The California Pacific Conference tournament begins Saturday

Via Cal Pac SID Matt Davis:

The format is new but the goal is the same for four California Pacific Conference men's basketball teams—advance to the NAIA National Championship Tournament in Branson, Mo. Cal Maritime, William Jessup, Simpson, and Menlo will converge on Haynes-Prim Pavilion at Menlo College for the semifinal round on March 1 to play for the opportunity to extend the season at least one more game. 

For the first time in almost a decade, the tournament will be held at one location instead of the higher seeded team hosting the game. In recent years, all teams advanced to the conference tournament, but this year the Cal Pac has gone to a uniform format for all its sports where the championship tournaments are pared down to a final four with all games played at one predetermined site.

Cal Maritime earned the top seed by virtue of completing the Cal Pac schedule with an 11-1 record, 25-5 overall. The Keelhaulers will take on #4 Menlo (6-6 in the Cal Pac, 9-17 overall) in the 3:30 game on March 1. In the first semifinal contest, #3 Simpson (9-3, 11-19) takes on #2 William Jessup (9-3, 15-11) at 1:30. The two teams split their Cal Pac games this season, both winning on the road.

The winners of the two games will play at 8:00 on Monday, March 3, with the winner earning the right to play in the national tournament, which begins March 12-13 at Keeter Gymnasium on the campus of the College of the Ozarks.

1:30 Semifinal

Listen live on KAHI 950 AM or streamed at Kahi.com with Dave Rosenthal and Matt George. Menlo will have live video. 

#2 WILLIAM JESSUP
The Warriors lead the conference in scoring defense (69.1 points per game) and are tied for second (with Simpson) in defensive field goal percentage (42%).  Jessup's offense is led by Corey Clement, who ranks among the league's best in scoring, rebounding, field goal percentage, and free throw percentage.  Clement is third in points per game (18), tops in field goal percentage (59.5%), third in rebounding (8.7), and first in free throw percentage (86.2%).  But he is not the only offensive weapon the Warriors have. Caleb Richey is scoring at a 10.9 points per game clip and leads the team in assists, averaging 4.7 a game—the best in the Cal Pac.  Anthony Edwards is putting in 8.3 points per game to go along with his 6.2 rebounds while Kelton Newman is adding 9.4 points per contest.
VS.
#3 SIMPSON
The Red Hawks have an explosive offense, with three players capable of having huge games.  The trio averages double figures for a Simpson offense which ranks second in the conference in points per game (74.3) and field goal percentage (44.2%).  The Red Hawks are led by Dalton Thacker's 13.4 points per game while Anthony Williams and Ian Corella are both scoring at a 12-point clip.  Shaquille Jones in putting 9.8 a game while Jonnie Washburn, the team's leading three-point shooter, is tossing in 9.7 per contest.  Defensively, five players average at least one steal per game, led by Williams's 51 on the season. The Red Hawks know how to win close games; they have had several nail-biters in Cal Pac this winter:  three conference wins have been decided on the last possession—twice against La Sierra (the first in overtime) and a buzzer-beater at Menlo.

3:30 Semifinal

#1 CAL MARITIME
Cal Maritime has five players averaging in double figures, led by Grant Blaser's 14.2 points per game. Casey Healy is scoring at a 12.1 clip, and is the team's leader in assists.  Anthony Simi averages 11.1 points per outing while Erik Hanson and Dominique Barnes provide the inside power for the Keelhaulers: Hanson is averaging 10.5 points and 5.1 boards per contest, and Barnes is averaging 10.2 points and a 4.7 rebounds per game. Jaquai Wiley averages 8.4 points on the season, but it is on the defensive end that he stands out.  The reigning Defensive Player of the Year in the Cal Pac, Wiley spearheads a defense that is giving up 69.5 points a game while holding opponents to 41% shooting.
VS.
#4 MENLO
The offense revolves around Keith Bowman, arguably the top post player in the Cal Pac.  Bowman ranks second in the conference in both scoring and rebounding, averaging 18.4 points and 9.2 rebounds per game (eighth best in the country).  He has recorded 11 double-doubles this season, and he ranks second in field goal percentage (50.7%).  Bowman has teammates who can also generate offense.  John Smith is scoring at a 10.1 clip while Charles Barnes (9.0), Dylan Severson (7.5), and Colin Wan (7.0) are capable of putting up big numbers if teams focus too much on Bowman.