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Siena’s Anosike “really excited” for Ubiles

Monday, March 26, 2012 | 7:19 am

For junior forward O.D. Anosike and future classes of Siena basketball players, the dream of playing in the NBA will seem just a bit more realistic.

Anosike watched on television on Wednesday night as Edwin Ubiles, his former teammate, became the first Siena product to appear in an NBA regular-season game.

Ubiles played 16 minutes for the Washington Wizards in a 108-89 win over the New Jersey Nets in which he scored four points and grabbed four rebounds.

“It was fun,” Anosike said. “It just shows how capable reaching your goals are when you play for Siena. I’m really excited for Eddie. He’s someone that I got close with the one year he was here (with Anosike), and I’m just really happy for him.”

Maybe Ubiles’ success will cause pro scouts to take a longer look at a Siena prospect like the 6-foot-8 Anosike, who averaged 15 points and a nation-high 12.5 rebounds this season.

“I think Eddie just helped out with the exposure of Siena basketball, definitely putting the school on the map,” Anosike said. “So I mean it’s great for the school and the program.”

Anosike got a chuckle out of Ubiles’ tendency to adjust his shorts during Wednesday’s game, a habit he also had with the Saints. But he was also impressed with Ubiles’ unselfish play.

“I thought he played really well,” Anosike said. “He was trying to just facilitate a little bit and give it to the more veteran players. I thought he played really good defense and I’m hoping he’ll stay on the team.”

The Wizards play again tonight at home against the Indiana Pacers. Ubiles is in the fifth day of a 10-day contract.

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(posted in College Sports | tagged “really, Anosike, excited”, Siena’s, Ubiles)

SRJC continues strong start to baseball season

Sunday, March 25, 2012 | 6:00 am

SRJC’s Nick Rodda, a sophomore shortstop who prepped at Piner, beats the pickoff attempt at first base during Thursday’s game. (Photo by JEFF KAN LEE / The Press Democrat)

By MICHAEL COIT
THE PRESS DEMOCRAT

Scoring a dozen runs was nearly a week’s worth of offense for Santa Rosa Junior College in a 12-3 win Thursday as the young baseball squad grinds to find a groove.

Santa Rosa completed a doubleheader sweep of American River College at home with a 1-0, 13-inning victory in the finale.

A deep pitching staff and stingy defense are ahead of an offense that gets hits yet can struggle to score. Still, the Bear Cubs are coming together to compete in arguably California’s toughest conference.

“We’ve started out good. We definitely want to make the playoffs and a state championship is always the goal,” said shortstop Nick Rodda, out of Piner.

The lone returning starter from one of Santa Rosa’s best teams ever, Rodda helps lead an improving unit that, despite a lack of experience, is ready for the rigors of Big 8 Conference play, said Coach Damon Neidlinger.

“It’s a very solid group that does a good job in the classroom, works hard on the field, and is enjoyable to coach,” Neidlinger said. “It’s a great league. If you don’t compete at a high level, typically you’re going to be losing.”

One of the newcomers helping lead Santa Rosa returned to Sonoma County following a season at San Diego State. Matt Nadolski, from Casa Grande, is having fun playing baseball again after sitting out his sophomore year to recover from a shoulder injury and concentrate on school.

“At first it was difficult, just mentally,” he said. “But I always take everything to heart and do my best at whatever I do. I thought it would be a good, fresh start.”

Good for both player and team.

Among the league’s leading hitters, Nadolski tops the team in runs batted in and extra base hits. He also is among Santa Rosa’s trio of starting pitchers.

Pitching is a strength for SRJC. The starters are eating up an increasing load of innings. The bullpen keeps the Bear Cubs close and finishes strong.

“That was one thing that hurt us last year, late in games,” Rodda said. “We’re really deep this year.”

Both starting pitchers Thursday went eight innings. The recipe for success is seemingly simple, yet demands a disciplined approach — throw strikes, limit walks, and get outs with few pitches to complete more innings.

“Our pitching has been good our defense pretty good,” Neidlinger said.

In the opener, Bryan Webster won his fourth decision, giving up three runs in eight innings. The Vintage High graduate went deep in the game because he threw strikes and kept pitches low, getting 17 of 24 outs on ground balls.

The few times American River mounted a scoring threat, Neidlinger encouraged Webster, “Be a machine, locate, locate right here.”

That the defense didn’t make an error helped Webster focus on making batters hit the ball rather than going for strikeouts.

Second-game starter Jason Alexander was even tougher on American River batters. The true freshman out of Cardinal Newman yielded only three hits in his eight frames.

Scoreless into the 13th inning, the game was decided when Stephen McElroy singled in the winning run after two Bear Cub batters were hit by pitches. The Petaluma true freshman was batting for the first time on the afternoon.

“We’re young, but we’re scrappy,” said first-year center fielder Siosi Poti.

In a league where close contests are the rule, Santa Rosa must improve at pushing runners across the plate. Batting at nearly a .300 clip, the Bear Cubs were only fourth in the conference in runs scored before Thursday’s games.

In a three-run inning Thursday, what stood out for Neidlinger was an inability to score a runner from third with less than two outs.

“If you want to be good offensively, you need to execute. We’ve left too many people out there in one-run games,” Neidlinger said.

The opener Thursday was not close, with Santa Rosa banging 18 hits, forcing American River to use five pitchers.

Standing out was Poti, who had four hits, including a two triples to spark rallies. You’re having a good game when you can shrug off a grand slam incorrectly called foul, as Poti experienced in Santa Rosa’s final at bat. “That’s my best game yet. Hitting has been the biggest adjustment,” said the Bear Cubs’ leadoff batter.

The speedster out of Rancho Cotate sat out as a red shirt last season because the Bear Cubs had a loaded lineup and he needed to catch up to the college game. Poti added 15 pounds and became a student of the game, particularly hitting. He was just another All-Empire prep player hoping to get playing time.

“Everybody who was everything is here. I had to prepare myself,” Poti said.

Another player who sat out last season to contribute in the current campaign is Brandon Baranzini from Montgomery. The starting second baseman is among Santa Rosa’s leading hitters.

Improving as players and a team, Santa Rosa needs to keep competing at a high level because the conference is so tough. Five or more of the teams are strong enough to reach the state playoffs.

Having played the major college game, Nadolski said he is impressed with the conference’s level of play. Santa Rosa is as good as any league team, he said. “There are no slouches,” Nadolski said. “We’re young, but I think we can be really good if we put everything together.”

You can reach Staff Writer Michael Coit at 521-5470 or mike.coit@pressdemocrat.com.

EXCELLING ON AND OFF THE­FIELD

Santa Rosa Junior College baseball
Record: 11-5 overall, 3-2 in the Big 8 Conference
Ranking: 9th in Northern California
Next Home Game: SRJC vs. Sacramento City, Tuesday, 2:30 p.m.
Notable Players: Nick Rodda, Piner; Matt Nadolski, Casa Grande; Brandon Baranzini, Montgomery; Siosi Poti, Tyler Sanders, Rancho Cotate; Dalton Johnson, Petaluma; Jason Alexander, Cardinal Newman; Brian Bynum, Del Oro; Bryan Webster, Vintage.

 

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(posted in College Sports | tagged Baseball, continues, Season, SRJC, start, Strong)

College Conference Honors For Empire Basketball Standouts

Thursday, March 22, 2012 | 2:14 am

Posted By Press Democrat Staff Writer Michael Coit

Playing big for a pair of NCAA Division II schools gained one time Empire standouts Matt Cousins and Jacob Noisat all-conference honors.
Another former All-Empire selection Mani Maceira helped lead Claremont-Mudd-Scripps to the NCAA Division III tournament, earning all-conference honors along the way.
Cousins capped a great career at Chaminade University that included playing annually against some of the nation’s top major colleges in a famed tournament hosted by the school in Honolulu .
In his senior campaign, Cousins scored 15 points a game and grabbed nearly 8 rebounds per contest – both fourth overall in the Pac West Conference. The big man with the shooting touch also was a force down low, leading the conference in offensive rebounds.
The Cardinal Newman graduate was named to the Pac West first team.
Summer workout partner Noisat exceeded expectations at Dominican University , in San Rafael . Scoring a team leading 11 points and pulling down 6 rebounds a game, Noisat led an improving Penguins squad. He was sixth in the Pac West for field goal percentage.
After transferring from Chabot College , the Elsie Allen graduate helped Dominican navigate a difficult schedule and finish strong. Noisat, a junior, was named to the Pac West second team.
Finishing his college career with a fine season, Maceira was named to the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference first team.
Claremont-Mudd-Scripps won the conference tournament after sharing the regular season title. Maceira’s last collegiate contest was a close loss in the first round of the NCAA Division III tournament.
An athletic wing for Claremont-Mudd-Scripps, the Rancho Cotate graduate averaged 12 points and more than four rebounds a game. Maceira was among the conference leaders in free throw shooting.

 

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(posted in College Sports | tagged basketball, College, Conference, Empire, Honors, Standouts)

NCAA Tournament: Best bets for the round of 32 (and thoughts on Saint Mary’s, west coast basketball)

Tuesday, March 20, 2012 | 12:21 pm

Random thoughts before the picks … *** Cal, Long Beach State, San Diego State, Gonzaga, Saint Mary’s, BYU, Nevada-Las Vegas — seven teams from the Pacific Time Zone started the NCAA Tournament. And as the weekend begins, only one remains: Gonzaga. If this happens again next year, the folks back east might start thinking they [...]
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(posted in College Sports | tagged basketball, Best, Bets, Coast, Mary’s, NCAA, round, Saint, Thoughts, Tournament, West)

UAlbany women fall short to Texas A&M in NCAAs

Sunday, March 18, 2012 | 9:52 am

The University at Albany women’s basketball team dropped a 69-47 decision to defending NCAA champion Texas A&M in a first round tournament game Saturday night in College Station, Texas. Here is the report from the UAlbany sports information department:

COLLEGE STATION, Texas – Despite 14 points and nine rebounds from junior Ebone Henry, UAlbany fell to Texas A&M, 69-47, in the first round of the 2012 NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament on Saturday evening at Reed Arena. In their first-ever NCAA Tournament appearance, the Great Danes outrebounded the defending National Champions, 48-33.

UAlbany got on the board first with a basket by Julie Forster. Texas A&M responded, getting a conventional three-point play from Tyra White, but a layup by Henry kept the Great Danes on top. Adaora Elonu then recorded a steal on the Great Danes and hit a jumper in the paint to give the Aggies a 5-4 lead at the first media timeout. The teams exchanged baskets to alternate the lead again, before Texas A&M got two free throws from Adrienne Pratcher to extend the lead to 9-6.

The two defensive-minded teams continued to battle through the first half, and a steal by Adrienne Jones and basket by Sarah Royals pulled UAlbany to within 15-13 with just over seven minutes left to play. A basket by Forster in the paint tied the game at 17-17 with just over five minutes on the clock. However, a basket by White and two free throws by Skylar Collins put the Aggies back on top by four. UAlbany’s Tabatha Makopondo grabbed a rebound and hit a jumper, and Forster went 1-of-2 from the free throw line, cutting the lead to 20-21, but A&M got a 3-pointer by Kristi Bellock just before the shot clock expired to put the Aggies up by four at the four-minute media timeout.

With just under two minutes left to play in the first, Henry hit back-to-back baskets, taking an assist from Cassandra Callaway to drain a long three from the right side of the arc, tying the game at 25-25 with 1:41 on the clock. However, White, who finished with 12 points in the half, hit a jumper and a 3-pointer, while Makopondo was only able to hit 1-of-2 free throws, as the team hit the locker rooms with Texas A&M on top, 30-26.

A quick basket by the Aggies gave A&M a six-point lead to start the second half, but UAlbany got six straight points to tie the game back up at 32-all. Texas A&M fired back and forced the Great Danes into two turnovers, getting a layup by Elonu and a 3-pointer from the right corner from Carter to take a 37-32 lead and prompt UAlbany to take a time out. The Aggies continued on a 12-2 run, getting up by ten, 44-34, with just over 14 minutes left to play.

Texas  A&M continued to roll, as Alexia Standish nailed a 3-pointer to put the Aggies up by 13, 49-36. Henry and Forster both hit jump shots to try to spark a UAlbany rally, but Karla Gilbert sank a bucket to keep A&M on top. Standish nailed another long-range shot to put the Aggies up, 57-41, at the eight-minute media timeout. UAlbany refused to fold, and continued its relentless defense against the bigger, more experienced Aggies.  A&M built up a 19-point lead, 64-45, on a fourth 3-pointer by Standish as the clock wound down under three minutes.  The Aggies, who shot 46.6 percent (27-58) from the floor in the game, continued their hot shooting, and extended their lead out to 22 points before the final buzzer.

White led the Aggies with 18 points, while Elonu and Standish totaled 13 and 12 points, respectively. Texas A&M (23-10), forced UAlbany into 24 turnovers and shot 58.3 percent (7-12) from 3-point range.

Freshman Megan Craig totaled nine points and seven rebounds, while also recording all three of UAlbany’s blocks in the game. Forster finished with eight points and grabbed a game-high 12 rebounds. The Great Danes shot 31.7 percent (19-60) from the floor and recorded eight steals, led by Henry with three. Henry played all 40  minutes for UAlbany.

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(posted in College Sports | tagged fall, NCAAs, short, Texas, UAlbany, Women)

Basketball Great Johnson Receives Honors

Thursday, March 15, 2012 | 6:07 am

 

Posted By Press Democrat Staff Writer Michael Coit:

Quite a week for Amanda Johnson as the Oregon and former Maria Carrillo standout was named a Pac-12 scholar athlete after earning all-conference honors.

Capping a great college career, Johnson is the 2012 Toyo Tires Pac-12 Women’s Basketball Scholar-Athlete of the Year. Earlier, she was selected to the Capital One Academic All-America first team – only the second conference player ever to be a three-time Academic All-American.

Johnson, a 6-foot-2 forward, made the All-Pac-12 team for the first time despite missing 11 games with a fractured thumb. She earned honorable mention honors in 2010 and 2011.
Oregon’s leading scorer (18 points per game) and rebounder (nearly 10 a contest), Johnson this season recorded 10 double-doubles and seven 20-point efforts. Johnson is one of only four Oregon players to rank in the all-time top five for Ducks women’s basketball in both scoring and rebounding.

Johnson is also among the ten finalists for the Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award. Johnson is a graduate student in counseling psychology and human services and has a 4.16 grade point average. She graduated in the top two percent of her class with a double major in psychology and sociology following her sophomore year.

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(posted in College Sports | tagged basketball, Great, Honors, Johnson, Receives)

My (final) AP basketball top-25 ballot: With All-American teams and COY/POY votes

Tuesday, March 13, 2012 | 3:36 am

Due after the Selection Sunday announcement, the final AP top-25 poll is the least-newsworthy of the season. But in the interest of transparency, let’s take a quick break from March Madness coverage for the ballot I submitted Sunday night — along with three All-American teams and votes for player and coach of the year. *** [...]
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(posted in College Sports | tagged AllAmerican, ballot, basketball, COY/POY, final, Teams, top25, votes)

Aronhalt’s season is over

Saturday, March 10, 2012 | 12:29 pm

ALBANY — No surprise here. Logan Aronhalt, the second leading scorer for the University at Albany, won’t play when the Great Danes take on Manhattan in a first round game of the CIT  at SEFCU Arena Wednesday night.

He might not even be here.

UAlbany coach Will Brown said Friday night that Aronhalt, who has been bothered by a chronic condition in his right knee, is scheduled to undergo surgery on Tuesday in his home state of Ohio. The surgery was scheduled to happen at the end of the season, which first ended when the Danes lost in the semifinals of the America East Tournament last Sunday.

Aronhalt did not play in the 57-55 loss to Stony Brook.

Brown also said that starting forward Luke Devlin, who has been slowed by a knee injury of his own, and played sparingly in the America East Tournament, could be available against Manhattan. However, Brown does not expect Devlin to play extended minutes.

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(posted in College Sports | tagged Aronhalt’s, over, Season)

Loyola wins MAAC championship

Tuesday, March 6, 2012 | 7:28 am

Tournament Most Valuable Player Erik Etherly had 10 points and seven rebounds and Loyola rode a smothering defense to a 48-44 victory over Fairfield for the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference championship on Monday night at the MassMutual Center in Springfield, Mass.

Loyola, which defeated Siena in the semifinals, earned its first MAAC title since 1994 and its first under head coach Jimmy Patsos.

The Greyhounds (24-8) held the Stags to 28.8 percent shooting from the field, while Loyola shot 33.3 percent.

Etherly, a 6-7 junior forward, was Loyola’s only starter to score in double figures. But the Greyhounds outscored the Stags 19-3 in bench points.

Senior forward Rakim Sanders paced Fairfield (19-14) with 12 points on 3-of-14 shooting.

The Greyhounds will find out Sunday who and where they’ll play in the NCAA Tournament.

Leading 47-41, Loyola managed only one point in the final 5:05. But Fairfield’s Ryan Olander and Sanders both misfired on tying 3-point attempts in the final 22 seconds.

Loyola’s Shane Walker made a free throw with two seconds left to provide the winning margin.

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(posted in College Sports | tagged Championship, Loyola, MAAC, wins)

Pac-12 basketball ratings: Washington takes over No. 1, plus thoughts on POY and COY

Sunday, March 4, 2012 | 5:36 pm

Meant to have this posted Wednesday and attached to the item on UCLA, but I’ve had connectivity problems the past 16 hours … * At this point, Colorado’s Tad Boyle is the Hotline’s pick for Coach of the Year — despite two blowout losses to Stanford — but Washington’s Lorenzo Romar can’t be discounted if [...]
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(posted in College Sports | tagged basketball, over, Pac12, Plus, ratings, takes, Thoughts, Washington)

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