LPC Finishes Season 6th at Nationals
SAN DIMAS, Calif.- Life Pacific concluded its season with a sixth-place finish at the NCCAA National Tournament. While at the tournament, LPC was able to defeat the 5th ranked, Warner University Royals. The Warriors also faced off against the #1 seed, Southwestern Christian University and the #3 seed, Mid-America Christian University. LPC fell short in both of those games, which left Life with a final record of 18-13.
During the 2017/18 season, LPC was able to repeat as both PCAC Tournament Champions and NCCAA West Regional Champions. The Warriors also had multiple players finish with awards and National recognition. James Noble and Mark Eden were both Scholar-Athletes and also members of the 1st-team All-West Region Team.
"It is an honor to be recognized for my contributions on the court, as it solidifies the hard work I have put in over the course of a year," said James Noble.
Mark Eden's senior season will definitely be one to remember, as he will leave LPC as one of the most decorated players in Life Pacific College Athletics' history. Along with being a Scholar-Athlete and a member of the West Region 1st-Team, Mark won PCAC Conference MVP, PCAC Conference Tournament MVP, a PCAC 1st Team All-Conference selection, and the NCCAA West Region MVP Award. While all of those awards were very impressive, none of them could compare to Mark winning the NCCAA National Player of the Year Award. To be recognized as the best player in the country is something that no Warrior before Mark has ever achieved. So, it is safe to say that Mark Eden will be a name that Warrior fans will not forget.
Life Pacific Seniors, Mark and James were not the only people to win an award this season. Head Coach Tim Cook won the award for NCCAA West Region Coach of the Year. In Coach Cook's two seasons at Life Pacific, he holds a record of 41-25. With Tim Cook at the helm, the Warriors have won the PCAC Conference Championship, the PCAC Tournament (twice) and the West Regional Championship (twice). It is safe to say that Coach Cook has brought a championship culture to Life Pacific.
The Life Pacific College Warriors began the 2017-18 season with hopes to repeat the success that they experienced in the 2016-17 season. The Warriors set out to repeat as West Regional Champions so that they could make a return to Winona Lake, Indiana to take another shot at winning a National Championship.
Due to pre-season injuries, LPC would have to make their title defense without the services of three of their key returners. Despite the unforeseen obstacles thrown at the Warriors, they made no excuses as they pushed through their schedule loaded with NCAA Division 1, NCAA Division 2, and elite NAIA programs.
Life Pacific's journey towards repeating as champions took another unsuspected turn as they would lose two starters right before conference play began. LPC again found a way to embrace their "Next Play" mentality as they would go on to finish the season on a 9-5 run capped off with a Pacific Coast Athletic Conference Tournament Championship. That last victory in the PCAC Conference Tournament also gave the Warriors their second straight West Regional Championship and allowed them to have an opportunity for redemption at this year's NCCAA National Tournament.
After finishing the tournament in 6th place, the Warriors can consider this season a success. LPC finished last season in 7th place at the NCCAA National Tournament. Life Pacific will hope to continue to improve as they face an even bigger task of joining the Golden State Athletic Conference (GSAC) next season. The GSAC is one of the best NAIA conferences in the entire country, so the Warriors will make sure to bring their "A-game" next season as they officially join their new NAIA conference.
Closing Quotes:
ADAM SAAVEDRA -
Q: How did it feel to start in a National Tournament as a Freshman?
A: It's obviously a different atmosphere than a regular season game. I just went in and tried to help my team and seniors as much as I could throughout the tournament. The importance of each game is what stood out the most to me. Because you realize that you're playing and representing something bigger than yourself self.
Q: What was your most memorable moment/achievement from this season?
A: The most memorable moment of the season for me was winning the West Region Championship. There was no greater feeling than to do that with my team and most of all for the seniors.
Q: How do you feel about going into the GSAC next year?
A: I feel excited to go into the GSAC and help my team in any way I can. Coach Cook always emphasizes how great of a conference the GSAC is and that's why it's time to lock in and get ready for it.
JACOB BRUMMETT -
Q: How did it feel to be a Starter at the National Tournament?
A: It was an honor to be a starter on a team contending for a national title. I am grateful for the chance to start at a national tournament and it will be something that I will remember for the rest of my life.
Q: How do you feel about going into the GSAC next year?
A: I am very excited to go into the GSAC next year. Playing in such a well-established and respected conference as the GSAC is something that I count as a huge blessing and I am looking forward to seeing what the future holds for Life Pacific in the GSAC.
ELIJAH TODD -
Q: What will you miss the most about playing at LPC?
A: What I'll miss the most about playing is being with all the guys and the coaching staff. There were too many good times and laughs to count.
Q: What was your most memorable moment or achievement during your career?
A: The most memorable moment was being able to play my first collegiate game at home in Arizona in front of all my friends and family.
The achievements I am proud of are helping the team win 2 conference titles, west region titles and making it to the national tournament back to back years. We got banners and we made history.
Q: Anything that you would like to say to your teammates and/or coaches?
A: Thank you to all of my teammates at Life over the past 3 years and to the coaching staff for some of the best years of my life.
TIM JOHNSON -
Q: What will you miss the most about playing at LPC?
A: I will miss the environment most. Having the constant everyday accountability and duty to the team. I found that I grew so much in my walk with Christ first, as a person and as a teammate. It's not fun having the coaches on your butt all of the time, but you learn to trust the process and be grateful for both the good and the bad.
Q: What was your most memorable moment or achievement during your career?
A: I had two memorable moments in my short College career. One was off the court and the other was on the court. The first moment was meeting with Coach Cook and having him hold me accountable in my relationship with Jesus and purity. After I met with him the first time we then have met every week since. It has been awesome because that relationship off the court translated to performance on the court. On my birthday. We had a home game, I had 11 points (career high) and the crowd was going nuts. My teammates were going nuts. I had 2 And1 plays that game and I remember how many people came to support us. It was a phenomenal moment. It felt good because I had gone through a lot of challenges, in the beginning, adjusting to college ball. Knowing that my hard work was paying off was something I could be proud of.
Q: How did it feel to go to a National Tournament?
A: As a kid, I always wanted to be in the NBA. (What kid doesn't?) Going to a National tournament for a week, traveling with the team, staying in a hotel, and playing on a national stage is something I never thought I would get to do.
I'm still mentally adjusting.
HEAD COACH TIM COOK -
Q: How did it feel to go to back to back National Tournaments?
A: This year was an extremely challenging season. We lost two starters in the middle of the season, we had injuries, we had guys trying to figure out their roles; we had returners defining their basketball play and because we had a collective group of guys in that locker room that believed in the system and believed in each other and believed in the staff, it was a miracle and I believe God's has favor on doing it the right way.
Q: How does it feel to be entering the GSAC?
A: I have coached in the GSAC for 12 years, I think it's the best NAIA Division 1 conference in the country. God has prepared us for this new challenge and we are plowing every day to make this program more competitive and special so that the LPC community can have something that be proud about.
Q: Any comments to wrap up the 2017/18 season?
A: This season was one of the toughest for me today in my 20+ years of coaching because of all the adversity that we went through, but I would also say it's the most rewarding season that I've ever been through because we did so many special things and we overachieved in every aspect. To watch these young men grow and have a relationship with Christ is exactly what we are here for. It has always been bigger than basketball for myself and the staff.