GEORGE FOX MEN'S BASKETBALL
(Overall 0-1: Home 0-1, Road 0-0, Neutral 0-0 / NWC 0-0: Home 0-0, Road 0-0)
HIGHLIGHTS:
* Bruins Drop Opener at Home to Concordia-Portland
* Tyler Honorable Mention for NWC Player of the Week
* Upcoming Previews: at Lee Fulmer Tournament Dec. 5-7
THIS WEEK (Previews below):
* Dec. 5-7 - at Lee Fulmer Memorial Tournament, University of Redlands, Redlands, Calif. *
Thur., Dec. 5, 4:00 pm - vs. Claremont-Mudd-Scripps College (1-2), Redlands, Calif.
Fri., Dec. 6, TBA - vs. TBA, Redlands, Calif.
Sat., Dec. 7, TBA - vs. TBA, Redlands, Calif.
LAST WEEK (0-1):
Nov. 27 - Concordia-Portland 87, at George Fox 79
NORTHWEST CONFERENCE: George Fox (0-1) was picked to finish 9th in the NWC this season, the same spot they finished in last year. Conference play this season does not begin until January. For the latest NWC standings and stats, go to www.nwcsports.com.
COACH MARK SUNDQUIST (Seattle Pacific '89) is 13-37 (.260) in his 3rd season as a college head coach, both at George Fox. Against this week's opponents and possible opponents in the Lee Fulmer Tournament in Redlands, Calif., he is 0-0 vs. Claremont-Mudd-Scripps, Chapman, California State-Hayward, North Central IL, Dominican IL, and Redlands, and 2-2 vs. Whitworth (1-1 in Newberg, 1-1 in Spokane).
BRUIN BITS:
* Tyler Honorable Mention for NWC Player of the Week:
Nate Tyler (W, Jr., Sweet Home, Ore.), a transfer from Chemeketa Community College, made an auspicious debut with the George Fox Bruins last Wednesday, earning Honorable Mention for Northwest Conference "Player of the Week" for the week of Nov. 25-Dec. 1. In an 87-79 loss at home to Concordia-Portland, Tyler scored a game-high 25 points, hitting 7-11 from the field (2-3 from 3-pt range) and 9-10 from the free throw line. He also led the Bruins with 9 rebounds while passing out 6 assists and making 2 steals.
NWC "Player of the Week" honors went to Bryan Depew of Whitworth, who led the Pirates to the championship of the Whitworth Hawaiian Invitational Tournament with 44 points and 9 rebounds in two games.
* Ben to Become Third Melvin Brother to Play for Bruins:
When Ben Melvin (Fr., W, Pleasant Hill, Ore.) steps onto the Wheeler Sports Center court for the first time in a Bruin men's basketball game, he will become the third Melvin brother to play for George Fox. Ryan Melvin played one season for the Bruins in 2000-01, while Travis Melvin played four years (1998-2002) and finished 13th on the all-time scoring list at George Fox with 1,268 career points.
* Macy Trio Made Unique History in '01-02:
Two-thirds of the history-making Macy trio are back with the George Fox Bruins this year. When James, Kenny, and John all got into the game at the same time in the final minute of the Bruins' 81-72 win over Northwest Christian in Newberg, Ore., on Jan. 15, it was believed to be the first - and so far only - time in NCAA Division III history that three brothers have played together in one game at the same time. The trio all got in at the same time in the final four minutes at Whitman on Jan. 19, and all had three-point field goals in the game - though James, the eldest, started and got his trey earlier in the game.
The only other comfirmed record to date of such an occurrence came during the 1998-99 season, when Southwest State University in Marshall, Minn., had three brothers - Mike, Scott, and Chad Koenen - who all started together! Unsubstantiated reports indicate that Lewis University in Illinois had five brothers play for the school, and three of them may have played together at the same time. Southwest State and Lewis are Division II schools, so the Macys may at least have the record for Division III!
James, a four-year starter at point guard for the Bruins, has graduated, but Kenny is back for his senior season and John returns for his sophomore campaign.
* The Wirta Streaks:
Mike "Biggs" Wirta, George Fox's statistical guru, is now in his 32nd season of keeping Bruin statistics. With the season opener vs. Concordia-Portland in Newberg on Nov. 27, he has been courtside for 472 straight Bruin men's basketball games, home and away, and has worked 385 straight home games. The last home game he missed was in 1972. Altogether, he has seen 902 George Fox men's basketball games. He watched his 900th Bruin men's basketball Friday, Feb. 15, 2002,when George Fox hosted Whitman as a part of Homecoming weekend, and was presented with a special engraved souvenir basketball at halftime by director of athletics Craig Taylor. "Biggs" says that he anticipates seeing his 1,000th George Fox game some time late in the 2005-06 season or at the beginning of the 2006-07 season.
THIS WEEK:
The Bruins will play in an 8-team tournament this week, the annual Lee Fulmer Memorial Tournament at the University of Redlands in Redlands, Calif. George Fox will take on Claremont-Mudd-Scripps Colleges in their first game of the tournament Thursday, Dec. 5, at 4:00 p.m., with the Bruins' opponents and playing times the rest of the tournament depending upon each game's winners and losers. The complete schedule for the tournament:
Thurs., Dec. 5
#1 - Chapman vs. California State-Hayward - 2 p.m.
#2 - George Fox vs. Claremont-Mudd-Scripps - 4 p.m.
#3 - Whitworth vs. North Central IL - 6 p.m.
#4 - Dominican IL vs. Redlands - 8 p.m.
Fri., Dec. 6
#5 - Loser Game 1 vs. Loser Game 2 - 2 p.m.
#6 - Loser Game 3 vs. Loser Game 4 - 4 p.m.
#7 - Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 2 - 6 p.m.
#8 - Winner Game 3 vs. Winner Game 4 - 8 p.m.
Sat., Dec. 7
#9 - Seventh Place Game - 2 p.m.
#10 - Consolation Champion - 4 p.m.
#11 - Third Place Game - 6 p.m.
#12 - Championship Game - 8 p.m.
Thur., Dec. 5, 4:00 pm - vs. Claremont-Mudd-Scripps College (1-2), Redlands, Calif.
Bruins' first game in the Lee Fulmer Memorial Tournament at the University of Redlands ... The Stags of Claremont-Mudd-Scripps (full name Claremont McKenna-Harvey Mudd-Scripps Colleges) are located in Claremont, Calif. ... 2nd meeting: George Fox is 0-1 vs. Claremont-Mudd-Scripps (0-1 in Newberg) ... The only previous meeting was a 67-63 win for Claremont on Feb. 3, 1971, in Newberg ... CMS is 1-2, losing its first two games to Vanguard and Lewis & Clark before defeating RPI (Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute of New York) ...
Fri., Dec. 6, TBA - vs. TBA, Redlands, Calif.
Possible 2nd-round opponents in the University of Redlands Tournament:
Chapman College Panthers (3-1), Orange, Calif. ... Possible 1st meeting ... The Panthers are a high-scoring team, averaging 83.5 ppg while shooting .532 from the field and out-rebounding their opponents 44.0-28.5 ... Guard Marcus Harvey leads Chapman in scoring with 16.8 ppg ...
California State University-Hayward Pioneers (0-2), Hayward, Calif. ... Possible 1st meeting ... The Pioneers fell to Fresno Pacific and Menlo by a combined score of 217-143 in their first two games ... 6-8 post Rashad Wright leads the Pios in scoring (12.5 ppg) and rebounding (9.0 rpg) ...
Sat., Dec. 7, TBA - vs. TBA, Redlands, Calif.
Possible 3rd-round opponents in the University of Redlands Tournament:
Whitworth College Pirates (3-0), Spokane, Wash. ... Possible 20th meeting: George Fox trails Whitworth 7-12 (4-5 in Newberg, 3-7 in Spokane) ... Whitworth won both meetings in NWC play last year, 83-73 on Jan. 18 in Spokane and 100-98 in overtime at the GFU Homecoming on Feb. 16 ... The Pirates, a pre-season favorite to win the NWC, are led by Bryan Depew (23.0 ppg) ... Kyle Jensen averages a double-double (13.3 ppg, 10.7 rpg) ...
North Central College Cardinals (2-0), Naperville, Ill. ... Possible 1st meeting ... The Cardinals opened the season with wins over North Central University of Minnesota and University of the Ozarks ... Guard Mike Wilson is averaging 23.5 ppg while Armind Nelson averages 15.0 ppg ...
Dominican University Stars (1-3), River Forest, Ill. ... Possible 1st meeting ... The Stars dropped their first three games to Brockport State, Grace Bible, and Illinois Wesleyan, before defeating Calumet ... The Stars host Illinois Tech on Dec. 2 before heading for California ...
University of Redlands Bulldogs (0-3), Redlands, Calif. ... Possible 2nd meeting: George Fox is 1-0 vs. Redlands (1-0 in Newberg) ... The Bruins posted a 72-62 win in Newberg on Feb. 4, 1975 ... The Bulldogs have lost to Swarthmore, Haverford, and Chapman ... Redlands is averaging 97.3 ppg but giving up 110.7 ppg.