Men’s basketball banquet set

Submitted by Scott Wilson
Phone: (907) 474-6807
04/27/04

The University of Alaska Fairbanks men’s basketball team will celebrate its winningest season in school history at the 2004 UAF Men’s Basketball Banquet on Thursday, April 29 at the River’s Edge Resort.

Hosted by the UAF Men’s Basketball Tip-Off Club, festivities will get underway at 6:30 p.m. with dinner starting at 7 p.m. The awards ceremony will follow.

The Most Valuable Player, Best Defensive Player, Most Improved Player and the Steve Singleton Award for hard work and effort throughout the season will be presented at the banquet.

Tickets are $40 if purchased by Monday, April 26. A limited number of seats may be available after that date, but the cost is $45. To make reservations or to find out more information, contact Janice Poole at 458-0867 or Marta Ginther at 474-9221.

The Nanooks finished the 2003-04 campaign with a 23-7 overall record and a spot in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Division II Men’s Basketball National Championship. It was the second consecutive season in which the Nanooks finished with at least 20 wins. UAF also won its final 10 Great Northwest Athletic Conference games this year to finish 14-4 in league play.

Head Coach Al Sokaitis was named the GNAC Coach of the Year for the second consecutive season. Brad Oleson, a 6-4 junior guard from North Pole, AK, was named the GNAC Player of the Year, posting a 22.9 points per game average and leading the team in rebounding with 5.8 caroms a contest.