Clackamas women leapfrog Lane with a victory

NWAACC Women's Basketball

These last two weeks were tough ones for the top eight, as only two teams were perfect in all their games. Top ranked Lane saw their first loss, a 77-64 game to No. 1 Clackamas. Walla Walla lost to Big Bend, who lost to Columbia Basin who lost to Walla Walla. Umpqua, with their 2-2 week finally saw their first installment on the outside looking in, and Columbia Basin, the 2012 NWAACC Champions, have only just crept back into the picture.

Be sure to check back in a week's time for Full Court Press, a bi-weekly roundup of NWAACC basketball action to fill in the gaps. Coaches rankings are in italics under each team's record. If you have a question or a comment feel free to leave it below, respond via twitter or send me an email.

Full Court Press: Dark Horse Week is now live online! Do you have a dark horse prediction? 

                                                                                                                        

1. Clackamas (17-3, 7-0 South)
No. 2 Coaches
Previous ranking: No. 3, No. 3 coaches

The Jan. 19 game vs. then top-ranked Lane was exactly what most people expected it to be. From the opening tip,  there was something different in the demeanor of both squads. Lane came in the class of the South, not having lost to Clackamas since the preseason in 2011. Clackamas fell behind at halftime, but stormed back in the second period, outscoring the Titans 50-29 en route to a 77-64 victory. While the coaches stubbornly rank Lane higher than Clackamas, it may only be that way for one more poll. Right now, Clackamas controls their own destiny. They will have to visit No. 3 Lane and make the long trip to Umpqua, but they do get No. 6 Chemeketa at home, along with a few relative cupcakes. 

                                                                                                                         

2. Walla Walla (18-2, 7-1 East)
No. 3 Coaches
Previous ranking: No. 2, No. 2 coaches

Walla Walla is somewhat lucky to still be sitting in the No. 2 spot, what with all the turmoil surrounding them. Three of their four last opponents are either ranked, or got considerable votes in the coaches poll. A 3-1 week isn't all that bad, considering that their only loss was by two points then No. 5 Big Bend. They also knocked off a stubbornly advancing Columbia Basin team, now just one game behind Walla Walla for the lead in the East. With the exception of a home game against No. 8 Big Bend and a visit to Spokane, the rest of the Warrior's schedule doesn't seem to be all that bumpy. That rematch with Big Bend, though, will be wild.

                                                                                                                         

3. Lane (20-1, 6-1 South)
No. 1 Coaches
Previous ranking: No. 1, No. 1 coaches

Barreling along and looking close to unstoppable throughout the preseason and the first half of region play, it looked as though Lane might go undefeated in 2013. That's when they ran into the buzz saw that Clackamas presents. Either their luck finally ran out, or they finally met their match. Either way, Lane was left in the dust in the final 20 minutes. The Cougars' 50 second half points easily set an opponent season high for Lane, who had prided themselves on their depth and ability to switch players out with regularity. Whatever the reason for the flat second half, it seems that Lane has turned things around since. A 22 point drubbing of then No. 8 Umpqua, and a 72 (yep, you read that right) point embarrassing of Portland. Lane has the better overall record, so they still have a chance at taking back the league title if they can knock off No. 1 Clackamas on Feb. 16 at home.

                                                                                                                         

4. Centralia (15-4, 8-1 West)
No. 4 Coaches
Previous ranking: No. 4, No. 4 coaches

Throughout the month of January, it looked as though Centralia was going to, once again, mop up the Western Region without much competition. Then leading scorer and NWAACC Player of the Week Kristen Schoenherr [stats] went down with an injury, and Centralia found themselves being blown out at home by Lower Columbia. There is no telling whether Schoenherr will be back quickly or not, but if she is out for an extended period of time, Centralia is in trouble. She is their only player averaging in double figures for scoring, almost twice the next player behind her, and also leads the team in rebounding and steals.

                                                                                                                         

5. Whatcom (13-6, 6-1 North)
No. 7 Coaches
Previous ranking: No. 6, No. 8 coaches

Whatcom is one of those teams that simply defies the odds. They have only six players have have competed in all 19 contests, and only nine players total on their roster. That makes their 6-1  start to Northern Region play all that much more impressive. That one loss came to Bellevue, a team who has started to really find some traction in the regular season, and who used nearly twice as many players but needed a big second half to pull away and beat Whatcom. Their starting five is impressive, and they are the best three point percentage team in the league, but the biggest concern for Whatcom is this: their top players can't play 35+ minutes per game in the tournament and hope to find success. They need to start getting more production from their bench in order to do well.

                                                                                                                         

6. Chemeketa (12-8, 5-2 South)
NR Coaches
Previous ranking: No. 7, NR coaches

It's clear that Chemeketa isn't quite on a level with the top pair from the Southern Region, but the Storm have done well to carve out their niche in one of the tougher regions in the league. Umpqua seems to be in a bit of a funk, and Chemeketa has stepped up to take the third seed. At this point, it's unlikely that the Storm will be able to catch Clackamas or Lane, but they will have another chance to face each opponent on February 6 and 9, a brutal band of games by any stretch of the imagination.


                                                                                                                         

7. Columbia Basin (10-10, 6-2 East)
NR Coaches
Previous ranking: NR, NR coaches

A dark horse pick from last week, Columbia Basin seems to be for real, despite their forgettable start to the season. Before falling 46-39 [box] to No. 2 Walla Walla, the Hawks had won six consecutive Eastern Region games. Looking forward, a major key to CBC's success will be seeing if they can get it done away from home. They don't score a lot, just over 62 points per game, but their defense has been spectacular, allowing an NWAACC program to break 80 points just once. 

                                                                                                                         

8. Big Bend (14-8, 4-4 East)
No. 5 Coaches
Previous ranking: No. 5, No. 5 coaches

3-2 in their last two weeks has Big Bend in a bit of a free fall. Their one saving grace was 50-48 victory over No. 2 Walla Walla, one of the highlights of their otherwise unimpressive 4-4 start to Eastern Region play. Another highlight for Big Bend has been their rebounding. They sit second in the league in average rebounds, and first in offensive boards, making up for their somewhat poor shooting at 36%. The schedule coming up for the Vikings is an odd one. They face three of the four bottom teams in the East, and then play No. 2 Walla Walla and No. 7 Columbia Basin back to back before finishing things off with Wenatchee Valley.


                                                                                                                         

Edmonds men survive shake up, remain No. 1

NWAACC Men's Basketball

This was a strange week for the NWAACC men, as many of the top teams stumbled in their last four games. Edmonds still continues to look like the odds-on favorite, but several contenders are beginning to creep up. Big Bend's winning streak and list of vanquished opponents grows longer by the week, and Pierce's offensive efficiency is consistently among the league's best. It's hard to believe it, but we're entering the final stretch: just a few weeks left before the tournament!

Be sure to check back in a week's time for Full Court Press, a bi-weekly roundup of NWAACC basketball action to fill in the gaps. Coaches rankings are in italics under each team's record. If you have a question or a comment feel free to leave it below, respond via twitter or send me an email. 

Full Court Press: Dark Horse Week is now live online! Do you have a dark horse prediction?

                                                                                                                         

1. Edmonds (17-2, 4-0 North)
No. 1 coaches
Previous ranking: No. 1, No. 1 coaches

There hasn't been much drama in the last two weeks for Edmonds, other than their harrowing 88-86 [box] victory over Bellevue on Jan. 16. They are now the only team to go undefeated in region play, and have the best record in the league at 17-2. They have now won 10 games in a row after getting blown out by Peninsula, and only two of those ten games have been decided by six points or less. Edmonds' stars Shaq Mckissic and Riccardo Maxwell, who have been recognized by the league for their scoring efforts, have put up some impressive numbers so far. The problem is, after their top four that average in double figures, almost nobody else scores. Those numbers have nearly come back to bite Edmonds, who got 14 points off the bench in the combined victories over Bellevue and Whatcom.

                                                                                                                         

2. Big Bend (17-4, 6-1 East)
No. 2 coaches
Previous ranking: No. 4, No. 4 coaches

While their numbers aren't quite as unsettling as they were in the preseason, the last few weeks have proven that Big Bend can score nearly at will. They now average 89.95 points per game, a few behind Shoreline's gaudy numbers for second place. So far, the recipe for beating Big Bend is defense, defense, defense. They haven't lost a game in which they've scored 80 points or more, and in games where the Vikings are held under that magic number, they are 3-3. Brendan Westendorf's 21.1 points, 6.9 assists and 47 steals are good for sixth, second and seventh respectively in the NWAACC, making him one of only two players to be in the top seven in three categories. 

                                                                                                                         

3. Pierce (15-4, 17-1 West)
No. 3 coaches
Previous ranking: No. 8, No. 5 coaches

Continuing their stubborn lack of a reliance on the three point shot may be one of Pierce's biggest strengths. They have shot fewer three pointers than nearly any team in the league, and it is no coincidence that they are the only teams shooting higher than 50% from the floor. If you take out the three pointers, that percentage goes up to 57%, an outrageously high number. Couple that with the fact that Pierce is also among the league leaders in scoring average, and you get a very consistent, very steady team.

                                                                                                                        

4. Tacoma (13-6, 6-2 West)
No. 5 coaches
Previous ranking: No. 6, No. 8 coaches

Proof that you don't have to score to be a good team, Tacoma averages near the top of the Western Region teams, but near the bottom of the NWAACC in points per contest. The Titans went 3-1 in the last two weeks, the only loss being a 61-47 [box] debacle to a hot Lower Columbia team, a win that was LCCC's fifth in a row. In that game, Tacoma's two top scorers were held to a combined nine points on 3-20 shooting. They normally combine for 24, part of a balanced, but low scoring starting five. Coming up, Tacoma will get a chance to pit their defense and slow pace against brilliant offense when they match up against No. 3 Pierce on Feb. 2 on the road.

                                                                                                                         

5. Lane (17-4, 5-2 South)
No. 4 coaches
Previous ranking: No. 3, No. 3 coaches

The last two weeks haven't been quite the smooth sailing that Lane had in the preseason. They flattened No. 8 SW Oregon, but were pushed to the brink on the road at Clackamas (10-11, 2-5 South) and gave up a four point halftime lead before winning the game 87-80 [box] in overtime. Their next outing ended in a 64-56 [box] loss to Umpqua, a sting that the following narrow victory over Portland did little to heal. Lane is now in a three way tie for first place in the Southern region after a dominant preseason in which  they went 12-2. Their next two games are against opponents that are far below .500, but on the horizon is a huge match up with Chemeketa, a team that has been much improved lately.

                                                                                                                         

6. Peninsula (14-6, 5-2 North)
No. 6 coaches
Previous ranking: No. 2, No. 2 (tie) coaches

Aside from their loss to No. 1 Edmonds, Peninsula had been rolling as of late. At least, that was until they went to visit Bellevue. That game ended in frustration for Peninsula. Four technical fouls, an ejection and a roster one smaller coupled with a loss has Peninsula reeling, but not finished. They are one of the most talented teams in the league, and have seemed next to unstoppable as long as personalities don't get in the way. Things definitely don't get any easier from here on out, as they have to visit No. 7 Whatcom before hosting No. 1 Edmonds. These next few games could very well decide how the season will finish. If things get put back together, Peninsula could challenge for a place in the final four. If not, the Pirates could fall as low as the fourth seed, or out of the playoffs all together.

                                                                                                                         

7. Whatcom (13-6, 5-2 North)
No. 7 coaches
Previous ranking: NR, NR coaches

Just one of a host of Northern Region teams in this week's rankings, it seems that every northern region game bears more weight than most match ups elsewhere. Which is why Whatcom's 5-2 regular season start is so impressive. Their two losses, to No. 1 Edmonds and No. 6 Peninsula, were by three points each. However, those aren't the only close games that Whatcom has been in. They beat Everett by three, Bellevue by two, and Skagit Valley by four. In fact, the Orcas have only been in one blowout since the start of the regular season, 21  point flattening of Shoreline. All that goes to say that Whatcom has more experience in close contests than just about any other team in the league.

                                                                                                                         

8. SW Oregon (10-9, 5-2 South)
NR coaches
Previous ranking: NR, NR coaches

The SW Oregon Lakers have quietly been having a fantastic season. Last time around, they won a play-in game before knocking off the top seed in the championship tournament. This season, they may not have such a tough road. A 5-2 start has SWOCC tied for first place in the South after a thrilling 89-88 victory over Chemeketa on Jan 26. The road gets a little smoother in the next few weeks, as SW Oregon will face three of the bottom four teams from the South. That stretch is a chance for the Lakers to build up some momentum, as they still have to play No. 4 Lane once more, and Chemeketa to finish off the season.

                                                                                                                         

Full Court Press: Dark Horse Week

To provide some analysis on the non-power ranking weeks, Full Court Press will be released every other week throughout the NWAACC basketball season. In most installments for both the men and the women, FCP will include a prediction and two games of the week, as well as any interesting tidbits that happen to come to light. For  this week, however, it's time to choose a dark horse: a team that hasn't amounted to much thus far, but has all the pieces to make some noise in March. 

Do you have your own dark horse prediction? Let me know via twitter, by email, or in the comments below!

NWAACC Men's Basketball

 Centralia College - Western Region

The beauty of a dark horse is that they can come from anywhere. They can be on the fringe, or come from the cellar, but either way, they manage to put things together at just the right time and make a run. Centralia, my dark horse pick for the NWAACC men, is one of those fringe teams. They have yet to pick up points in the coaches poll, and haven't been ranked so far this season, but they have several things about them that stick out. 

Sophomore Van Lockett leads Centralia
with 18 points and 4.6 assists per game.
Lockett is 17th in the league in
scoring and the 2nd best from the West.

1. "Defense wins championships"

The Western Region isn't a particularly strong offensive region, as evidenced by the fact that seven of the bottom ten scoring teams in the league are from the west. Only No. 6 Tacoma and No. 8 Pierce have broken that mold. The bottom seven teams average just over 68 points per game. Tacoma isn't much better at a little over 75, but Pierce sits at 6th in the league with 86.94 points per contest. 

With Pierce aside, it seems as though the first team to 75 should win just about every contest in the west. Centralia is the third lowest scoring team in the league, but their defense has been solid, even throughout interregional play. Only three times has a team put up more than 80 points on Centralia, with the Blazers going 1-2 in those games, and despite Centralia's 67 point average, they've been holding teams to just 64.7 points per game. 

Related: NWAACC's run and gun may face hardships

2. Tough start, soft finish in the West

Aside from the top two or three teams, there isn't all that much in the West that Centralia needs to fear. They were thumped a few times in the preseason, but they also had some good toe-to-toe moments as well, particularly a 71-65 loss to third-ranked Peninsula at the Clackamas Holiday Invitational. Looking ahead, the teams that Centralia has to face they've already beaten with the exception of Pierce and Tacoma, as well as S. Puget Sound (4-12, 1-6 West), whom they have yet to play. Centralia has already faced the second toughest schedule in the West according to the RPI ratings, and that number will drop from here on out. 

What needs to happen:

Simply put, Centralia needs to find some more offense. Part of their offensive woes are borne of the fact that they play with such a slow pace. Centralia shoots a decent percentage, they just don't take very many shots. The low number of shots means less steals, less assists, and less rebounds, making Centralia seem offensively stunted. 

The slow pace also contributes to the low opponent scoring average, but in order to get past some of their better Western Region compatriots and get a good seed in the tournament, Centralia will have to find buckets from somewhere. Their defensive mindset will work wonders in the tournament, but only if they can get there with a favorable seed.

Related: NWAACC's run and gun may face hardships

                                                                                                                         

Have a dark horse prediction? Respond via twitter, by email, or in the comments!

                                                                                                                         

NWAACC Women's Basketball

Columbia Basin - Eastern Region

Coming off a championship season in 2012, Columbia Basin didn't have many people believing in them. They had lost nearly their entire championship roster, and were showcasing a plethora of new faces. Starting off by losing their first three games and winning just one of their first five, it seemed that the Hawks were in for an off year. CBC won two in a row in mid-December, but went on to lose three of four stretching in to the beginning of Eastern Region play. That's when things started to turn around. 

1. The Power of Momentum

A team that has momentum will play with confidence, and the combination of those two generally means success. Though they didn't look it throughout the preseason, CBC does have a title to defend, and it seems that they mean to. Holding No. 2 Walla Walla to a 59-54 [box] game, they built on the success they found against the high flying warriors and started a streak longer than anything they've seen all season. They have now won five games in a row, including a shellacking of No. 5 Big Bend. They were more of a dark horse two weeks ago, but it still remains to be seen if they can keep this momentum rolling.  

2. Tested early, tested late

As with many of the teams in the East, Columbia Basin's schedule has been wildly tough. In fact, according to the RPI ratings, the Hawks are tied for the toughest schedule in the league. They've had to play No. 1 Lane and No. 3 Clackamas twice each, in addition to No. 2 Walla Walla, an uphill battle by any stretch of the imagination as those three opponents are a combined 52-5. While the East doesn't really get much easier,  the fact that CBC has seen teams with such a caliber gives them some experience in the big games they will have to face to survive in the East, especially if they play as they did when they very nearly knocked off the No. 2 team in the league. 

Freshman guard Sierra Highangle (left) leads the Hawks in scoring with  13.22 points per game.

What needs to happen:

The biggest key to Columbia Basin making a run is their ability to win on the road. Home court advantage doesn't mean as much in the NWAACC as it does in many other leagues, but travel and playing in an unfamiliar setting do have an effect. Unfortunately for the Hawks, they got the hard home games out of the way early, and will have to go on the road to face No. 2 Walla Walla, No. 5 Big Bend and Spokane. They do get Spokane at home, and there is a cupcake sitting at the bottom of the region standings, but without road wins, CBC will constantly be looking over their shoulder at the team that could knock them from the tournament. 

Edmonds men lead rankings after top-two tussle

NWAACC Men's Basketball

A wild week is now in the books, a week that saw two of the top three ranked teams in both these very rankings and the coaches polls, falter and take a dip in the numbers. Edmonds and Peninsula, easily one of the biggest matches so far this young season, ended in a double digit win for the now top ranked Edmonds. In the Southern Region, the heavyweight Lane clashed against Chemeketa, who is returning a host of players from a team that made it to the 2012 final against Tacoma. A huge, 24 point win for the Storm was enough to catapult them back into this week's rankings, just one of several shakeups as things continue to get rowdy.  

Be sure to check back in a week's time for Full Court Press, a bi-weekly roundup of NWAACC basketball action to fill in the gaps. Next week, instead of the normal format, it's dark horse week!  Coaches rankings are in italics under each team's record. If you have a question or a comment feel free to leave it below, respond via twitter or send me an email. 

Full Court Press: Dark Horse Week is now live online! Do you have a dark horse prediction?

                                                                                                                         

1. Edmonds (14-2, 4-0 North)
No. 1 coaches
Previous ranking: No. 3 , No. 2 (tie) coaches

Nearly a month removed from their Dec. 16 debacle against Peninsula, Edmonds finally got their chance at a rematch. Edmonds got an edge, and Peninsula made a run, but was powerless to catch up as the Tritons hit 10-12 free throws, including 18 made at the charity stripe in the second half, and held on to win 104-89 [story] [box]. Shaq McKissic and Riccardo Maxwell came up huge, combining for 58 points, 14 rebounds and 16 assists. Edmonds also beat a Pirate team that didn't make many mistakes, with just 10 turnovers, 40% from  three point range, and 53% over all. Overcoming those numbers and that talent in such a fashion will serve Edmonds well in March.

                                                                                                                         

2. Peninsula (12-5, 3-1 North)
No. 2 coaches
Previous ranking: No. 1, No. 2 (tie) coaches

Peninsula has finally returned to earth, ending their streak as the last team to go unbeaten against NWAACC competition. The RPI ratings have Peninsula at the top, and for good reason. Their 8-1 record against fellow NWAACC schools is impressive, mostly because they have seen the toughest schedule of any team in the league, with their opponents winning 62% of their games. Furthermore, Peninsula did just about everything they needed to against No. 1 Edmonds to win that game except for one: get to the free throw line. The Pirates shot just ten free throws to Edmonds' 30, something that gave Edmonds control of the pace. That kind of control contributes to things like 61% shooting and 48% from long range. We'll see if Peninsula can get those kinks worked out before their next meeting with the Tritons.

                                                                                                                         

3. Lane (15-3, 3-1 South)
No. 3 coaches
Previous ranking: No. 1, No. 1 coaches

Lane was the second of a pair of top three teams to fall on a doomsday Saturday. Coming in, they relied heavily on their star Tyler Coleman, who leads the team in points, assists and steals. Coleman didn't have a bad game, just 2.5 points below his average, but aside from him and Keynan Middleton, whose monster 30 points was just one shy of his season high, Lane got next to nothing in a 95-71 [box] loss. That's coming from a team who has five players averaging double figure scoring. Now you have to wonder, is No. 7 Chemeketa that good, or did Lane simply trip up? Time will certainly tell with Chemeketa, but for now, Lane has lost the top spot in the South with just one slip up.

                                                                                                                        

4. Big Bend (13-4, 2-1 East)
No. 4 coaches
Previous ranking: No. 4, No. 4 coaches

Big Bend didn't have the best of starts to their Eastern Region schedule. Traveling to Spokane, they must have underestimated the challenge that Spokane (11-5, 2-1 East) would bring, forgetting that Spokane has several big wins under their belt, including a stomping of No 2 Lane on December 9th. Whatever the case, Big Bend found themselves down nine at halftime, and although they played better in the second half, the Vikings couldn't slow the Spokane offense and fell 90-77 [box]. BBCC didn't dwell on the loss for too long, however, and picked up a solid win over No. 5 Yakima Valley to retain the top spot in the East. 

                                                                                                                         

5. Yakima Valley (13-5, 3-1 East)
No. 6 coaches
Previous ranking: No. 6, No. 8 coaches

Yakima Valley kept things pretty close with No. 4 Big Bend on Dec. 5th, holding the high-scoring Vikings 14 points below their average in a 76-70 [box] loss. That was their only loss so far in Eastern Region play, and on the road, that's a decent play for facing one of the better teams in the league in a hostile environment. They followed up with a win over a rising Spokane team, and another close victory over Walla Walla. Going forward, Yakima Valley could string together several wins in a row, as they will face some of the bottom teams in the Eastern Region in succession before meeting Big Bend once more on Feb. 2nd at home.

                                                                                                                         

6. Tacoma (11-5, 4-1 West)
No. 8 coaches
Previous ranking: No. 7, NR coaches

A Jan. 12 loss to Highline was the only trip up in an impressive 5-1 streak following Tacoma's loss to Peninsula at the Clackamas invitational. That run included a flattening of Clackamas, an 80-68 [box] defeat of No. 8 Pierce, and a solid thumping of S. Puget Sound. The loss to Highline is particularly puzzling, as the Titans' top two scorers in Jibreel Stevens (12.9 ppg) and Demetrius Smith (12.6 ppg) combined for just 10 points on 4-20 shooting. Darnell Williams and Josh Lord each scored 19 points, but Tacoma's lack of scoring (78.19 ppg, 18th NWAACC) will continue to haunt them in the future, unless they can get their stars going on a more consistent basis.

                                                                                                                         

7. Chemeketa (11-4, 4-0 South)
No. 7 coaches
Previous ranking: NR, NR coaches

Ahh, the glorious return. A team that began the preseason ranked at No. 1, Chemeketa fell on hard times both early in the preseason against non-league opponents, and in late December when they lost a pair of games to No. 8 Pierce and unranked Whatcom. Since then, they've quietly been putting together a fabulous season. The Storm have now made it six straight, including a 95-71 [box] win over No. 2 Lane, who was ranked No. 1 by the coaches. It seems that Chemeketa has finally returned to last season's form. They sit at second in the league in points scored at 91.6 points per contest, and sport a very balanced attack with four players averaging double figures, and six players averaging nine points or more.

                                                                                                                         

8. Pierce (13-4, 5-1 West)
No. 5 coaches
Previous ranking: No. 8, No. 5 coaches

A 12 point loss to No. 6 Tacoma aside, Pierce has put together a rather impressive month of January, going 5-1 so far and winning many of their games in blowout fashion. They have wins of 11, 12, 15, 16 and 44 in that stretch, and might have come away with a victory over Tacoma had they not dug themselves a 42-22 hole after the first 20 minutes. Pierce continues to be the only team in the league that shoots over 50% from the field, and they sit at 5th in the NWAACC in scoring with 86.9 points per game. The Raiders shoot a decent percentage from long range, but most of that damage is done from inside the three point line, as Pierce has shot fewer three point attempts per game than any other team in the top 15 in scoring.

                                                                                                                         

Undeafeated, unstoppable Lane women still ranked No. 1

NWAACC Women's Basketball

After a lackluster start to the preseason, we might have to start talking about Columbia Basin once more, as they've started Eastern Region play 3-1.  According to the RPI ratings, which were released by the league this week, Columbia Basin has played one of the toughest schedules of any team in the NWAACC. Much of that comes from playing in the Eastern Region, who has two ranked teams and two teams knocking on the door. The Northern Region, with their one ranked team, may be inching back into things with the strong play of Bellevue and the return of guard Brittany Barrington to the lineup after a month off the court, meaning that the South might finally have to give up one of their four spots in the next set of rankings. 

Be sure to check back in a week's time for Full Court Press, a bi-weekly roundup of NWAACC basketball action to fill in the gaps. Next week, instead of the normal format, it's dark horse week! Coaches rankings are in italics under each team's record. If you have a question or a comment feel free to leave it below, respond via twitter or send me an email.

Full Court Press: Dark Horse Week is now live online! Do you have a dark horse prediction? 

                                                                                                                        

1. Lane Titans (18-0, 4-0 South)
No. 1 Coaches
Previous ranking: No. 1, No. 1 coaches

Lane has started off the regular season as red hot as ever, winning their first four contests by wide margins, including a 16 point drubbing of No. 7 Chemeketa. Nobody scored more than the 79 points that ChCC put up, and nobody was able to hold Lane under 85 points, with Lane winning the first four games by an average of 28.25 points per game. It's hardly enough to say that Lane is by far the team to beat right now, and it seems as though they won't have much of a challenge in the Southern Region other than No. 3 Clackamas, whom they will face on Jan. 19 up in Oregon City. As detailed in last week's installment of  Full Court Press, the two matches between Lane and Clackamas could very well decide the champion of the high-powered South, so this is a big one. 

                                                                                                                         

2. Walla Walla (15-1, 4-0 East)
No. 2 Coaches
Previous ranking: No. 2, No. 2 coaches

The Walla Walla Warriors have now made it 14 wins in a row with four victories to start Eastern Region play. Wins over a somewhat resurgent Columbia Basin team and a decent Yakima Valley squad feel good, but Walla Walla has their work cut out for them in the always-tough Eastern Region. On Jan. 23 they face Spokane, who has been a tough match up as of late, and that begins a tough stretch of games for the Warriors. They then travel to face No. 5 Big Bend before coming back home to host Columbia Basin yet again. That game might not look big, but Walla Walla only beat CBC 59-54 [box] and Columbia Basin got four missed shots and three rebounds from their bench, and nothing else.

                                                                                                                         

3. Clackamas (14-3, 4-0 South)
No. 3 Coaches
Previous ranking: No. 3, No. 3 coaches

Looking at Clackamas' record, their three losses aren't much to hang their heads over. A four point loss to No. 1 Lane, a 62-55 [box] game to No.2 Walla Walla, and an early season 13 point slip up to No. 8 Umpqua, who at that time had guard Christal Jeff contributing big numbers. Since the loss to Lane on Dec. 9, Clackamas has won nine straight, and have the second highest opponent win percentage of any team ranked in the top ten. Right around the corner will be Clackamas' biggest chance to move up: a rematch with Lane, a team they haven't defeated since Dec. 11, 2011. All of those games have been within seven points, and four of the five matches have been decided by four points or less.

                                                                                                                         

4. Centralia (12-3, 5-0 West)
No. 5 Coaches
Previous ranking: No. 4, No. 4 coaches

The class of the Western Region, Centralia is again victim of the conference in which they play. Of all the ranked teams, they have the weakest schedule according to the RPI ratings, both looking ahead to the regular season, and looking at the teams they've played. That said, they have looked good against some big opponents, namely a 95-91 victory over No. 2 Walla Walla and a close 68-65 loss to No. 3 Clackamas. They will mop up in the Western Region, save a slough of injuries, but it seems that they do have the talent to stand toe-to-toe with some of the top NWAACC talent once the tournament rolls around. 

                                                                                                                         

5. Big Bend (12-5, 2-1 East)
No. 5 Coaches
Previous ranking: No. 4, No. 5 coaches

Coming off a tough few weeks with losses to No. 6 Whatcom, Tacoma and a rising team in Spokane, Big Bend seems to be back on form, with a win over Yakima Valley and Wenatchee Valley, who only just recently dropped from the rankings. Big Bend isn't a particularly tall club, but they get up and rebound, a definite key to their success. They are third in the league in rebounding with 51.7, first in total offensive rebounds, and if the league kept such stats, they would probably be very near the top in second chance points. They don't shoot well from the field, but they've had more opportunities than anybody but No. 1 Lane.


                                                                                                                         

6. Whatcom (11-5, 4-0 North)
No. 7 Coaches
Previous ranking: NR, No. 8 coaches

Building on a solid win over No. 4 Big Bend, Whatcom has now won five games in a row, and while the Orcas do play in the relatively weak Northern Region, they have been blowing away their competition. That dominance stretches to both sides of the ball, as they have held teams to an average of just 45 points per contest, and have been putting up an average of 70.5. Whatcom's win over Big Bend might have lost some of it's significance because it came as part of a slurry of losses for the Vikings, but it was important nonetheless, as it was the first victory for Whatcom over a ranked team all year.


                                                                                                                         

7. Chemeketa (9-8, 2-2 South)
NR Coaches
Previous ranking: No. 6, NR coaches

While just about every week is a challenge in the Southern Region, Chemeketa had a particularly difficult few weeks. They faced Wenatchee Valley (who was ranked 7th a week after the game), No. 1 Lane, No. 8 Umpqua, No. 3 Clackamas and No. 1 Lane. That's simply exhausting for any team, and the Storm should feel alright about going 2-3 over those five games. Things will slow down for Chemeketa for a few weeks where they won't see any ranked teams, but then they will have to face Lane and Clackamas back to back once again in the first few days of February.

                                                                                                                         

8. Umpqua (13-4, 3-1 South)
No. 6 Coaches
Previous ranking: No. 8, No. 6 coaches

It remains to be seen whether Umpqua will again become the team they were to start the season, but for the time being, they seem to have regained some of their confidence. After falling 62-54 [box] to No. 7 Chemeketa, they picked things up with a win over SW Oregon, who is still looking to break in to the playoff picture in the South. Umpqua then turned around and flattened Mt. Hood by 31, and a few days later outdistanced Linn-Benton by 50. Given, the last two wins are against teams that are a combined 6-25, but perhaps if Umpqua can build up some momentum, they can make a play for the second seed in the West, while maintaining their slight hold on the third.


                                                                                                                         

Full Court Press: League Play Begins

To provide some analysis on the non-power ranking weeks, Full Court Press will be released every other Wednesday throughout the NWAACC basketball season. In most installments for both the men and the women, FCP will include a prediction and two games of the week, as well as any interesting tidbits that happen to come to light. Now with that out of the way, dig in:


NWAACC Men:

Now that they're back to full strength, it's clear that Tacoma is back to their usual selves, now having gone 3-0 in their first few league games, and moving to 10-4 over all. Instrumental in that turnaround has been their new assist leader, Josh Lord, whose 4.13 apg are good for 11th in the league. They don't have a particularly difficult week, as they will be facing the basement of the Western Region: Highline and S. Puget Sound. They won't see a real challenge until they play Clark on Jan. 19th, and even then, Tacoma should be favored in that game. Expect Tacoma to move up in next week's rankings - they'll most likely still be undefeated in league play.

Jan. 9 - No. 1 Peninsula at No. 3 Edmonds

While the game is over and done with, it's an easy pick as game of the week. The last time these two programs met, Edmonds got blown out 84-62 [box], but for one of only two losses up to that point. Edmonds picked things back up and had won four in a row coming into the latest meeting with Peninsula, and the Pirates had a streak of six victories on their side. This time around, Peninsula had no answer for Shaquielle McKissic's 31 points and Riccardo Maxwell's 27, including 14-14 from the line, and the Tritons knocked off top ranked Peninsula 104-89 [box]. Edmonds Head Coach Kyle Gray said in a post game interview that the difference was confidence. If they can keep up confidence like that, they'll go a really long ways.

Jan. 12 - No. 2 Lane at Chemeketa

Unless your head has been buried stubbornly in the sand, it's likely that you've heard of Lane's success. At 14-2 and 2-0 in region play, they're kind of... uhh... really good. Their next opponent, Chemeketa, has been somewhat forgotten because of a somewhat forgettable preseason, but they have gotten things together as of late, winning their last four games by an average of 36 points per contest. That success comes from an incredibly balanced scoring attack. Six storm players are averaging between 9-14 points per game, and Chemeketa is second in scoring with 92.6 points per game. Most likely an offensive shootout, but anything can happen.


NWAACC Women: 

With some of the usual Eastern Region powerhouses having somewhat of a down season, it seems that the South has stepped up for it's time in the limelight. Four of the eight ranked teams, and three of the teams in the coaches' top eight are from the south, including two of the top three in both sets of rankings. For now, it seems like the front runner for the 2013 title will be whomever wins the Southern Region, but there is still a lot of basketball left to be played.

Jan. 12th - Yakima Valley at No. 2 Walla Walla

This game doesn't have quite the same luster that it would have had in seasons past, but the Yak-Warrior match ups are always big games, no matter the record. Yakima Valley has had somewhat of a rough time since starting the preseason 4-0, but they've shown signs of life once again with a win over No. 7 Wenatchee Valley and a tough 71-69 loss [box] to No. 4 Big Bend on Jan. 9. Walla Walla, on the other hand, has been on fire all year. They haven't lost since falling to No. 5 Centralia on Nov. 17, and have already jumped out to a 13-1 record overall with two quick wins to start Eastern Region play. It's safe to say that Yakima Valley has their hands full, but a win here could easily see them in next week's rankings.


Jan. 19th - No. 1 Lane at No. 3 Clackamas

In what could easily be a finals preview, Lane will make the trip up to Oregon City to face a very experienced Clackamas squad  that they struggled (relatively) with earlier in the season. In  the last game, Clackamas held Lane to a season-low four point victory, falling 72-68 in easily the closest game that Lane has seen all year. For now, Clackamas is still looking to avenge their loss at home from late last season that dropped them into a second place tie with Chemeketa. Lane is looking to extend their winning streak, which sits at 16 for the moment, but could stretch to 18 with wins over No. 6 Chemeketa and SW Oregon.

Lane women ranked No. 1 after undefeated preseason

NWAACC Women's Basketball

This season has gotten off to an odd start, as things have been shaken up big time in the Eastern Region. Perennial powerhouses Columbia Basin and Yakima Valley, who won the last two NWAACC titles, sit in the bottom half of the Eastern Region standings with the conclusion of the preseason, and Columbia Basin has now fallen to 4-8, their worst start in years. Conversely, the South is looking extremely good. Five teams, four of whom are ranked, have been making noise so far, led by an undefeated Lane team who has been dominating just about every statistical category and looks next to unbeatable. The West and North look to be relatively weak once again as we enter region play. 

Be sure to check back in a week's time for Full Court Press (last week | this week), a bi-weekly roundup of NWAACC basketball action to fill in the gaps. Coaches rankings are in italics under each team's record. If you have a question or a comment feel free to leave it below, respond via twitter or send me an email. 

                                                                                                                        

1. Lane Titans (14-0, 0-0 South)
No. 1 Coaches
Previous ranking: No. 1, No. 1 coaches

The Lane Titans capped off a perfect preseason with an exclamation mark: a 14th straight win to dominate the Chemeketa Holiday Tournament. Lane put up some impressive numbers in those last three, including beating Everett by almost 60 points, 117-60 [box]. Lane went on to bowl over the 2012 champion Columbia Basin by 13 points, and then flattened tournament host Chemeketa 92-68. The stats behind Lane's success is more impressive than their record. They lead the league in average points, three pointers made and attempted, assists, blocks and are second in steals and recounds. That's ridiculous, and so is Lane's future. The closest anyone has come to an undefeated season in recent memory was the 2009-10 Yakima Valley team whose one loss was to Walla Walla in the 2010 title game. Right now, that definitely looks like a possibility. 

                                                                                                                         

2. Walla Walla (11-1, 0-0 East)
No. 2 Coaches
Previous ranking: No. 2, No. 2 coaches

After taking two weeks off, Walla Walla jumped back into the swing of things and jumped all over Portland, beating the 1-9 Panthers 69-48 [box] in their last contest before the regular season begins. Already one of the best offensive teams  with 76.33 points and 17 boards per game good for fourth and second in the league respectively, Walla Walla is also leading the NWAACC in efficiency. They are one of just two teams to have a positive assist to turnover ratio at 1.09 and are a clear front runner heading into Eastern Region play. 

                                                                                                                         

3. Clackamas (10-3, 0-0 South)
No. 3 Coaches
Previous ranking: No. 4, No. 3 coaches

Clackamas returns this season as one of the top offensive programs in the league once again. They are fourth in points with 76.54 per game, second in three pointers made, and seventh in assists. Ever since losing to Lane in a hard-fought 72-68 [box], Clackamas has turned things around, but that loss still lingers. It was a game in which Clackamas committed 32 turnovers and got a season-low two points from Ashleigh Anderson, who was 0-7 from the field in 31 minutes. Anderson has since turned things around, and led the Cougars in a pair of victories over Clark [box]and No. 5 Centralia [box], and Clackamas has won five straight to finish off their preseason.

                                                                                                                         

4. Big Bend (10-4, 0-0 East)
No. 5 Coaches
Previous ranking: No. 5, No. 4 coaches

The Vikings have hit a bit of a rough patch, with three straight losses on three straight nights, part of a four games in four days stretch that didn't fare very well for Big Bend. The theme from the last few contests has been the idea that BBCC is a one trick pony. Alli Winters has led the Vikings in almost every game this season, but in the last four, they've only had three other players even reach double figures. That said, Big Bend had been on quite the tear before their current losing streak. Eight wins in a row and a crossover championship don't hurt things at all, Big Bend just needs to become a little more balanced to continue that kind of success.

                                                                                                                         

5. Centralia (8-3, 0-0 West)
No. 4 Coaches
Previous ranking: No. 3, No. 6 coaches

Centralia seems to be settling in to their role as a solid team, but just on the outside of the elite circle. They have three losses now, to Yakima Valley, to No. 3 Clackamas and to North Idaho, who is 7-0 against NWAACC teams this season. The loss to Clackamas was a close one, 68-65 [box], and could have been won if not for Centralia's dismal three point shooting (2-16), as they forced the Cougars into 26 turnovers while committing just 19 of their own. From here on out, it will be difficult to judge how well Centralia will do in the tournament, as they play in perhaps the weakest women's region, who has just three teams with seven wins or more.


                                                                                                                         

6. Chemeketa (7-6, 0-0 South)
NR Coaches
Previous ranking: NR, NR coaches

The blowout loss to No. 1 Lane aside (as everybody gets blown out by Lane these days), Chemeketa has found some success as of late. Following the loss to Everett on Dec. 14, the Storm won four contests in a row, including a 64-56 [box] win over No. 7 Wenatchee Valley, and an overtime win against Gray's Harbor. Along with Walla Walla, Chemeketa is the only women's team to have more assists than turnovers. That margin is narrow, but it says something important: Chemeketa isn't making a lot of mistakes. The Storm's biggest issue seems to be that they cannot rebound. They average just under 40 boards a game, making them one of the poorer rebounding teams in the league.


                                                                                                                         

7. Wenatchee Valley (9-4, 0-0 East)
No. 7 Coaches
Previous ranking: NR, NR coaches

The Knights have won four of their last five, with the lone loss being to No. 6 Chemeketa at the Chemeketa Holiday Tournament. The window seems to have opened this year in the east for Wenatchee Valley, as several of the usual suspects are nowhere to be found. Scoring just 61.75 points per game puts WVC near the bottom in the NWAACC, but their defense has more than made up for it. They haven't let a team score more than 71 points, and have held teams to 45 points or less four times. Time will tell if their offense will be enough to stay on top against some of the premiere scoring squads in the league, but for now WVC will focus on a very different looking Eastern Region.

                                                                                                                         

8. Umpqua (10-3, 0-0 South)
No. 6 Coaches
Previous ranking: No. 8, No. 7 coaches

Umpqua hasn't played much since the last set of rankings came out, shortly after they lost back to back games for the first time all season. The question then was whether Christal Jeff could get back on form, and it seems she hasn't. They've played just one alumni game in the last two weeks, but Jeff only totaled 6 points and 2 assists in 20 minutes of play, continuing a streak in which she has averaged just over six points a game, down from around 13 through her first six games. If that slump can get shrugged off, than Umpqua has a lot going for them. They are second in scoring, sixth in rebounding, and shoot a league-best 46% from the field and are tied for top honors with 35% from long range.