Men's Basketball



	2003-04 Season Archive 03/14/04 Chico State's Brian Faulstich named to All-CCAA team WALNUT CREEK - Chico State senior guard Brian Faulstich received All-CCAA First Team honors for his incredible play during the 2003-04 season. Faulstich averaged 13.3 points per game, 4.4 assists per game, and 3.4 rebounds per game. He hit a team-high 87 percent of his free throws. He was one of the top 3-point shooters in the nation throughout the season, hitting his three-pointers at a .508 clip (64-126). His 64 treys made puts him sixth on the Chico State all-time list. His 123 assists puts him ninth on the single-season list. 03/12/04 Wildcats unable to tame Coyotes in West Regional SAN BERNARDINO - The task ahead of them was tremendous, but not impossible. The Chico State men's baketball team needed to upset top-seeded Cal State San Bernardino Coyotes in order to advance in the 2004 NCAA Division II West Regional. The Wildcats entered the game knowing that earlier in the season they had played San Bernardino on its home court and came just two points shy of knocking off the Coyotes and snapping what has now become a 33 home-game winning streak. But it wasn't meant to be tonight for the Wildcats who were making their first NCAA Tournament appearance in 11 year. The Wildcats lost 92-60 in the single elimination format. The Wilcats, who end with a 17-10 record, couldn't contain Jonathan Levy, who scorched the nets for 34 points. Levy, the California Collegiate Athletic Association's leading scorer, had 21 points at the half as the Coyotes sprinted to a 51-34 lead at intermission and never looked back. Levy was 12 of 16 from the floor and six of seven from three-point range. He also collected eight rebounds in 27 minutes of play. Junior guard Trenell Eddings contributed 21 points on seven of 13 shooting with five assists and three steals. T.K. Reed, ranked No. 4 in the nation in assists (7.4) had nine Friday night. Scott Land came off the bench to score 15 points as the Coyotes put the clamps on the Wildcats' top scorer, Brian Faulstich, holding him to nine points (3 of 14 from the field). The Coyotes shot 51 percent for the game (33 of 65), while Chico State had its worst shooting night of the season at 35 percent, contributed to in part by an aggressive San Bernardino defense. CSUSB shot 45 percent from behind the three-point line (11 of 24). Chico hit just six of 21 from beyond the arc (29 percent). The five-time CCAA champion Coyotes (26-2), ranked No. 8 in the nation by Division II Bulletin, will face Alaska-Fairbanks in a semifinal on Saturday. Alaska-Fairbanks, 22-6, advanced with a 92-81 win over No. 4 Cal State Bakersfield. In the other semifinal, BYU-Hawaii will face Humboldt State at 5 p.m. 03/07/04 It's official...Wildcats headed to NCAA Tournament For the first time in 11 years, the Chico State men's basketball team has been selected to participate in the NCAA Division II Basketball Championship. The field of 64 teams was announced on Sunday evening and the Wildcats, who had no guarantee of a berth, had to wait through the announcement of all the other seven regional match-ups before the West Region bracket was presented. Chico State was ranked No. 8 in the final regular-season Regional poll and held on to that spot, despite losing twice on the road to wrap up the season. Game Schedule: Friday, March 12 noon - No. 6 Cal Poly Pomona (21-6) vs. No. 3 Humboldt State (24-5) 2:30 - No. 5 Alaska-Fairbanks (21-6) vs. No. 4 CSU Bakersfield (22-5) 5:00 - No. 7 Alaska-Anchorage (20-9) vs. No. 2 BYU Hawaii (22-5) 7:30 - No. 8 Chico (17-10) vs. No. 1 San Bernardino (25-2) Saturday, March 13 5:00 - Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 2 7:30 - Winner Game 3 vs. Winner Game 4 Monday, March 15 7:00 - Championship Game noon, 2:30 p.m., 5 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. The semifinals will be played at 5 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Saturday. The championship game is scheduled for 7 p.m. March 15. All games will be played in the 4,140-seat Coussoulis Arena on the CSUSB campus. This is the second time in the past three years that the Coyotes have hosted the tournament. Tickets will go on sale Tuesday at 9 a.m. at the Coussoulis Arena box office. Tickets will be $10 reserved, $7 general and $4 for children 12-under and students with ID. For ticket information, call (909) 880-5048 or 5049. The teams will be staying at the Radisson Hotel, 295 North E. Street, San Bernardino 92401. 909-381-6181 The complete 2004 NCAA Men's Tournament bracket 03/06/04 Wildcats finish regular season with loss in Bakersfield The Chico State men's basketball team ended its regular season with a 93-83 defeat at Cal State Bakersfield on Saturday night. The Roadrunners (22-5, 18-4 California Collegiate Athletic Association) used a 40-21 rebounding advantage including 15 offensive rebounds to overcome a 45-41 halftime deficit. It got real physical and there was about a five-minute stretch where they gained control of the game, Chico State coach Puck Smith said. We came back, and really the game was closer than the score. We were fouling at the end. Brian Faulstich and Scott Land each scored 22 points to lead Chico State (17-10, 14-8), which still harbors an outside hope of getting into the NCAA Division II West Region playoffs. Ben Perak added 17 points for the Wildcats and Will Bonner scored 10, as Chico State shot 53 percent for the game to the Roadrunners' 50 percent. We've had a lot of adversity this year and the kids have really hung in there, Smith said 03/05/04 Men's playoff hopes take hit at buzzer TURLOCK, CA – Ben Hibbing's tip-in with 2.9 seconds left lifted host Cal State Stanislaus to an 80--78 upset victory against Chico State. The loss was a huge hit to the Wildcats' playoff hopes. Chico State is one of four teams battling for the Western Region's last two playoff spots. The Wildcats fell to 17-9 overall and 14-7 in the CCAA despite Ben Perak's first double-double of the year. The senior forward finished with 16 points and 10 rebounds. Brian Faulstich, who hti a jumper with 11 seconds remaining to tie the game at 78-all, finished with 16 points and hit 4-of-5 3-pointers. Kevin Massey led the host Warriors (8-18, 6-15 CCAA) with 26 points. Jamal O'Quinn scored 15 of his 17 points in the second half. He helped key the Warriors rally from 12 points down early in the second half. 03/03/04 Playoff spot on the line this weekend CHICO, CA – Entering the final weekend of the season, the Chico State women's basketball team knows one thing for sure: if they win their games at Cal State Stanislaus and Cal State Bakersfield, they're in the postseason. The Chico State men are playing for their first NCAA Tournament bid since 1993. They'll need either a sweep, or a split and some help from fellow contenders Hawaii-Hilo and/or Western Washington to earn a spot. The Wildcats were disappointed last season after being left out of the tournament despite seven straight wins to end the season and an 18-9 record. Entering the weekend, the team is 17-8 and ranked No. 8 in the Western Region, having won 13 of their last 15 games. The top eight teams in the region earn a spot in the NCAA tournament. Fans can catch all the games on the radio this weekend on AM 1290 KPAY. Women's games will begin at 6 p.m. and the men's games are set to tipoff at 8 p.m. The 64-team field for the NCAA Division II men's and women's basketball tournaments will be announced Sunday night exclusively on College Sports Television (CSTV). The women's bracket will be revealed from 7:30 p.m. to 7:45 p.m. The men's bracket will be announced from 7:45 p.m. to 8 p.m. The official brackets will also be available after the selection show at ncaasports.com. Following are this week's regional rankings: 1. Cal State San Bernardino 23-2 2. Brigham Young-Hawaii 21-5 3. Humboldt State 22-5 4. Cal State Bakersfield 20-5 5. Alaska Fairbanks 19-6 6. Cal Poly Pomona 19-6 7. Alaska Anchorage 19-8 8. Cal State Chico 17-8 9. Hawaii-Hilo 16-8 10. Western Washington 16-9 02/28/04 Wildcats give playoff hopes boost with win against No. 24 Pomona CHICO, CA – It was raining threes again at Chico State University. For the second Saturday night in a row, two teams combined for at least 30 3-pointers at Acker Gym. And for the second Saturday night in a row, the Chico State men's basketball team came out on the winning end. In a game the Wildcats desperately needed to win to keep their playoff hopes alive, they buried 17-of-25 3-pointers en route to a 92-82 victory over 24th-ranked Cal Poly Pomona. The 17 three's tied a school record. The visiting Broncos, who fell to 19-6 overall and 15-5 in the CCAA, made 13-of-31 3-pointers. Brian Faulstich, the CCAA's leading 3-point shooter, buried 6-of-7 treys and finished with a team-high 23 points as Chico State improved to 17-8 overall and 14-6 in the CCAA. A split on the road next weekend at Cal State Stanislaus and Cal State Bakersfield would now likely earn Chico State its first NCAA Tournament bid since 1993. The Wildcats trailed only once, in the game's opening minutes, and took the lead for good on Colin Carr's 3-pointer in the midst of a 19-5 run, with 12:43 remaining in the first half. The lead ballooned to 49-32 when Scott Land nailed a 3-pointer at the halftime buzzer. Chico State's lead continued to grow in the second half and reached it's maximum when Carr hit another 3-pointer to make it 75-53 with 10:54 to play. Cal Poly Pomona made a late run to cut the lead to 91-82 with 26 seconds remaining, but could get no closer. Land finished with 14 points and with his first 3-pointer of the game, the 180th of his career, moved past Kenny Gleason into first place on the school's career 3-point list. Ben Perak chipped in 13 points, Andy Butcher scored 12, and Carr finished with 11 points of 3-of-4 shooting from downtown. Cal Poly Pomona's eight-game winning streak was snapped despite David Sybesma's 23-point, nine-rebound effort. Jeff Bonds scored 18 points, and Jonathan Boyd notched 12. 02/27/04 Wildcats fall to No. 6 Coyotes CHICO, CA – With stifling defense and a red-hot Trenell Eddings, the Cal State San Bernardino men's basketball team made sure their would be no upset Friday night at Acker Gym as the 6th-ranked Coyotes beat Chico State 83-57. Eddings scored a game-high 24 points and the Coyotes held Chico State to 36-percent shooting to win their nation-best 22nd straight game and clinch their 5th straight CCAA championship outright. The host Wildcats, who entered the contest having won 16 of their last 17 home games, made just 2-of-16 3-pointers and were outrebounded 38-29. Chico State, ranked No. 7 in the West Region entering the contest, fell to 16-8 overall and 13-6 in the CCAA. Cal State San Bernardino is now 23-1 overall and 19-0 in the CCAA. The Wildcats are now in desperate need of a win at home Saturday night when West Region No. 6 Cal Poly Pomona comes to town if they are to stay in prime position to earn a playoff spot. Cal State San Bernardino never trailed in the game and led 33-25 at halftime. Eddings then helped the Coyotes put the game away with 16 second-half points on 4-of-4 shooting. San Bernardino's lead grew as large as 78-50 on an Eddings jumper with 3:30 remaining. Chuck Webster and Brian Faulstich keyed what little offense Chico State could muster. Webster led the Wildcats with 14 points on 6-of-9 shooting. Faulstich scored 12 points on 3-of-4 shooting. The rest of the Wildcats made just 10-of-40 shots, including 0-of-13 from beyond the arc. Jonathan Levy and Eric Swan joined Eddings in double-figures for the Coyotes with 15 and 12 points, respectively. The Coyotes shot 53-percent of the game and connected on 10-of-20 3-pointers. 02/25/04 Wildcats hold steady at No. 7 in West The Chico State men's basketball held steady at No. 7 in the latest Western Region poll after winning a pair of games this weekend. The top eight teams in the region earn a spot in the NCAA Tournament, which begins March 13-15 with the Western Regional. The Wildcats cruised to victories against UC San Diego and Grand Canyon and have now won 12 of their last 13 games to improve to 16-7 overall and 13-5 in the CCAA. But they face stern tests at home this weekend when Cal State San Bernardino and Cal Poly Pomona come to town Friday and Saturday, respectively. The San Bernardino men, 22-1, are ranked No. 1 in the West and No. 6 in the nation. The Pomona men are ranked No. 6 in the West and No. 24 in the nation.Tipoff is scheduled for 6 p.m. (women) and 8 p.m. (men) both nights. Following are the regional rankings: 1. Cal State-San Bernardino (22-1) 2. Brigham Young-Hawaii (19-4) 3. Humboldt State (20-5) 4. Cal State-Bakersfield (18-5) 5. Alaska-Fairbanks (17-6) 6. Cal Poly-Pomona (18-5) 7. Chico State (16-7) 8. Alaska-Anchorage (17-8) 9. Hawaii-Hilo (15-7) 10. Western Washington (16-8) 02/23/04 Chico State's Brian Faulstich name Wilson CCAA Player of the Week WALNUT CREEK, Calif. -- Chico State guard Brian Faulstich has been named the Wilson California Collegiate Athletic Association Men’s Basketball Player of the Week for the week of February 16-22. Faulstich, a senior from Encinitas, led the Wildcats to home wins over UC San Diego and Grand Canyon with near-perfect shooting and outstanding all-around play. The wins improved postseason contender Chico to 16-7 overall and 13-5 in the CCAA. Faulstich was a perfect marksman in a wild 108-98 win over UCSD on Friday, hitting all eight of his field goal attempts, including seven from three-point range, as well as converting all five free-throw attempts to finish with a career-high 28 points. He added six assists, five rebounds and three steals in 26 minutes. In a 93-50 win over Canyon the following night, Faulstich hit 5 of 6 field goal attempts, including 3-of-4 from three-point land, to finish with 12 points. He added seven assists, seven rebounds and a steal in only 16 minutes of action as Chico won for the 12th time in its last 13 contests. For the week, Faulstich averaged 20 points on 92.9 percent shooting overall (13 for 14), including 90 percent from three-point range (9 for 10). He was perfect from the free-throw line (5 for 5) and also averaged 6.5 assists, six rebounds and two steals in just 42 minutes over the two games. 02/21/04 Wildcats blow out Grand Canyon for 12th win in last 13 games CHICO, CA – The Chico State men's basketball team went on a 27-4 run to start the game and never looked back in a 93-50 drubbing of last-place Grand Canyon Saturday night at Acker Gym. The Wildcats' winning margin was their largest since a 133-49 victory over California Christian in 1993. The margin is tied for the third largest in Chico State history. Andy Butcher led Chico State with 16 points and Will Bonner scored 14 as the Wildcats improved to 16-7 overall and 13-5 in the CCAA. Brian Faulstich finished with 12 points, seven rebounds, and seven assists in just 16 minutes. Royce Hall paced Grand Canyon, now 3-20 overall and 2-16 in the CCAA, with 18 points. Bryan Lee, who finished with 11 points and seven rebounds, was the only other Antelope in double-figures. Chico State entered the weekend ranked No. 7 in the Western Region and hosts No. 1 Cal State San Bernardino next Friday and No. 6 Cal Poly Pomona next Saturday. Both games are scheduled to tipoff at 8 p.m. 02/20/04 Wildcats win shootout 108-98 CHICO, CA – Everyone was hot, but Brian Faulstich was hotter. In a game that featured 35 made 3-pointers and Chico State's highest scoring output since 1995, Faulstich buried all seven of his shots from downtown and finished with a career-high 28 points to lead the Wildcats to their 11th win in their last 12 games. Acker Gym was almost to capacity as 1,467 fans watched Scott Land add a season-best 26 points in his third game back from injury, hitting 5-of-9 from beyond the arc, and Narcippa Teague and Tim Haley chipped in 11 points apiece. The Wildcats, ranked No. 7 in the West Region entering the weekend, buried 16-of-30 3-point attempts and improved to 15-7 overall and 12-5 in the CCAA. UC San Diego made 19-of-34 3-pointers, but fell to 6-16 overall and 6-11 in the CCAA. Brandon Baker led the Tritons with 27 points on 6-of-12 shooting from downtown, while Robby Peters hit 5-of-6 3-pointers for 15 points and Adam Reinking finished with 17 points on the strength of a trio of 3-pointers. Faulstich did almost all of his damage in the second half, scoring 23 points on 6-of-6 shooting to help keep the hard-charging Tritons at bey. After trailing by as many as 19 on two occasions, UC San Diego cut the lead to 89-83 with 5:45 remaining. But a Will Bonner dunk, followed by Colin Carr's 3-pointer and Teague's layup, stretched the Wildcats' lead back to double-figures and they led comfortably from there. The night marked a milestone for Chico State's Ben Perak, who had two blocked shots to bring his career total to 87. That ties him with Richard Ross (1994-96) for most in a Chico State career. Chico State is back in action at home, where it has won 15 of its last 16 games, Saturday night at 8 p.m. against Grand Canyon. UC San Diego travels to face UC Davis. 02/18/04 Wildcats remain at No. 7 in West Region Poll Chico State split last weekend, losing to Sonoma State and beating San Francisco, but held on to its No. 7 spot on the Division II West Region rankings . 1. Cal State-San Bernardino (20-1) 2. Brigham Young-Hawaii (19-4) 3. Humboldt State (20-4) 4. Cal State-Bakersfield (16-5) 5. Alaska-Fairbanks (15-6) 6. Cal Poly-Pomona (16-5) 7. Chico State (14-7) 8. Alaska-Anchorage (16-7) 9. Montana State-Billings (15-7) 10. Western Washington (14-8) 02/14/04 Haley carries Wildcats to victory SAN FRANCISCO – Tim Haley notched career highs with 23 points and 10 rebounds and hit the game-winning shot on a runner in the lane with 17 seconds to play, lifting the Chico State men's basketball team to a 65-62 victory over host San Francisco State. San Francisco's Ryan Cleaves had a chance to put the Gators back on top, but missed the front end of a one-and-one with seven seconds remaining. After Chico State's Andy Butcher made two free throws, Haley secured the win by stripped Cleaves of the ball before he could get off a possible game-tying 3-pointer. Butcher and Will Bonner joined Haley in double-figures with 15 and 10 points, respectively, as the Wildcats improved to 14-7 overall and 11-5 in the CCAA. Mychal Lynch paced San Francisco State (9-11, 7-9 CCAA) with 22 points. 02/13/04 Seawolves foul up Chico State's winning streak ROHNERT PARK – The Chico State men's basketball team isn't so sure about Willie Nelson's theory regarding getting back on the road again. The Wildcats saw their nine-game winning streak come to an end as they were whistled for 38 fouls and watched host Sonoma State make 38-of-50 free throws en route to a 97-91 loss Friday night in Rohnert Park. The hosts were whistled for 21 fouls and Chico State hit 17-of-21 free throws. Ryan Hensel led Sonoma State with 30 points and hit 12-of-13 from the Charity stripe as the Seawolves won their fifth straight to improve to 8-12 overall and 7-8 in the CCAA. Brian Faulstich paced Chico State with 16 points and Scott Land, returning from two foot fractures, scored 15 points in his first 21 minutes of the season. Tim Haley hit 4-of-5 3-pointers nad scored 14 points. 02/07/04 Little comes up big in ninth straight win CHICO – Doug Little notched season-highs of 16 points and eight rebounds on 7-of-9 shooting to lead the Chico State men's basketball team to a 76-65 victory over visiting Cal State L.A. Saturday night at Acker Gym. The Wildcats won their ninth straight game and 14th of their last 15 at home in front of a raucous crowd of 998. Chico State is now in a four-way tie for second place in the CCAA at 10-4 with Cal State Bakersfield, Cal Poly Pomona, and UC Davis. The Wildcats, ranked No. 8 in the Western Region entering the weekend, are 13-6 overall. Cal State L.A. has now lost seven in a row to fall to 6-13 overall and 3-11 in the CCAA. Chico State held the Golden Eagles to 35-percent shooting thanks in part to Ben Perak's season-high three blocked shots. Cal State L.A. shot just 32-percent in the second half as Chico State outscored them 46-35. The way we played in the second half certainly was the key, said Chico State head coach Puck Smith. Our pressure and defensive game plan wore them down. We also shot the ball much better. Little sparked that second-half effort on the offensive end by shooting 6-of-7 overall and hitting both of his 3-point attempts. His 3-pointer with 17:09 remaining finished a 9-2 run that stretched the Wildcats' advantage to 39-32 and gave them the lead for keeps. Doug made some key shots and found a rhythm offensively that he hasn't had since he came back from his injury, said Smith. He also contributed defensively and on the boards. The Golden Eagles cut the lead to 42-41 on Justen Naughton's layup at the 13-minute mark. Naughton scored 14 of his 16 points after intermission. But Beau Henegar buried a long-range 3-pointer, his only shot of the game, to kick off an 11-4 run and stop the bleeding. Cal State L.A. remained within striking distance until Little put the game away with five quick points to start a 11-0 run that put Chico State ahead 74-60 with less than a minute to play. Morgan Smith paced Cal State L.A. with 18 points thank to 4-of-8 shooting from beyond the arc. Calvert Wright finished with 14, but hit just 3-of-13 shots. Tim Haley joined Little in double-figures for the hosts with 12 points. Ben Perak and Will Bonner chipped in 11 and 10, respectively. We're going to enjoy this now, but we know we've got bigger fish to fry coming up, said Smith. Two of those fish are Sonoma State and San Francisco State, which the Wildcats face next Friday and Saturday night on the road. 02/06/04 Wildcats win eighth straight behind Haley's season-high 18 points CHICO, CA – Tim Haley scored a season-high 18 points and grabbed a season-high six rebounds to lead the Chico State men's basketball team to a 72-64 victory over visiting Cal State Dominguez Hills Friday night at Acker Gym. Haley also grabbed five steals and buried 4-of-8 3-pointers as the Wildcats won their eighth straight game and 13th of their last 14 at home. Chico State, ranked No. 8 in the Far West Region entering the weekend, improved to 12-6 overall and 9-4 in the CCAA with the victory. Cal State Dominguez Hills, which got 21 rebounds and 10 points from Eric Crookshank, dipped to 6-12 overall and 4-9 in the CCAA. The Toros have lost nine of their last 10 games. The game was tight throughout with the lead changing hands 14 times. Nevertheless, Dominguez Hills took the lead with a 6-0 run to start the second half and held on to it until Travis McCollum's free throw gave Chico State a 50-49 advantage with 9:10 to play. It was just a major gut check for us, said Chico State head coach Puck Smith. We really showed our toughness tonight when we needed to or we wouldn't have won the game. The game seesawed back and forth until Haley gave the 'Cats the lead for good, 57-55, with 4:34 remaining. A dunk by Will Bonner and a Haley layup stretched the lead to 61-55 but Giovanny Auspuro's 3-pointer kept the Toros within striking distance. Chico State's defense stiffened up, however, and the Wildcats made 4-of-6 free throws down the stretch to salt the game away. The Wildcats finished the game with a huge advantage from the charity stripe despite connecting on just 20-of-32. Dominguez Hills made only 10-of-27 free throws. Brian Faulstich, Bonner, and Chuck Webster joined Haley in double-figures with 11 points apiece. Faulstich chipped in six assists and had just one turnover. McCollum gave Chico State a huge boost of the bench with season highs of eight points and seven rebounds in 14 minutes of action. Chico State hosts Cal State L.A. Saturday night at 8 p.m. Cal State Dominguez Hills travels to take on UC Davis. 01/31/04 Chico State men win seven straight with sweep of Southern California roadtrip CARSON. - The Chico State men's basketball team improved its winning streak to seven games, scoring 54 points in the second half to beat Cal State Dominguez Hills on Saturday night. In Friday's 66-64 win over Cal State L.A. Will Bonner hit a layup with 0.4 seconds remaining to give the Wildcats the victory. 01/24/04 Chico State men win fifth straight behind stellar defense CHICO – The Chico State men's basketball team held visiting Sonoma State to 34 percent shooting and forced the Seawolves into 21 turnovers en route to a 70-57 victory Saturday night at Acker Gym. The Wildcats have now won fifth straight to improve to 9-6 overall and 6-4 in the CCAA. Sonoma State, which has now lost four in a row, fell to 3-12 overall and 2-8 in the CCAA. Ben Perak and Brian Faulstich finished with 16 and 14 points, respectively, to lead Chico State. It was the Wildcats' bench that sparked the offense, however, outscoring the Sonoma State bench 32-9. Will Bonner came off the bench to score nine points and Colin Carr buried a pair of 3-pointers en route to a career high eight points. I was just very pleased with our effort throughout the game, said Chico State head coach Puck Smith. And in the second half we executed very well and that's what allowed us to put it away. The Wildcats actually struggled through much of the first half and found themselves trailing 27-22 with 1:56 remaining before intermission. But Jason Van Eck sandwiched a pair of jumpers around Beau Henegar's 3-pointer and Andy Butcher closed out the half with a layup at the buzzer to give Chico State a 31-27 lead it would not surrender. Chico State's defense made sure of that by holding Sonoma State to just one field goal over the first five minutes of the second half to stretch the lead to 36-29. Chico State's lead ballooned to 58-40 when Perak capped a 20-5 run with a layup at the 6:55 mark. The senior scored the Wildcats' final 10 points during the backbreaking run. The Wildcats' lead never sunk below single digits after that. Perak finished the game 7-for-7 from the field and went 12-for-13 during the Wildcats' weekend sweep that saw the Wildcats move into a tie for fourth place in the CCAA. 01/23/04 Chico State men hang on for fouth-straight win CHICO, CA – The Chico State men's basketball team shot 69 percent from the floor and 5-of-5 from 3-point range in the first half and then hung on to beat visiting San Francisco State 77-72 Friday night at Acker Gym. The Wildcats held on despite making just 6-of-13 free throws down the stretch, allowing San Francisco State to close to within 74-72 after trailing 51-29 at intermission. Ben Perak led the Wildcats (8-6, 5-4 CCAA) with 14 points, while Jason Van Eck and Doug Little chipped in 10 points apiece. San Francisco State's DeAndre Walker led all scorers with 22 points and Ryan Cleaves finished with 18 points for the Gators, now 6-7 overall and 4-5 in the CCAA. Chico State, which improved to 6-1 at home, came out red hot, hitting 18-of-26 shots in the first half while building a 51-29 advantage. Ten different players scored in the half for Chico State, led by Perak's 11 and eight points apiece from Tim Haley and Little. San Francisco State slowly chipped away at the lead in the second half while the Wildcats made just 8-of-25 shots and 8-of-16 free throws. Walker, Chris Tabarez, and Ryan Cleaves combined to score 37 second-half points on 14-of-20 shooting to put the Gators within striking distance. Walker scored 11 points during a 15-2 San Francisco State run that made the score 63-58 with 8:09 remaining. Chico State righted its ship at that point, however, and survived with the lead into the game's final minute. The Wildcats led 71-66 when Faulstich was fouled with 51 seconds to play. Chico State proceeded to miss four free throws in the final minute and Cleaves scored six straight points for the Gators to cut the lead to 74-72 with 23 seconds left. The Wildcats finally put the game away when Perak grabbed an offensive rebound after Van Eck's missed free throw and Faulstich converted on a pair of free throws with 19 seconds to play. 01/17/04 Wildcats win third straight SAN DIEGO - The Chico State men's basketball team won its third game in a row defeating UC San Diego 85-76 on the road Saturday night. It was only the second time Chico State has swept a road trip since joining the California Collegiate Athletic Association in 1998. The Wildcats (7-6, 4-4 CCAA) beat Grand Canyon on Friday. UCSD's third straight loss after a three-game win streak, puts its record at 4-9 overall, 4-4 in league play. The Tritons held a two-point halftime lead at 37-35, but Chico State stormed out of the locker room with a 10-0 run to regain a 45-37 advantage, and eventually extended the lead to as many as 16 points on two occasions around the six-minute mark. UCSD never again got within five points. We just came out and took charge in the second half, Chico State coach Puck Smith said. I thought we played pretty good from start to finish. It was a good win for us. Five players on each side scored in double figures. Ben Perak led all of them with 22 points on 9-of-11 shooting. He also added six rebounds and four assists. Fellow senior Brian Faulstich produced 13 points while juniors Jason Van Eck and Andy Butcher had 12 each. Van Eck grabbed a team-high seven rebounds. Doug Little, another junior, notched 11 points. Sophomore Matthew Sweany led UCSD with 21 points. Junior center Jesse Boyd posted a double-double with 10 points and a game-high 10 rebounds. 01/16/04 Wildcats pick up first road victory PHOENIX - The Chico State men's basketball team gained its first road victory by defeating Grand Canyon 87-72 Friday in Phoenix. The Wildcats (6-6, 3-4 California Collegiate Athletic Association) have won two straight games. Brian Faulstich and Jason Van Eck each finished with 19 points for Chico State and Ben Perak had 12 points. Faulstich had five assists and Van Eck grabbed seven rebounds. Twelve Wildcats scored. Chico State fell behind by 14 points early in the first half before taking the lead near the end of the period. The Wildcats built a 14-point lead with five minutes remaining in the game. They came out and jumped on us and our pressure really wore them down, Chico State coach Puck Smith said. It was a good road win. Royce Hall had 18 points for Grand Canyon (2-10, 1-6). 01/10/04 Wildcats snap five-game skid behind Van Eck's career-high 28 points CHICO, CA – Jason Van Eck scored a career-high 28 points and seven different Wildcats came off the bench to score as the Chico State men's basketball team beat visiting Cal State Stanislaus 91-78 to snap a five-game losing streak. The Wildcats never trailed after a 19-4 run late in the second half and led by as many as 18 points on three separate occasions in the second half to improve to 5-6 overall and 2-4 in the CCAA. Cal State Stanislaus dipped to 3-8 overall and 1-5 in the CCAA despite Dustin Shultz's team-high 20 points on 8-of-9 shooting. Van Eck proved too much for Stanislaus to handle from the start, scoring 17 in the first half, including nine points over the final 7:27 as Chico State turned a 29-25 deficit into a 46-35 halftime lead. He then helped put the game away late, scoring nine points in the final eight minutes. Ben Perak, meanwhile, chipped in 13 points and nine rebounds. Andy Butcher chipped in 10 points and Tim Haley finished with nine points, four steals, and three assists. Casey Keegan buried four 3-pointers and finished with 16 points for Stanislaus, but he was the only Warrior to join Shultz in double-figures. 01/09/04 Wildcats fall to Bakersfield in OT CHICO, CA – Fred Nichols collected a steal and layup with five seconds remaining to force overtime and finished with a game-high 21 points and 14 rebounds as Cal State Bakersfield avoided an upset by defeating host Chico State 81-77 in overtime Friday night at Acker Gymnasium. The Wildcats led by as many as six points but were outscored 8-2 over the final three minutes of regulation as Jason Van Eck missed the front end of a key one-and-one with 44 seconds to play. Bakersfield, meanwhile, hit 10-of-12 from the charity stripe down the stretch to improve to 9-1 overall and 5-0 in the CCAA. Chico State, which saw its nine-game home court winning streak snapped, fell to 4-6 overall and 1-5 in the CCAA. The game was tied 14 times in all with no team leading by more than six points at any time. Bakersfield did most of its best work in the offensive boards as the Roadrunners notched a 19-2 advantage in second-chance points. Nichols keyed that effort with seven offensive rebounds. Chico State, meanwhile, got 19 points from Van Eck and 14 points and seven assists from Faulstich. The Wildcats took a 35-34 lead into intermission on Chuck Webster's free throw with 30 seconds before intermission. The lead then changed hands nine times over the first seven minutes of the second half. Andy Butcher's 3-pointer with 8:12 to play gave Chico State a 56-53 lead, however, and they did trail again until overtime. After Chico State had built its lead to 67-61 with 2:51 to play in regulation, Nichols and Eddie Shelby keyed the Roadrunners' comeback. Nichols hit a pair of free throws and Shelby put back his own miss to cut the lead to 69-67 with 1:22 left on the clock. After Van Eck missed his free throw, Nichols missed a short jumper but stole the ball from Tim Haley, who rebounded the miss, and put layed it in. Faulstich's 3-pointer at the buzzer bounced off the front rim, forcing overtime. In overtime, Bakersfield took over. Shelby drained a 3-pointer to start the period and the Roadrunners never trailed again. Shelby scored seven of his 18 points in overtime. Andre Hardwick finished with 14 points and 12 rebounds, and Al Williams chipped in 15 points. Chico State hosts Cal State Stanislaus Saturday at 8 p.m. Cal State Bakersfield travels to take on UC Davis. 01/03/04 Wildcats almost upset Coyotes SAN BERNARDINO -- The Chico State men's basketball team had its comeback attempt fall short Saturday, dropping a 70-68 decision to Cal State San Bernardino on the road. The Wildcats (4-5, 1-3 California Collegiate Athletic Association) trailed by 17 points in the second half and had a chance to tie the game, but Charles Webster missed a pair of free throws with two seconds left. After missing the first attempt, Webster missed the second on purpose and San Bernardino's Yoseph Yaisrael grabbed the rebound to end the game. Chico State made just 12 of 20 free throws on the night and lost its fourth straight. The Coyotes (8-1, 4-0) have won 24 consecutive games at home and are the four-time defending CCAA champions. I hate to be satisfied with a moral victory, but I was just real proud of our team because of the way they played against a quality opponent, Chico State coach Puck Smith said. They're certainly one of the top teams in our league. Jonathan Levy had seven 3-pointers and a game-high 28 points for the Coyotes. San Bernardino led 45-28 in the second half, but the Wildcats made it 69-68 with 2:05 left. Brian Faulstich had 21 points, seven rebounds and four assists for Chico State. He also had five 3-pointers. Faulstich scored 24 in Friday night's loss against Cal Poly Pomona. Webster had 14 points and Doug Little added nine. 01/02/04 Wildcats fall to Broncos POMONA -- The Wildcats lost their third straight game, falling to the Cal Poly Pomona Broncos, 89-75, on Friday night. The Wildcats were outrebounded 41-25 and Pomona grabbed 18 on the offensive end. Chico State (4-4, 1-2 California Collegiate Athletic Association) had just five offensive rebounds. The offensive rebounds really killed us, Chico State coach Puck Smith said. We competed well, but we've got to make plays when the opportunity is there. We're playing some of the best teams in the region. These kids are not quitters. Brian Faulstich led the Wildcats with 24 points on 8-of-11 shooting and Jason Van Eck had 16. Ben Perak added 12 points. Chico State trailed 38-29 at halftime and the Broncos (5-3, 1-2) increased their lead to 19 points in the second half. The Wildcats didn't get closer than 10 points. The game also marked the return of Chico State's Doug Little, who hasn't played since the first game of the season due to a broken foot. Little, a 6-foot-4 transfer from Citrus College, had seven points in 14 minutes. He's only been practicing for five days, Smith said. Within the next couple of weeks, we expect him to play a lot more. Jeff Bonds had 19 points for Pomona with David Sybesma and Jonathan Boyd scoring 13 each. 12/21/03 Wildcats fall to Alaska-Fairbanks ARCATA -- Alaska-Fairbanks defeated the Chico State men's basketball team 80-75 Sunday night at the Humboldt Holiday Classic in Arcata. Ben Perak led Chico State with 19 points and Jason Van Eck had 16 for the Wildcats (4-3), who went 0-2 in the tournament. Andrew Smith led Alaska-Fairbanks, which led 42-38 at halftime, with 26 points and Brad Olson scored 19. It was a battle, Chico State coach Puck Smith said. We actually came back and took the lead in the second half, then they came back and had a hot streak and took the lead back. We fouled two people out and we didn't even get into one-and-one in the second half, so there was a little bit of disparity. I was pleased how we fought back. We were down by 12 late and closed it to within five. 12/20/03 Wildcats axed by Lumberjacks ARCATA -- The Humboldt State men's basketball team outscored Chico State by 15 points in the second half and defeated the Wildcats 95-78 at Saturday's Humboldt State tournament in Arcata. Humboldt State (8-1) is the No. 2 ranked team in Division II. The Wildcats (4-2) were led by Chuck Webster and Andy Butcher who had 15 points each. Brian Faulstich finished with 14 points and six assists while Tim Haley added 10 points. Chico State took a brief lead on a Butcher 3-pointer in the second half before the Lumberjacks gained control. The Wildcats went on an 11-0 run over the last 1:50 of the first half to cut the Lumberjacks' lead to 41-39 at halftime. Humboldt State went ahead 27-8 with 11:52 remaining in the first half. We battled back, Chico State coach Puck Smith said. I was really proud of the way we fought and competed. The Lumberjacks took 51 free throws compared to 13 for Chico State. Humboldt State scored 41 points from the line and the Wildcats converted nine of its free throws. That's the game, right there, Smith said. Austin Nichols scored a game-high 28 points for the Lumberjacks. Nichols scored 15 of the Lumberjacks' first 22 points. Humboldt State's Fred Hooks had 14 points, 18 rebounds and four blocks and Mark White tacked on 20 points. The Wildcats were hurt by foul trouble as both Ben Perak and Webster fouled out. Chico State center Will Bonner didn't play due to a sprained ankle he suffered in practice this week. 12/06/03 Wildcats avenge loss to UC Davis CHICO - The Chico State men's basketball team avenged a loss earlier this week to UC Davis with a 72-67 victory tonight over the Aggies in a California Collegiate Athletic Association contest in Acker Gym. The Wildcats trailed by six points at halftime, 32-26, but went on an 11-0 run over a two-minute span in the second period to take a 48-47 lead with 9:32 remaining. During the run, Jason Van Eck hit three free throws and a layup, Tim Haley added three free throws and Andy Butcher knocked down his only three pointer of the game. Chico built a five point lead over the next five minutes, but the Aggies charged back to tie the contest three more times, the last at 64-64 with 3:03 remaining, but the Wildcats never gave up the lead. Faulstich sealed the victory, scoring the final four points of the game. His jumper with 20 second left built the lead to three, 70-67, and two free throws at the seven-second mark put the game out of reach. The Wildcats, now 4-1 overall and 1-1 in CCAA play, shot 54 percent in the second half and committed just two turnovers, verses 15 turnovers in the first period. In contrast to the game on Wednesday night, the Wildcats went to work on the boards, outrebounding the Aggies 32-21. It was physical game on both ends with the teams combining for 45 fouls. Chico fouled out two starters and Davis lost one. The Wildcats were led by Van Eck's 17 points, which included 10-of-12 free throws, and 16 points from Charles Webster, who had a team-high 18 in the game against Davis on Wednesday. Brian Faulstich was the final player in double digits with 11 points. UC Davis' Ryan Moore led all players with 24 points and Fowzi Abdelsamad tallied 23, including five three pointers. Phil Rasmussen ended the game with 11 points. The Aggies are now 2-2 overall, 1-1 in conference play. Chico State travels to Humboldt State next Saturday and Sunday to take on Humboldt State and Alaska-Fairbanks.Chico State avenges loss to UC Davis 12/04/03 Wildcats picked to finish fourth in CCAA The Chico State men's basketball team is picked to finish fourth in the California Collegiate Athletic Association, based on a vote of the league head coaches. The Wildcats tied for third place last year, narrowly missing a bid to the West Regional. Cal Poly is picked to win the conference, followed by Cal State San Bernardino and Cal State Bakersfield. The Wildcats are 3-1 on the season, but lost their conference-opener to UC Davis last Wednesday. 12/03/03 Chico State falls hard to UC Davis DAVIS, Calif. - UC Davis defeated Chico State 95-69 in the California Collegiate Athletic Association men's basketball opener for both teams Wednesday night in front of 1,437 at Recreation Hall. With the win the Aggies move to 2-1 on the season and snap a four-game losing streak against the Wildcats. Chico suffers its first defeat of the year, falling to 3-1. UC Davis opened the game with a three-pointer and the Aggies led the rest of the way, racing to a 20-4 lead in the opening six minutes. The lead grew to 20 just past the halfway mark of the period. The lead remained in double-digits the rest of the way as the Aggies' defensive pressure forced the Wildcats into 10 first-half turnovers. Chico never found its range from the field in the first half, going over four minutes without a field goal on two different occasions. The half ended with the Aggies holding a 17-point lead at 45-28. The second half was much of the same for UC Davis. The Wildcats never got it going as twice they cut the lead to 16 only to see it bounce right back to 20. The Aggies held their biggest lead of the contest at 93-65 with just under two minutes remaining. The tempo of the game seemed to favor Chico, which entered the contest averaging 91.3 points per game. While Chico struggled to find its range, the Aggies were hot from the start. They finished the game shooting 57.1 percent from the field and 85.7 percent from the free throw line. UC Davis also held a commanding edge on the boards, outrebounding the Wildcats 41-25. Chico was paced by Charles Webster, who scored 18 points before fouling out after playing 21 minutes. Jason Van Eck added 13 and Ben Perak finished with 10 as the only other players in double figures for the Wildcats. Chico, a perimeter-oriented team, was held without a three-point basket after making 21 in its first three games. These same two teams will face off again this Saturday in their final meeting of the season in Chico. Gametime is set for 7 p.m. 11/29/03 Chico State claims Mac Martin crown CHICO, CA – The Chico State men's basketball team claimed the Wittmeier Auto Center 44th Annual Mac Martin Tournament title for the first time since 1999 with a 92-83 victory over Central Washington University Saturday night in Acker Gym. Tournament MVP Jason Van Eck led all scorers with 22 points and fellow All-Tournament selection Andy Butcher finished with a career-high 21 points as Chico State improved to 3-0 on the season. Central Washington, which dipped to 2-3, got 17 points from Chris Lynn and 16 points and four blocks from All-Tournament selection Jay Van Hook. Chico State never trailed in the contest but never led comfortably either. Narcippa Teague's layup gave the hosts their biggest lead of the game, 36-22, with 7:20 remaining in the first half. Central Washington immediately answered with an 11-0 run, however, and trailed just 40-38 at intermission. Chico State again stretched the lead to double figures when Van Eck scored back to back buckets to make it 64-52 with 12:05 remaining. Lynn sparked a 10-0 Central Washington run to trim the lead to 64-62 and never again trailed by more than nine points. Central Washington pulled to within 78-74 with 2:46 to play on Van Hook's layup. But Butcher scored in the paint, and following a Central Washington free throw, buried his only 3-pointer of the night to make it 83-75 with 1:04 remaining, putting the game out of reach. Both teams struggled from the free throw line. Central Washington made just 21-of-38 from the charity stripe, while Chico State made only 21-of-31 free throws. Chico State will be back in action Wednesday night when it opens CCAA play at UC Davis at 7 p.m. The Wildcats return home Saturday night to face the rival Aggies at 7 p.m. Seattle Pacific rallies to beat Colorado Mines 81-76 After trailing almost the entire night, Seattle Pacific used a 14-6 run over the final 4:40 of the game to defeat Colorado School of the Mines 81-76 in the 44th Annual Mac Martin Tournament Saturday night. Clayton Moores scored five straight points to spark the run and All-Tournament selection Jordan Lee made five straight clutch free throws down the stretch as Seattle Pacific evened its record at 2-2. Colorado Mines dipped to 2-3 despite a game-high 22 points from Matt Luedtke and 21 points and five steals from All-Tournament selection Stephen Bahl. Lee finished with 19 points to pace SPU, Jason Chivers chipped in 15, and Tony Binetti earned a spot on the All-Tournament team with 13 points, six rebounds, and a pair of steals. 11/28/03 Wildcats win opening game of 44th Annual Mac Martin tournament CHICO, CA – With three players out due to injury, including two projected starters, the Chico State men's basketball team didn't know where its scoring would come from on opening night of the 44th Annual Wittmeier Auto Center Mac Martin Invitational. It came from just about everywhere. Jason Van Eck led five Wildcats in double-figures with 23 points and 10 rebounds, including two free throws with 15 seconds remaining, as Chico State slipped by Seattle Pacific University 93-91 Friday night in Acker Gym. Andy Butcher finished with 18 points for the Wildcats, now 2-0 on the season. Will Bonner added 12 points, and Ben Perak and Chuck Webster chipped in 11 points apiece. Seattle Pacific, which dipped to 1-2, was paced by Jordan Lee's 23 points. Dustin Bremerman finished with 16 points, Jeff Knudson had 13, Ralph Steele added 12, and Chris Cohen and Tony Binetti notched 10 points apiece. Binetti also led all players with nine assists. Behind a hot start from beyond the arc, 6-of-9, Chico State took a 46-45 lead into intermission. The Wildcats never trailed in the second half, but poor free throw shooting kept them from pulling away. Three times Chico State built leads of seven points or more, only to see Seattle Pacific climb back in the game as the Wildcats made just 12-of-24 free throws after intermission. Chico State took its largest lead of the second half, 82-72, on Butcher's fourth 3-pointer of the game with 5:48 remaining. Thanks to a pair of Bremerman treys, Seattle Pacific bounced back with a 14-6 run to cut the deficit to 88-86 with 2:18 to go. Bremerman then followed a pair of Butcher free throws with a jumper to make it 90-88 with 1:21 to play. After a Chico State turnover, Van Eck blocked a shot, garnered a rebound, and was fouled with 15 seconds remaining. He sank both free throws, but Chad Williams buried a 3-pointer to pull Seattle Pacific to within 92-91 with seven seconds left. Seattle Pacific had a chance to win or send the game into overtime after Tim Haley was fouled a made one-of-two free throws, but the Falcons failed to get off a shot in the final six seconds. Chico State will take on Central Washington Saturday at 7 p.m. for the tournament title. Colorado School of the Mines will face off against Seattle Pacific at 5 p.m. Central Washington rallies to beat Colorado School of Mines 83-74 A 17-2 run to start the second half keyed Central Washington University's 83-74 victory over Colorado School of the Mines in the opening game of the Mac Martin Invitational. Kyle Boast, Tobi Stoll, and Scott Freymond each hit 3-pointers for the Wildcats as they rallied from a 40-29 halftime deficit to take a 46-42 advantage with 15:26 remaining. Jay Van Hook paced Central Washington with 17 points and Tyler Mitchell garnered 15 points and a game-high 11 rebounds as the Wildcats improved to 2-2 on the season. Mike Conner and Boast finished with 11 points apiece. Colorado Mines' Stephen Bahl led all scorers with 33 points and Kevin Wagstaff finished with 15, but the Orediggers couldn't make up for a 51-38 rebounding disparity and fell to 2-2. 11/19/03 Wildcats smash Dominican 89-64 in season opener CHICO - Jason Van Eck led a balanced scoring attack with 17 points as the Chico State men's basketball team opened the 2003-04 season with an 89-64 victory over visiting Dominican University Wednesday night at Acker Gym. The Wildcats, without the services of returning leading scorer Scott Land for an unknown period of time due to a broken foot, didn't seem to miss a beat in the opener. Andy Butcher started in Land's place and scored 16 points. In all, 12 different Wildcats scored. Marcus Williams paced Dominican, which fell to 2-2, with 18 points. Brandon Quick chipped in 17 points for the Penguins. Chico State forced Dominican into 30 turnovers to ensure that victory came with relative ease. Junior transfer Tim Haley led the way with five steals to go along with his six points and five assists. Fellow point guard Brian Faulstich finished with nine points, four assists, and two steals. Chico State, which is back in action Nov. 28-29 when it hosts the 44th annual Mac Martin Invitational, is now 7-0 all-time against Dominican. 10/24/03 Unranked Chico State men face three in preseason Top 10 The Chico State men's basketball team, which returns four starters from last season's 18-9 team, is unranked in the Division II Bulletin and Street & Smith's preseason polls released by those publications. However, the Wildcats are set to face three teams highly ranked in at least one of those publications. Both publications have Humboldt State ranked No. 1. The Wildcats will face the Lumberjacks December 21 at the Humboldt Holiday Classic. Defending West Regional champion Cal Poly Pomona is ranked No. 2 by Street & Smith's and No. 5 by the Division II Bulletin. Chico State visits the Broncos, who they beat twice last season, January 2, and hosts Pomona February 28. Street & Smith's ranks reigning CCAA champion Cal State San Bernardino No. 7 in the nation. Chico State visits San Bernardino January 3, and hosts the Coyotes March 5. The Wildcats return eight players in all, including 2002-03 First Team All-CCAA and Second Team All-West selection Scott Land. Chico State signs JC transfer Doug Little (May 27) Citrus College transfer Doug Little has signed a National Letter of Intent to play basketball at Chico State next season. Little, a versatile 6-foot-5 swingman, was a two-year starter at Citrus and helped turn that program around. During the 2002-03 season, the team was ranked as high as No. 7 in the state. Little averaged 10.3 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 2.1 assists per game. Doug is an extremely versatile basketball player who has the ability to play several positions and contribute in many ways, said Chico State head coach Puck Smith. Prior to attending Citrus College, Little served in the United States Army for three years. He graduated from Citrus College with an AA in business and a 3.5 GPA. He plans to major in business at Chico State. Doug is the kind of guy who not only brings outstanding athleticism to the program, but also conveys a noticeable sense of a maturity with everything he does, said Smith. We're very glad to have him. Chico State signs Pleasant Valley graduate Tim Haley (May 14) Pleasant Valley High School and Shasta College graduate Tim Haley has singed a National Letter of Intent to play basketball at Chico State University next season. Haley led Shasta college in scoring (13.6 points per game), rebounding (6.9 per game), and assists (4.5 per game) while earning First Team All-Golden Valley Conference honors last season as a sophomore. He earned First Team All-Eastern Athletic League honors as a senior at Pleasant Valley. We are very excited to have Tim join the program, said Chico State head coach Puck Smith. Tim is an outstanding, versatile player who can play three positions and he fits perfectly into out team environment. The 6-foot-3 Haley joins a Wildcat squad already loaded with returning talent. Chico State is scheduled to return all but one starter and most of the supporting cast from last season's 18-9 squad. Chico State men sign high school senior for 2003-04 season (Dec. 8) CHICO, CA - The Chico State men's basketball team is looking to strengthen its inside game by signing West Valley High School center Shane Bradley to a National Letter of Intent during the early signing period. Bradley, a 6-foot-9 senior from Cottonwood, Calif, near Redding, will join the Wildcats in the 2003-04 season, after completing his senior year. As a junior at West Valley, Shane averaged 10.6 points and 10.8 rebounds per game. “We are very excited about having Shane Bradley become part of our basketball program at Chico State next fall, said head coach Puck Smith. Shane is a big guy who can run and jump and has the potential to be an outstanding player in our conference.