Nov. 24, 2008

Box Score

BELLINGHAM, Wash. - Guard Ira Graham (Sr., Fontana, CA) scored a game-high 22 points to lead seven Western Washington University players in double figures as the Vikings rolled to a 125-69 victory over Walla Walla University in a non-conference men's basketball game Monday on Haggen Court at Sam Carver Gymnasium.

The NCAA Division II Vikings, who improved to 4-0, had a 60-24 rebound advantage. They outscored Walla Walla, 78-20, in the paint, 48-6 in the first half.

It was an exhibition contest for Walla Walla, a National Collegiate Christian Athletic Association school, which had lost its first eight counting games. The Wolves were led by the 15 points of Jonny Long.

Western broke the game open with a 23-2 run during a five-minute stretch in the first half that gave the Vikings a 28-point advantage, 41-13, with 10:15 left in the period. Graham and 7-foot center Dave Vanderjagt (Jr., Townsville, Australia), a transfer from the University of Montana, each scored eight points during that stretch.

The Vikings closed out the half with an 11-3 run over the last 2:40 for a 67-27 advantage at halftime.

Western never led by less than 46 in the second half, reaching the century mark with 7:53 to go on a jumper by Anthony Wiederkehr (So., Lakewood) that made the score 101-48.

The Vikings' biggest lead was 61 points on two occasions in the last three minutes. Wiederkehr scored 17 points and Vanderjagt added 14, hitting his first six field goals and finishing 6-of-7.

Steve Alford (Sr., Bakersfield, CA/South Bakersfield) and Rory Blanche (R-Fr., Ashland, OR) each had 13 points for Western, Cameron Severson (Fr., Petersburg, AK) 11 and Chris Mitchell (R-Fr., Everson/Nooksack Valley) 10.

Every Western player had at least two rebounds, with Severson and Mitchell leading with seven each.

The Vikings hit 55.7 percent (49-of-88) from the floor to 35.5 percent (22-of-62) for Walla Walla. The Wolves made 82.6 percent of their free throws, 19-of-23.

Western closes out a three-game home stand with two games this weekend, meeting Cameron University TX on Friday (7 p.m.) and Northwest University on Saturday (7 p.m.).

WWU wallops Walla Walla

MICHELLE NOLAN - THE BELLINGHAM HERALD

BELLINGHAM - Considering that Western Washington University's men's basketball team walloped winless Walla Walla 125-69, 7-foot newcomer Dave Vanderjagt gave the fans plenty of reason not to be bored.

Vanderjagt, coach Brad Jackson's first 7-footer in 24 seasons at Western, made 6 of 7 field-goal attempts for 14 points and blocked three shots in an entertaining 15-minute stint as the Vikings improved to 4-0 on Monday, Nov. 24, at Carver Gym.

"It's awesome," longtime assistant coach Rob Visser, a 6-foot-8 former Western recordsetter, said of finally getting the chance to look up to a 7-footer in practice. "Dave is really smooth, with great hands and feet. He's really well coordinated and has very good footwork.

"Plus, he's a great kid. He's really receptive to coaching. And I think he's actually going to be one of our best 3-point shooters."

Vanderjagt, a junior transfer from Division I Montana and a former Australian high school star, drew a roar when he swatted a drive by 5-foot-5 Trent Wade. That led the hard-driving Walla Walla senior to swat his forehead as if to ask, "What was I thinking?"

"I am so happy," said senior guard Ira Graham, who shot 10 for 14 for 22 points in a whirlwind 17 minutes. "I love our new guys. Now we really have a complete team. We have no excuses (not to do well).

"What I really like is how good this team is at working together," Graham said. "We're a very unselfish team, and I think our guys are only going to get better."

It was obvious in the opening minutes that Walla Walla, which came in 0-8 and with only one player as tall as 6-4, couldn't hang with the Vikings. But what especially gratified Jackson was how everyone played hard and took the mismatch seriously.

"We just wanted to maintain our intensity," said Jackson, who gave all 12 players at least 12 minutes but none more than 24. "These kind of games are tough sometimes (from that standpoint), but this is a pretty mature group. I really liked the way they moved the ball."

Sophomore guard Anthony Wiederkehr, a dedicated reserve, was rewarded with a 24-minute stint and shot 6 for 12 for 17 points and had only two turnovers.

Western's two community college transfers, 6-3 guard Morris Anderson and 6-6, 230-pound forward Michael Duty, had Graham stressing how much they have improved the team. Senior Calin Schell had five steals and two blocks and senior guard Steve Alford shot 5 for 8 for 13 points in 18 minutes.

Three freshmen, Cameron Severson from Alaska, Chris Mitchell from Nooksack Valley and Rory Blanche, combined for 34 of the 67 points scored by the Viking bench.

David Brittinen, a senior forward/center who came in averaging 8.7 points in a reserve role, provided a nice touch when he passed underneath the hoop to freshman Severson for a second-half bucket.

Graham, who surpassed 1,000 career points in his previous game, was especially enthusiastic about Anderson's early season showing at point guard.

"Mo is really a fine point guard," he said of the transfer from Highline Community College. "He is going to make us a lot better."