West Coast Conference 2004-05 Season Preview
by Bob Thurman
For the last seven seasons, the West Coast Conference has become Gonzaga and the Seven Dwarfs. The Zags have dominated this conference and have become a national power, which has provided the WCC plenty of deserved publicity. However, Gonzaga’s success has come at the expense of the rest of the teams in the league, many of whom have had successful seasons gone unnoticed. That may begin to change this season as the Zags will be finally be vulnerable, while the rest of the conference returns most of its star players. Don’t get me wrong, Mark Few’s gang will once again be a major player on the national scene, but with the loss of so many quality seniors, they will not be able to repeat their undefeated conference season of a year ago. In fact, it may be tough repeating as conference champions, period!
The two teams with the best shot of unseating Gonzaga are two experienced and talented squads: Saint Mary’s and Pepperdine. The Gaels may have the most talent in the league, with All-WCC selections Paul Marigney, Daniel Kickert and Frederic Adjiwanou returning. Add in an experienced point guard in E.J. Rowland and possibly the top newcomer in Erik Bond, and you can see why this team will be difficult to beat both inside and outside of the conference. Pepperdine is another team that will be dangerous. The Waves are loaded with scorers and will put up plenty of points. However, they will need to actually stop some teams from scoring if they want to make some noise on the national scene this year. Out of the top three teams in the league, I expect at least two getting bids to the NCAA Tournament, while the third will be playing in the NIT this season.
The rest of the league will also be making plenty of news this season. The other Bay Area schools, Santa Clara and San Francisco, will be tough outs for the rest of the conference, though each plays a very different style. The Broncos are a well disciplined team that wins with tough defense. The Dons welcome new coach Jessie Evans, who will bring an up-tempo style that should suit high-scoring guard John Cox very nicely. San Diego comes off a nightmare of a season, but has a number of talented players coming in that could make them one of the most improved teams in the country. Portland and Loyola Marymount may be a step behind the others in this league, but would be contenders in most other conferences. All in all, the West Coast Conference may be one of the most balanced from top to bottom in the country. That should make for an exciting 2004-2005 season for its fans!
All-Conference Team
G: Paul Marigney, Saint Mary’s
G: John Cox, San Francisco
F: Glen McGowan, Pepperdine
F: Ronny Turiaf, Gonzaga
C: Brice Vounang, San Diego
Honorable Mention: Adam Morrison, Gonzaga; Daniel Kickert, Saint Mary’s; Alex Acker, Pepperdine; Kyle Bailey, Santa Clara; Pooh Jeter, Portland
MVP: Ronny Turiaf, Gonzaga
Newcomer: Erik Bond, Saint Mary’s
Defensive: Corey Belser, San Diego
Most Improved: Adam Morrison, Gonzaga
Gonzaga Bulldogs (2003-2004: 28-3 overall, 14-0 conference, 1st place)
Projected starters:
PG: Derek Raivio, So.
SG: Erroll Knight, Jr.
SF: Adam Morrison, So.
PF: Sean Mallon, So.
C: Ronny Turiaf, Sr.
Schedule Highlights:
11/27 – Illinois (Wooden Classic)
12/1 – Washington
12/18 – Georgia Tech (Las Vegas Showdown)
12/28 – at Oklahoma State
1/8 – at St. Mary’s
2/10 – at Pepperdine
The Zags will once again be the league’s preseason favorite, but will have a tougher time reaching the top this season due to the loss of a number of quality seniors. All-American Blake Stepp will be sorely missed at the point, where his ability to lead the offense and hit big shots will not be easily filled. The loss of sharp shooters Kyle Bankhead and Tony Skinner, and bruisers Cory Violette and Richard Fox, creates some huge voids on the wings and down low. However, the return of Ronny Turiaf, who turned down the NBA this past summer, and a host of talented youngsters should keep the Zags atop the conference.
Turiaf will be one of the top big men in the country this season and is the leading candidate for conference player of the year. Sophomores Derek Raivio and Adam Morrison should slide into the starting lineup immediately and will be heavily counted on. Morrison, in particular, showed off a nice midrange game and high basketball IQ coming off the bench last season and should provide the necessary scoring punch to take some pressure off of Turiaf. Junior college transfer J.P. Batista and freshman Pierre Marie Altidor-Cespedes, along with Texas Tech transfer Nathan Doudney, will give Coach Mark Few some quality minutes off the bench. Once again, Few created a challenging non-conference schedule with games against Final Four participants Georgia Tech and Oklahoma State, along with powerhouses Illinois and Washington. Even if the Zags can’t pull off those wins, it will prepare them well for conference play and ensure a high RPI come March. Despite some question marks, look for the Zags to be a mainstay in the Top 25, claim another conference title and return to the NCAA Tournament for a seventh straight season!
Saint Mary’s Gaels (2003-2003: 19-12 overall, 9-5 conference, 2nd place tie)
Projected starters:
PG: E.J. Rowland, Sr.
SG: Paul Marigney, Sr.
SF: Jonathon Sanders, Sr.
PF: Frederic Adjiwanou, Sr.
C: Daniel Kickert, Jr.
Schedule Highlights:
11/11 – Belmont (Preseason NIT)
11/23 – at UNLV
12/11 – at Hawaii
1/4 – BYU
2/3 – at Gonzaga
2/11 – at Santa Clara
Four years ago, before Coach Randy Bennett came to Saint Mary’s, the Gaels went 2-27. Since his hiring, the program has improved every year, to the point where it was a game away from the NCAA Tournament last season. Look for that upward trend to continue this season, as the Gaels return most of their players from the second-best team in the conference last season. Unfortunately, they will have to wait awhile before all those players are available. Leading scorer Paul Marigney is academically ineligible until the second semester, while leading rebounder Frederic Adjiwanou will have to sit the first four games after cutting a deal with the NCAA to gain a fifth season of eligibility. In addition, highly-touted Cal transfer Erik Bond won’t suit up until the middle of December.
Despite these early setbacks, the Gaels should get through it considering they have such a deep and experienced team. Point guard E.J. Rowland runs the team well and can score if need be, while Daniel Kickert is one of the league’s top post players and can also score from the perimeter. Senior Jonathon Sanders and junior college transfer Jason Walberg should provide some relief until Marigney and Bond are eligible. Throw in a tough schedule, and the Gaels may struggle early in the season. However, when conference play starts up, look for this team to be neck and neck with Gonzaga at the top of the standings. If the WCC gets two NCAA Tournament bids this season, Saint Mary’s will probably be one of them.
Pepperdine Waves (2003-2004: 15-16 overall, 9-5 conference, 2nd place tie)
Projected starters:
PG: Marvin Lea, So.
SG: Alex Acker, Jr.
SF: Yakhouba Diawara, Sr.
PF: Glen McGowan, Sr.
C: Jesse Pinegar, Sr.
Schedule Highlights:
11/17 – East Carolina (BCA Invitational)
11/27 – Wisconsin
12/8 – UNLV
12/11 – at UCLA
1/15 – at Gonzaga
2/19 – at Saint Mary’s
After a disappointing 5-11 start last season, the Waves turned it around during conference play to tie for second. They should be able to build on that momentum this season and make a run at the conference title. The loss of guards Shaun Davis and Tarrence Johnson may thin the bench a bit, but it will allow talented Alex Acker to get more shots and promising sophomore Marvin Lea to run the offense. It also allows Coach Paul Westphal to go with a bigger lineup of Yakhouba Diawara, Glen McGowan and Jesse Pinegar on the baseline, which could cause matchup problems with some of the teams in the league.
Even though there is plenty of talent returning, the Waves will need some production from the newcomers if they want to surpass Gonzaga and Saint Mary’s. Redshirt freshman Kingsley Costain and Cal transfer Tashaan Forehan-Kelly will need to provide some relief in the backcourt for Lea and Acker. Seven-footer Jarrad Henry is an intimidating shot-blocker and could help on the defensive end, which is the Waves’ biggest weakness and an area they will need to improve. Overall, this team is better than last season’s squad and should see some postseason action come March.
Santa Clara Broncos (2003-2004: 16-16 overall, 6-8 conference, 5th place)
Projected starters:
PG: Kyle Bailey, Sr.
SG: Doron Perkins, Sr.
SF: Ethan Rohde, Sr.
PF: Travis Niesen, Jr.
C: Sean Denison, So.
Schedule Highlights:
11/12 – Duquesne (NABC Classic)
11/19 – North Carolina
11/28 – Stanford
12/22 – at Arizona State
2/5 – at Gonzaga
2/26 – at San Francisco
The Broncos are tired of mediocrity! For the past three seasons, Santa Clara has been stuck in the middle of the conference pack and can’t seem to break out. Coach Dick Davey hopes this year might be different. Senior guards Kyle Bailey and Doron Perkins form one of the leagues top backcourts and give fans a good reason for them to be optimistic about this season’s chances. Add in a promising young forntcourt of Travis Niesen and Sean Denison, and the Broncos should be a much more balanced team than previous years. Unfortunately, Denison will be out until at least January with a stress fracture in his foot, so Niesen will have to carry the load down low until he recovers.
Coach Davey also brought in a number of quality newcomers who should contribute immediately. Junior college transfer Tristan Parham will add some size to the Broncos frontline, while freshman Brody Angley gives them a pure point guard and will allow Bailey to play more on the wing. Once again, defense will be a key to Santa Clara’s success. However, if they want to compete in this conference, they will have to score more efficiently, especially inside. If they can improve on this, then a postseason bid of some kind is a definite possibility.
San Diego Toreros (2003-2004: 4-26 overall, 1-13 conference, 8th place)
Projected starters:
PG: Ross DeRogatis, So.
SG: Brett Melton, Sr.
SF: Corey Belser, Jr.
PF: Brandon Gay, Sr.
C: Brice Vounang, Sr.
Schedule Highlights:
11/16 – Arizona (Preseason NIT)
12/1 – at San Diego State
12/11 – at USC
12/31 – Creighton
1/27 – at Saint Mary’s
2/17 – at Gonzaga
There’s a reason why Coach Brad Holland’s bio doesn’t mention anything about last season: he wants to forget everything about it! In fact, the 26-loss season was one of the worst in school history. Luckily, a new season is here and things are looking better for the Toreros. The league’s top defensive player, Corey Belser, returns from a knee injury and joins athletic forward Brandon Gay, and powerful center Brice Vounang to form one of the top frontcourts in the league. Vounang, the league’s Newcomer of the Year last season, gives San Diego a dangerous inside threat that should free up space for the athletic Belser and Gay, along with senior guard Brett Melton. The only question is at point guard, where Holland hopes Oklahama State transfer Ross DeRogatis can lead the team, but also provide some needed scoring at the point.
With so many talented players, scoring won’t be a problem for the Toreros. However, the defense must improve significantly after being worst in the league last season. The return of Belser will help, along with the arrival of Floyd North III from Oregon State, who should provide some defensive stops off the bench. If this team can keep their opponents under 70 points (instead of 80) then this could be one of the most improved teams in the country!
San Francisco Dons (2003-2004: 17-14 overall, 7-7 conference, 4th place)
Projected starters:
PG: Andre Hazel, Sr.
SG: John Cox, Sr.
SF: Jerome Gumbs, Jr.
PF: Alan Wiggins, So.
C: Tyrone Riley, Sr.
Schedule Highlights:
11/19 – Stanford (Pete Newell Challenge)
12/1 – at Wichita State
12/23 – Fresno State
1/1 – at Texas Tech
2/9 – at San Diego
2/19 – at Gonzaga
A new era starts in San Francisco with the arrival of Jessie Evans as head coach. Evans was one of Lute Olson’s top assistants during the nineties, before beginning a successful career as head coach of Louisiana-Lafayette. Coming off a NCAA Tournament bid last season, Evans could have gone to a number of high profile schools, but decided instead to rebuild the once proud basketball tradition at USF. He’s a good fit for the program and should bring an exciting, fast-paced style to the Dons.
Evans will welcome the return of wing John Cox, who went down with an injury last season after being a first team All-WCC player in 2002. Cox is an explosive scorer who should lead the league in scoring under Evans’ offensive system. Cox will team with returnees Andre Hazel and Jerome Gumbs to form an experienced backcourt. The frontcourt is a bit thin with the loss of James Bayless and Alvin Broussard to graduation, but senior Tyrone Riley is a fierce competitor and will be heavily counted on for some inside scoring and rebounding. If Colorado transfer Jason Carter can provide some inside force, then it will make Riley’s job a lot easier. Even though this year’s squad may not make much noise in the conference, it sure will be exciting to watch!
Portland Pilots (2003-2004: 11-17 overall, 5-9 conference, 6th place tie)
Projected starters:
PG: Pooh Jeter, Jr.
SG: Darren Cooper, Jr.
SF: Donald Wilson, Jr.
PF: Dreshawn Vance, So.
C: Marcus Lewis, Fr.
Schedule Highlights:
11/19 – Northwestern (NABC Classic)
12/1 – at Oregon State
12/18 – Washington State
12/28 – at Oregon
1/29 – at Gonzaga
2/12 – at Pepperdine
Coach Michael Holton continues to slowly rebuild this program, as seen in wins at Oregon State and New Mexico last season. Now, the fourth year coach must focus on moving up the standings in the always tough West Coast Conference. Fortunately, he’s blessed with one of the top point guards in the league in junior Pooh Jeter. Jeter may focus more on scoring than distributing, but considering his ability to get the ball in the basket, Coach Holton doesn’t seem to mind. However, the arrival of Eastern Washington transfer Darren Cooper, along with returnee Donald Wilson, gives the Pilots a number of weapons on the wing. Last season’s Oregon high school Player of the Year, Jeremiah Dominguez, will spell Jeter at the point.
The one area of concern is in the frontcourt, where Portland will need to replace their leading rebounder from last season, Dustin Geddis, along with reserve Pat Galos. Sophomore Dreshawn Vance showed promise after being inserted into the starting lineup during conference play and will be heavily counted upon. Cal State-Northridge transfer Ben Sullivan and highly touted freshman Marcus Lewis will compete for the starting center job. If the young frontcourt can hold its own against the rest of the league, then the Pilots will surprise a number of opponents this season.
Loyola Marymount Lions (2003-2004: 15-14 overall, 5-9 conference, 6th place tie)
Projected starters:
PG: Charles Brown, Sr.
SG: Brandon Worthy, So.
SF: Daryl Pegram, So.
PF: Matthew Knight, So.
C: Chris Ayer, Jr.
Schedule Highlights:
12/12 – Washington
12/18 – San Diego State
12/23 – at Virginia
1/3 – at Minnesota
1/13 – at Gonzaga
2/10 – at Portland
Loyola Marymount is coming off one of its best seasons in years, but the loss of their two top players, Sherman Gay and Keith Kincade, will make it difficult to repeat their success this season. The Lions will be extremely young as well, with point guard Charles Brown as the lone senior on the team. However, the young guns do have some talent. Sophomore Brandon Worthy could have a breakout season teaming with Brown in the backcourt. Big men Matthew Knight and Chris Ayer could develop into a formidable frontline if they continue to improve.
However, in order to stay out of the conference cellar, the Lions will need contributions from their newcomers. In particular, Indiana transfer Daryl Pegram will need to provide some athleticism in the frontcourt, while junior college transfer Adoyah Evans-Miller will have to become a defensive stopper on the wings while knocking down a few three pointers on the other end. All in all, the Lions will be a decent team this season, but in as strong a conference as the West Coast, the numbers are not in their favor.
