MBB News

Anthony Elias has joined the Morningside College coaching staff as a men’s basketball assistant coach.

Elias had been named the head coach at Blue Mountain Community College in Pendleton, Ore., earlier this year.

He was previously the head assistant men’s basketball coach at Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC) rival Concordia University, where he was a member of the Bulldogs’ staff from 2006-12. Elias was the head coach at Mt. Pleasant High School in San Jose, Calif., and the head assistant coach at Cuyamaca Community College in El Cajon, Calif., earlier in his career.

Elias is a 2006 graduate of Concordia and earned a master’s degree from Concordia University-Chicago in 2009.

He was a two-year letterwinner at Concordia and averaged 10.6 points per game and led the Bulldogs with 97 assists during the 2003-04 campaign. Elias also played two seasons at Cuyamaca CC, where he set school records with 36 points and eight 3-point field goals in one game and earned All-Pacific Coast Conference honors.

Ryan Strand, a 6-6 forward from Meridian, Idaho, will join the Morningside men’s basketball team next season as a transfer from Blue Mountain Community College in Oregon.

Strand, who will have junior eligibility, earned second-team all-region honors this past season and was the ninth leading rebounder in the Northwest Athletic Association of Community Colleges with an average of 8.67 rebounds per game.

Aside from leading Blue Mountain in rebounding, Strand was also the team’s leading scorer with an average of 15.5 points per game. He drilled 165 of 321 field goal attempts for 51.4 percent and converted 41 of 60 free throw attempts for 68.3 percent. He scored in double figures in 21 of the team’s 24 contests and had eight double figure rebounding performances. Strand scored a season’s high 24 points against Walla Walla and had a season’s high 16 rebounds against South Puget Sound.

He averaged 5.0 points and 3.7 rebounds per game and made 54 of 111 field goal attempts for 48.6 percent as a freshman.

Strand is a 2010 graduate of Rocky Mountain High School.

Morningside won six of its last eight games of the 2011-12 season to finish the campaign with a record of 18-13. The Mustangs posted a 12-8 record in the Great Plains Athletic Conference to finish fourth in the league standings.

Danny Rudeen, a 6-3 sophomore guard from Sioux City, received the Most Valuable Player award for the Morningside College men’s basketball team at the Mustangs’ post-season awards banquet.

Rudeen was the Mustangs’ leading scorer and third leading rebounder this season with averages of 15.0 points and 4.3 rebounds per game. He ranked second on the team with 79 assists and third with 34 steals for norms of 2.5 assists and 1.1 steals per contest. Rudeen led the Mustangs with 26 double figure scoring performances, including a career-high 24 points in an 89-71 victory against York College on Jan. 5.

Rudeen, who has a 3.85 cumulative grade point average with a major in computer science, also received the Mustangs’ Academic Player of the Year award.

Other award winners were:

Most Improved Player – Jake Pitcher, a 6-5 sophomore forward from Mesa, Ariz.

Defensive Player of the Year – Trent Miller, a 6-1 junior guard from Gretna, Neb.

Weight Lifter of the Year – Kevin Zoz, a 6-1 senior guard from Murdock, Neb.

Trent Miller, a 6-1 junior guard from Gretna, Neb., broke the Morningside College record for steals in a season during the recently completed 2011-12 men’s basketball season.

Miller had 79 steals to break the former Morningside record of 73 steals by Dusty Wadlington in the 2000-01 campaign. Aside from leading the team in steals, Miller also topped the Mustangs with 153 assists. He ranked fifth nationally in the NAIA Division II with an average of 2.5 steals per game and 13th with an average of 4.9 assists per contest. Miller averaged 6.4 points and 3.5 rebounds per game as the Mustangs’ starting point guard.

Miller, a two-year starter, will enter his senior season with career totals of 320 assists and 157 steals to put him within striking distance of the Morningside school-record totals of 425 career assists by Joel Weyand from 1993-97 and 185 career steals by Jack Rother from 2004-08.

The Mustangs’ leading scorer this season was Danny Rudeen, a 6-3 senior guard from Sioux City, who averaged 15.0 points per game to compliment a norm of 4.3 rebounds per contest. Rudeen had a team-high 26 double figure scoring performances and was the Mustangs’ leading scorer in 13 of their 31 contests, including six of their last 11 games. He led the Mustangs’ starters in 3-point and free throw shooting accuracy with 48 3-point field goals in 120 attempts for 40.0 percent and 100 of 129 free throw attempts for 77.5 percent. Rudeen made a team-high 158 field goals in 328 attempts for 48.2 percent.

Garth Hamilton, a 6-7 senior center from Lincoln, Neb., was the Mustangs’ leading rebounder and second leading scorer with averages of 6.8 rebounds and 11.9 points per game. He made a team-high 123 free throws in 163 attempts for 75.5 percent. Hamilton led the Mustangs in rebounding in 16 of their 31 contests, including a 14-board haul against Dakota Wesleyan University on Dec. 7 for the Mustangs’ top single-game rebounding performance of the season. Hamilton also had the Mustangs’ top single-game scoring performance of the season with 27 points in a 77-71 victory against Concordia University on Dec. 3.

Hamilton reached a Morningside milestone late in the season when he scored the 1,000th point of his career. He finished with 1,011 career points for the 23rd highest point total in Morningside history.

Kevin Zoz, a 6-1 senior guard from Murdock, Neb., was the Mustangs’ top 3-point threat with a team-high 59 3-point field goals. He made 59 of 172 3-point attempts for 34.3 percent en route to an 11.2-point scoring average.

Zoz finished his career with 797 points for the 47th highest point total in Morningside history.

Bryan Borchers, a 6-5 senior forward from Le Mars, Iowa, led the Mustangs with 30 blocked shots for an average of 1.0 per game and also paced the team in field goal accuracy with 118 hoops in 194 attempts for 60.8 percent. Borchers, who averaged 11.5 points and 5.2 rebounds per game, shot 50 percent or higher from the field in 25 of the Mustangs’ 31 contests, including 15 of their last 16 games.

The Mustangs’ most accurate shooter from the 3-point arc was Storm Throne, a 6-7 junior center from Omaha, Neb., who drilled 31 of 70 3-point field goal attempts for 44.3 percent. Throne was the top scorer and rebounder off the Mustangs’ bench with averages of 9.3 points and 4.3 rebounds per game. He had a team-high 13 double figure scoring performances off the bench.

Joel Haveman, a 5-10 senior guard from Avoca, Neb., led the Mustangs in free throw accuracy by converting 32 of 39 free throw attempts for 82.1 percent. Haveman averaged 4.4 points per game off the Mustangs’ bench.

Morningside won six of its final eight games of the 2011-12 season to finish the campaign with a record of 18-13. The Mustangs posted a 12-8 record in the Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC) to finish fourth in the league standings.

Danny Rudeen, a 6-3 sophomore guard from Sioux City, was named to the 2011-12 All-Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC) Men’s Basketball First-Team as selected by the league’s head coaches.

Rudeen was the Mustangs’ leading scorer and third leading rebounder this season with averages of 15.0 points and 4.3 rebounds per game. He also ranked second on the team with 79 assists and third with 34 steals for norms of 2.5 assists and 1.1 steals per contest. Rudeen was the Mustangs’ top scorer in 13 of their 31 contests. Rudeen led the Mustangs with 26 double figure scoring performances, including a career-high 24 points in an 89-71 victory against York College on Jan. 5. He had a season’s high 10 rebounds against Avila University on Dec. 30.

He made 158 of 328 field goal attempts for 48.2 percent, 48 of 120 3-point field goal attempts for 40.0 percent, and 100 of 129 free throw attempts for 77.5 percent.

In addition to Rudeen, the Mustangs placed Garth Hamilton and Trent Miller on the All-GPAC Second-Team.

Hamilton, a 6-7 senior center from Lincoln, Neb., averaged 11.9 points, a team-high 6.8 rebounds, and 1.9 assists per game. He had a team-high six double-doubles and was the Mustangs’ leading rebounder in 15 of their 31 contests. Hamilton had the Mustangs’ top single-game scoring and rebounding performances of the season with 27 points against Concordia University and 14 rebounds against Dakota Wesleyan University. He made 123 of 266 field goal attempts for 46.2 percent and a team-high 123 free throws in 163 attempts for 75.5 percent.

Hamilton scored 1,011 points during his collegiate career to rank 23rd on Morningside’s all-time scoring list.

Miller, a 6-1 junior guard from Gretna, Neb., averaged 6.4 points and 3.5 rebounds per game and led the GPAC with 153 assists and 79 steals for averages of 4.9 assists and 2.5 steals per game. Miller’s 79 steals broke the former Morningside single-season record of 73 steals by Dusty Wadlington in the 2000-01 campaign.

Morningside’s Bryan Borchers and Kevin Zoz were each named to the All-GPAC honorable mention list.

Borchers, a 6-5 senior forward from Le Mars, Iowa, averaged 11.5 points and 5.2 rebounds per game and led the Mustangs with 30 blocked shots and in field goal percentage with 118 hoops in 194 attempts for 60.8 percent.

Zoz, a 6-1 senior guard from Murdock, Neb., averaged 11.2 points and 2.2 rebounds per game and made a team-high 59 3-point field goals in 172 attempts for 34.3 percent.

Morningside posted an 18-13 record and finished fourth in the GPAC standings with a 12-8 league mark.

Click here for the complete 2011-12 All-GPAC Men's Basketball Team.

Garth Hamilton and Kevin Zoz have been named 2011-12 Daktronics-NAIA Men's Basketball Scholar-Athletes.

Hamilton, a 6-7 senior center from Lincoln, Neb., has a 3.69 cumulative grade point average (GPA) with a major in psychology counseling.

Zoz, a 6-1 senior guard from Murdock, Neb., has a 3.55 cumulative GPA with a major in business administration.

Student-athletes must be of at least junior academic status and have a minimum GPA of 3.50 in order to be eligible for Daktronics-NAIA Scholar-Athlete honors.

Click here for the complete list of 2011-12 Daktronics-NAIA Division II Men's Basketball Scholar-Athletes.

Garth Hamilton and Danny Rudeen have been named to the 2012 Capital One Academic All-America College Division Men’s Basketball Team as selected by College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA).

Hamilton, a 6-7 senior center from Lincoln, Neb., was named to the Academic All-America Second Team, while Rudeen, a 6-3 sophomore guard from Sioux City, was tabbed to the Academic All-America Third Team.

Hamilton has a 3.69 cumulative grade point average (GPA) with a major in psychology counseling. He is averaging 11.9 points per game and is the Mustangs’ leading rebounder with a norm of 6.9 caroms per game. Hamilton is the 23rd leading scorer in Morningside history with 1,000 career points.

Rudeen has a 3.85 cumulative GPA with a major in computer science. He is the Mustangs’ leading scorer with an average of 15.0 points per game to compliment an average of 4.3 rebounds per game.

Athletes must be of at least sophomore academic status, be a starter or significant reserve, and have a cumulative GPA of 3.30 or higher to be eligible for Capital One Academic honors.

Click here for the complete 2011-12 Capital One Academic All-America College Division Basketball Team.

Morningside College’s Garth Hamilton and Danny Rudeenhave been named to the 2012 Capital One Academic All-District 5 College Division Men’s Basketball Team as selected by College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA).

They will be placed on the national ballot for the 2012 Capital One Academic All-America Teams.

Hamilton, a 6-7 senior center from Lincoln, Neb., has a 3.69 cumulative grade point average (GPA) with a major in psychology counseling. He is averaging 12.2 points per game and is the Mustangs’ leading rebounder with a norm of 7.0 caroms per game.

Rudeen, a 6-3 sophomore guard from Sioux City, has a 3.85 cumulative GPA with a major in computer science. He is the Mustangs’ leading scorer with an average of 15.1 points per game to compliment an average of 4.4 rebounds per game.

Athletes must be of at least sophomore academic status, be a starter or significant reserve, and have a cumulative GPA of 3.30 or higher to be eligible for Capital One Academic honors.

Garth Hamilton, a 6-7 senior center from Lincoln, Neb., has been named the Hauff Mid-America Sports/Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC) Men’s Basketball Player of the Week.

Hamilton averaged 21.5 points, 8.5 rebounds, and 3.0 assists per game and made 14 of 26 field goal attempts for 53.8 percent and 15 of 18 free throw attempts for 83.3 percent in the Mustangs’ two contests last week.

He scored a career-high 27 points to go along with five rebounds to lead Morningside in both categories in a 77-71 victory against Concordia University last Saturday in Seward, Neb. Hamilton posted his second double-double of the season earlier in the week when he had 16 points and a season’s high 12 rebounds and five assists in a 71-69 loss against Grand View University.

Hamilton is the Mustangs’ second leading scorer and top rebounder with averages of 13.6 points and 6.7 rebounds per game.

Morningside will take a 6-3 record, including a 3-0 record in the GPAC, into a Wednesday home conference game against Dakota Wesleyan University.

Bryan Borchers, a 6-5 senior forward from Le Mars, Iowa, has been named the Hauff Mid-America Sports/Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC) Men’s Basketball Player of the Week after he helped lead the Mustangs to victories against Wayne State College and Hastings College.

Borchers averaged 17 points and six rebounds per game and drilled 11 of 17 field goal attempts for 64.7 percent and converted 12 of 13 free throw attempts for 92.3 percent in the two triumphs.

He scored 18 points behind a perfect shooting night with six-for-six showings from the field and the foul line in a 75-55 victory at NCAA Division II Wayne State on Nov. 15. He also had six rebounds, three assists, and three blocked shots in the contest. Borchers went for 16 points and six rebounds when the Mustangs defeated Hastings 79-72 in last Saturday’s GPAC opener.

The Mustangs have a 4-2 record and are ranked No. 23 in the nation in the NAIA Division II Pre-Season Poll.

Morningside is ranked No. 23 in the nation in the NAIA Division II Pre-Season Men’s Basketball Poll released on Oct. 24.

The Mustangs return nine lettermen, including all five starters, from a team that came on strong at the end of the 2010-11 campaign with seven wins in the final 10 games to finish with a record of 15-17.

Morningside is one of three teams from the Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC) in the NAIA Pre-Season Top 25. Defending league champion Northwestern College is ranked seventh and Dordt College is ranked 16th.

Morningside will open the 2011-12 season at the York College Classic in York, Neb., with games against York College on Nov. 4 and Kansas Wesleyan University on Nov. 5.

Morningside is picked for a third place finish in the GPAC Men’s Basketball Coaches Pre-Season Poll.

The Mustangs return nine lettermen and all five starters from a team that went 7-3 over the final 10 games of the 2010-11 season en route to a 15-17 finish.

Morningside will open the 2011-12 campaign on Friday, Nov. 4, with a 7 p.m. game against York College at the York Classic in York, Neb.

Click here for the complete 2011-12 GPAC Men’s Basketball Coaches Pre-Season Poll.