My Take on Week #5 GSAC Preview

[APU13]

Hey, GSAC fans are you ready for some highlite big time scoring in your face defense games that will knock you socks off? I know you are, so let not waste any more time and get it on with the My Take on Week #5 GSAC preview!!

Saturday, January 30, 2010
California Baptist (3-7, 10-1) at Fresno Pacific (2-8, 5-15), 2:30 pm*
You either right where you expected to be or not at all where you expected to be at the beginning of the last half of the season. If your team is not where they expected to be, then you're really POed and better be ready for Round 2. It is an understatement that both Cal Baptist and Fresno Pacific expected not to be where they are now. Unfortunately, only one team will win this game. It will come down to which coach will do the best coaching down the stretch. Take the Lancers over the Sunbirds, but just barely.

Azusa Pacific (9-1, 16-4) at Concordia (3-7, 10-, 5:30 pm*
The Cougars go on the road looking for their 10th conference win of the season, on the Eagles of Irvine home court. In fact the Cougars have won four straight at CU Arena. The Eagles last home win over Azusa Pacific was during the 2004-2005 season, a 91-83 upset over then 10th ranked Cougars. A lot of similarities between that 2005 Cougar team and this 2010 team. Both teams were ranked 10th in the NAIA Top 25 poll, and both teams had upset highly ranked Vanguard. Let's face it, coaches have made connections between a lot less tenuous coincidents to get their teams to get up for an important game. Coach Hardeman is mostly reminded his team of this, and at this point in the season, Coach Jensen has to do whatever it takes to get a win. This is guaranteed to be a high scoring, back and forth affair, with plenty of surprises at the end! Take the Cougars over the Eagles in yet another thriller!!

The Masters (6-4, 11-7) at Vanguard (8-2, 12-2), 5:30 pm*
The Mustangs aren't having the great season that they probably thought they would have, but they're not hurting sitting in sole possession of 5th place. They are a solid 2 games ahead of Westmont, and will probably make the national tournament if they can maintain a top 25 ranking. But the Mustangs do not have signature conference win yet. There were opportunities to get that type of win at home over either Vanguard or Pt. Loma, and there is still a home game looming in the future against Azusa Pacific. The Masters will most likely have to wait until that game, because Vanguard is playing high intensity, win at all costs basketball at home. Take the Lions over the Mustangs in a blow out!

San Diego Christian (1-9, 4-15) at Westmont (4-6, 11-7), 5:30 pm*
Westmont is another GSAC team that definitely did not see this type of season coming. And of course San Diego is feeling pretty good after getting their first conference victory over a good Concordia team. This comes down to the following two factors. First, the Hawks fortunes rests on their dimunitive dynamo, high scoring point guard, Torreya Edwards, and second, Westmont does well at home where the Warriors usually play solid half court defense and have balanced scoring. The scales tip in favor of San Diego Christian because Westmont has lost 6 of it last 7 games. The losses are both on the road and at home, and ususally the Warriors fail to score in the 70s. Take the Hawks over the Warriors in my upset pick of the week!!

Point Loma Nazarene (10-1, 19-1) at Hope International (2-8, 7-13), 5:30 pm*
This contest will most likely be close for most of the game. The Royals do well when they can play a half court tempo. But of course somewhere in the second half Pt. Loma will explode with a string consecutive buckets, while the Royals struggle to get consistent scoring out of their offense. If Pt. Loma goes into HIU thinking that they can win because of their rep and ranking, they will be in for a hearbreaking surprise. Of course, that's possible, but not probable. Take Pt. Loma over Hope, as the Sea Lions roll on!!

Tuesday, February 2, 2010
San Diego Christian at California Baptist, 5:30 pm*
Here's where the SDCC Hawks victory train gets derailed, as it pulls into Cal Baptist Van Dyne Gym. Look for a more defensive minded Lancers team in the second half of the season. Starting with the Hawks, Cal Baptist will be looking to start their season with a clean slate. Take the Lancers over the Hawks at home giving Cal Baptist a 2-0 start for the last half of the season.

Point Loma Nazarene at Vanguard, 5:30 pm*
Oh yeah baby! This is one of two dates that Vanguard has circled on their calendar in the month of February. Pt. Loma and Azusa Pacific are the only teams to have defeated the Lions this season. Both losses were road losses for the Lions, but in February both Pt. Loma and Azusa have to travel to The Pit, where Vanguard will be waiting to hand out retribution. This is going to be a war, between two contrasting styles of play. Pt. Loma, with it's smothering defensive schemes, against the potent 3-point attack of Vanguard. The game will come do to attrition. Whichever team has the stamia and the guts to outlast the other will win the day. In games like this take the home team, Vanguard over Pt. Loma, who will be playing it's second game on the road and on a weekday.

Azusa Pacific at The Masters, 5:30 pm*
Last season these two teams split on each other's home court. The Masters have the misfortune to play Azusa Pacific right after playing Vanguard. Both teams present the Mustangs with the difficulty of maintaining consistent scoring and taking care of the basketball. The Masters have been struggling with both for most of this season. With the Cougar's Moore-Porter, who can score buckets in bunches, on the prowl, the Mustangs have the same issues as when they play Vanguard's Neves, Copeland and Prohl combination scoring threat. This is nothing new since all the teams in GSAC continue to struggle with containing Alex Moore-Porter's multi-facet scoring threats. Take the Cougars over the Mustangs on the road at Bross Gym.

Concordia at Hope International, 5:30 pm*
A must win game for the Concordia Eagles at HIU. Expect the Eagles from Irvine to play with urgency and a since of desperation, if they are to keep their post season playoff hopes alive. Nothing easy playing at Hope, but the Eagles do have the talent and experience to squeak out a much needed win on the road. Take the Eagles over the Royal in a white knuckler!!

Biola at Fresno Pacific, 5:30 pm*
The Biola express will start to roll again after the painful loss at Pt. Loma. If you want to get a win in the GSAC you have to be able to win at home, something that the Sunbirds just haven't been able to do this season. Take Biola over Fresno Pacific in a blow out.

Thursday, February 4, 2010
Westmont at Concordia, 5:30 pm*
Here's where the desperate and also opportunistic Concordia Eagles will get that BIG win. A crossroads game for both teams, as teams will start to go either up in the standings or down. Sorry Warrior fans, Westmont takes another straight right to the chin! Take Concordia at home over Westmont.

Friday, February 5, 2010
California Baptist at Azusa Pacific, 5:30 pm*
Well the last time these two teams met in Riverside, Alex Moore-Porter was dropping 7 threes on the disbelieving, she can't hit that shot Lancer's lack luster defense. Not likely that the Lancers will stay off Moore-Porter in this game. In fact, if Moore-Porter when to Indochina, we can expect that the Lancers will have at least two defenders waiting to pop out of a bowl of rice to play D on her! Of course, this will be a different game, but with the same result as the last one. Take Azusa Pacific at the Felix Event Center over the visiting Lancers. Oh, nearly forgot...there will be some threes falling for the Cougars!

That My Take on Week #5 GSAC preview. Enjoy the games!!!
_________________
APU13
Don't hate the player, get in the game.

[APU13]

It was a whirl-wind ride through the GSAC this week, which found several games undecided until the final seconds ticked off! Our Take It or Leave It session for Week #5 starts with Concordia's three games.

First up for Concordia in Week #5 was a home game against the #9 ranked Cougars from Azusa Pacific. As always, it was a back and forth affair, a game of runs where both teams were unable to get consistent stops defensively. We pick the game up in the final 1:19 with Azusa in control of the ball down by 3. Not what you expected right? But this is the GSAC and the teams playing are Azusa and Concordia. You can expect drama. Azusa's Alex Moore-Porter knows what to do in this type of situation....score! Moore-Porter drains a three, then takes the charge at the other end of the floor, comes back on the very next possession to knock down the winning bucket on the baseline with a defender's hand in her face. C.J. Hill seals the win with two clutch free throws and a steal to snuff any further opportunities for the Eagles.

In Concordia second game this week, the Eagles were visiting Hope. Unlike their home game with Azusa, the Eagles are locked in a tight game with Hope, where neither team has a lead larger than 5 points throughout the contest. Nicole Fu nails a jumper to put her Eagles in front 59-58 with :50 on the clock. But Champ Hood comes right back with a layup off an assist from Lindsey Salazar. Fu would get another opportunity to win the game, but her jumper and Kayanna Nichols' 3 pointer wouldn't fall. The Eagles are denied again, for the second time in Week #5.

When the Eagles returned home for their third game of the week, to face the Westmont Warriors, one would think that it would be the Eagles turn to get a win. But, unfortunately, this is the GSAC, where if you want to win you have to compete for 40 minutes. The Warriors jumped out to a 42-14, 28 point first half lead. This is exactly what Concordia didn't want, but is exactly what did happened. In spite of their slow start, the resislent Eagles when to work. Concordia, incredible as it may sound, actually tied the game at 71-71 with :19 on the game clock! An amazing comeback by the never say quit Eagles. But once again the Eagles were not able to get over the hump, as the Warriors' Jessica Case hit one of two free throws with :03 left, to send Concordia to it's third consecutive loss of Week 5.

Not to be outdone by Concordia vs Westmont tilt, Azusa Pacific had it's own narrow scrape with the Mustangs on The Masters home court inside Bross Gym. Here's the game's setup; Masters has a 9 point lead after a layup by Erica Inge, with 2:22 showing on the game clock. That's when Alex Moore-Porter goes to work. First Moore-Porter go to the hole, scores and draws the foul for an add 1. She knocks down the free throw, to trim the lead to 6. Inge comes back and is fouled on the way to the hoop by Michelle Byrd. Inge hits both free throws to put the Mustangs back up by 8 with a 1:54 left in the game. Briana Halls finds Moore-Porter spotting up behind the arc, Moore-Porter drains another 3, her third of the game. C.J. Hill then steals the ball from Inge, passes the rock to Briana Hall, who knocks down another three ball, trimming the Mustang's lead to just 2 points. But Erica Inge is not to be denied, she pushes the ball back at the Cougars and Hall is forced to foul Inge on a drive. Inge drains both free throw to push the lead back up to 4 with 1:06 showing on the clock. Kristie Halu'afia gets into the fray, by getting a bucket and drawing the foul. Halu'afia hits the free throw, then Hill steals the ball from the Mustangs Brittany Henderson. Briana Hall then takes a jumper and misses, but there's Hala'ufia to clean up the offensive glass and convert the put back with just :02 left to give the Cougars a one point win on the road over the Mustangs!

That's the excitement of this season in the GSAC! Three different teams, with totally different paths, but all giving us the fans a thrill ride!

That wraps up this session of Take It or Leave It for Week #5. But before we close up, it is worth noting that this week ends with a new conference leader. Azusa Pacific takes over as the GSAC conference leader at the end of Week #5, with Pt. Loma in 2nd place, a game behind Azusa, followed by Vanguard in third, which defeated Pt. Loma this week 70-53 at The Pit. Also my record after going 8-4 this week, stands at 46-11. See ya next week, and of course you can Take It or Leave It!
_________________
APU13
Don't hate the player, get in the game.