CHADRON, Neb -- January 12, 2017 -- The Chadron State basketball teams will play just one game this weekend—a Friday the 13th date at home against the Westminster Griffins from Salt Lake City. The women's game at 5:30 will tip off the double-header in the Chicoine Center.
Westminster is in its second season in the RMAC. The Eagles and Griffons played each other twice last year with the home teams winning all four games. The Eagles will not visit Salt Lake City this season.
The Westminster women are 6-7 overall and 4-5 in the conference. Their top scorer is 5-foot-11 junior Sydnee Taylor, who is averaging 12 points. Guards Denise Gonzalez and Aubrie Vale are both at 9.5 a game. Last year, Vale poured in 28 points while making all six of her 3-point shots against the Eagles in Chadron, even though CSC won 71-58. She also tallied a team-high 18 during the Griffins' 71-62 win on their home court.
The Westminster men are 5-6 for the season and 5-4 in the RMAC. They are a tall team with four players ranging between 6-8 and 7-0. One of them, 6-8 junior Dayon Goodman, is averaging 15 points and 6.8 rebounds to lead both categories. Zerrion Peyton, a 6-2 senior, is next on the scoring list at 14.3 points a game.
The CSC women are 3-10 overall and 3-7 in the conference. The men are 2-12 and 2-8.
Although the men's team apparently will have
Darius Polley and
Austin Hall available this weekend after they missed two games because of sprained ankles they suffered on Dec. 30, the Eagles will l be short-handed again Friday night.
Coach
Houston Reed said freshman center
Michael Johnson is flying to his native Bahamas this week for a family member's funeral.
In addition, Reed said senior
Myles Busby, who has not played since Dec. 10 because of a knee injury, has had some complications from the surgery he required and probably won't be able to play again, but returned to Chadron on Wednesday to resume his studies.
Reed called Busby, a 6-4 swingman from Niles, Mich., the team's best defensive player. As a sophomore at Mott Community College at Flint, Mich., he was named the conference's Defensive Player of the Year.
Busby averaged six points and 4.4 rebounds and had 10 steals during his eight games for the Eagles this season.
