Jackson returns to court with better feel for the game
By Rhiannon Potkey
Saturday, January 2, 2010
Injuries had never sidelined Lorne Jackson (Simi Valley) for very long.
The most time Jackson had ever missed from basketball was a week. But that timetable changed in a big way last season after Jackson tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his knee.
The Pepperdine sophomore was away from the game for seven months. But instead of wallowing in self-pity, Jackson decided to study. He watched as many NBA and NCAA Tournament games as he could and critiqued the games he played as a freshman.
Jackson returned to the court in October, and is gradually rounding into form.
He had a breakout pre-Christmas performance, scoring 18 points as Pepperdine snapped a seven-game losing streak with a win over Utah.
“I feel like I have improved a lot on my intelligence on the court. I have a better feel for the college game,” said Jackson, who is averaging 7.8 points and 2.6 assists per game. “I have tried to fix all the dumb mistakes I made last year and focus on not making those mistakes this year.”
Jackson spent the entire summer rehabilitating his knee after surgery so he could recover in time for the season. “It was a really different experience,” Jackson said. “I usually play through any injuries I have, but this was something I couldn’t. I am still trying to get a feel for my game completely. It’s not quite there.”
The same could be said for Pepperdine as a whole. Following a loss to Georgia last Wednesday, Pepperdine has dropped eight of its last nine games.The Waves have no seniors on the roster, and Jackson is one of 12 underclassmen.
“I think we are still very immature,” Jackson said. “A lot of games we have played we look back and had a lead at halftime and after halftime we just let up and the other teams go on a run. We couldn’t answer, and that is just something we have to fix.”
Jackson hopes the Waves will soon begin to showcase growth. They host Miami today at Firestone Fieldhouse before beginning West Coast Conference play on Saturday.
“It has been very frustrating,” Jackson said. “But the coaches are on us to keep our heads up and telling us how important it is for us to stay together and stay focused.”
Local Gauchos honored: Four area players have been named to the UC Santa Barbara All-Decade teams in their respective sports.
Branduinn Fullove (Simi Valley) was named to the All-Decade men’s basketball team. Fullove was a four-year All-Big West Conference selection and was named the conference’s Player of the Year in 2002-03. He is one of just two players to rank in the top 10 in scoring (seventh, 1,411 points) and assists (ninth, 272). © 2010 Scripps Newspaper Group — Online
Men's Basketball Hosts Miami on Sunday
Courtesy: Pepperdine Sports Information
Release: 01/01/2010
Pepperdine Men's Basketball Notes
THE FACTS - The Pepperdine men's basketball team closes out its non-conference season and kicks off 2010 with a home contest against Miami (Fla.) on Sunday afternoon. At 13-1, the Hurricanes have one of the best winning percentages in the country. This is the start of a four-game homestand, as Pepperdine plays its first three West Coast Conference games in Firestone Fieldhouse.
GAME #16 - Sunday (Jan. 3) at Firestone Fieldhouse: Pepperdine (4-11) vs. Miami (Fla.) (13-1) at 4 p.m.
ON THE WEB - Subscribers to "Wave Casts" can catch all Pepperdine men's basketball games on the internet at www.pepperdinesports.com. Veteran play-by-play man Al Epstein, now in his 25th season with the Waves, is behind the microphone. Home games will have live audio and video, while road games will be audio only. Go to the Pepperdine Athletics website and look for the Wave Casts link. An annual pass costs $69.95 and monthly subscriptions are also available. Live statistics will be available for all home matches free of charge, and links are provided to the home team's website when the Waves are on the road.
PROMOTIONS - For the Miami game, groups of 15 or more can purchase general admission tickets for $5 each ... If the Waves score 75 points or more in an upcoming home game, certificates will be given out afterward for a free piece of grilled chicken from the KFC in Malibu.TICKETS - Men's basketball single-game tickets cost $15 (lower reserved), $12 (upper reserved), $10 (adult general admission) or $5 (child general admission). Call (866) WAVE-TIX to purchase tickets.
MIAMI - Pepperdine and Miami have only met once before, a 93-90 overtime victory for the Waves in December 1969. The game was played at El Camino College. Miami's Charles Gay made a lay-up at the end of regulation to send the game to overtime. But Pepperdine's Herb Andrews scored all seven of his points in overtime to help the Waves to the win. Steve Sims led Pepperdine with 26 points, while Miami's Wayne Canaday led all scorers with 27 points.
LAST GAME - Jonathan Dupre' scored a team-best 14 points but Pepperdine's cross-country trip resulted in a 64-47 loss at Georgia on Wednesday (Dec. 30). The Waves had a cold night from the field and that resulted in a season-low point total, as they shot 34.6% overall and 26.3% on three-pointers. Dupre', who made six of his 10 shots after coming off the bench, was the only Pepperdine player to score in double-figures. Pepperdine surrendered its fewest points to an opponent this season (tied) but Georgia shot 46.4% from the field and had a 43-28 rebounding edge.
ROSTER - There are no seniors on the 2009-10 squad, and 12 of the 16 players are underclassmen. The roster features four juniors, seven sophomores and five true freshmen. Pepperdine does return 11 letterwinners from last season (believed to be among the most in school history). Twelve players are on scholarship and four are walk-ons.SOPHOMORE SCORERS - Last season, Pepperdine's eight-man freshman class scored more than half of the Waves' points (57.4%). So far, the now-sophomore class has contributed 66.9% of Pepperdine's scoring. The sophomores have been the top-scoring class in every game this season.
KEION BELL - Sophomore guard Keion Bell has been one of the most exciting and prolific players on the West Coast in 2009-10. He is currently averaging 19.7 points, 5.2 rebounds and 3.8 assists. He ranked as high as ninth nationally in scoring last month, and until about a week ago, he was one of just two players in the country averaging at least 20 points, five rebounds and four assists. Bell has scored more than 20 points in eight games this season, including a career-high 34 against Monmouth. He's been in double-figures in every game but two. At the pace he's on, he could become Pepperdine's 35th 1,000-point scorer by the end of his sophomore season (he's got 707). Prior to Wednesday's game at Georgia, in the WCC rankings, Bell was second in scoring, second in steals, fourth in assists, 10th in minutes, 12th in field goal percentage, 13th in free throw percentage and 16th in rebounding,
MYCHEL THOMPSON - Junior forward Mychel Thompson was selected as team captain for 2009-10 after a landslide vote by his teammates. He is Pepperdine's only player that has been with the team for two full seasons. Thompson is averaging 11.1 points this season (second-best on the team) and 9.3 points for his career, and has made 106 career three-pointers (he needs 113 to break into the school's top 10). He's been in double-figures in six of the last eight games (averaging 14.3 ppg over that span), including a career-high-tying 25 vs. Utah.
DANE SUTTLE JR. - Sophomore guard/forward Dane Suttle Jr., third-best on the team at 10.6 points per game, is one of the conference's best three-point shooters so far this season. The sophomore wing is averaging 2.1 per game (fifth in the WCC as of last week) and making 46.0% of them (29-for-63, sixth in the WCC as of last week).REBOUNDING - Rebounding is one area where the Waves are showing improvement over previous years. Last season the team had a negative-1.4 rebound margin, but this season it's at a positive 2.8. Pepperdine has had as many rebounds or more than opponents in 10 of 15 games this season. The last time the Waves finished a season with a positive rebounding margin was 2000-01.
2009-10 HONORS - Keion Bell was named to the preseason All-WCC first team ... Bell was named MVP of the World Vision Challenge at Wyoming and Dane Suttle Jr. also made the all-tournament team ... The Waves were also the team champion at the World Vision Challenge.
RETURNERS - Four of the five starters from last year's team return (Keion Bell, Taylor Darby, Corbin Moore and Mychel Thompson). Pepperdine's returning players account for 82.5% percent of last year's scoring (1629/1974), 88.3% of the rebounds (919/1041), 65.4% of the assists (223/341), 95.0% of the blocked shots (96/101) and 77.2% of the steals (166/215).NON-CONFERENCE SCHEDULE - Tom Asbury believes in preparing his team for league play with a difficult non-conference slate of games, and so that's what the Waves are in the midst of. The Waves play six games against non-conference teams that took part in the postseason last year: Portland State, UCLA and Utah made the NCAA Tournament, Miami (Fla.) was in the NIT, Wyoming was in the College Basketball Invitational and Pacific was in the inaugural CollegeInsider.com Tournament. Nine of the 16 non-conference games are at home.
WCC PRESEASON POLL - According to the WCC's coaches, the Waves are predicted to finish seventh in the conference. Their poll went in the following order: Gonzaga, Portland, Saint Mary's, San Francisco and Santa Clara (tied), San Diego, Pepperdine and Loyola Marymount. Several national publications and websites have differing opinions on the Waves, including fourth (The Sporting News), fifth (The Sports Network), sixth (Athlon and Lindy's) and seventh (Rivals.com, CBSSports.com and CollegeHoops.net).TELEVISION - The Waves are slated to appear on television several times once again in 2009-10. Six games will be shown locally - Nov. 23 at UCLA on Fox Sports West, Jan. 14 vs. Santa Clara on ESPNU, Jan. 21 at Gonzaga on Prime Ticket (delayed), Jan. 30 vs. San Diego on Prime Ticket, Feb. 18 vs. Portland on Prime Ticket and Feb. 20 vs. Gonzaga on Fox Sports West.
YOUTUBE SENSATION - Keion Bell, a preseason All-WCC first team selection, got Pepperdine a ton of publicity in mid-October. At Blue & Orange Madness, Pepperdine's event to kick off the start of practice, the sophomore guard finished up the dunk contest by leaping over five teammates and slamming it home. A Pepperdine fan happened to record the dunk on his iPhone and uploaded it onto YouTube. It quickly spread around the internet and at last check had nearly 1.1 million hits. ESPN's SportsCenter picked up the video and made the dunk the #2 Play of the Day.
TOM ASBURY - Now in his second stint in charge of the Waves is coaching great Tom Asbury. He returned to Malibu prior to the 2008-09 campaign to become the Waves' head coach again after 14 seasons away. Asbury was previously at Pepperdine for nine years as an assistant coach (1980-88) and then the next six as the head coach (1989-94). He went on to serve as head coach at Kansas State from 1995-2000 and was an assistant coach at Alabama from 2004-07. Asbury went 125-59 (.679) in his first head coaching job at Pepperdine and took the Waves to the postseason five times in six years with three NCAA Tournament appearances (1991, '92, '94) and two in the NIT (1989, '93). Pepperdine won three regular-season WCC titles and the school's only three WCC Tournament championships came under Asbury. Prior to the start of the 2009-10 season, his seven-year record at Pepperdine was 134-82 (.620) and his 13-year record as a head coach was 219-170 (.563).ASSISTANTS - Upon his return, Tom Asbury wanted to find assistants with a passion for Pepperdine and an understanding of its mission, so he turned to three former student-athletes. It's believed that Duke and Pepperdine have the only two college basketball staffs where the assistant coaches are all alums. Associate head coach Marty Wilson (1985-89) and assistant coaches Damin Lopez (1990-94) and Will Kimble (2001-03) played in three different eras, all successful. In the 13 seasons that made up their playing careers, Pepperdine went a combined 261-135 (.659), had 12 winning seasons, won six WCC regular-season titles and three WCC tournament titles, and made six NCAA Tournaments and four NITs.
ONE RECRUIT - There are no seniors on the roster but Pepperdine had one scholarship to offer for 2010-11. During the early signing period, they inked Hector Harold, a 6-foot-6 small forward from the Northfield Mount Hermon (Mass.) School. He was given a rating of 88 out of 100 by ESPN.com's recruiting site and is considered one of the top seniors in New England. He is originally from Pasadena, Calif.LAST SEASON - Tom Asbury's return to Pepperdine brought much-needed stability to the program in his first season back. With only five players returning, Asbury and his new staff brought in 10 newcomers well after the regular letter-of-intent signing period. The young Waves posted a 9-23 overall record but got much better as the year went on, placing sixth in the WCC with a 5-9 record and winning a first-round game at the WCC Tournament. Keion Bell was named to the WCC All-Freshman team after averaging a team-best 12.9 ppg.
PEPPERDINE HISTORY - This is the 72nd season of Pepperdine basketball, and the Waves opened 2009-10 with an all-time record of 1,111-910 (.550). Pepperdine has been to the NCAA Tournament 13 times (last in 2002), and has won 12 West Coast Conference regular-season titles (last in 2002) and three WCC Tournament crowns (last in 1994).BEST IN THE WEST - Pepperdine has long been one of the top Division I programs on the West Coast. Over the 31-season period from the 1978-79 season through the 2008-09 campaign, of the 32 schools that currently play Division I basketball in California, Oregon or Washington, the Waves began the 2009-10 season ranking third overall in postseason appearances (16) and fifth in both wins (525) and winning percentage (.565) over the past 31 years.
WAVES IN THE PROS - This is the 34th consecutive season where at least one Pepperdine alum has been on an NBA roster. Currently in the NBA is Yakhouba Diawara, now in his fourth season overall and his second with the Miami Heat. A total of 16 former Pepperdine players have gone on to play in the NBA, most notably Dennis Johnson (the 1979 NBA Finals MVP) and Doug Christie (a 15-year NBA veteran who was a mainstay on the All-Defensive Team). Some recent standouts have been playing in foreign countries, including Alex Acker (Italy), Tezale Archie (Netherlands), Brandon Armstrong (Venezuela), Gerald Brown (Poland), Jelani Gardner (Greece), Kelvin Gibbs (Germany), Chase Griffin (Germany), Dana Jones (Switzerland) and Glen McGowan (Dominican Republic). Robert "Hollywood" Turner, formerly a member of the Harlem Globetrotters, is now playing in Finland.
ABOUT PEPPERDINE - Pepperdine boasts a one-of-a-kind athletic department with unprecedented success for a school of its size. The Waves have won a total of nine NCAA championships in five different men's sports - one of just 14 schools to have accomplished this feat. Of the 14, Pepperdine is the only non-BCS school and has by far the smallest enrollment. The majority of Pepperdine's teams are ranked nationally year after year and compete for conference and national titles.
Kelvin Gibbs (Germany)
Shooting Guard 6-7, 250 Pepperdine (Senior) Hometown: Bellflower, CA
Ranks #14 in Field Goals Attempted (11.6)
Ranks #8 in Defensive Rebounds (5.4)
Ranks #18 in Total Rebounds (6.2)
Ranks #21 in Assists (2.7)
Ranks #15 in Blocked Shots (0.8)
Ranks #18 in Minutes (31.7)
Shooting Guard 6-7, 250 Pepperdine (Senior) Hometown: Bellflower, CA
Ranks #14 in Field Goals Attempted (11.6)
Ranks #8 in Defensive Rebounds (5.4)
Ranks #18 in Total Rebounds (6.2)
Ranks #21 in Assists (2.7)
Ranks #15 in Blocked Shots (0.8)
Ranks #18 in Minutes (31.7)
National Leagues
Pepperdine U.
NCAA
1999
Pepperdine U.
NCAA
2000
Pepperdine U.
NCAA
2001
Hasselt BT / Houthalen
Belgique BLB
2002
Limoges Cercle St. Pierre
France LNB ProA
2004
Hapoel Tel Aviv
Israel Premier League
2005
Darussafaka Estambul Spor Kulubu
Turkiye TBL
2006
Samara BK
Russia Superleague
2007
Universitet Surgut
Russia Superleague
2008
Olimpiada Patron AEP
Hellas ESAKE
2008
Ludwisburg EnBW
Pepperdine U.
NCAA
1999
Pepperdine U.
NCAA
2000
Pepperdine U.
NCAA
2001
Hasselt BT / Houthalen
Belgique BLB
2002
Limoges Cercle St. Pierre
France LNB ProA
2004
Hapoel Tel Aviv
Israel Premier League
2005
Darussafaka Estambul Spor Kulubu
Turkiye TBL
2006
Samara BK
Russia Superleague
2007
Universitet Surgut
Russia Superleague
2008
Olimpiada Patron AEP
Hellas ESAKE
2008
Ludwisburg EnBW
2009
CSK-VVS Samara trailed in the first half but fought back and thrashed Keravnos to capture the EuroCup Challenge title.
Pepperdine, the West Coast Conference regular-season champion, joined the Bulldogs with three first-team selections.Pepperdine placed seniors Tezale Archie and Kelvin Gibbs plus sophomore Brandon Armstrong on the list for the first time.
San Francisco senior center Kenyon Jones earned the Player of the Year honor, becoming the first Don since Quintin Dailey in 1982 to sit atop the league. The league's rebounding leader (9.1 rpg) enters the WCC tournament ranked #2 in scoring (16.8) and #3 in field goal percentage (59.8%).
San Diego head coach Brad Holland gained his colleagues' approval as Coach of the Year for the second season in succession, the first time a head man won back-to-back awards since Pepperdine's Tom Asbury in '91 and '92.
Waves' Trip to Georgia Ends in 64-47 Loss
Courtesy: Pepperdine Sports Information
Release: 12/30/2009
Pepperdine-Georgia Box Score
ATHENS, Ga. - Junior forward Jonathan Dupre' scored a team-best 14 points but the Pepperdine men's basketball team's cross-country trip resulted in a 64-47 loss at Georgia on Wednesday.
The Waves (4-11) had a cold night from the field and that resulted in a season-low point total. They shot 34.6% overall and 26.3% on three-pointers.
Dupre' (Houston, Texas/Collin County CC), who made six of his 10 shots after coming off the bench, was the only Pepperdine player to score in double-figures.
Georgia (7-4), which shot 46.4% from the field and had a 43-28 rebounding edge, got a team-best 14 points from Travis Leslie.
The Waves took their only lead of the game at 6-5 with 16:26 to play in the first half after junior forward Mychel Thompson (Portland, Ore./Stoneridge Prep) hit a three-pointer and sophomore forward Taylor Darby (San Marcos, Calif./Mission Hills HS) made one of two free throws.
Pepperdine pulled within five at 24-19 after a three-pointer by sophomore forward Dane Suttle Jr. (Los Angeles, Calif./Summit College Prep), but Georgia closed out the first half on a 9-2 run to build a 33-21 lead at halftime. The Bulldogs then led by as many as 23 in the second half.
The Waves were playing their first game in a week after beating Utah, a 2009 NCAA Tournament team, 76-64 at home last Wednesday. This was just the third time Pepperdine and Georgia had met (the Bulldogs won both previous meetings earlier this decade). Georgia Coach Mark Fox was an assistant coach to Pepperdine's Tom Asbury when Asbury was the head coach at Kansas State.
Pepperdine finishes non-conference play with its first game of 2010 this Sunday (Jan. 3) against Miami (Fla.) at 4 p.m. in Firestone Fieldhouse. Fans can watch the webcast and listen to Al Epstein's broadcast at http://www.pepperdinesports.com/?DB_OEM_ID=18500 with a subscription to Wave Casts.
Pepperdine Team Report
Yahoo! Sports Dec 29, 3:06 am EST
GETTING INSIDE
Pepperdine seemed headed for another dismal season through its first 14 games.
Preseason hopes that the Waves’ young team would show significant improvement in 2009-2010 were being erased as the the losing streak reached seven games with a 13-point loss to UC Irvine on Dec. 21.
Then, two days later, the entire impression of Pepperdine changed when the Waves beat Utah by 12 points.
The Utes are not as good as they have been in recent seasons, but they have victories over Illinois and Michigan, and they figured to handle the fading Waves.
But Pepperdine’s victory cast a new light on the Waves, especially with so many West Coast Conference teams appearing vulnerable.
If the performance against Utah was not a fluke—and that’s a big if—Pepperdine might have turned a corner and could challenge to finish in the top half of the WCC standings.
The play of sophomore Lorne Jackson might be the key.
Coach Tom Asbury knew when the season began that point guard play would be pivotal and that he had no immediate answers.
Freshman Joshua Lowery began the season playing the point, but when he got hurt, Jackson regained the starting point guard spot, a position he held much of last season with limited success.
Asbury expected to get sufficient offense from Keion Bell and Mychel Thompson, and they have delivered, but Jackson had been inconsistent, committing too many turnovers.
Part of Jackson’s struggles might have resulted from the fact that he had offseason knee surgery and was not cleared to begin practicing until right before the first preseason practice, putting him behind.
Jackson had five assists and only one turnover against Monmouth, a major reason Pepperdine won that game. But that was the last time Pepperdine won a game until the win over Utah.
Against the Utes, Jackson had a season-high 18 points while hitting five of seven shots from the floor, including three of four 3-pointers. Just as significant was that he took care of the ball.
In the previous game against UC Irvine, Jackson had no assists and five turnovers, but against Utah, Jackson had four assists and three turnovers.
If Jackson can continue that level of play, the Waves can compete against most WCC teams. The question is whether Jackson can do it on a consistent basis.
The next two games against Georgia and Miami (Fla.) might indicate whether Jackson can be the point guard Asbury has been seeking.
NOTES, QUOTES
• Pepperdine is a better rebounding team this season. It outrebounded Utah by 18 boards in the Waves’ Dec. 23 victory, and it is outrebounding opponents by an average of 4.1 boards a game as of Dec. 28.
• Pepperdine is in the midst of an 11-game stretch in which it plays nine games at home. The Waves are 0-4 on their opponents’ home court, so the Waves need to benefit from this stretch, which ends with a Jan. 14 home game against Santa Clara.
January At A Glance: The Waves play their first four games in January at home, and that includes their first three conference games against teams the Waves could, and perhaps should, beat: Loyola Marymount, Santa Clara and San Francisco. It is a perfect opportunity for the Waves to gain some confidence and momentum. A 3-0 start in the West Coast Conference is well within reach. They need to go at least 2-1 in that stretch because road games against Gonzaga and Portland follow, and the season could spin out of control in a hurry.
Quote To Note: “It feels good to beat a good team. We played really well on the defensive end. Because we defended well and rebounded well, that let us keep our lead throughout the game.”—Pepperdine C Corbin Moore, after the Dec. 23 victory over Utah.
STRATEGY AND PERSONNEL
Season Recap: The victory over Utah on Dec. 23 was a big one and seemed to come out of nowhere. The Waves had lost seven in a row, including a home loss to California Baptist, and they appeared to be getting worse until the Utah game. The Waves played their best game of the season against the Utes, with Pepperdine’s defense and rebounding being the key elements.
Player Rotation: Usual Starters—G Keion Bell, F Mychel Thompson, F Jonathan DuPre, F Taylor Darby, G Lorne Jackson. Key Subs—F Dane Suttle Jr., G Joshua Lowery, F Gus Clardy, C Corbin Moore.
Game Review:
New Mexico State 78, Pepperdine 72
UC Irvine 74, Pepperdine 61
Pepperdine 76, Utah 64
Game Preview:
at Georgia, Wednesday, Dec. 30
vs. Miami (Fla.), Sunday, Jan. 3
vs. Loyola Marymount, Saturday, Jan. 9
vs. Santa Clara, Thursday, Jan. 14
vs. San Francisco, Saturday, Jan. 16
In Focus: To avoid having the confidence gained with the victory over Utah snuffed out, the Waves need to be competitive in the Dec. 30 game at Georgia and the Jan. 2 home game against Miami (Fla.). The Bulldogs are not great, but they have won five in a row at home, and they have a big man—6-foot-9 Trey Tompkins—who will be difficult to handle. Miami is considerably more talented than Pepperdine and will no doubt be 13-1 when it faces the Waves. There is the potential for the Waves to absorb two blowout losses, so simply being in the game in the second half of either will constitute a victory of sorts.
Roster Report:
• Freshman G Joshua Lowery has not played much since an ankle injury sidelined him for two games. He started the seven games before that, but he has not scored a point in the five games since returning, going 0-for-6 from the floor.
• Keion Bell was shooting well over 50 percent for the first 10 games, a dramatic improvement from last season, but in the past four games, ending with the Dec. 23 game against Utah, Bell is 22-for-62 from the field (35.5 percent).
• Mychel Thompson tied a career high with his 25 points in the Dec. 23 game against Utah.
Courtesy: Pepperdine Sports Information
Release: 12/30/2009
Pepperdine-Georgia Box Score
ATHENS, Ga. - Junior forward Jonathan Dupre' scored a team-best 14 points but the Pepperdine men's basketball team's cross-country trip resulted in a 64-47 loss at Georgia on Wednesday.
The Waves (4-11) had a cold night from the field and that resulted in a season-low point total. They shot 34.6% overall and 26.3% on three-pointers.Dupre' (Houston, Texas/Collin County CC), who made six of his 10 shots after coming off the bench, was the only Pepperdine player to score in double-figures.
Georgia (7-4), which shot 46.4% from the field and had a 43-28 rebounding edge, got a team-best 14 points from Travis Leslie.
The Waves took their only lead of the game at 6-5 with 16:26 to play in the first half after junior forward Mychel Thompson (Portland, Ore./Stoneridge Prep) hit a three-pointer and sophomore forward Taylor Darby (San Marcos, Calif./Mission Hills HS) made one of two free throws.
Pepperdine pulled within five at 24-19 after a three-pointer by sophomore forward Dane Suttle Jr. (Los Angeles, Calif./Summit College Prep), but Georgia closed out the first half on a 9-2 run to build a 33-21 lead at halftime. The Bulldogs then led by as many as 23 in the second half.The Waves were playing their first game in a week after beating Utah, a 2009 NCAA Tournament team, 76-64 at home last Wednesday. This was just the third time Pepperdine and Georgia had met (the Bulldogs won both previous meetings earlier this decade). Georgia Coach Mark Fox was an assistant coach to Pepperdine's Tom Asbury when Asbury was the head coach at Kansas State.
Pepperdine finishes non-conference play with its first game of 2010 this Sunday (Jan. 3) against Miami (Fla.) at 4 p.m. in Firestone Fieldhouse. Fans can watch the webcast and listen to Al Epstein's broadcast at http://www.pepperdinesports.com/?DB_OEM_ID=18500 with a subscription to Wave Casts.
Pepperdine Team Report
Yahoo! Sports Dec 29, 3:06 am EST
GETTING INSIDE
Pepperdine seemed headed for another dismal season through its first 14 games.
Preseason hopes that the Waves’ young team would show significant improvement in 2009-2010 were being erased as the the losing streak reached seven games with a 13-point loss to UC Irvine on Dec. 21.
Then, two days later, the entire impression of Pepperdine changed when the Waves beat Utah by 12 points.
The Utes are not as good as they have been in recent seasons, but they have victories over Illinois and Michigan, and they figured to handle the fading Waves.
But Pepperdine’s victory cast a new light on the Waves, especially with so many West Coast Conference teams appearing vulnerable.
If the performance against Utah was not a fluke—and that’s a big if—Pepperdine might have turned a corner and could challenge to finish in the top half of the WCC standings.
The play of sophomore Lorne Jackson might be the key.
Coach Tom Asbury knew when the season began that point guard play would be pivotal and that he had no immediate answers.
Freshman Joshua Lowery began the season playing the point, but when he got hurt, Jackson regained the starting point guard spot, a position he held much of last season with limited success.
Asbury expected to get sufficient offense from Keion Bell and Mychel Thompson, and they have delivered, but Jackson had been inconsistent, committing too many turnovers.
Part of Jackson’s struggles might have resulted from the fact that he had offseason knee surgery and was not cleared to begin practicing until right before the first preseason practice, putting him behind.
Jackson had five assists and only one turnover against Monmouth, a major reason Pepperdine won that game. But that was the last time Pepperdine won a game until the win over Utah.
Against the Utes, Jackson had a season-high 18 points while hitting five of seven shots from the floor, including three of four 3-pointers. Just as significant was that he took care of the ball.
In the previous game against UC Irvine, Jackson had no assists and five turnovers, but against Utah, Jackson had four assists and three turnovers.
If Jackson can continue that level of play, the Waves can compete against most WCC teams. The question is whether Jackson can do it on a consistent basis.
The next two games against Georgia and Miami (Fla.) might indicate whether Jackson can be the point guard Asbury has been seeking.
NOTES, QUOTES
• Pepperdine is a better rebounding team this season. It outrebounded Utah by 18 boards in the Waves’ Dec. 23 victory, and it is outrebounding opponents by an average of 4.1 boards a game as of Dec. 28.
• Pepperdine is in the midst of an 11-game stretch in which it plays nine games at home. The Waves are 0-4 on their opponents’ home court, so the Waves need to benefit from this stretch, which ends with a Jan. 14 home game against Santa Clara.
January At A Glance: The Waves play their first four games in January at home, and that includes their first three conference games against teams the Waves could, and perhaps should, beat: Loyola Marymount, Santa Clara and San Francisco. It is a perfect opportunity for the Waves to gain some confidence and momentum. A 3-0 start in the West Coast Conference is well within reach. They need to go at least 2-1 in that stretch because road games against Gonzaga and Portland follow, and the season could spin out of control in a hurry.
Quote To Note: “It feels good to beat a good team. We played really well on the defensive end. Because we defended well and rebounded well, that let us keep our lead throughout the game.”—Pepperdine C Corbin Moore, after the Dec. 23 victory over Utah.
STRATEGY AND PERSONNEL
Season Recap: The victory over Utah on Dec. 23 was a big one and seemed to come out of nowhere. The Waves had lost seven in a row, including a home loss to California Baptist, and they appeared to be getting worse until the Utah game. The Waves played their best game of the season against the Utes, with Pepperdine’s defense and rebounding being the key elements.
Player Rotation: Usual Starters—G Keion Bell, F Mychel Thompson, F Jonathan DuPre, F Taylor Darby, G Lorne Jackson. Key Subs—F Dane Suttle Jr., G Joshua Lowery, F Gus Clardy, C Corbin Moore.
Game Review:
New Mexico State 78, Pepperdine 72
UC Irvine 74, Pepperdine 61
Pepperdine 76, Utah 64
Game Preview:
at Georgia, Wednesday, Dec. 30
vs. Miami (Fla.), Sunday, Jan. 3
vs. Loyola Marymount, Saturday, Jan. 9
vs. Santa Clara, Thursday, Jan. 14
vs. San Francisco, Saturday, Jan. 16
In Focus: To avoid having the confidence gained with the victory over Utah snuffed out, the Waves need to be competitive in the Dec. 30 game at Georgia and the Jan. 2 home game against Miami (Fla.). The Bulldogs are not great, but they have won five in a row at home, and they have a big man—6-foot-9 Trey Tompkins—who will be difficult to handle. Miami is considerably more talented than Pepperdine and will no doubt be 13-1 when it faces the Waves. There is the potential for the Waves to absorb two blowout losses, so simply being in the game in the second half of either will constitute a victory of sorts.
Roster Report:
• Freshman G Joshua Lowery has not played much since an ankle injury sidelined him for two games. He started the seven games before that, but he has not scored a point in the five games since returning, going 0-for-6 from the floor.
• Keion Bell was shooting well over 50 percent for the first 10 games, a dramatic improvement from last season, but in the past four games, ending with the Dec. 23 game against Utah, Bell is 22-for-62 from the field (35.5 percent).
• Mychel Thompson tied a career high with his 25 points in the Dec. 23 game against Utah.
Georgia 64, Pepperdine 47
Team Stat Comparison
PEPPERDINE
GEORGIA
Points
47
64
FG Made-Attempted
18-52 (.346)
26-56 (.464)
3P Made-Attempted
5-19 (.263)
4-11 (.364)
FT Made-Attempted
6-9 (.667)
8-16 (.500)
Rebounds (Offensive-Total)
10-28
17-43
Assists
10
11
Game Leaders
PEPPERDINE
GEORGIA
Points
J. Dupre' 14
T. Leslie 14
Rebounds
T. Darby 6
T. Thompkins 13
Assists
M. Thompson 3
T. Thompkins 2
Steals
M. Thompson 2
T. Leslie 2
Blocks
M. Thompson 1
J. Price 2
Team Stats: Pepperdine Georgia
Dec 30, 2009
UGA 64, PEPP 47
Recap Box Score
Complete Schedule: Pepperdine Georgia
Team Stat Comparison
PEPPERDINE
GEORGIA
Points
47
64
FG Made-Attempted
18-52 (.346)
26-56 (.464)
3P Made-Attempted
5-19 (.263)
4-11 (.364)
FT Made-Attempted
6-9 (.667)
8-16 (.500)
Rebounds (Offensive-Total)
10-28
17-43
Assists
10
11
Game Leaders
PEPPERDINE
GEORGIA
Points
J. Dupre' 14
T. Leslie 14
Rebounds
T. Darby 6
T. Thompkins 13
Assists
M. Thompson 3
T. Thompkins 2
Steals
M. Thompson 2
T. Leslie 2
Blocks
M. Thompson 1
J. Price 2
Team Stats: Pepperdine Georgia
Dec 30, 2009
UGA 64, PEPP 47
Recap Box Score
Complete Schedule: Pepperdine Georgia
Associated Press
ATHENS, Ga. -- Travis Leslie scored 14 points and Georgia defeated Pepperdine 64-47 on Wednesday night.
The Bulldogs (7-4) trailed 6-5 early, but led the rest of the game.
Trey Thompkins scored 12 points and grabbed 13 rebounds for Georgia, and Ricky McPhee added 10 points.
Georgia outrebounded the Waves 43-28 and held Pepperdine to 35 percent shooting (18 of 51).
The Waves pulled within 24-19 on Dane Suttle's 3 with 4:58 left in the first half. But the Bulldogs closed out the half with a 9-2 run to take a 33-21 halftime lead.
Georgia used a 10-4 run early in the second half to take 43-25 lead with 16:11 to play.
Ebuka Anyaorah gave the Bulldogs their biggest lead of the game, 58-35, on a free throw with 7:07 remaining.
Jonathan Dupre scored 14 points off the bench for the Waves (4-11), who lost for the eighth time in nine games.
ATHENS, Ga. -- Travis Leslie scored 14 points and Georgia defeated Pepperdine 64-47 on Wednesday night.
The Bulldogs (7-4) trailed 6-5 early, but led the rest of the game.
Trey Thompkins scored 12 points and grabbed 13 rebounds for Georgia, and Ricky McPhee added 10 points.
Georgia outrebounded the Waves 43-28 and held Pepperdine to 35 percent shooting (18 of 51).
The Waves pulled within 24-19 on Dane Suttle's 3 with 4:58 left in the first half. But the Bulldogs closed out the half with a 9-2 run to take a 33-21 halftime lead.
Georgia used a 10-4 run early in the second half to take 43-25 lead with 16:11 to play.
Ebuka Anyaorah gave the Bulldogs their biggest lead of the game, 58-35, on a free throw with 7:07 remaining.
Jonathan Dupre scored 14 points off the bench for the Waves (4-11), who lost for the eighth time in nine games.
Miami Defeats Bethune-Cookman to Improve to 13-1
Malcolm Grant hits a three for the 14th-straight game to tie for 10th place in UM history.
Adrian Thomas went 3-of-4 from long range for his eighth-straight game with a three-pointer.
Dec. 30, 2009
Box Score Postgame Notes (PDF)
CORAL GABLES, Fla. (AP) - James Dews scored 12 points to lead the Miami men's basketball team over Bethune-Cookman, 73-55, on Wednesday night at the BankUnited Center.
Dews, Garrius Adams and Malcolm Grant each hit 3-pointers during a 13-2 spurt, which helped Miami build a 33-21 lead late in the first half. Grant's conversion behind the arc with 3:30 remaining capped the run.
Adams, Dews and Grant also hit 3-pointers in the first 7:59 of the second half, helping the Hurricanes (13-1) increase their lead to 49-31.
Grant has converted a three-point basket in all 14 games this season -- the second-longest active streak in the ACC and tied for the 10th longest in school history.
The Wildcats (7-6) stayed within striking distance of the Hurricanes most of the first half. Jarrell Thomas' 3-pointer with 7:24 left cut Miami's lead to 20-19.
Reed led Bethune-Cookman with 19 points.
Durand Scott dished out a game-high eight assists for the Hurricanes and added eight points, while Dwayne Collins and Reggie Johnson grabbed seven rebounds apiece.
Unbeaten in its first 13 non-conference games this season, Miami will play at Pepperdine on Sunday before resuming league play against Wake Forest on Jan. 9.
Malcolm Grant hits a three for the 14th-straight game to tie for 10th place in UM history.
Adrian Thomas went 3-of-4 from long range for his eighth-straight game with a three-pointer.
Dec. 30, 2009
Box Score Postgame Notes (PDF)
CORAL GABLES, Fla. (AP) - James Dews scored 12 points to lead the Miami men's basketball team over Bethune-Cookman, 73-55, on Wednesday night at the BankUnited Center.
Dews, Garrius Adams and Malcolm Grant each hit 3-pointers during a 13-2 spurt, which helped Miami build a 33-21 lead late in the first half. Grant's conversion behind the arc with 3:30 remaining capped the run.
Adams, Dews and Grant also hit 3-pointers in the first 7:59 of the second half, helping the Hurricanes (13-1) increase their lead to 49-31.
Grant has converted a three-point basket in all 14 games this season -- the second-longest active streak in the ACC and tied for the 10th longest in school history.
The Wildcats (7-6) stayed within striking distance of the Hurricanes most of the first half. Jarrell Thomas' 3-pointer with 7:24 left cut Miami's lead to 20-19.
Reed led Bethune-Cookman with 19 points.
Durand Scott dished out a game-high eight assists for the Hurricanes and added eight points, while Dwayne Collins and Reggie Johnson grabbed seven rebounds apiece.
Unbeaten in its first 13 non-conference games this season, Miami will play at Pepperdine on Sunday before resuming league play against Wake Forest on Jan. 9.
Three Former Golden Bears on 2010 Pro Bowl Rosters
DeSean Jackson and Aaron Rodgers to suit up for NFC, while Nnamdi Asomugha is on AFC
Dec. 30, 2009
BERKELEY - Former Cal football players DeSean Jackson (2005-07), Nnamdi Asomugha (1999-2002) and Aaron Rodgers (2003-04) have been named to 2010 Pro Bowl rosters announced Wednesday. Jackson (Philadelphia Eagles) is a starter at wide receiver for the NFC and will also return kicks. Asomugha (Oakland Raiders) is a starter at cornerback for the AFC. Rogers (Green Bay Packers) is listed along with Brett Favre (Minnesota Vikings) as a backup to starting NFC quarterback Drew Brees (New Orleans Saints).
The game will take place at Dolphin Stadium in Miami Gardens, Fla., on Sunday, Jan. 31, 2010, marking the first time in 30 years the contest has been played on the mainland after having taken place annually since 1980 at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu, Hawaii. This year's Pro Bowl will be played prior to Super Bowl XLIV, which will also take place at Dolphin Stadium a week later on Sunday, Feb. 7, marking the first time the game has ever been played before the Super Bowl and the second time the two contests have been played at the same venue in the same year. The game will return to Hawaii in 2011 and 2012.
DeSean Jackson and Aaron Rodgers to suit up for NFC, while Nnamdi Asomugha is on AFC
Dec. 30, 2009
BERKELEY - Former Cal football players DeSean Jackson (2005-07), Nnamdi Asomugha (1999-2002) and Aaron Rodgers (2003-04) have been named to 2010 Pro Bowl rosters announced Wednesday. Jackson (Philadelphia Eagles) is a starter at wide receiver for the NFC and will also return kicks. Asomugha (Oakland Raiders) is a starter at cornerback for the AFC. Rogers (Green Bay Packers) is listed along with Brett Favre (Minnesota Vikings) as a backup to starting NFC quarterback Drew Brees (New Orleans Saints).
The game will take place at Dolphin Stadium in Miami Gardens, Fla., on Sunday, Jan. 31, 2010, marking the first time in 30 years the contest has been played on the mainland after having taken place annually since 1980 at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu, Hawaii. This year's Pro Bowl will be played prior to Super Bowl XLIV, which will also take place at Dolphin Stadium a week later on Sunday, Feb. 7, marking the first time the game has ever been played before the Super Bowl and the second time the two contests have been played at the same venue in the same year. The game will return to Hawaii in 2011 and 2012. 
August 5, 2009Fall camp preview: The RBs and FBs
Chris Nguon Bear Territory.net Senior Writer
It's quite a luxury to have one of the most explosive offensive players in the country on your team. It's just as much a luxury to have athletes behind him on the depth chart that can pick up the pace if he goes down. When it comes to the Cal backfield this season, there's simply not much to complain about.
LANGSTON JACKSON 6-1, 227 pounds, R-Fr. Jackson is one of the more compelling running backs on the roster because of his size and strength running between the tackles. Could Jackson be the short-yardage 'back Cal is searching for?
Cal Finishes Spring Practice with Successful Scrimmage
Head Coach Jeff Tedford Pleased with Progress Made by the Bears
April 18, 2009
Head Coach Jeff Tedford Pleased with Progress Made by the Bears
April 18, 2009
The running game didn't get untracked against the Cal defense, as only tailback Langston Jackson managed a rush of at least 10 yards when he burst through for a 13-yard gain. He was the day's top runner with 33 yards on six attempts.
Our Bus is Langston Jackson
Langston Jackson is the one who stands out in fall camp as a short yardage back; the guy is absolutely huge, but with quick feet and agility. Diagnosis? Put him in at 3rd and 1.
I thought Debo was much bigger since I heard he put on a lot of extra muscle during the off-season. I was very high on him…until I saw him at the spring game. He doesn’t look any bigger than Vereen and was stuffed about 4 times in a row at the Goal line. Diagnosis? Put on another 25lbs and be fullback please.
Yarnway is a mini-beast already. Next year, full fledged man-beast. Diagnosis? Redshirt.
Sofele is too good to keep off the field. Play him this year. He’s small but all muscle and fast twitch tendons. Diagnosis? Play him! by DavidsonBear on Aug 19, 2009 10:06 AM PDT
Langston Jackson is the one who stands out in fall camp as a short yardage back; the guy is absolutely huge, but with quick feet and agility. Diagnosis? Put him in at 3rd and 1.
I thought Debo was much bigger since I heard he put on a lot of extra muscle during the off-season. I was very high on him…until I saw him at the spring game. He doesn’t look any bigger than Vereen and was stuffed about 4 times in a row at the Goal line. Diagnosis? Put on another 25lbs and be fullback please.
Yarnway is a mini-beast already. Next year, full fledged man-beast. Diagnosis? Redshirt.
Sofele is too good to keep off the field. Play him this year. He’s small but all muscle and fast twitch tendons. Diagnosis? Play him! by DavidsonBear on Aug 19, 2009 10:06 AM PDT
Simi breaks through
SVHS beats Moorpark for firstime since '96
SVHS beats Moorpark for firstime since '96
Behind an outstanding defensive effort and just enough offense, the Pioneers got past Moorpark, 14-6. This was the type of statement game the Simi Valley High football program had been searching for. With a 14-6 upset win over Moorpark last Friday night during homecoming, Simi Valley (31, 10) may have established itself as a force to be reckoned with in the race for a Marmonte League title.
Thrilled with his team's play on both sides of the ball, Pioneer head coach Todd Borowski said beating Moorpark (22, 01)- the fourthranked team in the CIF-Southern Section Northern Division coaches' poll entering the game- was the biggest win in his three years with the SVHS program.
Simi Valley's 34-27 shocker over Canyon during the 2005-06 season had been Borowski's teams' crowning on-field achievement to date, but that was before Moorpark came to town.
"This is bigger than Canyon because it's a league game," Borowski said. "We haven't beat Moorpark in I don't know how long. We'd have to go back in the record book to find that out.
"The league title goes through Moorpark. I'm not saying we're title contenders, but we're one step closer to the playoffs, a place we haven't been in about 25 years."
Simi Valley, which hadn't beaten Moorpark since 1996, last made a postseason appearance during the 1986 season, and judging by the way the team has played defense during the first four games of the year- they've allowed the fewest points in the Marmonte- the Pioneers appear very capable of breaking the long playoff drought.
"Look at our stats; the defense comes to play every week," Borowski said.
Friday's game was scoreless in the first half.
Moorpark nearly got on the board in the opening quarter when Adam Barry tried to score on a quarterback keeper on fourthandgoal play from the 3-yard line. SVHS defensive lineman Shawn Morrison made a tremendous effort to stop Barry and keep the Musketeers off the scoreboard.
Midway through the second quarter, Simi Valley wide receiver Joey Bernardo caught a tipped pass in the end zone, but the apparent score was wiped out by a penalty.
The game-changing play may have occurred on the second half kickoff when Simi Valley's James Barona laid a crushing block on Moorpark's Garrett Meadows, setting off a wild display of emotion that reverberated from the Pioneers' sideline up into the stands.
"I saw him going to the right and totally set him up," Barona said.
"We came in as big underdogs and were going to have to be physical to win the game. A play like that helps set the tone."
Still, it was Moorpark that scored first when defensive back Tim Vizzi intercepted a pass and returned it for a touchdown. A missed extra point kept the score at 6-0 in favor of the Musketeers.
After that it was all Simi Valley.
Pioneer cornerback Evan Green recovered a fumbled punt at the Moorpark 39 with 2:22 remaining in the third quarter. Less than three minutes later, on the first play of the fourth quarter, SVHS running back Langston Jackson scored on a 2 yard touchdown plunge. David Castro's extra point made the score 7-6 Simi Valley.
With 5:05 remaining in the contest, after converting a crucial third down in Moorpark territory, Jackson went around the right side of the Pioneer offensive line, found the sideline and headed for paydirt.
Jackson's 21-yard score was his second of the game and sixth of the season. He finished with 125 yards on 30 attempts, with most of his damage done in the second half.
Down 14-6, MHS attempted a final drive, but the Pioneer defense held on a fourth-down play from their own 39. Jackson and the offense reentered and put the game away with a first-down conversion.
"Langston Jackson was the man," said Pioneer quarterback Jared Zahorik, who finished with five completions for 89 yards.
"He doesn't get as much hype as he should, but Simi Valley High is a real football team, and Langston Jackson is a real football player."
With last week's euphoria in the rearview mirror, the Pioneers face a stiff challenge when they travel to Agoura (2-2, 0-1) tonight for a 7 p.m. matchup. The Chargers are coming off a tough league-opening loss against Thousand Oaks.
"We can't focus on how well we played against Moorpark when we've got Agoura this week," Borowski said. "They're good, and they'll be ready for us. But the way we're playing, we're pretty good, too."
Thrilled with his team's play on both sides of the ball, Pioneer head coach Todd Borowski said beating Moorpark (22, 01)- the fourthranked team in the CIF-Southern Section Northern Division coaches' poll entering the game- was the biggest win in his three years with the SVHS program.
Simi Valley's 34-27 shocker over Canyon during the 2005-06 season had been Borowski's teams' crowning on-field achievement to date, but that was before Moorpark came to town.
"This is bigger than Canyon because it's a league game," Borowski said. "We haven't beat Moorpark in I don't know how long. We'd have to go back in the record book to find that out.
"The league title goes through Moorpark. I'm not saying we're title contenders, but we're one step closer to the playoffs, a place we haven't been in about 25 years."
Simi Valley, which hadn't beaten Moorpark since 1996, last made a postseason appearance during the 1986 season, and judging by the way the team has played defense during the first four games of the year- they've allowed the fewest points in the Marmonte- the Pioneers appear very capable of breaking the long playoff drought.
"Look at our stats; the defense comes to play every week," Borowski said.
Friday's game was scoreless in the first half.
Moorpark nearly got on the board in the opening quarter when Adam Barry tried to score on a quarterback keeper on fourthandgoal play from the 3-yard line. SVHS defensive lineman Shawn Morrison made a tremendous effort to stop Barry and keep the Musketeers off the scoreboard.
Midway through the second quarter, Simi Valley wide receiver Joey Bernardo caught a tipped pass in the end zone, but the apparent score was wiped out by a penalty.
The game-changing play may have occurred on the second half kickoff when Simi Valley's James Barona laid a crushing block on Moorpark's Garrett Meadows, setting off a wild display of emotion that reverberated from the Pioneers' sideline up into the stands.
"I saw him going to the right and totally set him up," Barona said.
"We came in as big underdogs and were going to have to be physical to win the game. A play like that helps set the tone."
Still, it was Moorpark that scored first when defensive back Tim Vizzi intercepted a pass and returned it for a touchdown. A missed extra point kept the score at 6-0 in favor of the Musketeers.
After that it was all Simi Valley.
Pioneer cornerback Evan Green recovered a fumbled punt at the Moorpark 39 with 2:22 remaining in the third quarter. Less than three minutes later, on the first play of the fourth quarter, SVHS running back Langston Jackson scored on a 2 yard touchdown plunge. David Castro's extra point made the score 7-6 Simi Valley.
With 5:05 remaining in the contest, after converting a crucial third down in Moorpark territory, Jackson went around the right side of the Pioneer offensive line, found the sideline and headed for paydirt.
Jackson's 21-yard score was his second of the game and sixth of the season. He finished with 125 yards on 30 attempts, with most of his damage done in the second half.
Down 14-6, MHS attempted a final drive, but the Pioneer defense held on a fourth-down play from their own 39. Jackson and the offense reentered and put the game away with a first-down conversion.
"Langston Jackson was the man," said Pioneer quarterback Jared Zahorik, who finished with five completions for 89 yards.
"He doesn't get as much hype as he should, but Simi Valley High is a real football team, and Langston Jackson is a real football player."
With last week's euphoria in the rearview mirror, the Pioneers face a stiff challenge when they travel to Agoura (2-2, 0-1) tonight for a 7 p.m. matchup. The Chargers are coming off a tough league-opening loss against Thousand Oaks.
"We can't focus on how well we played against Moorpark when we've got Agoura this week," Borowski said. "They're good, and they'll be ready for us. But the way we're playing, we're pretty good, too."
Best Opts for NFL
The 2009 season started with much promise for Cal junior RB Jahvid Best. He was a Heisman frontrunner alongside the three finalists from the year prior. But consecutive pedestrian performances at Oregon and versus USC all but eliminated him from the race. A freakish concussion suffered against Oregon State on Nov. 7 ended his season. On Saturday, he announced he’s entering the NFL Draft…
Jahvid Best will enter the 2010 NFL Draft, he announced on Saturday afternoon in a teleconference.
“It was a fast couple of weeks, and over the last month, my family and I have been offered an opportunity to enter the NFL. And that was our decision,” said Best.
“It wasn’t a heated decision. It took a lot of thought and gathered a lot of advice from coaches, Coach [Jeff] Tedford, my running back coach (Ron Gould), friends, a lot of advice from everybody. We sat down with Coach Tedford and talked about the pros and cons of the situation and after weighing out the pros and cons, we decided to enter the draft and forgo my senior season at Cal.”
“I want to say thank you the university for giving me the opportunity to play college football and also for the education. An education I plan to finish after I’m done playing football. But this is an opportunity I can’t pass up and have to take advantage of it.”
Best has not chosen an agent in turn he doesn’t have an idea where he will be training in the offseason as he prepares for Cal’s pro day and the NFL Combine. He is projected as a mid to late first round pick by many draft prognosticators. ESPN ranks him second overall at his position and the 22nd best overall prospect in the 2010 draft. “I’ve heard as high as the first round and as low as the third round,” Best added.
Best was on pace for a second consecutive 1,000-yard rushing season before suffering a concussion after falling on the turf on a seven-yard touchdown run against Oregon State at Memorial Stadium on Nov. 7.
“I’m still not 100% but I’m very optimistic,” Best said of recovery. He says he has no doubt that he will be ready to work out and perform in the NFL Combine. “[My injuries] played a small factor in my decision,” he added.
Despite missing the final three regular-season games of 2009, and the Poinsettia Bowl, Best finished the 2009 season with 867 yards rushing, 12 rushing touchdowns and added four receiving touchdowns. He earned second-team All-Pac-10 honors and shared Cal’s team MVP award.
Best did not play or practice the remainder of the season, including bowl preparation. The injury required medical personal to attend to him on the field and transport him to Highland General Hospital in Oakland for an overnight stay. He was released the following day.
In 31 games and 18 starts over his three seasons at Cal, he ranks among the school's all-time leaders in various categories.
200-yard rushing games (3, No. 1)
Rushing touchdowns (29, No. 3-T)
All-purpose running yards (4,045, No. 5)
100-yard rushing games (13, No. 6)
Rushing yardage (2,668, No. 7)
Touchdowns (35, No. 8)
Scoring (210, No. 9)
The 2009 season started with much promise for Cal junior RB Jahvid Best. He was a Heisman frontrunner alongside the three finalists from the year prior. But consecutive pedestrian performances at Oregon and versus USC all but eliminated him from the race. A freakish concussion suffered against Oregon State on Nov. 7 ended his season. On Saturday, he announced he’s entering the NFL Draft…
Jahvid Best will enter the 2010 NFL Draft, he announced on Saturday afternoon in a teleconference.
“It was a fast couple of weeks, and over the last month, my family and I have been offered an opportunity to enter the NFL. And that was our decision,” said Best.
“It wasn’t a heated decision. It took a lot of thought and gathered a lot of advice from coaches, Coach [Jeff] Tedford, my running back coach (Ron Gould), friends, a lot of advice from everybody. We sat down with Coach Tedford and talked about the pros and cons of the situation and after weighing out the pros and cons, we decided to enter the draft and forgo my senior season at Cal.”
“I want to say thank you the university for giving me the opportunity to play college football and also for the education. An education I plan to finish after I’m done playing football. But this is an opportunity I can’t pass up and have to take advantage of it.”
Best has not chosen an agent in turn he doesn’t have an idea where he will be training in the offseason as he prepares for Cal’s pro day and the NFL Combine. He is projected as a mid to late first round pick by many draft prognosticators. ESPN ranks him second overall at his position and the 22nd best overall prospect in the 2010 draft. “I’ve heard as high as the first round and as low as the third round,” Best added.
Best was on pace for a second consecutive 1,000-yard rushing season before suffering a concussion after falling on the turf on a seven-yard touchdown run against Oregon State at Memorial Stadium on Nov. 7.
“I’m still not 100% but I’m very optimistic,” Best said of recovery. He says he has no doubt that he will be ready to work out and perform in the NFL Combine. “[My injuries] played a small factor in my decision,” he added.
Despite missing the final three regular-season games of 2009, and the Poinsettia Bowl, Best finished the 2009 season with 867 yards rushing, 12 rushing touchdowns and added four receiving touchdowns. He earned second-team All-Pac-10 honors and shared Cal’s team MVP award.
Best did not play or practice the remainder of the season, including bowl preparation. The injury required medical personal to attend to him on the field and transport him to Highland General Hospital in Oakland for an overnight stay. He was released the following day.
In 31 games and 18 starts over his three seasons at Cal, he ranks among the school's all-time leaders in various categories.
200-yard rushing games (3, No. 1)
Rushing touchdowns (29, No. 3-T)
All-purpose running yards (4,045, No. 5)
100-yard rushing games (13, No. 6)
Rushing yardage (2,668, No. 7)
Touchdowns (35, No. 8)
Scoring (210, No. 9)
Associated Press
MALIBU, Calif. -- James Dews scored 21 points and sank five 3-pointers to lead Miami to its sixth straight win, an 86-63 victory over Pepperdine on Sunday.
The Hurricanes (14-1) never trailed and used a double-digit scoring run in both halves to pull away in their first visit to Pepperdine (4-12) since December 1969.
Adrian Thomas, who scored 15 points on a career-high five 3-pointers off the bench, began and ended a 10-0 run with 3-pointers to help Miami to a 21-10 lead with 12 minutes to go in the first half. The Hurricanes led 45-36 at halftime.
Dews ignited a 12-0 run in the second half with a 3-pointer that pushed Miami's lead to 68-46 with less than 11 minutes to play.
Pepperdine's Keion Bell scored a game-high 22 points.
Miami, which has won 21 consecutive nonconference regular-season games, made 13 3-pointers and shot 53 percent from the field overall.
MALIBU, Calif. -- James Dews scored 21 points and sank five 3-pointers to lead Miami to its sixth straight win, an 86-63 victory over Pepperdine on Sunday.
The Hurricanes (14-1) never trailed and used a double-digit scoring run in both halves to pull away in their first visit to Pepperdine (4-12) since December 1969.
Adrian Thomas, who scored 15 points on a career-high five 3-pointers off the bench, began and ended a 10-0 run with 3-pointers to help Miami to a 21-10 lead with 12 minutes to go in the first half. The Hurricanes led 45-36 at halftime.
Dews ignited a 12-0 run in the second half with a 3-pointer that pushed Miami's lead to 68-46 with less than 11 minutes to play.
Pepperdine's Keion Bell scored a game-high 22 points.
Miami, which has won 21 consecutive nonconference regular-season games, made 13 3-pointers and shot 53 percent from the field overall.
Georgia 64, Pepperdine 47
Associated Press
ATHENS, Ga. -- Travis Leslie scored 14 points and Georgia defeated Pepperdine 64-47 on Wednesday night.
The Bulldogs (7-4) trailed 6-5 early, but led the rest of the game.
Trey Thompkins scored 12 points and grabbed 13 rebounds for Georgia, and Ricky McPhee added 10 points.
Georgia outrebounded the Waves 43-28 and held Pepperdine to 35 percent shooting (18 of 51).
The Waves pulled within 24-19 on Dane Suttle's 3 with 4:58 left in the first half. But the Bulldogs closed out the half with a 9-2 run to take a 33-21 halftime lead.
Georgia used a 10-4 run early in the second half to take 43-25 lead with 16:11 to play.
Ebuka Anyaorah gave the Bulldogs their biggest lead of the game, 58-35, on a free throw with 7:07 remaining.
Jonathan Dupre scored 14 points off the bench for the Waves (4-11), who lost for the eighth time in nine games.
ATHENS, Ga. -- Travis Leslie scored 14 points and Georgia defeated Pepperdine 64-47 on Wednesday night.
The Bulldogs (7-4) trailed 6-5 early, but led the rest of the game.
Trey Thompkins scored 12 points and grabbed 13 rebounds for Georgia, and Ricky McPhee added 10 points.
Georgia outrebounded the Waves 43-28 and held Pepperdine to 35 percent shooting (18 of 51).
The Waves pulled within 24-19 on Dane Suttle's 3 with 4:58 left in the first half. But the Bulldogs closed out the half with a 9-2 run to take a 33-21 halftime lead.
Georgia used a 10-4 run early in the second half to take 43-25 lead with 16:11 to play.
Ebuka Anyaorah gave the Bulldogs their biggest lead of the game, 58-35, on a free throw with 7:07 remaining.
Jonathan Dupre scored 14 points off the bench for the Waves (4-11), who lost for the eighth time in nine games.
