grizzlyjournal

Hasquet's final trey off-mark as Montana falls to Santa Clara 71-68

Santa Clara University’s All-WCC center John Bryant dominated the paint while freshmen Kevin Foster and James Rahon scored a combined 6-of-8 shots from beyond the arc and the Broncos withstood a second half Montana rally to claim a three-point, 71-68 win over the Montana Grizzlies in non-conference action Sunday.

The homestanding Grizzlies had a chance for a last-second tie.

Montana forward Jordan Hasquet’s wide-open three point attempt from the corner with three seconds remaining clanged out and bounced to the floor at Missoula’s Dahlberg arena before 3176 fans.

“We drew up a play in the time out,” said Montana coach Wayne Tinkle. “We executed it perfectly and got a great look and, you know, on this night it didn’t go in.”

PHOTO: Santa Clara center John Bryant grabs one of his game-leading 13 rebounds over Montana's Brian Qvale (#41) and Ceylon Elgin Taylor. The Broncos outrebounded the Grizzlies 33-23.

For Santa Clara, the win erases the memory of four-straight losses by 16 total points for the Broncos and earned them their first road win of the young season.

Bryant, Santa Clara’s 6’-11” senior post, paced the Broncos with his 27th career double-double, scoring 20 points and grabbing 13 rebounds. Montana reserve guard Anthony Johnson led the Grizzlies with 21 on several slashing drives, followed by Hasquet’s 20.

PHOTO: Montana forward Jordan Hasquet looks o score two of his 20 points against Santa Clara's John Bryant. Bryant had two blocks in the game.

With the Grizzlies often double-teaming Bryant in the key in the game’s early stages, the Broncos’ freshman duo  converted a blistering 6-for-7 first-half treys on 85.7 percent Broncos' shooting from long range (52.4 percent overall) before "cooling off" to an even 50 percent for the game.

Seventeen of the 29 total points scored by the freshman guards came in the first half and triggered a run that catapulted the Broncos from a 22-21 deficit to a 36-26 margin with 2 minutes left in the first half.

Montana recovered quickly from the deficit, getting a steal and a bucket from Johnson, a bucket from Hasquet and a trey from guard Ryan Staudacher with four seconds remaining in the first half, to draw within 36-33.

SCOUTING REPORT: Santa Clara at Montana, Nov. 30

Although the Santa Clara University Broncos are winless so far this season, statistics indicate that the Montana Grizzlies may nonetheless be underdogs on their home court against the West Coast Conference visitors in Sunday’s 2 p.m. matchup at Dahlberg Arena.

The Broncos lost their first four games of the season at the NIT Tipoff Classic... by the sum total of 16 points. In three of the losses – 64-61 to Alabama Birmingham, 65-61 to Florida Atlantic, and 69-66 to first-round host Arizona – the Broncos lost the game in the final minute of play. Consolation round host Georgia beat the Broncos by six, but had to rally from a deficit for the win.

PHOTO: Montana's 6'-11' sophomore center Brian Qvale (#41) will have his hands full against Santa Clara's WCC all-conference 6'-11' 245 lb. center John Bryant.

The Grizzlies are quite familiar with the Broncos and their outstanding WCC All-Conference center, 6’-11’ senior John Bryant, who averaged 18 points, 9.6 rebounds and 2.3 blocks as a junior. Bryant scored 14 points and had four blocks against the Grizzlies in a 60-49 win at Santa Clara last December.

In that game the Broncos played a very patient passing-game offense, led by seven at the half and gradually pulled awat to the 11-point win. Ryan Staudacher scored 9, Jordan Hasquet scored 8 and Kyle Sharp 7 in a game where the Broncos limited Montana to 33 percent shooting from the field and outrebounded the Griz 37-28.

Gone from last season’s Bronco squad is versatile point guard Brody Angley and seven other players. The two teams have the identical task of integrating seven newcomers into the lineups this season.

Lady Griz fall to South Dakota State in Cancun tourney finale

There’s a difference in losing a game you “could have” won instead of “should have” won. Which explains why Montana Lady Griz coach Robin Selvig was upbeat after his team’s 64-59 loss to South Dakota State in its final game of the Caribbean Challenge in Cancun, Mexico Friday.

 Montana finished 1-3 in the tourney, with a 59-57 overtime win over Illinois and a 13-point 71-58 loss to top-10-ranked Maryland.

The could-have problems came in the second half after the Lady Griz had taken a five-point 35-30 lead at halftime. After shooting 58.4 percent from the field in the first half the Lady Griz tanked, clanking 7-for-29 shots for a miserable 24.1 percent. Selvig said Montana had numerous open looks that simply didn’t fall. He was pleased, he said, that the shots were there. He was disappointed, but not distraught, that the shots missed.

PHOTO: Montana guard Sonya Rogers drives against a Wyoming defender in the Lady Griz' 71-64 win over the Cowgirls earlier in the season.

In that regard, the game is one the Lady Griz can learn from, he said. Montana’s dynamic senior-guard duo of Mandy Morales and Sonya Rogers finished with 20 and 19 points. No other player scored more than soph guard Sarah Ena, who had eight, but struggled with foul problems from early in the first half.

Otherwise the difference came on the boards, where South Dakota State had a nine-board 42-33 edge.

Reserve forward Jessa Linford played an excellent game off the bench, scoring six points and grabbing six rebounds in 16 minutes of action. 

You can find a full box score here.

Maryland claimed the tourney title, with South Dakota State taking second. Illinois has the distinction of explaining how it lost to... Montana and South Dakota State in the four-team tourney.

Montana next heads to Eugene to face Oregon on Dec. 4 before returning to Missoula for eight of their final nine non-conference games in December, all at Dahlberg Arena.

COOL IN THE CLUTCH: Morales hits game-winner vs. Illinois

Mandy Morales nailed a driving jump shot with 0.7 seconds remaining in overtime as the Montana Lady Griz beat Illinois 59-57 in the second game of the Cancun Caribbean Challenge in Cancun, Mexico Wednesday, Nov. 26.

Morales took an inbounds pass with eight seconds remaining in overtime, drove the full length of the floor, and sank the jumper under intense pressure to spring the Lady Griz to their first win in the holiday classic.

The game was tied 49-49 at the end of regulation.

Despite numerous turnovers against an aggressive Illini man-on defense, Montana recovered to claim a one-point 26-25 lead at halftime.

The teams played evenly throughout the second half in the see-saw battle. Both teams missed key scoring opportunities as the game wound down into the final seconds of regulation play.

The win awarded veteran Montana coach Robin Selvig his 700th career win as Lady Griz coach, and gives his equally veteran squad a running start to the young season.

Selvig credited his team's focused defensive effort for earning the win... particularly when his team missed several offensive chances, particularly in the first half.

Veteran senior point guard Morales led the Lady Griz with 17 points in their first game of the Cancun tourney. Shooting guard, senior Sonya Rogers, scored 15 while forward Britney Lohman scored 10. Montana, behind 12 rebounds by wing Lauren Beck, outboarded the Illini 42-30.

Forward Jenna Smith scored 19 for Illinois. Game stats and play-by-play are available here.

PHOTO: Morales drives for two in Montana's 71-64 win against Wyoming, played earlier in the season.

The Lady Griz on Thursday face nationally ranked Maryland (#10), winners of the first game in the tourney, 68-56 over South Dakota State.

 

SCOUTING REPORT: Montana at Utah Valley University

For all the hype involved with Montana’s Sunday 78-58 loss at Duke, it’s the second game of the Grizzlies’ short road trip – a matchup with Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah Tuesday – that holds the most intrigue for me.

Because it is this game –  and the two teams’ rematch Dec. 20 in Missoula – that will be this preseason’s most accurate game-action predictor of how Montana will fare in conference play this season.

The Wolverines – in their relatively short tenure since 2004 as a Division 1 basketball program – have demonstrated emphatically over the past four years that, not only can they compete in the Big Sky Conference, they’d be ranked solidly among the league’s upper tier teams

PHOTO: A key to the game will be Montana's ability to score points in the paint. Here, Griz post Brian Qvale scores against Misissippi Valley State.

Montana’s two-game schedule with the Wolverines continues a recent trend of scheduling a home-and-home series with a team considered of Big Sky Conference caliber (similar to last season’s series against Cal State Fullerton). Like last year, the series will be a strenuous test for the Griz.

Montana already has a comparison to make, since the Wolverines beat Montana Western 90-80 one day after the Griz eked-out a 75-67 win over the Bulldogs in their home opener.

Four days earlier the Wolverines opened their season with a home-court 68-62 win over Northern Arizona in the first of a home-and-home series with the Lumberjacks.

Bedeviled Griz still looking for transition-game solitions

Certainly most postgame-analysis of Duke University's 78-58 win over Montana Sunday afternoon will focus on a six-minute stretch midway through the first half where the Griz turned the ball over seven times.

NOTE: There are some nice game photos here, with the game box score here.

The result? Cataclysmic: A 13-9 Montana lead at the 13:10 mark evaporated into the cacophony of Cameron Arena and into a commanding 36-20 Duke lead (a 27-7 point swing) with 4:49 remaining in the half. Overall, eight Griz committed turnovers.

Montana’s temporary collapse under pressure was the stat that Griz play-by-play announcer Mick Holien noted several times during the broadcast and was emphatically underscored by Montana coach Wayne Tinkle in the postgame interview with Holien.

That the Grizzlies regained composure, and then played a competitive second half, is the encouraging news. Subsequent aggressive Montana defense early in the second half resulted in a quickly narrowed deficit of 13 points (54-41) at the 14:53 mark before the Blue Devils hurriedly called time and then gradually pulled away for the final margin.

Jordan Hasquet was the only Griz in double figures (15 points), but eight Griz scored, while Jack McGillis, Anthony Johnson, and Kyle Sharp played well.

All of which led to Tinkle being upbeat about his team’s play. The Griz faltered; but they didn’t collapse.

The game is easy to read in the stat sheet and reveals where work is required:    

• A 14-4 Duke margin in steals, which led to a 31-6 Duke advantage in points-off-turnovers.   
• A 20-11 turnover advantage overall by Duke That contrast easily accounted for the 20-point final spread and reveals a Griz floor game weakness first exposed by Colorado State.

Montana had better expect opponents to apply full-court pressure on the transition game. It’ll certainly continue Tuesday at Utah Valley State in an arena that’s been tough on Big Sky teams over the past five years.

The game’s other glaring statistical contrast was the Blue Devils’ 17-7 offensive rebounding margin, most of which led to a 16-4 second-chance points advantage. But that kind of low block power is something you’d expect from a nationally ranked powerhouse.

Otherwise Montana kept pace statistically, outshooting Duke from the field and recording strong bench play with a 26-17 advantage in bench points, which might be the brightest point of the game and a hint of better games to come.

That brings me to Tinkle’s emphasis that his team is still working on lineup dynamics... how his players are jelling and which lineups work best in specific situations. As a result, the most intriguing aspect of this game for me was not the final outcome but a hint at what might be a transformation in Montana’s guard lineup, particularly during the first substitution rotation.

It’s something I’ll follow with interest over the next several games. There’s no doubt that the fiercest competition in Griz practice is among the six guards. Don’t be surprised to see some new-look back court lineups over the next several games.

Montana players, coaches anticipate Sunday clash with Duke

The Montana Grizzlies will walk onto Cameron Indoor Stadium on the campus of Duke University at Durham, North Carolina Sunday for the first-ever matchup between the two schools.

Tipoff is at 11 a.m. and will be broadcast on Montana’s flagship station, KXGZ-FM (101.5), with
Mick Holien calling the play by play.

 Saturday the Blue Devils swept-away the Michigan Wolverines 71-56 in the 2K Coaches Against Cancer Classic. They're 5-0 on the season and currently ranked 10th in the Nation.

The Blue Devils, as most college basketball fans are aware, are a perennial Men's College Basketball power. The Blue Devils have won 47 straight November games and 62-straight non-conference home games.

PHOTO: Griz wing Jack McGillis goes up for two of his 12 points against the MVSU Delta Devils in Thursday's 82-65 win.

The only other Big Sky team to face Duke was Portland State, in 1997. Duke won that game 89-39.

Despite the odds, Montana players are anticipating the matchup. Here's what Griz players and coaches had to say about the game:

RYAN STAUDACHER, junior two guard: "Man, what an experience to get to go play Duke. And I get to go back home and play the University of Washington. I think it’s great for us to, you know... we want to play those big-name teams and I think it only gets us better for the Big Sky conference. It’ll be good for us. We’ll enjoy it."

JACK McGILLIS, junior wing: "It’s going to be a dream come true for me, and I know the staff and the other players as well. We’re just going to go there and focus on the game and try to do the best we possibly can... see what happens. It’s going to be an awesome experience."

JORDAN HASQUET, senior power forward: "It’s kind of one of those things you dream about when you’re a kid. Any time you turn on the tube it seems like during an average week, Duke’s on national TV. You know you just kind of grow up watching them. And getting the opportunity to play there will be pretty special."

MICHAEL TAYLOR, junior backup point guard: "Very excited.  I think it’s great. I think it’s awesome. It’s a once in a lifetime type of thing. You know, we’re going to have to battle through some stuff... with all our preseason road games. Playing good teams, dealing with fans, you know maybe referees. It’ll just provide mental toughness and character for us. It’ll go a long ways to help."

NATE DuCHESNE, assistant coach: "We’re going to continue trying to play Grizzly basketball. Playing hard defensively, rebounding and executing on offense and sharing the ball. They’re obviously one of the top 10 teams year in, year out. They play at an extremely high level intensity wise and we need to be able to match that or it’s going to be an extremely long afternoon. So, we need to play hard and play together and do the little things."

WAYNE TINKLE, head coach : "You know, I haven’t thought even one second about Duke. I know you’d like to have an answer to that... We just said in the locker room that we’re going to go down there to one of the more storied programs in the country and we’re going to play 40 minutes of disciplined Grizzly basketball, and compete for 40 minutes, no matter what happens. You know, we’re going down there with a purpose. It’s not a.... field trip. We’re going to go down there and try to play our style of ball and try to see if we can get a win. But it’s going to be a great experience for everybody involved."

A future Lady Griz? She's got the right name(s)

A regular “fan” in the west level A bleachers at Montana Grizzly basketball games so far this season is young Cate Criswell.

Cate is the daughter of Tawny and Kevin Criswell, on whose lap Cate is perched in the photo to the right.

Kevin -- as most Montana basketball fans know -- is acknowledged in Montana basketball history as a backcourt leader of the Montana Grizzly squads that won back-to-back Big Sky postseason tourney championships in 2005-06, and a first-round 87-79 victory over Nevada in the 2006 NCAA postseason tournament.

A future Lady Griz? Time well tell. But there’s no doubt young Cate shares both first and last names with two of the best basketball players ever to set foot on the hardwood at Dahlberg Arena.

Her father, of course. And Lady Griz great, current Lady Griz assistant coach, multiple Lady Griz and Big Sky MVP and three-time Kodak All-American Shannon Cate Schweyen (1988-1992).

Grizzlies swat Delta Devils 82-65, play at Duke Sunday

The relaxed and aggressive Montana Grizzlies got the ball early and often to power forward Jordan Hasquet, who responded in appropriate fasion with 23 points and seven rebounds to lead the Griz to a decisive 82-65 win over Mississippi Valley State Thursday.

 Junior wing Jack McGillis was instrumental in setting up Hasquet early in the game and finished with 7 assists.

"We knew we had to come out and make a little bit of a statement," said Hasquet. "Jack found me a couple of times early and really got me going. He definitely got us jump-started early because he was drawing all the defense and finding guys for easy ones."

The result contributed to McGillis’ best game as a Griz. He added 12 points to his bundle of assists and had two steals.

"We wanted to come out and be aggressive," said McGillis. "That’s when we play our best basketball. We wanted just  to play solid, and then things would happen for us.

"The first couple games of the season were out of character for me, McGillis added. "I was pretty rusty, you know I hadn’t played in a couple of years. But I just wanted to go out and my main focus was to make plays for my teammates."

PHOTO: Montana big men Brian Qvale (#41) and Derek Selvig (#24) battle for a rebound against Delta Devils Shannon Behling (#15), Lakendrick Allen (#21) and Eric Petty (#34).

Montana pounced quickly on the Delta Devils, building an 18-point, 26-8 lead with 10:37 remaining in the first half. From there Montana maintained a comfortable margin over the Devils, extending it to 45-23 at the 1:27 mark before settling on a 17-point 47-30 halftime lead.

“We wanted to come out of the gates early, but we focused on defense and it created some good offensive opportunities for us,” said assistant coach Nate DuChesne.

“Hasquet and McGillis played really well early and that kind of led us. They fed off of each other. They’re leaders of this team, too and it’s not just each other but the other guys picked it up too.

“We need to start games that way all the time,” said DuChesne.

Montana’s one-two point guard tandem of Ceylon Elgin-Taylor and Michael Taylor took over from there and directed an efficient inside-outside game that highlighted a powerful low-block attack by Hasquet, McGillis and post Brian Qvale (9 points, 6 rebounds) with a potent outside attack that featured long range sharpshooting from two-guard Ryan Staudacher, who scored 14 points on 4-of-5 shooting from beyond the arc.

SCOUTING REPORT: Mississippi Valley State at Montana, Nov. 20

The school name, uniform colors and three of the players on the roster of the Mississippi Valley State Delta Devils will be familiar to the host Montana Grizzlies in Thursday’s rematch between the teams, scheduled for 7:05 p.m. at Dahlberg Arena.

Otherwise, much has changed with a team the Grizzlies beat 69-62 a year ago in the final tilt of the Thanksgiving Cougar Challenge Invitational in Spokane, Washington.

Third-year MVSU head coach James Green led his 07-08 squad to the regular season title in the South West Athletic Conference before Devils fell to Jackson State in the postseason tourney title game.

And then Green promptly packed his bags and headed 83 miles west, where he assumed the head coaching duties at.... yep, Jackson State.

PHOTO: Montana forward Jordan Hasquet scored 13 points against the Delta Devils in Montana's 69-62 win in the final game of the Cougar Challenge Invitational in Spokane, Washington last season.

Montana squeaks past Montana-Western 75-67

 The Montana Grizzlies survived 17 turnovers, an often sluggish offense and some downright breakdowns in composure to defeat a much smaller Montana-Western squad 75-67 in their home opener at Missoula's Dahlberg Arena Monday night.

In a game where statistics otherwise told a faulty tale, the Griz were out-quicked for the second-straight game, this time by the much smaller but loose and aggressive Bulldogs, who pushed the action through the entire first half and the early stages of the second.

"That’s a tough offense to guard," said shooting guard Ryan Staudacher. "They’ve got guys that can shoot it so you can’t help off. And then they’ve got a guy penetrating with no help so it’s a tough offense to guard and we had a couple of struggles with it tonight."

PHOTOS: (Top) Junior shooting guard Ryan Staudacher (#3) scored 21 points on 7-of-12 from the field, 5-of-7 from three point range. (Bottom) Sophomore point guard Michael Taylor had two assits and shot 5-of-6 from the field, while playing a solid floor game late in the second half.

It was Staudacher who paced the Grizzlies through most of the first half, scoring several quick-pivot jumpers from long range and leading the Griz to a three-point 34-31 halftime lead.  Staudacher finished the game with 21 points.

The Grizzlies started the second frame with several baseline drives and a couple from the paint. But, after claiming an 8-point lead midway through the second frame, the Griz were forced to regroup after a foul and a technical on Montana senior point guard Ceylon Elgin-Taylor led to a 4-point play and a quickly narrowed 48-44 Montana lead.

At that point, reserve point guard, sophomore Michael Taylor, subbing for Elgin-Taylor, who was evidently ejected from the game, took capable control of the Montana floor game, and directed Montana’s offensive flow for the eventual eight-point win.

"Coach said we were settling just a little bit in the first half, myself included," said Taylor.

"We were setting better screens (in the second half) not as many moving screens," said Taylor.

California prep point guard will play for Montana

Sport.com announced this afternoon that a third prep standout has announced his intent to play basketball for the Montana Grizzlies.

Will Cherry, a 6-foot point guard from Oakland, California McClymonds H. S., “has signed with Montana, according to a source close to the recruitment,” in a brief story posting this afternoon by Sport.com West Coast Recuiting Analyst, Greg Hicks.

Cherry is the third prep senior this fall to announce his intent to play for Montana.

Center Eric Hutchison, currently a 6’-9” senior at Mark Morris H. S. in Longview, Washington and Thurman Woods a 6’-5” wing from Dominguez High School in Compton, California, signed with Montana on Nov. 14.

Cherry is described in ESPN.com prep player profiles as capable of playing, “at a relentless pace and is a tenacious defender as well... He is extremely quick and does a nice job breaking down opponents to get to the basket.”

Cherry’s McClymonds H. S. basketball team was undefeated in 2007, his junior year.

Hicks has described Montana’s recruits as all having a very positive upside as future impact players in the Big Sky Conference.

The recruitment of Cherry continues Montana’s tradition of filling its roster primarily with high school players and gives a clear picture of the long-term future of third-year Montana coach Wayne Tinkle’s program.

Montana edges Cowgirls in season-opening shootout, 71-64

The Montana Lady Griz showed up about five mintues late for their 2008-09 season-opener on Sunday in an eventual 71-64 opening-game victory over the Wyoming Cowgirls at Dahlberg Arena Sunday.

The young, sharp-shooting Cowgirls took quick advantage of Montana’s tardy start and cold shooting and posted an early 14-4 lead before the Lady Griz -- behind the mid-key prowess of sophomore forward Sarah Ena -- rattled off 17 straight to wrest a seven-point margin of its own in what then quickly erupted into an old-fashioned western shootout before 3240 delighted partisan Montana fans.

“She gave a ton,” said a pleased Montana Coach Robin Selvig of Ena. “I was particularly pleased for the most part with her defense.

“She was a horse in there. She gave us a scoring threat inside,” said Selvig.

After Montana's surge, the teams battled on even terms until the final minutes.

Neither team held more than a four-point lead until the dust finally settled with barely two minutes remaining. From there, Montana scored its final nine points at the free throw line and eased away from a one-point, 62-61 lead for the final seven-point margin.

Paced by Ena’s 19 points and senior post Britney Lohman’s eight offensive rebounds (12 total) and nine points, the Lady Griz dominated the paint and kept within striking distance of a deadly accurate Wyoming team that nailed 11-of-27 treys from long range -- three treys (and 20 points) from Austrailan freshman transfer Emma Langford and 5-of-12 treys by freshman wing Kristen Scheffler, who finished with 15.

Selvig also credited Lohman’s dominance in the key, particularly on offense during the second half.

PHOTOS: (top) Montana post Britney Lohman battles Wyoming players Jade Kennedy (#14) and Randi Richardson for a rebound. Lohman had 12 rebounds, nine on offense, in Montana's 71-64 win Sunday. (Bottom) Montana's Lauren Beck (#45) scored 11 points and had nine rebounds, while Wyoming senior Megan McGuffey (#24) scored 15 points and pulled down 10 boards for the Cowgirls.

Griz vs. Colorado State: first steps to a new defensive style

A first-game Montana road victory would be a welcome tonic for a remarkably talented Griz squad where seven newcomers – all of them skilled enough to warrant extensive playing time – will get the chance to make an early impression about Montana basketball.

But much more important for Montana – win or lose tonight against the Colorado State University Rams – is how well that still-meshing diverse lineup establishes a defensive style of play... an identity... a notoriety... against an imposing lineup of early season foes.

Montana’s lineup has the personnel, with a diverse array of skills, to be a sound offensive team. Inside. Outside. On the wing. In the post. Off the dribble. And with exceptional balance.

But it’s the defense – that part of the court Montana’s coaches have not-so-subtlety and repeatedly hinted about – that will be severely tested in several looming preseason challenges.

The stats are on paper from last season; that’s really all that’s left beyond the memories. And the exciting thing for Griz players and coaches is that tonight they can erase all those memories with a new stats sheet. How?

How better than with step-by-step improvement in defense and rebounding.

Forget that Montana ranked second in scoring defense last year (66.6 pga). That’s a line that reveals as much about a deliberate passing game offense as about defense.

More telling: last season’s Griz ranked dead last in steals (4.80), sixth in field goal shooting percentage allowed (45.1), sixth in defensive rebounds, seventh in offensive rebounds, and sixth in rebounding margin (-0.6). Oh. Better toss in a rank of eighth in free throw percentage (.674), where pecks of misses contributed to several losses.

Because of those smudge marks, a lot of fans forgot that Montana was a very efficient and steadily improving offensive team last year.

But that was then, as Griz returning starters – and all seven newcomers – remind us.

That’s because, exhibition games aside, the rumblings among Montana fans are precisely about a new snarl on defense, and hints that the Griz have been working hard on several “new looks” - in addition to a bearish “in your face” NON-switching man-on defense.

“Our secret weapons,” as Montana senior power forward Jordan Hasquet concisely, but cautiously predicted in a recent interview.

Montana coach Wayne Tinkle hinted as much in Missoulian writer Bob Meseroll’s game preview story this morning.

Montana players & coaches looking to raise the numbers

A BIG QUESTION MARK -- One area where the 2007-08 Montana Grizzlies struggled in crucial conference games was rebounding. A historically dominant rebounding team, Montana struggled more last year as the season progressed. Though Montana had two individuals -- forward Jordan Hasquet and center Andrew Strait -- ranked in the top 10 in rebounds, the Grizzlies ranked sixth in rebound margin, sixth in defensive rebounding and seventh in offensive rebounding.

Though the Grizzlies have one of the more imposing front-court lineups in the Big Sky this year, the loss of Strait will require that sophomore post Brian Qvale, (PHOTO, LEFT) senior backup center Kyle Sharp or a combination of wings Jack McGillis and Banny Vassy step up. Montana coach Wayne Tinkle noted several times last season that rebounding was a factor in more than one of his team’s close losses.

REVERSING GAME FLOW -- Another area where Montana struggled last season was in steals. The Montana per-game average of 4.8 steals per game was dead last in the Big Sky, significantly worse than seventh-ranked Weber State (5.23) and top-ranked Sacramento State (9.0).

So it was encouraging to see Montana notch 15 steals in their win over Great Falls University last week. A fluke? Nope. Look for wings McGillis and Bassy Vanny, either singly or together to beat last year’s dismal team mark. The important factor in steals is the quick change in the flow of a game, often leading to fast break points. Several other players are skilled at steals, most notably freshmen Derek Selvig and reserve guard Shawn Stockton.

Look for Montana’s improved numbers in this area to contribute directly to team wins.

ALL-POSITION DEPTH -- One factor that escaped the attention of many Montana fans last year was the crippling lack of depth at several positions. The weakest spot? It was at wing, where Montana was left without a single true #3 after JC transfer Sean Watson (a JC All-American) left school just prior to the beginning of non-conference play. Montana coach Wayne Tinkle was forced to juggle several players at the position. Jordan Hasquet manned the position acceptably, but when he did, Montana struggled defensively and in rebounding. No other Montana player, however, felt comfortable in the position.

No such problem this year. Junior transfer Jack McGillis is a natural three. He’s a capable long-distance sharp shooter and is perhaps the most energized of Montana defenders... unless you consider his backup, Banny Vassy. Look for Vassy to add a rarely seen defensive and rebounding dimension to the wing position for Montana this season.

Another area where Montana unexpectedly experienced depth issues was at point guard. After an early season injury to starter Cameron Rundles, Ceylon Elgin Taylor gradually worked his way capably into the position. That still left the Griz short at point backup. The problem was not in running the offense, where senior Matt Martin excelled, but on defense.

A RECRUITING COUP -- There’s broad consensus among Montana basketball fans that Wayne Tinkle is a top-caliber Mid Major recruiter. The results of Tinkle’s recruiting efforts since being named as head coach will likely start to bear fruit this season. We’ll discuss this in depth in a later post.

But what may well stand as one of Tinkle’s best “recruiting” coups, by my judgement, is his hiring of assistant coach Bill Evans. The former Southern Utah head coach of 15 years is widely acknowledged for his skill as a defensive coach. It may take a few games for the effects of Evans’ work with Montana players to start showing up on the court. But don’t be surprised if the Grizzlies start setting some ‘traps’ (imagine this in more than one dimension) against opponents. Montana has long had a reputation as a defensive-minded team, but struggled in critical games last season. PHOTO: Montana assistant coaches Andy Hill (left) and Bill Evans.

This will be an interesting Montana game dimension worth following. If we can measure success game by game, the results will be easily verified statistically.

SCOUTING REPORT: Montana opens 09 season at Colorado State

Tonight marks the first Grizzly Journal scouting report of the 2008-09 season, as the Montana Grizzlies head to Fort Collins, Colorado Friday in a clash with the Colorado State Rams that will mark the season opener for both teams.

PHOTO: Brian Qvale battles for a loose ball in Montana's 75-39 win over Colorado State last year.

It will be an ideal first-game test for a Montana team that will suit up a whopping seven newcomers (two JC transfers, one true frosh, and four redshirts)... all but one of whom have a chance to make an immediate impact on the 08-09 Griz.

EARLIER TODAY -- Montana coach Wayne Tinkle announced that freshmen forwards Mathias Ward, of Gig Harbor, Washington H. S., and Nyandigisi Moikobu, of Seattle Rainier Beach H.S. will redshirt for the 2008-09 season. However, freshman point guard Shawn Stockton will suit up and play as a backup at point for the Grizzlies.

The numbers make Montana very much a team in the chaos of early-season transition more than a team that, with that number of newly eligible players, is usually rebuilding. It may well take the Griz several games to settle into an efficient player rotation.

First, some Scouting Report preliminaries:

• I’ve always considered pre-season predictions folly and as such regard them a waste of analytical time. Instead, my pre-season scouting reports will focus on what Montana must do to live up to the players’ own expectations of making the Big Sky Conference post-season tourney and moving on to the NCAA first round.

• In that perspective, my pre-season scouting reports will focus less on the non-conference opponents and more precisely on the game-by-game steps  the Grizzlies need to take throughout the pre-season in order to be ready to compete for the Big Sky season crown, which tips off prematurely for Montana on the road Dec. 20 against defending conference champs Portland State.

Montana forward Sharp hopes Grizzlies can reverse some trends

As the season of his senior year debuts, Montana Grizzly  power forward/center Kyle Sharp ticked off several objectives, tops of which will be to develop personal leadership through game-by-game consistency.

“I’ve actually talked about this with the coach just the other day,” said Sharp. “I definitely think in this point in my career, just staying consistent throughout the season and every game with my play, always playing hard, always doing something with the minutes I have is important.”

PART TWO

Another factor, said Sharp, will be to reverse a trend Montana slid into last season. Montana lost five games last season in the final minute or on the final shot. It was a trend, said Sharp, that only the players can reverse.

“A coach can be tough, but if a player’s not tough, it’s not going to mean anything," said Sharp.

 " A game always boils down to the players. The coach can’t shoot the last second shot for the players. They are the one who have to do it.

"The coach can prepare that for us, but he can’t do it for us," said Sharp.

That's where he hopes he -- along with fellow seniors Hasquet and point guard Ceylon Elgin-Taylor -- can set the pace for the younger Griz players. Sharp's Montana coach, Wayne Tinkle, agrees.

“Both Kyle and Jordan (senior power forward Jordan Hasquet) need to be leaders for us this season,” said Tinkle.

“They are our two most experienced players and they should bring a lot of toughness to our squad,” said Tinkle.

KYLE SHARP: just happy to be on the basketball court

It is no insult to Kyle Sharp that he has been a “rotator” in three years as a first- line backup power forward/center for the Montana Grizzly men’s basketball team.

Though he started only seven of 30 games last season as a junior, he played in all 30 and his 16.1 minute per-game average made him one of two “first” subs, a role he fits easily as Montana’s first big-man reserve off the bench. 

PART ONE

“Anytime I can get on the court is what I look for,” said Sharp. “Whether I start or sub doesn’t bother me either way. Even as a senior, It doesn’t matter if I start. I’ll be just as happy coming off the bench so long as we win.”

As a true freshman, Sharp started several games early.  But as the season progressed, his backup mantle was established. In the two years since -- despite isolated exceptions -- it’s been a role that Sharp said he’s embraced.

“I’m a little bit undersized at the post. I’m only 6’-8,” said Sharp. “In our league that makes me more like a power forward or a wing. So I’ve kind of learned how to use my strength to offset that I’m a little bit smaller.

As a result, he’s learned to take advantage of his “alternate” front-line skills  to add a different attack to the Grizzly lineup.

“I guess it’s a disadvantage being smaller, but it can also be an advantage,” said Sharp. When I play guys who are bigger than me, I work to get lower than them. I work to use my power in that way.

PHOTO: Sharp drives to the bucket against the Univ. of Portland.

He wasn’t always ‘smaller.’ A four-year starter, and prolific scorer, for his San Benito H. S. team of Hollister, Calif., Sharp said he was always the dominant middle post player. And that’s the position for which Montana recruited him.

It wasn’t until, as a Montana frosh, that Sharp was forced to make the transition in a college game where he regularly battled bulkier opponents.

He’s learned well. That’s reflected as much in how he plays as in where he plays. He casually described himself as a “garbage player,” capable of scoring points from offensive rebounds.

Lady Griz dispatch Northwest Sports 66-55

Despite having an off shooting night, the Montana Lady Griz clocked in with a solid floor game on both offense and defense to ease away from a game Northwest Sports team 66-55 Saturday night.

Montana coach Robin Selvig said he saw marked improvement from the team’s first exhibition game last week, even though that improvement did not show up in the box score, which revealed a dreary 38 percent shooting night from the field and a subpar 48 percent from the free throw line.

Senior off-guard Sonya Rogers, junior Lauren Beck and sophomore Sarah Ena each scored 11 points in 19 minutes of play apiece.

“I thought we had real good play out of some people, but nobody could make a shot,” said Selvig.

“A lot of it, you can be playing well, and if you don’t make shots it seems like you’re playing crappy. It seemed like we missed a lot of good shots.”

PHOTOS: (Top) Sarah Ena (14) and Britney Lohman (54) battle NW Sports players for a loose ball. (Right) Lauren Beck drives the lane for two of her 11 points.

Elsewhere the Lady Griz dominated, outrebounding the visitors by 10, 48-38 while collecting 8 steals and 5 blocked shots. The five starting Lady Griz players evenly distributed 14 of the team’s 20 assists.

Montana led by six at halftime, 32-26, though the score was closer than the game seemed. Selvig played his entire bench, distributing Minutes in double-digits to all but one player.

Center Kristen Kozlowski was the only NW Sports player to score in double digits with 10.

Several younger Lady Griz and newcomer, JC point guard Shaunte Nance-Johnson, showed signs that Montana will have exceptional balance 10-deep throughout the season.

Senior post Tamara Guardipee, suffering from a chronic injury, did not suit up. As a result, Selvig put a fairly small three-forward starting five on the floor, with Beck, Ena and Britney Lohman anchoring the low blocks while seniors Rogers and Mandy Morales started at the two guard spots.

Junior post Shadra Robison, however, continues to show promise at post, scoring seven points in 20 minutes off of the bench.

PHOTOS: (Above right) Freshman Jessa Linford pulls down a rebound just prior to scoring two of her 4 points. (Right) JC transfer Shaunte Nance-Johnson drives the lane in second half action. (Bottom) Britney Lohman checks NW Sports post Kristen Kozlowski in first-half action.

Though Nance-Johnson didn’t score, she played well as Morales’ backup while frosh Jessa Loman Linford (6 points) and sophomore Stephanie Stender (4 points) played played well as well.

Montana’s next action is in a week when it hosts Wyoming in its season opener Nov 16 at 2 p.m. before hitting the road for five straight games on a brutal swing with stops at Illinois, Maryland and Orgeon, as well as at Idaho and South Dakota State.

Montana overwhelms overmatched Argos, 101-57

The Montana Grizzlies’ 101-57 walkaway exhibition win over the Great Falls University Argos Tuesday was all about the present. And the future, both short- and long term.

The Grizzlies of the present are a team that’s quickly shaping into a solid defensive unit and also which -- on the opposite end of the floor -- is honing a multi-faceted attack, anchored in the key but deadly from the perimeter.

PHOTO: Promising Griz frosh Mathias Ward (left) and Nyandigisi Moikobu battle for a rebound in second-half action. Both Ward and Moikobu scored 4 points in 9 minutes of action.

Montana pounced the Argos quickly, jumping to a 10-0 lead with a vise-grip defense. And then -- led by early perimeter sharpshooting of junior wing Jack McGillis, punctuated the early surge with an early-look, spread offense that had the bewildered Argos at the wrong end of a halftime 45-21 deficit,  searching for answers... and breath.

“I was really really thrilled with the way our guys came out, the level of intensity with which we played on both ends, “ said Montana coach Wayne Tinkle.

Ater taking firm command of the pace and the game, the Grizzly future showed up.

Griz frosh look to get exhibtion-game playing time

One of the benefits of early-season exhibition games is the opportunity for coaches to get a look at their newcomers in game-action, usually with the task of determining potential redshirt status of their new recruits.

The players, of course, are anxious to show their coach they’re ready to contribute at some point down the road. Sooner, not later. This year, rather than next.

That was the case for freshmen Moikobu Nyandigisi and Shawn Sockton in Friday’s 83-51 win over Northwest University.

Nyandigisi, from Seattle’s Rainier Beach H. S.,  logged only five minutes but displayed solid defensive quickness, scored a bucket and snared a steal in his time on the floor. The lanky wing-forward is spring-loaded, crashes the boards and -- most promisingly -- has shown hints of being a potentially stifling defender.

First observations of Nyandigisi  -- for those readers who remember -- evoke slight hints of Griz great Derek Pope.

Stockton, the All-Washington State prep from Spokane’s Ferris H. S., (PHOTO: Stockton in action against Northwest Univ.)  played 11 minutes and left no doubt that he’ll be contending for time at point guard, whether it’s later in the season or -- if he’s redshirted -- starting on the first day of practice next fall.

Stockton didn’t score. No problem. The solidly built 6’-1” frosh was literally all over the court. In the process, Stockton dished out 5 assists, grabbed 3 rebounds and had a steal in his time on the floor.

Stockton, who told me he loves Montana basketball so far, said, “I’m just trying to get in there and just run the plays the coach wants and do my part to contribute.”

He has excellent court vision, both when he’s controlling the ball and also when game flow is reversed and he’s on defense. Two of his boards Friday came on loose-ball scrambles, and the third came when he scooped up a long offensive rebound.

“Right now I’m not looking for my shot right away,” said Stockton. “My main thing is to get people good looks.”

He added that he realizes he needs work on D.

Notebook: First game Grizzly jitters and promising subs

Some encouraging signs of overall team depth are starting to show up on the floor and the stats sheet. Here are few that stood out:

OFFICIAL SIXTH MEN: Reserve forward-post Kyle Sharp lacks the size of post Brian Qvale and power forward Jordan Hasquet, but -- as the first sub off the bench -- takes a blue-collar approach to the floor, and right at opposing teams.

The Griz front court got off to a sluggish start against Northwest College, but dominated through the final three quarters.

“We wanted to come out and play hard and fast, but it didn’t work out that way,” said Sharp afterwards. “But the important part was that we actually picked it up. We stuck to our plan.”

“I think it was all a mental thing,” said backup point guard Michael Taylor, so far Montana’s first-sub for senior starter Ceylon Elgin-Taylor.

“We kind of talked about it as a team at half,” said Taylor. “The second half was a lot better. But we just wanted to set the tone from the beginning and carry it out for 40 minutes...you know, that’s what we want to do.”

 “You know, we could have two or three individuals working hard, but if we’ve got two off, the other team will get a bucket or will be able to move the ball,” said Taylor.

That was precisely Montana’s problem early in the game, said Montana coach Wayne Tinkle.

“We got our point across at halftime that we didn’t think our posts, our centers, played tough enough. And we used a few expletives to get em going,” said Tinkle.

Montana front court players responded with 63 of Montana’s 83 points, 13 of them coming from Sharp, whose quick low-post pivot was effective against Eagles’ defenders.

PHOTOS: (Top) Reserve Montana post, senior Kyle Sharp, scores two of his 13 points against Northewest College. (bottom) Griz backup wing Vassy Banny drives the lane against an Eagle defender.

MAKING HIS POINT: Taylor is making an early case for consideration at the backup point guard spot. Taylor made all five of his field goals and went 2-for-2 at the free throw line in 19 minutes of play.

Tinkle indicated that Montana coaches have been pleased with Taylor’s contriutions.

“He’s so solid.,” said Tinkle of Taylor. “He’s just rock-solid for us. He can shoot it, he always gets the ball to the right people, he’s become a better defender...”

“We were talking about him today in the office. We’re thinking, ‘Holy Smokes,’ we’ve got him for three years. He’s done some great things and we’re expecting some good things out of him,” said Tinkle.

DEPTH AT WING: Montana got 18 combined points from starting wing, junior Jack McGillis (11), and his backup, JC transfer Vassy Banny (8). But equally as encouraging was the defensive hustle of both small forwards. The two combined for 5 of Montana’s 10 steals for the game, which is nearly 8 more than Montana’s per-game average from last season.

Both are newcomers, though McGillis practiced with Montana last season. Banny, a JC transfer from Salt Lake Community College, dunked the ball during warmups and was assesed a technical.

“He had the dunk in warmups. Said he didn’t know the rule, and I didn’t make a big deal,” said Tinkle. “I said, ‘Ok now you do,’ and I think he felt like he might have let us down a little bit.

“But the second half he sure answered. You know, he just came off the bench and made some great effort and energy plays for us, and took two charges, attacked the basket, had some nice passes, great rebounds,” said Tinkle.

“I like what I see at that small forward spot for us.”

• Junior guard Andrew Johnson did not officially suit up for Friday’s 83-61 win over Northwest College.
Tinkle indicated that Johnson would likely be ready to play Wednesday against the College of Great Falls.