Season Review: Poets return to winning ways

WHITTIER, Calif. - The Whittier College men's basketball team finished the regular-season ranked second in the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, qualified for the post-season conference tournament, had two all-conference performers and ended the year with 15+ wins for the fifth time since the 1980-81 year.

The Poets' 16-10 record is the most wins since 14-year head coach Rock Carter guided the Poets to a 17-8 record in 2002-03. The purple and gold improved its SCIAC record by three games from the previous season as it went 10-4 against the conference.

"With the success we had last season, and the returning players, we expected to be in the running for the conference championship," said Carter. "Our core players worked hard in the off-season and came back to school better skilled and more prepared to make a run at the championship."

For the second straight season both Michael Archuletta and Jeff McLean earned spots on the all-conference teams as Archuletta found his way back to the first-team while McLean garnered a spot on the second-team for the second consecutive season.

Archuletta led the team in scoring (12.5 ppg) and rebounding (5.6 rpg) as he went over 20 points four times this year. He scored a season-high 24 against Gwynedd-Mercy and Swarthmore on December 17 and January 4, respectively.

The Manhattan Beach, Calif., native recorded his lone double-double against Occidental with a 14-point, 11-rebound evening.

McLean averaged 7.6 points per game and 4.5 rebounds a game as he reached double figures eight times and led the team with 36 blocks (1.4 per game). He poured in a season-high 15 points against Pomona-Pitzer on February 18 and also had a season-high four blocks against Cal Lutheran on January 31.

"Mike and Jeff both had outstanding and even more important for us consistent seasons," said Carter. "Their leadership and practice discipline trickled down to the rest of the players and helped the younger guys adjust to the college game."

The 2008-09 year also saw senior Marcus Gibson reach a milestone. On January 6 Gibson surpassed the 1,000-point plateau as he scored 21 points in Whittier's 108-69 win over New York University Polytechnic.

The Villa Park, Calif., native hit a lay-up with 15:57 to play in the second half that gave the 6-2 guard an even 1,000 points for his career. Gibson finished his four year career with 1,148 points with an 11.5 points per game average.

"This was a great accomplishment for Marcus. He built his reputation as a great defender early in his career and developed into an outstanding shooter," said Carter. 

He shot 40 percent (384-for-959) for his career which includes a career-high 42 percent effort this season.

For the year Gibson ranked second on the team in scoring (11.7 ppg) and first in assists (2.5 apg).

The individual success is not the only thing that made the season so special for the Poets. As a team the purple and gold ranked in the top 12 percent in the country in five statistical categories.

Whittier averaged over 39 percent in three-point field-goal percentage which ranked 17-of-308. Their top five percent ranking in that category was complimented by a top 11 percent ranking in scoring margin, blocked shots per game and steals per game and also a top 12 percent ranking in turnover margin.

The Poets had a rocky start to their season as they lost their first four games. Whittier picked up its first win on December 4 over La Sierra and won eight of their next nine games to improve its record to 9-5.

"We knew it was going to be tough early because we were playing two scholarship schools and some pretty good division III teams," said Carter. "We didn't expect to be 0-4 but our team never questioned our purpose or what we needed to do to attain our overall goal and that was success in conference." 

The highlight of the purple and gold's non-conference schedule was its 95-83 win over Gwynedd-Mercy on December 17. WC had four players reach double-figures as they came from behind to for the 12-point, 95-83, win over the NCAA Regional Quarterfinalists.

"The Gwynedd-Mercy game gave our players some confidence that we could compete with playoff teams but also grounded us a little to realize that hard work is what it is going to take," said Carter. "This game was a good indicator of what it was going to take to be a playoff team."

WC won seven consecutive games from December 17 to January 17. The Poets' streak ended with an eight-point loss at Occidental but the purple and gold rebounded to finish the season as winners of seven of its last 10 games to qualify for the conference tournament.

Whittier sat in a three-way tie for second place in the SCIAC with Cal Lutheran and Pomona-Pitzer but because WC held regular-season sweeps of both the Kingsmen and Sagehens they earned the second seed and the home playoff game.

The conference playoff game was the first time the team qualified for the post-season tournament. The Poets packed the gymnasium but Whittier's season ended in the conference semifinals at the hands of Pomona-Pitzer.

"This was a great season for our team, school and the students at Whittier," said Carter.  "It really gives us something solid to shoot for next year knowing what kind of energy and enthusiasm it brought to all those involved."

This season ended the careers of seven seniors. Andrew Gupilan, Travis Crow, Gabe Nazaroff and Keegan Hoover along with Archuletta, Gibson and McLean played their final college game on February 27.

"In our recruiting process we don't talk about replacing our seniors because they can't be replaced," said Carter. "This was a special group of guys who are great to be around on and off the court. Their skills will be missed but not as much as their commitment to making our basketball program better. This was the finest group of graduating seniors, in terms of character, I have had."

Game of the Year
Whittier College at California Lutheran University
Thousand Oaks, California - Gilbert Arena
February  24, 2009

The Poets and Kingsmen met in the regular-season finale with the second seed and a home playoff game on the line. Whittier rolled to a 15-point win over Cal Lutheran on January 31 at the Graham Athletics Center but a loss at Redlands two games later left the Poets in the thick of the playoff race.

The Poets led by 11 points at halftime and stretched its lead to 37-24 in the opening minute of the second half. Cal Lutheran went on a 20-6 run over the next eight minutes to take it first lead of the game since the 8:42 mark of the first half.

The teams traded the lead five times before Marcus Gibson hit a three-pointer with 0.8 seconds left in the game.

The win gave the Poets the No. 2 seed in the conference tournament and completed the season sweep of Cal Lu.

"We showed an incredible amount of resiliency in this game," said Carter. "We led by 11 at halftime and Cal Lu tied the game with 14 minutes to play. Even when we were down by five points with three minutes left I felt out guys were in control. The most impressive part of the win was our whole team had a major impact on the outcome, including our bench, who had to be vocal to help drown out the crowd."

Outlook to Next Year
The loss of seven seniors to graduation will leave several holes for the Poets to fill. Andrew Gupilan, Marcus Gibson, Travis Crow, Jeff McLean, Gabe Nazaroff, Michael Archuletta and Keegan Hoover accounted for 68 percent of the offense.

The Poets will welcome back David Hayashi who led the team in three-point field goal percentage. Hayashi shot 52 percent (41-of-79) from behind the arc and averaged 8.2 points per game. He will be joined by AJ Manalo and Kenneth Albritton to form the back court for the Poets.

Manalo and Albritton combined for 70 assists and 53 steals on the year.

Zack Corns will be the leading candidate to fill one of the voids left by Archuletta and Hoover in the front court. Corns recorded a 10-point, 11-rebound double-double against Caltech on February 11.

"Even though we can't replace anyone we are losing to graduation we are hoping to continue to work hard and play for a conference title again," said Carter. "The team this year set a new standard for Whittier basketball and we as a staff are committed to uphold it."