SPSCC Clippers Basketball Teams are Ready to Clip the NWAC Competition

Submitted by South Puget Sound Community College

Clipper Athletics announces outlooks for the 2017-18 Men’s and Women’s Basketball teams. Last season, each team broke personal record bests in league, several athletes earned awards, and exceptional players signed with four-year colleges. Months of team pre-season preparation will be unleashed when the season officially kicks off for both teams in December.

Men’s Basketball

Coming into the 2017-18 season as defending West Region Champions has set the bar high for the team and the community. However, the team is turning their focus one game at a time. Most of the time the team spends together is focused on hard work, building relationships, and team chemistry. “Our main focus is on physicality, toughness, communication, and trust,” said Head Coach Aaron Landon.

Every non-conference game on the road is the most challenging for the Clippers. They are competing in three tournaments on the road this December: The Dale Bates Invitational, Skagit Valley Crossover, and Clackamas Holiday Invitational. According to returning Sophomore AJ Hodges, playing on the road “gets everyone together, you just have yourself and your teammates. Together, we feel like the underdogs striving to get better as a team and grow as a team.”

Tyler Velasquez, the new assistant coach for the program “is the best possible assistant coach we could have,” stated Landon. Velasquez previously played under Coach Landon at Concordia University. “He is an unbelievable competitor, a good basketball resource for the team, and has been really successful at a young age. A great example for the players to follow,” said Landon. Velasquez breaks down film for the players on their terms and has had professional experience working as a Video Analyst for the Portland Trail Blazers.

Landon shared that he is already proud of the educational accomplishments of the men in the program, stating that, “All sophomores are on-track to receive their associate degrees in spring quarter.” Hodges adds, “It has been an honor to beat the record from two years ago and represent my college.”

Roster for the 2017-18 season

Women’s Basketball

The 2017-18 Women’s Basketball team consists of three sophomores and nine freshmen. With a young talented group of incoming freshman to compliment several returners, they look to compete consistently in the Western Region. “We are in the process of getting to know one another both on and off the court as well as getting ourselves both physically and mentally prepared for the season,” said Head Coach Mike Moore.

There are new additions to the program such as including weekly Qi Gong sessions, a form of Tai Chi, and acupuncture. The women’s team also welcome two new assistant coaches; Hari Scott, a math teacher at Bush Middle School, and Ashley Stancil, an SPSCC alumna, both of whom have already contributed greatly to off-season training and creating positive team dynamics. In addition, mental toughness trainer Brett Sandwick returns for his second season to support the team in bi-weekly trainings.

Notable games include the home opening weekend verses Portland on Friday, Nov. 17 followed by a game versus Clark College on Saturday, Nov. 18. The annual Crossover Tournament will be held at Umpqua Community College on Dec. 15-17, The Skagit Valley Tournament on Dec. 28-30, and the league home openers versus Green River College will play at SPSCC on Saturday, Jan. 13 at 1 p.m.

“Myself, the coaching staff and the players are all eager and excited to get started. With a lot of new faces, we will face many challenges but they are excited to embrace them head on and know that without failure there is no growth,” said Moore.

Roster for the 2017-18 season

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