Men's basketball season wrap-up
Monday, March 17, 2008

Joseph Baer

Mankato, Minn.—The Bethany men’s basketball team finished the season with an overall record of 11-17, including a 9-5 record in the Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC). At the end of the UMAC season, the Vikings found themselves in a four way tie for second place. They lost the draw and were forced to win a play-in game to enter the tourney. They did so and ultimately lost a thrilling game to Northwestern College to end their year.

The Bethany men had three players receive honors. Both Tommy Saffert (N. Mankato, Minn., Mankato West) and Andy Wills (N. Mankato, Minn., Mankato West) were named to the NCCAA North Central All-Region Team for Division 1 NCCAA Basketball as well as All-Conference First Team for the UMAC. Saffert, the Vikings point guard who was also named a member of the UMAC All-Defensive Team, lead the team in minutes, steals, assists, and three-point shooting. He scored 14 points per game. Wills, named the UMAC’s 2007-08 Newcomer of the Year, added inside offense, leading the Vikings with 15.9 points and seven rebounds per game. He also had a season and team high, 39 points against Northland on 16 of 17 shooting. The Vikings also found an offensive threat from senior Travis Priem (Janesville, Minn., Janesville-Waldorf-Pemberton), who added 13.1 points a game, and finished the year strong leading the Vikings in scoring four of their last five games. Priem received an All-Conference Honorable Mention award this season for his efforts.

The Vikings will look to build on the promising year they had this season, but will have to deal with the departures of guards Travis Priem and Jimmy Tarcon (Marshfield, Wis., Marshfield), three-point threat Mike Rosin (Nicollet, Minn., Nicollet), and big men Joe McFarland (Fairmont, Minn., Fairmont) and Amun Bordain (Milwaukee, Wis., Nicolet). Coach Rick Jeddeloh noted, “We lose five seniors, and that will be tough, but we do have two all-conference, all-region players [Wills and Saffert] coming back. We will also look to younger players who we expect to be very valuable next year.”

Bethany men fall short in regionals
Sunday, March 09, 2008

Joseph Baer

Palos Heights, Ill. - The Vikings traveled to Illinois for a regional match up on Friday night to face Northwestern for the fourth time this year. The Eagles found a way to finish the season sweep of the Vikings, beating them 86-69.

The Eagles shot red hot from the field in the first half, netting nine of 11 from the beyond the arc. The Vikings, with just a minute left before heading to the locker room, were down by 11. They then sparked for six unanswered and went into the break down 44-39, after post player Joe McFarland hit a momentum filled three-pointer at the buzzer.

The Vikings, who shot 60 percent in the first half, went cold. They finished the game 45.8 percent from the field, surrendering 13 turnovers in comparison to the Eagles six. Northwestern, who finished the game at 59 percent from the field, walked away with a 17 point victory.

Bethany was led by Travis Priem on the offensive end. Priem went nine for 14 and scored 21 points. Andy Wills added 17 points from inside and point guard Tommy Saffert scored 13 points to go along with six assists in the loss.

The Eagles finished the night 11-18 from beyond the arc, and were led by 20 point scoring efforts from Stephen Hanson and Josh Strelecki. Hanson was also a perfect three for three from beyond the arc and grabbed seven rebounds. Strelecki burned the Vikings again, shooting a near perfect nine for 10 from the field, while dishing out seven assists. Daniel Hanson added 18 points (4-7 from downtown), seven rebounds in the Eagles win.

Bethany men hope fourth time's the charm in regional
Tuesday, March 04, 2008

Free Press Writer

Mankato, Minn.—Bethany Lutheran has played northwestern three times… and lost all three.

Regardless, Bethany Lutheran College coach Rick Jeddeloh is looking forward to facing the Eagles again, this time at the North Central Regional of the National Christian College Athletic Association men’s basketball tournament.

“I’m excited about playing on a neutral court,” Jeddeloh said. “I’m excited that we’re two games away from (winning a regional).”

Bethany (11-16) plays northwestern (19-7) at 5:30 p.m. in Palos Heights, Ill., in the opening game of the regional. Bethany is the third seed, and Northwestern, the regular –season and tournament champion in the Upper Midwest Athletic Conference, is seeded second.

The other semifinal game features top see Trinity Christian against Greenville (Ill.) College. The semifinal winners play at 3 p.m. Saturday, with the regional champion advancing to the eight-team national tournament March 18-20 at Oakland City, Ind.

“I think the winner of our game has a great chance to get to the national tournament,” Jeddeloh said.

The Vikings lost to Northwestern twice during the regular season— 68-78 and 81-71—then dropped an 83-83 game in the semi-finals of the UMAC tournament 10 days ago.

Jeddeloh said that forward Travis Priem (sick) and center Joe McFarland (ankle) were both limited the last time the Vikings faced northwestern, and both will be ready by Friday.

Last season, Bethany lost its opening game to Bethel (Ind.) College, which went on to win the national championship.