JASINSKY, WESTERN WASHINGTON JUGGERNAUT ROLLS ON

  by Harry Cummins

Paced by 24 points from the Great Northwest Athletic Conference leading scorer Trevor Jasinsky, the nation's 15th ranked Western Washington University Vikings (6-1) cruised to a convincing 83-66 road win over the Concordia Cavaliers Thursday night, serving notice once again that the road to the GNAC championship must pass thru Bellingham,Wa.

In the conference opener for both teams, Jasinsky was sensational.  He hit 9 of 14 from the field, including 6 of 9 from 3 point range.  He now leads the GNAC in scoring with a 20.1 pt average thru the season's first 7 games.  Jasinsky also had 7 rebounds in the contest

The Vikings breakneck Southern California backcourt of Tyler Payne (Long Beach) and Micah Winn (Los Angeles) were also instrumental in the victory. Winn finished with 19 points and played 36 minutes without a single turnover.  Payne's non-stop aggressive play netted a game-leading and career high 9 rebounds and 6 assists.

Concordia (3-4) was led by senior guard Jarrett Gray, who scored 19 points and is now just one point shy of 1,000 career points.  He will attempt to reach the historic milestone at home Saturday night against Simon Fraser.  Dominique Bradley just missed his 4th double double of the season, grabbing 9 rebounds to go with 8 points.  6'7 So. Dakota Ayala made a case for increased playing time by hitting 3 of 4 shots in a limited stint. 

For Western Washington, traditionally one of the premier programs in NCAA Division 11, their quest for yet another 20-win season and a GNAC championship continues Saturday night with a visit to rival Western Oregon (4-1) in the new PE Building in Monmouth.  The Vikings, who are currently playing without Preseason All-Conference selection Siaan Rojas, have the look of a team that is only going to get better and will return nearly all of their core players next season, including 7-footer Logan Schilder who is utilizing his redshirt senior season.

For you geography buffs, Western Washington is the northermost university in the contiguous United States, often priding itself on its ecological footprint.   Its tracks on the hardwood are pretty impressive as well!!

15th Ranked WWU At Concordia TONIGHT

 by Harry Cummins

The No. 15 nationally ranked Western Washington Vikings (5-1) open Great Northwest Athletic Conference play Thursday night at 7 pm on the home court of the Concordia Cavaliers in an NCAA Division 2 clash.

The Vikings feature the GNAC's leading scorer in Junior Trevor Jasinsky (19.5 PPG), along with the conference's leading 3 point FG% shooter in Tucker Eenigenburg, who has connected on 14 of 21 3's this year for a .667%.  Eenigenburg is coming of a 10-11 shooting performance, including 8 for 9 3's.  The long-range blitz tied the GNAC single game record of 3 pointers made (8) with only one miss.  The tall and talented Vikings also have the conference's leading field goal percentage shooter in Luke Lovelady at 75.9%.  

WWU has a string of 11 consecutive winning seasons and will face a Concordia team that is 3-3 on the current year, and sports five players averaging double figures.  The Cavs are fresh from a 58-56 last second win over Notre Dame de Namur, and a weekend sweep of NDNU's Thanksgiving Classic in Belmont, California.  CU's leading scorer Jarrett Gray is just 20 points away from l,000 career points and seeks to reach that milestone Thursday night.  Dom Bradley, the Cav's 6'7" Jr. forward, has registered a 'double-double' in half of his first 6 contests this season.

The game represents a homecoming of sorts for a trio of Western Washington players.  Jasinsky is from nearby Camus, while a pair of Junior transfers, 6'8"KJ Bosco and 6'9" Cameron Retherford, played for Benson and Portland CC. 

Come back to Craw's Corner for an extensive game recap.

NCAA STAT LINE OF THE NIGHT  

by Harry Cummins

Fifth-year Senior KENNY GOINS of Michigan State was held scoreless last night in the Spartans 82-78 overtime defeat at Louisville.  He also pulled down a game high 17 rebounds!  "He can do a lot of things," said coach Tom Izzo, of his 6'6" forward with a 7-2 wingspan.

There are records for everything these days.  It would be interesting to know if any player has ever recorded as many rebounds in a game without scoring a single point.  In this case, I'm not sure "you could look it up."

LOCKER ROOM METAMORPHOSE

by Harry Cummins

A rare and heartwarming scene unfolded last weekend in Lille, France.

Marin Cilic, the former U.S. Open tennis champion and 7th ranked player in the world, had just dispatched France's Lucas Pouille in straight sets to give Croatia the 2018 Davis Cup. This reversed the outcome of soccer's World Cup final earlier this year, where France beat Croatia 4-2.

Moments after the match, amid a jubilant Croatian locker room, the vanquished French team entered, extending congratulations, warmly embracing their opponents, offering toasts and finally posing for a group photograph with their heated rivals.

History will remember Croatia as the last winners of the current Davis Cup format before the century-old competition is revamped next year.  It should remember France for much more.

BIG DEAL IN BIG SOUTH   

by Harry Cummins

The residents of  Buies Creek, nestled in the sandhills of southeastern North Carolina, don't need to spend a lot of time this Cyber Monday looking for big deals.  They have one right in their own back yard.

Playing for Campbell University of the Big South Conference, 5'9" senior guard Chris Clemons is the nation's leading scorer in NCAA Division 1 basketball.  Saturday, he scored a season high 45 points, 15 of them coming in the game's final 5:05, in a 93-85 loss to Georgetown.  In the process, Clemons extended his double-figure scoring streak to 88 games, the sixth best in NCAA D-1 history! 

 In the same game, Georgetown's 6'9" Trey Mourning - playing in front of his father and NBA Hall-of-Fame member Alonzo Mourning, had career highs of 27 points and 12 rebounds, his first ever double-double.

Standing a foot shorter, it was Clemons, however, who stole the show Saturday.  

Z's BLOCK PARTY !!  

by Harry Cummins

6'6" Stepan Zavydovskyy blocked 10 shots and pulled down 13 rebounds to lead the Multnomah Lions to a 90-86 road win Saturday afternoon over Simpson (Calif).

Zavydovskyy now has 18 blocks and 21 rebounds in his last 2 games, providing the Lions with a much needed inside presence.  Multnomah is 6-2 on the year and next travels to play Northwest (Wash) on Nov 30.

A Blast From The Past, Portland Pilots Hoops

By Gregory Crawford, @wchoops

It truly was “A blast from the past” on Friday night in the Chiles Center when Portland Pilot Franklin Porter went off for 24 points.

Of course it can be totally unfair to compare father to son in athletics. It is fair however to say the performance by Franklin stirred a lot of memories in Oregon of Franklin’s icon and legendary father, Terry Porter, a big time NBA star and one of the most popular athletes ever in state of Oregon.

Terry also happens to be Franklin’s coach at the Pilots and was a memorable 3-point giant with the Trail Blazers. But in the present the night by Franklin was pretty memorable. A career high of 24 points, including 6-7 from 3-point range, leading his team to victory over Cal Poly.

It also leads to a showdown game on Saturday night at 5:00 against Texas State as both teams are 2-0 in Portland Classic. And yes the Porters will be there.

IMPRINTS FROM EARLY SEASON SHOWDOWN  

by Harry Cummins

Here are some observations from last night's early season NAIA Top 25 showdown between Div. II host Warner Pacific and Div. l Lewis Clark State:

•  COLLIN MALCOLM continues to shoulder most of the scoring load for the home town    Knights (6-2). He hit 9 of 14 from the field last night, posting a 'double-double' with 22 points and 10  boards in the 84-63 loss.  

•   The Warriors (5-1) from Lewiston,Idaho are an extremely balanced, defensively skilled squad. They have SEVEN players averaging in double figures and are the top team in NAIA Div 1 in both fewest points allowed and FG% allowed per contest.

•   LCSC's 5'9 point guard DAMEK MITCHELL, last year's Frontier Conference Freshman of   the Year, is currently 4th in the nation, averaging nearly 7 assists a game.

•   Keep a future eye on a pair of 6'4' Senior Warrior guards, DANA ABE and ANDRE   McCOWAN.  They are capable of igniting a game at any moment with their elite athleticism.  Abe is out of  O'Dea H.S. in Washington, where he was an McDonalds All-American nominee,while McCowan played at Roosevelt H.S. and Portland Community College.

•  Senior Warrior DAVID SHEDRICK, whose father was once a starting FB for the Oregon Ducks, was the key figure in last night's contest, scoring all 13 of his points in the second half, most of  them coming as Warner Pacific attempted to climb back into the game.

•   Prediction-  If first year head coach Austin Johnson continues to effectively utilize his deep and talented LCSC roster, this is repeat NAIA tournament team.  However, 6'6" RACE MARTIN  needs more help mixing it up in the middle.  For Warner Pacific, Malcolm needs added production from teammates on both ends of the floor.  KHIRY WILLIAMS, KENDALL WATSON, and JALEN BALLARD are capable candidates.

***FACES IN THE CROWD -  BEN GREGG, a heralded  6 foot 9 high school sophomore at nearby 
Columbia Christian High School, was spotted in the packed gym.  Columbia Christian (2-A) makes its  first ever appearance  in the prestigious Les Schwab Invitational Dec. 26-29. 

•       

Crawford’s Sports Biz 59 Seconds , 11/23/18

By Gregory Crawford @wchoops

30.7 million, that is how many viewers watched Washington/ Dallas on Thanksgiving Day. It was not only the most watched NFL regular season game of 2018, but also. Most watched regular season sporting event for 2018. Hey, how about them Cowboys.

Under the Radar

By Gregory Crawford @wchoops

At Craw’s Corner we will have several steady segments for your reading entertainment. One starts today, “Under the Radar”.

Today we feature a player you need to watch in college basketball. Junior, Nijal Pearson of Texas State Bobcats.

1. First 2 years , never missed a game.

2. Solid 2 way player, who is not afraid to mix it up on rebounds.

3. Can get his shot off with a hand in his face

4. Numbers will never be flashy, but solid

5. Will play at next level

Comments and thoughts always welcome.

Crawford’s Sports Biz 59 Seconds, 11/22/18

Happy Thanksgiving

By Gregory Crawford, @wchoops

Sadly a fabric of American sports is in a deep decline when it comes to TV and we can only hope for a great turnaround. In 2018, 27 of 32 NASCAR events either had their all time TV low rating or lowest in last 10 years. This decline first started in 2005.

Love your thoughts and comments.

PROZAC AND CRANBERRIES- A MARINERS THANKSGIVING  by Harry Cummins

      It's no secret that baseball's new economics govern today's marketplace transactions. Phrases like "luxury tax" and "service-time" are now permanent fixtures in the game's lexicon. After repeated and painful applications of these fiscal truths, long-suffering fans of the Seattle Mariners awoke this morning to yet another bitter taste in the mouth. The Thanksgiving week announcement regarding the departure of the team's best pitcher, James Paxton, also served to jettison GM Jerry Dipoto from most 'What I Am Thankful For' Thursday recitations across the region.

     The Mariners have not participated in post-season play since 2001. They are one of only two teams never to have played in a World Series. Earlier this month at the general managers annual conclave, Dipoto was quoted as saying "We don't want to be trapped in perpetual mediocrity."  After yesterday's bombshell announcement that the Mariners had dealt away their ace hurler, Paxton, to the talent-rich New York Yankees, 'Trader Jerry' may get his wish. Relegated now to a region somewhere south of mediocrity, a return to commonplace may be several seasons removed.

     In exchange for Paxton, who is still under contract for two more seasons and author of a no-hitter this year to accompany a career best 208 strikeouts, the Mariners receive three prospects, two of which have yet to play an inning in the major leagues. LHP Justus Sheffield was the Yankees top prospect, but has already been traded twice while still in the minors and struggled to throw strikes in his late season appearances in New York this year. Pitcher Erik Swanson and outfielder Dom Thompson-Williams are solid, but not yet spectacular, prospects. All 3 are young, cheap, and measured with strains from 'Somewhere Over The Rainbow.'

     "We're trying to re-imagine our roster here," says Dipoto.   So are we, Jerry.  Can you please pass the Prozac and a 2021 calendar... along with that turkey leg?
     

"TD" MACHINE...IN BASKETBALL!! 

by Harry Cummins

     Oregon Ducks super-star Sabrina Ionescu registered her second "Triple-Double" of the young  basketball season Sunday as the Lady Ducks remained undefeated after 4 games of the 2018-19 campaign.  Ionescu, a 5'11" Junior, has now recorded an amazing NCAA career- record 12 Triple- Doubles and counting.  It is a feat on the hardwood that few players achieve even once in a career.

     With 5 players currently averaging in double figures in scoring, it's a good bet the high-flying Ducks are in a direct flight pattern leading to March Madness.  Oh, by the way, in case you haven't heard, Portland and the Moda Center, play host to the 2019 NCAA Division 1 Women's First and Second Round Regional this coming March 29-April 1. 

"What Are You Doing.... New Years Eve" 

by Harry Cummins

Northern Colorado's Big Sky basketball team is currently leading the NCAA in made 3-point baskets, hitting a robust 18 a game early this season.  Bears guard Trent Harris currently leads the nation, averaging 7.5 3's per contest. Trent and his teammates make an appearance at 2:05 pm on New Years Eve at the new Viking Pavilion in a Park Blocks showdown.  The early start time makes it an attractive event to circle on your holiday calendar.  

Craw's Corner will highlight this and many more coming sports attractions in the greater Portland area throughout the coming months.  Visit this site often.

Crawford’s Sports Biz 59 Seconds, 11/18/18

By Gregory Crawford @wchoops

Before you beat up on golf, ponder this. By the end of 2018, worldwide there will be over 150,000 golf tournaments played that give money to charity. These are both amateur and professional tournaments. Monies raised, over $3 billion. Hats off to all involved.

BEYOND THE BOX SCORES  by Harry Cummins

     Isaiah Woods is a 6'1" Junior Wide Receiver for the Portland State Vikings football team.  He played in just 3 games this past season.  He caught 5 balls all season, for a total of just 47 yards.  He never reached the end zone.   This is not a player one would expect to find featured as a cover subject in Sunday's edition of the New York Times Sports Section.

     If you happen to think, as we do at Craw's corner, that it's important to better humanize our athletes and the universal struggles they often grapple with in silence, go get a copy of this morning's Times, or find it on-line.  Right now!  

     This is both a journalistic and humanitarian touchdown, better than anything you will watch on this, an NFL Sunday.

     

    

     

PODIUM FINISH FOR PILOT MEN   by Harry Cummins

     The University of Portland Pilots placed 3rd today in the NCAA Division-1 Cross-Country National Championships in Madison, Wisconsin.

     Led by Frenchman  Emmanuel Roudolff-Levisse, who finished 21st overall in a time of 29:41, the Pilots placed 6 runners in the top 68. A field of 255 runners braved temperatures in the upper 20's during the 10K event.  Powerhouse programs Northern Arizona, and BYU, finished 1-2.

     Oregon's Jessica Hull finished 3rd in the 6K women's race in 19:50, just 8 seconds behind winner Dani Jones of Colorado, leading the Ducks to a 3rd place team finish as well.  Jones was the surprise winner of the women's 1500 meter race last May in Eugene at the Prefontaine Classic, running a lifetime best.

     Morgan McDonald of Wisconsin was the overall winner of the men's race, contested on his home turf in Madison.

     Congrats to coach Rob Conner and the Pilots on another great season of cross-country running on the Bluff!

 

 

Crawford’s Sports Biz 59 Seconds, 11/17/18

By Gregory Crawford @wchoops

Something to contemplate in world of sports business. On the college side to maximize revenue will we see more schools go independent in an attempt to leverage even a higher rate of return from broadcasting rights. The future will continue to be interesting.

Crawford’s Sports Biz 59 Seconds, 11/14/18

By Gregory Crawford @wchoops

Memphis, Portland, OKC and Sacramento are the four NBA cities never to host an NBA all-star game. The schocking part of the above is Portland. The 20-21 season will mark the Trail Blazers 50th anniversary in the league. For the record, Portland consistently is in the top 10 of seating capacity sold in the league and at one time held the record for North American sports teams for most consecutive sellouts.

Rarefied Air Revisited
by Harry Cummins

     If you are still trying to put into perspective last Saturday's assault on the record books by Multnomah University's dynamic duo of Justin Martin and Zack Richardson, (49 points each) consider the following:

It happens rarely in a basketball game at any level that two players from the same team score 40 or more points in the same game.  For instance, the feat has been accomplished only 11 times in the storied history of the NBA's regular season. Elite pairings like West and Baylor, Durant and Westbrook, Jordan and Pippen, populate this short list. To find the college equivalent would require a journey thru murky waters and thousands of games that are 8 minutes shorter in duration than an NBA contest.

On December 13, 1983, in the highest scoring game in the history of the NBA, Kiki Vandeweghe scored 51 points and Nuggets teammate Alex English added 47 in a contest that extended for 3 overtimes. It remains the highest combined point total (98) by NBA teammates who both score over 40 points in the same game. Martin and Richardson matched that total in Saturday's record-breaking win.

We are forever left to wonder what would have happened had not both Martin and Richardson  retired to the bench with several minutes remaining in the game. Two 50 point scorers on the same team in the same game?   You almost saw it!!



  

Crawford’s Sports Biz 59 Seconds, 11/13/18

By Gregory Crawford @wchoops

Through games of yesterday Philadelphia is leading the NBA in attendance, thus far filling 98.6 percent of their seating capacity. Last in attendance is Minnesota,  at 74.7 percent of capacity. Obviously star power needs victories as well to draw fans.

WILLIE O'REE SKATES INTO HOF
By Harry Cummins


     There's a centuries-old refrain from an Eliza Hewitt hymn that says "When we all get to Heaven, what a day of rejoicing that will be."  The sports world should make a joyful noise today. Willie O'Ree has just skated into hockey's version of heaven.

     When the 83 year-old O'Ree steps forward today to be inducted  into the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto, Canada, he will be remembered in many cities, including Portland, Oregon.  Willie O'Ree was historically significant as the first black player in the NHL, playing 45 games over the course of 2 seasons.. His lengthy career spanned 24 seasons, most of them concealed from view in the hinterlands of the minor leagues.  O'Ree played in the Western Hockey League  from 1967-1974 as a member of the San Diego Gulls, visiting the Rose City many times to take on Connie Madigan and the Portland Buckaroos.

     My particular introduction to O'Ree came during his tenure as a San Diego Gull, as I was a beat reporter assigned to cover the team for the UPI wire service.  From its origin, the fledgling hockey franchise in sun-splashed San Diego was wildly successful, out-drawing the NHL franchise in Los Angeles to the north. SRO crowds of 14,000 were commonplace  in the 13,000 seat San Diego Sports Arena, especially on nights when Connie "Mad Dog" Madigan and his Portland Buckaroos came calling.  

     Vivid memories of those years linger.  I will never forget the lightning-like rushes up the rink by O'Ree, goal sirens screeching, and the overhead message screen flashing the words "Boy, are you GULLible!!!   Of course there were the heated contests against Portland.  Every time Portland's dreaded 'bad boy' Madigan was whistled for a violation, which was often, fans seated behind the penalty box would drape rubber chickens on a string over the plexiglass and into Madigan's face.  On one such memorable occasion, Madigan swung his stick, sending chickens flying everywhere.  Fittingly, Madigan was later cast to play the character Ross Madison in the cult film classic, "Slap Shot" and became the oldest "rookie" to debut in the National Hockey League at the age of 38.

    O'Ree, one of 13 siblings, continues to spend his post-hockey years as a diversity ambassador for his sport, working with young hockey players across North America in outreach programs. He still resides in San Diego. Many never knew he played all those years permanently blinded in his right eye, struck by an errant puck at age 19. It was particularly challenging for a left winger, since most passes directed across ice from teammates arrived from his right side.

     Willie O'Ree has overcome much to become a living legend of his sport.  The San Diego Gulls have long since retired his number #22, suspending it from the rafters of an aging Sports Arena.  Today in Toronto, Canada, O'Ree forever resides where he belongs, in the public heedfulness of hockey's Hall of Fame  

Rejoice!!!!




     

     



   

     

      
     
    

Crawford’s Sports Biz 59 Seconds,, 11/12/18

In today’s world of heavily laden bonuses for college football coaches in their contracts, just one example. Cal coach Justin Wilcox is now 6-4 on year after big win on road Saturday. 7 wins on the year for Wilcox will get him a 250k bonus, 8 wins 325k.

By Gregory Crawford @wchoops

Crawford’s Sports Biz 59 Seconds/ 11/11/18

By Gregory Crawford @wchoops

In 2017 the NBA allowed its teams to have jersey sponsors as a three year experiment .  So far all but five teams have secured jersey sponsors. The five still lacking or intentionally are Bulls, Pacers, Rockets, Thunder and Wizards.

 Multnomah Teammates are College Basketball's Top Long-Range Scoring Duo
by Harry Cummins

     On a Multnomah University basketball team brimming with shooting stars, a pair of explosive backcourt mates may have just transported the NAIA record books to another galaxy last night in Portland, Oregon.

     Justin Martin and Zach Richardson scored an otherworldly 49 points each on a barrage of 3 point baskets that propelled undefeated Multnomah (5-0) to a 147-124 win over NCAA Division 3 Pacific University.  Martin's 14 3's in a single game were the second most made 3's in NAIA history.  Richardson, a 6 foot freshman, was close behind with 13 treys.  The tandem 49 point performances represent the high water mark this season in college basketball. 

     It was a record-setting game that featured 38 3 point baskets by Multnomah, an all-time NAIA standard, shattering the previous mark of 29 set in 2015, also by Multnomah, earning their appropriate nickname of "3-point U".  The Lions opened the game by hitting 23 of their first 37  3 point attempts on their way to posting 89 points by halftime, the 3rd highest points ever recorded in a single half in NAIA history.  The two teams combined for 49 baskets from long-range, and  271 combined points, both all-time NAIA marks!

     Nearly lost in the statistical onslaught were note-worthy Multnomah performances by senior Ben Grandle,  junior Briggs Young and senior Brett Blackstock.  Grandle recorded his 4th "double-double" in his last 5 games, scoring 15 points and pulling down 13 rebounds. Young, who paces the country in assists at 15 per contest, padded his lead with 18 more helpers.  The stat line of the night belonged to Blackstock who made 7 3's, scored 27 points, handed out 7 assists, grabbed 6 rebounds, had 3 steals and rejected 4 shots!!     Martin, Richardson and Blackstock all moved into the top 10 scorers in the nation with their efforts Saturday night. Martin nearly had a double-double with 9 assists to go with his 49 points.

     The future looks bright for the Lions and their band of snipers.
They are shooting over 46% from the 3-point line for the season, making them problematic, if not impossible, to defend. They have played two exhibition games this year against NCAA Division 1 opponents and remained competitive in both contests until the final minutes.  Next year the Lions will return the nations leading assist man in Young, and both 49 point scorers from last night in Richardson and Martin.
    If you are planning to attend a future game on the manicured, story-book campus of  Multnomah University, you also may wish to pack an NAIA record book with you. Just in case!
    
   

                                            HC

Today’s Action in Basketball

11/10/18

3:00 tip Puget Sound @ Multnomah

5:00 tip Pacific @ Multnomah

7:00 tip UC Riverside @ Portland State