Full Court Press: A high-scoring affair

 

A year ago, the bi-weekly publication Full Court Press got started as a way to bridge the gap between the power rankings. With the start of the 2013-14 NWAACC basketball season, FCP is back to provide a little analysis on the off-weeks and highlight some of the biggest happenings around the league as we careen toward region play in mid-January.

In some league-wide news, the initial coaches polls have been released, and the results have been added in to the first edition of the Joward Power Rankings, which were published on Dec. 3. 

At the moment, things are still a little shaky. This early on, most teams have faced a bunch of unknowns, including alumni teams, "all-star" teams and a few club teams from around the northwest. That can make it difficult to determine the haves from the have nots as far as a solid record is concerned, but with the holidays around the corner, we also have a host of crossover and holiday tournaments on the horizon which should provide ample perspective and discussion material. 

NWAACC Men (Rankings | Coaches Poll)

Even with the season being so young, it's unusual to have so many undefeated teams. Four currently grace the standings - Whatcom, Peninsula, Big Bend and Highline. Two, so far, have clearly asserted themselves, and the coaches seem to agree. Though Treasure Valley (4-1) picked up a huge boost by nabbing three first-place votes, Whatcom (5-0) and Big Bend (4-0) have outdistanced the rest of the contenders by a mile or two, and both will have a chance to face undefeated Highline before the year's end.

Game of the Week:

Dec. 13 - No. 1 Big Bend vs. Highline

Talk about an intriguing match up. Both teams average in the league's top-five in scoring, and each team gets it done in a completely different manner. Brendan Westendorf (34 ppg, 62% FG) is arguably one of the best scorer the league has seen these last few years, to be mentioned in the same breath as Tacoma great Mark McLaughlin (Now at Central Washington) and former Peninsula guard JT Terrell (USC). Westendorf isn't scoring in a vacuum, and he's not just jacking up an insane number of shots to bring down his points. He is one of the best shooters among players who actually take shots from outside the paint, and he's a threat from everywhere on the floor. Highline's resume and roster may not be quite as impressive, but their balance makes them a difficult team to stop. No one player is averaging more than 15.25 points, and yet they manage nearly 95 points per game. This is a major chance to prove they belong at the top of the rankings, and a major first step in their bid to make the tournament in March.

It's difficult to imagine how this could be anything but high scoring, and though Highline has an edge in 3-point shooting and rebounding, this looks like it should belong to Big Bend. I won't bet the house I don't own, but the chances of a Vik victory are pretty strong.

NWAACC Women (Rankings | Coaches Poll)

Columbia Basin is at it again. They've won five of their last six, and have broken 100 points in their last two. While their average of nearly 85 points per contest is likely to come down, it's clear that this is nothing like some of the CBC teams we've seen in the last few years. Defensively minded in the past, the Hawks are third in the league in scoring while only having attempted 75 three-pointers. And if they hold on to the defensive principles of Coach Holden? Oi.

Game of the Week:

Dec. 14 - No. 1 Blue Mountain vs. No. 5 Chemeketa

The last time the Timberwolves and Storm met, top-ranked Blue Mountain squeaked out a 59-56 victory. It was sluggish and fairly unusual for a women's game, as the teams combined for five (FIVE) three pointers, which is rather unheard of. Since then, Chemeketa has faced (and beaten) only one NWAACC opponent, spending most of their time out of state (Salt Lake CC, College of Southern Idaho). The Storm dropped both of their non-NWAACC games, making their 4-3 record a little misleading. Blue Mountain actually hasn't played since, and the few games before knocking off Chemeketa were close as well. It should be an interesting measuring-stick of a game, as both teams have nearly identical numbers, yet Blue Mountain is ranked 4th by the coaches and Chemeketa wasn't mentioned.

In spite of all the great numbers from Chemeketa, this one will likely not be quite as close. Blue Mountain has had time to rest up and work on a few things, and the road weary Storm may not be able to hold Blue Mountain to 37% shooting again. Timberwolves with the win, but still not going away.

No. 1 Blue Mountain leads women's rankings

NWAACC Women's Basketball

It's a little strange to look at the women's power rankings and not see Lane, Yakima Valley or Walla Walla. It's early on, but this being a two-year league makes for incredibly quick turnarounds - and incredibly quick melt-downs. Lane looks a little unproven against quality opponents, and they may make a victorious return, but the south - as always - is strong. Really strong. Four teams are ranked, and five, maybe six teams could end up making the post season. Remember, though, it IS early, and all this is likely to change. These rankings are to establish a starting point, and are often far removed from the way things play out in the end. Be sure to check out Full Court Press, the bi-weekly publication meant to fill in the gaps between rankings.

And to get this out of the way, a quick update on the rankings' author: Joward (me) now works for a little newspaper in Columbia County, Oregon. High school athletics are the game (literally), but the rankings will continue throughout the season, most likely every two weeks to coincide with the coaches poll. No word on whether the NWAACC will pick up the rankings, but they should be posted around the same time.

Also, your responses, sports takes, arguments and venting are welcome here, as the original intent behind this system was to generate discussion. Your input is always greatly appreciated, and you can reach me in a number of different ways throughout the season by commenting on each story, sending me an email, or contacting me via twitter @JowardHoward.

The Coaches Poll, released 6 days after the Power Rankings on Dec. 9, are in italics below each team's ranking. Here are the top eight women's teams to start out 2012-13:

                                                                                                                        

1. Blue Mountain (5-0)
No. 4 Coaches
Last Year: No. 7 Eastern 
Did not make the tournament

If the start for the Timberwolves is any reflection of how their season in the ever-difficult Eastern Region will play out, Blue Mountain will be a force come tournament-time. And unlike many teams in the early going, BMCC has faced a couple of solid squads. They knocked off No. 5 Chemeketa, No. 7 SW Oregon and No. 8 Whatcom, all in reasonably close, low-scoring games. They don't have any stats that really jump out except for one - they're holding opponents to an average of just over 56 points per contest. For reference, that is a lower scoring average than all but two of the teams in the league, and they're not doing it by jumping in the passing lanes or getting blocks.

                                                                                                                         

2. Clackamas (5-0)
No. 2 Coaches
Last Year: No. 2 Southern Seed
NWAACC Runner-Up

Clackamas might be missing many of the pieces that carried them to the final last year, but they're off to a solid, if a little discombobulated start. After their 82-81 defeat of Umpqua (box) in the championship of their Thanksgiving tournament, coach Jim Martineau said it was "pretty good for a bunch of freshmen running around," but that might have been an understatement. They lead the league (by a whole lot) in three pointers made and attempted, are second in assists among teams who have played at least two games and are fourth in scoring. And unlike years past, they're not just a drive-and-dish team. They have a number of players who are strong in the post, namely sophomore Jasmine Gibbs-Brown, and are lethal from distance if they get started.

                                                                                                                         

3. Columbia Basin (2-1)
No. 1 Coaches
Last Year: No. 2 Eastern Seed
Tournament: L-W-W-W

It's impossible to overlook the Hawks in any conversation, and it's partly their reputation that has them so high to begin with, but the real reason has almost everything to do with their roster. 11 sophomores. And if history serves us, that tends to bode well for coach Holden, especially when Columbia Basin is as balanced as they have been to start things out. They have three players averaging 10.25 points per game to lead the team, and it comes from vastly different places. 5-foot-nine center Alicia Jones does (literally) all her damage from inside the arc and at the free-throw line. Courtney Neilson shoots the highest percentage on the team, and Sierra Higheagle is their threat from deep. This team, like Blue Mountain, is another defensively minded group, and as they say, defense wins championships.

                                                                                                                         

4. Umpqua (2-1)
No. 5 Coaches
Last Year: No. 5 Southern
Did not make the tournament

This Riverhawks team is fairly typical of the groups from Umpqua - really big with good post players, strong defense, lots of rebounds and blocks, and lots (and lots) of points. They frustrated Clackamas in their only loss of the young season, using their height and fight to go for the boards in the first half. Though Clackamas responded, the post-up talent of 6-foot-1 Leilani Morris has proven hard to deal with, and should be an offensive staple along with 5-11 freshman Ashli Payne. On the break, Payne is especially dangerous, and not just because of her speed. If Umpqua can hold things together, they should find themselves back in the tournament once again.

                                                                                                                         

5. Chemeketa (4-1)
Unranked Coaches
Last Year: No. 3 Southern Seed

Tournament: W-W-L-L

Looking purely at the experience on this year's team, the No. 5 ranking seems a little premature. Buuuut then you notice the size the Storm are boasting this season. They have three girls who stand over 6 feet tall, and eight who are at least 5-foot-nine. They've been a bit run-and-gun in the last few years with a heavy reliance on the three-point shot, but with height like they have, they can simply overpower other teams in the post. In fact, they nearly knocked off No. 1 Blue Mountain while only hitting three treys, a feat which might have been unheard of in recent years. It was only a three point game, thanks to a bit of tough defense on the Timberwolves' Mar'Shay Moore, who got her average in points, but finished just 5-20 from the field. Even if the Storm don't rumble this year, they should be a strong contender next season, should all go well.

                                                                                                                         

6. Bellevue (2-1)
No. 7 Coaches
No. 1 Northern Seed

Tournament: W-L-W-W

Four six-footers surely have the Bulldogs feeling good coming in after a season in which they were forced to re-group early on. They lost their leading scorer at the beginning of the season, and somehow managed to put the pieces together well enough to win the North and make it to the tournament  ranked in the top eight. Bellevue has seven sophomores on this team, including 6-foot-two center Alexis Berrysmith. As any basketball coach will tell you, "you can't coach size," and that may be Bellevue's biggest (really?) asset. There isn't much info on Bellevue after three games, but falling to No. 3 Columbia Basin isn't much to feel bad about, and knocking off the defending champs in the young season's first contest adds a big boost.


                                                                                                                         

7. SW Oregon (5-2)
No. 8 Coaches
Last Year: No. 4 Southern Seed

Tournament: L-W-W-L
It might not help them in games that they've got players from eight different states and/or territories, but the Lakers have had an impressive start to this season's campaign. Their only two losses are to No. 1 Blue Mountain and No. 4 Umpqua, as is to be expected. Last year, the post-magic of Quinne Eharris made the Lakers a difficult match up. Now, the offense is funneled through sophomore guard Kayla Siri, whose 20.8 points, 7.3 boards, 3.6 assists and 3.7 steals make her one of the most dynamic and well rounded players in the entire league. It'll be interesting to watch and see how much support she can get, as the season rolls on, but with a threat like that, the Lakers will be dangerous on any given night.

                                                                                                                         

8. Clark (2-1)
Unranked Coaches
Last Year: No. 2 Western Seed

Tournament: W-L-W-L
Many of the teams from the Western Region have been largely untested so far, and as the Penguins were able to hang tough with No. 1 Blue Mountain, they get the lone nod from the West this week. Things don't get easier from here, though. Clark will have to play at No. 2 Clackamas on Dec. 10, a trial by fire if ever there was one. The Penguins have their second and third leading scorers back from last years' 6th place team, and if they can stick with Clackamas, the schedule softens up before the Penguins host their crossover tournament on Dec. 20.

                                                                                                                        

No surprise, Big Bend men lead initial rankings

NWAACC Men's Basketball

It's that time again! Time for the arguments to begin, but remember - this first set of rankings are usually complete shot in the dark, with the exception of a few teams. There is bound to be a bad egg, and bound to be a team who shows up "out of the blue". This year the league looks a little different, as two coaches to have won a championship in the last five seasons have moved on to other occupations - Carl Howell at Tacoma, and Lance Von Vogt at Peninsula - and Portland has continued to improve, looking for the first tournament berth in school history. Be sure to check out Full Court Press, the bi-weekly publication meant to fill in the gaps between rankings.

And to get this out of the way, a quick update on the rankings' author: Joward (me) now works for a little newspaper in Columbia County, Oregon. High school athletics are the game (literally), but the rankings will continue throughout the season, most likely every two weeks to coincide with the coaches poll. No word on whether the NWAACC will pick up the rankings, but they should be posted around the same time. 

Also, your responses, sports takes, arguments and venting are welcome here, as the original intent behind this system was to generate discussion. Your input is always greatly appreciated, and you can reach me in a number of different ways throughout the season by commenting on each story, sending me an email, or contacting me via twitter @JowardHoward.

The coaches poll, released 6 days after the Power Rankings on Dec. 9, are in italics below each team's ranking. Here are the top men's teams for 2012-13 out of the gate:

                                                                                                                         

1. Big Bend (4-0)
No. 2 Coaches
Last year: No. 1 Eastern Seed
Tournament: W-W-L-L

I'd venture to guess that not many people would argue against Big Bend as the preseason number one. Last years' team was loaded, especially with the addition of guard sensation Brendan Westendorf. The 6-foot-six guard tore apart the league last year, finishing third in scoring (22.2) and assists (5.8), and was one of the highlights of the 2013 NWAACC Tournament - "one of" being a bit of an understatement. Westendorf scored 112 points through the tournament's four games, and sat down for only 1:17 total. That's a minute and seventeen seconds. If Westendorf improves as most sophomores do, the Eastern Region had better look out, as right now he's leading the league with a cool (cough, wait what?) 33.5 points per game.

                                                                                                                         

2. Whatcom (4-0)
No. 1 Coaches
Last Year: No. 2 Northern Seed
Tournament: W-L-L

Led by another bright spot from last year's tournament, the Orca's lost by the hair of their chinny-chin-chins to new No. 1 Big Bend on the second day of the championships (box). This time around, Kyle Impero will have a little more support, as Whatcom's roster is bolstered by eight sophomores. They'll also return Alex Duncan, the team's third leading scorer and leader in free throw percentage. With Peninsula as an unknown in the North with their new coach, and Edmonds having lost their stars from last years' finals team, the Northern Region might not be quite as tight as in recent years.

                                                                                                                         

3. Yakima Valley (5-0)
No. 7 Coaches
Last Year: No. 2 Eastern Seed
Tournament: L-W-L

The first thing you notice when you take a quick peak at the Yak's roster is the host of sophomores. Seven players, mostly returners from last season's tournament team. That bunch is led by one of the best names in the league, 6-foot-5 guard Joel Yellow-Owl. Last year's stats have a pretty interesting trend. Twice, Yellow-Owl took more than 20 shots, and in both games, finished with over 30 points. For the rest of the season, he averaged just over 13 points. See what I'm getting at here? As a sophomore, and with the team's other two top scorers (Yellow-Owl was second) gone, he should get a lot more touches. And that's a good thing, given that he shot 57% during games in which he had 17 or more attempts.

                                                                                                                        

4. SW Oregon (4-1)
Unranked Coaches
Last Year: No. 2 Southern Seed
Tournament: L-L

Being a stats guy, I dearly wish the NWAACC had a column for 2nd chance points, and all because of the numbers the Lakers put up. Through their first five games, SW Oregon has led the league in rebounding at more than 51 boards per game, while coming in second in both three-pointers made and attempted. And while they don't shoot the league best percentage from beyond the arc or from the field overall, they're getting to those long rebounds and getting points out of the deal: more than 15 points a game, in fact. It's a hustle-stat, and something that should take the team far if they can keep up up. Should the Lakers start nailing a few more of those shots (they lead the league in field goals attempted) they'll be hard to beat.

                                                                                                                         

5. Pierce (3-1)
Unranked Coaches
Last Year: No. 1 Western Seed
Tournament: L-W-W-L

Last year's team was somewhat of a one man show, and while Tyrell Lewis was a great show, the Raiders didn't amount to much once they hit the tournament. This time around, a considerably re-tooled Pierce squad is leading the league in assists - and by a mile. But hey, guess what? They did it last year, too, and right now, the Raiders are a far more balanced team. It's early to call anything, but if Pierce can rattle off a few games to start off the regular season, they'll be hard to catch in the traditionally weak (relatively, look at the archives before you hate on me) western region, especially with Tacoma being less of a factor after head coach Carl Howell stepped down.

                                                                                                                          

6. Portland (4-2)
Unranked Coaches
Last Year: No. 5 South
Did not make the tournament

This selection might look like a little bit of a long shot, but what else are preseason rankings for? This is a Portland program that sat largely useless for much of it's history until coach Tony Broadus stepped in and turned things around. With hardly any time to prepare, Broadus was able to put together a roster and made a run at the program's first playoff berth. They nearly got it, too. A narrow play-in loss to Lane knocked Portland from contention, but with a year under their belts, a stronger recruiting class and time to prepare for the upcoming season could lead to a strong showing for Portland. This time around, they're not the upstarts. The chip on their shoulder is still there, but nobody is gonna count the Panthers out.

                                                                                                                         

7. Treasure Valley (4-1)
No. 3 Coaches
Last Year: No. 6 East
Did not make the tournament

In the first two seasons of the JOWARD Power Rankings, the Chuckar men have never been ranked, but their torrid start has been enough to catch some attention. Given, they've only played one NWAACC opponent, but their seven sophomores make them one of the more experienced programs in the league. They're second in assists, and have a big three averaging more than 50 points a game. The assists and relatively balanced scoring from several different names spells something important: options. They probably won't win the east, but with the usual suspects (Spokane and Walla Walla) a combined 3-5 so far, they have a chance to see the tournament.

                                                                                                                         

8. Clackamas (4-2)
Unranked Coaches
Last Year: No. 3 Southern Seed
Tournament: W-L-L

The Cougars have to be excited to see the return of one of the better shooting guards in the league from last season's tournament team, Michone Hopkins. As a freshman, he was third on the team in scoring and first in assists, but the biggest contribution was from beyond the arc. Hopkins was second in the league in 3-point shooting at a blistering 43%. And he wasn't one of the players who gets in by shooting a few here and there, and simply getting lucky. Clackamas will also get 6-foot-9 forward Grant Sitton back, whose jumper is surprisingly silky, given his length.