The Grizzly men's and women's basketball teams are set to host the 2009 Adams State Bankers Classic, made possible by the support of three local banks and the Alamosa Convention & Visitors' Bureau.Adams State Bankers Classic set for this weekend
November 18, 2009ALAMOSA, Colo.— Adams State College’s Plachy Hall will be a hoop heaven for San Luis Valley basketball fans as the Grizzly men’s and women’s teams both host the Adams State Bankers Classic on Friday and Saturday. A total of eight games— four men’s and four women’s— will be played over the two days as the Grizzlies welcome squads from five different stats for the weekend.
Hawai’i Pacific will also venture into The Den for a 7 p.m. Monday evening match-up with the Grizzly women, a game that is not part of the Bankers Classic.
The second annual early-season tournament is made possible by the generous support of 1st Southwest Bank, Alamosa State Bank and San Luis Valley Federal Bank and the Alamosa Convention & Visitors’ Bureau, which are together footing the bill for the hotel rooms for the opposing teams, which like their fans, are sure to spend money in the community throughout their stay.
As part of ASC’s San Luis Valley Fan Appreciation Nights promotion, SLV natives will also directly benefit as valley residents can gain two admissions for the price of one, making the event an absolute steal. Tickets, always low-priced, are just $6 for adults, $4 for students and $2 for children. As is normally the case, ASC students and Grizzly Club members will be admitted free.
The Grizzly women will face Northern New Mexico on Friday night at 6 p.m. and Oklahoma Panhandle State on Saturday at the same time. UC-Colorado Springs will play the same teams on opposite days at 1 p.m.
The Grizzly men will also take on Northern New Mexico on Friday at 8 p.m. before facing San Francisco State on Saturday at that time. Chadron State will also be in town and will play the same teams on opposite days at 3 p.m.
A complete schedule and breakdowns of the competing teams can be found below.
A tournament website has also been set up and can be found by clicking here.
Tournament Schedule
Friday, November 20
1 p.m.- UC-Colorado Springs vs. Oklahoma Panhandle State (Women)
3 p.m.- Chadron State vs. San Francisco State (Men)
6 p.m.- Adams State vs. Northern New Mexico (Women)
8 p.m.- Adams State vs. Northern New Mexico (Men)
Saturday, November 21
1 p.m.- UC-Colorado Springs vs. Northern New Mexico (Women)
3 p.m.- Chadron State vs. Northern New Mexico (Men)
6 p.m.- Adams State vs. Oklahoma Panhandle State (Women)
8 p.m.- Adams State vs. San Francisco State (Men)
Women's Team Capsules
Adams State (0-1)
The host Grizzlies enter the Bankers Classic after battling NCAA Division I Air Force to the bitter end on Tuesday night before eventually falling 65-59. 5-foot-8 Grizzly junior guard and forward Kendra Coveal (Albuquerque, N.M.) was 7-for-13 from the field and scored a game-high 17 points against the Falcons. She also had six rebounds, including five of the offensive variety.
Junior Vera Jo Bustos (Las Vegas, N.M.) also had 12 points while moving into fifth place on ASC’s NCAA Division II era (1992-Present) scoring charts while Kelsie Kruger (Alamosa, Colo.) recorded nine points and nine rebounds.
As a team, the Grizzlies also recorded 16 steals, the most in head coach Kelly Kruger’s now 4-season tenure, while forcing 22 Falcons turnovers that resulted in 25 Grizzly points.
UC-Colorado Springs (0-1)
The Mountain Lions, like the Grizzlies, have just one regular season game under their belts falling 91-57 last Sunday at Montana State-Billings. Under the guidance of athletic director Steve Kirkham, who has returned to the bench, the Mountain Lions also dropped an 84-44 exhibition decision to Air Force earlier this month.
In their regular season game against the Yellowjackets, UCCS had three players in double figures as Mallory Lowe led the team with 14 points and seven rebounds. They gave up 16 3-pointers to the Yellowjackets, who chucked up 37 total shots from beyond the arc.
Northern New Mexico (0-4)
The Eagles, under the direction of new head coach Christina Jost, have gotten off to a slow start dropping their first four games while giving up more than 100 points in three of them.
Guard Megan Martinez led the team in scoring through the first two games as she tallied eight points in a season-opening 113-51 loss to Lubbock Christian before scoring 21 in a 98-63 setback against University of the Southwest (N.M.). The Espanola, N.M. based squad has since dropped 123-51 and 120-46 decisions to Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference foes New Mexico Highlands and Fort Lewis.
Oklahoma Panhandle State (2-0)
The Lady Aggies and coach Brad Vanden Boogard have had a good start to the season defeating University of the Southwest by a 61-49 count on Sunday at home in Goodwell, Okla. before besting in-state rival Southwestern Oklahoma State by a 100-90 margin on Tuesday night in Weatherford.
Brazilian Kariz Bioni scored 29 points for the Lady Aggies in that game on a 10-for-11 shooting effort. She scored 14 points in the team’s first win and is averaging 21.5 per game thus far.
Men's Team Capsules
Adams State (1-0)
The Grizzlies are off to a good start after they defeated Oklahoma Panhandle State, 84-67 at home on Tuesday night. Sophomore guard Robby Hanzlik (Denver, Colo.) led a balanced effort with a “quiet” 18 points on a 7-for-10 shooting effort. Three other Grizzlies were also in double-figures while all 11 players that saw time grabbed at least one rebound.
The Grizzlies never trailed in the contest and led by as many as 23 points in the first half before cruising to the win.
They have gone a combined 3-1 in the last two early season-open home tournaments under coach Mark Murdock, starting his third year with the Grizzlies.
Chadron State (1-0)
The Eagles, who play out of the RMAC’s East Division, also got a Tuesday night win defeating Black Hills State by an 80-73 count in Spearfish, S.D. Donte Archie scored a team-high 16 points to lead the way. The Eagles, coached by fourth-year man Brent Bargen, combined to hit 10 3-pointers throughout the evening and were an impressive 20-for-21 (95.2 percent) from the free throw line.
Northern New Mexico (1-2)
The Eagles and coach Enzley Mitchell IV split games with University of the Southwest (N.M.) to begin the season with each team winning on the other’s home court. Mitchell’s squad then got a taste of playing in the RMAC as they dropped a 94-79 Sunday afternoon decision at Western State.
Charles Williams led the effort in that game with 23 points while Max LeFevre put up a double-double with 12 points and 11 rebounds.
San Francisco State (2-1)
The Gators went a strong 2-1 to begin the season at the Disney Division II West Coast Tip-Off Classic in Anaheim, Calif. over Halloween weekend. There, they defeated 8-time Division II National Champion Kentucky Wesleyan, 78-53. They also got a 2-point, 60-58 win over Grand Canyon before falling 71-52 to Western Washington.
Marquel Hoskins scored 36 total points in those three games and led the team in assists with eight while Phoenix O’Rourke averaged 10.7 points and 5.0 rebounds per game while nailing eight three pointers.
Since, Bill Treseler’s squad faced a pair of Division I foes in exhibition games falling 69-69 in overtime at UC-Santa Cruz on Nov. 11 before losing by just six points (65-59) at Fresno State two nights later.
