Following a dominant non-conference start to the season, the SFU men’s basketball team dropped their first two Great Northwest Athletic Conference (GNAC) games of 2013-14 in early December. While the men have struggled since joining the NCAA, 2013-14 still holds the possibility of being their best season since 2010.
Comeback attempts in both contests fell short as the team was unable to best the Saint Martin’s Saints and the Western Oregon Wolves in conference play, dropping to 0–2 in the GNAC early in the season. The Clan’s losses came in large part from a lack of momentum early in the games, as the team struggled to come together in the first 10 minutes of each match, allowing their opponents the opportunity to run away early on.
Despite these losses, the team on the court is head-and-shoulders above what we have seen in recent years, and the addition of transfer athletes Sango Niang and Justin Cole from Chaffey Community College as well as Darius Page from Columbus State University has proven very beneficial to a team that has long struggled with limited depth.
Strong performances from seniors Taylor Dunn and David Gebru have also added to the team’s backbone and, heading into 2014, the men will be looking for their first conference victory of the season and the chance to showcase their ability to come together as a five-person unit on the court.
Against Saint Martins University (SMU), the Clan struggled early on, but that didn’t stop Dunn from netting 19 points and shooting 8-17 from the floor to lead his team in the 78-62 loss. Gebru, with 16 points of his own, wasn’t far behind, and Cole also hit double digits with 11 — but the lack of offence early on hamstrung the Clan’s chances.
Two days later, the Clan took on Western Oregon in a fast paced and highly competitive game, but couldn’t come through in the final moments, dropping their second straight match 87-83. It was Dunn who led the team again in points with 25, followed by Cole with 20 and Page with 10.
Sophomore Matt Staudacher was forced to step up into the point guard position with Niang out due to injury, leading both teams in minutes with 34, and netting a season high seven points for the Clan. His team struggled in the second half after Gebru fouled out, but was able to showcase their newfound depth, staying tight with the Wolves the entire game, playing their entire bench.
In their last game before Christmas, the Clan bounced back with a non-conference win, beating Capilano University 100-72 at home to close 2013 on a high note. But in the New Year, the Clan embark on their first road trip of the season, having already lost to the University of Alaska-Fairbanks Nanooks and the 23rd-ranked University of Alaska-Anchorage Seawolves.
Last season, SFU took their sole conference victory in an upset victory over Alaska Anchorage, but were unable to duplicate the result this year, dropping a 67-58 contest. If the Clan can overcome their slow starts, it won’t be long before they find their first victory of the young season. With confidence and depth that hasn’t been visible in years, one win could be all the team needs to get the ball rolling.
