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LOCATION: Portland, OR
CONFERENCE: Big Sky
LAST SEASON: 17-11 (.607)
CONFERENCE RECORD: 9-7 (t-3rd)
STARTERS LOST/RETURNING: 2/3
NICKNAME: Vikings
COLORS: Green & White
HOMECOURT: The Rose Garden (21,538)
COACH: Memorial Coliseum (12,888)
record at school Stott Center (1,775)
career record Joel Sobotka (Arizona State '93)
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ASSISTANTS: 17-11 (1 year)
career record 17-11 (1 year)
ASSISTANTS Sam Scuilli (Stanford '94)
Brian Loyd (Tulsa '91)
Matt Steffe (Quincy '98)
TEAM WINS: (last 5 years) N/A-N/A-9-15-17
RPI (last 5 years) N/A-N/A-N/A-N/A-176
1998-99 FINISH: Lost in conference semifinals.
ESPN.com Clubhouse
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The learning curve for Portland State has been short and steep. Last season was just the school's third since the program went dormant after the 1981 season. In their first year of eligibility for the Big Sky tournament, the Vikings finished third in the regular season and beat Eastern Washington in the quarterfinals before losing to Northern Arizona in the semifinals. That's more than could be expected from a third-year program, right? "It was awfully exciting to win 17 games, take third in the conference and get to the semifinals," said Joel Sobotka, who took over the team from Ritchie McKay last season. "It was a great group of players to have my first year. But our goals were to win the league championship and reach the NCAAs, and we were disappointed we didn't reach them. "But to have those goals and be disappointed we didn't reach them says a lot about our program. With that success comes expectations. We have to continue to build on that foundation." That building will have to continue without a couple of key cogs from last year's team Jason Hartman and Brian Towne, both of whom graduated. Hartman led the league in scoring (22.8 ppg) while Towne was 11th (13.6 ppg).
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Blue Ribbon Analysis |
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BACKCOURT B- BENCH/DEPTH C
FRONTCOURT B INTANGIBLES C
People better not overlook the Vikings just because they lost Jason Hartman and Brian Towne. Better to focus on what they have coming back. Hasan Artharee is an underrated player in the post and could well become the Vikings' first option on offense. He'll be asked to guard bigger opponents, but he has the skills to hang tough. Derek Nesland is steady and could fill the leadership void left by the two graduated stars. The loss of point guard Reggie Ball over the summer was a blow and Garner will have to prove he can lead the team. If Ime Udoka is as good as Sobotka thinks, the Vikings won't have much trouble scoring. Portland State has increased its win total in each of its first three years. A tough non-conference schedule will make that a difficult trend to continue. Then again, who thought the Vikings would come this far, this fast? |
"Both those guys were really looked up to and did a great job of working and playing hard," Sobotka said. "Now the torch has been passed." On the receiving end are the first three seniors to have played all four years at Portland State: guards Ivan Garner and Derek Nesland and center Hasan Artharee. "They have quite a bit invested in the program," said Sobotka. Garner (2.4 ppg, 2.1 rpg, 51 assists), a 6-2 senior, will start at the point, although that might not have been the case had last year's starter Reggie Ball (7.6 ppg, 3.1 ppg, 141 assists, 35 steals) returned for his final year. "He's no longer part of the program and that's all I can say about that," Sobotka said. "(Garner) has been a utility guy his whole four years here. I look for him to continue to give us that and to give us stability." Freshmen Ashley Knowlton, 5-11, and Ryan Roberts, 6-2, will provide the depth at point. Knowlton played for Clovis West High School in Fresno, Calif., and Roberts for West Albany in Albany, Ore. "Knowlton is a true point in every sense of the word and will eventually make his mark," Sobotka said. "Roberts is more of a combination player, but played point in high school and he's a coach's son." Nesland (10.3 ppg, 3.5 rpg), a 6-6 senior who has started all 80 games since he arrived at Portland State, will start at shooting guard, although he is versatile enough to have played the point as a freshman. "He can shoot the ball," Sobotka said of Nesland, who made 42 of 120 (35 percent) three-pointers last season. "He'll have to step up and take some of the pressure off from losing Jason and Brian." Brad DeGrenier, a 6-1 junior transfer from Scottsdale (Ariz.) Community College, will give the Vikings another option after Nesland. "He's a big-time shooter who really understands how to play," Sobotka said. "I thought it was important to get someone in here like that. He's going to help us." The Vikings have another senior, Ime Udoka, who has yet to play a game at Portland State. Udoka, a 6-6 small forward, sat out last season after transferring from San Francisco, but will land a starting role this season. "He's real physical and brings a toughness that I think at times we've lacked," said Sobotka. "He's got great size and will be able to rebound at that position as well." Jelani Williams, a 6-3 freshman recruit from Pittsburg (Calif.) High School, will back up Udoka. The Vikings will be untested at the power-forward slot. Six-foot-five sophomore Anthony Lackey (4.0 ppg, 3.9 ppg) saw a little more than 10 minutes a game there last season while backing up Hartman. "If he had more minutes, he might have been freshman of the year," Sobotka said. "I look for him to have a big year, now that he's adjusted to college." Two junior college transfers 6-7, 225-pound junior Luke Dean (Cave Junction, Ore./Chemeketa CC, Salem Ore.) and 6-8, 225-pound junior Matt Elliott (Tigard, Ore/Columbia Basin CC, Pasco, Wash.) give the Vikings plenty of bodies at power forward. Artharee (9.4 ppg, 5.2 rpg), a 235-pound senior, will be an undersized center, but he makes up for his lack of stature with quickness and a deft touch around the basket. "He's going to be the go-to guy for us down low," Sobotka said. "If he has the year he's capable of, he'll be the key to our success. I'm expecting him to have an all-league performance." Steven Hamilton a 6-11, 270-pound freshman from Upland (Calif.) High School, and 6-11, 220-pound junior walk-on Dave Huld will back up Artharee. "It's a nice luxury having four seniors like we do," said Sobotka. "They had a chance to go to the tournament and get a taste of that. Winning that game against Eastern Washington I can't tell you how that felt. I hope they can draw on that experience."
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