Re: In other news....

by DoubleDipper Thu Apr 27, 2023 9:09 am

DoubleDipper wrote:When Sky came to UP from Weber St. almost five years ago with close to 20 years of coaching experience, I thought he was overqualified to be an assistant and would soon be the head coach after Coach Sorenson left.

Nice interview with Sky Young by the Seattle U. newspaper:

https://seattlespectator.com/2023/04/26/a-timeout-session-with-skyler-young-womens-basketballs-new-head-coach/

by DoubleDipper Sat May 27, 2023 10:20 am

While boyfriend Jake racks up the hits in Las Vegas, Haylee enjoys the down time from rehabbing her knee(s). Cool

by DoubleDipper Thu Jun 01, 2023 9:24 am

In April, the team's Director of Basketball Operations (DOBO), Lauren Howard, took over as the head coach at her alma mater, George Fox, the school that Mike Meek came to UP from.

This was not an unexpected move, although she said it was "news to me" when I queried her about it a week before she was hired...but what is unexpected is the naming of Lauren's replacement:

Haylee Andrews is the new DOBO.

Still planning to play professionally at some point, another year at UP will give Haylee a chance to continue rehabilitating her knee under the supervision of her current medical team and it will give the young Pilots team a coach/leader they already respect.

Under the provisions of the NCAA D-1 coaching limits that go into effect on July 1, Haylee should be able to be a full-time skills coach but not participate in off campus recruiting.

I have no scuttlebutt regarding a replacement for departed Sky Young on the staff.

by DoubleDipper Tue Jun 20, 2023 12:49 pm

I have not heard where Alex will be playing this coming season, but for now she is enjoying life in the NBL1 playing for her hometown Townsville team.

The announcer calls her the "big girl." Rolling Eyes

Alex may play big, but she is not even close to BIG!

Her 32 points, 8 rebounds, and 3 assists in Townsville's comeback against Mackay won her POW from Foot Locker...

by DoubleDipper Thu Jun 22, 2023 9:35 am

DoubleDipper wrote:I have not heard where Alex will be playing this coming season, but for now she is enjoying life in the NBL1 playing for her hometown Townsville team.

Alex is now a professional basketball player having signed with the UC Capitals...

https://wnbl.basketball/uc-capitals/news/portland-pilots-star-alex-fowler-joins-the-uc-capitals/

The team is based in Canberra, Australia's capital, so that's why they are the Capitals.

UC is the University of Canberra. The professional team that Alex will be playing on is owned by the University of Canberra.

In 2016, the University of Canberra became the owner of the Canberra Capitals, making the team the University of Canberra Capitals (UC) Capitals. The relationship connects the team to flexible working, living and studying arrangements, giving the players the opportunity to have a stronger focus on basketball while preparing for life after a WNBL career.

https://wnbl.basketball/uc-capitals/history/

by DoubleDipper Mon Jun 26, 2023 5:37 pm

Although an official announcement has not been made, one of the players tells me Jerod Gibson has been hired to the staff to replace Sky Young who took over at Seattle U.

Jerod comes from to UP from Linn-Benton Community College, where he as been the head coach since 2018.

Linn-Benton CC wrote:Jerod Gibson was named head coach on May 23, 2018 (at Linn-Benton) after spending five years with Pacific University's men’s program, including a one-year stint as head coach.

As assistant coach, his on court coaching duties included running the defense and guard development. He also served as the recruiting coordinator and head coach of the JV team.

Prior to Pacific, Gibson spent eight seasons at Western Oregon University as lead assistant coach, and served as the Wolves’ recruiting coordinator while specializing on the floor in working with post players. His work helped make and keep the Wolves competitive within the Great Northwest Athletic Conference, regarded as one of the toughest NCAA Division II men’s basketball conference in the nation.

Gibson spent the 2004-05 season as an assistant coach at Beaverton High School and the 2003-04 year as a student assistant coach at Portland State University. He also served as assistant coach at Portland’s Roosevelt High School and at Corvallis High School.

In addition, Gibson has worked as a camp director and coach at both Larry Steele’s, United States Basketball Academy, and Cascade Basketball Camps.

Gibson earned his bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Portland State in 2004.

I guess we'll just have to wait to see if we're to call him "Gibby" or "Jerry," or just plain Jerod.

by Adam Mon Jun 26, 2023 5:54 pm

With the number of Aussies influencing nicknames, here he would get Gibbo or Jezza

by DoubleDipper Sat Jul 08, 2023 2:35 pm

DoubleDipper wrote:Although an official announcement has not been made, one of the players tells me Jerod Gibson has been hired to the staff to replace Sky Young who took over at Seattle U.

Jerod comes from to UP from Linn-Benton Community College, where he as been the head coach since 2018.

The official announcement that Jerod Gibson has been added to the Pilots coaching staff...

https://portlandpilots.com/news/2023/7/7/womens-basketball-jerod-gibson-joins-pilots-coaching-staff-as-assistant-coach.aspx

by up7587 Wed Jul 19, 2023 4:28 pm

https://portlandpilots.com/news/2023/7/19/general-fowler-pankin-named-fr-chester-prusynski-student-athletes-of-the-year.aspx

by Adam Wed Aug 02, 2023 5:16 am

https://portlandpilots.com/news/2023/8/1/womens-basketball-portland-named-to-wbca-top-25-team-honor-roll.aspx

by DoubleDipper Wed Oct 25, 2023 9:24 am

NCAA.com has named the Top-10 best rim protectors ahead of the 2023-24 season:

4. Lucy Cochrane, Portland (2.7 blocks/game)
For the thousands of miles Lucy Cochrane has logged in her fledgling basketball career, it was a school just a bit north on I-5 that proved to have all the answers for the imposing 6-foot, 6-inch Australian. Beginning her basketball career in the world's southernmost metropolis, Melbourne, she competed with the Australian national team's youth outfit, traveling to New Zealand for the 2015 FIBA Oceania U-16 games and to Spain for the U-17 world championships.

Cochrane developed a major recruiting profile at the latter competition and ultimately committed to Oregon, where she managed to crack just the end of the bench playing seven minutes a contest. She elected to transfer to Portland, and after sitting out for the COVID season Cochrane has helped lead the Pilots to their best stretch in recent program history.

As part of the first 20-win Pilots team in 25 years, Cochrane led the entire nation with four blocks per contest. And while the lanky Aussie's minutes waned this past season, largely due to a foot injury that sidelined her for six weeks, she continued to be one of the nation's most efficient shot blockers with 4.7 swats and just 1.5 fouls committed per 40 minutes as Portland made its first NCAA tournament since 1997.

https://www.ncaa.com/news/basketball-women/article/2023-10-21/10-best-rim-protectors-womens-college-basketball-ahead-2023-24-season

by DoubleDipper Thu Nov 02, 2023 12:12 pm

Two WCC teams on the CollegeInsider Mid-Major Top-25 list...

#4 Gonzaga
#15 Portland

https://collegeinsider.com/womens-mid-major-top-25

by OldGuy Mon Nov 06, 2023 7:17 am

Game day. So excited to see how the team has developed. I wonder how the Freshman will be used and how much time they will get.

by Adam Tue Nov 21, 2023 2:18 am

https://twitter.com/PickandRollAU/status/1726904426840170622?t=yoY63M4ieOqgbFg7Es5vbg&s=19

by DoubleDipper Tue Nov 21, 2023 8:51 am

Adam wrote:https://twitter.com/PickandRollAU/status/1726904426840170622?t=yoY63M4ieOqgbFg7Es5vbg&s=19

WBB's Dyani Ananiev has been named the WCC Freshman of the Week in the same week that MBB's Tyler Harris earned WCC Freshman of the Week for the second straight week... Shocked

https://portlandpilots.com/news/2023/11/20/womens-basketball-ananiev-named-wcc-freshman-of-the-week.aspx

https://portlandpilots.com/news/2023/11/20/mens-basketball-harris-picks-up-second-straight-wcc-freshman-of-the-week-award.aspx

by Adam Tue Nov 28, 2023 2:41 pm

Feature on Alex (hopefully not paywalled)

https://pickandroll.com.au/p/from-college-to-the-capital-how-alex?utm_campaign=email-post&r=yh7ye&utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email

by DoubleDipper Thu Nov 30, 2023 9:09 pm

Haylee Andrews is now a professional athlete after signing with the Sunshine Coast Phoenix.

She will remain with the Pilots until the end of the season before heading home to Australia and to the team closest to her hometown in March.

Congratulations, Haylee!! bounce

by DoubleDipper Sun Dec 03, 2023 10:37 pm

Brynna Maxwell scored a season-high 27 points, Yvonne Ejim added 25 points and 12 rebounds, and Gonzaga handed previously undefeated #3 Stanford its worst loss in nearly four years beating the Cardinal 96-78 on Sunday in Spokane.

The Pilots play in Palo Alto on Friday December 15.

by DoubleDipper Mon Dec 04, 2023 12:45 pm

For the third time this season and the third week in a row, Portland Pilots freshman Dyani Ananiev has won WCC Freshman of the Week. She is the first Pilot to ever win the honor three times in a row.

https://portlandpilots.com/news/2023/12/4/womens-basketball-ananiev-garners-third-wcc-freshman-of-the-week-award.aspx

by DoubleDipper Fri Dec 08, 2023 11:10 am

After burying then #3 Stanford in Spokane and beating Cal in Berkeley, Gonzaga is now #23 in the nation.

GU will be in the Chiles Center on January 4th for the opening game of the WCC season...

by DoubleDipper Wed Dec 13, 2023 2:33 pm

For the fourth week in a row, Portland Pilots guard Dyani Ananiev has been named the WCC Freshman of the Week. She has now won four of a possible five freshman of the week awards.

https://portlandpilots.com/news/2023/12/11/womens-basketball-ananiev-wins-fourth-wc-freshman-of-the-week-award.aspx

by wrv Wed Dec 13, 2023 4:43 pm

DoubleDipper wrote:For the fourth week in a row, Portland Pilots guard Dyani Ananiev has been named the WCC Freshman of the Week. She has now won four of a possible five freshman of the week awards.

https://portlandpilots.com/news/2023/12/11/womens-basketball-ananiev-wins-fourth-wc-freshman-of-the-week-award.aspx

Sports commentary is criticized for using too many superlatives. But sometimes they're appropriate. Congrats Dyani, a notable achievement.

by DoubleDipper Fri Jan 05, 2024 9:18 am

Haylee Andrews' new role connecting past and present for Portland women's basketball...

https://www.portlandtribune.com/sports/haylee-andrews-new-role-connecting-past-and-present-for-portland-womens-basketball/article_da32a060-ab47-11ee-a06d-3fdf8c1089da.html

by DoubleDipper Fri Jan 05, 2024 2:54 pm

I think we've all noticed the "Pilot Pals" at the games over the last few years...

https://www.kptv.com/2024/01/05/meet-pilot-pals-dedicated-fan-base-univ-portland-womens-basketball-team/

by wrv Tue Jan 09, 2024 5:14 pm

An Interesting story on the rise in popularity of women's sports with a Portland connection:

https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/how-womens-sports-are-breaking-through-and-scoring-big-wins-with-mainstream-audiences