macginnis commits

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SoCalHoops Recruiting News

Matt MacGinnis Commits To
Point Loma Nazarene--(Oct. 28, 2000)

mattmcginnis150.jpg (7370 bytes) Matt MacGinnis (6'-4" Sr. SG) from Villa Park, has committed to Point Loma Nazarene University. Matt is one of the best pure shooters in Orange County, and over the last two years he's averaged more than 18 ppg. This past season he earned First Team All-CIF honors, and led Villa Park to the quarterfinals, where the Spartans were defeated by CIF semifinalist Simi Valley. MacGinnis played with the Rockfish travel team two summers ago, played in the Rockfish Spring League, at the South Orange County Extravaganza and this past summer played with his Villa Park HS team in Las Vegas at the adidas Big time, and at several other exposure tournaments, including the Double Pump Best of Summer. Following the Best of Summer, Matt played with the Pump N Run team at the Slam N Jam/EBO "Elite 8x2" Tournament at the University of California Berkeley with his high school teammate Matt Egkan (6'-8" Sr. PF), who remains unsigned.

Matt is a smooth shooter, great coming off screens, a good defender and he'll be an immediate impact player at Pt. Loma, which features a young, talented team coached by John Block. A lot of people are unfamiliar with Pt. Loma Nazarene and with the Golden State Athletic Conference (GSAC), a conference which features some of the best players from small colleges on the West Coast, and a perennial national power in NAIA. And here's another interesting fact: According to the Pt. Loma "CDS" questionaire (the CDS is a standardized form completed by colleges and universities to provide information for a group of publishers who put out those college guidebooks--e.g., Baron's, etc), and it's got some really interesting facts, like the fact that Pt. Loma's enrollment is only about 2,500+ students. . . but here's the interesting fact: About 1800 of them are women. . . . nice ratio, and undoubtedly, it will mean that Matt will be in high demand. :^).

Pt. Loma Nazarene basketball homecoming celebration

But back to basketball: The GSAC really is a uniquely successful conference. It's affiliated with the NAIA (National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics), the nation's first collegiate athletic association to offer national championships. Established in 1986 by other similar institutions, GSAC member colleges and universities are all church-related Christian colleges, all of which have similar enrollments, academics, class offerings and student profiles and populations. The GSAC links sport sponsorship to enrollment and adjusts athletic scholarships and financial aid to the cost of education at each institution, which the GSAC officials insist maintains a fairly constant ratio for all members. Other schools in the GSAC are Azusa Pacific University, Biola University, California Baptist College, Concordia University, Fresno Pacific University, Point Loma Nazarene University, Hope International University, Vanguard University (formerly Southern California College), Christian Heritage College, and Westmont College.

A lot of top SoCal players choose to play at the NAIA level in the GSAC (D-I just isn't the only option, despite some common misconceptions among high school players and their parents), and there are a lot of familiar names among the players in the GSAC. Here are just a few:

Azusa Pacific: Caleb Gervin (Palm Desert, Louisville transfer), Jed Hall (Montclair Prep), Tony Freeman (Santa Barbara), Brett Michel (Simi Valley), Justin Leslie (Perris HS), Adam Barthelmess (Western Chrisitan HS), Joe Mann (Poway, SDSU transfer)

Pt. Loma Nazarene gym

Biola: Gary Heyer (Downey Warren HS), Rashaun Thomas (Victor Valley HS, Utah State transfer), Faheem Nelson (Fresno Bullard, College of Southern Idaho transfer), Josh Sherman (Calvary Chapel Santa Ana)

Cal Baptist: Isamu Nichols (LB Poly HS, Azusa Pacific transfer), Josh Moss (Riverside, Ramona HS), De' Verion Mackey (Marshall Fundamental), Dameon Brewington (Los Angeles, Manual Arts, LA Trade Tech transfer), Gary Gillman (Morro Bay HS, Hawaii transfer), Khary Lands (Moreno Valley HS), George Martin (San Bernardino, Cajon HS), Gabe Flores (Riverside La Sierra HS, Santa Barbara CC transfer), Omar Lopez (El Centro, Central Union HS)

Fresno Pacific: Uly Sanchez (Reedley CC transfer), Drew Brause (Cayucos, Coast Union HS), Earl Jackson (Modesto Calvary Temple HS), Charles Butcher (San Diego, Cuyamaca CC transfer), Adam Bay (Fresno Hoover HS), Jordan Brice (Fresno Washington Union HS), John Wiebe (Shafter HS), Joe Aiello (Fresno Clovis West HS), Nate Miller (Fresno, Pt. Loma Nazarene transfer), Heath Hanich (Bakersfield, Bakersfield CC transfer), Bob Uphoff (Porterville, Missouri Valley College transfer)

Hope International: Seth Houck (Aliso Viejo), Mike Graves (Yorba Linda), Jon Clasen (La Palma), Roger Hills (Long Beach), Ben Rogers (Fountain Valley), Jon Stoa (Whittier Christian HS).

Pt. Loma: B.J. Foster (San Diego / Point Loma HS), Brett Young (Calvary Chapel Santa Ana) Frank Estell (Riverside, La Sierra HS) Josh Williams (Bakersfield , Bakersfield CC transfer), Jeremiah Phillips (Hesperia Silverado HS)

Vanguard: Dennis Keane (Santa Margarita HS), Ardis Curtis (Bellflower), Shawn Corkery (Moorpark HS), Garid Beeler (Calvary Chapel/Ocean View HS, Concordia transfer), George Lee (Rancho Cucamonga, Victor Valley CC transfer), Kemmy Burgess (El Cajon HS), John Kohlhass (Long Beach), Steve Eernisse (Valencia, Glendale CC transfer).

Westmont: Michael Payne (Fresno, Fresno Pacific transfer), Steve Baik (Temple City, Arcadia HS), Joe Ortiz (San Clemente, Calvary Chapel Santa Ana), Mitch Pierce (San Clemente HS), Adrian Phillips (Vista, Rancho Buena Vista HS), Ryan Romberg ( Anaheim Canyon HS)