By JACOB HANSEN Staff Writer
Aired as the ROOT Sports Great Northwest Athletic Conference Game of the Week, the men’s basketball team defeated GNAC rival Saint Martin’s University 66-56 on Feb. 11 — a win that clinched the conference’s first berth to this year’s GNAC tournament. The No. 15 Wolves are now the highest-ranked West Coast team in this week’s poll.
“To be in the Top 20 nationally is a great honor not only for the program, but for the university as well,” said Head Coach Brady Bergeson. “Our guys have worked hard all season and to be recognized on a national stage is such an honor.”
Bergeson was featured in Monday’s edition (Feb. 16) of the Orange County Register, which is a newspaper that serves the Southern California communities of Anaheim, Long Beach, San Juan Capistrano and more. Bergeson’s career, family and team at Western are referenced in the article.
The Wolves (21-3 overall, 13-1 GNAC) were once again lead by offensive juggernaut forward Andy Avgi who was 10-of-11 from the field and had a game-high 22 points. Avgi has scored double figures in 23-of-24 games this season alone and has scored 1,130 points during his 71-game career as a Wolf.
Guard Julian Nichols did his part contributing 11 points, four rebounds and four assists. Forwards Marwan Sarhan and Lewis Thomas had eight rebounds a piece. Sarhan had eight points of his own.
“Just look at what the big men did, they really pulled though,” Nichols said.
Nichols ranks second in the GNAC in both assists per game (with an average of 6.0) and in free-throw percentage, hitting 86.7 percent (72-for-83) of his shots when fouled.
As a team, Western combined to shoot 26-for-51 (51 percent) from the field which included 61.5 percent (16-for-25) in the first half. The Wolves also shot a combined 3-for-15 (20 percent) from beyond the three-point line and 11-of-17 (64.7 percent) at the free throw line.
The Wolves hosted Western Washington on Thursday, Feb. 19 (The Journal went to print before the end of the game). For the final home game of the season, the Wolves host Simon Fraser Saturday, Feb. 21 at 4 p.m. for Senior Night, honoring their four seniors.
“We have to keep the streak going,” Sarhan said. “All of the faculty and staff will be there and we want as many students as possible to come too. These are big.”
