Early games

[tsull]

NAIA programs that are fully funded scholarship-wise or close to, are very comparable to high-level division 2.

[Anchorage]

How does that happen?!?!?!?!?

I’ve been following Westcliff a little bit because former UAA and Anchorage area player Evan Hoosier is there. They have wins over D2 teams Asuza Pacific, Purdue Northwest and now Point Loma in various scrimmages and exhibitions. They are big and talented team, they go 6’10, 6’9, 6’9 , 6’7, 6,6 6’6.

6’10 Raymond Hawkins was originally a recruit of Nate Oats at Alabama. 6’7 wing Rayven Turner is just a late bloomer, can score a lot of ways but doesn’t always have the required motor. The pg Hankins looks like a world beater some nights and has no discipline the next. 6’9 Hoosier comes in and plays defense, bangs and provides another big body. A couple 6’6 wings in Clark and Strings that really look the part on some nights.

The school has clearly have invested a lot into this team, they look like another NAIA team looking to jump up to D2. Some games they look like they would be the best team in the GNAC and others they look like just another rag tag NAIA team that doesn’t play together at all. It’s ugly. But if you underestimate them and they bring it that night…

In this particular game Loma didn’t hit shots but also Westcliff’s defense had something to do with that also. And Hawkins and Hoosier really kept Loma from getting much inside. I watched it, they looked like two pretty evenly matched teams because good Westcliff and their size and athleticism showed up. And Turner went crazy on the offensive end, he out played Haupt and Paulson. 40-34 Westcliff rebound advantage.36-24 Westcliff advantage on points in the paint.

[Goods]

Not sure where to put this, but Point Loma loses at home tonight to Westcliff (NAIA) 81-75.

How does that happen?!?!?!?!?

[Anchorage]

Not sure where to put this, but Point Loma loses at home tonight to Westcliff (NAIA) 81-75.

[tsull]

St Martin’s pulls out a 5 point win over UAA. Which honestly was closer than I anticipated so good showing by UAA. Seawolves drop to 1-7 against D2 competition on the year.

Clash of the Titans battle with Western Oregon on Saturday afternoon!

We went from A+ coaches Brady Bergeson and Jim Shaw to this at WOU. I thought Wes Pifer would work out, obviously not. Previous A.D. hired him and then quickly left town. The A.D. came from Alabama, never changed his license plates to Oregon, family never moved to Oregon ... probably a big hint there. Women's hoop coach hired from West Virginia ... we've really lost our way in some regards. Ever since we've gone D2, we've gotten too arrogant, IMO, and quit recruiting and hiring from Oregon ... except football and guess what, football is doing great right now. Of course the head coach is an alum and understands the college, the community, and the state. Our hoop coaches refuse to recruit Oregon prep kids, freaking maddening ... I guess those last-place finishes show they're right.

* Western Oregon track and field coach is also a great one, and he recruits the state pretty hard. I want to give him credit.

[Anchorage]

St Martin’s pulls out a 5 point win over UAA. Which honestly was closer than I anticipated so good showing by UAA. Seawolves drop to 1-7 against D2 competition on the year.

Clash of the Titans battle with Western Oregon on Saturday afternoon!

[tsull]

UAF blasts Western Oregon, taking a 17-point halftime lead on its way to victory. Wolves again flat out refuse to play defense. Sadly, program has hit rock bottom.

[tsull]

I'm not quite sure what to think of the Nooks yet. They have a few pretty good ball players, and they've had some moments where they look like they could become a good team. But...They have had more moments where the defensive tenacity is lacking and they don't appear to know each other well yet or have quite grasped what the system is that Ostanik is trying to implement. I suppose that's all par for the course right now. They had some guys playing in Hawaii who are now in sweats on the bench and they are missing their big guy now too, so are a bit undersized. I guess time will tell. One thing is clear; watching Ostanik coach is half the fun of going to the games. He rarely sits down and is yelling the entire time. Clearly his heart is completely in it, and hopefully the guys know the constant yelling is something they need to learn to live with, if not love themselves. It'll be great to get a few league games in to get a better idea of where they are at with the level of competition, and then hopefully they will all survive the very dark season in Fairbanks, waiting for the holidays to pass so they can get on with it again.

I think UAF beats Western Oregon in both men's and women's basketball this week. I wish I had more faith in the Wolves, but I don't. I'd be glad to be wrong.

[Anchorage]

I'm not quite sure what to think of the Nooks yet. They have a few pretty good ball players, and they've had some moments where they look like they could become a good team. But...They have had more moments where the defensive tenacity is lacking and they don't appear to know each other well yet or have quite grasped what the system is that Ostanik is trying to implement. I suppose that's all par for the course right now. They had some guys playing in Hawaii who are now in sweats on the bench and they are missing their big guy now too, so are a bit undersized. I guess time will tell. One thing is clear; watching Ostanik coach is half the fun of going to the games. He rarely sits down and is yelling the entire time. Clearly his heart is completely in it, and hopefully the guys know the constant yelling is something they need to learn to live with, if not love themselves. It'll be great to get a few league games in to get a better idea of where they are at with the level of competition, and then hopefully they will all survive the very dark season in Fairbanks, waiting for the holidays to pass so they can get on with it again.

I suspect they will be as good in any given night as Chris Lee takes them. They seem to have given him a complete green light to shoot, which he will do. He's a classic shoot you in or shoot you out of a game type player, has been since high school.

Saw Sullivan Menard is starting at Northwest Nazerene, another shoot you in or out type player. Alaska high school basketball from 2019 has been heavily represented in the GNAC. The 4A state tournament that year had the following on the all- tournament team…

Isaiah Moses (former UAA and now Cal Riverside)
Jaren Carle (Former UAF)
Evan Hoosier (Former UAA)
JaRon Williams (Former UAA)
Sullivan Menard (Northwest Naz)
Jeremiah Hersrud (UAF)
Chris Lee (UAF)
Marcus Lee (Forner UAF)
Terrell Peter (Former UAF)
Jersey Truesdale) (Former UAF)

Also pretty sure current UAA player, and future state player of the year Hassan Harrington came off the bench for East that year.

Pretty sure no other state had so many all-state players all end up at one point or another in the same conference.

[northernGNAChoopfan]

I'm not quite sure what to think of the Nooks yet. They have a few pretty good ball players, and they've had some moments where they look like they could become a good team. But...They have had more moments where the defensive tenacity is lacking and they don't appear to know each other well yet or have quite grasped what the system is that Ostanik is trying to implement. I suppose that's all par for the course right now. They had some guys playing in Hawaii who are now in sweats on the bench and they are missing their big guy now too, so are a bit undersized. I guess time will tell. One thing is clear; watching Ostanik coach is half the fun of going to the games. He rarely sits down and is yelling the entire time. Clearly his heart is completely in it, and hopefully the guys know the constant yelling is something they need to learn to live with, if not love themselves. It'll be great to get a few league games in to get a better idea of where they are at with the level of competition, and then hopefully they will all survive the very dark season in Fairbanks, waiting for the holidays to pass so they can get on with it again.

[Anchorage]

UAA blows an 11 point lead with 7 min to go to Newberry but are able to save face with a game winner at the buzzer. UAA is now 1-6 vs D2 competition.

[Anchorage]

I don't get it. Since I've been following division 2 basketball on the west coast, Alaska Anchorage has always been pretty good and their down seasons were .500. You have a better historical grasp on this than I do, obviously. I seriously am confused about what's going on up North. They have enough resources to be a very good division 2 program.

i think it’s the quality of recruit coming here. I just don’t think Rusty and Orton relate well with prospects these days. End of the day, they have to convince these recruits to spend the next two or three years with them, come to Alaska and sell them that they will be able to build a winning team around them. When recent history suggests they won’t. And I just don’t think players like those two much at all, no one sticks around after gradation to be a grad assistant or anything like that. Arguably the most important player at UAA in the last ten years is coaching in Fairbanks. These in town players, and players from Washington, Oregon…the west cosst. They all know and talk to each other. Word gets out what the culture is like with the team.

I just think we need a younger staff that relates to today’s plsyer better and does an entire rebuild on the culture.

[CWU Wildcat Nation]

CWU's up and down season continues with an upset of #13 Point Loma!

[tsull]

Well UAA dropped their 6th straight game versus a d2 team, this time by 7 at home to 2-3 Newberry. Newberry did their part to help UAA with 24 turnovers while allowing the Seawolves 15 offensive boards. And even a dizzying display of turnovers, bad fouls and not rebounding by the visiting team could the Seawolves over the hump.

UAA is now shooting a putrid 36.5% from the field and 30.6% from 3 against D2 competition over this stretch. This team simply can’t score the basketball. They can’t shoot, they can’t score in the lane, they have no post up players…it’s quite an impressive feat.

But never fear, UAA will make a huge public relations push about a record setting win in point differential against Portland Bible last weekend.

Newberry and UAA meet tomorrow again in another clash of these two buzzsaws.

I don't get it. Since I've been following division 2 basketball on the west coast, Alaska Anchorage has always been pretty good and their down seasons were .500. You have a better historical grasp on this than I do, obviously. I seriously am confused about what's going on up North. They have enough resources to be a very good division 2 program.

[Anchorage]

Well UAA dropped their 6th straight game versus a d2 team, this time by 7 at home to 2-3 Newberry. Newberry did their part to help UAA with 24 turnovers while allowing the Seawolves 15 offensive boards. And even a dizzying display of turnovers, bad fouls and not rebounding by the visiting team could the Seawolves over the hump.

UAA is now shooting a putrid 36.5% from the field and 30.6% from 3 against D2 competition over this stretch. This team simply can’t score the basketball. They can’t shoot, they can’t score in the lane, they have no post up players…it’s quite an impressive feat.

But never fear, UAA will make a huge public relations push about a record setting win in point differential against Portland Bible last weekend.

Newberry and UAA meet tomorrow again in another clash of these two buzzsaws.