Bethany Basketball Remembers 13-14 Season
The Bethany College men's basketball team hosted their honors banquet Sunday afternoon, May 4. Head Coach Clair Oleen and his coaching staff honored six seniors, handed out individual awards, listed team and individual accomplishments, and reviewed the successful 2013-2014 campaign.
As a team Bethany was fourth in the NAIA in scoring offense per game (89.516) and was first in the KCAC. They were 21st in scoring offense with 2775 points on the season. The Swedes made 7.774 three-point field goals per game which was 24th in the nation, they made 241 which was 27th in the nation, and Bethany ranked 28th in the nation by making 36.3 percent of their three-point attempts. As a team Bethany made 47.9 percent of their shots which was second in the KCAC and 24th in the nation.
Bethany College now holds the NAIA Division II team record for the largest margin of victory in an overtime game. The Swedes scored 23 points on December 14, to beat Southwestern College by 17 points, 108-91.
The Swedes rewrote the individual and team Bethany College record book this year. As a team, Bethany broke nine records. The Swedes also set nine new individual records this year. The Swedes had the best scoring average per game in Bethany history. The team averaged 89.5 points per game, with a total of 2775 points total in 31 games. Previously the record was 88.1 points per game in 1988-1989 and that team scored 2468 points in 28 games.
With all the scoring the Swedes did, the team set records for most field goals attempted in a season (2024, was 1526 in 1968-1969), most field goals made in a season (969, was 918 in 1988-1989), most free-throws attempted in a season (834, was 773 in 1988-1989), and most free-throws made in a season (596/834 at 71.5%, was 516/773 at 67% in 1988-1989). The team made the most three-point field goals in a game this year. In a 106-103 OT win against Panhandle State University the Swedes made 16 three pointers. Bethany pulled down 1101 rebounds this year, which was 121 better than the 1970-1971 season when the Swedes grabbed 980. With the new officiating focus on defensive fouls, the Swedes also committed the most fouls in a season, 648.
Jordan Bieberle has set the record for the most three-point field goals made in a game. On December 7, 2013, Beiberle nailed eight three pointers in a 102-86 victory over Tabor College. Idris Ibn Idris has the record for most points scored in a single season (874) and points scored in a single game (46, Jan. 22 vs. Bethel College). Idris has the new record for field goals attempted in a season (511, was 374 Kirk Swenson in 1989-1990) and most field goals made in a season (284 out of 511 at 55 percent, was 221 out of 387 at 57 percent by Kirk Swenson in 1989-1990). Idris shot and made the most free-throws attempted in a season, he made 224 out of the 289 that he shot. Previously, Dale Gorsky held the record for free-throws attempted in a season with 204, and Jerry Krone held the record for free-throws made in a season with 163. In his short career, Idris scored exactly 1,000 points which was 25.6 points per game, which is the best scoring average during a career. This year's 874 points averaged to 27.3 points per game and is now the highest scoring average in a season. The record was previously held by Jerry Krone who averaged 23.4 points per game in 1978.
Idris was a KCAC 1st team All-Conference award winner. Kirby Hawkins was named to the third team. Vincent Roybal received Honorable Mention in the KCAC. Derek Knopp was the Swedes KCAC Champion of Character and also was a NAIA All-American Scholar Athlete.
Alex Loul was voted as the team's most inspirational player. Loul and Roybal were the most improved players on this year's team. Roybal also received the "Purple Heart Award" which goes to the player who takes the most charges. Idris earned the "Thor Award" which goes to the player with the best totals across multiple statistical categories, not including scoring. He was also voted as the team's most valuable player. Nathan Coleman was voted as the team's most valuable defensive player. Chris Robinson was the Freshman and Junior Varsity Player of the year. The Teammates of the Year Award went to Erik Giacomozzi and Jaden Perkins.
"It was an exciting year of Bethany Basketball with a very fast paced, high possession style of play. This team consistently had to fight off adversity as we only had 9 games out of 33 when we had our entire varsity roster available to play, yet we won 20 games and were fighting for another national tournament berth," said Coach Oleen. "These young men were resilient, determined, and confident...believing in themselves and the "next man up" who time and again came through for us."
The Swedes finished with a 20-11 record overall and a 12-6 record in the KCAC. Bethany was a KCAC Tournament Semi-Finalist team.