Tournament capsules
| • | BYUH, UHH ready for basketball regional |
Advertiser Staff
No. 1 seed Brigham Young-Hawai'i
• Coach: Ken Wagner (13th year, 250-129)
• This season: 19-3 overall, 13-2 Pacific West Conference, first place
• Top players: Alexus Foyle (f, 6-6, sr., 27.6 ppg, 5.7 rpg); Pablo Broering (c, 6-11, sr., 7.8 ppg, 4.8 rpg), Scott Salisbury (c, 6-8, sr., 15.9 ppg, 10.5 rpg); Shawn Opunui (g, 6-1, fr., 8.0 ppg, 5.86 apg, .452 3-pt. FG); Beau Nobmann (g, 6-1, jr., 5.4 ppg, 3.4 rpg, 3.86 apg); Austin Smylie (f, 6-7, fr., 7.0 ppg, 4.4 rpg).
• Team background: The 12th-ranked Seasiders can frighten opponents inside with Foyle, Salisbury and Broering, and bomb away from the perimeter with Opunui, Nobmann, Spencer Lynn and Jeremy Frampton. Foyle led the Seasiders in scoring in all but two games this season. He scored 30 or more points in eight games, including 40 against Hawai'i-Hilo on Jan. 31. The Seasiders average 87.8 points per game, 8th nationally.
No. 2 seed Cal State-San Bernardino
• Coach: Jeff Oliver (1st year, 21-6)
• This season: 21-6 overall, 19-3 California Collegiate Athletic Association, first place
• Top players: Bobby Burries (g/f, 6-2, sr., 19.7 ppg, 5.0 rpg); Lance Ray (g/f, 6-4, sr., 16.4 ppg, 7.5 rpg); Jonathan Levy (g/f, 6-4, jr., 14.9 ppg, 5.0 rpg); Te'Ron Reed (g, 6-0, jr., 6.4 ppg, 2.9 rpg, 6.15 apg. 2.96 spg); Dumas Martin (f/c, 6-6, jr., 6.7 ppg, 5.9 rpg).
• Team background: The defending NCAA West Region champion Coyotes have won the last four California Collegiate Athletic Association titles and are making their fifth straight NCAA DII tournament appearance. No. 16 ranked CSSB ran off 21 straight wins this season before losing at Cal State-Bakersfield March 7. The Coyotes' defense allows just 61.7 points per game, 9th nationally.
No. 3 seed Humboldt State
• Coach: Tom Wood (22nd year, 313-290)
• This season: 22-5 overall, 13-5 Great Northwest Athletic Conference, co-champions
• Top players: Austin Nichols (g/f, 6-6, jr., 22.4 ppg, 5.0 rpg, .537 FG, .421 3-pt. FG); Fred Hooks (f, 6-6, jr., 17.2 ppg, 12.3 rpg, .527 FG, 3.11 apg, 1.48 bpg); Jeremy Robinson (g, 5-8, sr., 7.0 ppg, 4.15 apg); J'ontar Coleman (g/f, 6-2, sr., 5.3 ppg, 2.0 rpg); Greg Cutler (f/c, 6-8, sr., 4.0 ppg, 3.3 rpg); Trey Shannon (f, 6-6, jr., 8.2 ppg, 5.7 rpg); Kaylin Thornton (g, 6-4, jr., 8.2 ppg, 2.3 rpg); Mark White (g, 6-2, jr., 8.0 ppg, 2.6 rpg).
• Team background: The 14th-ranked Lumberjacks are making their third consecutive NCAA DII tournament appearance. Hooks earned his second consecutive Great Northwest Athletic Conference Player of the Year award and is ranked third nationally in rebounding. Nichols, an all-conference first team selection, ranks 15th nationally in scoring.
No. 4 seed Cal Poly Pomona
• Coach: Greg Kamansky (3rd year, 55-26)
• This season: 20-7 overall, 16-6 California Collegiate Athletic Association, second place
• Top players: Jeff Bonds (g/f, 6-7, so., 13.6 ppg, 5.7 rpg); David Sybesma (g/f, 6-7, so., 10.1 ppg, 4.7 rpg, 3.37 apg); Jonathan Williams (g, 6-0, jr., 10.0 ppg, 3.0 rpg, 3.59 apg, .410 3-pt. FG); Michael Ridgway (f, 6-6, jr., 8.4 ppg, 3.9 rpg, .535 FG); Guy Beahm (f, 6-8, jr., 7.3 ppg, 4.4 rpg); Hervey Malone II (g, 6-5, fr., 6.8 ppg, 2.8 rpg).
• Team background: The Broncos, who are participating in the NCAA DII tournament for the first time since 1976, have a balanced attack and two talented passers in Sybesma and Williams. The team won 20 games for the third time and first since the 1980-81 season. The 16 conference wins by the Broncos set a school record.
No. 5 seed Alaska Fairbanks
• Coach: Al Sokaitis (7th year, 85-103)
• This season: 20-7 overall, 13-5 Great Northwest Athletic Conference, co-champions
• Top players: Brad Oleson (g, 6-3, so., 17.3 ppg, 3.9 rpg, .420 3-pt. FG, 3.04 spg, 3.12 apg); Jason Williams (c/f, 6-8, jr., 14.6 ppg, 10.5 rpg, .590 FG, 2.44 bpg); Steve Towne (g, 6-2, sr., 12.7 ppg, .375 3-pt. FG); Chris Smith (g/f, 5-9, so., 11.2 ppg, 4.56 apg, .380 3-pt. FG); Marquis Revels (g, 6-5, jr., 7.4 ppg, 3.9 rpg).
• Team background: Sokaitis directed a worst-to-first turnaround for the Nanooks, who won just four games last season and were picked to finish last in a preseason coaches poll. Alaska Fairbanks has a solid scorer in Oleson and tenacious rebounder in Williams, who grabbed 126 offensive rebounds this season. Oleson ranks third nationally in steals.
No. 6 seed Hawai'i-Hilo
• Coach: Jeff Law (5th year, 71-62)
• This season: 18-9 overall, 10-5 Pacific West Conference, second place
• Top players: Ryan Abrahams (g, 6-3, jr., 16.6 ppg, 4.3 rpg, .408 3-pt. FG); Osadonor Esene (f, 6-6, jr., 14.1 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 3.08 apg); Kyle Bartholomew (f, 6-4, sr., 11.4 ppg, 5.1 rpg); Brady Hyde (g, 6-1, sr., 9.9 ppg, 3.2 rpg, 3.59 apg); Ryan Hogue (f, 6-6, jr., 7.4 ppg, 4.4 rpg); Derek Mgbeke (g, 6-3, sr., 6.7 ppg, 2.3 rpg); Garreth Read (f, 6-7, sr., 4.6 rpg, 1.04 bpg).
• Team background: The Vulcans have a chance to improve on last season's 18-9 record. UH-Hilo is led offensively by all-conference first team selection Abrahams, Esene and Bartholomew. Hyde runs the offense and is second on the team in blocks with 11.
No. 7 seed Sonoma State
• Coach: Pat Fuscaldo (9th year, 129-111)
• This season: 18-9 overall, 15-7 California Collegiate Athletic Association, third place
• Top players: Trevor Howe (f, 6-8, sr., 14.2 ppg, 5.8 rpg); Chris Oliver (c, 6-10, sr., 12.6 ppg, 5.5 rpg, .609 FG pct.); Deonta Dorrough (g, 6-3, sr., 11.7 ppg, 4.1 rpg); Ryan Hensel (g, 6-2, so., 6.6 ppg, 2.2 rpg); Chris Getty (g, 6-2, fr., 2.5 ppg, 2.65 apg).
• Team background: The Seawolves earned a berth to the NCAA playoffs for the first time since 1998-99 season. Sonoma State lost three starters from last season, but got a boost from Howe and Oliver. Howe missed last season because of an ankle injury, but recovered to lead the Seawolves in scoring. Oliver, who is listed at 6-10 and 285 pounds, is one of the most dominant inside scorers .
No. 8 seed Cal State Bakersfield
• Coach: Henry Clark (6th year, 123-43)
• This season: 19-8 overall, 14-8 California Collegiate Athletic Association, fifth place
• Top players: Terri Miller (f, 6-8, jr., 12.9 ppg, 9.0 rpg, 2.07 bpg); Fred Nichols (f, 6-3, jr., 12.0 ppg, 8.8 rpg, 2 spg); Billy Speer (f/g, 6-5, sr., 8.5 ppg, 2.7 rpg, .447 3-pt. FG), Martin Rajniak (f, 6-9, jr., 7.8 ppg, 2.7 rpg, .599 FG); Damarius Akins (g, 6-1, sr., 4.9 ppg, 2.1 rpg, 3.63 apg).
• Team background: The Roadrunners are one of the most accurate shooting teams in the tournament, making 48 percent of their shots. Cal State Bakersfield made 156 3-pointers this season and shot more than 40 percent from behind the arc. Speer shoots 45 percent from 3-point range, while leading scorer Miller shoots 53 percent overall.
