Sports Shorts
Published 9:18 pm Thursday, October 2, 2008
Jacobsen key player for Western Baptist
The Western Baptist men’s basketball team will have a familiar name in the starting lineup. 1997 Mount Si graduate Mick Jacobsen will suit up as a forward for the team which is currently ranked 22 in the NAIA Division II preseason polling. Jacobsen, a 6-foot-5 senior at 190 pounds, has made his mark on the program.
After posting a school-best 28-9 mark, finishing second (15-3) in the Cascade Conference, and being ranked as high as No. 6 in the NAIA Division II poll, last season didn’t have a storybook ending. The Warriors were upset in the semifinals of the conference tournament eventually settling for a fifth-place finish at the NCCAA championships.
The nucleus of last year’s squad returns, and like a year ago, many players can carry the scoring load. All-conference performer Drew Langstraat (junior, 6-foot-7, 210 pounds, Lynden) and honorable-mention Jacobsen, of North Bend, will again be expected to be offensive weapons inside. Langstraat was third on the team in scoring (12.7) and led the Warriors in rebounding (7.0).
Jacobsen set a WBC single-season record by shooting .654 from the field last season and led the squad in scoring (13.5). He can erupt offensively, as characterized by his 18-for-19 shooting display against Albertson last season. “Mick should be a good scorer again for us,” the head coach claimed. “He’s hard to guard because he jumps so well.”
As was the case last season, Albertson and Oregon Tech appear to be the teams to beat should the Warriors’ goal of advancing to the NAIA Division II national tournament be realized.
