Chris Faust. (courtesy Medford Mail Tribune)  |
KLAMATH FALLS, Ore. – Oregon Tech head men’s basketball coach Dan Miles announced recently that Chris Faust of Medford, Ore. has signed a Letter-of-Intent and will join the Owls this fall.
The 6-2 guard averaged 11 points and grabbed 6 rebounds during his senior season at North Medford High School, earning Southwest Conference first-team all-league honors for the Black Tornado in 2012. In leading NMHS to a third place showing at the 2012 State Championship this past year, Faust was named to the all-tournament second-team, in addition to being named on the 6A All-State squad as a honorable mention selection.
“With the addition of Chris to our program this coming season we continue our pipeline of fine recruits from Medford,” said Miles. “We think he will be a great fit in our system.”
Chris is the son of Richard, a former Oregon Tech basketball player from 1989-91, and Lisa Faust of Medford.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – After earning its third all-time national championship, Oregon Tech is ranked No. 1 in the 2011 – 12 NAIA Division II Men’s Basketball Coaches’ Postseason Top 25 Poll, announced Monday by the national office. The Hustlin’ Owls tied Bethel (Ind.) for the most national championships won at the Division II tournament and finished the year with a 34-4 record. They corralled all 13 first-place votes and totaled 343 points.
The Hustlin’ Owls were ranked No. 1 on two other occasions this year, with the last coming on Feb. 13.
National runner-up Northwood (Fla.) checks in with a No. 2 ranking. The Seahawks appeared in their first title game in school history, but fell 63-46 in the lowest scoring title game in history. Ranked No. 1 for eight weeks throughout the year, Northwood ends with 332 total points. The Seahawks were either No. 1 or 2 in all 13 polls.
Fab Four participants Davenport (Mich.) and McPherson (Kan.) check in with the Nos. 3 and 4 rankings. The Panthers were listed third in the final regular-season Top 25 and McPherson jumps up one position. Dordt (Iowa) falls one spot to No. 5 with 298 total points.
Unseeded in the national championship, Saint Francis (Ind.) improved the most within the Top 25 by vaulting four spots to No. 19. The Cougars played in the quarterfinals, before bowing out to eventual champion Oregon Tech.
No. 24 Daemen (N.Y.) is this week’s newcomer. The Wildcats were last ranked on Jan. 30 and bumped out Tennessee Wesleyan, who was 23rd in the final regular-season rating on Feb. 29.
The Mid-Central College Conference boasts the most programs ranked in the Top 25: No. 12 Grace (Ind.), No. 16 Indiana Wesleyan, No. 18 Marian (Ind.) and Saint Francis. Overall, 12 of the 14 conferences and independents are represented this week.
The poll was voted upon by a panel of head coaches representing each of the conferences and independents
To View the Complete Poll Click Here.
Notes: Oregon Tech has spent 21-straight polls ranked in the top 10, dating back to Jan. 10, 2011… Embry-Riddle (Fla.) owns the most No. 1 rankings since 2000 with 17; Oregon Tech is next with 15, followed by Oklahoma Wesleyan and former NAIA member Walsh (Ohio) at 12 mentions each; Northwood is right behind with 10 listings… Oregon Tech is listed with the longest active streak in the Top 25 at 88-straight weeks – the last time the Hustlin’ Owls were not ranked was on Jan. 11, 2005… In second place is Northwood with 53-consecutive mentions and right behind is Davenport (Mich.) with 37-straight.
Owls won their third NAIA Div. 2 national title last week in Missouri
LA GRANDE, Ore. – The Oregon Tech men’s basketball team has been named the “Verizon Team of the Week” in the Cascade Collegiate Conference, the conference office announced Sunday.
The Owls defeated Northwood (Fla.) in the national championship game Tuesday, 63-46. OIT won its third national title, all under head coach Danny Miles, and tied Bethel (Ind.) for most national titles in NAIA Div. 2. Tech won five of its school-record 34 victories during the national tournament at College of the Ozarks in Point Lookout, Mo.
"It is a very nice honor to be named team of the week," Miles said. "We played tremendous defense the entire tournament. Lourdes and Davenport were very good on defense as we had to grind out those wins. The wins over the two Florida schools were big since they were so much taller and experienced.
"This national title may have been the most significant because of the loss of a teammate five weeks earlier."
In a matchup between the top two seeds in the tournament, it was the second-seeded Owls that prevailed with the title. The 109 point total by both teams is a tournament final low, while Oregon Tech also held the Seahawks to the least points scored by a team in a championship game with 46. Northwood led 19-18 at halftime.
"It was a thrill to get the win over Northwood, as they were favored and coached by a legendary coach, but our defensive scheme matched well with what they did," Miles said.
Tournament MVP Bobby Hunter recorded a game-high 20 points, 18 of those in the second period, to go with nine rebounds. He was the first freshman to ever win the award. Jason Gamblin, keeping the Owls in the game during the first half, came away with 16 points on 7-of-10 from the field and six rebounds. David Clarke, Tech’s most proficient outside threat in tournament play, came away with 11 points, five rebounds and three assists, while Kyle Gomez added nine points and six rebounds.
Hunter scored 106 points in the tournament, an average of 21.2 points per game. The freshman shot 57 percent during the five games at the tournament. The conference’s men’s Player of the Year, Hunter, was named first team All-American. Hunter led the CCC in conference scoring average (20.0 ppg), was fourth in steals (2.31 spg) while averaging just under 32 minutes played per game. He was also named the CCC Newcomer of the Year.
At the tournament, Miles was named national Coach of the Year. He also won the award in 2004 and 2008, when the Hustlin’ Owls won their other national championships. Gomez won the Mr. Hustle Award. Tech now has 32 tournament victories; three better than Northwestern of Iowa on the all-time list.
"We have three returning double-figure scorers and a very good redshirt group returning next season," Miles said