14
WEÓNESÓAy, NovEMbcR 28 , 2001
NICK BARRON
Staff Writer
If every week could go as
the first one did for Clacka
mas’ men’s basketball team,
the 2001-2002 season could be
very exciting.
To begin the year, the Cou
gars hosted Linfield College’s
junior varsity on Nov. 20.
Clackamas frustrated Linfield
from the very beginning of the
game with their full-court
press and fast-paced offense.
At the end of the first half,
Clackamas led by a score of
59-41.
When the second half be
gan, the Cougars went on an
11-3 run, increasing their
lead over Linfield to 70-44.
The onslaught continued
throughout the second half,
with Clackamas leading by as
much as 46 points before
Linfield was able to put some
points on the board. When the
final buzzer sounded, the
Cougars owned a 123-97 vic
tory in front of their home
crowd.
After Clackamas devoured
Linfield, they traveled to
Longview, Washington, for
the Red Devil Classic Tour
nament, which took place on
Nov. 23-25. The opening
round game featured Clacka
mas against Bellevue Commu
nity College, with Clackamas
again slaughtering their oppo
nent, 90-63. Michael Kuebler
led the Cougars in scoring
with 43 points, while Mat
Sports
men bust out
The CI ac I< amas P rint
Tondreau was first in re
bounds for the team with 10.
Clackamas’ offense was fueled
by the 10 for 17 shooting
from beyond the three-point
line, of which Kuebler made
six.
Next up for the Cougars
were the Penguins of Clark
College, a team that proved
no less a foe than Bellevue.
Clackamas captured the semi
final match, 104-78, led by
Marvin Noble Jr.’s 25 points
and Tondreau’s 24 points.
Tondreau was six of eight
from the field and four of five
from beyond the arc. On the
defen
sive
Cougar
end,
scoring leader Kuebler
led the
Michael
Cougars
in steals
Kuebler
with
NICK BARRON / Clackamas Print
27.8 ppg
four,
while The Cougars'Adrian Fletcher pressures an opponent in last week's match against Linfield.
Tondreau Clackamas soundly won the game by a score of 123-97.
Kuebler was named tourna Coach Wegner said.
had two blocks to his credit. defeat them, and the Cougars
Wegner did have this to say
Matt Tabisz chipped in to claimed first place with an 80- ment Most Valuable Player for
the Classic, as he left about his team: “This is a
help Clackamas overtake 73 win.
Clackamas was led again in Longview with an 29.3 points team that runs hard, passes
Clark by making five of six
scoring by Kuebler, as the per game average. All-Tour well and can put a lot of
free throws in the game.
After their victory in the sophomore guard racked up nament honors went to points on the board.”
The next domino, that
semi-final game of the Red 31 points. Lawson Struve fol Tondreau, who averaged 15
Clackamas
must knock over is
points
and
6.3
rebounds
a
lowed
Kuebler
in
points
with
Devil Classic, only Lower Co
Warner Pacific’s junior var
lumbia College stood between 14, going two of three from game for the weekend.
Despite his team’s early suc sity team. The game takes
Clackamas and first place. The the three-point line. Evan
Cougars had their work cut Kielingwas the team leader in cess, Clackamas coach Clif place at Clackamas this, Fri
out for them, as the Red Dev rebounds with 10, as Struve Wegner is staying level day. If the Cougars play as
ils were determined to be the brought down eight for the headed when asked about the well against Warner Pacific
victors in their own tourna Cougars. Noble Jr. fed the Cougars’ chances of success as they did this past week,
ment. But Clackamas would Clackamas scoring with 10 this year. “It takes a while to Clackamas fans will have
see the other teams devejop," plenty to cheer about.
not allow Lower Columbia to assists.
Clackamas women settle for second
ELENA BORYSKA
Sports Editor
On Nov. 23-25, the
women’s basketball team was
in Vancouver, Wash, playing
in the Thanksgiving Tourna
ment hosted by Clark Col
lege.
The CCC women played
well over the weekend, but
they didn’t play great, which
'is what it would have taken
for them to win first place.
They came in second in this
tournament and lost the cham
pionship game by only one
point.
The Cougars started their
season on Friday, Nov. 23,
against Yakima Valley. Head
Basketball
Coach
Jim
Martineau was pretty pleased
with the way his team played
in their first game of the year.
The final score of this game
was 80-67, with Clackamas
coming out on top. The Cou
gars were pretty much in con
trol for most of the game and
were up by about 20 at half
time. Kayla Steen led scoring
for the Cougars with 22
points; Melissa Gibson was
second with 19, while Jennie
Kooch finished with 9 points
and 11 rebounds.
After this opening win,
Cougars into the champion
ship game on Sunday against
the tournament host, Clark.
The Cougars played really
well to start, with an eight
point lead at the half. They
had a few problems taking
care of the ball and shooting
in the second half, but were
up by four or five for most of
it. But as the game wound
down, Clark was able to turn
things around and win by one
point.
“This was a tough loss for
us, but Clark is a very good
I think eventually
team,” said Martineau. “We
we have a chance
know we can play with any
body when we play well, we
to be a very, very
just didn’t play well for the
good team.
entire game.”
Jim
Jessica Hansen finished
z
Martineau
the game with nine points and
Head Women's
six rebounds, while Melissa
Basketball
Gibson scored 10. points.
Coach
Steen had a double/double
with 22 points and 10 assists.
Her performance over the
weekend was good enough for
her to be selected to the all
scoring, this time her total was tournament team.
30 points. Lena Grant also
After his team’s opening
had an all around great game, performance, Martineau is
ending up with eight points, confident in their abilities. He
13 rebounds, four blocked even thinks that they are bet
shots and five steals.
ter than last year’s team,
This second-straight vic which had an overall record
tory of the tournament put the of 22-10.
Clackamas came back to play
Centralia College on Satur
day. CCC pulled off an easy
victory, 66-45, despite com
mitting 30 turnovers.
“We didn’t play very
good for most of the game,”
said Martineau. “Centralia is
not a great team. We probably
should have played a little
better against them.”
Steen once again led in
“We definitely have more
tal.ent than last year’s team.
And last year’s team was very
good,” said Martineau. “I
think we have more talent, but
we also have a bunch of new
people. So we’re still trying
to get used to each other and
trying to figure out who needs
to shoot the ball and who
needs to pass the ball and
kind of what their role is on
the team.”
Martineau also sees the
potential that this team has.
“I think eventually we
have a chance to be a very,
very good team. We should
compete for a league title and
do very well at the NWAACC
tournament,” said Martineau.
“It’s just a matter of getting
us to play a little bit better.
Our biggest problem right
now is we don’t take very
good care of the basketball.”
“The nice thing about this
year’s team is that we’ll have
enough talent where no mat
ter who you’re playing, you’ll
feel like you have a chance to
win,” said Martineau. “As a
coach, that’s a real good feel
ing to step on the floor and
know that you have a chance
to win every game that you
Play.”
Cougars
Basketball
Cougar men
vs.
Warner Pacific
JV
Fri. Nov. 30
5:30 p.m.
Randall Gym
Cougar women
vs.
Pierce College
Sat. Dec. 1
4:00 p.m*.
Randall Gym
•••••••••••••••
Cougar men
vs.
Linfield JV
Mon. Dec. 3
7:00 p.m.
McMinnville, OR