MBB Archive 2003-04

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2003-04

2003-04 Knight Basketball Team
Knights Rip COS
ERICKSON WITH 26
(2/21/04-Shasta College-Jeffrey Jen Redding Record Searchlight) The Shasta men's basketball team rode its sophomores to a 78-61 win over injury-plagued Siskiyous. Brian Erickson scored a game-high 26 points, while Sage Willis added 15 points. The game also marked the final appearances for Matt Copeland (nine points, eight assists) and Aaron Wilkerson (six points, five assists). The Shasta men's game wasn't as tight thanks to another fast start from Shasta (5-10 GVC, 6-17). Siskiyous, which had started 7-1 in league, played without its top two scorers, Marcus Broussard and Mike Stockhammer, due to injuries. Siskiyous stayed close for the first 10 minutes, down 27-20. But a basket by Erickson followed by two from Garrick McDowell, the second a slam off a feed from Robert Lujan, ignited a 15-2 Shasta run. The Knights led 46-26 by halftime.Shasta led by as much as 29 early in the second half before Siskiyous made a couple of runs after intermission and pulled within 11. But Shasta never let them closer. That allowed Knights coach Kele Fitzhugh to take out his sophomores one final time, though Copeland and Willis ended up fouling out. Terrell Burgess led Siskiyous (9-6 GVC, 14-13) with 21 points.
Good for a Half
LEAD BY 8 AT HALF
(2/20/04-Shasta College-Redding Record Searchlight Article by Jeffrey Jen) For a half, things were going good for the Shasta College men's basketball team. Then the Knights went frigid with their shooting — unable to hit even free throws and layups — and visiting Butte pulled away for an 80-69 win on Friday night at the Shasta College gymnasium. Shasta led 31-23 at halftime, even with Sage Willis sitting out the last seven minutes of the half with three fouls. However, Butte stormed back behind five 3-pointers in the second half from Dennis Berryman. The freshman guard scored 19 of his game-high 24 points after halftime to lead the Roadrunners' rally. Brian Erickson led Shasta (4-10 Golden Valley Conference, 5-17) with 19 points, 13 in the first half, and Matt Copeland added 12. But neither they nor any of the other Knights could hit anything during a four-minute stretch when Butte went on a 12-0 run. Worse, Shasta missed four free throws and a layup during that span. "Our patience on offense wasn't there in the second half," Knights guard Brandon Baker said. "We rushed shots and had turnovers. The tempo of the game totally changed between halves." Shasta coach Kele Fitzhugh wasn't pleased with how the officials called the game. Despite Willis' foul trouble, only 12 fouls were called in the first half. Combined, the two teams were whistled 35 times in the second half. "The officiating changed the tempo in the second half," Fitzhugh said. "I wasn't pleased over how it went." Yet the coach acknowledged that Butte made the shots when it had to and his team had a dry spell at the wrong time. Shasta jumped out to a 21-6 lead in the first 9½ minutes following Erickson's third 3-pointer of the game. Butte managed to get back into single digits by intermission and then quickly tied it with a 9-1 run to start the second half. The two teams remained tight until pair of free throws by Joe Robinson made it 49-45 Butte with 11:23 remaining. Erickson had an offensive putback to cut the lead to 55-51 with 8:30 left, but Berryman hit a 3-pointer on the next trip down and things piled up on Shasta from there. By the time Dean Wilson made a free throw with 4:35 left, Shasta was down 67-52 and wouldn't get within single digits again. Shasta closes out the season at 7:30 p.m. today at home against Siskiyous.
Close Again
FINISH WITH TWO HOME GAMES
(2/14/04-Susanville) Matt Copeland and Brian Erickson racked up 15 points each, but the Knights still lost on the road in Susanville. The Knights were within four points but were unable to keep up and lost 79-69. Kris Vaughn and Jared Rupe added 10 points a piece for Shasta (5-8 Golden Valley Conference, 6-13). Shasta finishes with season with homes games against Butte on Friday and Siskiyous on Saturday.
Knights Get Offensive for Win
VAUGHN & BAKER WITH KEY THREES
(2/12/04-ShastaCollege-Jeffrey Jen Redding Record Searchlight) Playing without its top low-post player, the Shasta College men's basketball team had to resort to an offensive shootout with a squad that loves to run and gun. Yet the Knights proved to be up to the task and came away with a 101-96 victory over visiting the College of the Redwoods on Wednesday. With the win the Knights finish off a season sweep of the Corsairs winning all three games. The Knights did not have sophomore forward Sage Willis available, who was out with a cold according to Shasta coach Kele Fitzhugh. Several players, though, came up big in his absence. Matt Copeland, the Knights' sophomore point guard, scored a career-high 25 points while Brandon Baker came off the bench and added 20. The unexpected, and most welcome, offensive jolt came from 6-foot-4 freshman Kris Vaughn, a third-string post player. Vaughn had 19 points. Dean Wilson also scored 15 for Shasta (5-7 Golden Valley Conference, 6-14). "We knew that we had to have different people step up for us with Sage out," said Copeland, who also had eight assists in the contest. "He's our leading scorer and we needed someone to fill the gap. But Kris and Brandon did a great job coming off the bench. They hit the crucial shots when we needed them." Copeland also had big moments down the stretch. The Corsairs had a late 94-90 lead when Copeland drove the lane and kicked the ball out to Vaughn, who promptly knocked down a 3-pointer with 1:21 left in the game. Copeland then caused a 5-second violation on Redwoods' next possession. Offensively, he again drove down the land and kicked the ball out to Brandon Baker, who hit another 3-pointer from the left corner with 40 seconds left, giving the Knights a 96-94 lead. Copeland then hit four free throws to help seal the game. "It wasn't a pretty game," Fitzhugh said. "However the guys gutted it out down the stretch and made the plays in the end. Redwoods is a difficult matchup for us. They shoot the 3 so well and their interior guys are quick. They can step outside and drive to the basket." With 7-1 Garrick McDowell not fast enough for the high tempo and Willis out, Fitzhugh turned to Vaughn who responded with 10 points in the first half. Copeland had 15 before halftime to help Shasta to a 52-50 lead by the break. The game was close until Redwoods (2-10 GVC, 7-15) went on a 10-0 run and took a 79-71 lead with 10 minutes left. Shasta hung in there and slowly closed the gap until Vaughn and Baker hit the big shots to put the Knights back in front again.
Can't Hold Late Lead
UP BY 8 WITH NINE TO PLAY
(2/7/04-Oroville) Knights can't keep up down the stretch and lose 78-68 in Oroville. Sage Willis led the Knights (5-14, 4-7) with 14 points and had seven rebounds. Matt Copeland and Brian Erickson, an Orland High grad, each added 12 points. Gridley High grad Garrick McDowell and Aaron Wilkerson scored eight points apiece. "I just think that we just didn't take good possessions during that period of time," Shasta coach Kele Fitzhugh said of Butte's late run. "We shot quick and had opportunities where we should have run a little more offense. We allowed them to come back, and give them all the credit." Butte led 35-32 at halftime, after jumping out to a 12-2 start and going ahead 25-10.
Not Quite Enough
CLOSE TO WITHIN ONE POINT
(2/4/04-Shasta College) The Shasta College men's basketball team could not continue its win streak, falling to visiting Feather River 75-64 on Wednesday. Sage Willis scored 20 points for the Knights (4-6 Golden Valley Conference, 5-13). Dean Wilson, a freshman guard, had 17 points, while fellow freshman Brandon Baker finished with 12. The Golden Eagles went 19-of-27 from the free-throw line to put the game away. Shasta trailed 32-25 at the break, but closed to within one point in the second half. However, the Knights were just 6-of-16 from the foul line. Shasta came into the game having won two in a row, including a big win on Saturday at GVC-leading Siskiyous, but couldn't keep the momentum. The Knights travel to Butte on Saturday.
Baker & Erickson Save Knights
FREE-THROWS, STEAL & TIPIN WIN IT
(1/31/04-Weed) Brian Erickson's tip in with four seconds remaining helped the Knights to their third Golden Valley Conference win. That tip in gave the Knights an 86-85 victory over GVC leader, College of the Siskiyous. With 12 seconds left in the game and the Knights (4-5 GVC, 5-12) trailing by one, Brandon Baker help set up Erickson's tip in by coming up with a steal. Baker totaled 21 points, while Erickson had 18. The Knight's also took advantage of their trips to the free-throw line, connecting on 17-of-21 attempts.
Knight's Cut Up Redwoods
BRIAN ERICKSON LEADS WITH 18 POINTS
(1/28/04-Eureka-Serachlight Staff) This time, the Knights didn't have to worry about having a big lead slip away. The Shasta College men's basketball team crushed host Redwoods 74-46 on Wednesday. Brian Erickson scored a game-high 18 points to lead the Knights (3-5 Golden Valley Conference, 4-12). Brandon Baker scored 14 points while Dean Wilson and Aaron Wilkerson were also in double figures with 11 and 10 respectively. Shasta jumped to a 36-22 halftime lead and kept on adding to its advantage. On Jan. 14, Shasta jumped out a 23-point lead by halftime at home against the Corsairs. Redwoods managed to cut the lead down to as much as four before the Knights won by eight.
Late Run Beats Knights
LEAD WITH 5:01 TO PLAY
(1/24/04-Shasta College - Article by Jeffrey Jen Redding Record Searchlight) For a while, it looked as if the Shasta College men's basketball team finally turned a corner. Instead, Lassen roared past the Knights in the final five minutes. Lassen ended the game on a 21-5 run to take home a 79-67 win over host Shasta on Saturday night. The Knights missed an opportunity to climb back into the Golden Valley Conference race despite leading for much of the game. Shasta (2-5 GVC, 3-12) earned a road victory the night before at Feather River and a victory over Lassen would have given the Knights their first winning streak of the season. However, Lassen (5-2 GVC) made a second-half charge and turned a five-point halftime deficit into a 58-51 lead with 8:21 left in the game. Shasta seemed to recover and had an 11-0 run to lead by four after Brian Erickson's lay up with 5:01 remaining. But Rober Franklin scored five straight points for the Cougars and Joe McKline and Daniel Walker had successive offensive put backs to build a 67-62 Lassen lead with 2:29 left. After a Sage Willis basket, Franklin buried the Knights with a 3-pointer and Martin Trovela made 3-of-4 free throws as the Cougars extended the lead to 73-64 with 1:03 remaining. Shasta rode some hot early shooting by Erickson and led by as many as nine points on two separate occasions in the first half before taking a 32-27 lead into halftime. A layup by Willis put Shasta up 42-33 before Lassen started chipping away. Willis finished with 19 points and nine rebounds while Brandon Baker came off the bench for 14 points and Erickson added 13. But the Cougars got back into the game thanks to Franklin, who scored 18 of his game-high 20 points in the second half. Trovela also scored 19 points and Walker had 18 for Lassen. Shasta's next game is at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday at the College of the Redwoods.
Big Road Comeback
BLOW OUT FRC IN SECOND HALF
(1/23/04-Quincy) The Shasta College men's basketball team defeated Feather River 77-69 on Friday night in Quincy. Brian Erickson, a sophomore guard, led the Knights with 20 points. Brandon Baker scored 16 points, while Sage Willis had 14 and Matt Copeland 10 for Shasta (2-4 Golden Valley Conference, 3-11). The Knights trailed 40-33 at halftime before taking a more patient offensive approach in the second half. The Knights outscored FRC 44-29 in the second half to secure the victory. Shasta also was 20-of-29 from the free throw line while the Golden Eagles were only 4-of-8. Shasta returns home to host Lassen at 7:30 p.m. today. The Lady Knights start the doubleheader @ 5:30 p.m.
Time to Kick It in Gear
TEN GVC GAMES LEFT
(1/21/04-Jeffrey Jen Redding Record Searchlight) One-third of the way through the expanded Golden Valley Conference season and nothing has changed from preseason. The Knights men are still struggling to put together a complete game, and they sit at the bottom of the GVC at 1-4 and 2-11 overall. They also go through another set of back-to-back games this weekend. The Knights travel to Feather River on Friday before hosting Lassen on Saturday. The women's games are at 5:30 p.m., while the men start at 7:30 p.m. For the men, a tough second half against Siskiyous doomed Shasta to the cellar, while the Eagles (4-1 GVC, 9-8) are atop the standings. With a 15-game league schedule, there is time for the Knights to close the gap and salvage the season. But a few more losses would leave them playing out the string.
Tied for a Half
NEED A COMPLETE GAME
(1/17/03-Weed) Dean Wilson scored 20 points for Shasta, and teammate Sage Willis added 10 as the Knights were outscored 49-30 in the second half. The Knights ended up on the wrong end of a 82-63 score against COS. Shasta is now 1-4 in the GVC, 2-11 on the season.
Shasta Burns Redwoods
26-0 RUN TO START THE GAME
(1/14/04-Shasta College - by Jeffrey Jen - Record Searchlight) The difference in how the two Shasta College basketball teams have fared this season was illustrated Wednesday night by how each handled a big lead against the College the Redwoods. The women are used to it; the men have to learn on the job, but both ended up winning at home on Wednesday. The Shasta College women's basketball team was never challenged in the final 27 minutes of an 81-51 victory over the Corsairs. For the Shasta men's team, holding a big lead was a new experience after the Knights scored the first 26 points of the game. Shasta eventually held off scrappy Redwoods 82-74 for its first Golden Valley Conference win of the season. "A good win," Knights point guard Matt Copeland said. "A much-needed win. We showed what we were capable of in the first half. Now if we can just put two halves together." The Shasta men have frequently struggled in the first half this season. Against Redwoods, the Knights (1-3 GVC, 2-10) came out blazing. Brian Erickson hit a pair of 3-pointers and Dean Wilson had another 3-pointer to get Shasta off and running. By the time Jared Rupe hit a short jumper with 11:22 left in the first half, the scoreboard read Shasta 26, Redwoods nada. Redwoods (1-3 GVC, 6-8) finally got on the board when Garrick McDowell was called for goaltending on a lay up attempt by Tony McClure with 11:15 left. The Corsairs still weren't able to make up much ground the rest of the half and trailed 46-23 at intermission. But Redwoods came back energized in the second half and immediately started slicing the Knights' lead. A 3-pointer by Jude Marshal with 14:35 left in the game brought Redwoods to within 54-46. "It's the first time this season that we've played with a big lead," Knights coach Kele Fitzhugh said. "We started playing on our heels, and when that happens it's tough to get your aggressiveness back. But we managed to get it back in time." Even so, Redwoods kept coming and Shasta left the door open thanks to an atrocious first 39 minutes of foul shooting. Sheldon Hutchins hit a 3-pointer with 48 seconds remaining to close Redwoods to 76-72. After hitting only 11 of their first 27 free throws, the Knights then sank six of their last seven to finally put the game away. Erickson finished with 21 points and nine rebounds, while Sage Willis had 17 points and eight rebounds. Wilson and Brandon Baker both had 10 points, and Copeland dished out 10 assists in the win. Shasta travels to Siskiyous on Saturday. The women's game is at 5:30 p.m., while the men play at 7:30 p.m.
Shots Not Falling
ANOTHER CLOSE ONE
(1/9/04-Shasta College) Some nights, shots just don't go down — unless it's for the other team. The Shasta College men's basketball team could not find its shooting stroke and fell to visiting Butte 70-63 on Friday. The loss meant the Knights start Golden Valley Conference play with two losses at home — hardly the way a team would like to begin if it is aiming for a league title. Now Shasta's 7:30 p.m. game today at Lassen takes on extra importance as the Knights hope to avoid an 0-3 start. Brian Erickson scored 15 points to pace Shasta (0-2 GVC, 1-9), while Sage Willis added 10, all in the second half. However, the sophomore forward picked up two quick fouls within the first three minutes of the contest and sat out the remaining 17 minutes of the first half. While the Knights came out well in the first half compared to previous games, they kept missing perimeter shots. Shasta also had some trouble at the foul line, hitting 18-of-32 free throws. "Our shots just weren't falling," Erickson said. "We had open shots and executed our offense well to get some good looks. It seemed like we did everything well, except make shots." Butte led 23-12 early as Shasta's big men got into foul trouble. In addition to Willis, 7-foot-1 freshman Garrick McDowell picked up his second foul with 12:57 left in the first half. Still Shasta played well with a smaller lineup and Erickson's basket with 4:10 left in the half tied the game at 23-23. But Shasta let up slightly, and Butte used an 8-2 run to take a 31-25 halftime lead. In the second half, Butte gradually extended its lead to as much as 13 points. A late Shasta charge closed the game as Jared Rupe hit a 3-pointer with 36.4 seconds left to cut the Roadrunners' lead to 64-58. But Loverson had a breakaway layup from a pass over the Shasta press to help seal a road win for the Roadrunners. "This game is 80 percent mental," Fitzhugh said. "We haven't gotten a win to break through yet and get over the hump where we can get on a roll. This team is real close, but not quite there yet."
Critical Weekend
BUTTE HERE ON FRIDAY
(1/8/03-Jeffrey Jen Redding Record Searchlight) Basketball season is in full swing with a set of key games this weekend. Despite a strong second half in Saturday's loss to Feather River, the Knight men are still looking to show they can win. "We're getting tired of moral victories," Knights coach Kele Fitzhugh said after the game. "We need to step on the floor right from the tip and compete for 40 minutes, not for 20." At 1-8, the Knights still believe that they have a chance in an open GVC field. Sage Willis is starting to look like the Willis of 2001-02 after dropping 24 points against Feather River. With shooting help from Brian Erickson, Matt Copeland and Dean, the Knights are developing into a more potent scoring unit. In order for Shasta to have a good shot in league, a good weekend is necessary starting with a 7:30 p.m. Friday home date with Butte (4-8). The Roadrunners beat Lassen 70-67 last Saturday. The Knights are at Lassen (4-7) on Saturday. Siskiyous (1-0 GVC, 6-7), who shared the men's league title last season, faces co-champ Feather River on Friday for a key match up before traveling to Butte on Saturday.
Almost a Great Comeback
SAGE WILLIS LEADS WITH 24 POINTS
(1/3/04-Shasta College-Jeffrey Jen Redding Record Searchlight) The Shasta men's basketball team nearly overcame a 19-point halftime deficit but eventually fell to Feather River 86-79 despite 24 points from Sage Willis. The Knights are still trying to figure out how to have a strong first half. Donte Owens hit a 3-pointer for Shasta (0-1 GVC, 1-8) with 13:47 left in the half for a 16-14 Knights' lead. Then the Golden Eagles scored the next 12 points of the game. After falling behind by 19, Shasta cut the lead to 45-34 with 2:03 left in the first half on Brian Erickson's two free throws. But Feather River (1-0 GVC, 7-5) scored the next eight points and took a 53-34 lead into the intermission. Shasta got back into the game by getting the ball to Willis inside and the sophomore center responded with 19 second-half points. However, Willis was only 4-of-12 from the free throw-line. Still a field goal by Willis with 2:55 left in the game cut the Golden Eagles lead to 77-73. But Willis later missed two crucial free throws with 29.4 seconds left and the Knights down 81-77. Tim Baker, who scored a game-high 27 for Feather River, then hit three free throws to seal the game. "That was a tough loss," Willis said. "We've got to come out in the first half and be ready to play. If we put two halves together, it would be a different story. We did a good job coming back and not giving up." Dean Wilson added 11 points and Matt Copeland and Erickson each had 10 for the Knights. Shasta next hosts Butte at 7:30 p.m. Friday.
Knights Open League Play
START OUT WITH FRC
(1/3/04-Jeffery Jen-Record Searchlight) With the start of the Golden Valley Conference play today, the Shasta College men's basketball team gets a new lease to its season. Despite struggling through the Persian with a 1-7 record, the Knights enter today's 7:30 p.m. home game against Feather River with the same conference mark as everyone else: 0-0. "Every season, we put a lot of emphasis on conference," Knights coach Kele Fitzhugh said. "The Persian is about finding out about ourselves as a team. Sometimes, it comes along quicker and other times it doesn't." The latter is the case this season with Shasta still trying to sort out a rotation while battling injuries with a young squad. This season, the GVC has a 15-game schedule — instead of 10 games — meaning every team plays each other three times instead of two. Despite early struggles on the men's side, Fitzhugh remains optimistic that his team can challenge for a fifth conference title in seven years. "The players are slowly gaining more confidence and with each game," Fitzhugh said. "We've learning more about ourselves and we got a chance to see and play some good teams early on. Hopefully it has prepared us well for the GVC." After missing two games with a sprained ankle, sophomore forward Sage Willis is back to anchor the starting lineup for the men. Joining him are sophomore guards Matt Copeland and Brian Erickson. With forward Justin Cascarina out with a deep contusion to his left quadriceps, freshman Jason Carpenter of Enterprise High School has moved into the starting lineup. Freshman guard Dean Wilson of Pacifica rounds out the group. Players who should contribute off the bench include Jared Rupe, a freshman from Liberty Christian, sophomore forward Aaron Wilkerson, freshman swingman Donte Owens and McDowell. The Knights have a tough opponent in Feather River, which tied Siskiyous for the league title last season. At 6-5, the Golden Eagles are the lone GVC team with a winning record in a wide-open race for the league crown.
Knights Beat Mendocino
BALANCED SCORING
(12//03-Santa Rosa Tourney) In the Santa Rosa tournament Shasta College knocked off Mendocino 83-71 for their first win of the season. The Knights held on to a 37-32 half-time advantage for the win. Brian Erickson and Dean Wilson each had 17 points in the effort, while Sage Willis added 16. Shasta (1-5) faces West Valley College today at 4 p.m. in the consolation final. Thursday's late results Men's basketball Santa Rosa tournament Santa Rosa 71, Shasta 64: Brian Erickson scored 20 points and Jared Rupe added 12 for the Knights as they slipped to 0-5 on the season. Saturday in the consolation final of the Santa Rosa tournament West Valley beat up on the Knights 69-36. Trailing 37-15 at the half, things only got worse for the Knights (1-6) in the tournament consolation game.
Shots Starting to Fall
JUST NOT ENOUGH YET
(11/21/03-Shasta College) The shots finally started to fall in the second game. Unfortunately for the Shasta College men's basketball game, that applied to Santa Rosa too. Despite an improved performance, especially on offense, the Knights fell to the Bear Cubs 85-78 to get knocked out of their own Shasta Invitational tournament on Friday. Santa Rosa (2-1) used a 19-2 run at the end of the first half to break things open and led by as much as 26 in the second half. To its credit, Shasta (0-2) came back with a furious rally in the final five minutes, but was in too deep of a hole. Sophomore forward Sage Willis and sophomore guard Matt Copeland led the Knights in the second half, scoring 16 points apiece. Willis finished with 20 for the game, Copeland had 18 and Brian Erickson, another sophomore guard, added 15. After a poor shooting performance in Friday's 81-63 loss to Sacramento City, Shasta came back to knock down 13 shots from beyond the 3-point arc. "We knew our shots would start to fall," Copeland said. "We're a good shooting team. Our team showed a lot of heart to come back. We got over those first-game jitters and played more like we should be playing." The early and late portions showed that the Knights are making progress. But in the middle the Bear Cubs dominated with their athleticism and shooting. Cedric Horace finished with a game-high 23 points, while Steve Johnson and Dustin Ballard each had 13. "Santa Rosa is real strong team, which why I was happy with how we played," Knights coach Kele Fitzhugh said. "They've got size, quick guards, they are athletic and can shoot. I think our team gained a bit of confidence with the way we played. Whether that continues, we shall see." The Knights matched their opponents for 15 minutes, thanks in large part to Erickson's outside shooting. Erickson's fourth 3-pointer of the first half gave Shasta a 28-27 lead, but then the bottom fell out. Santa Rosa made its big run, punctuated by Ballard's 3-pointer at the buzzer, and went into halftime up 46-30. Santa Rosa still led 83-63 with a little over five minutes left in the game, but a Copeland 3-pointer ignited Shasta's final charge. Aaron Wilkerson's 16-foot jumper closed the gap to 85-78 with 1:03 left in the game, but the Knights couldn't come up with anything more. "We ran our offense and looked inside more tonight," Erickson said. "We just let down at the end the first half and they took off. We played hard the second half and it is a little boost to come back near the end. We still got a long way to go." Another team knocked out of the tournament was Siskiyous, which fell to Lassen 105-92. Marcus Broussard and Daniel Taylor led the Eagles with 20 points apiece. Taylor hit six 3-pointers in the game. But Siskiyous couldn't contain freshman guard Johnnie Wheeler, who scored 34 points for the Cougars. Martin Trovela also had 16 and Kelvin Ivory added 14 for Lassen. In other tournament game, American River defeated Diablo Valley 71-68 behind 24 points from Kenneth Sims. Lawrence Wright scored 21 as Yuba edged out Sacramento City 92-88. Lassen and Santa Rosa meet at noon today for the consolation final, while Diablo Valley meets Sac City in the third-place game is at 2 p.m. The title game at 4 p.m. pits American River and Yuba.
Ice Cold Knights
NEED SCORING OPTIONS
(11/20/03-Shasta College-Redding Record Searchlight article by Jeffrey Jen) Barely 10 minutes into the season opener and it already felt like an audition. The Shasta College men's basketball team came into the season with plenty of unknowns and lots of questions. And after an 81-63 drubbing delivered by Sacramento City College in a first-round game at the Shasta Invitational on Thursday, the Knights are a team in need of a lot of answers. Head coach Kele Fitzhugh played everyone on his lengthy 17-player roster in hopes of finding some, but there weren't many to be had. After a year's absence, forward Sage Willis made his return in a Shasta uniform. But his time on the floor was brief. Willis picked up his second foul just 3 minutes, 38 seconds into the game and sat the rest of the first half. "That was tough to come out and get two quick fouls," said the 6-foot-7 Willis. "I had to sit the rest of the half, but I should expect that. Coach always told me that if I get into foul trouble, I sit." That Willis still finished as the Knights leading scorer with 12 points was a testament to both his ability to effectively post up inside once he's out on the floor and to Shasta's lack of a consistent second option. "This definitely wasn't a good way to start out," Willis said. "We just couldn't hit any outside shots this game." The Knights were never in the game as the Panthers scored the first seven points of the game and kept going. Shasta (0-1) hurt itself with poor perimeter shooting and lack of movement on offense, falling behind 17-6 in the first nine minutes. By then, Fitzhugh was already looking down his bench trying to find a spark somewhere. At half-time, the Panthers led 37-19. "That first half, we had no patience offensively," Fitzhugh said. "We never got into any sort of offensive rhythm. And the problem then was that we let our offense dictate our defense. We didn't start with any defensive intensity. You need to let your defense dictate your offense, and we didn't do that." The second half was more competitive, but the closest Shasta ever got was 14 points. Sac City (1-1) led by 26 midway through the half before a late Knights surge. The Knights never found an answer to guard Victor Nance, who finished with 30 points, many off 3-pointers. Forward Eric Wright provided an inside complement with 20 points for the Panthers. "I started off going under screens because we figured he wasn't a good shooter," said Wilkerson, who drew Nance on defense much of the night. "But then he made a few and I got closer. But I was getting a hand in his face and he was still knocking them down. You could tell he was feeling it, and it's tough to guard someone when he was on. It was that kind of night for us." Wilkerson and freshman guard Robert Lujan both finished with eight points with sophomore guard Matt Copeland had seven. Shasta returns at 3 p.m. to play Santa Rosa, an 89-70 loser to Yuba. Lawrence Wright, a graduate from Wheatland High School, led the 49ers with 27 points. In other tournament action, Siskiyous had a 46-40 half-time lead over American River, but was torched in the second half and lost 89-71. Rob Hodgson and Terrell Burgess scored 12 points apiece for the Eagles, while Ryan Stribbling added 11. In the first game, Diablo Valley beat Lassen 80-67 as Shamar Armstrong led five Vikings in double figures with 14 points.
Strength In Numbers
6-4 GVC MARK LAST SEASON
(11/20/03-Jeffery Jen Record Searchlight) Seeking strength in numbers Shasta men's team has lots of depth but little experience. There are plenty of questions and unknowns regarding the Shasta College men's basketball team. After all, head coach Kele Fitzhugh has just one starter and two players back from a 14-17 squad. But the answers should start coming as the Knights start a new season by hosting the Shasta Invitational tournament today. Shasta opens with Sacramento City at 7 p.m. Despite a 17-player roster, the lone starter back from last season is 6-foot-2 swingman Aaron Wilkerson, while 6-4 guard Brian Erickson is also back. However, three other sophomores return, including 6-7 forward Sage Willis. Two years ago, Willis was an all-Golden Valley Conference player on Shasta's 28-6 squad. After briefly transferring to Cuesta College in San Luis Obispo a year ago, Willis returned to Redding and sat out last season as a redshirt. "It's good to get back to playing," Willis said. "I was here last year, and it was tough just watching and not being out there." Guard Matt Copeland (5-11) also played for the Knights two years ago, while 6-4 guard/forward Justin Cascarina quit the team midway through last season, but returns for a second shot. All the sophomores are expected to take on a leadership role for a young team. "We've come together really quickly," Wilkerson said. "Already we're starting to jell and people get along. The first couple of games should be a learning experience, but I think we can be a real good team by the end of the season." In the post, Willis should provide a solid interior presence that Shasta lacked a year ago. An intriguing player behind him is Garrick McDowell, a 7-1, 260-pounder from Gridley. Kris Vaughn, a 6-4 player from Foothill High School, also figures into the mix in the post. "I'm looking for him (McDowell) to contribute and give us time," Fitzhugh said. "There's a lot of added stress for him because people expect him do well since he's so tall. But he's still trying to get hold of his full coordination and feeling his way through things." At one forward spot is Cascarina. A good shooter, he spent the offseason getting stronger. "I got pushed around last year and I wasn't mentally ready," Cascarina said. "I just lifted weights to be better prepared this time. I didn't even shoot a basketball until now so my release is slowly getting faster and my court sense is getting back to where it used to be." Behind Cascarina are 6-2 Jason Carpenter from Enterprise and 6-1 Jared Rupe from Liberty Christian. Carpenter was a solid team player for the Hornets, while Rupe played point guard in high school and gives the team a player another ball-handler who can penetrate. After playing power forward and center last season, Wilkerson moves to a more comfortable role at small forward and is perhaps the team's top defensive player. Jeremiah Jones, a 6-5 redshirt freshman from Weaverville, and Donte Owens, a 6-2 redshirt freshman from Arcadia, are the backups. Erickson should start at shooting guard after also spending time out of position at forward last season. The move should allow him to take advantage of his good spot-up shooting. Other players who could play at off-guard include 6-0 Brandon Baker, a former Anderson player who took two years off, and 6-0 Dean Wilson from Pacifica. Copeland should run the point and provide leadership and steady ball-handling. After such scoring points guards like Ryan Miller and Demetrius Jackson, Copeland's role is to provide leadership and stability on the court. Backups include 5-9 Justin Pearce from Foothill, 5-10 Gerry Mayo of Valley High in Sacramento and 5-11 Robert Lujan from West Las Vegas, though none has stood out behind Copeland yet. A deep roster means a lot of mixing and matching for Fitzhugh early on. "We have a lot of good players, but no real superstar," Fitzhugh said. "We've always play eight or nine, but we're deeper this year so we could go 11-12 deep. The beginning of the year is about chemistry and who fits together. We're going to get better as the season wears on.

SEASON OUTLOOK-WINTER MEDIA GUIDE

Looking Back - Great Effort

After two consecutive conference crowns the Knights finished in 3rd place last season. "We came into the final game of the season with a chance for a piece of the championship but it was not meant to be. Playing in Quincy the Eagles shot lights out and we came up a little short," said Head Coach Kele Fitzhugh.
The Knights had a number of close games last season. Unfortunately, they usually ended up on the short end of the score in those close games. "In a close game it is important to be able to get that last critical rebound or defensive stop to secure the game. Last year with our lack of size and post experience, it was difficult for us to do that." It did not help the Knights that Sophomore All-State point guard, Ryan Miller, suffered a season ending injury in the first conference game. "The rest of the team rallied together in practice and the games to over come the adversity handed them. I could not have been more proud of the last year's team and players. They were dedicated, worked hard and never made excuses. I knew that last year's team gave me their best effort each time out. That was all I could ask of them," said Coach Fitzhugh.

Young but Talented

This season the Knights are a young team that is eager to find it's identity. There are six players that have been active in the program, but only two have substantial community college playing experience, Aaron Wilkerson and Sage Willis. Aaron Wilkerson will move to his natural position of wing this season. Last year Aaron, 6'2, was asked to play in the post to help fill a big hole. Sage Willis will be asked to fill that hole this season. Luckily for the Knights Sage's natural position is in the post. Sage red-shirted last season and is eager to get back into action this year. Sage started at center for the 2001-02 GVC Champion Knights. The Knights that season finished with a overall record of 31-3. Sage earned All-Conference Honorable Mention honors and helped the Knights to an undefeated (10-0) Conference Championship. The Knights also advanced to the Sweet Sixteen round of the state play-offs
Other returning players who are looking to contribute are Matt Copeland, Justin Cascarina and Brian Erickson. Matt will provide leadership from the point guard position. Justin, after sitting out last season, returns to the team with strong sense of commitment and will provide the Knights with an inside/outside threat. Brian will make his presence known from the shooting guard position. The Knights also have two red-shirts from last season who are looking to make their mark, Donte Owens and Jeremiah Jones, Donte is one of the Knights better shooters and Jeremiah gives the Knights some added height and scoring.
The Knights are also blessed with an excellent group of incoming freshman that should help get them back to the top of the conference. At the point guard position Justin Pearce (Foothill HS), Robbie Lujan (West Las Vegas HS, New Mexico) and Gerry Mayo (Valley HS, Sacramento) will be competing for time. At the wing position, Brandon Baker, (Anderson HS) and Dean Wilson (Oceana HS) will be positive additions. Filling the swingman position will be Jason Carpenter (Enterprise HS) and Jared Rupe (Liberty Christian HS). Providing depth at the center position will be Kris Vaughn (Foothill HS) and seven foot-one, Garrick McDowell (Gridley HS).
Coach Fitzhugh is positively optimist for the season. "We will probably be a little up-and-down in the pre-season, until the younger players adjust to the intensity and higher level of play. I am very excited about the type of season we could have, I am confident that we will be an exciting group to watch this season."

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