MBB: Northwest Conference

[D O.C.]

NWCer, I have an opinion cloaked in this story I posted on page 32 of this branch

This is not a comfortable true story but it helps diagnose symptoms of why LINFIELD has become only a football/baseball school.

   One rainy Christmas vacation 7-8 years ago I wandered on down to Long Beach City College to see a high school basketball tournament. It was absolutely great. In the next couple of months I saw Jared and Jason Collins, Paul Pierce, Baron Davis, Tremaine Fowlkes, Tyson Chandler, Tayshawn Prince, Jason Kapono, among others, play high school basketball. Some I got to watch for 4 years.
   The number one rated L.A. City team that season was Fremont.  I happened to see them play and found out a kid I knew when he was 10 was on the team. I discovered that he had been an All-League defensive back that football season and that he had been one of the fastest guys in the City in the 200m the previous couple of years. He was not a starter on the b-ball team that lost the City Championship game to Crenshaw (again) but he did have a career game in the City Finals.
His physical stature was about 5'9", 165 lbs. I remember him being a good student and I saw "LINFIELD" written all over him. I checked around about the new NCAA provisos and I sent an LA City championship game tape to the coach.  No response.
   Six months later at a Homecoming game I sought out the basketball coach, introduced myself and asked if he received my tape.
AND I QUOTE  "We thought he was too good for us."!!!!!!!!
With my jaw still drooping on my toes I chance to run into a Hall of Fame football coach from LINFIELD who shook his head and told me I should know his response would have been much different.
   

It's a fact LINFIELD used to be a basketball school with a few NAIA baseball titles thrown in.............along with THE STREAK.

[NWCer]

Thanks D.O.C., good story.

Predictions tonight?

Lewis and Clark should be OK at PLU and Fox Should be OK at Whitman, but won't be shocked if the games go the other way.  I don't think Linfield has a chance in Spokane.  Most even game I would say is Willamette at Pacific.  I looked at Willamette's stats and they are just as bad on the road as Pacific is good at home, good sign for my Boxers.

Bearcats, will you be in attendance tonight?

[UPSoundLogs]

Wow D.O.C.!!! 
Good stroy...If Linfield really does recruit like that for their hoops team it not only hurts them, but the rest of the NWC too.  The more talent you can bring into the league the better and with Linfield's facilities and success in athletics they should be able to get some of the best players in the NWC.  Do you know if they have changed coaches since your story took place?  Because even though they don't have much talent right now, a few years ago (even as recent as the 03-04 season I think) they have had some fairly high profile transfers.  I think they even had one transfer from Oregon State(I'm not 100% positive on that though). 

NWCer-
Your Friday game predictions are right on in my opinion, Except I think Whitman has a really good shot at beating GF.  Could be a heat check for WU at Pac tonight, they have been playing well as of late.  However, they have been winning at home. We'll see if they have what it takes to win on the road at one of the tougher gyms to play in. 

[D O.C.]

Start of 2nd half with Ww up by 7.

[D O.C.]

The best team in the NWC 71, the run-of-the-mill "Remember when we had fun?" DIII team 58.

[NWCer]

Pacific looked good tonight against Willamette, especially in the first half, their posts are quite a handful, and Harison Davis is pretty talented.  I saw a UPS coach in the stands scouting, I'm sure they'll be ready tomorrow night.

[nwhoops1903]

Yea, UPS better be ready for Pacific tonight.  I doubt another PLU effort will keep that impressive streak going.

But the good news was seeing James Jones back on the court for WW!!  His return will clearly help the Pirates chances of winning out the season.  Lot of smiles in Spokane last night as he led his team.

LC is having the same run WW had the end of last year.  They are now a strong 2nd spot in my book after UPS's miracle win, terrible effort Tuesday.

Logs imagine this tourney scenario, Thu at LC then Sat at WW.  Gonna be rough.  The reign is over.

Did I mention James Jones was back?

[Ralph Turner]

WW 13 GFU 2 early and now Whitworth 16-13.  13:24 left.  Good comeback by the Bruins.

[D O.C.]

Got the great Nike Extravaganza H.S. tournament here in the County.
Lake Oswego knocked off Mater Dei on their home floor tonight.

Hmmm....should I watch Oak Hill or Dominguez play tomorrow or the Super Bowl?

[Tuxguy]

D.O.C.


Might I give some help, It's called TVO!
night all...................Colts by 9.

[UPSoundLogs]

The Loggers played a great first half on Saturday night, probably the best I've seen them play so far this year.  The press looked really good and they had a ton of energy, they got out to a nice lead and then... half time happened.  The second half was not pretty...lots of fouls, lots of bad shots and while it never looked like Pacific would actually win the game, they made a pretty good second half run. 

What I thought was interesting was that Pacific decided the best way to beat the press was to throw touch down passes over it!  It didn't seem like a tough problem for UPS to solve(just put a taller guy in the back of the press)but they didn't for some reason and the long bomb gave them problems all game, I bet Pacific got an extra 12 points off of it. 

My biggest thought of the game is that UPS doesn't have the same killer instinct that they have had in the past, they get big leads and then start playing to the level of their competition.  If they would simply continue to play at the same high level all game long no one in the NWC would stand a chance.  Hopefully they figure it out pretty soon, if they do they have the talent to run the table easily...JJones or no JJones. 

[Gilbert McFinnegan]

I have been out of a comission for a little bit, but it looks like the NWC has kept pace for the most exciting last two weeks of NWC basketball in years.  The first seed is on the line in Tacoma on Friday night, and with Jones back (the proclaimed Logger Killer, I guess we should call him "Falling Timber" from now on) it sounds like both the UPS and WW squads will be in full force.  I do not care how UPS or WW has been playing of late, I doubt that either team will fail to bring everything they have for this one.

Back on October 15 we probably all could point to February 9 on our calendars and knew that first place would be on the line that day, but I doubt anyone would have predicted that it would possibly be on the line again Feb. 16 down at LC.....that is if UPS is able to hold through the weekend.  Looks like Pio fans have more than one team to route for this weekend.

LC is having the same run WW had the end of last year.  They are now a strong 2nd spot in my book after UPS's miracle win, terrible effort Tuesday.

Logs imagine this tourney scenario, Thu at LC then Sat at WW.  Gonna be rough.  The reign is over.

Did I mention James Jones was back?

NWHoops-

Pretty bold prediction.  I am not sure if I could write off the three time defending champs that easily.  Logs, any thought on this one?

[David Collinge]

As an outsider who has taken an active interest in the NWC this season, can someone please instruct me as to whether there are any historic, traditional rivalries within the conference, and if so what they are?  I realize that Whitworth and UPS have a bit of a rivalry based on recent success at the top of the standings, but is there anything about these two that goes back in time?  Are there perhaps traditional geographic rivalries, such as UPS/PLU or Linfield/L&C?   Thanks.

[UPSoundLogs]

DC-

Since they are within 20 minutes of each other in Tacoma, PLU and UPS have had a pretty heated rivalry in all sports for many years.  When every sport is taken into account, the two schools are both very succussful/ evenly matched and form a great cross town rivalry.  But you are correct in that the UPS and WW mens basketball teams have had a big time rivalry recently.  Bcats, Gil, and Pinecone can fill you in on some of the other "traditional" rivalries from around the NWC. 

Gil-

You are right it is a bold predicition from NWHoops, but for this year I would say he is somewhat correct. The "Reign" of UPS basketball isn't quite as dominant as it has been.  Although I believe the Loggers still have a great shot at making the NCAA tourney, they don't strike fear into the NWC quite like the last few teams have.  However, the "Reign" will start up again next year so I'm not too worried about it.  UPS is a sophmore dominated squad, WW is a senior dominated squad...you can do the math.  WW seniors may be able to hang with UPS sophmores this year, but next year and the next several years will be a different story.  With Foster,Krauel,Delong,Williams,and Marsh(to name a few) all returning for UPS and BWilliams, JJones, KHes, etc. graduating for WW I feel sorry for the rest of the league.  So enjoy this year while you can, UPS still has a great shot at the NWC crown and it's a "down year" for them . 

[bearcatsfan3]

As far as rivalries go for the WU:

1. Whitworth: but, having not beat them in awhile, that is not a true "rivalry" right now
2. Linfield: Used to be HUGE, but the Wildcats have been down for awhile now
3. LC: Willamette (until being swept this year) had dominated the previous 4 years


On a sidenote, the Bearcats got swept and are finished...was at the LC game...disappointing to see....but the Pios are very good....