Reranking the 2010 Recruiting Class

It takes (at least) two years to properly evaluate a recruiting class*, which is why I thought it might be fun to take a look back at 2010, and rank the recruiting classes from 1-9. Based on my research, this is who was in each team's class (unfortunately there was no Big Sky basketball blog to lay it all out!)... let me know if I have missed anyone.

I tried to balance quality/quantity... for example, Northern Colorado hit on 2/2 recruits, where Idaho State was more like 4/8... ISU scored more rotational players, but I ranked UNC ahead based on their hit rate (and the quality of guys they got). Anyway, feel free to debate.

1. Montana
Recruits: Kareem Jamar, Vaughn Autry, Billy Reader, Michael Weisner, Art Steward, Jordan Wood
Analysis: Looking at this listing of recruits, it is no surprise that Montana won the Big Sky last season with one of their best seasons in school history. Kareem Jamar is the headliner, as he is a potential Big Sky POY player. Art Steward was a two year starter, and added good defense and toughness to the team that was critical last year. Mike Weisner gave them some solid minutes last year as a redshirt freshman, and should have a solid career. Jordan Wood was a contributor, and was never expected to have a big role. Of the misses, Vaughn Autry transferred after one year, and Billy Reader transferred this past season after struggling academically (though he looked like he would have made an impact on the court). That's a good ratio, especially when Jamar is in the class.

2. Weber State
Recruits: Scott Bamforth, Kyle Tresnak, Jordan Richardson, James Hajek
Analysis: The Wildcats were 4/4 and arguably have a claim to the top spot on the list. Scott Bamforth was an all-conference player his first year, and should be a huge part of the offense as a senior, as well as being the best shooter in the Big Sky. Kyle Tresnak is developing, but already he may be the best low-post offensive player in the Big Sky. Jordan Richardson is a good rotation guard who may have a chance to start, and James Hajek is a tough big man, though he will be battling back from injury. It's no surprise that WSU and Montana are the two best teams in the conference.

3. Portland State
Recruits: Chehales Tapscott, Charles Odum, Brandon Cataldo, Terry Coleman
Analysis: Can't really argue with this class. Chehales Tapscott and Charles Odum gave the Vikings two stellar seasons, and they are two of the top three players leaving the Big Sky this year. Brandon Cataldo has battled injuries throughout his career, but he has a chance to be a solid contributor for them. All in all though, any class with Odum and Tapscott in it gets praise here, as they helped make PSU a league contender again.

4. Northern Colorado
Recruits: Paul Garnica, Tevin Svihovec
Analysis: This class is light on quantity, but scored two quality players for the Bears. Tevin Svihovec was one of the top three freshman in the conference last year (after a redshirt year), and has become the go-to guy on the roster for UNC. Look for him to potentially be an all-conference performer this season. Paul Garnica has been a bit of an up-and-down player during his career, but he is a playmaker offensively who had a much improved jumpshot as a sophomore. If he can get a little stronger defensively, he can be a good starter.

5. Idaho State
Recruits: Chase Grabau, Kenny McGowen, Brandon Glanz, Andre Hatchett, Justin Brunswick, Nick Mason, Kami Gawrzydek, Abner Moreira
Analysis: They hit on a bunch of guys, and this class might be judged a little higher if other classes around it were better, as these guys made up the bulk of ISU's production last year. Chase Grabau was a stud for them last season, and had a nice two-year career. Kenny McGowen hit tons of big shots for them last year, but was a bit of a gunner last season. Abner Moreira was a solid rebounder for them. Andre Hatchett played a ton of minutes for them last year, but that might say more about the ISU talent level than his talent level, though he will still be a big part of the program with two years of eligibility left.  Beyond that, with the transfer of Brandon Glanz, Nick Mason is the only other member of the class still around, but he doesn't really project to have much of an impact. This class had some solid performers, but had a poor overall record thanks in part to poor recruiting in classes around it.

6. Sacramento State
Recruits: Jackson Carbajal, Kendall Groom, Heath Hoffman, Josh McCarver, Zach Nelson, Antoine Proctor, Konner Veteto
Analysis: Konner Veteto is the cream of the crop here, after turning in a solid junior season for the Hornets. He has some room to improve, but is making strides to be one of the best bigs in the conference. Heath Hoffman was a solid role player for the them last year, and will have to be replaced. Jackson Carbajal made a nice leap from his freshman to sophomore year, and could be a solid scorer for them (though his 48% FT shooting is a bit puzzling). Kendell Groom had a promising freshman year, but did not seem to progress a ton in his second season, and I am not sure where he fits in the backcourt rotation. Nelson, and Proctor went the way of so many other Brian Katz recruits over the last few years - out of the program.

EDIT: In my original post, I wrote that Josh McCarver left the program similar to Nelson and Proctor. I am not really sure why I had that in my brain because he was a solid rotational big man for them last year, starting 16 games. My mistake, and my apologies to Mr. McCarver and Sac State for the error!

7. Montana State
Recruits: Tre Johnson, Shawn Reid, Jordan Salley, Chris McCall, Casey Trujeque, Blake Brumwell, Jordain Allou, Rod Singleton
Analysis: Like ISU, this class had some impact players, but also a lot of misses. Rod Singleton was a two-year starter, though maligned at times by the fans. Still, two years of starting is good to get from a recruit. Jordain Allou was a nice rotational big man for them, and has to be considered a success. Shawn Reid was developing into a good player, but unfortunately his best years will be played somewhere else. Tre Johnson was solid last year and would have likely been a starter for them, but of course he was kicked off the team. Blake Brumwell is still on the roster, but gets limited run. Chris McCall and Casey Trujeque transferred before last year, while Jordan Salley never made it to MSU, and is part of Sacramento State's recruiting class this year. Overall, not the impact you want to see from an eight man recruiting class.

8. Northern Arizona
Recruits: Gaellen Bewernick, Rafail Tsourakis, Danny Redmon
Analysis: Gaellen Bewernick is the jewel of the class... after a good redshirt freshman season last year, he should be a solid player for them. He started 16 games and had 5.1 rebounds per game, posting very nice rebounding rates for a 6'6'' frosh. He is also efficient offensively, and should be a building block for new coach Jack Murphy. The other two guys are no longer with the program.

9. Eastern Washington
Recruits: Jaylen Henry, Geoffrey Allen, Carter Warnock, Rakim Brown
Analysis:

(UPDATE: I made a large error on Eastern Washington's class, as I omitted four players - Cliff Colimon, Cliff Ederaine, Willie Hankins, and Rashano McRae. An explanation for this can be found here.

Obviously this would make a huge difference in where EWU would be ranked, as I would likely put them at least third or fourth. Cliff Colimon was one of the best PGs in the conference last year, and Cliff Ederaine was one of the best multi-dimensional forwards. You can read more of my thoughts on Colimon here, and my thoughts on Ederaine here. Hankins is also a very talented player with a bright future, but it unfortunately will not be with the Eagles, as he has transferred out. It seems possible (if not likely) that he would have stayed with the program had there not been a coaching change, but alas, his impact at EWU was minimal.

I regret the mistake, which was a large one.)

Editor's Note: I corrected a misstatement, when I said that Kendell Groom had transferred away from Sacramento State. I have fixed the error now. Much thanks to SD Hornet for catching that.

*This fact likely won't stop me from trying to rank this year's classes at some point of this offseason

Follow me on Twitter @bigskybball

Top Departing #2: Chehales Tapscott

With the throes of the offseason all around us, I thought it would be fun to take a look at the 20 best players that are departing from the Big Sky, either due to graduating, declaring for the draft, or transferring.

Chehales Tapscott for Portland State was the stat sheet stuffer in the Big Sky last season. He averaged over 14 PPG, over nine rebounds per game (to lead the conference), about two assists, two steals, and a little over a block per game. He led the conference in rebounding despite the fact that was a 6'5'' power forward.

I asked before the season if he was the best big man in the Big Sky, and I think he showed the answer to be a resounding yes. He did a ton of things to help them win ballgames, and he (along with Charles Odum) was a big reason why they finished with a winning record and gave Weber State a run for their money in the tournament semifinals.

Offensively, he became a lot more efficient. He shot 57% from twos, and didn't take too many threes (shooting a respectable 31%), and improved his free throw percentage to 74%. He shot 175 free throws on the season, getting to the line almost six times per game. His true shooting percentage was 60%.

He increased his rebounding percentages this season as well. His DR% was top 100 in the NCAA, and his OR% was just outside there. His block and steal percentages increased this year as well. He was seventh in the Big Sky in block percentage, and third in steal percentage. He was a man that did it all.

Tapscott was one of the most entertaining players to watch in the conference, simply because you didn't know what he might do on a given night. He should (in my opinion) get a look at playing overseas, because he has a skill set for that if he wants to pursue it. He was the best post player in the conference, despite the fact that he was 6'5''. He was huge for Tyler Geving in terms of rebuilding the PSU program.

Follow me on Twitter @bigskybball

Portland State Ends The Season With a Loss

Portland State had one game left on their schedule after the Big Sky Tournament, as they traveled to Seattle on Saturday. Earlier in the year, they beat them 66-65, but things didn't go as well this time around, as they lost 94-83 to the Redhawks.

It is hard to imagine that PSU was incredibly motivated for this game after losing in the Big Sky tournament last week, and it showed. They allowed Seattle to shoot over 50%, and they were outrebounded 47-27.

Vikings fans did get a glimpse of next season, however. Renado Parker led the team with 20 points off the bench, shooting 8/13 from the field. He could be one of the best inside scorers in the conference next year, and we will talk plenty about him in the offseason. Gary Winston also had 19 points (including five treys) off the bench,, and the freshman has a bright future. He should step into Charles Odum's starting spot next year.

For Odum, the end comes with 19 points in his final collegiate game. Chehales Tapscott had 10 points, seven rebounds, and four assists to end a great two-year career. Both players were first- team conference players.

Portland State ends the year with a record of 17-15.

Follow me on Twitter @bigskybball

Weber State Escapes With 69-63 Win

Portland State controlled the game for 35 minutes. Damian Lillard controlled the game for the last five.

It wasn't easy and it wasn't pretty, but Weber State will be going to the Big Sky championship game after beating Portland State 69-63 Tuesday night in Missoula. Some takeaways from the game:

- Weber State continued to have major troubles with the zone, far too often settling for jumpshots instead of taking the ball inside. When they did get more aggressive at the end of the game, Gelaun Wheelwright and Damian Lillard were able to get into the lane and to the free throw line, which may have been the difference in the game. Lillard was fantastic down the stretch, and was doing all he could to will them to victory.

- Gelaun Wheelwright was absolutely huge tonight. He had 15 points on 6/10 shooting, and had some really big buckets for them tonight. He clearly was not overwhelmed by the moment, which is big for a freshman. Weber State fans have a right to be excited about him. Jordan Richardson also gave them big minutes down the stretch. He hit a key three with Weber State down by eight, and played great defense.

- Charles Odum and Chehales Tapscott showed why they are Big Sky first-teamers. Odum had 24 points on 10/19 shooting. It did seem like he was letting the refs get in his head a bit at the end of the game. He reacted strongly to every close call against him. Have to let that stuff go. Tapscott had 19 points and 11 rebounds, and also played excellent defense. He can do it all on the court, and will be missed. Not many players I like watching play more than him.

- It was interesting to see Wheelwright and Richardson getting late playing time over Scott Bamforth and Kyle Bullinger. Good call by Randy Rahe to go with what was working, rather than simply what was more conventional.

- Portland State shot 8/14 from downtown which is excellent, but WSU still did what they could to take away from the Vikings getting in the lane. They did a nice job on Odum late in the game. PSU also hit the offensive glass very well. They played a good game, but they just didn't have enough in this one.

Weber State is not looking for style points obviously, so they will take this game every day of the week. At the end of the week, all that matters is that they are going to the Big Sky championship game. The Damian Lillard Show continues for at least one more night.

Follow me on Twitter @bigskybball

Three Keys For Each Big Sky Team To Win

With three Big Sky games to go, let’s take a look at the keys for each of the teams remaining. Here are the Tuesday night games –

(1) Montana vs (4) Eastern Washington
(2) Weber State vs (3) Portland State

What does each team need to do to win?

THREE KEYS FOR MONTANA TO BEAT EASTERN WASHINGTON
1. Get the big guys involved – Montana’s offense is helped when guys like Mathias Ward and Derek Selvig are a part of things offensively, because both have varied offensive games. They can create space with their outside shot, which opens up the lane for Will Cherry and Kareem Jamar. Another big thing is that EWU’s big are prone to foul the opposition, which makes it even more important for Selvig and Ward to be aggressive. Ward had his best game of the season in these team’s first matchup, scoring 28 points in a victory.

2. Go right at Eastern Washington’s defense – As mentioned, Eastern Washington has put their opponents on the free throw line more than anyone else this year, which makes it imperative for the opposition not to settle for jumpers. This is part of the reason that Idaho State lost to EWU three times… they didn’t try to force anything or get to the line, and they were content to shoot jumpshots. That is not the best way to take down the Eagles.

3. Guard everyone on the perimeter – EWU is not afraid to shoot from the perimeter, and just about everyone (except Laron Griffin) will fire away at any time. You have to make sure to guard them at all times, because if they get hot from there they can beat anyone. It is probably preferable to let guys like Cliff Colimon, Collin Chiverton, and Parker Kelly drive rather than get an open look, which Montana has to watch for.

THREE KEYS FOR WEBER STATE TO BEAT PORTLAND STATE
1. Get Kyle Tresnak involved early – Everybody knows what Damian Lillard and Scott Bamforth can do offensively, but a big key for the Wildcats is Kyle Tresnak. He has shown himself to be one of the best scoring big men in the Big Sky, as long as he is getting touches and staying out of foul trouble (which derailed him against Montana). He has a nice baby hook and low post game, and should have a size advantage over most PSU guys (except Nate Lozeau). It will be key to get him involved.

2. Stay aggressive – Against Montana, they were content to launch deep threes against Montana’s zone, and I am sure PSU will see this on tape. It won’t be a surprise if the Vikings play a lot of zone defense, and if that’s the case, Weber State needs to stay aggressive. Work to get the ball inside, take the ball to the basket, and push it in transition.

3. Keep Portland State out of the paint – The Vikings are an efficient offensive team because they are so good at taking good shots. Charles Odum is one of the best in the conference at getting in the paint, and shoots a great percentage because of it. Chehales Tapscott and Renado Parker are great inside, using crafty moves to score points. If you can make PSU beat you from the outside, chances are that they won’t beat you.

THREE KEYS FOR PORTLAND STATE TO BEAT WEBER STATE
1. Keep Damian Lillard in check – In two games against PSU this year, Lillard has averaged almost 40 points per game, and has absolutely dominated both games. Obviously, that can’t happen again if the Vikings want to pull the upset. While WSU has other players that are very capable offensively (Bamforth, Tresnak, Bullinger), Portland State would be wise to make those guys beat them. Certainly this is easier said than done.

2. Hit some outside shots – Their offense is predicated on getting into the paint, but to be a very good team they need to be able to keep defenses honest. Charles Odum, Lateef McMullan, and Michael Harthun all need to hit a couple shots from the outside, which will open up their lanes to drive to the basket or get better shots for Chehales Tapscott and Renado Parker. If they can hit from the outside, they are tough to stop.

3. Hit the offensive glass – This is a way for them to get some easy baskets, which will be needed to keep up with Weber’s offense. Chehales Tapscott is a solid offensive rebounder, and had some very nice putbacks in their game against Montana State. This would relieve some pressure on their halfcourt offense if they are able to get some second half points.

THREE KEYS FOR EASTERN WASHINGTON TO BEAT MONTANA
1. Get some contributions from Collin Chiverton – He won the Big Sky Newcomer of the Year award, but he has been battling some inconsistency and injuries all season long. When he is on, he is a deadly long-range shooter that can put up 20 points on you, as well as get some buckets in transition with his athleticism. When he is not on, he will take a lot of bad shots, and can be a ball-stopper in their offense. To beat an elite team like Montana, they need him to be the guy that was the top newcomer in the Big Sky, and not the one that has scored 12 points in their last four games. That might depend on his health.

2. Take care of the ball – This has been a strength for the Eagles all year, but will be especially important against Will Cherry and Montana. Montana can rack up easy points off turnovers (especially out of their 1-2-2 zone press), and that’s why it’s key for EWU. It is hard enough to beat the Grizzlies even if you are not giving them easy points.

3. Stop Will Cherry’s penetration – Cherry is one of the best penetrators in the conference, and has great quickness going to the basket. This can get good looks either for himself or his teammates. EWU needs to cut that off at the point of attack, and make him be more of a jump shooter. Even though he has improved in that aspect, it is a better proposition than allowing him to get into the lane.

Any other keys for the games?

For any live updates or discussion during the games tomorrow, make sure to follow me on Twitter.

Follow me on Twitter @bigskybball

Semifinals Are Set as Portland State Rolls to Victory

I knew Montana State was going to have trouble scoring enough to keep up with Portland State. I also knew that the teams were coming in with opposite momentum. However, I didn't expect PSU to dominate the game like they did on Saturday night, beating the Bobcats 75-53 in the Big Sky quarterfinals.

It was a familiar script for Portland State. Excellent production from their stars, Chehales Tapscott (20 points, 12 rebounds) and Charles Odum (16 points, seven rebounds); and solid efforts from a couple of role players, Lateef McMullan (14 points, four assists, and Renado Parker (13 points, nine rebounds off the bench). More or less, this is what they have done all season long.

Montana State came out of the gate playing pretty well because of their defense. They ran multiple zone looks, and it confused the Vikings early. PSU turned the ball over often early on, and MSU was able to get some easy baskets. That was big for them, and it was an eight point deficit at the break, as the Viks were unable to create a ton of separation in the first half.

However, PSU began to figure out the zone in the second half, and Montana State simply didn't have the weapons to respond. They needed a big day from Shawn Reid, but he was held to four points on 2/10 shooting. Simply put, the Bobcats were unable to consistently get good looks from their half-court offense. They weren't hitting anything from the outside (3/16 threes), and they weren't able to aggressively attack the rim (11 free throws). They simply didn't have the personnel to score effectively or consistently in the half court offense, and once they stopped forcing turnovers, PSU ran away from them.

It ends a disappointing season for Montana State. After a 6-2 start to the Big Sky season, their world ends with a whimper. Montana State fans have seen this movie before, and I am not sure how much longer they will tolerate it. Obviously we will look at everything more in depth in the offseason, but safe to say Brad Huse probably doesn't head into next season feeling too comfortable about job security.

For Portland State, the dream lives on. They get Weber State in a neutral court game, and if they can find a way to slow down Damian Lillard (who has torched them this season), they will have a chance. They have the offensive talent, it is all about digging in defensively. They will meet on 5:30pm Tuesday night, in what should be an outstanding game.

Follow me on Twitter @bigskybball

Montana State @ Portland State Quarterfinal Preview and Prediction

The Big Sky Tournament is finally upon us! On Saturday, there will be two quarterfinal games being played. In the three vs six matchup, we will see Montana State travel to take on Portland State. Let's break it down and offer up a prediction.

PREVIOUS MATCHUPS
You wouldn't guess this, but it has been Montana State that has swept the season series. They beat Portland State 86-73 in late December, and then 70-65 in late January.

BACKCOURT
Portland State is led by all-conference player Charles Odum, who is second in the conference in scoring. He is an excellent offensive player, and he shoots 62% from inside the arc, an astounding number for a 6'0'' guard. He is a master at getting in the lane and to the line, where he has shot more than seven FTs per game (making 83% of them). He is flanked by Lateef McMullan, who struggled early in the year but has had some nice moments. They need more consistent play from him, but he is capable of producing. Michael Harthun is in the wing spot, and he has been a quietly efficient player. He shoots 43% from downtown, and doesn't take much off the table.

Montana State has been hurt by attrition. Jamie Stewart was academically ineligible, and of course Xavier Blount got injured in an off-court incident. That has stretched their depth. Rod Singleton is their (much-maligned, by fans) senior leader and PG, but he turns it over more than he gets assists. Shawn Reid has stepped into the lineup in Blount's absense and been probably their best player over the last month. He is a guy they look to as their go-to scorer. Christian Moon is a nice outside shooter, but he has been slumping a bit. If he starts to hit some shots, they will have a chance.

EDGE: I give the edge to Portland State simply because they have Charles Odum. He is a difference-maker.

FRONTCOURT
MSU usually starts Mohammed Fall and Tre Johnson in the post, two guys that have different skill sets. Fall is an athletic guy, solid defender and rebounder, and a guy that cleans up on the offensive glass with putbacks. He is one of the best shot blockers in the conference, and a guy that can cause teams problems down low. Tre Johnson is more offensive minded, and is a little bit better at creating shots.

For PSU, they are led by Chehales Tapscott, another first teamer and probably the best frontcourt player in the Big Sky. He does it all for the Viks. He is a solid scorer, the best rebounder in the Big Sky, one of the best shot blockers, and also gets his fair share of steals. He is a fun guy to watch, and the conference will miss him. He is joined in the frontcourt by Nate Lozeau, a guy that started out the year very strong, but has had less of impact as the season has gone on. Still, he is a big man that rebounds and shoots a very nice percentage.

EDGE: I give Portland State a slight edge in this one, because Tapscott is just that good.

BENCH
Portland State has the best bench player in the game and one of the best in the conference in Renado Parker, an adept scorer and rebounder. He has a chance to be a 15/8 player next year and forms a formidable offensive duo with Tapscott. Gary Winston has been a nice player in the backcourt for them, showing a nice outside touch. He is a likely starter next year and can be a solid bench player for them.

Montana State, as we've said, struggles with depth because of their personnel losses. Mike Dison is their lone backcourt sub that gets a lot of time, but he struggles to make an impact as a freshman. In the frontcourt, Jeff Budinich is a nice player. He has a sneaky solid outside shot, and his high release means he can get shots off almost whenever he wants. Jourdain Allou is a solid, athletic big that is a good offensive rebounder and efficient scorer.

EDGE: This one is too close to call, so I will say even. Each team has one or two guys that can make plays off the bench, but they are not very deep. The starters will decide this game.

WHO WINS
These are two teams trending in opposite directions. The Vikings have won six straight conference games, while the Bobcats have won once in their last nine games. As I have been saying (including on a podcast with Gidal), MSU relies heavily on Shawn Reid and Christian Moon for their scoring, but they are not necessarily ready for those roles.

Portland State, meanwhile, is well defined in that they have their two stars (Odum and Tapscott), and then everyone else falls in after that. They will be the two best players on the court, and combined with the fact that this game is in Portland, I like the Vikings to win this game.

PORTLAND STATE 80, MONTANA STATE 70

Follow me on Twitter @bigskybball

Thursday 2/23 Predictions (Part 1)

There are four games on Thursday night, and we are into the crunch time of the year. Each game matters in some way, so let's break it up and preview in two parts.

Northern Arizona @ Montana
We will start with the game that on paper will be the most lopsided of the day.  Montana has won nine straight games, and Northern Arizona has run their losing streak to 14 games. In theory, there is no real way that the Lumberjacks should stay in the game.

Montana once again has the best defensive club in the conference, and their offense has been playing better and better as the year has gone on, culminating with their 94 point effort against Hawaii. Will Cherry and Kareem Jamar have been playing basketball at a caliber that makes it fair to question if they are the best backcourt in the Big Sky. They bring it on both sides of the ball. Wayne Tinkle has a team where everyone knows their role, and they do it well.

NAU, on the other hand, is playing like a team that has nothing to play for. They are guaranteed to finish last in the Big Sky, and they are playing for a coach that has no chance of being there next year. They only have one senior that plays big minutes (Durrell Norman), so even that sense of urgency is not there. I am afraid this one will not end well for them. MONTANA 78, NORTHERN ARIZONA 49

Portland State @ Sacramento State
In theory, the Hornets have a chance to still make the tournament, though their hopes were probably extinguished with their loss last Thursday to the Vikings. Still, they have a chance to get to six wins in the Big Sky, which would be their most since 2006 and give them a lot of momentum heading into next year, when they return almost everyone. Portland State still has high stakes. They are currently in a tie for third, and still need to lock up a home game in the Big Sky quarterfinals. Plus, a three seed is more likely to draw a reeling team like Montana State, as opposed to a potential sleeping giant in Eastern Washington.

When they met last week, Chehales Tapscott had one of the best games of his career, with 17 points, 11 rebounds, five blocks, three steals, and three assists, showing every side of his versatility. PSU led by 27 at the half, and completely dominated in every phase of the game. Sacramento State will play a lot better at home (they can't really play any worse), but their production down low has been down a bit in the last couple games. To beat quality teams, they need Konner Veteto and John Dickson to play good basketball. They have been very average lately, and I don't think the Hornets have enough talent to overcome that if it happens again. I see Chehales Tapscott having a big day once again, and clinching a return to the Big Sky tournament for the Vikings. PORTLAND STATE 77, SACRAMENTO STATE 71

Follow me on Twitter @bigskybball

Chehales Centurion Tapscott Is The Best Name In College Basketball

Before the season began, Chehales Tapscott of Portland State was named to the "B.I.A.H Namesmith Award Watch List."

And that was before we knew his middle name.

He revealed during a Q&A with Jon Kasper of the Big Sky Conference that his middle name is Centurion.

Q: Tell us about your first name. We have never heard of anyone else named Chehales (pronounced shuh-HAY-less).
A: I’m just special, ha ha. My father is the architect behind my name; he was a high ranked Vietnam veteran soldier that believed one day I would follow in his footsteps. My first and middle name (Centurion) mean, “leader of the sand warriors.” My father did predict that at this time in my life the military would be fighting in a war in the sand.

Chehales Centurion Tapscott. That has to be one of the best names in America.

Of course, the best part is that he is one heck of a player on the court. He is an undersized but athletic four man, and he is a man that fills the stat sheet. He is currently seventh in the Big Sky in scoring (14 PPG), first in rebounding (9.3), first in blocks (1.9), second in steals (1.9 - trailing only Will Cherry, only one of the best perimeter defenders in America), and fifth in FG percentage (54.5%).

Tapscott will be a first-team Big Sky player, and we will miss him after this season.

Follow me on Twitter @bigskybball

Logjam in the Middle of the Big Sky

Before the night, in order for an optimal logjam in the middle of the Big Sky, you would have said two things needed to happen. One, Sacramento State would have to beat Montana State, which would move the Hornets closer to conference tournament play, and keep the Bobcats at six wins. The other thing would be for Portland State to beat Idaho State, since that would move both teams to 6-6 and tied with MSU for third place.

Check and check.

In the first game, it was Sacramento State getting their fourth win in a row, 86-76 over Montana State. They were led by freshman Dylan Garrity, who finished with a Sacramento State record of 16 assists (while also chipping in 14 points). He already led all freshmen in assists, and that number will only increase. It was a superb effort to be sure. He got help in those assists by guys knocking down guys, especially Joe Eberhard, who had 23 points, including going 5/5 from downtown. As a team, the Hornets were 11/19 from three point land.

For MSU, both Xavier Blount and Christian Moon were neutralized, and that usually spells trouble for the Bobcats. They were held to 15 points on 4/15 shooting, which makes it tough for them to win. Tre Johnson led the team with 17 points and 7 rebounds.

----

In the other game, Portland State coasted to a relatively easy 67-54 win over Idaho State. They jumped out to an early 10 point lead, and that never dropped to below 7 the rest of the way.

Chehales Tapscott was the star, going for 15 points and 16 rebounds to help secure the road win. He was 7/11 from the line and just had a very nice all-around game. Charles Odum also contributed 18 points on just 9 shots.

Idaho State was playing without Chase Grabau. He got a concussion in the Montana game that was not discovered until after the team got back to Pocatello. He will likely be out on Saturday as well. An already thin team struggles to put up points with Grabau, who does a little bit of everything for the Bengals. Melvin Morgan led them with 18 points.

With these games, the middle of the Big Sky now looks like this:

Montana State: 6-6
Portland State: 6-6
Idaho State: 6-6
Eastern Washington: 5-6
Sacramento State: 4-8
Northern Colorado: 4-8

With four of those teams moving on to the conference tournament, it should be a fun couple of weeks.

Follow me on Twitter @bigskybball

Thursday 2/9 Big Sky Predictions

Another four game bonanza in the Big Sky is upon us! Some predictions for the four games that will be going on Thursday night.

Weber State @ Northern Arizona
It is difficult to imagine this being a competitive game, because the talent difference and experience is so large. Damian Lillard is the best PG in America, and NAU has been trying to get anyone on the team to play with some consistency. Simply put, NAU has to play a perfect game, Weber State has to struggle, and I'm still not sure that would be enough for the Lumberjacks to win. WEBER STATE 87, NORTHERN ARIZONA 59

Montana @ Northern Colorado
I will be in attendance, so hopefully this game is a competitive one! UNC has been playing very poorly lately, and they need something to get them some momentum back and give them a shot at making the Big Sky tournament. A strong performance over Montana could be that thing. However, it will be tough. The Bears excel at knocking down shots from beyond the arc, but Montana has one of the great perimeter defenders in America in Will Cherry. Northern Colorado has the talent on paper to keep it close, but Montana is just playing much better basketball right now. MONTANA 75, NORTHERN COLORADO 63

Montana State @ Sacramento State
This is a huge game for the Hornets, and one they have to have if they want to stay in the race to make the conference tournament.  For MSU, it would be nice for them to get the win and try to crawl back into third place in the BSC, but I don't know that there will be the same sense of urgency that Sacramento State has been showing lately. This could be the most competitive game of the night, and I think the Hornets win with the homecourt and the sense that they have to win to keep their hopes alive. SACRAMENTO STATE 72, MONTANA STATE 69

Portland State @ Idaho State
If the Bengals can win this game, they become the favorite to secure the third seed based on their remaining record. For Portland State, they know they have to keep winning some games, because they don't have anything yet to feel safe about.  PSU has to guard the outside shot, because that is how ISU has been winning some games, but I think they will have a little too much down low to handle for ISU. Look for Chehales Tapscott and Renado Parker to do just enough to get a huge road win. PORTLAND STATE 75, IDAHO STATE 71

Who are you taking in these games?

Follow me on Twitter @bigskybball

The Return of the Damian Lillard Show

For the last few games, Damian Lillard had merely been very good, as opposed to the All-American level he played at earlier in the year. On Thursday night, he returned to that All-American level.

Lillard finished with 40 points in Weber State's 92-79 win over Portland State, and it seemed like he was simply not going to allow them to lose. He was 13/18 from the field (and that was AFTER he missed his final three shots), 6/8 from downtown, and 8/10 from the FT line. He also finished with five assists against two turnovers.

It was about as efficient of a performance as you can get. In two games against the Vikings this year, Lillard is averaging 39 PPG. It is safe to say that he owns them. As PSU writer Mike Lund put it, the Viks will not be sad to see him go if he leaves for the NBA Draft. Lillard is first NCAA player this season to score 40+ points in two games this year.

The game wasn't all about Lillard though, as Scott Bamforth also chipped in 16 points, including some big early threes. Seven other guys scored between 3 and 8 points, showing they are getting some contributions from everyone. It really showcased how deep they can be.

For Portland State, Charles Odum continued his stellar and efficient season, scoring 26 points on 9/12 shooting. From the guard spot he excels at getting into the lane for easy baskets. Chehales Tapscott had 15 and 8, and kept them in it early. Gary Winston had 14 to chip in.

With the win, Weber State improves to 9-1 in the Big Sky, a half game ahead of Montana. Portland State drops to 4-6, and is now tied with Northern Colorado for that all-important sixth spot. The Wildcats also re-established themselves as the team most dangerous from the Big Sky if they make it in the tournament, thanks to the presence of one Damian Lillard.

Follow me on Twitter @bigskybball

Charles Odum The Hero As Portland State Beats Eastern Washington

I thought that the game between Portland State and Eastern Washington would be the best game of Saturday night, and it proved me right. In a game that was tight throughout, Portland State won 78-76 in overtime.

Near the end of regulation, Portland State had the ball, trailing by three (in part thanks to a missed free throw by EWU). They found guard Lateef McMullan, who nailed a three from the corner and got fouled (but missed the free throw, robbing the Big Sky of potentially have two game-winning four point plays within one week). On the ensuing possession, Tremayne Johnson drove to the hoop, but had his shot blocked by Chehales Tapscott, sending the game to extra minutes.

In overtime, the drama continued. Late in the game, it was Eastern Washington trailing by three, taking the ball out from under their basket with about 35 seconds left. EWU ran a nice play to get Collin Chiverton free, and he banked in a three from the wing with 30 seconds to play. Portland State did not call timeout, and they simply ran the clock down, and ran a four-low isolation play for Charles Odum, who got into the lane and hit a 12 footer with 2 seconds left. The Eagles got a desperation attempt up, but Odum's shot was the game-winner.

Odum finished with 20 points, but he was just one hero among a few for the Vikings. Chehales Tapscott had 16 points, 13 rebounds, and 3 blocks, and made tons of big plays. Lateef McMullan hit the big three at the end of regulation, and finished with 18 points on the game. His emergence becoming a reliable offensive threat has made the team that much more dangerous.

For Eastern Washington, it's two straight painful losses. Last week they were on the wrong end of a thriller against Northern Colorado, and this one has to sting even more since it was at home. Once again, their propensity to commit tons of fouls was their undoing, as three guys fouled out and PSU shot 40+ free throws. I saw a couple EWU fans (though it should be noted I have seen others that don't agree with this) blaming the refs and thinking that EWU is getting the short end, but I don't see that. There was ticky tack calls on both teams, but the bottom line is that every game EWU is having these foul problems. They foul more than anyone in America, and it seems to happen to them every game.

At some point you have to stop looking at the refs and start looking in the mirror.

Suddenly, EWU is sitting at 3-4 in the Big Sky with Montana and Montana State coming to town. They desperately need some wins, especially with Idaho State playing better and better. For Portland State, they are 4-3 and host Montana State on Thursday. With a win, they will be tied for third in the conference.

Follow me on Twitter @bigskybball

Portland State Evens Big Sky Record

After Idaho State's thrilling comeback over Sacramento State on Saturday, they had a lot of confidence.They started out this game playing well, jumping out to a 9-2 lead, and it looked like they may have found some magic. However, Portland State regained their composure, kept it close for a while, and then made a big second half run, eventually winning 70-62.

The star for the Vikings was guard Charles Odum, who finished with a career-high 29 points. As has been the case most of the season, it was an efficient scoring output, as he was 10/18 from the field (including 3/5 from downtown) and 6/7 from the stripe. Off the heels of being named Big Sky Player of the Week, he had an impressive outing.

Chehales Tapscott also filled the stat sheet for the Vikings as usual. He had an efficient 15 points, six rebounds, five steals, and four blocks. There is no doubt that he is one of the more versatile guys in the nation. Lateef McMullan and Renado Parker also contributed with 10 points each in the win.

For Idaho State, they didn't play too poorly, they just didn't have the firepower. Chase Grabau continued his excellent senior season with 18 points, eight rebounds, and four assists, and Kenny McGowen also chipped in 20. However, they just didn't have the talent to keep pace with the Vikings on their home court.

Portland State moves to 9-9 on the year, 3-3 in the Big Sky, while Idaho State drops to 4-14 and 2-4 in the Big Sky. PSU will take on Eastern Washington on Saturday in what should be a fantastic matchup, as both teams currently sit tied for fifth in the Big Sky.

Follow me on Twitter @bigskybball

Damian Lillard Named Big Sky Player of the Week

Stop me if you have heard this before - Damian Lillard has been named the Big Sky Player of the Week. Again. For the fourth time this season. After a couple of phenomenal performances, he was the easy choice to win the award.

The 6-foot-3, 195-pound junior guard from Oakland, Calif., averaged 34 points, six rebounds, five assists, and one block per game. He shot 47.5 percent from the field, 57.1 percent from 3-point range, and 94.7 percent from the free-throw line.

Lillard continues to lead the nation in scoring at over 26 points per game.

Other candidates for the award were: Cliff Colimon (Eastern Washington), Melvin Morgan (Idaho State), Derek Selvig (Montana), Shawn Reid (Montana State), Tevin Svihovec (Northern Colorado), Chehales Tapscott (Portland State)

UPDATE: Lillard was also named the Oscar Robertson National Player of the Week. Congrats to him for the great honor!

Follow me on Twitter @bigskybball

Montana State Beats Portland State, Moves To 1-1

Montana State had been struggling a bit offensively, but they found out something I think a few times will find out this year - a game against Portland State cures some offensive ills.

The Bobcats hit their first 9 shots en route to an 86-74 victory at home over the Vikings, improving to 1-1 in conference play, dropping PSU to 0-2. For the game, MSU shot 53%, including knocking down 9 threes. Xavier Blount got back to being their go-to guy, scoring 24 points and showing a lot of good aggressiveness. He got the line 10 times, which shows he was going to the hoop often in this game.

Christian Moon is showing he might be the best 6th man in the Big Sky, as he finished with a cool 21 points on 6/8 from downtown. He is challenging Scott Bamforth to be considered the best shooter in the conference at this point. He keeps getting better and better. Other Bobcats in double figures were Shawn Reid (14) and Mohammed Fall (12).

For the Vikings, Charles Odum continued his extremely efficient year, as he had 20 points on 7/8 shooting. He has been an excellent scorer for them this year, as he has a knack for getting into the lane. Chehales Tapscott had an excellent day as well, with 15 and 11.

For PSU, the story of the game (and their season so far) could be found in the game notes on PSU's website. In their last seven games, the Vikings have given up an average of 88 points per game, and their opponents are shooting 52% from the floor. It doesn't matter how good your offense is (and make no mistake, PSU has some good talent), that tough of defensive deficiency is hard to overcome.

Follow me on Twitter @bigskybball

Montana Holds Court Over Portland State

In the other Big Sky conference game of the day, the road team got off to a great start to secure the victory. Not in this one. Here it was Montana that jumped out to an early 10 point lead, and the game was never really in doubt after that.

Montana shot 58% in the first half (including 7/9 from beyond the arc), which enabled them to get a 19 point lead going into the break. Portland State had a couple solid runs in the second half to cut the deficit down a bit, but they never really made it too interesting.

Kareem Jamar led the team with 17 points, also contributing 4 rebounds and 4 assists. He had a couple of great looks that led the easy baskets for the Griz, and he is really growing to be a great playmaker for them. The announcers of the game were heaping a lot of praise on Jamar near the end of the game, and it was hard to argue with anything. He is very talented offensively, and very advanced for being a sophomore.

Will Cherry also played well, with 15 points, including knocking down some outside shots, which is huge for him. He also had the play of the day... on a fast break, he threw up a beautiful alley oop that was completed by Art Steward (who also had 15) for an athletic finish (highlights can be found here). Cherry had a cramp later in the game, but should be fine for Friday. Cherry opposing Lateef McMullan (0/7, 0 points) was a huge mismatch in this game.

Derek Selvig and Eric Hutchison did not contribute a bunch offensively, but they were very sound defensively against a strong offensive frontcourt of PSU. In particular they played outstanding defense against Nate Lozeau.

It will not be a game Lozeau will want to remember. Coming into the day he was shooting 64%, but he was just 1/8 from the floor for 4 points and 3 rebounds, while also battling foul trouble. Chehales Tapscott didn't do much better offensively with 7 points, but he did have 12 rebounds and is just very active on the glass. Renado Parker had another great effort (16 points, 8 rebounds), and is one heck of a player down low, but it was not enough.

The bright spot for PSU was Charles Odum, who had a very efficient 27 points, taking only 13 shots. He got to the line well, and got into the lane for some easy shots. He is really an excellent player, though some of the points did come in garbage time.

Montana came out firing and played great, setting up an early season game against Eastern Washington to determine who will be #2 in the perception of those following the league. Meanwhile, PSU falls to 0-7 on the road this year, and has to turn around in 2 days to take on Montana State. It is a win they could definitely use.

Follow me on Twitter @bigskybball

Preview Of The Big Sky Openers

The Big Sky conference season finally kicks off on Wednesday, with two solid games on the docket. Let's take a look at each with thoughts and predictions.

-----

Eastern Washington @ Montana State
This is a game between two teams that started off the year strong and had their good moments, but have struggled a bit heading into conference play. Even though this game is in Bozeman, I think EWU is the favorite, as they have simply been better offensively and defensively so far this season.

A key for the Bobcats will be that they need Xavier Blount and Jamie Stewart to draw some fouls and get to the line for easy points.They are two athletic wings that handle the ball well, and they need to be on their game. Neither of these teams shoots the ball well from inside the arc, so outside shooting will be paramount. The Eagles need Collin Chiverton and Cliff Colimon to knock a few shots down early, that will be a big key for the Eagles.

Look for a tight, hard-fought game, but one I like Eastern Washington to pull out.

-----

Portland State @ Montana
Montana is the best defensive team in the Big Sky, while Portland State is one of the best on offense. The Grizzlies are a team with great perimeter defenders, while the Vikings are a team that likes to get points down low and in the paint. It should be a heck of a matchup.

The key will be if Montana's bigs can slow down the inside play of the Vikings trio of Chehales Tapscott, Nate Lozeau, and Renado Parker. Tapscott in particular is solid at drawing fouls and getting to the line, which could be a key because Montana does not have a ton of frontcourt depth. If the Montana bigs (particularly Derek Selvig) get into foul trouble, it will be interesting to see what type of lineup Coach Tinkle puts out there.

In the backcourt, the Grizzlies have a big edge. For PSU, Charles Odum has been excellent, but they haven't always got consistency from the rest of the guards. They will need Michael Harthun to hit some shots. The Grizzlies guards Will Cherry and Kareem Jamar should have a field day against Portland State's defense, which is a bit porous. Those two need 35-40 points for the Griz in this game.

This should be another excellent game on a solid Big Sky opening day, and I like Montana to hold home court and win this game.

Your thoughts on the opening games?

Follow me on Twitter @bigskybball

Damian Lillard is the Big Sky POW (Again)

It is deja vu all over again... Damian Lillard is the Big Sky Player of the Week for the third time this season.

Lillard, a 6-foot-3, 195-pound junior from Oakland, Calif., averaged 25 points, 7.5 rebounds, four assists and two steals per game as the Wildcats earned wins over Mayville State and Utah of the Pac-12 Conference.

Other candidates were - Collin Chiverton (Eastern Washington), Kenny McGowen (Idaho State), Derek Selvig (Montana), Durrell Norman (Northern Arizona), Tevin Svihovec (Northern Colorado), Chehales Tapscott (Portland State), and John Dickson (Sacramento State).

Follow me on Twitter @bigskybball

Three Other Big Sky Teams Fall Thursday

We looked at Sacramento State's loss last night, but three other Big Sky teams fell on Thursday night, leaving some bad tastes in their mouth heading into the Christmas break (soon hopefully to be filled by the taste of a delicious Christmas dinner).

Portland State continued their trend of mixing a great offensive performance with a bad defensive one, as they fell 92-86 to Cal State Fullerton. Amazingly, it was the fourth time in five games that Portland State has given up 85 points in a game, which is something that Tyler Geving needs to clean up. The Titans shot 49% from the field and made 11 three-pointers in this game.

PSU had a stellar offensive game in their own right, finishing with 6 guys in double figures. Charles Odum had another efficient game, finishing with 19 points. Chehales Tapscott also had a nice all-around day, with 12 points, 7 boards, and 6 assists. They are still not getting much play-making from Lateef McMullan, who had 14 points, but only 3 assists against 3 turnovers. They need him to get others involved.

Portland State is a team that doesn't force turnovers (they are absolutely one of the worst in America), and their defensive efficiency could soon be among the worst in the country. Their talent states that they should be one of the top 4 teams in the Big Sky, but to do so, they will need to get some steps at key moments in games, and they have yet to show that they are capable of that. One thing is for sure, they will be an exciting team, and you can bet that lots of points will be put on the board in their games.

----------

Northern Colorado took on Colorado State, a nice rivalry since the schools are about 20 minutes apart, but they simply could not stop the Rams on Thursday night, losing 92-78. Dorian Green for CSU had a career-high 36 points in this game, which boggles my mind a little bit.

"They're just not focused on [defense]. They just don't understand the importance of it," Hill said. "We have two guys in this program (Mike Proctor and Elliott Lloyd) who played any type of significant minutes on that team last year or the year before. I know Emmanuel [Addo] was on that team; I know Tate [Unruh] was on the team; I know Tevin [Svihovec] was around in practice. But unless you have a significant role in those seasons, you don't understand what it takes. And they don't understand right now. They have to be baptized and get it on their own, because that's what kids have to do.

The loss drops UNC to 3-8, and there is some talk about how much the Bears struggled last season before going on a run in conference play, but this has the look of a much different ballclub.

It is not like Northern Colorado is void of good players, they are simply too young right now to get it done every night, as they have shown so far this season.  They are a team that does not bring it defensively every night, and it shows. Offensively, they are their own worst enemy. They are an excellent outside shooting team but they turn the ball over a ton.

Their schedule has potentially set them up to get off to a quick start in conference play, as they begin with home games against Northern Arizona and Idaho State. Based on the way they have played this year, no outcome in these games would surprise me.

----------

Idaho State was hoping that the coaching change would provide a spark, but it did not such thing against Wyoming, as they fell 80-56. The loss drops the Bengals to 2-9, while Wyoming continues their quietly impressive year, improving to 12-2.

Kenny McGowen led the team with 23 points, while no other Bengal was in double figures.

“It was more of the same thing pretty much. We come out. We play through stretches for a while and then it just all goes kaput at some point. Offensively I told the team that I don't know if there is an offense we can scheme up to go out and make the shot for you. At some point you have to go out and make the play. We did pretty good defensively against them. We get them down to the shot clock at under 10 seconds I don't know how many times. They come off a ball screen and go make a play."

Looking at the way things have ended in non-conference play, it is tough to make an argument that Idaho State will be anywhere but the cellar. They need to start getting full team efforts on both ends of the court, as they just can't seem to put a full game together.

Anything else you guys noticed from these three games?

Follow me on Twitter @bigskybball