UAA men’s basketball team primed for a postseason run

If the final game of the regular season is any indication, the UAA men’s basketball team is ready for the postseason.

UAA defeated Saint Martin’s 85-76 on Saturday in a performance that featured balanced scoring and relatively error-free play from the Seawolves. And just as important as the team’s performance was the quality of their opponent. Saint Martin’s enters Thursday’s Great Northwest Athletic Conference Championships as the top seed after taking the conference’s regular-season crown.

The Seawolves, the tournament’s No. 3 seed, play No. 6 seed Seattle Pacific on Thursday in the opening round at 6:30 p.m. in Seattle.

Oggie Pantovic, who was unanimously named a first-team all-conference selection on Tuesday, said if the team plays like they did in the second half against Saint Martin’s, they can go far in the conference tournament.

“I believe if we keep playing like this we’ll have a great chance to win the conference tournament,” said the senior post man.

Pantovic, who was also first-team all-conference in 2019-20, is among the GNAC’s most well-rounded players. The 6-9 center finished in the top 10 in scoring (15.9 ppg), rebounding (8.3 rpg) and field goal percentage (.555).

The Seawolves split a pair against Seattle Pacific this year, winning 88-83 at Alaska Airlines Center on Dec. 30. But UAA also suffered its most lopsided loss of the year to the Falcons, a 91-59 drubbing on Jan. 29.

UAA head coach Rusty Osborne expects the tourney game to shake out much more like the game played in December that featured 10 lead changes and five ties.

“This time of year when two teams are playing you’re not going to have many blowouts,” he said. “It’s a possession game. Every possession is important.”

Another key component for the Seawolves will be the play of the backcourt duo of David Rowlands and Tobin Karlberg. Karlberg joined Pantovic in earning all-conference honors. The junior and former Grace Christian star earned a second-team nod this season after being honorable mention in 2019-20.

Karlberg is fifth in the GNAC in scoring at 17.7 points per game and is in the league’s top 5 in 3-pointers made per game.

Rowlands averages 12.6 ppg and 5 assists per game and will likely be counted on to be the team’s main distributor this weekend.

The Falcons were the preseason pick to win the conference in the coaches poll and are led by first-team all-conference guard Divant’e Moffitt (19.0 ppg). Moffitt was unstoppable in Seattle Pacific’s blowout win over UAA during the regular season, notching 31 points on 11 of 15 shooting.

11th annual Great Northwest Athletic Conference Championships

at Royal Brougham Pavilion in Seattle, Wash.

at Marcus Pavilion in Lacey, Wash.

Wednesday, March 2 (First Round)

No. 9 Western Oregon 70, No. 8 Western Washington 59

No. 10 Alaska Fairbanks 91, No. 7 Simon Fraser 83 (OT)

Thursday, March 3 (Quarterfinals)

No. 5 Central Washington (15-8) vs No. 4 Montana State Billings (13-14), 4:15 p.m. in Lacey

No. 10 Alaska Fairbanks vs No. 2 Northwest Nazarene (12-8), 4:15 p.m. in Seattle

No. 9 Western Oregon vs No. 1 Saint Martin’s (18-8), 6:30 p.m. in Lacey

No. 6 Seattle Pacific (14-12) vs No. 3 Alaska Anchorage (14-8), 6:30 p.m. in Seattle

Friday, March 4 (Semifinals in Lacey)

4:15 p.m. & 6:30 p.m. – Matchups TBD

Saturday, March 5 (Championship in Lacey)

6:30 pm: Semifinal winners