NORTHWEST NOTES December 3, 2013
Local AAU boys basketball team 'adopting' local family for Christmas
The North Idaho Storm fifth-grade boys AAU basketball team will be involved with a community service project this holiday season.
"Operation: Christmas Storm" will have the team adopting a family, or families, for Christmas.
The team hopes to provide a Christmas dinner, gifts, and holiday cheer. They will be soliciting additional donations of food, clothing, gift cards, and new unwrapped toys to provide for the families.
The Storm challenges other boys and girls sports teams in the area to step up, and "do something amazing this holiday season."
Information: Coach Al Arnone, 929-0352, [email protected], stormbasketball.webs.com
Pangos repeats as WCC men's basketball Player Of The Week
SAN BRUNO, Calif. - Gonzaga junior guard Kevin Pangos is the West Coast Conference men's basketball Player of the Week for the second straight week.
In four games the native of Holland Landing, Ontario, averaged 22.0 points, 2.8 rebounds, 4.5 assists and 1.3 steals per game as Gonzaga went 3-1. He went 26 for 48 from the field for 54.2 percent, 15 for 28 from 3-point range for 53.6 percent and 21 of 24 from the line for 87.5 percent while compiling a 4.5 assist/turnover ratio.
Pangos was named to the Maui Invitational all-tournament team, averaging 26.3 ppg, 2.3 rpg, 4.0 apg and 1.5 steals/game as Gonzaga went 2-1 and finished fifth. He scored a career-high 34 vs. Arkansas
Gonzaga (7-1) plays host to New Mexico State on Saturday.
Idaho's Rehkow honored as special teams player of the week
Idaho freshman punter/kicker Austin Rehkow was honored as the Special Teams Player of the Week for the FBS Independent schools.
From Veradale, Wash., Rehkow converted all three of his field goal attempts (25, 25 and 27 yards) and his lone PAT attempt in Idaho's game at New Mexico State. Rehkow also punted four times for a 48.2-yard average, including a long of 65 yards; three of his punts were downed inside the 20-yard line, with only one punt returned. He added two touchbacks on five kickoffs.
He is the current national punting average leader at 47.8 yards per punt, which breaks the Idaho single-season record of 47.4 yards set by T.J. Conley in 2008.
Idaho hoopster Madison claims second WAC Player of the Week honor
DENVER - Idaho senior forward Stephen Madison earned his second Western Athletic Conference men's basketball Player of the Week honor of the season after averaging 20.5 points, 12.0 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 1.5 blocks per game in two games last week.
Madison scored a season-high 26 points at Boise State on Nov. 27 and knocked down 9 of 16 shots while adding eight rebounds. In Idaho's comeback victory at UC Davis, in which the Vandals trailed by as many as 15 points, Madison scored 15 points to go along with career-highs of 16 rebounds, seven assists and three blocks.
The Vandals return home to host border rival Washington State in the Cowan Spectrum on Saturday.
WSU's Bucannon earns first-team all-Pac-12 honors
WALNUT CREEK, Calif. - Five Washington State football players received All-Pac-12 Conference accolades, led by senior safety Deone Bucannon earning first-team honors.
Fifth-year senior center Elliott Bosch, freshman wide receiver River Cracraft, senior kicker Andrew Furney and senior cornerback Damante Horton each received honorable mention.
Bucannon becomes the first Cougar to earn first team accolades since wideout Brandon Gibson in 2007 and the first defensive back since safety Eric Frampton in 2006. The Fairfield, Calif. native led the Pac-12 in tackles with 109, his second straight 100-tackle season, the most by a Cougar since James Darling's 136 in 1996.
Bucannon tied for the team lead and tied for fourth in the conference with five interceptions. He also forced three fumbles, recovered two, tallied 4.5 tackles-for-loss and registered four double-digit tackle performances. His 74 solo tackles are the 10th most in the country this season.
Bucannon was named to the all-Pac 12 second team last season, and was also a Freshman All-American in 2010. He owns the fourth-most tackles in WSU history (379) and is tied for the third-most interceptions in school history with 14.