Tuesday, December 31, 2013

NWAACC Craw's Power Rankings, Week 1

By Greg Crawford, basketball insider @wchoops and @crawssportsbiz

For the record, I love NWAACC basketball. And for the record, because of my heavy schedule of covering D-1 basketball for CSNNW.com, I do not get to see all the teams sadly. But with my many sources around the league and my homework, I have a pretty good idea of what is going on. These will not be perfect, well on second thought maybe they will be, but I am always glad to hear from people who disagree, but be respectful, or else I will not read your email. gregorycrawfordspeaks@gmail.com. These will be out every Tuesday, enjoy please. I always do things in 9s so get use to it.

9. Treasure Valley (7-4)---Big test comes on January 8th when Columbia Basin visits, coming in winning five of their last six.

8. Spokane (9-4)----Powerful scoring team, 88.6 ppg and also carrying the confidence over from last year's third place finish in the NWAACC tournament.

7. Pierce (7-3)---Playing some of the best basketball in the NWAACC right now, with four wins heading into western region league play starting Saturday.

6. Whatcom (7-3)----Kyle Impero having a banner year so far, averaging 24.2 ppg, 5.6 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game. Impressive player so far in 2013.

5. Highline (9-2)----Have five players averaging in double figures and seven players who score seven points or more per game. Balance scoring is tough to beat on any basketball team.

4. Big Bend (11-3)---Running Viks are off and running with a scoring average of 98.5 ppg. Two NWAACC losses have been too Highline and Clark. Impressive start.

3. Southwestern Oregon (11-3)----Enter southern region play winning five of six, big test coming up this Saturday, when they come to Mt. Hood.

2. Mt Hood (11-2)-----Had won 10 games in a row until a very tough loss last Saturday at Clark in double overtime, 95-89. Scary team who seems to be gaining confidence by the game.

1. Clark (8-1)----It is hard to dispute the Penguins being number one. Led by Sean Prince, 22.9 ppg, 7.6 rebounds and 4.4 assists and Colin Spickerman 20.4 ppg and 10 rebounds, the Penguins are powerful and have many options.

Greg Crawford is the college basketball, golf and sports business insider for CSNNW.com, where he breaks many stories nationally. You can read more of Greg at www.csnnw.com/blog/crawfords-court and you can also watch him on TV every week as a regular panelist on Talkin' Ducks basketball on Comcast SportsNet which debuts January 6th at 8:00 pm. Greg is also famous for his NBA Draft evaluations, which are talked about around the entire basketball world.

Thursday, December 26, 2013

Clackamas Community College Always Puts On Great Basketball Show During The Holidays

By Greg Crawford, basketball insider, @wchoops

Every year the Clackamas Community College Christmas basketball tournament is a great show and this year promises to be no exception.

"We would hope and I think we do know how to put on a good tournament after all these years," says tournament director and head men's basketball coach at CCC Clif Wegner." We want it to be a welcoming atmosphere for fans, students and of course our guest teams. It always fun each year to see some new faces and bring back some old faces, that is what tournament basketball is all about.

The tournament gets underway on Saturday, December 28th, with a game at 1:00, follow by three contests at 3,5 and 7, a basketball lovers dream. And this is one of the best holiday tournaments on any level, you will ever see.

Competing teams this year will be Linn-Benton, Walla Walla, Centralia, Skagit Valley, Tacoma, Yakima Valley, Everett and the host Clackamas. All the teams are out of the great NWAACC league, but the good part is that with Clackamas playing in the Southern Division, the only team you will see the rest of the year at Clackamas will be Linn-Benton, as the other six teams play in different divisions than the southern.

The tournament will conclude on Monday, December 30th with games at 11, 1 and the championship game coming at 3:00. There is also plenty of action on the 29th, with games being the same time as the first day, 1,3,5 and 7:00. This truly is three days of great basketball.

"We are now into so many years that we have some tradition and culture to our Christmas tournament," added Wegner. "It also goes without saying this is a very good field, as we always seem to get and the games are competitive and anyone can take home the trophy."

 Not only great basketball, but this is also a good people watching event as many coaches are there to watch the talented players, as well as many celebs show up to watch great basketball.

Clackamas Community College is located just off of highway 213 in Oregon City, Oregon. Easy to find and if you come one day, you will immediately want to come back for more.

After this tournament, Clackamas Community College starts league play with the women playing at 2:00 and the men playing Lane at 4:00, on Saturday January 4th, as the NWAACC begins their seven week stretch of league games, which in the Southern Division games are played on Wednesday and Saturday nights.

To read more of Greg Crawford, please follow him on CSNNW.com, Crawford's Court every Tuesday and Friday, as well as Craw's Sports Business Weekend, every Sunday. @crawssportsbiz on twitter.


Tuesday, December 24, 2013

Tony Broadous Changing The Culture At Portland Community College

By Greg Crawford, basketball insider @wchoops

It is fun to watch Tony Broadous patrol the sidelines as coach of the Portland Community College Panthers' men's team.

Broadous is part coach, mentor and friend to his players and you can see he has their respect. As a high school coach Broadous was terrific for Grant High of the Portland Interscholastic League, where he continually produced winning teams, won a state championship, three times was named PIL coach of the year and Oregon coach of the year once.

Things are tougher at Portland Community College, but there are  signs of some very good basketball. After winning two out of three in the Portland Community College NWAACC crossover tournament this past weekend, against one of the strongest fields you will ever see, Broadous takes his Panthers to Christmas with a 7-4 record.

What needs to take place for that record to continue get better? "On offense we need to share the ball even better, none of this one pass and then shoot. We have to be really smart and and realize that these possessions really count and take care of the basketball," said Broadous. "On defense we have to realize defense is not only an individual responsibility, but also a team effort. We allow at present too many easy baskets. If we want to continue to win, we have to make it tough for our opponents to score on every possession."

The Panthers are fun to watch and it is a team all basketball fans should get out and see. The next home game for the Panthers comes on January 8th, when they take on always powerful Clackamas Community College in a Southern Division league battle in the NWAACC.

The men's game will be preceded by the women's game at 5:30 and will get underway as close to 7:30 as possible. Portland Community College is located at 600 N. Killingsworth and there is always plenty of free parking.

To keep following the Panthers, please check back often to gregcrawfordbasketball.blogspot.com

To read more of Greg Crawford, please always follow him at CSNNW.com where he writes Crawford's Court, every Tuesday and Friday, plus other days per importance. www.csnnw.com/blog/crawfords-court.

Saturday, December 21, 2013

Saturday Night 12/21 Promises Great Basketball In Portland, Oregon

By Greg Crawford, basketball insider @wchoops

It will be a great day of basketball today in my hometown of Portland, Oregon.

All gets underway at 2:00 with a crosstown match-up for bragging rights between the U of Portland and Portland State women at the Stott Center. This is actually a must win for both teams and must see game for all. Plus, in case you don't know, with any admission, you can eat free food all day at Portland State.

Then you can move a little north for some great basketball at Portland Community College (600 N. Killingsworth) and see two great semifinal games which start at 5 and 7, in the Portland Community College Crossover Tournament.

These semifinal match-ups are a basketball dream come true for any fan. Mt Hood vs Yakima Valley at 5:00 and Treasure Valley vs Portland Community College at 7:00.

Closing out the evening, the great rivalry between Warner Pacific and Concordia takes place at 7:30 at Warner Pacific. It is rare that both of these teams would go into the second week of league play both at 0-2, so this is critical for both sides.

You have great choices, it is wonderful early Christmas present to see this good of basketball in Portland, Oregon all on the same day.

You can read more of Greg Crawford as he covers D-1 basketball, golf and sports business, all at CSNNW.com each week. To email Greg, gregorycrawfordspeaks@gmail.com

Tuesday, December 17, 2013

Powerhouse Offenses Collide On Wednesday Night At Multnomah

By Greg Crawford, basketball insider @wchoops

If you would like to give yourself a pre-Christmas gift, then just show up at Multnomah University (84th and Glisan) on Wednesday night, December 18th.

And if you arrive anytime past 7:00 p.m., you probably will have missed at least six baskets, of which at least half of those will have been 3-point shots. By the way tipoff is 7:00 p.m., parking is always free at Multnomah and large noisy crowd is expected.

Of course the Lions will be hosting the Lewis and Clark Pioneers , led by talented coach Dinari Foreman, who like Multnomah loves to push the ball up the floor.

"I sure hope they don't get 70 3-point attempts, " said Foreman earlier this week. "Curt Bickley does a great job of coaching, especially the way he gets his team to buy into sharing the ball and their passing is second to none. We better be ready coming off an extended layoff due to finals, so our leadership is so important in this game."

The final score of this game will not be 40-30, heck that might be the score at the 16:00 minute mark of the first half. And you have to love it, offense is a lost art in basketball, but not with these two clubs.

And what do the underdog Lions have to do to pull the upset. "To beat the Pioneers we have to score at least 140 points in this game, "says Bickley. "Dinari has his usual talented team, he is an impressive coach and I love the fact this is two Portland college teams playing each other.

As a basketball insider, I do not say this too often, but this is a game I would pay to see over and over again, not to mention you should buy season tickets to both of these basketball programs.

I will be there and you should be as well. Come by and say hello please.

To read more of Greg Crawford, please go to CSNNW.com and read Crawford's Court and Crawford's Clubhouse on a regular basis.

Monday, December 16, 2013

Mt Hood Saints Off To Fast Start

By Greg Crawford, basketball insider @wchoops

The Southern Division of the NWAACC Conference is men's basketball is always competitive and this year is shaping up to no different.

One team that is making some waves early on is the Mt. Hood Saints, off to a great start at 8-1, after a three game sweep of opponents at Lassen College in Susanville, California this past weekend.

The Saints are coached by Geoff Gibor and he obviously is pleased with his start, but like all coaches is looking to get better in key areas.

"It is very early in the season, but I am pleased with our progress," said Gibor. "Our one loss was at the buzzer to a very good Yakima team. I really like the chemistry of this team. They all get along and have bought into what we are trying to accomplish here with Mt. Hood basketball."

To see this exciting team, you can attend the Portland Community College tournament this Friday, Saturday and Sunday, on the Cascade campus of Portland Community College. The Saints first game will be played Friday, at 2:00 p.m when they battle the Lower Columbia Red Devils.

Gibor is quick to point out that his team is all about F.O.E., Family Over Everything, doing it all together.

Besides the great team chemistry of the Saints, Gibor  also likes the way two players are playing so far.

"Mac Johnson, 6' 8" sophomore is playing really well. He is a force in the post and he has a toughness and work ethic that is terrific. Brock Otis has also impressed me with his leadership and hustle. As a group our players have done a really good job of working together.

If you like basketball, the Portland Community College tournament is a must see, with eight really good NWAACC teams participating. And you can follow the progress of the Mt. Hood Saints right here at gregcrawfordbasketball.blogspot.com all year long.

To read more of Greg Crawford, please go to www.csnnw.com/blog/crawfords-court where Greg writes on D-1 college basketball every Tuesday and Friday.



Tuesday, December 10, 2013

Multnomah Back Home For Thursday Night Game

By Greg Crawford, basketball insider @wchoops

The Multnomah Lions are almost certainly glad to be back home for crucial Thursday night 7:00 pm contest against North Adelaide, but the road was not that bad either.

The Lions completed a three day road swing into Grand Rapids, Michigan this past weekend, coming our with a 2-1 record, including a win against a D-3 opponent.

"We took 10 players on this trip and we played them all in units for the most part," said Lion Coach Curt Bickley. "Naturally I would have liked to have gone 3-0, but I am happy with this team, the competitive fire and always willing to give it their all. As a basketball coach, that is what you ask for and that is what we are getting as a coaching staff."

Multnomah in November with its brutally tough schedule is now back on track with December here and they have a chance to move that track even further starting Thursday night.

"North Adelaide will be a great test for us," said Bickley. "They split their games with Portland Bible and that proves they are a tough team to beat. We will continue with our pressure defense and how octane offense, hoping we can get the win."

If you have not watched Multnomah basketball, you must. No one shoots more 3-pointers than the Lions, they play in a great gym, with free parking and a great atmosphere for basketball.

After North Adelaide, the next home game for Multnomah will be when the Lewis and Clark Pioneers, led by coach Dinari Foreman and his own high octane offense visit on Wednesday, December 18th.

To read more of Greg Crawford, please go to CSNNW.com for Crawford's Court, www.csnnw.com/blog/crawfords-court

Thursday, December 5, 2013

Huge Small College Games This Week

By Greg Crawford, basketball insider @wchoops


NWAACC basketball in the states of Oregon and Washington is terrific all the time and this Saturday on the campus of Clackamas Community College should be no different.

It will be a great doubleheader when at 2:00 p.m., the women's teams of Clark and Clackamas square off, followed by the men's game at 4:00.

If you like basketball, this is a must see doubleheader.

Clark and Clackamas do not always play each other every year, so this is what makes these games special. Clark and Clackamas both have rich histories in basketball and the fact that the schools are about 30 miles apart, Clark being on the southern border of Washington and Clackamas on the northern border only spices things up a little more.

"We love playing Clark and Saturday night will be a great test for both our men and women." said Clif Wegner, the highly successful men's coach at Clackamas Community College. "We love playing pre-division games against tough teams, so having Clark in our gym is special and our players need to be ready for what should be a highly competitive game."

Head coach Al Aldridge of the Clark Penguins will bring his women's team to the CCC Oregon City campus with a 2-1 record and obviously will face a tough challenge as head coach of the Lady Cougars, as coaches Kayla Steen and Jim Martineau appear to have their usual fine team, coming into the game with a 5-0 record that includes a most recent win, winning the championship last Sunday of the annual Thanksgiving tournament, 82-81 over Umpqua.

As for the men's game, Wegner has his Cougars at 4-2 and Alex Kirk brings the Penguins in at 2-1.

This doubleheader should draw a huge crowd on Saturday, basketball games you should not miss.

**************************

In a game that probably is as rare as it gets, at least from coaching standpoint, Corban and Northwest Christian men  will open their league season at Corban on Friday with the two coaches probably having a little inside knowledge about each other.

Luke Jackson will bring his 6-2 Beacons to the Salem campus of Corban and he will be coaching against his father-in-law, Steve Matsen. Bragging rights are on the line, besides it being the league opener.

Of course Jackson is one of the five greatest players ever to play for the U of Oregon and is in his first year of coaching the Deacons. Matsen is also back as a first year coach for the Warriors, who presently own a 3-4 record.

Game time is 7:30 and it will be preceded per usual for all Cascade Collegiate Conference games with the women's game at 5:30.

Friday night, Saturday night, some great basketball in the Pacific Northwest.

You can read more of Greg Crawford at CSNNW.com and his Crawford's Court columns which appear each Tuesday and Friday, www.csnnw.com/blog/crawfords-court.

And of course these columns are always brought to you by Greg Crawford Speaks, the best training for public speaking and presenting you will ever see, of which many holiday specials are running. For more information, please go to http://gregcrawfordspeaks.weebly.com or email gregorycrawfordspeaks@gmail.com if you want to examine how you can become a better public speaker/presenter.

Tuesday, December 3, 2013

Multnomah University Basketball

By Greg Crawford, Basketball Insider @wchoops

Coach Curt Bickley is glad the month of November is over, but at the same time he is very proud of his team and the effort they gave against many teams from the Cascade Collegiate Conference , of NAIA Division 2.

"Sometimes when teams in basketball lose, they just go through the motions, we are not one of those teams, " said Bickley. "We knew going into our November schedule it would be tough, playing up in caliber, but never once did our guys quit competing and I think we learned a lot about ourselves. No, it will not get any easier, but at the same time we are now going to being playing many more NCCAA teams and that will equal things out."

The December journey for the Lions starts this week in Grand Rapids, Michigan with a three game round robin tournament. "Part of our culture at Multnomah University is for our student/athletes to see as much of the country as we can and this week going to Michigan will start part of that journey.

When the Lions return home to their Glisan street gym on December 12th, they will battle North Adelaide from Australia. Then the next home game promises to be a great contest, when Dinari Foreman brings his Lewis and Clark Pioneers over to Multnomah on December 18th, for a holiday game, which promises to attract a huge crowd.

If you have not seen Multnomah University play basketball, you are missing a real treat. The ball is up and down and the three point shots can come from anywhere. That is not to short the fact the Lions play the full 40 minutes, no matter what the score.

Multnomah's gym is located at 8435 NE Glisan and is awaiting your presence on December 12th and 18th.

You can read more of Greg Crawford by going to www.csnnw.com/blog/crawfords-court, where Greg Crawford covers D-1 basketball for Comcast SportsNet.

This blog is brought to you by Greg Crawford Speaks, http://gregcrawfordspeaks.weebly.com, where you can get the best public speaking/presenting teaching around. To learn more and hear about our holiday specials, please email us at gregorycrawfordspeaks@gmail.com

Thursday, November 28, 2013

Huge November 30th Basketball Match-Up

By Greg Crawford, Small College Basketball Insider @wchoops

Not many small college games in my hometown of Portland, Oregon can match the game which will take place on Saturday night at Concordia University in North Portland.

At 7:30, on November 30th, the Cavaliers will place host to the Lewis and Clark Pioneers, from SW Portland and  this is a big one. As your small college basketball insider, I have projected that both of these teams will win their regular season titles this year, Concordia the Cascade Collegiate Conference and Lewis and Clark the Northwest Conference.

Curt Bickley, the outstanding coach of Multnomah University has already played Concordia this year and has also seen Lewis Clark many times as he will play them on December 18th.

"This really is the classic inner citty match-up," said Bickley. "In my mind it is impossible to pick a winner, as it is the powerful shooting of LC, against the powerful inside game of Concordia. This is going to be fun and every person who loves basketball should show up."

Of course Bickley is referring to the potent 3-point shooting of LC, led by one of the best shooters in all of college basketball Quentin Sims, who recently against Warner Pacific went 9 of 11 from the 3-point line. Bickley also loves the inside game of Concordia, led by their senior all-american Adam Herman.

And mentioning both Sims and Herman is not meant in the least to slight the other players on both squads as both teams are so talented and have deep benches.

Hats off as well to both Dinari Foreman and Brad Barbarick, who are not only are talented coaches, but also people who shape the lives of young people for years to come. Lots of teams of this talent in the same city would not play each other, but on November 30th, basketball fans will get to see these teams play each other and it will be some treat.

Prediction: Overtime

You can read more of Greg Crawford as he covers college basketball for CSNWW.com and Crawford's Court, www.csnnw.com/blog/crawfords-court

Tuesday, November 19, 2013

Multnomah Lions Continue Tough, But Rewarding November

By Greg Crawford, Basketball Insider @wchoops

In some ways 11 year Multnomah Lions' head coach Curt Bickley will be glad November is over and in some ways he will not.

"When we set up our schedule, we knew it would be really tough," said Bickley. "But out of some losses, we also have gained confidence and I have never been afraid to schedule quality opponents, because playing against teams that might be better on paper, makes you a better basketball team.

The road of roughness continues on Tuesday night, when the Lions meet Oregon Tech and its legendary coach Danny Miles, who very soon will be in the Basketball Hall of Fame.

"We enjoy our time going to Klamath Falls," says Bickley. "We always know OIT is strong and we also know the fans are wild about their team, which presents challenges for everyone who plays OIT at home. But once again, we will gain confidence and come out of the game a better team for sure.

After the Tuesday night game, the Lions will return to close out November with a battle against crosstown Warner Pacific on the Knight's home floor, on Tuesday November 26th.

Then after a few days off, Multnomah will start December by  traveling to Michigan for a three game trip, returning for their next home game on December 12th against North Adelaide.

Greg Crawford is the college basketball insider for CSNNW.com and you can always read his work there at www.csnnw.com/blog/crawfords-court


Thursday, November 14, 2013

Multnomah Lions Face Big Weekend

By Greg Crawford, Basketball Insider

@wchoops

Coach Curt Bickley's Multnomah Lions face another big weekend, as they battle two tough teams from the Pacific Northwest.

On Friday night, November 15th the Lions will take on NAIA member Lewis and Clark State, always a tough match-up.

After a the 7:00 game on Friday, the Lions come right at back at 4:00 p.m. on Saturday to face Cascade Collegiate Conference member, Northwest Christian from Eugene. Northwest Christian is coached former Oregon Duck great Luke Jackson.

"This run of tough games in November, can't help but make us better in December to March," said Bickley. "Yes we want to win every game we play, but at the same time even in losses it is important to keep improving and gain confidence. I really like this group of players we have this year, especially the competitive nature."

If you have never been to Multnomah University, it is located at 8435 NE Glisan and is a great location to watch a game. At the same time you will think the sky is raining 3s, as it is part of the culture of Multnomah University basketball to attack on the offensive end with a barrage of 3s. It is must see basketball.

For more coverage of college basketball, you can read Greg Crawford's---- Crawford's Court, each Tuesday and Friday, at CSNNW.com and come January can watch him on Comcast SportsNet on Talkin' Ducks (basketball version).

Tuesday, November 5, 2013

Concordia Visits Multnomah On 11/6/2013

By Greg Crawford, Basketball Insider

There is nothing like a great college inner-city battle in basketball. And just as such will take place on Wednesday night, November 6th when the Concordia Cavaliers of the Cascade Collegiate Conference travel to Multnomah University to meet the Lions with a tip-off at 7:00 p.m

The game will feature coaches that are two great friends. "I have great respect for Coach Bickley at Multnomah and what he has been able to do with his program. He fully understands his players, how to place them in a position to succeed and is constant in his efforts," says Concordia head coach Brad Barbarick.

It is mutual respect from Coach Bickley. "We are really looking forward to playing Concordia and Coach Barbarick. His 20 years at Concordia have been both successful on the floor and in the classroom and it is an honor to call him my friend."

This will be one of the toughest opponents Multnomah will play all year, as Concordia is talented, deep and is led by all-american Adam Herman.

For Coach Bickley, the game plan is simple. "Even though we are playing up, we do not want to get away from Multnomah University basketball. We need proper spacing and getting up our 3-point game, which is the strength of our game. This will be a challenge, but challenges in November is exactly what will make us a better team in March."

A huge crowd is expected at Multnomah, 8435 NE Glisan and if you are a fan of basketball, you should be part of that crowd. And once again, a great place to watch a game and the parking is always free.

You can also follow Greg Crawford on CSNNW.com with Crawford's Court and on twitter @wchoops.

Thursday, October 31, 2013

Clackamas CC Pre-League Jamboree, November 2nd

By: Greg Crawford, basketball insider

For the 20th straight year, Clackamas Community College will host the NWAACC Pre-League Jamboree starting Saturday morning and running all day on November 2nd. Action on two courts will get underway at 9:30 and games will run through 3:30.

Once again Clackamas head men's basketball coach Clif Wegner has assembled a great group of teams to participate in the all day affair.

"As a basketball coach, this is so much fun to put on an event of this nature," said Wegner. "It is a great time to see people we have not seen for awhile including fans, coaches and referees. The competition is also very fierce as everyone wants to establish themselves, from the get go."

The Saturday, November 2nd affair is open to the public, with a small charge at the gate.

Teams competing this year Clackamas CC, Mt. Hood, Lane, Portland CC, Linn Benton, Concordia JVs, Big Bend and Grays Harbor.

If you are a basketball fan, this is a can't miss event. Not only good basketball, but the event also brings in many people from sports who will be in attendance.

NWAACC basketball is terrific and features many players who will go on to play at four year schools, including D-1 teams.

Greg Crawford covers D-1 college basketball for CSNNW.com, but his heart as a basketball fan is also always with "small college" basketball.

You can follow Greg on twitter @wchoops and on Facebook www.facebook.com/greg.crawford.10


Wednesday, October 30, 2013

Multnomah Lions Start Season 3-1

It could have been a 4-0 start for the Multnomah Lions to their 2013-14 season, but the team will have to settle for 3-1, after suffering their first loss of the season last Friday night to Vancouver Island.

"Obviously I would love 4-0, but I am proud of the way our players have played so far," said Coach Curt Bickley. "We showed a lot of toughness last weekend with the way we played on Saturday afternoon, after a tough loss the night before. Sometimes coming back that quickly can be tough, the our guys just went out and played a tough opponent in Camosun and got the victory."

The month of November will not be an easy one for the Lions, as they play many tough opponents that include, Concordia University, Eastern Oregon, Northwest Christian and Warner Pacific.

"Our opponents in the month of November will be one of the toughest string of games for non-league since I have been here in my 11 years at Multnomah," said Bickley. "But when you play tough opponents, you also improve and that is what I am looking for in the next few weeks. We have to continue to score from the 3-point line and we also need to continually work on our spacing at the offensive end."

The tough November will kick off with a home game on November 6th against cross-town opponent Concordia, one of the early favorites to win the Cascade Collegiate Conference. Tip-off is 7:00 and huge crowd is expected and you should be one of those to be there.

Greg Crawford can also be read on CSNNW.com with his coverage of D-1 basketball .

Greg Crawford on twitter @wchoops

Tuesday, October 22, 2013

Multnomah Lions Try To Make 4-0 Start

The road to starting the season 4-0 gets very tough this week when the 2-0 Multnomah Lions take on two very tough opponents. Actually it is not the road at all, as the Lions will play at their home gym, located at 8435 NE Glisan in Portland for the second straight weekend.

On Friday night, October 25th the Lions take on Vancouver Island University, the defending D-2 Canadian champions. And then will little rest, Multnomah comes back on Saturday to face a solid Camosun College team, with a noon tipoff.

For the first time in the history of Curt Bickley's successful coaching career at Multnomah, which is now into its 11th year, his team has started the season 2-0 after wonderful wins this past weekend over Douglas and Columbia Bible. Though much work is to be done, Coach Bickley really liked the fact that in the two opening games, his team got up 224 field goal attempts.

"For us to be successful this season, we have to get up lots of shots, including many 3-pointers, space the floor properly and continue to run the basketball, " said Bickley. "I was pleased we were able to accomplish some of our keys to winning this weekend, now it is critical we keep it up."

As for this weekend's games? "As a coach I am always nervous, these opponents this weekend are both quality teams. But we also need to just worry about ourselves, play to our potential and take the pressure off."

To watch Multnomah basketball is a joy and more and more people are discovering that fact. This past weekend's crowds were terrific, but there is always room for more people. If you are a basketball fan, it is must see basketball. Plan to attend both games or at least one and let me know about your experience, where parking is always free and the gym is set up great.

Greg Crawford can be reached at gregorycrawfordspeaks@gmail.com

On Twitter @wchoops

On Facebook www.facebook.com/greg.crawford.10

You can also here Coach Bickley each Sunday night at 9:30 on the "Portland Metro Small College Hoops Show" on blog talk radio.

You can also catch Greg Crawford every Tuesday and Friday on CSNNW.com where he is the college basketball insider and writes Crawford's Court


Thursday, October 17, 2013

NWAACC Coaches Clinic

On Saturday, October 19th there a wonderful basketball coaching clinic will take place at Clackamas Community College in Oregon City, Oregon.

I honored to be one of the presenters, along with a host of other much more talented people. I strongly encourage anyone who is in coaching, no matter what the level to attend, as well as anyone who is thinking about becoming a basketball coach.

For more information you can go to http://depts.clackamas.edu/athletics or call Clif Wegner at 503 594-3893.

Please consider attending, you will not be disappointed.

Greg Crawford
@wchoops
www.facebook.com/greg.crawford.10

Tuesday, October 15, 2013

Multnomah Lions Open 2013-14 Season October 18th

Season Opener---It all gets underway for real this Friday, October 18th as the Multnomah Lions open their 2013-14 men's basketball season.

The opponent for Friday night will be Douglas College out of Canada and tipoff is slated for 7:00. The Lions will not get much rest, as on Saturday night, they take on Columbia Bible College of Canada, also at 7:00 p.m.

Multnomah's gym is located at 8435 NE Glisan in Portland, Oregon and parking is always free. As my good friend Jim Hurd, who sees several basketball games each week, always says, the Multnomah floor might be the best in basketball from a spectator standpoint.

Friday night will also mark the 11th opener for Coach Curt Bickley at the helm of Multnomah basketball and he is excited.

"You never know what to expect from an opening game, but one thing our players and coaches do expect is that we are going to play with passion, excitement and flair," says Bickley.

The Lions have been practicing since September and to a person, they are rather sick of facing off against each other and are looking forward to having an actual opponent on Friday night.

"Our practices for the most part have been good and meaningful, but there is nothing like playing an actual game to see where you stand and what is good and bad about your team," said Bickley. "We are not big, but as per most of our teams, we have some good shooters and we are going to put the 3-ball in the air, start to finish."

As I am long time basketball person  on all levels, if you have not been to a Multnomah game, you must get there. It is exciting, fast break basketball when no lead on either side is safe and you will be entertained.

Please always share your comments below about Multnomah basketball. And every Tuesday, we will have an article on gregcrawfordbasketball.blogspot.com

Greg Crawford is the college basketball insider for CSNNW.com, where you can read him every Tuesday and Friday in Crawford's Court.

email Greg @ gregorycrawfordspeaks@gmail.com

You can also follow Greg on:

twitter: @wchoops

facebook: www.facebook.com/greg.crawford.10

linkedin: www.linkedin.com/gregcrawford

Tuesday, October 8, 2013

Multnomah Lions March Towards Season Opener

Portland, Oregon----As the Multnomah Lions move towards their opening game of the 2013-14 men's basketball season on October 18th, Coach Curt Bickley is like all basketball coaches, nervous, but excited.

"We have lots of work to do, especially on our out of bounds plays, but overall I am pleased with our practices and energy so far, " said Bickley.

The Lions will open the season against Canadian team Douglas at Multnomah on the 18th at 7:00 p.m., in what should be a high scoring and exciting contest.

"It is great that we can face teams from Canada on successive weekends at home to start the season," Bickley said. "As we head towards another tough schedule including these games, it will really give us an idea of what we are all about as a team."

Multnomah will be one of the smallest teams in the country on any level and when you are small, rebounding is so critical and the Lions have been doing a lot of work on the rebounding game.

Bickley really likes the leadership of this year's team.

"We are experienced and that is going to help, in our five month span of basketball. You do not even have to tell our veterans, they just step up and lead the younger guys and that is a dream for any basketball coach."

NOTE: Every Tuesday, you can follow Multnomah University basketball at http://gregcrawfordbasketball.blogspot.com as we go in-depth into the Lions' season. Multnomah University is located at 8435 NE Glisan, Portland, Oregon

You can also read more of Greg Crawford at CSNNW.com, Crawford's Court as he covers D-1 college basketball.

Please follow Greg:

http://www.csnnw.com/blog/crawfords-court

twitter @wchoops

facebook  www.facebook.com/greg.crawford.10

linkedin  www.linkedin.com/gregcrawford

If you enjoy this about Multnomah basketball and are a fan of basketball and/or a Multnomah fan please comment under the blog and also please spread the word. It is greatly appreciated.

Saturday, October 5, 2013

Portland Metro Small College Hoops Show

This is a show never to miss, it is all about basketball and it comes to you every Sunday night at 9:30 p.m. The next "Portland Metro Small College Hoops Show" will take place on October 6th, 2013. Here is the link to listen.

http://tobtr.com/s/5452663

Tomorrow night's guest will be:

Curt Bickley---Multnomah University

Tim Cleary------Pacific University (Forest Grove)

Clif Wegner----Clackamas Community College

Dinari Foreman---Lewis and Clark College

Brad Barbarick----Concordia University (Portland, Oregon)

Tuesday, October 1, 2013

Multnomah University Basketball

NOTE: This blog, is dedicated strictly to basketball, all levels. And on certain days you will see schools and teams featured, such as today, October 1st, which it being Tuesday will always have features, news, info and all things Multnomah University. If you are a basketball fan, you need to come here often.

Multnomah University, located at 8435 NE Glisan in Portland, Oregon will kick off its 2013-14 college basketball season on Friday, October 18th with a home game against Douglas College from Canada. Not much rest for the Lions as they will play the next night at home against Columbia Bible also out of Canada. Both games will tip off at 7:00 p.m.

If you have not seen a game at Multnomah, you must. Great place to watch a game, plenty of free parking and great concession stand. And one of the best floors anywhere in basketball.

With all that, you will always see a team that competes, wire to wire and loves the 3-point shot. As a matter of fact, it is pretty certain that Multnomah will lead college basketball every year when it comes to putting up the 3-ball. And even better, the shooters on the team are excellent.

At present the Multnomah Lions have 16 players, on the roster, but only two seniors. The seniors are Davey Walker out of Tigard, Oregon and Erik Mendoza from Chicago, Illionois.

Guiding the Lions will be Curt Bickley, who on October 18th will begin his 11th year as head coach at the NE Portland school. Bickley will be assisted this year by Tim Bieri (4th year), Jesse Cain (2nd year) and star guard from last year's squad who has traded a uniform for a clipboard, Austin Hodges.

The Lions will play 17 regular season games at home and will also host the NCCAA western regionals on February 28 and March 1st. On the road this year as always, the Lions will see plenty of the country as they will appear in the states of Oregon, Washington, Idaho, California and Michigan.

As the season goes along we will talk more about the Lions' schedule, but I strongly urge people to take in a game or many during the season.

Greg Crawford is the college basketball insider for CSNNW.com, www.csnnw.com/blog/crawfords-court.

Crawford also hosts each Sunday night at 9:30 PDT, the "Portland Metro Small College Hoops" show on blog talk radio, in which Coach Bickley is a regular guest.

Greg Crawford on twitter @wchoops

Greg Crawford on facebook www.facebook.com/greg.crawford.10

Greg Crawford is also on Linkedin, www.linkedin.com/GregCrawford (COO of Kiyokawa Crawford Sports Management)

Please email any questions to gregorycrawfordspeaks@gmail.com (http://gregcrawfordspeaks.weebly.com

Thursday, September 12, 2013

Coming October 1st, 2013

Coming this October 1st, 2013 from Greg Crawford, veteran media personality on this blog, will be:

1. Coverage of the D-League

2. Coverage of the NWAACC

3. Coverage of the Cascade Collegiate Conference

4. Coverage of the Northwest Conference

5. Coverage of Multnomah University

Plus, prep coverage, as well as some exciting features. Stay tuned to this blog for more info coming soon and don't forget, October 1st it all starts right here,

Please do not forget to follow Greg Crawford on twitter @wchoops, on Facebook www.facebook.com/greg.crawford.10 and on Linkedin www.linkedin.com/gregcrawford

As well never miss a Crawford's Court on CSNNW.com where Greg Crawford is the college basketball insider.

Sunday, May 19, 2013

Greg Crawford On Basketball

This blog is everything basketball, all the time. As the college basketball insider for CSNNW.com, I love the fact I can cover basketball for largest sports entity in the world, Comcast and NBC Sports.

But this blog also gives me a chance to cover other parts of basketball as much I possibly can. Those other basketball parts include:

1. NBA

2. D-League

3. Northwest Conference

4. Cascade Collegiate Conference

5. NWAACC  (36 team community college league in Oregon and Washington)

6. Multnomah University (Member of the NCCAA, National Collegiate Christian Athletic Association)

And much, much more. For all the latest on D-1 college basketball, please always go to http://www.csnnw.com/blog/crawfords-court.

This blog is always brought to you by, Greg Crawford Speaks, http://gregcrawfordspeaks.weebly.com for more information on how you can become a better public speaker/presenter.

Keep coming back here for more information and blogs often about basketball and thank you.

Thursday, April 25, 2013

Today's SPORTS ???? 4/25/2013

What NFL team has the best draft? Please comment and why.

Brought to you by Greg Crawford of CSNNW.com

Sunday, April 21, 2013

Big Changes Coming To This Blog On May 1st, 2013

Big changes will be coming to this blog on May, 1st 2013. Just like our sister blog, crawscorner.blogspot.com, you will see new content almost everyday and some exciting new things. We will have some new writers, who will be dependable and offer great content.

This blog will always be about basketball, other sports will be covered on crawscorner.blogspot.com.

Some new things coming to this blog will be:

NBA Coverage
D-League
International Basketball
Canadian Basketball
Small College Basketball (NAIA, NWAACC and D-3) In-depth coverage of the West and South leagues of the NWAACC
NBA Draft Coverage

You will also see plenty of coverage from me, Greg Crawford on CSNNW.com for both NCAA basketball and golf. This is an exciting time in the sports business field, so please also turn to crawscorner.blogspot.com for your Craw's Sports Biz power moment, which will appear each morning.

Thank you and if you think you can write, please get ahold of me:

Greg Crawford
Editor of gregcrawfordbasketball.blogspot.com

Thank you for reading.

Saturday, April 13, 2013

Nike Hoop Summit Preview


Did you think that High School basketball was over, after the championship game in March? Don't worry, the Nike Hoop Summit has you covered. On April 20th, some of the worlds best high school basketball talent, will face off in the Rose Garden. Last Year, the World Team upset the USA select Team which included Shabazz Muhammad and Nerlens Noel. Canadian Andrew Wiggins led the way for the World with 20 points, and expectations are even higher as he returns again for 2013.

Prepared to be amazed by Aaron Gordon for the USA select. Search him up on Youtube, and you will be bombarded with his emphatic dunks and blocks. This kid can jump out of the gym, his athleticism is almost unmatched at this level. Aaron and Andrew Harrison, who are identical twins, are a pair of dynamic guards that don't disappoint. Their finesse style of play, ability to shoot and pass effectively are a few reasons why they are Kentucky bound next year. But easily, my favorite player this year will be Andrew Wiggins. He is the complete basketball package, almost impossible to guard at 6"8 and agile. It wouldn't be a surprise if this guy led the world team to another victory here in Portland, thanks to his shooting and superb defense. We will see nothing less than a terrific game on Saturday. I expect this to be a back and forth game that will keep you on the edge of your seat, with the World coming up on top again.

Sunday, March 31, 2013

Florida Gulf Coast Run Comes to an End


The Eagles Cinderella story came to a close on Friday at the hand of  Florida. After a early lead, FGCU began to commit costly turnovers due to the Gators pressure defense. Thanks to Florida's size advantage, the Gators held the advantage in rebounding (35 boards to 28) as well. With five and a half minutes left in the first with the score 24-14 , in favor of the Eagles, Florida went on a 16-2 run to close the half. Unlike the previous two tournament games, Florida Gulf Coast wasn't able to put together a big run in the second half. Florida coasted to a 62-50 win, and a spot in the Elite Eight.

Florida Gulf Coast exploded into the national spotlight this March, thanks to their explosive and exciting style of play. They also set a historic mark as becoming the only 15 seed to make it to the Sweet 16. This will go down as one of the most exciting tournament runs in history, and will be remembered by all who watched.

Saturday, March 23, 2013

West Linn Wins Oregon Basketball Title


On March 9, West Linn won the Oregon 6A state basketball championship, breaking Jesuit's four year title reign. In the quarterfinals the Lions had a tough, and even questionable win over the Grant Commodores. After a back and forth game, it was evident that the game would be decided in the final minutes. After two made free throws from Diondre Bird, put Grant in the lead by one. On the ensuing drive by West Linn, Jared Howard missed a layup, then rebounded by the generals. After drawing up a inbounds play, Grant throws it away. What ensued was a mad scramble for the ball, with multiple players tied up on the ball, West Linn is awarded with the timeout. This was the first questionable call, that completely altered the course of the game. The Lions last possession ended up with another missed layup, however the Commodores do not secure the defensive rebound. Again there is a loose ball, with players diving left and right. What is different this time is that Grant is called for a holding call, when it appeared that neither team had possession. With only 4.7 seconds left on the clock, Jarrod Howard sinks two free throws to win 51-50. Should that foul have been called down the stretch, with the game so close? Probably not, but what could have helped was having a third referee present.
Advancing to the semifinals, West Linn was slated to play undefeated conference foe Lake Oswego. In their two conference match-ups, the Lakers won in convincing fashion. West Linn went into the game with the strategy of slowing down the pace of the game. After a defensive slugfest all game, the Lions were in a tight game down by one with 35 seconds left on the clock. Freshman point guard Payton Pritchard finds post Ryan Shermire on the block, he power dribbles to the middle and completes a right hook shot to put his team in the lead. The Lakers inbound the ball to their star leader Calvin Hermanson, who quickly pulls up from deep beyond the arc, but comes up short of the make. After the miss there is a jump ball called, and possession goes to the favorited Lake Oswego. With one last chance to save their season, the Lakers inbound pass is intercepted by Pritchard, and as time expires West Linn celebrates the upset.
After two gruelling and tight games, they were well prepared for the Final against Central Catholic. Despite an early run from the Rams, West Linn came roaring back, hitting four consecutive threes in the second half, to steal the momentum. West Linn never looked back as Ryan Shermire sealed the win from the free throw line, as West Linn won their second boys basketball title in school history 45-41.

Tuesday, March 5, 2013

Oregon High School Basketball

On Wednesday the 6A Oregon High School Basketball Championships will move to the Rose Garden. After Saturday night, the 6A champions will be crowned out of the eight teams remaining. It is every high school player's dream to play on this stage, so there is no doubt we'll see some amazing games.

Previewing the slate of games on Wednesday one game that stands out is the Lake Oswego vs. Southridge match up. After being tested last Friday by Tigard, in arguably their toughest win of the year,the Lakers do not seem as invincible as they've been perceived. On the flip side, Southridge has won two close matches between Lakeridge and David Douglas. Both games decided by a combined five points, there is no doubt that the Skyhawks are riding a lot of momentum coming into this game, led by a strong class of seniors. However, with so many offensive threats with Hermanson, Griffin and Caslick producing at such a high level (Scoring a combined 75 points out of 153 in the last two playoff games) Southridge defensively will not be able to keep up with the Lakers.

After a hard fought game last Friday, Sunset defeated the upset minded Timberwolves of Tualatin. Led by a strong post duo pertaining of Tyler Gutierrez standing at 6"8, and Adam Mead at 6"7, they are key to the Apollo's success. Facing a familiar foe in Jesuit, a confernce opponent, Sunset know what to expect. After already being blown out twice already by the Crusadors, expect a tight game from Sunset. After struggling to contain Sprauge's Tanner Morgan at post (dropping 17 points in a low scoring game) the Apollos may be able to expose one of Jesuit's weaknesses tomorrow. With all this in mind, I'm calling upset here, the Apollos walk away with the victory thanks to outstanding post play and superb three point shooting.

In the other two games I see West Linn taking out Grant, in a game where the Lions of West Linn will take over offensively. Addiitonally Central Catholic will handle South Medford with ease in the least exciting game of the day.

Sunday, March 3, 2013

Morning Snapshot: The Sixers End Their Losing Streak

(Photo: Paul Vathis/AP file photo)
I know this is going to hurt for all the west coast readers but the Philadelphia Sixers defeated the Golden State Warriors 104-97 on Saturday night. This was huge for the Sixers because they snapped their seven game losing streak. All of the Sixers starters were playing great basketball including guard Royal Ivey who got the start in place of Nick Young who had a sprain ankle.

What was also special about this game was that it was Wilt Chamberlain bobblehead night. If you remember Wilt played for the Philadelphia Warriors and then when they moved to San Francisco he continued to play for them. Also last night marked the 51 year anniversary of Wilt scoring 100 points in a game. Last night was a great night of basketball in the city of Philadelphia.


Follow me on twitter @Jovan10 for Sixers, College Basketball, NFL, MLB, and all sports updates.

Sunday, February 24, 2013

Morning Snapshot: No More BracketBusters

(Photo: Belmont Bruins)
Last night at 10:00 pm ET was the last and final bracketbuster game ever. The Ohio Bobcats took on the Belmont Bruins and the game was really no contest. The Bruins defeated the Bobcats 81-62. It is sad to see that this was the last and final bracketbuster game ever because it gave so many little schools and conferences chances to let the national public to see them play. I also think it helped those schools who won a chance to boost up their tournament resume.

Hopefully networks such as the NBC Sports Network, CBS, or Comcast Sportsnet pick up the whole event of bracketbusters because it can only help not hurt these little schools and conferences.


Follow me on twitter @Jovan10 for Sixers, College Basketball, NFL, MLB, and all sports updates.

Saturday, February 23, 2013

Morning Snapshot: The Lakers and Warriors get big wins on Friday night

(Photo: Ben Margot/AP)
For all you east coast basketball fans that did not stay up last night, there were two exciting basketball games that were going on between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Portland Trailblazers and the San Antonio Spurs taking on the Golden State Warriors.

Let's just say both California teams won in grind it out fashion. In the Lakers vs. Trailblazers game, Kobe Bryant went to work against Portland and scored 40 points. That was vintage Kobe but not to be over looked is Trailblazers outstanding rookie point guard Damian Lillard who scored his 1000th point in young career. The Lakers would go on to win 111-107.

Now the last game of the night went into overtime but the Warriors came out victorious defeating the Spurs 107-101. Leading the way in scoring for the Warriors was Jarrett Jack who had 30 points off the bench; the last Warriors player to do that was Donyell Marshall back in the late 90's. The playoff push is now on, its time to see if the Warriors can hold their playoff position and if the Lakers can find their way into the playoffs.


Follow me on twitter @Jovan10 for Sixers, College Basketball, NFL, MLB, and all sports updates.

Wednesday, February 20, 2013

Tuesday Night Oregon High School Highlights


On Tuesday high school basketball teams across the state began to wrap up their regular seasons. The number one team in the state Lake Oswego (24-0, 10-0 Three Rivers League), faced off against Lakeridge High School (13-10, 4-6) in a crosstown rivalry game. However, after a tight first quarter Lake Oswego blew open the lead in the 2nd quarter outscoring the Pacers 16 to 4. The Lakers of Lake Oswego never looked back and won by a score of 69-26, finishing the season undefeated. Reggie Oliver of the Pacers carried the load last night scoring 17 of his team's 26 points.

In the Pacific Conference, McMinnville (13-10, 9-5 Pacific Conference) defeated Forest Grove (13-11, 5-9) led by Gabe Gubrud who scored a team high 16 points. With the win McMinnville clinched an automatic playoff berth, while the Vikings of Forest Grove are destined for a play-in game on Friday.

In Metro Conference action, the Southridge Skyhawks (13-10, 6-4) hosted Jesuit High (21-2, 10-0) in closely contested game. Khyan Rayner led all scorers with 32 points, as he passed the 400 season total points mark on Tuesday night. Although Southridge pulled in within 4 points late in the fourth quarter, Jesuit pulled out the win thanks to superb free throw shooting late.

Monday, February 18, 2013

Morning Snapshot: The West Defeats the East in the NBA All Star Game

(Photo: Getty Images)
Last night, the NBA held their annual all star game in the city of Houston, the home of the Houston Rockets. This all star game had a different feel to it as this will be David Stern's last year as commissioner and Billy Hunter was unanimously voted out as executive director of the union by the NBA Players Association. 

Back to the game, the Western conference all stars defeated the Eastern conference all stars 143-138. For the Western conference it was the same old faces on the team but for the East they had new players such as Cleveland Cavs point guard Kyrie Irving, Philadelphia 76ers point guard Jrue Holiday, and Indiana Pacers forward Paul George. 

The MVP of the all star game went to Los Angeles Clippers point guard Chris Paul. Paul had 20 points, 15 assists, and four steals he made incredible passes and showed off some amazing crossovers. With this performance in the all star game you cannot forget to mention Paul for regular season MVP.

Sunday, February 17, 2013

Morning Snapshot: Former UW Husky Terrence Ross Wins the Slam Dunk Contest

(Photo: Jeff Haynes/Reuters)
Last night, on All-Star Saturday night, the bright lights were shining on the Sprite Slam Dunk Contest. The players that were participating in the contest were Kenneth Faried of the Denver Nuggets, Eric Bledsoe of the LA Clippers, and reigning slam dunk championship Jeremy Evans of the Utah Jazz. Those players were representing the Western Conference.

The players representing the Eastern Conference were Gerald Green of the Indiana Pacers, James "Flight" White of the New York Knicks, and Terrence Ross of the Toronto Raptors. The eventual champion was Terrence Ross, the rookie who had spectacular dunks all night including in the final round where he did a dunk and paid homage to Vince Carter. Even though the dunk contest wasn't high flying and exciting as many NBA fans would want it to be, Terrence Ross brought the excitement and went home the 2013 Sprite Slam Dunk Contest Champion.

Sunday, February 10, 2013

Morning Snapshot: Notre Dame Outlasts Louisville

(Photo: sbnation.com)
If you missed the Louisville-Notre Dame game on ESPN Saturday night, you missed a classic! This game went into five overtimes. The last time there was a Big East game that long was when Syracuse took on UConn in the Big East Tournament a few years ago and that game went to six overtimes. The Louisville-Notre Dame game was the longest Big East regular season game in history.

Saturday's game had everything in it from one coach playing with house money to another coach basically losing his mind because of his one of his players bone headed mistakes. In the end, Notre Dame defeated Louisville 104-101 in five overtimes and not only the student section was happy but so was Irish head coach Mike Brey who was having so much fun in the overtimes. Everybody welcome to the most important month in college basketball as March Madness is down the road.


Follow me on twitter @Jovan10 for Sixers, College Basketball, NFL, MLB, and all sports updates.



Tuesday, February 5, 2013

Kobe Bryant is Still the Best Player in the NBA

(Photo: Gary A. Vasquez-US PRESSWIRE)

Many people think that Kobe Bryant is finished and that the torch should be passed to Lebron James. Not so fast my friend as ESPN's College Football Gameday analyst Lee Corso would say. If you think Kobe Bryant's career is done then you must not have been watching basketball this season.

This season with Dwight Howard, Kobe Bryant had to change the way he played the game for the betterment of the team. So far that change has gone great for Kobe and the Lakers. For the Lakers, he has been more of a passer than a scorer. On January 29th versus the New Orleans Hornets, Kobe Bryant had 14 points and 11 assists. When was the last time you saw Kobe post those kinds of numbers in a game? Lebron sure doesn't do that on a nightly basis. Instead unlike Kobe, Lebron James has become more of a scorer's mentality than anything else.

Here is another stat that will have you scratching your head. On February 1st against the Minnesota Timberwolves, Bryant had 17 points, 12 rebounds, and 8 assists. He was two assists away from a triple-double.

If you are a Lakers fan or a basketball enthusiast do you like aggressive Kobe or passive Kobe? I like passive Kobe and here is why. The way Kobe has been playing it seems like the Lakers are playing more together as a team and not as individuals. In the Lakers last seven games they have won six of them. Coincidence, I think not. The new style that Kobe is playing is actually making his team better and could definitely put him in the running for the MVP this season.

And for people that think Kobe is washed up just look at all his accolades. He was All-NBA First Team and All-Defensive Second Team last season. Then in 2011, he was All-NBA First Team, All-Defensive First Team, and All-Star MVP.

Finally, don't forget Kobe is only five years removed from a MVP title. So before you want to declare Lebron James the best in the game, the "Black Mamba" still has something to say about that.


Follow me on twitter @Jovan10 for Sixers, College Basketball, NFL, MLB, and all sports updates.