Defense Leading the Way for the Saints

After seeing some of the highlights of the past week’s NBA All-Star Game it was evident that defense wasn’t a high priority. In the game, the East squad defeated the West 163-155. Yes those scores are accurate. Following the high-flying game the head coach of the West was asked if during the game he asked his team to play defense. His response, “No.” Although it was an exhibition for the fans and the game doesn’t count against anyone’s record, it’s still amazing how defense is considered so valuable.

One of the oldest sayings in sports is “Offense sells tickets, but defense wins championships.” For the most part, this holds true. Look at the Seattle Seahawks who just won the Super Bowl last month. They entered the game with the number one ranked defense in all of the NFL.

With this in mind, we can now shift our focus to the top ranked defense in the women’s portion of the Great Northwest Athletic Conference. The Saint Martin’s University  women are currently ranked number one in the conference in both scoring defense and field goal percentage defense. What this means is that the Saints are allowing the least amount of points per game to their opponents, while also not allowing anything easy for the opposing offense. After interviewing multiple players, one principle seemed to be the foundation of the team’s stifling “D.” Communication. One would think that getting players to talk would be an easy thing to do, but most coaches would tell you that isn’t true. “Communication is key for us because if we don’t talk, no one knows where to go,” stated sophomore Megan Wiedeman who is coming off her first career double-double last weekend. Even with great communication there must be a certain level of trust between the players. Knowing that it’s just not one main person to turn to and we can go to anyone makes us worker harder on defense. Anyone can have a good defensive game and everyone tries to contribute on defense,” added senior Chelsea Haskey who is the team’s leading rebounder, averaging seven boards per game.                               

But, defense of this caliber doesn’t just come out of nowhere. It must be developed and stressed over the course of a season. “We’re a disciplined team and we know what we need to do. We practice a lot of defense at practice so it has become easier to us,” noted Wiedeman. “By having such great team defense, we are able to rotate a number of different players in (to the game) which gives the opponents a different guarding style,” said sophomore Ciara Pedroni.

After being preseason selected to finish eighth by other GNAC coaches, the Saints are currently tied for fifth with four games remaining in the regular season. “I think we’ve always been kind of an underestimated team and this just shows that we are better than other coaches think. If other people think that we aren’t going to come out and play hard that’s fine, we’ll prove them wrong,” said Haskey. “We can do anything we set our minds to and our goal was to go to the GNAC tournament and we are on our way to that,” claims Wiedeman.

This week the Saints are home for two games before hitting the road, in what could prove to be the most important stretch of the season. “We need to look at what we did before on film and try to fix our mistakes. Even if we played really well that game, we need to look at the little things and see if we can fix that. We’ll look to get our defense perfect because that’s our strong point,” said Haskey. “If we come out, play hard, and stick together as a team, good things come out of it,” added Pedroni.

The recipe that head coach Tim Healy has created has without a doubt worked so far. Stressing the importance of a team-first mentality, along with a hardnosed defensive has put the Saints in a position they haven’t been in since the GNAC tournament scaled back its tournament teams a few years ago. With two of their final games against the team they are tied with and the team they are ahead of, the Saints will look to use the old phrase that has seemed to last the test of time. “Offense puts people in the stands, but defense wins championships.”

 

20 Questions with a Saint

Saints Senior Brad Norman could be considered one of the unsung heroes of the team. Norman, who hails from Eatonville, Washington is currently in his fourth season with the program and has continued to make strides as a Saint. After playing in 24 games last season while scoring 23 points while recording 17 rebounds, Norman has scored 33 points and grabbed 30 rebounds so far this season in seven less games. But stats only show you a minimal amount of the importance of a player. Being a teammate of Brad's for four years I can honestly say he is one of the most dedicated guys who strives to never get outworked. His contribution to the team is hard to see if it is only viewed within a stat sheet. With that being said, let's take a minute to get to know the man who is set to graduate with honors this spring with a degree in biology.

1. What is one item you always take with you on the road?

• Headphones. You always have to have them.

2. What is one song on your iPod that would surprise people?

• I have some songs by Seal. Most people probably don’t know who they are.

3. Name one fear that people might not know about you.

• I’m kind of scared of heights.

4. Who is the biggest jokester/prankster on the team?

• Riley Carel for sure.

5. What is one thing you wish you knew how to do?

• Be more like Lebron (with a chuckle).

6. What is your most prized possession of no value?

• My stuffed monkey that I received when I was about three months old.

7. What is the hardest class you have ever taken?

• Organic Chemistry.

8. If you could eat at any fast food restaurant right now, where would it be?

• Taco Time

9. What is your nickname?

• Half-practice Brad. (The story behind this is that Brad tends to miss a large amount of practice due to his rigorous class schedule. Even when he is available for practice, it is normally for only half the time)

10. When not at practice, where can you most likely to be found?

• Some science class or lab on campus.

11. What was your first job?

• I worked at the Federal Way Community Center as a building attendant.

12. Who was the last person you talked to on the phone?

• Brooke Robbins (Brad’s girlfriend)

13. Would you rather explore outer space, or the depths of the ocean?

• Depths of the ocean.

14. What is your favorite cereal to eat?

• Special K Vanilla Almond.

15. Most embarrassing athletic moment.

• In high school I was on a fast break and got caught between a dunk and a layup and ultimately bricked a lay in.

16. What is your first memory you have playing your sport?

• Playing my older sister one-on-one in the driveway. (he claims he never lost either)

17. Who is the best opposing player you have ever played against?

• Guard Joe Harris who went to Chelan High School who is currently playing for Virginia in the ACC.

18. Who is your favorite professor you have had at SMU?

• Physics professor Dr. Parker

19. What is the reason you decided to come to SMU?

• To continue to play basketball at the collegiate level and earn a good degree from a good university.

20. What it your best non-athletic talent?

• Remembering scenes and reciting lines from movies.

 

 

 

Pack the Pavilion!

Growing up, every young athlete dreams of playing on the big stage. The bright lights. The cameras. The screaming fans. We want all of that. We play out fictional scenarios repeatedly where we imaging hitting the game winning shot and having thousands of fans rush the court to celebrate. Not every athlete gets the opportunity to have one of their games televised, but this week, the Saints will. This Thursday at 9 pm on Root Sports Saint Martin’s University will play the University of Alaska Fairbanks with their second ever televised game.

Three years ago SMU played on TV against Western Oregon University and cruised to an 85-54 victory. SMU alum Blake Poole led the charge with a Great Northwest Athletic Conference record 24 rebounds, while also having 26 points. I was lucky enough to not only have been a part of that team that season, but I also was given the opportunity to play that night too. Without a doubt that was one of my favorite memories that I will take away from Saint Martin’s. As a team, we were fired up to get to play in front of the cameras, but what really made it special was the crowd that night. I personally believe that we have the best fans in the conference and on that night they were great. Cheering from the minute they walked into Marcus Pavilion, until the final horn sounded and they rushed the court.

Fast forward to the game this year on TV and you can already tell there is a buzz around campus. Maybe the excitement is because of the free t-shirts? Maybe it’s because of the cameras? Or it could possibly be because this will be the first home game the men’s team has played with students on campus since November? Any way you look at it, the opportunity will be monumental for SMU. “I think it’s a great deal. It’s good to be on TV. I like it, our players like it, our students are going to have a great time and everyone who comes to the game is going to enjoy the atmosphere,” stated SMU men’s head basketball coach Michael Ostlund. To a regular viewer who just turned on the channel, this might look like to teams playing. But to someone who knows SMU, they understand the more significant impact the game could have. “This game gives us the opportunity to showcase the university, our athletic program, our facility and specifically the men’s basketball program,” noted SMU athletic director Bob Grisham. “Having a game on TV at this level adds another layer of excitement and interest. It’s a big game for us as a team to try and get a win against someone who is higher than us in the standings and move us up (in the standings),” added Ostlund.

The excitement amongst the team is at an all-time high as well. “I’m really excited to play on TV because last time we had this opportunity I was still recovering from knee surgery. I know we’re all looking forward to a great game and going to try to make it two wins in a row and get another step closer to making the conference tournament,” said Saints senior post Matt Dodson. Senior Rei Jensen wasn’t attending SMU the last time the team was on TV but this time around, he will play in vital role in the outcome of the game. “I’m excited to play in front of the cameras. It is good exposure not only for the team but for the university as well.”

But it isn’t just the coaches and players who are fired up for this game; so are the students. “I think all the students are really excited and it gets them pumped to help show support to the other athletes who go to this school. Having the opportunity to have SMU on TV promotes our school a little bit more and will help get more fans to come not only to their game, but in the long run come support Saint Martin’s Athletics in general,” said SMU women’s soccer player Sasha Dini. Dini brings up a great point about the way this game serves to not only show who SMU is on the court, but off the court as well. SMU softball player Haley Hoffman also added, “This opportunity will allow the university to make great things happen in the future.”

With less than 36 hours until tip-off, the festivities have already commenced with a number of behind the scene actions that have already taken place. Tomorrow at this time, ROOT Sports will have already set up their cameras and the bleachers will be out awaiting the arrival of the Saints faithful. So with all this in mind, it brings up one final question. What time are you showing up to the game?

Top 10 Moments of 2013

Hey everyone, hope you had a great break and are ready for the new year of some more Saints athletics. With the spring semester on the verge of starting up, that means baseball, softball, golf, and track will also be kicking it into gear. The new seasons and dreams of claiming (or reclaiming) the conference title, officially puts an end to some of the other sports seasons who were completed in the fall. Although both men's and women's basketball started in the fall, both squads will continue to work well into the new year with their sights set on the Great Northwest Athletic Conference basketball tournament being held in Lacey in early March. However, lets take a look back at what I consider to be the top 10 moments of the first half of the athletic season so far. In order to qualify for the list, the athletic contest was required to be played during the fall semester or before the beginning of the new year. What this means is that the list will be comprised of fall and winter sports, including golf which plays during both seasons. Alright, with that in mind, let's start with the 10th best moment of 2013:

10. 9/6/13 Women's Volleyball 's First Victory

• The start of the volleyball season started off with a bang! In the team's opening match of the season, the Saints were able to claim a hard fought 3-1 victory over the Academy of Art. As well as being the first win for the team, it was also the first win for first-year head coach Kara Peterson. Leading the way in the win was sophomore Kyra Davidson who tallied 16 kills and seven block assists, along with Halee Hernandez who chipped in 20 digs. The defense in the match was also stifling for the Saints as they held the Urban Knights to a .030 hitting percentage.

9.  11/23/13 Women's Basketball Puts on a Shooting Display

• Sometimes in the game of basketball can be funny. One day you feel like you can't throw it in the ocean, the next, everything that seemingly gets put up goes in. On this Saturday night, the Saints were on fire shooting. In both halves, SMU put on a shooting clinic against the Eagles, shooting .50% from three. For the game, the Saints nailed eight threes including five in the first half that ultimately blew the game wide open. Junior Angela Gelhar was the scoring leader with 14 points, but four other players recorded double-digit points in the rout. For the night, SMU was also clutch from the line, converting 24 points from the stipe in the 68-30 victory.

8. 10/28-29/13 Men's Golf Shines in Hawaii

• Ryan Baumgart fired a final round 72 to tie for the best round of the tournament in Waikoloa, Hawaii. The freshman shot a 72 and 76 the day before and finished the tournament with an overall score of 220. With the performance, Baumgart was able to finish tied for sixth in the tournament, recording his first top-ten finish of his career. As a team, SMU also faired well, finishing fifth out of 10 teams.

7. 10/28-29/13 Women's Golf Liedes the Way

• Jen Liedes carded a first round 74, followed by a second round 72. In the final round of the tournament, the sophomore from Olympia solidified her spot near the top with a score of 78. The combination of her three rounds (224) was good enough to earn her a runner-up finish and help to lead the team to a fifth place finish. This was the squads third consecutive top-five finish and final tournament of the fall season.

6. 12/5/13 Men's Basketball Conference Road Win

• After being picked to finish last in the GNAC, the Saints first conference game of the year was north of the border in Canada at Simon Fraser University. Every player who checked into the game for SMU scored and was led by the 21 points from Evan Coulter. Ryan Rogers also had 17 points, nine rebounds, and four assists, with Will Bond chipping in 13 points. In the win the Saints were able to shoot 51% from the floor, while also hitting 11 of 21 three-pointers. However, it was the defense in the second half that helped secure the win, holding the Clan to 38% shooting.

5. 9/19/13 Men's Soccer Thriller

• In the squads first conference game of the year at the University of Mary, 90 minutes wasn't enough to decide a winner and needed overtime to settle the thriller. However, the second time these two teams met could have been a better sequel. With the game knotted at zero to start the second half, UM got on the board first with a goal in the first five minutes to take the lead. Then moments later, they scored again. The Saints countered at got on the board following a goal by Ivan Gonzalez. The Marauders again raised their lead to two goals in the 76th minute. With only 14 minutes remaining in the match, the SMU rally began. After Dylan Gaydosh scored in the 79th minute, Jake Zimmer followed suit just two minutes later. Trailing by only one goal, SMU was able to tie the score on a header from Luke Chouinard. The game would then head to overtime and result in a tie, but it wasn't without a resounding effort by the Saints, clawing their way back down three goals to one with very little time remaining.  

4. 9/28/13 Men's Cross Country Home Race

• On a day that saw rain, rain, and more rain, Joe Berger only saw the finish line. The senior led the way not only for the Saints, but the race as well, crossing the finish line in 26:30. The time was 22 seconds ahead of second place and helped earn the Saints a second place finish for the day. Berger was dominant that rainy afternoon as he outsprinted the other competitors, earning the top spot for the day.

3. 11/5/13 Basketball Retains the Capital

• The first home games of the 2013 basketball season provided a great atmosphere and ultimately two wins for the Saints against their cross-town rival. The SMU women started things off right with an impressive 70-63 victory. Defense proved to be too much for Evergreen State as they were held to 37% shooting on the night, committed 16 turnovers, and didn't make a three point shot. The men picked up right where the women left off and cruised to an 89 to 69 win. The men shot 47% from the field, with four Saints scoring in double-figures, including Evan Coulter's 27 point explosion.

2. 9/12/13 Women's Soccer Scores Big

• In just her second career game, freshman Kelli Bannerman let the soccer world know she was for real. In the convincing 4-0 rout of Holy Names University, Bannerman led the Saints with her first career hat-trick. Scoring three goals in a game has only happened once in the history of the program, which occurred in 2008. Coming off the bench, Bannerman hit the back of the net with strikes in the 40th, 51st, and 73rd minute to secure the first win of the season for the Saints.

1. 12/7/13 Women's Basketball Upsets NNU

• Just like records are meant to be broken, streaks are meant to be snapped. The Saints hadn't defeated Northwest Nazarene University in 11 tries and hadn't beaten a ranked opponent in over two years. But these Saints could care less about those numbers, pulling off a monumental upset over 18th ranked NNU in Lacey. Following an 11-0 SMU run, the Crusaders used a 13-2 run to regain the lead mid-way through the first half. Heading to the halftime locker room down three, SMU again used a big run to retake the lead. With the game tied in the final moments, Angela Gelhar hit a clutch three-pointer from the right wing to give the Saints a 54-51 lead. Gelhar would also seal the deal from the foul line, converting all four of her attempts to preserve the win. Again, it was the fantastic defense that helped lead the way for SMU, causing NNU to commit 24 turnovers, while holding them without a three-pointer in the second half. Gelhar led the way with 27 points and two rebounds, while also being a perfect 12-12 from the line. As a team, SMU was an outstanding 25-28 from the charity stripe during the contest.