Fairbanks upsets SPU, Shabazz drops another 38

[CWU Wildcat Nation]

https://alaskananooks.com/news/2020/...anked-spu.aspx

Shadeed Shabazz scored 38 in another great moment for Coach Sparling's team. Shabazz has scored at least 30 points in the last 5 straight games and now averages over 25 ppg! Fairbanks hasn't had a scorer like this since Parrish West, who still holds the GNAC record for ppg in a season at 27.2. Mark McLaughlin had 22.8 as a junior and 27.1 as a senior. Suki Wiggs had over 24 ppg in both his junior and senior years.

[tsull]

Shabazz is something else as was this game, apparently. Huge upset, SPU is an excellent team, I see at least a first-round win in the regionals. Good things happen when you have a superstar like UAF, and you play defense, like they did last night, holding the Falcons to some low scoring shooting percentages.

My take on NNU not being very good was premature, they beat WWU last night. And perhaps we overrate WWU a lot here as when SFU beat them early in the season, the Clan was widely praised, and they've fallen on hard times, including a loss to CWU last night.

Nevertheless, impressed with UAF and NNU last night, those two losses for WOU don't look as bad now.

[northernGNAChoopfan]

Yeah, Shabazz got them going on offense last night, but also on defense, where he really disrupted the falcon PGs who were at their wits end with Shabazz running circles around them and nearly popping the ball out several times. I think the reffing was pretty permissive last night and it certainly benefits UAF's style of play, where they lead the league in steals and do a lot of popping the ball up from underneath since they are so short. I think they were able to hold on last night because the supporting cast really came on in the 2nd half and the falcons (surprisingly) just couldn't get stops. Huerta and Sweet really took it inside to the tall trees in the 2nd half and it paid off. Sommerfield has turned into a good three point shooter, but he is our only guy over 6'6" other than Kachjaani, who really doesn't play much and I would really love to see Sommerfield improve his post skills and use that height inside, lord knows we need it. I did not expect this last night, but I think Leep's take on SPUs play really summarizes it; if they are playing at their best, it would be much harder to beat them. They'll get back to that; a lot of teams have a hard time landing in Fairbanks during a deep freeze and not finding their usual rhythm, I was just surprised to see SPU fall victim to that. UAF is really opportunistic; you just can't have an off night with them or they will seize it.

https://spufalcons.com/news/2020/1/3...ol-record.aspx

As to the rest of the league last night. I had a feeling NNU might get WWU too, but I was not expecting them to bury WWU. The funny thing is that SPU opened the season with like 4 straight losses before they found their rhythm, NNU had a rough start and now have won like 6 in a row, including beating WOU, both Alaska schools and now WWU. In addition, UAF couldn't buy a win in the preseason only winning one game on a half court shot, but found their rhythm with the start of league play. And so, it teaches us to be patient??? Nah!

Now, NNU and UAF will have to focus on Saturday and not overlook SFU & SMU... It'll be interesting to see how the game in Anchorage goes. Sounds like UAA shot the lights out there again last night.

[tsull]

Great quote by coach Leep of SPU:

"We obviously had a great run where we were playing really well on both ends of the floor. Tonight we didn't play our best defensively. If we're going to play in manner that we're relying on just making shots to win games, these are some of the performances you are going to get."

I was worried WOU was going to morph into those run n' gun/no D teams, but coach Pifer understands defense and they appear to be back on track after a few lazy defense games. For 20 or so years before Brady Bergeson was hired, WOU was a team that often didn't pay attention to the defensive side of the floor. The coaches were solid, I thought HIlls was really good, but Bergeson and then Shaw really focused on defense and the results greatly improved. It's kind of uncanny in the GNAC, the team that decides not just to trade baskets and holds teams down to poor shooting almost always wins. Now and then a trade basket game turns out favorably, but I agree with Leep's assessment.

Don't think anyone can stop Shabazz this year, however.

[Anchorage]

Yes UAA is unconscious from the field at home lately. Last 4 games at home they have shot 59-124 (47.5%) from 3. That will get it done.

Sophomore guard Tobin Karlberg has been exceptionally hot shooting 19 for his last 27 from 3 and 52% for the year from deep. I expect him to be a major player in the GNAC the next couple years.

[northernGNAChoopfan]

Yeah, I thought the write up and quotes from SPU were great (UAF does not do a good job at this...). He also eluded to what I saw too; they were at times guarding Shabazz on his right side; did they forget he's a lefty? He just took it down the alley for a layup in those scenarios. I would also point out that Moffitt dropped 33 last night too and their freshman forward Anderson has dropped 30 on multiple occasions too. SPU is starting 2 freshman and a sophomore; this loss may be attributable to their youth too. Senior Gavin long was suited up and on the bench but did not play. No crutches, so I'm thinking maybe a concussion? Given that they flew him up and he was suited up; hopefully he'll be back in action soon; having him at 100% and on the floor and being a senior will help SPU a lot.

It will be hard for anybody to beat UAA if they keep shooting and hitting 3s like they are. I also think it's a liability to live in that world though. One cold night from 3 can sink you. They have an inside presence with Pantovic; but they don't have nearly the depth in there that they do at the wing. I would expect that the coaching staff at SPU is smart enough to figure that out and that their players are disciplined enough to execute a quality defensive game plan tomorrow, especially given they won't want to go home with 2 losses in a row. Should be a good game there tomorrow night.

[Anchorage]