Big Sky Conference report

SportsLine.com Report
April 10, 2000

Eastern Washington overachieved more than any team in the Big Sky Conference.

Picked for a lower-tier finish in league by both the media and coaches in preseason polls, the Eagles were playing for the regular-season conference championship up until the last game of the season.

Had they claimed the title, Eastern would've played host to the Big Sky Conference Tournament. Instead, the Eagles traveled to Montana And, after having a first-round bye in the tourney, lost to eventual champ Northern Arizona 82-65 in the semifinals.

Considering the Eagles started the season 2-7, it was a remarkable year. They reeled off four consecutive wins to start league play, had an uncharacteristic loss at Sacramento State, then won eight of their next nine. The Eagles, however, lost two of three down the stretch, which cost them the league title and host spot in the tourney.

A glance at 2001

Replacing coach Steve Aggers will be the toughest part for the Eagles. Ray Giacoletti was named as his replacement after a stint at North Dakota State. He's also been an assistant at Washington, so he knows the recruiting territory and could actually take the team to another level.

First, however, he must keep building on what Aggers had built before he left for Loyola Marymount.

If the Eagles can make up for the loss of scoring on the perimeter from the graduations of Ryan Hansen and Deon Williams, they should do fine. They have some solid inside players back and some athletic wings ready to emerge.

Last season Aggers scheduled tough in the non-conference to get his team ready for conference play. It worked. Giacoletti will probably follow suit. Expect EWU to be in the hunt for another conference title next season.

The Coach

Giacoletti, 37, spent the last three seasons at Division II North Dakota State after eight years as an assistant at Illinois State and Washington, Giacoletti posted a 48-33 record at North Dakota State. He was hired as an assistant at Wichita State on March 13, but was quickly lured away by Eastern Washington athletic director Scott Barnes.

Giacolette has some proving to do, but if he knows what he is doing, it should not take him long to adjust to the conference.

Who's Back

Eight players return, but no heavy-hitters. Aaron Olson, a 6-foot-5 senior-to-be, is the leading returning scorer after averaging 10.3 points a game. Olson is a solid player, but had just one game over 20 and that was a 36-point effort against lowly Cascade, an NAIA school. But Eastern thrives on role players -- no one averaged 13 points a game -- so Olson fits well into the system.

The key is for the players who didn't see much time next year to fill in for key seniors. Jamal Jones (6-0, 180) needs to step in for ace point guard Deon Williams, who has exhausted his eligibility. Jones averaged 8.0 points and 3.1 assists as a junior this past season.

Chris White (6-9, 220), was a strong presence in the middle last season, averaging 9.9 points and a team-leading 6.3 rebounds per game. He'll need some help underneath and that should come from Kareem Hunter (6-8, 215), who averaged 6.6 points and 5.4 rebounds a game.

Eastern will need to get Olson some help on the wing and junior-to-be Marco Quinto (6-6, 210), Alex McKie (6-4, 190) and Delwin Corner (6-6, 195) should get increased playing time next season after not seeing much time in 1999-2000.

A fine recruiting class led by Seattle guard standout Alvin Snow, should help matters.

Who's gone

Sharp-shooter deluxe, Ryan Hansen (6-2, 185), Eastern's leading scorer at 12.4 points a game, takes his solid offensive game with him after using up his eligibility. Deon Williams (6-2, 200), a magnificent point guard is also gone. Williams averaged 10.6 points and 3.7 assists per game. Will Levy (6-8, 220), who was the team's second-leading rebounder at 6.2 per game and provided strength underneath, is also gone, and backup forward Dennis Fitzgerald (6-8, 240), who chipped in 5.9 points per game.