On Nov. 24, 2015, Head Coach Dave Holmquist became the eighth collegiate men’s basketball coach in history to hit 900 career coaching victories. The journey to hit this major milestone has taken 1,255 games and 38-plus seasons.
A 79-60 victory over the Bethesda Flames at home got coach Holmquist to the big number as the 2015-16 Biola Eagles team improved to 9-1 to start the season.
“It feels great to have done this with so many people who have been here over the years,” said Holmquist. “I have so many good memories about so many former players and teams, and I feel very grateful that I was able to stay at one place for so long.”
Holmquist is in his 36th season at the helm of the Eagles and 39th season overall. He began his career in 1975-76 as he coached the first of his three years overseeing the Fresno Pacific Sunbirds.
The win even more firmly secures the coach’s place in history as he reaches a 900 win club that includes the likes of Mike Krzyzewski, Jim Boheim, Don Meyer and Bobby Knight.
The next illustrious head coach that Holmquist will pass on the all-time wins list is the legendary former Indiana Hoosier head coach, Knight. Three more victories this year would move Holmquist past Knight’s 902 and into seventh place all-time. Holmquist is already the winningest active coach in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics Division I, and he was inducted into the NAIA Hall of Fame in 2002.
“This is such a good place to work,” said Holmquist. “It’s a place where people want to help you. I’ve been blessed to work here at my school. I feel so fortunate to have the job I’ve had and coach the people I have. I just feel very blessed.”
The game itself was never in doubt as Biola rode a red hot Terrell Funches early on, took advantage of a steady Dakari Archer in the middle of the game and capitalized on some great scoring from Trevor Treinen late en route to the 19-point victory.
Funches scored eight consecutive points for Biola about six minutes into the game to help the Eagles build a 12-4 lead that they never looked back from. He was electric for that short stretch with two deep threes and a fast break dunk. The senior transfer would end the night with 19 points on just about 50 percent shooting from the field.
After a slow first eight minutes or so Archer began to heat up late in the second half. His first basket of the game came with seven minutes remaining in the half when he took a ball hard to the rim and came away with two points and a foul.
From that signature basket forward he never looked back as he piled on the scoring and finished with a game-high 23 points on 7-for-11 shooting. He had four three-point field goals, which helped him combine with Funches and Treinen for nine makes from distance.
Treinen didn’t find his stroke until the second half, but once he did he absolutely took over the game. The freshman posted 10 of his 14 points over the course of the final 20 minutes. He was 3-for-4 from the field in the second half and a perfect 3-for-3 from the line. He added two steals and three assists in another all-around solid performance.
“In the second half our offense started to loosen up and we were able to do some more things I know we are capable of,” said Holmquist. “It was a fun night where everyone got to play.”
The Eagles scored the first basket of the night and never trailed on a night where Holmquist’s defense did just enough to keep the Flames’ athletic offense at bay throughout the evening.
Biola is now 9-1 on the year while Bethesda falls to 0-3. The Eagles will resume their schedule with the first Golden State Athletic Conference game of the season on Dec. 5 at San Diego Christian.