Oates’ Coaching Is a Masterwork
Oatmeal for breakfast. White bread for lunch. Meat and potatoes for dinner.
Dessert? Ice cream, perhaps, but definitely vanilla.
Bill Oates is a master motivator, and the proof is in The Master’s College basketball team. The Mustangs are 16-2 and riding a 13-game winning streak. In seven seasons under Oates, Master’s is 169-55 and has never won fewer than 21 games.
But while his team generates excitement, Oates operates at an astonishingly even keel. Even when discussing his team, he sounds like a man describing his machine shop.
“The pieces are in place,” he said. “Everything is meshing well. But we have a long way to go and a long way to improve.”
The tone of his voice doesn’t change. But when the topic turns to senior guard Joey Penberthy, who averages 21.7 points, Oates’ words take on a twinkle.
“Joey is playing really well,” Oates said. “We have a real nice three-guard rotation.”
Kenny Jackson and Dominic Avila, junior college transfers, are the others. Jackson averages 12.2 points and has 54 steals. Avila averages seven points and leads the team with 69 assists.
The interior of Jacy Armbruster, Reggie McFerren and Joclin Julmist is potent as well. Armbruster averages 16.7 points on 51% shooting, McFerren averages 12.8 points and Julmist has averaged 12.8 rebounds since his broken foot healed in December.
The starters are complemented by a strong bench, led by Bas Van Rhee, from Thousand Oaks High.
“The biggest difference this year is our depth,” Oates said. “We are two deep in every position. The guys on the floor can expend more energy because they can get a breather without much of a drop in talent on the floor.”
Master’s is closing in on the school record of 18 consecutive victories set in 1994-95, when the Mustangs also set a record for total victories and went 31-5.
Not that Oates is getting complacent. He wants to make sure his team doesn’t peak too early.
Last season the Mustangs rattled off 12 consecutive victories at the right time, advancing to the NAIA national tournament for the sixth year in a row.
“We can execute better from a turnover standpoint,” he said. “And we can always play better defense.
“We know we have tough games staring us in the face.”
*
Master’s plays an intriguing home-and-away series against Life University of Marietta, Ga. Life is defending NAIA national champion and is ranked No. 2 with a 15-1 record. Master’s is ranked seventh.
“This will be the first time we’ve played them,” Oates said. “We are looking forward to it.”
Master’s visits Life on Jan. 25, then hosts Life on Feb. 19 in what promises to foreshadow the national tournament in March.
*
St. Mary’s (5-8) won’t be the most formidable opponent Pepperdine faces in West Coast Conference play.
But 7-foot-3 center Brad Millard of St. Mary’s will be the tallest player Pepperdine faces.
Millard, who sat out last season with an injury, is averaging nearly 16 points and eight rebounds. His numbers might be better except his teammates have shot poorly, enabling opponents to collapse in the key with double- and triple-teams.
Coach Dave Bollwinkel isn’t too pleased with any of it.
“We need to shoot better, that’s our biggest drawback,” Bollwinkel said. “And Brad needs to become more aggressive. He needs to knock people around and assert himself in the low post.”
Millard is back in good standing after Bollwinkel benched him against UC Santa Barbara last week for “conduct detrimental to the team.”
“Brad is disappointed in the way he has played,” Bollwinkel said.
