Biography
CAREER: Finished as one of the best point guards to grace Azusa Pacific with his presence . . . Is the only Cougar ever to be twice named GSAC Player of the Year and NAIA All-American . . . In fact, was a 2-time first team All-American . . . Finished his career as a rare 2-year Cougar who is a member of the 1,000-point club . . . His 407 assists are seventh on Azusa Pacific’s all-time chart . . . Started all 74 games played and never missed a game.
SENIOR (1999): Named 2-time GSAC Player of the Year and 2-time NAIA All-American . . . Was the first player in GSAC history to be named GSAC Player of the Year and NAIA All-American twice . . . Arguably the premier point guard in the NAIA. . . A consensus preseason All-American, was named by Adidas Blue Ribbon College Basketball Preview, Dick Vitale College Basketball Preview, Street & Smith’s College Basketball Preview and Preview Sports College Basketball Preview . . . Topped off his stellar 1998 season with an even better 1999 campaign . . . Has led the Cougars to an unprecedented seventh straight GSAC title . . . Led the GSAC in assists and finished 13th in the NAIA . . . Was 9th in the GSAC in scoring and 11th in rebounding (but was the top rebounding guard). . . In the season-opening win at Christian Heritage scored 16 points, dished out a career-high 14 assists and had 9 rebounds . . . Scored in double figures in 22 straight games . . .Against CS Los Angeles, notched his second double-double of season with 11 points and 10 rebounds . . . Scored 23 points and had 6 rebounds against Christian Heritage in Cougar Classic . . . Had 9 rebounds and 15 points in first round win at Sea Warrior Classic against Carthage (Wisc.), then scored 18 points with 9 boards the next night in the finals against Hawaii Pacific . . . In first round win at State Farm Holiday Classic, registered 19 points and 9 rebounds, and followed that with 18 points, 6 assists and 5 boards the next night against CS Bakersfield in the tourney title game . . . Was named to the All-Tournament team at the State Farm Holiday Classic, his fifth all-tourney selection in two seasons as a Cougar. . . Scored 24 points (10-of-11 shooting) in only 18 minutes in a win over Bethany . . . Began defense of his GSAC Player of the Year with a triple-double in a conference opening 87-67 win against So. Cal College, scoring 17 points, dishing out 12 assists and grabbing 10 rebounds . . . At No. 10 Biola, scored 11 points before leaving with tissue damage in his eye . . . Came back the next game against Concordia, sporting a pair of goggles, and scored a career-high 38 points (4-for-5 from 3-point line), that went along with 8 rebounds, 7 assists and 5 steals . . . Named the GSAC Player of the Week for that effort . . . Had 14 points and 10 rebounds at So. Cal College . . . In the win over No. 9 Westmont, scored a game-high 18 points with 7 boards and 7 assists . . . Had 8 rebounds and 7 assists in a rematch win over No. 10 Biola, playing on a badly sprained ankle . . . In the Cougars win over Concordia, scored a game-high 23 points and had 8 assists on a badly sprained ankle. . . In regular season finale at Fresno Pacific, scored 15 points with 8 rebounds and 6 assists . . . Scored in double figures in each of the 4 NAIA Postseason tournament games, including team-high 22 (7-of-12 shooting) vs. Findlay (Ohio) . . . Totaled 64 points in 4 NAIA Tourney games (avg. 16 pts./game) . . . Grabbed 8 rebounds twice vs. Findlay (Ohio) and in semifinal game vs. Life (Ga.) . . . Averaged 6.5 rebounds in Tulsa . . . Dished out 8 assists in 4 games.
JUNIOR (1998): Walker had one of the finest seasons in Azusa Pacific history . . . Named NAIA All-American, becoming the first Cougar to ever be named first team . . . Led the Cougars to the No. 1 seed in the NAIA Tournament and guided them to the NAIA Final Four, both program firsts . . . Named the 1998 GSAC Co-Player of the Year, after leading the Cougars to their sixth consecutive GSAC crown . . . Led the Cougars in scoring (15.1), rebounds (5.3) and assists (5.8) . . . Started all 39 games . . . Finished 16th in the NAIA in assists . . . In the 4 tournaments Azusa Pacific played was named MVP twice and led the Cougars all four tourney titles . . . Scored a then career-high 26 points in a win over Western Washington in Seattle and the next night tossed in 20 more, including 6 key points in the final 6 minutes, as Azusa Pacific snapped Seattle Pacific’s 28-game home court winning streak . . . . Scored a team high 14 against WAC champ Utah while going head-to-head with All-American Andre Miller . . . Against No. 8-ranked Biola, scored a season-high 31 points, the first Cougar to eclipse 30-point plateau since 1995 . . . In that game, also had game highs of 11 rebounds, 7 assists, and 5 steals . . . Named NAIA National Player of the Week, after scoring 52 points, grabbing 16 rebounds, and dishing out 11 assists, while only turning the ball over twice in wins over Biola and Concordia . . . In GSAC championship game vs. Biola, scored only 13 points, but grabbed 6 rebounds and had 3 steals, and forced 2 turnovers in the final minutes to secure a 62-59 win . . . Had a double-double (19 points and 11 rebounds) against Point Loma . . . Had 10 assists vs. defending NAIA Champion Life (GA), while scoring 20 points and collecting 7 steals . . . In the Cougars’ first game against Westmont, scored 24 points thanks to a career-high 5 3-pointers . . . In GSAC semifinals vs. So. Cal College, scored 17 points, grabbed 6 rebounds, had 8 assists, and only 1 turnover, while forcing All-GSAC guard Adam Dzierzynski into 7 turnovers . . . Had 9 20-point games, the first Cougar since Raymond Tutt in 1995 to accomplish that feat.. . . Set the Azusa Pacific single season record for steals (120).
NAIA TOURNEY: Was a member of the 1998 GSAC Champion Cougar team that advanced to the NAIA Final Four. . .Scored in double figures in all 4 games. . .Had 12 points and 9 rebounds in opening-round win over Huston-Tillotson (Tx.). . .Scored 13 points, grabbed 7 rebounds and dished out 6 assists in second-round win over Transylvania (Ky.). . .In quarterfinal win over Incarnate Word, made 2 free throws in the final 10 seconds to ice the Cougars’ 66-62 victory. . .In semifinal loss to Georgetown (Ky.), scored 11 points and had 6 assists.
JUNIOR COLLEGE: Played his 1996 sophomore season at Modesto Community College, leading the Pirates to a 22-10 record and third place finish in conference.
PACIFIC: Played in all 31 games with 5 starts as a 1995 freshman at the University of the Pacific in Stockton, Calif. . . . Averaged 20.9 minutes and 7.3 points . . . Started the last 2 games in the Big West Tournament, scoring 19 points on 8-for-12 shooting vs. Long Beach State . . . Scored a career-high 27 points (13-of-16 shooting) in 29 minutes vs. UC Davis . . . Had 19 points on 7-for-8 shooting vs. Nevada . . . Led the team in steals with 34.
HIGH SCHOOL: Led Modesto High to the 1993 CIF Championship at the Arco Arena in Sacramento . . . Averaged 29 points, 9.5 rebounds, and 8 assists as a senior . . . Named Central California Conference MVP as a junior and senior . . . Cal Hi Sports listed him as one of the top fifty seniors in the state.
PERSONAL: Full name is Tiran Jerome Walker, Jr. . . . Born Sept. 14, 1975, in Long Beach to Tiran and Jackie Walker . . . His uncle is former Utah Jazz James Hardy.
