LCSC’s Gordy and Orr repeat conference honors

Fulbright, Short, and Gordon also pick up FC awards

3-11-08

Lewis-Clark State College senior forward Mike Gordy and women’s coach Brian Orr were repeat winners, while Jade Fulbright, Sadie Short, and Napoleon Gordon also picked up honors as the Frontier Conference named its men’s and women’s all-conference basketball teams on Tuesday. 

Gordy was selected the conference’s Player of the Year for the second straight season, while Orr won the Women’s Conference Coach of the Year award for the third straight season after leading the Warriors to their third consecutive regular-season conference title and then to the conference tournament title last week. 

Fulbright, a 5-foot-8 senior guard from Wenatchee, Wash., was named to the all-conference first team for the second straight season, while Short, a 5-11 junior forward from Touchet, Wash., also was named to the first team as well as being named the conference’s Newcomer of the Year. The Warrior women also had three players named to the second team – Katie Hart, Mandy Troutt, and Breianna Gaines. 

On the men’s side, Gordon, a 6-0 sophomore from Silverdale, Wash., was the Conference’s Defensive Player of the Year. Last season, he was the conference’s Freshman of the year. He also was named to the all-conference second team. 

Gordy, who is 6-5 and from Denver, shared the Player of the Year honor last year with then teammate Teran Lee but won it outright this season by again putting up strong numbers. Gordy led the conference and is seventh nationally in scoring at 20.7 points per game and shot 60.8 percent from the field (228-of-375), which is third in the country. He also finished second on the team among the regulars in 3-point shooting at 40.4 percent (21-of-52). 

Gordy led LCSC in rebounding as well, averaging 5.8 boards per game, and was third in assists with 50, blocked shots with eight, and steals with 29.  He also was second on the team in free-throw shooting, hitting 166-of-219 attempts for 75.8 percent. He attempted 134 more free throws than anyone else on the team. 

Gordy helped the LCSC men compile a 22-9 record, which included a 10-4 conference mark. LCSC finished in a four-way tie for first place in the conference and then won the conference tournament title, marking the second straight year it had won or tied for the regular-season title and won the conference tournament. 

Last weekend, Gordy was named the MVP of the conference tournament. He shot 69 percent from the field in three games and averaged 22.3 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 2.3 assists per game. 

Orr, who has compiled a 175-56 record in his seven years at LCSC, including a 78-20 conference mark, had the Warriors ranked in the NAIA’s Top 15 for the entire season. The team is currently No. 10 in the country after compiling a 27-4 record, including a 13-1 conference mark. This season, LCSC set modern day conference records by winning 21 consecutive regular season conference games and compiling a 27-1 conference record over a two-year span. 

Fulbright had another strong season and really came on during conference play. She started all 31 games this season and averaged 11.9 points per game, which was second on the team, which featured a balanced attack. Fulbright was second on the team in minutes played, but that was only a 24.3 minutes per game average because of LCSC’s depth and Orr constantly rotating players to keep them fresh. Fulbright shot 48.4 percent from the field, had a team-high 99 steals, was second on the team with 87 assists, and also averaged 2.6 rebounds per game. 

Fulbright also was one of LCSC’s top defenders and helped the Warriors’ shut down conference MVP Jolene Fuzesy in the Warriors’ final two meetings with Carroll College. Fuzesy, a sharp-shooting guard and the most prolific 3-point shooter in Carroll’s history, didn’t even get off a 3-point attempt in her final two games against the Warriors and was just 7-of-22 from the field in the two games. 

Like Gordy, Fulbright was named the MVP of the conference tournament. She helped LCSC win its three tournament games by an average of 15 points. She averaged 13.3 points, 6.3 rebounds, 2.3 assists, and 2.0 steals per game in the tournament and is one steal shy of tying the program’s all-time steals record. 

Short, who transferred from Walla Walla Community College, has a strong all-around season. She was third on the team at 11.6 points per game, and was second in rebounding at 6.4. She was third on the team in assists with 78, and steals 60, and also finished the season shooting 45.4 percent from the floor and 74.1 percent at the foul line. 

In conference games alone, Short led LCSC in both scoring (12.4 points per game) and rebounding (6.6). 

To show how balanced LCSC was this season, Short’s 22 points against Montana State-Northern turned out to be the most by an LCSC player in a conference game. 

That balanced showed with three players earning second-team all conference honors. 

Hart, a 5-4 senior guard from Ellensburg, finished with a team-high 132 assists, which put her among the national leaders and second on the program’s all-time assist chart. She also was second on the team in steals at 75.  Hart only averaged a little more than three shot attempts per game and finished with a 4.3 points per game scoring average and also had three rebounds. Surprisingly, Hart is ranked in the top 10 on the school’s all-time career rebounding list despite her height. 

It’s the second straight season Hart has been a second-team all-conference selection. She has appeared in all 131 games during her LCSC career. 

Troutt, a 6-2 senior post from Pullman, carried the Warriors early in the season. LCSC played in three tournaments prior to January and Troutt was named to the all-tournament team in all three, including winning the MVP award twice. 

After playing behind all-conference performers Ashley Baker and Aundrea Morrison last season, Troutt stepped out this season in a big way. She finished with team-leading game averages of 12.6 points and 7.3 rebounds. She also had a team-high 23 blocked shots, and finished with 24 steals. She shot 49.2 percent from the field and 65.1 percent at the foul line. 

Gaines, who came to LCSC from Seattle, also had a big season. She joined the team last spring after talking with the coaching staff and practicing with the team. She wound up starting three games and appeared in every regular season game before suffering a serious knee injury in the season finale and missing the conference tournament. 

The 5-10 junior averaged 9.8 points and 2.8 rebounds per game. She had 44 steals, 24 assists, and shot 40.3 percent from the field. She was second on the team in 3-pointers with 41 and also shot 62.3 percent from the foul line. Gaines also made her mark defensively by taking a number of charging calls during the season. 

With five players honored on the first and second team, the Warrior women led all conference teams. Carroll finished with four, while Westminster had three. 

Gordon showed why he is usually the most athletic player on the court night in and night out. He finished third on the team in scoring at 9.0 points per game, but led the club in steals with 66 and was second in assists with 86.  He also was fourth on the team in rebounding at 4.7 per game, shot 45.7 percent from the field and 69.2 percent from the foul line. 

His defense, however, keyed LCSC’s success in the conference. This season, the conference was guard-oriented, but Gordon was usually able to take the opponent’s top guard out of the game. When that happened, success for the Warriors followed.  The Warriors were 18-0 this season in games where they held opponents to 67 or less points this season. 

Gordon finished 18th in the country in steals per game at 2.3 and also was 36th in assist/turnover ratio at 1.9. :CSC ranked in the NAIA’s Top 10 in both turnover margin and steals per game. 

Here are the 2007-08 conference awards. 

Women’s All-Conference Teams 

Player of the Year
Jolene Fuzesy    Carroll College   5’10” Sr G  Malta, Mont. 

Defensive Player of the Year
Stacie Barker    MSU-Northern      6’3” Jr P  Taylorsville, Utah

Freshman of the Year
Chloe Mosey      Montana Western   6’0” Fr P  Bremerton, Wash. 

Newcomer of the Year
Sadie Short      Lewis-Clark State 5’11” Jr G/F Touchet, Wash. 

Coach of the Year
Brian Orr        Lewis-Clark State 

First Team
Stacie Barker    MSU-Northern      6’3” Jr P  Taylorsville, Utah
Jessie DePell    Montana Tech      6’0” So F  Spokane, Wash.
Shannon Evans    Westminster       5’8” Jr G  Morgan, Utah
Jade Fullbright  Lewis-Clark State 5’8” Sr G  Wenatchee, Wash.
Jolene Fuzesy    Carroll College   5’10” Sr G  Malta, Mont.
Laura Keaster    U of Great Falls  5’7” Sr G  Belt, Mont.
Liz Lewis        Rocky Mountain    5’7” Jr G  Fallon, Nev.
Danielle Maloney Carroll College   5’9” Sr G  Twin Falls, Idaho
Sadie Short      Lewis-Clark State 5’11” Jr G/F Touchet, Wash.
Becky Sorenson   MSU-Northern      5’6” Sr G  Salt Lake City, Utah 

Second Team
Elly Bruursema   Carroll College   5’9” So G  Reed Point, Mont.
Caitlin Courchaine Carroll College 5’9” Sr G  Spokane, Wash.
Jill Dana        Montana Western   5’10” Sr F  Forsyth, Mont.
Breianna Gaines  Lewis-Clark State 5’10” Jr G  Seattle, Wash.
Katie Hart       Lewis-Clark State 5’4” Sr G  Ellensburg, Wash.
Elisa Leader     Westminster       5’8” Jr G  Winnemucca, Nev.
Jocelyn Moore    U of Great Falls  6’1” Jr F  Bethel, Wash.
Mandy Troutt     Lewis-Clark State 6’2” Sr P  Pullman, Wash.
Alexis Tucker    Westminster       6’0” Jr F  Firth, Idaho
Gretchan Wall    Rocky Mountain    5’9” Sr F  Missoula, Mont.
 

Men’s All-Conference Teams 

Player of the Year
Mike Gordy       Lewis-Clark State 6’5” Sr F  Denver, Colo. 

Defensive Player of the Year
Napoleon Gordon Jr  Lewis-Clark State  6’5” So   G    Silverdale, Wash. 

Freshman of the Year
Dirk Anderson    Montana Tech      6’7” Fr P  Idaho City, Idaho 

Newcomer of the Year
Chase Sukut      Rocky Mountain    6’1” Jr G  Billings, Mont. 

Coach of the Year 
Shawn Huse       Montana State-Northern  

First Team
Rayshaun Ames    U of Great Falls  6’5” Jr F  Little Rock, Ark.
Mike Gordy       Lewis-Clark State 6’5” Sr F  Denver, Colo.
Travis Noble     MSU-Northern      6’1” Jr G  Rupert, Idaho
Blair Prowse     Westminster       6’4” So G  South Jordan, Utah
Danny Reeder     Westminster       5’10” Sr G  Sandy, Utah
Danny Stosich    Westminster       6’6” Jr F  South Jordan, Utah
Chase Sukut      Rocky Mountain    6’1” Jr G  Billings, Mont.
Elijah Swan      Rocky Mountain    5’8” Sr G  Lemoore, Calif.
Delvaughn Tinned MSU-Northern      6’0” Sr G  Seatle, Wash.
Devin Uskoski    Rocky Mountain    6’6” Jr F  Brush Prairie, Wash.
Chad Vaculin     Carroll College   6’0” Jr G  Murray, Utah 

Second Team
Casey Briggs     Montana Tech      6’6” Sr P  Butte, Mont.
Alvis Dowiels    Rocky Mountain    6’7” Sr F  Long Beach, Calif.
Layne Glaus      Montana Western   6’0” So G  Whitehall, Mont.
Napoleon Gordon  Lewis-Clark State 6’5” Sr F  Silverdale, Wash.
Derek Johnson    Carroll College   6’3” Sr F  Fairview, Mont.
Chad Myers       Montana Western   6’0” Jr G  Troy, Mont.
Aaron Sims       Montana Western   6’6  Sr F  Birmingham, Ala.
Dusan Veselinovic Montana Tech     6’9” Jr P  Belgrade, Serbia