Feb. 21, 2006
SAN BRUNO, Calif. - With the West Coast Conference Men's and Women's Basketball Tournament just around the corner, the WCC takes a look back at some of the event's all-time great performers. Each weekday, leading up to the day before the championships begin (March 1), the WCC will recognize one male and one female former student-athlete for their achievements during the WCC Tournament. This year's event marks the 20th anniversary of the men's tournament and the 15th anniversary of the women's tournament. On Day 2, the WCC takes a look at former WCC Tournament greats Hank Gathers of Loyola Marymount University and Valerie Gillon of the University of San Francisco.
WCC Tournament All-Time Great Performers: Day 2
LOYOLA MARYMOUNT - Hank Gathers (1988-89)
Perhaps the greatest player in West Coast Conference history, Loyola Marymount's Hank Gathers became the conference's first two-time tournament MVP and is the leading scorer in the event's 19-year history.
Gathers led the Lions to back-to-back tournament titles in 1988 and 1989. Led by Gathers, the Lions set a WCC record for most points in a tournament with 323 total points (107.7 ppg) in 1988. His 1988 tournament was highlighted by an amazing 33-point, 18-rebound performance in LMU's first round win over Portland.
In seven career WCC Tournament games, Gathers scored a record 186 points for a 26.6 points per game average, the highest clip in league history.
SAN FRANCISCO - Valerie Gillon (1995-96)
San Francisco had unparalleled success in the WCC Tournament during the mid-1990's, and Valerie Gillon became the league's first two-time tournament MVP after leading the Lady Dons to tournament titles in 1995 and 1996.
After claiming the conference's regular season crown, USF earned its first tournament title in 1995 with a 66-50 victory over Portland in the championship game. Gillon was outstanding throughout the tournament, tying a WCC record with 55 total points en route to her first MVP honor.
Gillon and the Lady Dons both repeated in 1996, with the senior leading the squad to its second straight championship game triumph over WCC nemesis Portland, 61-57.
WCC Tournament All-Time Great Performers: Day 1 - Dan Dickau, Gonzaga & Melissa King, Santa Clara