11/10 - NWC POLL: Bruins Picked 7th in NWC Poll after Loss of Two All-League Stars
2006-07 NWC Men's Basketball Coaches' Pre-Season Poll
NEWBERG, Ore. - With the graduation of three starters, including a wing and a post who were All-Conference selections last year, the George Fox University Bruins have been relegated to a seventh-place finish in the 2006-07 Northwest Conference men's basketball race, according to pre-season predictions of the league's nine coaches.
George Fox received 35 points in the balloting, one behind sixth-place Whitman College. The Bruins are coming off a 16-9 overall record and a 9-7 league mark that put them in fourth place last season. Head coach Mark Sundquist, the 2004-05 NWC Coach of the Year when the Bruins were 18-7 and second in the NWC, is entering his 7th season with the Bruins, and has a career record of 61-88 (.409).
The Bruins will be without All-Conference First Team and NCAA Division III All-West Region Second Team guard Aaron Schmick, the seventh-highest scorer in George Fox history with 1,470 points, and All-Conference Second Team post Scott Szalay, the fifth-best shot blocker in school history with 105. Leading the returnees is All-Conference Honorable Mention wing Phil Heu-Weller, who was 16th in the conference in scoring at 13.0 points per game and fourth in three-point field percentage at .432. Brent Satern, who was second in the league in assists per game with 5.7 and first in assist/turnover ratio at 2.49:1, appears ready to take his place as one of the premier point guards in the conference. Top sub Chris Parker, who averaged 12.5 points a game and shot .605 from the field, is also expected to be a key player for the Bruins this year at forward.
The University of Puget Sound is a narrow choice to win its fourth consecutive NWC title, edging Whitworth College in the poll. The Loggers received six first-place votes and 82 points, but UPS must overcome the loss of NWC Coach of the Year Eric Bridgeland, who took an opportunity to coach at Pepperdine, and First Team All-NWC selections Chase Curtiss at guard and Zack McVey at post. That trio led the Loggers to a 23-5 record and within a game of the NCAA Division III final four last season. Antwan Williams, who was an honorable mention All-NWC selection as a freshman point guard, returns to run the team.
Whitworth gained three first-place votes and 78 points. The Pirates will be led by guards Bryan Williams and Jon Young, but must overcome the graduation of NWC Player of the Year Lance Pecht and Second Team All-NWC forward George Tucker.
Willamette University was third in the poll with 55 points. The Bearcats made the conference tournament a year ago after tying Whitworth for second place. Willamette graduated All-NWC guard John Olinger, and fellow All-Conference guard C.J. Stuvland will not be back until after the new year.
Lewis & Clark College garnered fourth place in the poll with 51 points. The Pioneers return honorable mention All-NWC guard Thomas Tillery. Pacific University was fifth with 41 points. The Boxers, under second-year coach Jason Lowery, return three starters.
Whitman College received 36 points for sixth. The Missionaries will be led by Second Team All-NWC post Kyle Born. After Geroge Fox, Pacific Lutheran University with 19 points and Linfield College with 17 rounded out the poll in eighth and ninth places. The Lutes will rely on wing Josh Vanlandingham, while the Wildcats graduated honorable mention All-NWC guard Ryan Monagle.
This season, the Northwest Conference returns to a conference tournament to decide the automatic (Pool A) bid to the NCAA Tournament. At the conclusion of the regular season, the second-place team in the final standings will host the third-place team in a playoff game on Feb. 22. The winner will play at the regular season champion for the NCAA bid on Feb. 24.
Games get under way on Friday, Nov. 17. The Bruins play their opener at home on Nov. 17, hosting Corban College at 8 p.m., following the women's opener at 6 p.m. against the Oregon Institute of Technology.