photo courtesy of Chico State Athletics
CHICO STATE'S JAZMINE MILLER AND HER FELLOW WILDCAT MATES WELCOME WESTERN WASHINGTON AND SEATTLE-PACIFIC TO TOWN FOR THE CCAA/GNAC CHALLENGE AND COSLET CLASSIC AT ACKER GYM
For the eighth year the Chico State Wildcat women's basketball team takes on perennial powers Western Washington and Seattle-Pacific in the CCAA/GNAC Challenge and Coslet Classic at Acker Gym this weekend. Its a special treat for Chico State hoops fans as this tournament rotates between all four participating schools every four years, and this year the Wildcats get to host the tournament. It pits the 6th-ranked Western Washington Vikings who are undefeated at 6-0. And, the Falcons of Seattle-Pacific who are 5-1. Sonoma State, from the CCAA also joins the party as they will play each night at 5:30.
The Chico State women are off to a great start at 4-0, having disposed of Cal Poly Pomona and Humboldt State last weekend with stifling defensive efforts. Chico State is led in scoring by Jazmine Miller. The junior is averaging nearly 15 points a game while hitting on 42 percent of her three-pointers. McKenzie Dalthorp has anchored the post scoring nearly 14 points a game and pulling down 7 boards a contents. Courtney Hamilton is Chico's point guard and she is stuffing the stat sheet, averaging 5 pts 5 assists and nearly 6 rebounds a game. Monnie Davidson-Mays provides great versatility to the Wildcat line-up as she averages 7.5 points and nearly 7 boards a game. And, with newcomer Hannah Womack (8.5 ppg) and sophomore post Analise Riezebos (9.8 rebs/game) the Wildcats are a tough match-up for any team.
Chico State hosts Western Washington tonight at 7:30pm with our pre-game show on Newstalk 1290 KPAY at 7:05pm. The early game has Seattle-Pacific taking on Sonoma State at 5:30pm
Size is but one of many attributes for basketball players. Cal State Stanislaus point-guard Sam Marcus doesn't have size, but what he does have is basketball smarts, quickeness, knowledge and incredible drive. His incredible second-half play last night led Cal State Stanislaus to a 68-66 upset win over the Chico State Wildcat men.
Marcus' buzzer-beating runner in the lane was the game winner as the Warriors pulled off the stunning win over the Wildcats last night at Acker Gym. Chico State was led by Sean Park who scored 17 points
but it wasn't enough to overcome Marcus' 22 point effort, with 18 of those points coming in the second half. In fact, Marcus scored 17 of the Warriors final 23 points in the game. With the loss Chico goes to 3-3 overall and 1-2 in the CCAA. They will play Simpson College next Friday night at Acker Gym.
High school basketball tournaments continue throughout the North State as both Pleasant Valley High and Gridley High host tournaments. Chico High was an easy winner over Downey High from Modesto 71-34. Pleasant Valley rolled to an easy 60-25 win over Oroville.
Today Downey/Modesto plays College Park at 4pm. Oroville will play Elk Grove at 5:30. The Vikings of Pleasant Valley will take on Washington-Fremont at 7pm and Chico High takes on Oak Ridge at 8:30pm. All games will be at Varley Gymnasium on the Pleasant Valley High campus.
The Gridley Tournament has some of the best teams from Sacramento and the Bay Area. Dublin was a 74-61 winner over Sacramento, Bullard High was a 65-60 winner over Antelope, Newark-Memorial beat host Gridley 61-30 and Salesian was a 54-42 winner over Freedom High.
Today Sacramento will play Antelope at 4pm, Gridley takes on Freedom at 5:30, Bullard will play Dublin at 7pm and the marquee match-up has Newark-Memorial against Salesian at 8:30pm.
