WP Leads 3 CCC Hoops Teams in Preseason Top 25 Poll
PORTLAND, Ore. – Three teams from the Cascade Conference, including two-time defending champion Warner Pacific, have been ranked in the NAIA Division II preseason coaches’ men’s basketball Top 25 poll, the national office announced Wednesday.
CCC teams earning spots in the preseason ranking are Warner Pacific (3), Oregon Tech (11) and Eastern Oregon (18). The College of Idaho was among those institutions receiving votes. On the women’s side, Eastern Oregon and College of Idaho were among schools receiving votes in their respective preseason poll, but not enough to crack the Top 25.
Warner Pacific’s men’s team is coming off a banner season in which it went 28-6 and advanced to the Sweet Sixteen under the guidance of head coach Bart Valentine. Most of the key players from last year’s squad return to the fold in 2007-08, including reigning Cascade Conference Player of the Year Scott O’Gallagher. O’Gallagher led the Knights with a 24.9 scoring average on way to earning first team All-American honors.
Other key returnees for WPC include first team all-conference selection Josh Jackson and last year’s CCC Newcomer of the Year Jalonta Martin. Jackson and Martin averaged 16.9 and 16.3 points per game, respectively, last season.
The Knights, who went 28-6 and advanced to the Sweet Sixteen last season, return a host of key players from last year’s team, including first team All-American and CCC Player of the Year Scott O’Gallagher.
Oregon Tech, led by 37th-year head coach Dan Miles, is seeking its 10th trip in the last 12 years to the national tournament. Miles will look to returning All-American Ryan Fiegi and Josh Wetzler for leadership.