from Simon Fraser. He will get every opportunity to win the job to replace Northwest Conference player of the year Dustin McConnell.

Find a shooting guard. Kenny Love came into camp 22 pounds lighter on his 6-1 frame. Love, a sophomore, started a handful of games and his size made him a matchup nightmare for other conference guards. Love looks to drive more than shoot, but should fill in capably for graduated sharpshooter Colton McCargar. Kionte Brown, a 6-1 sophomore guard from Shadle Park, should also get plenty of looks.

Use that length. Logie now has 10 players on the roster who are 6-5 or taller. That statistic alone

Alberto De Miguel, from Madrid, Spain, Logie said his lineup could go 11 or 12 players deep. That should cause headaches for any conference team trying to match up.

should make his team the tallest in the Northwest Conference. Forward George Valle always plays bigger than his 6-4 frame, but the roster is full of young players, including 6-10 sophomore post Drew Sears, who could help rest the senior posts, 6-8 Taylor Farnsworth and 6-7 Adam Wilks.

Find a stopper. The Whitworth team made huge strides as the season progressed last year. But with several games on the line, the Pirates often looked to McConnell to carry them home. The team needs to find that player, possibly Jurlina, to turn those last-second comebacks into victories that McCargar and McConnell created so well.

Find enough minutes. The leading scorer is 6-5 sophomore wing Christian Jurlina, who served as the Pirates’ sixth man last year. With six new players, including 6-7 freshman

DEPTH MAKES WHITS TOUGH Farnsworth healthy, ready to leave legacy By Thomas Clouse tomc@spokesman.com, (509) 459-5495

Not long before the Whitworth Pirates men’s basketball team started practicing last year, an ailing Taylor Farnsworth was forced to sleep in a chair. The 6-foot-8 post player had surgery on his shoulder to repair a torn labrum in June 2013 and was only cleared to do a half-practice on the first day camp opened last fall. The Pirates’ leading rebounder, shot blocker and third-best returning scorer said he didn’t feel like he was in playing condition until January as the Pirates made yet another run to the second round of the NCAA Division III Tournament. “It was definitely nice to have a full summer and preseason,” Farnsworth said. “Coach always says, ‘Leave your legacy. I want to leave something like that especially for the younger guys. They put in a ton of work. I want to play well so they have the best season they can.” To win its sixth straight Northwest Conference crown and make its ninth consecutive trip to the national tournament, the Pirates, who were ranked No. 17 preseason by D3hoops.com, must replace all-conference guards, and its top-two leading scorers, Colton McCargar and Dustin McConnell. But coach Matt Logie, who has a 75-14 coaching record in three years at Whitworth, has plenty of firepower returning. That starts with Farnsworth (Mead), who beefed up from 225 to 237 pounds and appears to be in the best shape of his career. Farnsworth “is a guy I want to be the face of our program,” Logie said. “He took the next step this past season. He’s now a physically imposing presence with two years of a starter’s experience.” The team’s leading returning scorer is forward Christian Jurlina, a 6-5 sophomore forward from Sydney, Australia, who averaged 10.9 points even though he didn’t start. The Pirates also have 6-1 guard Kenny Love, who dropped 22 pounds and enters the year at 190 after averaging 7.1 points a game as a part-time starter last year. Logie also gets back starting 6-4 junior George Valle, who averaged 9.6 points from the power forward position, although he can play any position on the floor. “He’s one of the most versatile players I’ve played with,” Farnsworth said of Valle. “He’s a really good, all-around player.” Logie also brought in an impressive group of six new players, including potential starting point guard Matt Staudacher, a 6-1 junior, who transferred from Simon Fraser. Staudacher “has a really nice feel for the game,” Logie said. “He’s very comfortable at the point guard position. He’s played that his entire life. And, he provides us some good

COLIN MULVANY colinm@spokesman.com

Christian Jurlina, a 6-5 sophomore forward from Sydney, Australia, is the leading returning scorer for the Whits.

scoring.” Logie also got three other sophomore transfers in 6-2 guard Derek Isaak (Coulee City) and 6-5 forward Austin Damon (Lewis and Clark), both from Northwest Nazarene; and 6-7 forward Forrest Baker (Mead) from Lewis-Clark State. The two freshmen who joined the team were 5-9 guard Josh Thayer from Stanwood and 6-7 forward Alberto De Miguel from Madrid, Spain. In fact, in one recruiting cyle, Logie’s roster went from having six players 6-5 or taller to having 10 of them. “We will look more like a basketball team walking through the airport than we did last year,” Logie said. “That length helps us in some

2014-15 WHITWORTH MEN’S ROSTER No. 1 3 5 12 15 20 22 23 24 32 34 35 40 41 42 44 50

Name Kionte Brown Matt Staudacher Kenny Love Forrest Baker Christian Jurlina Austin Damon Derek Isaak Josh Thayer Taylor Farnsworth George Valle Gabe Carter Riley Moreen Drew Sears Alberto de Miguel Brandon Loiler Adam Wilks Ekow Nottinson-Nyaaku

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

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

Wt. 188 177 190 195 191 204 172 159 237 213 190 182 210 200 223 205 219

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

Hometown (Previous School) Spokane (Shadle Park HS) Kirkland, Wash. (Simon Fraser Univ.) Santa Rosa, Calif. (Card. Newman) Spokane (Lewis-Clark St. College) Sydney, Australia (Sydney Boys) Spokane, Wash. (NW Nazarene) Coulee City, Wash. (NW Nazarene) Stanwood, Wash. (Stanwood HS) Spokane (Univ. of Montana) Bellevue (Sammamish HS) Sequim, Wash. (Sequim HS) Coeur d'Alene (Lake City HS) Stanwood, Wash. (Stanwood HS) Madrid, Spain (MacDuffie, Mass.) Lake Oswego, Ore. (Lakeridge HS) Andover, Kan. (Andover Central HS) London, England (Gonzaga Prep)

areas where we have been weak. This is the deepest team we have had … at every position.” The Pirates also return 6-1 guard Kionte Brown (Shadle Park), who is healthy after undergoing knee surgery before last season. “He’s an explosive athlete,” Logie said of Brown. “We plan to keep him on the wing. He’s embraced the challenge of being the defensive stopper” against the opponent’s best scorer. The team also returns 6-7 senior post Adam Wilks, who averaged 5 points a game and played a lot of minutes as Farnsworth played himself back into shape. “At times in the past when we

FAST FACTS Colors: Crimson and black Home: Whitworth Fieldhouse (1,620) Website: www.whitworthpirates.com Head Coach: Matt Logie Record: 75-14, fourth season 2013-14: 23-6, 14-2 NWC Letterwinners: 9 returning, 5 lost Starters: 2 back, 3 lost Newcomers: 6

WOMEN Head Coach: Helen Higgs Record: 305-207, 21st season 2013-14 record: 21-8, 13-4 NWC Letterwinners: 9 returning, 3 lost Starters: 2 back, 3 lost Newcomers: 7

See WHITWORTH, T17

2014-15 WOMEN’S WHITWORTH ROSTER No. 2 3 4 5 10 11 12 13 14 15 20 21 22 24 25 31 32 33

Name Grace Douglas Erika Kuehn Kendra Knutsen Briann Maley JoJo Nicolas KC McConnell Jessica Kramer Mikayla Kraemer Callie Harwood McKenzie Harsin Alexis McLeod Chloe Quinnett Lexie Zappone Holly Malsbury Faith Emerson Jessica Thoens Kayla Leland Katara Belton-Sharp

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

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

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

Hometown (Previous School) Lynnwood, Wash. (Lynnwood HS) Billings, Mont. (Central Catholic HS) Spokane (Shadle Park HS) Rosalia, Wash. (Rosalia HS) Honolulu, Hawaii (Moanalua HS) Clarkston, Wash. (Clarkston HS) Lewiston, Idaho (Eastern Oregon) West Linn, Ore. (West Linn HS) Snohomish, Wash. (Snohomish HS) Mead (Mt. Spokane HS) Kirkland, Wash. (Woodinville HS) Moscow, Idaho (Moscow HS) Spokane (Lakeside HS) Newport, Wash. (Newport HS) Santa Barbara, Calif. (Prov. Hall HS) Oregon City, Ore. (Warner Pacific) Spokane (Gonzaga Prep HS) Spokane (Ferris HS)

NOVEMBER 6, 2014

THE SPOKESMAN-REVIEW

THURSDAY

MEN

WOMEN

COACHING

PAGE T15

Matt Logie

Helen Higgs

Record/years) ................... 75-14/3

Record/years .............. 305-207/20

Assistants: Damion Jablonski, Patrick Frost, Zach Payne

Assistants: David Pratt, Chene Cooper, Morgan Jo Wolff, Alecia Wilson

2013-14 RECORD

14-2 NWC, 23-6 overall

13-4 NWC, 21-8 overall

2014-15 SCHEDULE

Date

Opponent

Time

Date

Opponent

Time

Nov. 15

D’Youville

Eastern Ore.

5 p.m.

7 p.m.

Nov. 15

Nov. 20 RutgersNewark

7 p.m.

Nov. 20 RutgersNewark

6 p.m.

Nov. 22

St. Thomas (Minn.)

8 p.m.

Nov. 28

*vs. Eastern Ore.

4 p.m.

Nov. 26

at Redlands

7 p.m.

Nov. 29

at Caltech

7 p.m.

*at Col. of Idaho

4 p.m.

Nov. 29 Dec. 6

Alumni

5 p.m.

Dec. 5

at Texas Lutheran

4 p.m.

Dec. 16

at 7 p.m. Southwestern (Tex.)

Dec. 6

at 3:30 p.m. Southwestern (Tex.)

Dec. 18

at Trinity (Tex.)

Dec. 13

#vs. Corban

4 p.m.

Dec. 14

#vs. Walla Walla

Noon

Dec. 30

Northwest (Wash)

6 p.m.

Jan. 2

at Willamette

6 p.m.

Jan. 3

at Lewis & Clark

4 p.m.

5 p.m.

Dec. 21

Marian (Wis.)

5 p.m.

Dec. 22

Wells

3 p.m.

Jan. 2

at Willamette

Noon

Jan. 3

at Lewis & Clark

8 p.m.

Jan. 6

Whitman

6 p.m.

Jan. 9

Linfield

8 p.m.

Jan. 6

Whitman

6 p.m.

Jan. 16

at Pacific (Ore.)

8 p.m.

Jan. 9

Linfield

6 p.m.

Jan. 16

at George Fox 8 p.m.

at Pacific (Ore.)

6 p.m.

Jan. 17 Jan. 23

Puget Sound

6 p.m.

Jan. 17

at George Fox 4 p.m.

Jan. 24

Pacific Lutheran

8 p.m.

Jan. 23

Puget Sound

6 p.m.

Jan. 24

4 p.m.

Jan. 30

Lewis & Clark

6 p.m.

Pacific Lutheran

Jan. 31

Willamette

8 p.m.

Jan. 30

Lewis & Clark

6 p.m.

Feb. 3

at Whitman

6 p.m.

Jan. 31

Willamette

4 p.m.

Feb. 7

at Linfield

8 p.m.

Feb. 3

at Whitman

6 p.m.

Feb. 13

George Fox

6 p.m.

Feb. 7

at Linfield

6 p.m.

Feb. 14

Pacific (Ore.)

8 p.m.

Feb. 13

George Fox

6 p.m.

Feb. 20

at Pacific Lutheran

6 p.m.

Feb. 14

Pacific (Ore.)

4 p.m.

Feb. 20

6 p.m.

at Puget Sound

8 p.m.

at Pacific Lutheran

Feb. 21

at Puget Sound

4 p.m.

Feb. 21

Pictured: Taylor Farnsworth and Christian Jurlina, inset left, return for the Whitworth men; the Whitworth women return the services of all-everything guard KC McConnell, inset right.

*-Lady ’Yote Classic at Caldwell, Idaho #-Kim Granger Classic at Walla Walla

LEADING RETURNERS SCORING

Christian Jurlina ............................ 10.9 George Valle ................................... 9.6 REBOUNDS

Taylor Farnsworth ........................... 5.9 ASSISTS

Christian Jurlina ............................... 1.8

LEADING RETURNERS POINTS

KC McConnell .............................. 14.7 Lexie Zappone .............................. 7.9

AT A GLANCE Whitworth Fieldhouse: 1,620 capacity Ticket office: (509) 777-3224

Staff graphic by Ralph Walter

REBOUNDS

KC McConnell ............................... 5.9 ASSISTS

Lexie Zappone .............................. 3.3

PHOTOS: Colin Mulvany, The Spokesman-Review archive, Associated Press, Whitworth University

Courtside Season Tickets Available Now! $200 for men’s, $200 for women’s, or both for $300

To order season tickets, visit www.whitworthpirates.com.

PAGE T16

THURSDAY

NOVEMBER 6, 2014

THE SPOKESMAN-REVIEW

IDAHO VANDALS

KEYS

Washington State in a nine-day span to ramp up the intensity. Soon enough, some of the kids are going to have to play older than their years. One early possibility: 6-5 freshman Victor Sanders, who the Vandals landed a week before school started.

No Carmelos or LeBrons. Verlin needs leadership from his three seniors – guards Connor Hill and Mike Scott, and forward Bira Seck. But he doesn’t need anything superhuman. “I’ve told them: ‘You’ve got to be yourself,’ “ Verlin said. “Mike Scott is good enough. Connor is good Growing up quickly. Coach Don Verlin’s eligible roster includes nine Replacing Stephen Madison’s enough. We want leadership, yes, but in the context of who they are.” freshmen and sophomores, plus a production. That’s 20 points JC transfer. Not that this is all so and eight rebounds that left with different – Verlin had 10 new faces last the 6-6 forward, Idaho’s leading scorer Inside moves. The Big Sky is a year, though half were seasoned in 23 games last year. This should be no guard’s league, and Idaho is deep transfers. He knows he needs to get bulletin: it’ll be by committee. “I’ve told and capable at that position. But them game-ready quickly, which is why our guys, some of the best teams have cracking the upper echelon requires he scheduled two exhibitions rather four of five guys average in double some inside presence, and the Vandals than just one, plus a doors-closed figures,” Verlin said. “We’ll be different. are suspect there. Seck is a dirty-work scrimmage. There are also two long This is going to have to be a team type, but nursed a bad foot through trips to accelerate the bonding process, effort.” camp and JC transfer Nahshon George and rivalry games with Boise State and Along those lines … was set back by the mumps. If Ty

to success

Egbert doesn’t make strides in his third year in the program, freshmen Arkadiy Mktuchyan and Nate Sherwood will have to deliver. “It’s the key to our basketball team,” Verlin agreed.

Develop a defensive identity. The Vandals were next-to-last in the Western Athletic Conference a year ago in defense against the field goal and steals, and last in blocked shots – and that league wasn’t murderers’ row. Verlin’s teams generally know how to score, but there are lots of teams like that in the Sky. Idaho has to start stringing together stops. Some of this is related to developing an inside presence: the Vandals must establish a rebounding mindset, low-block muscle and someone to protect the rim.

Associated Press

University of Idaho guard Connor Hill, a Post Falls graduate, figures to play a key role in the guard-oriented Big Sky Conference.

BIG SKY EMBRACE Return to old league a positive move for road-weary Idaho basketball team to be so much better for our team. “If I could pick any conference to be in – in our situation – I would tell you the Big Sky.” In the fall, the Big Sky Conference Which is not to say anyone is makes for a touchy subject at the expecting the Vandals to dominate upon University of Idaho. But turn a few calendar pages and the their return. In a poll of the league’s coaches last Vandals find the topic downright month, Idaho was picked to finish embraceable. And now that basketball is back in the seventh; media that cover the Sky had the Vandals a spot lower. And that’s in a Big Sky, it’s easy to get the impression year when Montana, one of the that they never should have left. conference’s perennial toughies, will be “Excluding football,” Vandals coach fighting for its postseason life. Don Verlin is quick to qualify, “I think Naturally, the Vandals aren’t it’s the right place for us to be.” conceding a thing. While Idaho’s roster Except it took the Western Athletic tilts heavily toward freshmen and Conference falling apart as a football sophomores, the staff thinks its guard enterprise to get Idaho back in the Sky play will keep it afloat in a after an 18-year absence. Football has guard-dominant league – providing found a home in the Sun Belt there’s some rebounding and defensive Conference so it may continue to presence. compete at the FBS level, even as a And by way of a barometer, Verlin’s faction of the fan base believes it, too, first six Idaho teams were 12-9 against should come back to the old Big Sky opponents – with six of those neighborhood. losses to Montana. That back-and-forth continues on Besides, Idaho’s basketball history in message boards and barstools, if nowhere that it actually matters. But on its first run through the Sky was fitful. It hoop’s return, there is no debate. Indeed, took the Vandals 18 years to finish atop irrespective of any new additions to the the standings and win the conference tournament. Don Monson’s teams went roster who might prove to have an to back-to-back NCAA tournaments in impact, Idaho’s new/old digs figures to the early 1980s; Kermit Davis repeated be the most important program the feat later in the decade. development of the 2014-15 season. But it could be argued that the “It restores or renews rivalries that program took a major turn south when Idaho has had for a long time, in a the school opted to abandon the league. conference setting that’s always more Joe Cravens presided over Idaho’s last meaningful,” Verlin said. “And to go with the regional part of it, the travel is going Big Sky team in 1996 – when athletic By John Blanchette Correspondent

BIG SKY PREDICTED FINISH ORDER 1. Weber St. 2. EWU 3. NAU 4. Sacramento St. 5. Montana 6. Idaho 7. No. Colorado 8. Portland St. 9. Idaho St. 10. North Dakota 11. Montana St. 12. Southern Utah

“But one thing I do see in the Big Sky is that there are a lot of good coaches in the league – and a good mix,” Verlin said. “You’ve got some young guys, some first-time head coaches, and some older guys who’ve done it for a while. From what we experienced last year in the WAC, that jumped out at me.” But not nearly as much as the travel. As the WAC grappled with the fallout from realignment and keep itself alive, it was forced to expand well beyond the West – and the time members spent on the road. Last year, the Vandals had to find their way to far-flung schools like Texas-Pan American, Grand Canyon, Chicago State and Missouri-Kansas City. They covered nearly 11,000 air miles on five trips, not counting any busing to regional airports. Associated Press That figure will fall to something like Don Verlin applauds the Vandals’ move 4,600 miles this year – the longest trip a to the Big Sky, especially the travel part. 1,400-mile swing to Sacramento and Portland. The Vandals will bus to Eastern Washington, and from Bozeman director Pete Liske, enamored with the possibility of luring back Davis, fired his to Missoula and home on the Montana trip. coach after just three seasons. Davis “The biggest thing is not taking three then bailed after one year – Idaho’s first flights every time we leave here in the Big West – and the school’s next three head coaches were all fired before anymore,” Verlin said. “To Weber and Idaho State, it’s a flight to Salt Lake City. Verlin was coaxed into the job. In the meantime, average attendance – already To NAU, it’s Spokane to Phoenix and modest at 2,763 in that last Sky season – some bus time. Southern Utah is direct plummeted 60 percent by 2013, before a to Las Vegas and a bus ride. It helps a little that we don’t play North Dakota small uptick last year. and Northern Colorado. But the Sky has seen some slippage “I listen to the coaches in the Big Sky itself. Last year its RPI was 28th among complain about travel. This is a walk in 32 Division I conferences. The year the park.” before Idaho left the league, it was 15.

2014-15 VANDALS MEN’S ROSTER No. 1 2 3 5 11 12 13 14 15 21 23 24 33 41 44 50

Name Callandret, Perrion Wiggs, Sekou Straughan, Jake Hill, Connor Sanders, Victor Scott, Mike Seck, Bira Sherwood, Chad Mpawe, Paulin Mkrtychyan, Arkadiy Sherwood, Nate George, Nahshon White, Skyler Egbert, Ty Scott, Jordan Asencio, Roberto

Pos. G PG G G G PG PF G F F PF F F F SF C

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

Wt. 180 182 175 190 195 180 215 180 227 235 200 238 195 200 245

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

Hometown (Previous school) Bothel, Wash. (Bothel HS) Seattle, Wash. (O'Dea HS) Colton, Wash. (Colton HS) Post Falls, Idaho (Post Falls HS) Portland, Ore. (Jefferson High School) Los Angeles, Calif. (Antelope Valley CC) Dakar, Senegal (Olney Central College) Albany, Ore. (West Albany HS) San Bernardino, Calif. (San Bern. Valley) Portland (Columbia Christian HS) Albany, Ore. (West Albany HS) Kapolei, Hawaı`i (Shoreline CC) Bellevue, Wash. (George Washington) Coulee Dam, Wash. (Lake Roosevelt HS) Colorado Springs, Colo. (Lewis-Palmer) Haina, D.R. (Des Moines Area CC)

FAST FACTS Conference: Big Sky Colors: Silver, Vandal gold Ticket office: (208) 885-6466 Home court: Cowan Spectrum (5,000) Website: govandals.com Head coach: Don Verlin Record: 97-96, 7th season Assistants: Tim Murphy, 5th season; Kirk Earlywine, 3rd; Chris Helbling, 7th 2013-14: 16-18 overall, 7-9 WAC Letterwinners: 7 back, 4 lost Starters: 2 back, 3 lost Newcomers: 7

THE SPOKESMAN-REVIEW

NOVEMBER 6, 2014

THURSDAY

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COACHING

Don Verlin Record/years ................ 97-96/5

Pictured: Guards Sekou Wiggs and Connor Hill, inset below, return to anchor a veteran Idaho backcourt.

Assistants: Kirk Earlywine, Chris Helbling, Tim Murphy

2013-14 RECORD 7-9 WAC, 16-18 overall

2014-15 SCHEDULE Date

Opponent

Time

Nov. 7

Lewis-Clark State*

7 p.m.

Nov. 14

Eastern Oregon

7 p.m.

Nov. 17

South Dakota State

7 p.m.

Nov. 20 at Northern Illinois

5 p.m.

Nov. 25

at Boise State 6 p.m.

Nov. 29

Northern Kentucky

7 p.m.

Dec. 3

at Wash. State

7 p.m.

Dec. 6

UC Davis

2 p.m.

Dec. 11

at Western Illinois

5 p.m.

Dec. 13

at South Dakota State

5 p.m.

Dec. 18

Walla Walla

7 p.m.

Dec. 22

at Northern Kentucky

4 p.m.

Jan. 1

Idaho State

7 p.m.

Jan. 3

Weber State

7 p.m.

Jan. 10

Eastern Washington

7 p.m.

Jan. 15

at Sacramento 7 p.m. State

Jan. 17

at Portland State

7 p.m.

Jan. 22

North Dakota

7 p.m.

Jan. 24

Northern Colorado

7 p.m.

Jan. 31

at Eastern Washington

2:05 p.m.

Feb. 5

at Montana State

6 p.m.

Feb. 7

at Montana

6 p.m.

Feb. 12

Portland State 7 p.m.

Feb. 14

Sacramento State

7 p.m.

Feb. 19

at Northern Arizona

6 p.m.

Feb. 21

at Southern Utah

6 p.m.

REBOUNDS

Feb. 26

Montana

7 p.m.

Bira Seck ......................... 5.1

Feb. 28

Montana State 1 p.m.

LEADING RETURNERS POINTS

Connor Hill .................... 14.2 Sekou Wiggs ................. 9.9

ASSISTS

Mike Scott ...................... 2.2

March 5 at Weber State

6 p.m.

March 7 Idaho State

6 p.m.

March 12

Big Sky quarterfinals

TBA

March 13

Big Sky semifinals

TBA

March 14

Big Sky TBA championship

*-Exhibition Big Sky Tournament at site of regular-season champion

AT A GLANCE Cowan Spectrum: 7,000 capacity Ticket office: (208) 885-6466 PHOTOS: Associated Press, The Spokesman-Review archive, University of Idaho Staff graphic by Ralph Walter

son. “He always wants a ball in his hands. It will be special when I get to Continued from T14 talk to him and show him pictures of needed someone to make a play, we had him coming to my games.” just a few options,” Logie said. “We may not have an all-American, but we have Women multiple all-conference players. Who For the second year in a row, steps up on a given night may be Whitworth women’s basketball coach determined by what the defense tries to Helen Higgs finds herself trying to take away first.” replace the team’s leading scorer as she Farnsworth, a 22-year-old accounting tries to qualify for the NCAA Division major, was named team captain along III tournament for the third straight with Valle on a team that could play 11 season. or 12 players in every game. Higgs said she will rely on returning But as Farnsworth plays out his final starters, a pair of 5-7 guards, KC season, he now has another young fan McConnell and Lexie Zappone watching his every move: 18-month-old (Lakeside) to make up for the loss of Colton. Farnsworth got married on Aug. Jamie Lyons, Kendra Lahue and 16 to Ashley, a girl he met in all-conference player Kayla Johnson, kindergarten. who led the Pirates with 18.5 points and “I get a ton from him. He’s been at 7.3 rebounds. every game,” Farnsworth said of his Zappone and McConnell “are special

WHITWORTH

players, too,” she said. “I can’t ask them to do what Kayla did, but I can ask them to do what they did last year a little bit more and a little bit better.” Higgs, who has a career mark of 305-207 in 20 years, led the Pirates to a 21-8 overall record last season and 13-4 in the Northwest Conference. The Pirates were ranked No. 20 in the D3hoops.com preseason poll. Whitworth defeated Whitman in the conference tournament title game before later falling to the same Missionaries team in the second round of the national tournament. Whitman later advanced to the national championship game before losing to undefeated Fairleigh Dickinson. “I’m really happy with our effort,” Higgs said of the current team. “I think we are pretty good, athletically. I think we can do a lot of the same things.”

Higgs said she expects expanded roles for 5-5 senior guard Kendra Knutsen (Shadle Park), 5-9 senior forward Katara Belton-Sharp (Ferris), 5-9 senior forward Jessica Kramer, 5-8 junior guard Alexis McLeod and 5-8 junior forward JoJo Nicolas. “Anytime they change their roles, there is always growing pains,” Higgs said. “Right now, we are trying to say, ‘Hey. These are the things we value. This is our identity. And, this is what it takes to win.’” As always, the Pirates face a conference that boasts some of the best Division III basketball in the country. The same poll has Whitman ranked No. 2 and George Fox ranked No. 24. “There are no easy games,” Higgs said. “You can’t just show up in our league and think you are going to win it.”

PAGE T18

THURSDAY

NOVEMBER 6, 2014

THE SPOKESMAN-REVIEW

WASHINGTON HUSKIES

KEYS to success

Finding C.J.’s surrogate. Guards Nigel Williams-Goss and Andrew Andrews are obviously more-thancapable scorers, but C.J. Wilcox was the kind of weapon who forced teams to game plan for him. What’s more, he took 42 percent of the Huskies’ 3-pointers last season and was far and away their most accurate long-distance shooter. His presence allowed Williams-Goss to blossom, and now he’ll be the one getting all the defensive attention.

There is no “I” in “D.” But there needs to be an “E” – as in everyone. Statistically, the Huskies were the Pac-12’s worst team in field goal defense (47.5 percent? Ugh!) and easily the worst by the eye test. This was largely an interior failing – the graduated Perris Blackwell was hardly the human eraser. The arrival of 7-footer Robert Upshaw figures to be a significant upgrade in this department, but Shawn Kemp Jr. needs to assert himself as a rebounder, too. And mostly, the Huskies have to look like they care about stops.

Associated Press

Shawn Kemp Jr., struggled last season after being diagnosed with Graves’ disease, but has plans to dominate in his senior season.

BACK IN GEAR With Graves’ disease under control, Kemp aims high in senior season By John Blanchette Correspondent

Some of the baggage and burden of Shawn Kemp Jr.’s basketball life has been assigned, and some has been courted. He didn’t pick his name, for instance – that came from his father, the former NBA superstar. But he did choose his dad’s game, and when it came time to pick a college, he elected to attend the University of Washington in the same town where the senior Kemp polished his star with the Seattle SuperSonics. And for good measure, he opted to wear a Huskies uniform with the number 40, the same as pops did. So there many who watch him play do so with the anticipation and expectation that he will reveal himself to be a second coming – running, posting, generally having his way with opponents. The Reign Kid. They’re still waiting – in part because of other burdens and baggage. There was the year he spent in basketball limbo after high school, taking online classes to bump his grades in order to get into UW. A fitful freshman season followed as he grappled with the demands and challenges of Division I basketball, and then a knee injury cost him seven games early in his sophomore year. Still feeling his way in early January, Kemp finally broke out when he was inserted into the starting lineup over the last 14 games, averaging 8.4 points and 3.4 rebounds. More anticipation bubbled up for his junior season, until his energy level took a nosedive during the summer of 2013 and

PAC-12 PREDICTED FINISH ORDER 1. Arizona 2. Utah 3. Colorado 4. UCLA 5. Stanford 6. California 7. Washington 8. WSU 9. Arizona St. 10. USC 11. Oregon St. 12. Oregon

his weight plummeted 20 pounds in the space of two weeks. Then came the diagnosis: the 6-foot-9 forward had Graves’ disease. “Everybody thought I was out of shape,” Kemp said, “but it was like my body was shutting down.” An autoimmune condition, Graves’ disease releases antibodies that stimulate the production of thyroid hormones. An acceleration of the body’s metabolism is one of a number of wide-ranging symptoms. Olympic sprinter and hurdler Gail Devers suffered from the condition, as did former Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Bobby Engram. When Kemp played 30 minutes and scored 10 points in a season-opening win over Seattle University, the diagnosis didn’t seem like much of a setback. But his condition wavered and his minutes plunged into the single digits over the holidays. “It’s always hard to deal with something you can’t really control,” Kemp said, “and that was the biggest part for me. I wanted to be out on the court doing what I can do, but because of my condition I couldn’t go all the time. Trying to get the medication right was a battle – I’m still going through that with the doctors every once in a while. “The big thing for me was, when I finally did feel better I was trying to do everything at once. You want to score all the points, get all the rebounds you didn’t score when you couldn’t play. I had to accept it would take time to get back to where I wanted to be, and it was frustrating.” In time, Kemp did make it back to the

starting lineup. But his season numbers – 4.4 points, a mere 1.8 rebounds a game – spoke to his ineffectiveness. Which only means more in the way of expectation this season, amplified by need. Kemp’s struggles at UW have dovetailed with the program’s general underachievement. The Huskies haven’t reached the NCAA tournament since 2011. They did make it to the NIT semis in 2012, then were bounced in the first round of that event the following year. After a 9-9 finish in the Pac-12 and a first-round loss in the league tournament last year, the Huskies simply sat out the postseason. “That first year, we felt like we might have got a little cheated (by missing an NCAA bid),” he said, “but these past couple years have been rough. And this is my last chance. I would love to be in the big dance my senior year.” And for 2015, he is the most veteran presence up front. Jernard Jarreau did play significant minutes as a freshman, but missed all of last year with a torn ACL. Sophomore 7-footer Robert Upshaw is a budding talent, but he too sat out 2014 after transferring from Fresno State. Kemp said the sense of urgency throughout the team is palpable. “We all decided to stay here for the whole summer and that hasn’t happened in recent years,” he said. “I think that created a strong connection for all of us. As for me, I worked on everything – from post moves to jump shots, getting in perfect condition. “I feel I’m going to be the most dominant person on the court. This is it for me, and there’s a lot I want to get done.”

2014-15 HUSKIES MEN’S ROSTER No.

Name

Pos.

Ht.

Wt.

Yr.

Hometown (Previous School) Sacramento, Calif. (Sheldon HS)

Johnson, Darin

6-5

200

So.

Winters, Quevyn

6-5

200

Jr.

Milwaukee, Wis. (Indian Hills CC)

Williams-Goss, Nigel

6-3

190

So.

Happy Valley, Ore. (Findlay Prep, Nevada)

Kingma, Dan

5-10

155

Fr.

Mill Creek, Wash. (Jackson HS)

Anderson, Mike

6-4

205

Sr.

Hartford, Conn. (Moberly Area, Mo. CC )

Andrews, Andrew

6-2

195

Jr.

Portland (Benson Tech HS)

Garrett, KJ

6-3

190

Fr.

Manhattan Beach, Calif. (Rolling Hills Prep)

Jarreau, Jernard

6-10

240

Jr.

New Orleans, La. (McDonogh 35 Senior)

Upshaw, Robert

7-0

250

So.

Fresno, Calif. (Fresno State)

Bowman, Greg

6-5

200

Fr.

Mountlake Terrace, Wash. (MTHS) Los Angeles (Pacific Hills HS)

Taylor, Jahmel

6-0

170

So.

Dierickx, Gilles

7-0

230

Jr.

Ghent, Belgium (Florida International )

Kemp, Jr., Shawn

6-9

255

Sr.

Canton, Ga. (Hargraves Academy, Va.)

Dorsey, Donaven

6-7

215

Fr.

Lacey, Wash. (Timberline HS)

Living large. Where are you Jon Brockman and Spencer Hawes? Finding the right rotation up front is important for coach Lorenzo Romar, but anything impactful up there would be. Romar loves the guard-wing orientation, but the Huskies need to be able to do some work inside, too. Again, a big season from Shawn Kemp Jr. would help, but even if it’s by committee, the Huskies need to find some scoring and some defensive muscle, too. Having freshman Tristan Etienne leave the team in October was not a helpful development.

Accelerated adjustment. Two transfers figure to play substantial roles: Upshaw, the 7-footer from Fresno State, and wing Quevyn Winters, a one-time Duquesne signee who arrives from junior college. Transfers, despite their collegiate experience, often require time to get their bearings in a lineup or rotation, but especially in Upshaw’s case the Huskies don’t have time to waste. Then again, better late than early. Mike Anderson seemed to make a quick adjustment to D-I ball last season, but was a non-factor the last month of the season.

LoRo go-go. Seeing UW coach Lorenzo Romar’s name on the obligatory “hot seat” lists going into the season seems ridiculous, but such is the college basketball culture these days. The wheels have hardly fallen off the program, but not being in the NCAA tournament three years running makes you not “relevant” anymore. There’s no question the Huskies have lost their old edge. Whether that means Romar has lost his is arguable, but at the very least the Dawgs need to check their IDs.

FAST FACTS Conference: Pac-12 Colors: Purple and gold Ticket office: (206) 543-2200 Home court: Alaska Airlines Arena (10,000) Website: gohuskies.com Head coach: Lorenzo Romar Record: 347-232, 13th season Assistants: Brad Jackson, 3rd season; Raphael Chillious, 5th; T. J. Otzelberger, 2nd 2013-14: 17-15 overall, 9-9 Pac-12 Letterwinners: 8 back, 6 lost Starters: 3 back, 2 lost Newcomers: 5

NOVEMBER 6, 2014

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THURSDAY

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COACHING

Lorenzo Romar Record/years ............ 347-232/18 Assistants: Raphael Chillious, T.J. Otzelberger, Brad Jackson

2013-14 RECORD 9-9 Pac-12, 17-15 overall

2014-15 SCHEDULE Date

Opponent

Time

Nov. 6

Saint Martin’s

7:30 p.m.

Nov. 14

South 7 p.m. Carolina State

Nov. 21

at Seattle U (KeyArena)

7 p.m.

Nov. 23

Pacific

5 p.m.

Nov. 27

*San Jose State

8 p.m.

Nov. 28

*Wooden Legacy

TBA

Nov. 30 *Wooden Legacy

TBA

Dec. 7

San Diego State

6 p.m.

Dec. 14

Eastern Washington

5 p.m.

Dec. 17

Grambling

8 p.m.

Dec. 20

#Oklahoma

6 p.m.

Dec. 22

Tulane

8 p.m.

Dec. 28

Stony Brook

5 p.m.

Jan. 2

at California

7 p.m.

Jan. 4

at Stanford

7 p.m.

Jan. 10

Washington State

12 p.m.

Jan. 15

Oregon State

6 p.m.

Jan. 18

Oregon

5:30 p.m.

Jan. 22

at Colorado

6:30 p.m.

Jan. 25

at Utah

5:30 p.m.

Jan. 28

Stanford

8 p.m.

Feb. 1

California

noon

Feb. 4

at Oregon

6 p.m.

Feb. 8

at Oregon State

1:30 p.m.

Feb. 13

Arizona

6 p.m.

Feb. 15

Arizona State

2:30 p.m.

LEADING RETURNERS

Feb. 22

at Washington State

5:30 p.m.

POINTS

Feb. 25

at UCLA

8 p.m.

Nigel Williams-Goss ....... 13.4 Andrew Andrews ............ 12.3

Feb. 28

at USC

7:30 p.m.

March 5 Colorado

6 p.m.

March 7 Utah

1:30 p.m.

March 11

Pac-12 first round

All Day

March 12

Pac-12 quarterfinals

All Day

March 13

Pac-12 semifinals

All Day

March 14

Pac-12 8 p.m. championship

*-In Anaheim #-MGM Showcase in Las Vegas Pac-12 Tournament in Las Vegas

REBOUNDS

Mike Anderson .................. 5.5 ASSISTS

Nigel Williams-Goss ....... 4.4

AT A GLANCE Alaska Airlines Arena: 10,000 capacity Ticket office: (206) 543-2200

Pictured: Washington will lean heavily on its explosive backcourt of Andrew Andrews and Nigel Williams-Goss, inset above.

PHOTOS: Colin Mulvany, Associated Press, University of Washington Staff graphic by Ralph Walter

RICHEY

Continued from T13 can really drive and guys who can shoot it.” The other returning sophomore, besides Richey, is 5-11 guard Chase McDuffie of North Central High, last year’s back-up point guard. This year’s projected starting point guard, Paris Estrada, tore his anterior cruciate ligament on the first play of the first scrimmage this year. “That’s not going to stop us, though,” Groth said. “Obviously, we’re going to miss (Estrada) a lot, but it gives an opportunity for other guys to step up. We’re going to find other ways to get it done.”

CCS women

Knee problems also hit the Sasquatch women, who have lost sisters Bianca and Jennifer Gonzales and 5-4 guard Briana King of NC. Bianca, a 5-3 guard, started last year until injuring her knee before conference play. She and King will redshirt. Jennifer, a 5-7 wing, is questionable after hurting her knee during the first day of technique class. CCS returns part-time starters Karlee Martin, a 5-5 guard from Almira/Coulee-Hartline, and 5-6 guard Emily Schramm. The Sasquatch picked up Wenatchee Valley transfer Amanda Bearmedicine, a 5-9 forward. The Sasquatch must replace NWAC Player of the Year Riley Holsinger, who averaged 22 points per game and moved on to Vanguard University in

Costa Mesa, California. “We’re a little thin at the post, but we’re pretty strong at wing,” 26th-year coach Bruce Johnson said. “We probably have a little bit better flow and balance.”

guard Will Dorsey, started last year but will redshirt after suffering a shoulder injury. Symons started a four-guard lineup for the team’s opener last Friday against Western Wyoming, as 6-3 Lucas Antunez, 6-7 Djuan Piper and 6-6 Braian Angola-Rodas joined King NIC men and Niles. Kyle Guice, a 6-7 freshman First-year head coach Corey guard/forward from Lake City High, Symons, a 10-year assistant with the figures to get plenty of playing time Cardinals, replaces Jared Phay, who when Symons needs strength inside. accepted the top position at Scenic “I think we’re a lot deeper this year,” West Athletic Conference rival College Symons said. “We can literally play 12 of Southern Idaho. deep.” “Coach Phay did a great job,” NIC was ranked 21st in the NJCAA Symons said. “We’ve had some really preseason poll. great teams.” The Cardinals’ returning starters are former Rainier Beach High teammates NIC women Jordan King, a 6-4 guard, and 6-10 Eleventh-year coach Chris Carlson center Fuquan Niles. Another led the Cardinals to their 10th ex-Rainier Beach player, 5-8 point consecutive 20-win season last year.

More good things are expected as NIC is ranked 18th in the NJCAA preseason poll. The Cardinals boast eight returners, including starters Kara Staggs, a 5-7 guard, and 6-1 post Panisesi Taimani. Bailey Schroeder, a 5-9 guard, also saw some starting time. The Cardinals picked up a big transfer from Utah State in 6-0 guard/forward Shelby Cloninger, who led Kamiah (Idaho) to the state title in 2013. Other possible starters are freshman guards Maci Benedict and Monica Landdeck. “I think the biggest thing is experience,” Carlson said. “We return eight – that’s a lot of returners for a JC – and got a nice transfer out of Utah State. All of the freshman recruits are capable of playing many minutes.”

PAGE T20

THURSDAY

NOVEMBER 6, 2014

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