PORTLAND, Ore. – Shaw Anderson's sensational weekend for the Seattle Pacific University men's basketball team earned his third Great Northwest Athletic Conference Player of the Week award this season.
The Falcons picked up two conference wins last weekend. They dealt with a competitive Western Oregon team on Thursday, taking the game 87-79. Then on Saturday, two of the best teams in the West Region met in Seattle. SPU edged past Saint Martin's 82-87. The team extended its winning streak to six games. Anderson was crucial in both games.
"One of the best things about Shaw's development over the years is he's added something to his game every year," head coach Grant Leep said. "He's always had a knack for scoring and understanding concepts. Then, he added the 3-point shot to his game as a freshman. The following year, he became a load to handle in the mid-post with the threat now of a 3 and his low post game. This year, he's improved his ability to take his defender off the bounce in addition to getting to the free throw line more consistently, which has shot his efficiency through the roof."
Thursday's game between the Falcons and Wolves was tightly contested, featuring eight ties and 13 lead changes. Anderson took over in the final five minutes, scoring 15 consecutive points while leading the Falcons to their fifth straight victory.
The two teams were tied at 70 when Anderson took over. A layup to give the Falcons the lead was followed by a monster slam by Anderson. He soared through the lane and hammered home the dunk through contact. Game-shifting play continued from Anderson, as he buried a 3-pointer that was set up by Maui Sze on the next trip down the floor. Suddenly, the Falcons led 77-70 with 4:09 to play.
Anderson kept scoring. He hit two free throws, back-to-back jumpers and had a layup to ice the game. Anderson scored 15 consecutive points for the Falcons, leading the team to its fifth straight win.
Anderson led everyone with 30 points on 10-for-14 shooting while knocking down all three of his 3-point attempts. He grabbed seven rebounds, dished out three assists, and had two blocks.
Anderson played the role of closer against the Saints on Saturday. A game that featured 13 ties and 21 lead changes was ended by a 6-0 run in the final 1:41 in which Anderson scored all six points.
Anderson stepped to the free throw line with 1:41 to play and the Falcons trailing 87-87. He knocked down both free throws to give SPU a one-point lead. SPU earned a stop defensively, followed by a step-back jumper from Anderson to put the team up 90-87. With under 10 seconds to play, Anderson stepped up and hit two more free throws. Anderson finished the game with 21 points, five rebounds, and two assists. Most of his scoring came in the second half.
Anderson's weekend totals were fantastic. He played 69 minutes over two games, scoring 51 points with great shooting numbers. He went 17-for-31 from the field, including a 4-for-7 performance from 3-pointer ranges. He was supremely clutch, hitting 13-for-16 free throws. Anderson pulled down 12 rebounds, dished out five assists, blocked three shots, and had one steal.
"He can score in so many ways, yet he is still doing it within the concept we are running and keeping other guys involved," Leep added. "His overall improvement is a realization of all the work he's put in over the years. Often, you see in guys who score a lot, they isolate or take over the offense. Shaw finds a way to do that in the flow of the game, along with a group of teammates looking to share the ball, and makes it flow within what our team is trying to execute on offense."
The weekend culminated in Anderson being named to the Bevo Francis Top 100 Watch List for the 2022-23 season. The Clarence "Bevo" Francis Award is presented annually to the player who has had the finest overall season within Small College Basketball. Considerations will be season statistics and individual achievements, awards, personal character, and team achievements. The incredibly prestigious honor is awarded to one player in Small College Basketball per season.
On February 15th, the list is reduced to the Top 50 players. Then on March 15th, the Top 25 players will be announced. On April 1st, the finalists of this year's award are announced, followed by the Bevo Francis Award winner being crowned on April 3rd.
The Falcons host the only team yet to lose a conference game on Saturday at 2 p.m. as GNAC leading Montana State University Billings comes to Royal Brougham Pavilion.
