Tag Archives: robert sacre

He’s his team’s leading scorer, one of the top freshman on the west coast, and quite possibly the best Canadian PG since Steve Nash–but you can’t buy Kevin Pangos’ jersey online!

Posted by gruesomegreg on

It’s a big game for the Bulldogs tonite, as Gonzaga travels to Moraga, CA to take on heated conference rivals Saint Mary’s in WCC action.  The Gaels are off to another great start, posting a 15-2 mark with a 4-0 record in conference play.  And while newcomers BYU should have a say in the conference standings, it’ll probably come down to Gonzaga and Saint Mary’s again this year, which makes this evening’s matchup one to watch–even with an 11 o’clock tip on the east coast, you know I’ll be tuning in!

For the occasion, I’m suiting up in my Gonzaga #23 jersey that I bought online five or six years ago.  Suffice to say that they’ve changed styles a couple times since then, and nobody wears 23 on this year’s team–mind you, I can’t even remember who wore it back then.  I figure it might be time to change my look; some of the stitching is coming apart, and everything…  So when I buy a new jersey, I know whose number I’ll be wearing for at least the next four years…

“Starting at point guard, six-foot-one, from Newmarket, Ontario…  Kevin Paaaaangoooos!”

The Canuck frosh has taken the NCAA by storm, leading his team with 14.2 points and 3.5 assists per game this season.  That said, I was somewhat shocked not to see his number 4 amongst the options at the Gonzaga Bulldogs Shop.  There are a handful of the new-style jerseys with “Go Zags” embedded on the back available in home white, road navy and even black, but taking a look at the numbers, I see:

  • 00, Robert Sacre: A solid senior centre from Van City.  The time to buy his jersey was two years ago, though–unless I wait till next year, when they go on sale.
  • 20, Elias Harris: The team’s second-leading scorer, the junior, German-born swingman is also Gonzaga’s best pro prospect.  I’d probably buy his jersey if it had his name on the back (the Zags don’t do it as per school tradition, however).
  • 35, Sam Dower: The lefty sophomore centre from Minnesota earns a lotta minutes off the bench already, and will fill Sacre’s shoes in the starting lineup next season.  I like Sam, just not that much.
  • 11, David Stockton: Yuuup, he’s the son of the school’s most famous alum.  The sophomore backup PG has great court vision, racking up assists and steals in limited minutes–and shoots an outstanding 48.4 per cent from three.  Too bad he’s only 5’11″, 152.  Do they even sell this one any bigger than a medium?
  • 2, Marquise Carter: Though he came up big in the conference tournament last year, the senior 2-guard has struggled this season, and lost his starting job to freshman Gary Bell, Jr.  Incidentally, you can’t buy Bell’s number 5, either…
  • 41, former Zag Steven Gray: Last year’s senior leader went undrafted, and apparently he’s now playing in Latvia.  That said, his jersey still sells for the same price as the others.  Hmm.
  • 1, NOOOBOOODY!: Ronny Turiaf famously wore this number in his college days–but then again, he graduated in ’05, before they switched to their current look.  You can’t rock a Turiaf jersey if it’s not a throwback, son!

So there you have it, seven numbers to choose from, but their starting backcourt is left out in the cold–as is starting 3-man Mike Hart, but let’s face it, only his mom would wear his number 30.  (Well okay, maybe his dad, too.)  I suppose I’ll hafta wait till next season to update my wardrobe–though I’m somewhat surprised that they didn’t start selling Pangos jerseys the day after he dropped 33 on WSU.  You’d think they’d have ‘em in Spokane somewhere, at least…

Can anybody hook a brother up?

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For the future of Canadian basketball, look no further than Gonzaga University!

Posted by gruesomegreg on

Personally, I’ve been a fan of Gonzaga Bulldogs men’s basketball since the late 90′s, when they made their first run in the NCAA Tournament.  See, in Calgary, we got all of our American network TV from Spokane, WA–home of Gonzaga U–and this was sort of a big deal.  Ever since then, I’ve kept tabs on the team, even after moving to Toronto.  (Online streaming plays a big part in that.)  I’ve actually got a Toronto Raptors program with Adam Morrison on the cover from his rookie year in Charlotte, and a Number 23 Gonzaga jersey, even though I can’t think of any Zags who wore that number.

But lately, supporting Gonzaga isn’t just a matter of watching the team I used to see on local cable–it’s a matter of national pride.  Robert Sacre, a seven-foot centre from North Vancouver, is playing the best basketball of his career, and if I was the Raptors, I’d take him in the second round next season.  Not only that, but their new starting point guard, Kevin Pangos, is a freshman from the GTA who lit up Washington State for 33 points in his second collegiate game.  Fans of Canadian basketball, your future plays its home games at McCarthey Athletic Center.

I gotta say, Sacre has progressed by leaps and bounds over his college career.  He went from a timid frosh who’d get all his shots blocked to a veteran leader, double-double guy who can shoot the hook with both hands, has a decent mid-range J, and did I mention that he’s an 85 per cent free-throw shooter, at a legit seven-foot, 260+?  Like I said, the Raptors could use his low-post presence, even if he does no better than Rony Turiaf in the show.

Pangos meanwhile is still raw, but he’s shown shades of Steve Nash with his drive-and-dish passing.  He can also hit the three–in fact, he made nine of them against WSU.  While I can’t see him coming out early, in four years’ time he could be the next Steve Nash, if he continues to improve.  In any case, he’s been in the starting lineup in Spokane from Day One.

Need another reason to support the Zags?  Well, John Stockton, the school’s most famous alum, has a 20-year-old son in his sophomore season at GU.  David Stockton, generously listed at 5’11″ and 152, is a redshirt, walk-on sixth man who shows signs of his dad with his court vision, leading the team on the break and disrupting opponents on defence.  In fact, I’d say he’s a better pure point than Pangos at this stage of his career, though his size will likely keep him from playing at the next level.  Still, if you like an undersized underdog–who’s a stellar passer, to boot–look no further than the second-generation Stockton.

After starting the season 4-0, the Zags are ranked 18th in the ESPN poll, but have a tough stretch of non-conference games against Notre Dame, Illinois, Michigan State, Oral Roberts, Arizona and Butler.  If the NBA couldn’t return soon enough, you could do worse than to watch some top-level college basketball.  In fact, all of the aforementioned, aside from ORU, are televised nationally on ESPN2–with the exception of the Arizona game, which airs on CBS.  If you’re north of the border, there are a coupla streams showing the games on the internet, if you know where to look.

If you’re one of those weird Canadian kids like me who grew up playing basketball, not hockey, then you’ll wanna check out a Gonzaga team that displays the most key Canadian content of any major NCAA school.  I don’t wanna say these kids could beat the (C)Raptors, but if Bargnani’s having an off day, you never know…