Men's Basketball Yote Notes - Edition 2

11.17.2009

LAST WEEK: vs. Northwest Nazarene (W 79-72)

COMING UP: Host 23rd Annual Duane Wolfe Memorial Golden Rule Shoot-Out, Friday – Northwest vs. Westminster, 6 p.m., C of I vs. Lewis-Clark State, 8 p.m.; Saturday – Northwest vs. Lewis-Clark State, 6 p.m., C of I vs. Westminster, 8 p.m.

LIVE STATS/VIDEO: No radio broadcasts will originate from this weekend’s tournament.  Live video of each game will be available online through Penn Atlantic’s website at www.pennatlantic.com.  Live statistics of each game will be available online at http://yotestats.i8.com/basketball/xlive.htm.

TICKET INFORMATION: Tickets for the games are currently on sale by calling the athletic marketing office at The C of I at 459-5835.  Ticket prices are $12 for reserved tickets, $7 for general admission tickets, and $5 for student/senior tickets.  Gates will open one hour prior to tip-off.

TOP SMALL COLLEGE TOURNAMENT RETURNS FOR 23RD RUN: This weekend marks the 23rd edition of the Duane Wolfe Memorial Golden Rule Shoot-Out, tabbed the “Premier Small-College Tournament in the West.” A total of 31 different teams have played in the tournament from 1987-2006, which has seen six different champions – as Lewis-Clark State will make their third appearance in the tournament (1993 and 2001), with Westminster making their tenth-straight appearance.  Cascade Conference rival Northwest will be headed to Golden Rule for the first time, the fifth different current CCC team to play in the event (joining Oregon Tech, Corban, Concordia, and Eastern Oregon).

PAST GOLDEN RULE CHAMPIONS: 2008 – Westminster, 2007 – Westminster, 2006 – College of Idaho, 2005- Westminster, 2004 – C of I, 2003- Westminster, 2002 – C of I, 2001 – Westminster, 2000 – C of I, 1999 – C of I, 1998 – Northwest Nazarene, 1997 – NNU, 1996 – NNU, 1995 – Willamette, 1994 – C of I, 1993 – C of I, 1992 Central Washington, 1991 – NNU, 1990 – C of I, 1989 – CWU, 1988 – NNU, 1987 – NNU.

ABOUT LEWIS-CLARK STATE: For the second-straight year, the Coyotes will rekindle their rivalry with their Gem State friends to the north, Lewis-Clark State.  Coming off a rough season in which they managed an 11-14, the Warriors (4-0) have started strong, including quality wins over Warner Pacific and Vanguard.  Tim Walker’s bunch is led by transfer Markus Monroe (23.0 ppg, 4.0 rpg) and former Eastern Oregon standout Tanner McIntosh (12.0 ppg, 6.5 rpg), along with seven-foot center James Craft (7.3 ppg, 5.5 rpg).  L-C played for the GRSO title in 1993, losing to the Coyotes, 72-66, while placing third in the tourney in 2001.  It is the 74th meeting between the teams, dating back to 1935, with the Yotes holding a 42-31 series edge.

ABOUT WESTMINSTER: Returning to defend their Shoot-Out titles from 2007 and 2008 is Westminster, ranked No. 9 in the NAIA Division I preseason poll.  The Griffins (1-3) are coming off their best season in program history, posting a 30-5 record and advancing to the quarterfinals of the NAIA Tournament – however have dropped three games to quality teams (Warner Pacific, Concordia-Irvine, Fresno Pacific).  Only one starter from last season returns in point-guard Jeramie Hopson (5.5 ppg, 3.5 rpg), but returners Blair Prowse (17.3 ppg, 6.5 rpg) and Weston Anderson (18.0 ppg, 4.0 rpg), and newcomer Ben Walker (13.5 ppg, 8.5 rpg) will help fill the void of the graduated Geoff Payne, the 2009 NAIA Player of the Year.  Tommy Connor’s squad has won five GRSO titles and has played the Yotes in Saturday’s tournament featured game every year since 2000.  It is the 34th meeting between the clubs since 1947, with the Griffins holding a slim 17-16 edge.

ABOUT NORTHWEST: Because of the Classic format, the one team the Yotes will not meet in the GRSO is their CCC rival, Northwest – whom they’ll open league play against on Dec. 4.  The Eagles (2-1) have tight wins over Montana Tech and Portland Bible, along with a loss at Pacific Union (not counting exhibition losses at Northwest Nazarene and Western Washington).  NU is led by big-man Greg George (17.0 ppg, 10.0 rpg), along with Blake Solomon (15.0 ppg) and Tyson Christie (14.7 ppg, 6.7 rpg).  It is the Eagles first-ever appearance in the Tournament.

POTTS TAKES OVER NNU GAME: A rigorous off-season training regimen paid off for guard Kelvin Potts (Oakland, Calif. / Chabot CC) utilized his quickness to pour in 17 second half points in the win last week over Northwest Nazarene.  The senior beat defenders on two consecutive dribble-drives late in the game for three-point plays to help secure the win in front of the sellout crowd.  His 23-point night was the third time he has scored 20-or-more in his Coyote career, joining 26-point efforts against Northwest and Southern Oregon last season.

BALLENGER WINS BATTLE OF SKYVIEW STARS: They were teammates on 4A Championship teams in 2005 and 2006 at Skyview High, nearly winning another title in 2007 – but Tuesday, Matt Ballenger (Nampa, Idaho / U. of Colorado) and NNU’s Louie Beech squared off against each other on the hardwood.  When the dust settled, it was Ballenger who dominated the match-up, scoring ten points and pulling down eight rebounds in his first college basketball game.  Beech scored just two points, did not convert a field goal, and fouled out late in the game.

TRANSFERS IMPRESS: Guards Steve Peres (Palos Verdes, Calif. / El Camino CC) and Noah Gottlieb (Los Angeles, Calif. / Chaminade U.) had impressive debuts with the Yotes in the victory.  Peres hit an early three-pointer, made a couple nifty drives to the basket, and converted 5-of-6 free throws late, part of a 14-point, five rebound evening.  Gottlieb had a well-rounded night, scoring eight points, with seven rebounds and six assists – without recording a turnover.

MCGEE ADDS ANOTHER DOUBLE-DOUBLE: Battling a double-team and foul trouble much of the night, Craig McGee (Boise, Idaho / Centennial HS) opened his senior season on a good note with 11 points and ten rebounds, knocking down all three of his field goal attempts.  The double-double was the 21st of his Coyote career.

CCC LEADERS: Scoring Average – Nate Menefee (ESC) 35.5, Ben Potloff (CRB) 27.7, Alex Tiefenthaler (CU) 23.3, Kelvin Potts (C of I) 23.0, Jake Glisson (WP) 22.0; Rebound Average – Kaylone Riley (WP) 14.8, Greg Peters (NU) 11.7, Greg George (NU) 10.0), Craig McGee (C of I) 10.0, Ian Logan (CRB) 9.3; Assist Average – Noah Gottlieb (C of I) 6.0, Justin Parnell (OIT) 5.5, Joseph Foster (OIT) 4.8, Gage Aker (CU) 4.8, Menefee 4.7.

RECORD BOOK: Two Coyotes rank among the top-ten in C of I basketball career records one week into the 2009-10 season.  Craig McGee finds himself second all-time in free throw attempts (467), fourth in blocked shots (79), sixth in rebounds (570), and seventh in free throws made (286), while sitting just outside the Top-10 in points scored (1,034), field goals made (383), and attempted (681), and games played (91).  Also on the list is Jabari McIntosh (Union City, Calif. / West Valley CC), who is No. 9 all-time in blocked shots (48).

CCC PRESEASON POLL: The Coyotes were picked to win the CCC, as the ten-league coaches gave the Yotes six first-place votes, finishing ahead of Oregon Tech and Warner Pacific.  It marked the highest preseason ranking in the league under head coach Mark Owen (10th year, 1810-110) – as the Yotes were ranked second in the preseason poll in both 2002-03 and 2003-04, and haven’t been ranked higher than fourth since 2005-06.  Defending champion, Oregon Tech, claimed two first-place votes and were second, followed by Warner Pacific, Evergreen State, and Eastern Oregon – each teams that advanced to the NAIA Tournament (with EOU reaching the quarterfinals and OIT and ESC reaching the second-round).  The preseason No. 1 team in the league has been a good place to be – as during the seven years the CCC has conducted the poll, the favorite has advanced to the NAIA Tournament each year, while winning the league title four of the seven seasons.

NAIA TOP-25 PRESEASON POLL: For the first time since the 2005-06 season, the Coyotes will begin the season ranked in the Top-25, earning a No. 8 ranked in the NAIA Division II Preseason Top-25 Coaches Poll, released on Oct. 26.  It marks the first time since the 2006-07 season that the Yotes have been in the Top-25, while the squad has received at least one vote in the poll every season since the NAIA split into two divisions in 1991.  It is the highest ranking for the Coyotes since they ascended to No. 5 during the 2004-05 season and is the highest preseason ranking since opening the 1999-00 season at No. 2.  Three other CCC teams were in the Top-25 – No. 11 Oregon Tech, No. 18 Warner Pacific, and No. 22 Evergreen State.

GAME RECAP – C OF I 79, NORTHWEST NAZARENE 72: Kelvin Potts scored 17 of his game-high 23 points in the second half, as The C of I knocked off NCAA Division II Northwest Nazarene, 79-72, in the United Heritage Tip-Off before a standing-room only crowd of 2,422 in the J.A. Albertson Activities Center.  The win for the NAIA No. 8 ranked Coyotes was their sixth win in eight tries against their Canyon County rivals - and their 112th victory in 184 all-time meetings in the longest collegiate basketball rivalry in the State of Idaho.  The Yotes used an early 9-0 run, capped by a Craig McGee free throw, to take an 18-12 lead midway through the first half, with Matt Ballenger canned a long three-point just before the final horn to build a 39-32 halftime edge.  However, the Crusaders - playing the game as their final exhibition of the season, scored the first eight points of the second half, with Brian Barkdoll's tough lay-up giving NNU a 41-39 edge.  The teams would see-saw through eight ties and nine lead changes, before a Potts jumper with just under ten minutes to play gave The C of I the lead for good at 54-52.  The margin would swell to 66-59 after back-to-back Brian Bergerson (Modesto, Calif. / Modesto CC) treys, before NNU would make a late charge, clawing within 66-64 on a pair of Kendall Gielow freebies.  Potts would put it away, recording back-to-back three-point plays on driving lay-ups, with Steve Peres converting 5-of-6 free throws down the stretch for the win.  Peres had 14 points for the Yotes, with Bergerson coming off the bench to score all 12 of his points in the second half.  Craig McGee had 11 points and ten rebounds, Ballenger added ten points and eight boards in his collegiate debut, with Noah Gottlieb scoring eight points, with seven rebounds and six assists.   Barkdoll led NNU with 19 points, with Gielow having a monster night with 15 points and 14 rebounds, while Drew Eisinger chipped in with 15 points.

ABOUT THE COACH: Mark Owen is in his tenth season as head men's basketball coach at The C of I.  After serving for nine seasons as an assistant to NAIA Hall-of-Fame coach Marty Holly with the Coyotes, Owen took over the reins during the 2000-01 season - and has directed the school to five 20-win seasons, three Cascade Conference Tournament championships, and five NAIA National Tournament appearances, compiling a 181-110 all-time record.  Under his direction, The C of I has been ranked or received votes in the NAIA Top-25 in all nine of his seasons as coach.  The Yotes have been ranked as high as No. 3 in the NAIA Division II national poll, with his 2003-04 club winning the first CCC regular-season championship since 1996 - earning Owen CCC Coach of the Year honors.   While an assistant to Holly, Owen was primarily responsible for running the Coyote offense, which averaged over 78 points per game - including the 1995-96 NAIA Division II National Championship team that averaged 85.4 points per game.  Prior to joining the Coyote coaching staff, Owen coached at Marsing High School for four seasons, leading the Huskies to a 21-4 record and a fifth-place finish in the 1990 Idaho State 'A-4' basketball tournament.   Owen, the Coyotes' all-time assist leader, competed for the College of Idaho from 1982-1985, leading the school to back-to-back NAIA District II championships and its first appearance at the NAIA National Basketball Tournament in 22 years.  As a senior, Owen was a third-team NAIA All-America pick, NAIA District II Player of the Year, and first-team Little All-Northwest.  He was also selected as the NAIA's National Player of the Week during his senior season.  During his three-year career, Owen dished out 631 assists (7.1 per game), while scoring 1,242 career points (14.0 per game).  Owen holds the single-season C of I record with 244 assists and also holds the school's second-highest single-game scoring mark with 47 points.  For his endeavors, he was inducted into The C of I Athletic Hall-of-Fame in 1996.   Following his collegiate career, Owen was drafted by the Portland Trailblazers in the seventh-round of the 1985 NBA Draft.  He is a graduate of Boise High, where he helped the Braves to the 1980 A-1 basketball championship.  Owen has three children - daughters Amanda and Whitney, and son Josh - who was an NAIA All-American for the Yotes in 2008.

FOR MORE INFORMATION: For more on The C of I men’s basketball program, head to the official homepage of the Coyotes, www.collegeofidaho.edu/athlete/mensbasketball.asp.

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