Men's Basketball
yote notes - edition 18
COMING UP: at No. 3 Oregon Tech, Wednesday, 7:30 p.m. (PT)
LAST WEEK: vs. Concordia (W 80-66), vs. No. 10 Warner Pacific (L 87-80)
LIVE STATS/LIVE VIDEO: Wednesday’s playoff game at Oregon Tech will have both Live Stats and Live Video available for fans unable to make it to Klamath Falls. The Live Video can be accessed online at http://oit.nmtvsports.com/ with Bobby Thompson and Mike Garrard calling the play-by-play. Live Stats, will be available online at http://media.oit.edu/athletics/livembk/xlive.htm.
SNEAKING INTO THE POSTSEASON: It was a tense 30 minutes for the Coyote basketball team on Saturday night after an 87-80 loss to Warner Pacific, as The C of I held a half-game lead on Northwest Christian for the final spot in the Cascade Conference Tournament. At one stretch, NCU held a 13-point lead on Southern Oregon in the second half, but the Raiders rallied to take a one point lead inside the final minute of regulation – with the Beacons splitting a pair of free throws with six-seconds left to force overtime. SOU outscored NCU 20-9 in the extra session to eliminate the Beacons, giving the Yotes the No. 8 seed to the playoffs. If Southern would have lost, the Yotes and NCU would have conducted an 11 p.m. coin flip to determine the playoff spot.
PLAYOFF STREAK CONTINUED: The win extended a long streak for the Yotes, as The C of I will head to the postseason for the 15th-straight year and the 30th time in the last 31 seasons. The Yotes have a rich history of playoff success during this period, winning six NAIA District titles (1984, 1985, 1986, 1988, 1989, and 1991) and three CCC titles (1993, 1996, 2004). Overall, the Yotes have a 19-14 overall record in the CCC Tournament. In program history, The C of I has appeared in the NAIA National Tournament on 17 occasions (nine NAIA Division I appearances and eight NAIA Division II appearances), the most trips to the Big Dance than any other CCC school – including winning the 1996 NAIA Division II national championship.
TO GET TO BRANSON: Though the Yotes have a 10-19 record, they can still advance to the NAIA Tournament by winning three road games in eight days. It wouldn’t be the first time the team has achieved the feat – as the 2002-03 defeated Warner Pacific, Cascade, and Concordia on the road to advance to Nationals. In fact, the No. 8 seed has defeated the No. 1 seed in the CCC Tournament twice since the 2006 season – Concordia beating Warner Pacific in 2006 and Evergreen defeated OIT in 2007.
ABOUT OREGON TECH: It will be a stiff test for the Yotes, meeting No. 3 ranked Oregon Tech, the CCC regular-season champ. The Owls (26-4) are 15-1 at home this season, thanks to an attack that hits 50-percent of their three-point shots and averages 84 points per game. All five starters average in double-figures – led by guards Bobby Hunter (19.9 ppg, 5.1 rpg) and David Clarke (10.0 ppg, 4.2 apg), along with forwards Kyle Gomez (14.5 ppg, 5.0 rpg), Jason Gamblin (11.2 ppg, 5.4 rpg), and Scotty Riddle (10.4 ppg, 3.8 rpg). OIT swept the season series, including a 64-46 win in Klamath Falls, but the Yotes hold the all-time series lead, 41-34.
PLAYOFF HISTORY VS. OIT: The two storied programs in the CCC meet again during the 2012 CCC Tournament. The Owls have been a mainstay in the NAIA Tournament lately, advancing to 13 of the last 15 "Big Dances", including their 2004 and 2008 NAIA Division II national championships. It marks the 15th time that the two teams have met during the postseason – with history heavily pointing toward the Coyotes. The C of I holds a 9-5 all-time record against OIT in the playoffs – including winning district titles over the Owls in 1986, 1988, and 1989, and winning CCC titles in 2001 and 2004. The Yotes have always played well in Klamath Falls during the postseason, boasting a 4-2 record at Danny Miles Court.
HISTORY OF C OF I-OIT PLAYOFF GAMES:
1982: OIT 65, at C of I 61 (District II quarters) 1999: OIT 72, at C of I 65 (CCC semis)
1983: at C of I 94, OIT 76 (District II quarters) 2000: OIT 78, at C of I 77 (CCC semis)
1986: C of I 67, at OIT 63 (District II finals) 2001: C of I 75, at OIT 61 (CCC finals)
1988: C of I 71, at OIT 69 (District II finals) 2004: at C of I 62, OIT 46 (CCC finals)
1989: at C of I 80, OIT 66 (District II finals) 2005: C of I 66, at OIT 62 (CCC semis)
1991: at C of I 95, OIT 75 (District II quarters) 2008: at OIT 74, C of I 68 (CCC quarters)
1994: at C of I 82, OIT 74 (CCC quarters) 2010: at OIT 64, C of I 63 (CCC quarters)
OTHER TOURNAMENT GAMES: The three other Wednesday quarterfinal games will feature No. 7 seeded Concordia at No. 2 Northwest, No. 6 Southern Oregon at No. 3 Warner Pacific, and No. 5 Corban at No. 4 Eastern Oregon. The two highest remaining seeds will host the semifinal games on Saturday, with the championship game set for next Tuesday.
ANOTHER FRIDAY WIN: With the victory over Concordia on Friday, the Yotes improved to 8-7 this season when playing on Friday. The loss to Warner Pacific, however, dropped the squad to 2-11 on Saturday’s.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS: As a team, the Yotes lead the CCC in scoring defense (65.0) and are second in the loop in defensive field goal percentage (.414) and blocked shots (3.3). The team is No. 5 in turnover margin (+0.8), No. 6 in steals (8.1), No. 7 in free throw percentage (.657), No. 8 in scoring margin (-0.2), field goal percentage (.448), rebound margin (-0.1), assists (12.7), and three-pointers made per game (5.3), No. 9 in scoring average (64.8) and three-point percentage (.288), and No. 10 in rebounds (33.5). Individually, Matt Ballenger (Nampa, Idaho / U. of Colorado) is No. 3 in steals (2.4), No. 6 in scoring average (16.6), and No. 7 in three-pointers made per game (2.2), with Krispin Banks (Dallas, Texas / Salt Lake CC) No. 2 in field goal percentage (.629) and Sydney Donaldson (Coventry, England / Charis Prep) No. 6 in steals (1.9).
CCC LEADERS: Scoring Average – Bobby Hunter (OIT) 19.9, Eric Thompson (SOU) 19.7, Adam Herman (CU) 19.6, Marice Tolliver (ESC) 18.6, Jordan Carter (CRB) 17.6; Rebound Average – Stephen Harris (WP) 8.1, Herman 7.7, Patrick Lewis (ESC) 7.6, Thompson 7.4, Tolliver 7.4; Assists Average – Dane Johnson (WP) 6.6, William Sharp (WP) 4.7, Tolliver 4.6, Cody Thurmond (EOU) 4.3, David Clarke (OIT) 4.2.
RECORD BOOK: Matt Ballenger ranks among the career Top-10 in four different categories – No. 3 in three-point attempts (587), No. 4 in three-pointers made (188) and field goal attempts (1,083), and No. 5 in steals (165). He is also No. 12 in points scored (1,174) – needing 20 points to crack the all-time Top-10, and No. 12 in field goals made (422).
CONFERENCE/NATIONAL POLLS: In the latest CCC weekly poll, Oregon Tech continued to lead the 10-team conference, followed by Northwest, Warner Pacific, Eastern Oregon, Corban, and Southern Oregon. OIT dropped two spots to No. 3 in the NAIA Top-25 poll, with Northwest at No. 9 and Warner Pacific at No. 15, with Eastern and Corban receiving votes. The final regular-season CCC and NAIA polls will be released Monday, with the final poll released Feb. 29 – which determines the 11 at-large berths to Nationals.
GAME RECAP – C OF I 80, CONCORDIA 66: Rodney Delgardo (Seattle, Wash. / Spokane CC) hit a trio of three-pointers in a 19-3 run to open the game, as The C of I kept their playoff hopes alive with a rousing 80-66 victory over Concordia University, inside the J.A. Albertson Activities Center. Delgardo jumpstarted the Coyotes, hitting back-to-back treys from the top of the key to give the Purple and Gold a 10-1 lead just two minutes into the game. Another Delgardo three and a fast-break basket extended the margin to 19-3, with a Sydney Donaldson baseline jumper giving the Yotes a 36-14 lead - their largest of the night. The Cavaliers would use a 10-0 run, including two Jourdan Sweeney baskets, to cut the lead to 36-24, but back-to-back Delgardo jumpers regained momentum for the Yotes, as The C of I led 46-29 at the break. CU would claw back in the game, as a Drew Preuninger three got the visitors within 59-49 with 11:14 remaining, cutting the lead to 67-58 on a Sweeney basket inside of the five minute mark. Matt Ballenger answered on the ensuing possession with a three-pointer to put the game away for the Yotes. Ballenger led all C of I scorers with 21 ponits, with Delgardo scoring 19, and Donaldson adding 17 points and 10 rebounds - as the Yotes made 55-percent of their field goal attempts. Sweeney led all scorers with 26 points, on 11-of-14 shooting, with Kevan West adding 22 for the Cavs. CU was hampered by 2-of-17 shooting from outside the arc.
GAME RECAP – WARNER PACIFIC 87, C OF I 80: All five Warner Pacific starters scored in double-figures, as the No. 12 ranked Knights closed out the regular-season with an 87-80 victory over The C of I, inside the J.A. Albertson Activities Center. The Yotes pulled within 63-55 on a Krispin Banks baseline jumper with eight minutes to go, but the Knights put the game away with a 14-4 surge, including a pair of three-pointers from Traevone Bowie - as WP hit 11-of-25 shots from outside the arc. The C of I would not quit, using a 20-6 run over the final three minutes to close within 85-80, but could not get closer. The Knights used a Ryan Parks three early in the first half to build a 17-10 lead, but the Yotes got back-to-back Ben Van Lith (Eagle, Idaho / Coll. of Southern Idaho) baskets, with a Tyler Young (Leesburg, Va. / Boise State U.) runner giving the hosts an 18-17 lead. Dane Johnson answered with a three for WP and the Knights never trailed again. Bowie had 22 points in the win, with Doug Thomas adding 16, and William Sharp, Biniam Tadele, and Johnson each scoring 10. The Knights won despite just 24 rebounds on the evening. Van Lith led the Yotes with a season-high 21, with Banks adding 14 points and eight rebounds, Matt Ballenger tallied 13, and Rodney Delgardo scored 11. The Yotes committed 20 turnovers in the loss.
ABOUT THE COACH: Rod Jensen is in his second season as head men's basketball coach at The C of I, recording a record of 23-36 as Coyote head coach. A year ago, his first Coyote team, which had just two returning starters, rallied from a tough start to win 9-of-12 games midway through the season and finish in a tie for fourth in the CCC standings. Jensen came to The C of I after five seasons at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, where he served as associate head coach for the last four years. Jensen has earned notoriety as a defensive coach, especially during his 19 years as a coach at Boise State University. From 1983-95, he was the top assistant to head coach, Bobby Dye, helping the Broncos rank among the Top-15 in the NCAA Division I in scoring defense for four-straight seasons, winning Big Sky regular-season championships in 1988 and 1989, along with Big Sky Tournament titles in 1988, 1993, and 1994. BSU teams advanced to the National Invitational Tournament in 1987 and 1991, and the NCAA National Tournament in 1988, 1993, and 1994. In 1995, Jensen became the head coach at Boise State - compiling a 109-93 overall record in seven seasons at the helm - recording the fourth-most wins in BSU history. During his tenure, the Broncos ranked among the NCAA Top-25 in scoring defense in 1998 and 1999, while winning the 1999 Big West East Division Championship. Jensen headed east in 2002, becoming an assistant coach for Pete Gillen at the University of Virginia, where he helped the Cavaliers to NIT appearances in 2003 and 2004 - leading the Atlantic Coast Conference in defensive field goal percentage. In 2005, he headed south to UNC-Greensboro, working for Mike Dement, where during his tenure, every player who exhausted their eligibility, graduated. A graduate of the University of Redlands in California, Jensen began his coaching career at his alma mater in 1980, serving as an assistant for two years, before spending one season at Penn State.
FOR MORE INFORMATION: For more information on The C of I men’s basketball program, head to the official homepage of the Coyotes, http://www.collegeofidaho.edu/mensbasketball.